Kyle Busch Inevitable Sprint Cup Champion?

In the world of NASCAR, there are the drivers you love and the drivers you love to hate. While Kyle Busch has many fans, he's no stranger to dealing with haters both on and off the track. But even those who can't stand him are beginning to admit: the man knows how to win races.

The younger of the Busch brothers is both loved and hated for his "win or go home" attitude. Some say it comes across as cockiness, others point at his stats and claim that whatever people want to call it, it's working.

After 20 races, Busch has racked up seven wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s, and a more than comfortable 253-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the Sprint Cup standings.

It is impossible to deny that Busch is on a role, but will he run out of steam as "The Chase" grows nearer?

Though Busch has ended up in victory lane in five of his last 10 races, he's only managed a top five in one other race. He also suffered his first DNF of the season at Pocono.

For most drivers, this doesn't even come close to constituting a slump. But for the seemingly unstoppable Busch, could it be a sign of struggles to come?

Unless he suffers from a sudden change of luck, which doesn't look likely, Busch has a spot in The Chase rapped up. But if his semi-struggles with consistency continue, things could get a lot tougher for the No. 18 crew.

Although, if Busch can still manage to win every other race, it doesn't matter how inconsistent he is. There won't be anybody close enough in the standings to even dream of stopping him.

Drivers like Dale Jr., Jeff Burton, and Carl Edwards, however, may have something to say about letting Busch walk away with things. While they've quietly trailed the standings leader, there's definitely enough veteran experience there that may come into effect as the season winds down.

Also, look out for those other Hendrick Motorsports boys. Hope you didn't forget about them because, like it or not, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are starting to heat up, again.

Once The Chase for the Sprint Cup starts, Kyle Busch will have more than enough experienced drivers to fight off. But unless somebody finds a way to start stealing wins away from him, he may have nothing to worry about.