Martin Truex Jr.’s resignation sent shock waves through the community this weekend. But perhaps one of the riders who reflected most on the veteran’s decision was his former teammate at JGR.
After parting ways with JGR at the end of 2022, Kyle Busch’s commitment to Richard Childress Racing failed to live up to expectations.
For one of NASCAR’s most successful drivers, moving on from a “top team” like JGR meant taking things easier. But with JGR and HMS leaving him at the top of the league, and Busch cautiously navigating the playoff cutoff zone, “Rowdy” can’t help but reminisce about the times when he was performing better.
As his stint at RCR continues to go up in flames, Kyle Busch lays out all his cards
Twenty years ago, Kyle Busch made his debut in what was then known as the Nextel Cup Series, driving the No. 84 Chevrolet for Rick Hendrick.
Midway through the year, it was announced that Busch would become a full-time driver for HMS, starting in 2005. Busch won two races with HMS in his first year in the Cup Series and was named Rookie of the Year that season.
However, this dominating relationship between Kyle Busch and Hendrick Motorsports did not last long.
Midway through the 2007 season, “Rowdy” announced his separation from Hendrick. According to Busch, the reason has a lot to do with “agent changes” and the incident at the All-Star Race, which led to a difficult relationship between “Rowdy” and his boss at HMS.
Busch made history by moving to Joe Gibbs Racing, but when it came time to say goodbye to his Cup Series home for the first time in nearly 15 years, “Rowdy” moved to Richard Childress Racing in hopes of continuing to run at the top of the field. .
Unfortunately, after a string of lackluster results this year, Kyle Busch doesn’t seem comfortable with his decision.
So when asked about the possibility of joining a former team like JGR or HMS, Rowdy put all his cards on the table. In an interview with FrontStretch, Busch said: “If I’m welcomed (at JGR), I’ll definitely come back. If Hendrick welcomes me, I’ll come back.” That doesn’t mean he’s not committed to his current team.
Busch added: “But now I’m at RCR under contract with my guys, so we’re going to build this program and make RCR great again.” There’s no denying that the No. 8 driver has had a tough time this season. And there’s no denying that 2024 was his season with his former team HMS and JGR.
The interviewer understood his situation, but at the same time asked an intriguing question: “Has anyone at JGR contacted you to see if it’s possible to get out of your contract?” As it stands, Busch is under contract with Richard Childress Racing until the end of next season.
With that in mind, Rowdy responded: “They knew more or less where I was. So we didn’t come to an agreement.” This is Martin Truex Jr.’s position that Kyle Busch could take over, so he paid tribute to the 43-year-old.
About the connection between the two, Busch said: “We’ve always had a great relationship, we’ve always understood and respected each other.
It’s always been fun working with him and being part of the same team.
Even though we weren’t on the same team, we showed our friendship on the track.” Remember the Echo Park Automotive Grand Prix? Martin Truex Jr. was getting angry at many drivers during the race, but shortly after, when Busch’s No. 8 car ran out of gas and had difficulty returning to the pits, the driver of the No. 19 car came to his aid, showing some dents.
Now that Truex Jr. is hanging up his helmet full-time at the end of this season, 39-year-old Kyle Busch is also taking his time. So what are his transfer options, if not Hendrick Motorsports?
Alternatives for Kyle Busch’s RCR exit plan
If Kyle Busch were to leave RCR for another team, with Rick Hendrick not being interested, there are a few good options.
Aside from Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and 23XI Racing have performed well all season, topping nearly every RCR driver in the regular season points standings so far.
With Martin Truex Jr. moving over from JGR and grabbing the top spot, “Rowdy” could step in and rekindle his biggest NASCAR partnership.
Apart from these top teams, Kyle Busch could also choose to stay with Richard Childress Racing and build a team up to the level of HMS or JGR as he stated. But that’s not all. As a 39-year-old full-time Cup driver, Busch is in a unique situation.
On the one hand, “Rowdy” is old enough to have experienced everything that comes with Cup racing, making him the perfect driver to lead a new team like 23XI Racing or mentor a new driver at a team like JGR.
But with only a few years left in his full-time racing career, Busch is running out of time. With Kyle Busch inching closer to becoming the oldest active driver in the Cup Series, the question is, can “Rowdy” regain the momentum he lost with a change of team and environment in time for a championship?
