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The driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra has just made a major announcement about his NASCAR future. John Hunter Nemechek revealed that he will be back with KBM for another season.
The 24-year-old teased the announcement on Twitter on Wednesday, October 13, with a photo of him wearing TRD gear and signing a contract. One day later, he posted a video recapping his departure from the Cup Series, his move to KBM, and his decision to go pursue wins in the Truck Series. The clip ended with Kyle Busch and Nemechek wearing matching “Back 4 More” t-shirts.
“It’s been refreshing to see John Hunter get the No. 4 Tundra back out front leading laps, winning races and competing for a championship this year like it had in the past and it’s important for us that we are able to keep him in that seat for another season,” Busch said in a press release on October 14. “In addition to the accomplishments of the No. 4 team this season, the efforts that John Hunter and Eric have put in behind the scenes have helped keep that winning edge of performance in our whole program. I’m pumped to have the both of them back leading the charge at KBM as we roll out the new 2022 Tundra TRD Pro’s next season to continue our winning ways!”
KBM also announced that Nemechek will continue working with Eric Phillips, the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, during the 2022 season. The two men joined forces in 2021 and captured five wins and the regular-season championship. Nemechek is currently 36 points above the cutline with only one race remaining in the Round of Eight.
Nemechek Joined KBM After His Rookie Cup Series Season
Nemechek made the leap from a full-time Xfinity Series ride in 2019 and moved up to the Cup Series in 2020. He joined Front Row Motorsports and became the driver of the No. 38 Ford Mustang.
Nemechek did not contend for wins as one of two drivers for a smaller team. He only cracked the top 10 three times in his rookie season — ninth at Darlington and eighth in both Talladega races — with an average finish of 22.4. He ended the season 27th in points and made the decision to step away from Cup and pursue wins in a different series.
“I came to Kyle Busch Motorsports because it was an opportunity to get back to victory lane — I accomplished my goal of being here for wins and I’m excited to be coming back for more next year,” Nemechek added. “With the support of Kyle and Samantha, everyone at KBM and everyone at Toyota and TRD, I’ve been able to experience the thrill of victory alongside my long-term partners ROMCO, Fire Alarm Services, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety and Safeway, and we were also able to get Mobil 1 back to victory lane for KBM. We have some unfinished business left trying to bring the championship trophy home to KBM this year and then we’ll go to work on the brand new 2022 Tundra so that we can compete for more wins and another championship next year.”
Nemechek Excelled During His Return to Truck Series Action
When Nemechek headed back to the Truck Series, he used the hashtag “Here4Wins” to show that his main goal was bringing a championship trophy to KBM at the end of the 2021 season. While he still has to complete this goal, the 24-year-old has already proved that he can excel in top-level equipment.
Nemechek began his first season with KBM by posting two top-10 finishes. He finished seventh in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and then took third on the Daytona Road Course. Ben Rhodes won the opening two races to take the top spot in the standings, but Nemechek soon began gaining ground.
The driver of the No. 4 won the third race of the season before adding another four trophies to his collection. His run includes back-to-back victories at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. Nemechek took the top spot in the standings and held on through the regular season, capturing another trophy and bonus playoff points.
Nemechek has yet to win in the playoffs, but three top-fives in five races have helped keep him well above the cutline. He has a one-point advantage over Rhodes in the standings and a considerable lead over Matt Crafton, Sheldon Creed, Stewart Friesen, Chandler Smith, Carson Hocevar, and Zane Smith.
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