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2022 is coming to a close, so it’s the perfect time to look back at some major moments from the NASCAR season. One of the biggest was Kyle Busch’s departure from Joe Gibbs Racing after 15 seasons.
Busch entered the 2022 season as a pending free agent. He had one year remaining on his deal with Joe Gibbs Racing, but the expectation was that he would return to the No. 18 for the 2023 season. Obviously, having Mars depart NASCAR was a hurdle to overcome, but nothing at the time seemed to indicate that there would be a split between Busch and JGR.
The conversation changed as the season progressed and news of a deal failed to surface. The first true indication that something was amiss was when Busch told reporters ahead of the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway that “I’m not getting antsy about it. If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it don’t. Goodbye.”
Busch’s contract negotiations remained the main topic of conversation for much of the season. The two-time Cup Series champion faced questions during every media availability throughout the summer while Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson weighed in by saying that “any scenario that doesn’t have Kyle Busch retiring from Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota would be a monstrous disappointment.”
The Athletic Broke Some Stunning News
GettyKyle Busch (left) & Samantha Busch (right) walk the red carpet at Sonoma Raceway.
Busch’s future remained the focus throughout the regular season and into the first round of the playoffs. However, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi brought the industry to a halt on September 10 with a surprising update.
Bianchi reported on September 10 that Kyle Busch would leave Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2022 season so that he could join Richard Childress Racing. Though Busch said during a media availability that he had no news to report and that his deal was still being put together.
Fast-forward to September 13, and Busch finally provided the answer. He held a press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and he confirmed that he would return to Chevrolet and join Richard Childress Racing. Busch also confirmed that he would take over the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro while replacing Tyler Reddick.
This move, while expected after Bianchi’s report, still stunned many considering the scope of the change. Having Busch leave Toyota Racing Development after 15 seasons, two championships, and 56 wins so that he could return to Chevrolet and join forces with an unlikely team owner was not something that many fans expected to see.
The Major Move Presents an Opportunity
Busch’s time with JGR is at an end, and now he will move over to the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro while trying to pursue more wins. No one knows how Busch will perform with a new team, but he has big expectations for himself.
“I’m kind of looking at it as the Tom Brady /Peyton Manning aspect where they left great teams, great organizations where they won championships, and they went on and were able to win championships somewhere else,” Busch told media members during the NASCAR Awards media session in Nashville. “I’d like to think that I still have that opportunity to be able to do that with RCR.
“I look at the opportunity with the new Next Gen race car as an easier move to make now with that versus years past with previous generation cars. So I think it’s going to be… honestly, it could be a lateral move.”
Busch has confidence in himself and his ability to perform at RCR. Whether he can continue to stack wins remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that he will remain one of the main drivers to watch during the 2023 season.
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