Kyle Busch is following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Randall Cunningham, and John Riggins. He will come out of retirement for more NASCAR Xfinity Series starts.
Busch announced the news with a video featuring famous clips of Brady and Jordan. He then announced that he is officially coming back. He will make his first Xfinity Series start since July 10, 2021, when he won at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Busch’s video did not reveal the team that he will join. However, Kaulig Racing issued a press release and said that the two-time Cup Series champion will take over the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for five races, the most he is allowed under NASCAR’s rules.
“I’m looking forward to having some fun in the Xfinity Series again,” Busch said in a press release. “What Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have built in just a few short years at Kaulig Racing is impressive, and with the team’s alliance with Richard Childress Racing, this made for an easy decision to be back competing in a series that I’ve had success in over the years.”
The Schedule Includes Busch’s Home Track.
The Kaulig Racing press release confirmed that Busch will take over the No. 10 Chevrolet while joining Austin Dillon, Justin Haley, and AJ Allmendinger on the list of part-time drivers.
The press release also revealed that Busch’s first start will take place at his home track. He will suit up at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 4 and attempt to secure his third win at the intermediate track.
Busch will pull triple duty during the trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He will make his first Craftsman Truck Series start of the year on March 3 before taking on the Xfinity Series race the following day. Busch will then cap off his weekend with the Cup Series race on March 5.
The list of Xfinity Series starts also includes Phoenix Raceway on March 11, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 27, Watkins Glen International on August 19, and Darlington Raceway on September 2.
Busch Will Continue To Make NASCAR History
Busch will make his return to the Xfinity Series as the record holder in numerous categories. He has the most wins at 102, putting him 53 ahead of Hall of Famer Mark Martin. Similarly, Busch’s 225 top-five finishes are the most all-time in Xfinity Series history.
Busch also has led the most laps (20,088) in Xfinity Series history. He is well ahead of Kevin Harvick, who sits in second place with 9,706 laps led. Martin is third with 8,137 laps led.
The Las Vegas native will now have more opportunities to add to his historic resume. He will make five more starts and pursue more trophies while the Xfinity Series regulars raise their own level of competition to potentially disrupt his races.
“I think that’s awesome,” FOX Sports reporter Josh Sims said about Busch’s return. “I like not only the fact that we know how great of a driver he is and how much he’s able to win. But I also think watching how the other drivers react when he’s in a race. Some of them you’ll hear they may not like that he’s there because he’s taking up the wins, but a lot of them see it as a challenge.
“A lot of them see it as kind of a measuring stick because when he’s in the race, they kind of know what it takes to win at the top level. And if they can run with him or compete with him or challenge him, they feel so much better about their accomplishments.”
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Kyle Busch Comes Out of ‘Retirement’ for More NASCAR Races