For the first time since the start of the 2008 Cup Series season, Kyle Busch will not be in a Toyota. He will move over to Chevrolet after signing a contract with Richard Childress Racing. This is a major deal that prompted responses from both Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing.
“Toyota and TRD are privileged to have raced with Kyle Busch, one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history,” said TRD USA president David Wilson in a statement. “While we certainly wish Kyle the best of luck in the future and congratulate him on his announcement to join Richard Childress Racing, we’re disappointed and saddened that his future won’t continue to be with Team Toyota.
A note from Coach Gibbs on the recent @KyleBusch news.
“Kyle has been an ambassador for Toyota since joining the program in 2008. He’s gone on to accumulate some of the most prestigious milestones possible for the Toyota brand, including our first Cup Series win for the Camry and first Cup Series championship. He will undoubtedly hold the record for the most wins in a Toyota across all three Championship Series for decades to come.
“But more than that, Kyle has been a friend, part of our family, and has played a key role in the development of many of our drivers through his ownership of Kyle Busch Motorsports. We wish nothing but the best for Kyle and his entire family as he moves into the next chapter of his Hall of Fame career. We’re thankful to have been along for the ride.”
Busch Achieved Considerable Success for Toyota
GettyKyle Busch (right) celebrates a win with Brexton (left).
The Las Vegas native accomplished a major amount during his time in the Toyota Racing family. He won 56 of his 60 career Cup Series races and secured two championships.
Busch also enjoyed success in the Xfinity and Truck Series. 91 of his 102 Xfinity Series wins were in a Toyota, including the 2021 season when he went a perfect five-for-five. 56 of his 62 career Truck Series wins were in a Toyota.
Congratulations to @KyleBusch and @RCRracing.This is a great opportunity for both parties to team up and win races for years to come. Thank you Kyle for being such a great teammate for the last 15 years. Good luck on the next chapter of your career. The timing could not be better
Along with his wins as a driver, Busch also secured even more as a team owner. Christopher Bell and Erik Jones both won Truck Series championships for KBM while joining a stacked list of race winners. This includes Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Noah Gragson, Daniel Suarez, John Hunter Nemechek, and Chandler Smith among others.
There are still questions remaining about the future of Kyle Busch Motorsports. Busch confirmed that the plan is to bring the team back for the 2023 season with a Chevrolet partnership. However, this deal is not yet complete. Busch also does not yet know the number of entries that he will run each week.
Busch’s Departure Created Even More Questions
With Busch setting several records for Toyota, it was a significant surprise that he didn’t return to the OEM or Joe Gibbs Racing. There were many people that thought all along that Busch would return to the No. 18 Toyota, but it did not happen.
The only thing I can say to that is it didn’t happen,” Busch told media members at the Hall of Fame. “Apparently, they’ve got other irons in the fire, maybe other sponsors for other drivers and that’s the road they’re going down.”
Busch remained diplomatic with his answer, but he provided some details when pressed for further details. Reporter Lee Spencer specifically asked Busch if it seemed like JGR would “rather get Ty [Gibbs] on the cheap than pay a champion what he’s worth.” He responded by saying it was a “fair assessment.”
Regardless of the reason for the deal, Busch will now begin a new era. He will return to Chevrolet for the first time since he raced for Hendrick Motorsports in 2007, and he will take over the No. 8. He will try to add more wins to his career total while further solidifying his spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
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Toyota & Joe Gibbs Racing Respond to Kyle Busch’s Departure