Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2015, 2019), will make a huge move from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 season. He is wrapping up his 15th season with JGR and is in the middle of a downward spiral behind the wheel. Will his fortunes change with Childress?
Busch has done more than enough to cement himself into the NASCAR history books. “Rowdy” has a long list of accomplishments, including 60 wins in the Cup Series, 102 in the Xfinity Series (an all-time record) and 62 in the Truck Series (also an all-time record).
But the 37-year-old won once in 2022, in the ninth race of the season at the Food City Dirt Race in Bristol, TN. He also earned two second-place finishes but failed to win down the stretch. This is especially concerning for Busch as he has managed to win only four times in the past three seasons, finishing no higher than eighth in the points standings in any of them.
Childress believes Busch still has talent, and there is little doubt that is the case. But the downward trend in the results Busch has posted in recent years looks similar to the late career performances of stars before him, including Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
There is also no doubt that JGR has better equipment on the track than RCR does. The closest RCR has come to a championship in recent years was Ryan Newman’s second-place finish in 2014.
If Busch can’t win regularly at JGR, it doesn’t seem likely he can with RCR.
Tyler Reddick, the man Busch will replace in the No. 8 car, won three times, finally fulfilling the promise many expected. This means that the team has what it takes to get cars to victory lane.
For the short term, this move will bring Richard Childress Racing good publicity and allow everyone in the garage to learn from one of the best.
For the long term, however, there is little evidence that championships or many wins are part of the future.