Kyle Busch in deep negotiations with RCR, sources say

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By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports activities NASCAR Author

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Busch’s free company transfer following the 2022 season might be titled “A Second In Time.”

Busch, almost synonymous with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, is predicted to go away each the workforce and producer after the 2022 season, and is in deep negotiations to drive for Richard Childress Racing, in accordance with sources aware of the scenario and who additionally confirmed RCR started the method of notifying sponsors Friday.

When requested instantly if he’s going to RCR subsequent yr, Busch indicated he’s nonetheless making an attempt to complete up the deal.

“I should not have any new information to share,” Busch mentioned. “If I did, I assure you there can be some kind of large announcement. Sadly, there hasn’t been a type of but.

“So we’re nonetheless engaged on it behind the scenes making an attempt to place all of it collectively. It’s not executed.”

JGR, Toyota, RCR and Busch executives and representatives have all declined touch upon Busch’s plans. An announcement is predicted subsequent week.

He seemingly will drive the No. 8 automotive. The standing of Tyler Reddick — the present driver of the No. 8 automotive who has signed with 23XI Racing beginning in 2024 — is in limbo so far as whether or not RCR provides a 3rd full-time automotive for him or if 23XI or one other workforce may area a automotive for him subsequent yr.

Satirically, the information of Busch’s departure is breaking at Kansas Speedway, the racetrack the place in 2011, Childress punched Busch after a Tenting World Truck Collection race the place Busch was concerned in an accident with RCR vans. The episode grew to become often called the “maintain my watch” incident as Childress had given his grandson, Austin, his watch earlier than going after Busch.

Childress, who was fined $150,000 for the altercation, mentioned a few weeks in the past that their previous was up to now.

“Kyle is a good race driver,” Childress mentioned Aug. 28 when requested about the potential for Busch becoming a member of his workforce. “He and I’ve talked. We put all our variations behind us some time again, and he is a good race driver. He’ll land him experience someplace for positive.”

Busch joked Saturday concerning the irony of him probably driving for Childress.

“Who’s to say he hasn’t punched me once more in any of those conversations?” he mentioned. “Everytime you go into negotiations, it’s by no means enjoyable, so that you’re duking the entire time.

“You develop up and you’re employed by means of issues. It was superb the primary time I sat down with him.”

Busch knew greater than a yr in the past that Joe Gibbs Racing would wish to discover a sponsor to interchange M&M’s. Though it acquired near touchdown at the least one sponsor, nothing got here to fruition, and by April, Busch began hinting that his time at JGR might be over.

However few thought his free company would final this lengthy as he had hoped to not depart Toyota. Negotiations with Toyota workforce 23XI Racing ended earlier this week, in accordance with sources. Busch has mentioned he desires a multiyear cope with the potential for for much longer.

“This is likely one of the hardest issues I’ve needed to do and both dwell on or stay up for, one or the opposite, for the final 15 years,” Busch mentioned. “You don’t wish to have to do that once more. I’m getting too outdated for this.. [I’ve gotten] much more grey hair this week or this yr.”

It was 15 years in the past the place Busch final noticed his profession in flux.

Busch spent three Cup seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, the place he gained 4 Cup races and completed fifth within the standings in 2007. However halfway by means of that 2007 season, he discovered his contract wasn’t being renewed as Hendrick was wooing Dale Earnhardt Jr.

He landed at Joe Gibbs Racing beginning in 2008 — the identical yr Toyota began at JGR — and has gained 56 Cup races, in addition to the 2015 and 2019 Cup championships. He additionally gained the 2009 Xfinity Collection championship, as he competed in all Cup and Xfinity races that yr.

He was gained 224 races throughout the three NASCAR nationwide sequence — 60 in Cup, 102 in Xfinity and 62 in vans. His final 46 truck wins have come driving for his personal workforce, Kyle Busch Motorsports, which has had in depth assist from Toyota.

Toyota used KBM to assist develop prospects, usually leveraging distributors (JBL, Safelite and so on.) to sponsor the drivers. That allowed KBM to focus extra on competitors than discovering sponsorship. Now that he’s shifting to Chevrolet, the way forward for KBM is unclear so far as how a lot Busch might want to discover sponsors or take drivers with funding.

Busch is just 37 years outdated and feels he may drive for about one other 10 years. He hopes this cease with RCR, although, is his remaining one, and he may probably race together with his son, Brexton, who’s 7.

Whereas he gained 27 Cup races from 2015-2019, he has gained solely 4 since capturing the 2019 title. His common end this yr of 16.1 is his worst since 2014.

However Toyota actually needed to maintain him.

“We’d be silly to not put every part in play to maintain him within the household,” Toyota Racing Improvement President David Wilson mentioned final month. “That’s what we proceed to do. … This isn’t simply an offensive consideration.

“I don’t wish to race in opposition to a pissed off Kyle Busch. Wherever he lands, he’s going to do some harm.”

Ty Gibbs, grandson of Joe Gibbs, is the probably substitute for Busch. He’s second within the Xfinity Collection standings and has a series-high 5 victories this yr. He has 5 top-20 finishes in seven Cup begins in a substitute position for the injured Kurt Busch at 23XI Racing.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years masking motorsports, together with the previous 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and join the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.