“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be taking my talents to Welcome North Carolina to drive the No. 8 car for Richard Childress Racing starting in 2023.”

The wait is finally over. In one of the most shocking moves in Nascar history, 37-year-old Kyle Busch is signing with Richard Childress Racing. If this had been 12 years ago, it would never have happened. But as time flew by, it finally happened. Busch will be joining Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 Season.

The Legacy that Kyle Busch leaves at Joe Gibbs Racing

Busch carried Joe Gibbs Racing for the last 14 years. He was signed with Joe Gibbs Racing before the 2008 season as a free agent. At the Cup Series level, Busch won 56 races with JGR. Along with two Cup Series titles back in 2015 and 2019. He also won two Regular Season titles back in 2018 and 2019. Busch will be known for driving the famous No. 18 and the bright M&M’s colors or Interstate Batteries from 2008-22. Busch will go down as one of the GOATs to drive at JGR.

Kyle Busch’s Stats and Accolades with Joe Gibbs Racing

56 wins

147 Top-3 finishes

204 Top-5 finishes

300 Top-10 finishes

30 poles

17,335 laps led

Two-time Cup Series champion

Two-time regular-season champion

The Domino Effect

Earlier this year, MARS announced they would leave the sport after the 2022 season, leaving Busch without a sponsor for the 2023 season. Additionally, Busch would be a free agent after the 2022 season since his contract was due to expire at the season’s end.

The announcement ended with a thank you note “To the MARS Family and Norm Miller, you guys took a chance on a kid 15 years ago. To let me drive your race car, we hit the ground running, and we haven’t stopped since. We won a lot of races and won some championships. I’m always going to be grateful for that.

“More importantly, I’m thankful for Joe and me being a kid and grow into a man most days. You were patient with me, and no one can take it away from me and those memories we made together. Coach, you were there on my back when I needed it the most, and I thank you. And for Toyota and TRD, thank you as well.”

“You took a chance at a young boy myself and had a lot of fun on the way. We won countless races in all three national series with the Cup Series, Xfinity, and Trucks. We had the highest of highs and lowest of lows. From championships to broken legs,” Busch stated at his press conference today. 

Moving Forward

With the sponsor unknown for Busch next season, all that matters is Busch found a ride for the 2023 season with RCR. His teammates for this pairing are Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick. Busch, the oldest veteran on the team, will bring RCR leadership, experience, and talent to the team. He can also pass on his knowledge to Dillon and Reddick. On the other hand, Reddick has a contract with RCR after the 2023 season, as he announced that he would drive for 23XI for the 2024 season.