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Kyle Busch announced his shock move from his long-time home Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing in September 2022. He was announced to drive the #8 Chevrolet driven by Tyler Reddick at the time.
Team owner Richard Childress announced that Busch would be racing in the #8 Chevy while they planned to enter a third car for Reddick, who would eventually leave the team after the 2023 season. However, the situation simplified when 23XI Racing brokered a deal to bring Reddick a year early to their team.
Both drivers have enjoyed a great start to their journey with the new teams this year. Nine races into the season, Busch and Reddick have each won a race for their respective teams. While Reddick continued to build on the strong momentum he left RCR with, 'Rowdy' had to rebuild and rebound entering the 2023 season.
One of the reasons Busch left JGR was his sloppy form over the past three seasons since winning his second championship in 2019. The 37-year-old scored only four victories in the last three seasons. With a dip in form, the team struggled to find sponsors for the two-time cup champion.
When JGR found out that Mars Wrigley would be leaving the sport after a long-term partnership, the team struggled to find a deep-pocketed sponsor for the #18 Toyota. This is when RCR swooped in and offered the two-time cup champion the #8 ride that had won three races in the 2022 season.
Although Busch and Childress had a major fallout in 2011, they made amends that led to this new partnership. The NASCAR Hall of Famer's grandson Austin Dillon lobbied to bring Busch to the team. His efforts paid off when Busch decided to leave JGR, 15 years after joining the team.
RCR's last championship came in 1994 when Dale Earnhardt won his last Cup Series with the team. With Busch qualifying for the playoffs early in the season, the team will be betting on him to bring back championship glory.
Kyle Busch making an impact on RCR and Chevrolet
Kyle Busch drove down the victory lane in his second start for the team at the Auto Club Speedway, kicking off his time at RCR. While Busch has delivered consistent performances on the track, his greatest contribution to the team is the difference he is making at the factory.
The 37-year-old has pushed the organization and the teams aligned with RCR to achieve more. His high level of preparedness, detailed observations, and questions in meetings have made an impact early in his tenure with the team.
Kaulig Racing and Legacy Motor Club have close ties to RCR. The three teams meet together and Busch's presence has had a significant impact on those teams too. Justin Haley and Erik Jones spoke about the #8 driver in high regard as they were impressed by his openness in the meetings.
RCR might have made the biggest steal last year, which is paying dividends on and off the track.
