By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
Kyle Busch wanted to drive for a racer’s racer.
Richard Childress saw a gleam in Busch’s eye that reminded him of the late Dale Earnhardt.
At the end of a long exploration process during which Busch weighed his options for 2023 and beyond, the two men put aside past differences and arrived at a multiyear deal that will have Busch driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, starting next season.
Busch will end his 15-year tenure in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after competing for a third NASCAR Cup Series championship this season.
In RCR, he sees a team on the upswing. At the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum in early February, he took notice.
“I think it started earlier this year when we were racing at the (Los Angeles) Coliseum when the 8 car blew my doors off and was driving away,” Busch said during Tuesday morning’s announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. “I certainly knew right then and there at the beginning of the season that those guys definitely had some speed.”
With Busch in a contract year in 2022, Austin Dillon, Childress’ grandson and driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, suggested making a play for the 37-year-old driver, who is tied for ninth on the all-time NASCAR Cup victory list with 60 wins—and tied with Kevin Harvick for most among active drivers.
“It just seemed that their overall culture—being around Richard, talking with Austin and having the chance to just look at the whole picture of what’s going on with RCR of late, and I felt like it was a no-brainer,” Busch added.
“When Richard and I sat down and we first had discussions of this opportunity, it was easy. It was a clear-cut choice that this was a place that you could go win races and win championships right out of the gate.”
Busch will replace fellow 2022 championship contender Tyler Reddick in the No. 8 Camaro. Reddick announced in July that he will leave RCR and drive for 23XI Racing in 2024.
Reddick remains under contract with RCR for the 2023 season. Childress said on Tuesday he plans to run three chartered Cup cars in 2023, but Reddick’s crew chief, Randall Burnett, will serve in that capacity on Busch’s team next year.
“I met with him (Tyler Reddick) about an hour ago, and I explained to him that he wasn’t going to drive the 8 car next year,” Childress said. “We’ve got a contract for him to…
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