RCR was not Kyle Busch’s first choice, but it may be his best

Had longtime sponsor Mars Inc. and its M&Ms brand decided to continue its NASCAR sponsorship rather than leave sport following this season, the final years of Kyle Busch’s Cup Series career would have likely played out as the last 15 – driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Certainly, there was the likelihood of many more victories to come – and perhaps championships – as part of an already Hall of Fame-worthy career.

But now faced with the reality of having to replace a multi-million-dollar sponsorship to cover Busch’s salary as a premier driver, JGR was unable to find come up with a comparable option, which forced Busch to explore avenues.

And as happened in NASCAR many times, the unlikely ended up becoming possible.

Busch, 37, announced Tuesday he would join Richard Childress Racing beginning with the 2023 season and drive the organization’s No. 8 Chevrolet as a teammate to Austin Dillon and – least for now – Tyler Reddick, who would have to move to a third as-yet undetermined team.

RCR earlier this season announced it had picked up the 2023 option on Reddick’s contract to drive the No. 8. Shortly thereafter Reddick informed RCR he would join 23XI Racing in 2024.

Reddick’s early announcement of his 2024 plans did not sit well with RCR and it’s no wonder why. Reddick has demonstrated to be one of the best up-and-coming talents in the Cup Series, earning his first two series wins this season.

The next RCR champion?

So RCR, which last won a Cup Series championship in 1994 with late Dale Earnhardt, turned to an equally controversial NASCAR star to help keep its organization on the upswing.

It didn’t take long for Childress, who was present at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday for Busch’s announcement, to bring up the comparison.

“When I was up there with Kyle and we first started talking and we talked about championships and we talked about winning races, I looked at him in his eye, and I had seen that look in Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s eye that he’s hungry – we’re going to win,” Childress said.

“I’d seen that look before, and watching Kyle, I’ve watched his talent since he started in the Busch (now Xfinity) Series, and just how he handles the car, the car control, the way he drives the car and take-no-prisoners attitude.

“That’s the Dale Earnhardt-style I was accustomed to racing with, and I think Kyle has that modern-day style of racing that…