In announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., Busch, 37, said he will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for team owner Richard Childress beginning in the 2023 season.
“This is probably one of the biggest decisions of my life, my career,” Busch said. “I’m thankful to Joe (Gibbs) for allowing me to be a kid and grow into a man. Most days. Most of the time … Coach, you had my back when I needed it the most. Thank you.”
In a gesture of good will, Childress also offered Busch’s son, Brexton, a future contract option with RCR.
“The addition of Kyle Busch to the Richard Childress Racing lineup is significant, not only for our organization, but for the sport as a whole,” said Childress. “Kyle is a proven contender at the highest levels of the sport, and I believe that his experience and dedication to motorsports will elevate our race program across the board.
“I’ve always admired Kyle’s driving style and his ability to win and race for championships ever since he entered the sport. Who wouldn’t want a proven NASCAR Cup Series Champion driving their car?”
What about Reddick and KBM?
RCR said Tyler Reddick, who currently drives the No. 8 Chevrolet, will continue to serve out the remaining year of his contract in 2023.
The future of Busch’s Kyle Busch Motorsports team remains unclear.
“We’d like to welcome Kyle back to Team Chevy, where he started his NASCAR career,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports.
“As a 60 Cup race winner and two-time champion, he will be a valuable addition to Richard Childress Racing and the Chevrolet line-up. We look forward to working with Kyle starting in 2023.”
Busch’s decision ends a very protracted, public and initially unplanned free agency involving one of NASCAR’s top stars and likely future Hall of Fame inductee.
Busch – and by extension his Kyle Busch Motorsports team – has been the anchor of Toyota’s success in all three NASCAR national series for nearly 15 years.
A remarkable career (so far)
Of his 520 career starts in the Cup series, all but 114 have come while driving for JGR and Toyota. In addition, 56 of his 60 career wins – and both series championships – as well as 30 of his 32 career poles have come driving for JGR and Toyota.
Busch also has 102 wins in the Xfinity Series and 62 in the Truck Series. He is the all-time leader in wins in both series.
Busch entered the 2022 Cup season without…
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