The transition to Richard Childress Racing for Kyle Busch looks to have gone as easily as possible. With three wins already — and looking like a true contender for the championship — Busch looks to be back to his best self.
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Take a bow, Kyle Busch. https://t.co/tbwyVC61lr pic.twitter.com/WkkX1NTdLB
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 5, 2023
But if you dig a little deeper, you can see it wasn't an easy path for the two-time Cup Series champion to get where he is currently.
From 2008 to 2019, Kyle "Rowdy" Busch was arguably one of the faces of NASCAR. From his cocky attitude to him winning almost every week, he had it all. Following his second championship win, in 2019, the days got darker in his final three seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing.
It grew bleak for the driver in 2022 as he was nearing the end of his tenure. With M&M's leaving, Busch didn't have much hope for securing a new sponsor and staying at JGR, as Ty Gibbs was waiting in the wings.
Kyle Busch Almost Didn't Race in 2023
Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images
By the time the 2022 season got to Loudon, New Hampshire — where NASCAR returns this weekend — Busch he was at a point where he really didn't think he was going to be racing in 2023, he told Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass in a one-on-one interview at Atlanta.
"I didn't. It was [Loudon] weekend last year," Busch said. "I told Jim France, I said. 'Nice knowing you. I'm not going to be here next year.' And so he was like, 'Wait, what? What does that mean?' He then found out. Maybe he had something to do with it [here at RCR], I don't know."
Pockrass then asked Kyle how many years he thinks he has left. Busch was vague but hopes he's around long enough to where his son, Brexton, is old enough to take over for him.
"I don't know. I would really like to run a year of trucks before Brexton is old enough and then turn the truck over to him when he's old enough," Busch said. "But we'll see how all that plays out. Got to have sponsors first."
The success Kyle has been able to have in his first year with RCR might have rejuvenated his career. @KFB_NATION posted on Twitter how much better Busch has been already during the summer months of the season this year compared with his final season with JGR.
Kyle Busch first 5 races of the summer stretch in 2022:
2nd
30th
21st
29th
20thKyle Busch first 5 races of the summer stretch in 2023
1st
2nd
9th
5th
5th pic.twitter.com/4cBKL8Pw4B— KFB Nation 💻 (@KFB_NATION) July 10, 2023
No matter how many more years Busch will race, one thing is certain: He is in a much better place than he was only a year ago.
