Kyle Busch moved to Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 NASCAR season after spending over a decade with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch, 37, left after his former sponsor, Mars, decided to exit the sport at the end of the 2022 season.
The now Richard Childress Racing driver could not work out a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing and the two sides mutually parted ways. There were other teams, such as Stewart-Haas Racing and Kaulig Racing, that pursued him but Richard Childress Racing secured his services.
Many know that Austin Dillon called Busch and asked if he wanted to join the organization; however, more big details on the team’s pursuit of Busch were revealed on the day after he regained his winning ways at Auto Club Speedway.
Related: Major details on Joe Gibbs Racing’s efforts to re-sign Kyle Busch for 2023 revealed
Richard Childress reveals significant details on Richard Childress Racing’s pursuit of Kyle Busch
Busch’s transition to Richard Childress Racing came with many questions. It had been over one year since his last win on pavement and he admittedly struggled in his final season with Toyota.
Those questions were squashed after Busch stole the show in a very convincing fashion at Auto Club. It fully backed up Richard Childress Racing’s strong pursuit and there has been no looking back.
Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing, went on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio the day after Busch’s win at Auto Club and discussed his initial plans for the season, how it unfolded, and what he was willing to do for him.
“(Richard Childess Racing) was going to run a second car and keep (Tyler Reddick) in the third car. (Austin Dillon) said, ‘Pop pop, would you consider Kyle Busch if I can work the deal out?’ I said, ‘Shoot. yeah, who wouldn’t want Kyle Busch to drive for them? The guy has won over 200 races, two championships.’…I was willing to put whatever it took to make this happen because I knew we could go out with him.”
Richard Childress on the organization’s pursuit of Kyle Busch
The idea of Tyler Reddick staying in a third car would have been interesting since the team only has two charters. Would the organization have boughten another one or performed a similar situation that Ryan Preece faced with JTG Daugherty Racing in 2020?
We may never know but Reddick is now with 23XI Racing after being bought out from Richard Childress Racing. Either way, Reddick’s former car number, crew chief, and crew members were going to Busch when he walked through those doors.
It is also interesting to see that Childress was willing to do whatever it took to get Busch in the No. 8 car. Now that he is established at Richard Childress Racing, the future is very, very bright. If the start of the season has any indications, Busch will be competing for another title.