Kyle Busch’s switch to Richard Childress Racing has been a breather for the driver and the team. Both companies have had a resurrection, with the “Rowdy” winning three races in 2023 in his first season with the Chevy camp. For Richard Childress and Co., it’s a fine comeback from the abyss, roping in the 2-time Cup Series champion, a championship-caliber driver that the team can bet their money on to get them out of the ditch.

However, the fantastic start of his 2023 campaign did not end well for either party. Once the tournament went past the halfway mark, the RCR Chevy quickly lost steam with inconsistency plaguing the team, taking Busch away from the later stages instead of taking him closer. On the bright side, Kyle Busch never faced any sponsorship woes at RCR like he did in his past season at JGR. However, the team recently revealed the #8’s Daytona scheme powered by their new anchor sponsor, which the fandom is mocking as, “From candy man to weed man and nicotine man.”

Kyle Busch gears up for the Great American Race

3Chi was the brand that supported Kyle Busch and his #8 team during most of 2023, but the reputable and high-quality delta 8 brand known for its THC product line pulled the plug on their tie-up by the end of 2023. For someone who was mostly associated with larger-than-life sponsors like Monster Energy for the majority of this career, this was another setback.

Fortunately, his new team, unlike his last, snagged major sponsorship deals and extended other contracts, and rolling into 2024, Kyle Busch has a new anchor sponsor powering his RCR Chevy. Zone, a premium nicotine brand, is Busch’s new associate, supporting his second season with RCR. For a driver who was previously known as the “Candyman” for his long-time association with M&M, this new tie-up did not sit well with the fans; instead, it only invited taunts from the NASCAR nation.

While the #8 RCR Chevy looks brilliant with a blue and green livery for its Daytona endeavor and the team officially revealing the equipment on its Instagram, Busch’s journey from Monster Energy, M&M to 3Chi and Zone wasn’t a piece of great news for fans as they took the instance to make a mockery.

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Netizens tear up Busch’s new sponsor, showing their allegiance to the driver’s previous partners

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Starting their partnership in 2024, next week’s highly anticipated race at Daytona International Speedway will be the first event with the #8 RCR donning the special colors of its sponsor, Zone Premium Nicotine Pouches. The partnership will be enhanced with robust at-track hosting, marketing activation, strategic content, and marketing and communications plans, with an emphasis on getting the brand across to the older demographic of NASCAR fans.

While the team is delighted to have the brand back their cause, the President of RCR, Torrey Galida, said, “We are proud to forge a partnership in another new product category for NASCAR and are looking forward to helping zone build brand awareness and introduce adult nicotine consumers to their premium nicotine pouches.”

“More tobacco brands? Thought they were supposed to be illegal?” wrote one fan who asked the obvious.

Another user who liked Busch’s previous sponsor, 3Chi more, commented, “Decent but I want 3chi back;” “It’s okay but 3CHI was just wayyyy better.” Others simply dismissed the new partnership, making a mockery out of the new RCR-zone tie-up and taunting the driver, “Candy man to tobacco man.” 

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What do you think about Busch’s new association? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.