Fans Double Down on Kyle Busch’s Misery as They Snub the Former Champion to Be NASCAR’s Face Overseas

NASCAR is no stranger to drivers from other racing disciplines competing. Just ask Marcos Ambrose, Kimi Raikkonen, Kamui Kobayashi, Daniil Kvyat, Tony Stewart, and more. Currently, the new craze is for drivers from Australia’s V8 Supercars Series to make the jump across the pond.

The lynchpin was Shane van Gisbergen with his insane debut at Chicago, and more drivers joined in. However, it is rare for a NASCAR driver to branch out into a major series. After the V8 Supercars invasion, there are talks of NASCAR drivers going in the other direction, starting with Kyle Busch.

It won’t be permanent, with just one-off cameos. The last time a NASCAR driver did something different was Kyle Larson with the Indy 500, and that was a roaring success. If the Hendrick Motorsports star could prove that crossovers could succeed, why can’t others? Now, rumors are suggesting that that theory is going to be tested, and the guinea pig is none other than Kyle Busch.

Who would give Kyle Busch a shot at a V8 Supercar race?

If these rumors are true, which team would field the two-time Cup Series champion? There are plenty of candidates, and the strongest links come from Triple Eight Race Engineering, Shane van Gisbergen’s former team. This team makes the most sense because of the presence of a wildcard program in 2024. However, they have to be very picky because teams are restricted to one single-driver event wildcard per season.

Triple Eight also has a NASCAR link, thanks to Richard Childress Racing fielding two of their drivers in NASCAR. The first one to have a crack was Brodie Kostecki in 2023, and Will Brown at the recently concluded Sonoma weekend. When Brown made the long flight to California, T8 engineer Andrew Edwards also made the trip. All this just builds a strong case for Kyle Busch to make his V8 Supercars cameo.

However, there was a mixed response to the #8 driver’s possible debut

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Admittedly, the prospect of the NASCAR star branching out was met with excitement, and a little trepidation. Some were a bit confident that Busch’s V8 Supercars debut could mirror SVG’s NASCAR debut. One response on Reddit read, “It would be really interesting if they built a 1.5 mile banked oval for the first time. My money would be on Kyle Busch to win just like SVG did the first time NASCAR raced on a street circuit”. Many more were excited, “Yessssss! Kyle driving for basically Red Bull will be kinda cursed though (in the supercheap auto sponsored car) I can’t wait”.

However, some pointed out his age, “I love Kyle Busch, but he is years too late to be considering this or Indy. Watch it just be Shane since he is a full time NASCAR driver now lol”. Others began pitching in alternatives to Busch, “I know KFB is the target but seeing Larson or a guy like McDowell or Allmendinger would be incredible”.

A fan said, “I’m a firm believer that Larson is the American equivalent to SVG i.e. he’ll find a way to be fast in anything. I’d be stoked to see him give this category a go”. Finally, someone mused, “Kyle Busch is good, but I prefer someone like Kyle Larson or AJ Allmendinger”.

Some may have a point, considering that 2024 has not been too kind to the RCR driver. He has yet to win a race, which could snap a 20-year streak of having at least one win. Busch has often been incredibly unlucky, or his Richard Childress Racing car lacked the pace to be a challenger. He has tried his hardest, but sometimes, it just isn’t enough.