“If Hendrick Welcomed Me..” – Amid the Decline of His Lifetime, Kyle Busch Open to Turning the Clock Back to His Debut Days

Martin Truex Jr’s retirement sent shockwaves through the community this weekend. But perhaps one driver who was most reflective of the veteran’s decision was his former JGR teammate. After parting ways with JGR at the end of 2022, Kyle Busch’s stint at Richard Childress Racing has failed to live up to the hype. For one of NASCAR’s most winningest drivers, moving away from a ‘top-tier’ team like JGR did mean he could take things easier. But with Busch now treading the playoffs cut-off zone carefully – while JGR and HMS walk away with the top spots – ‘Rowdy’ can’t help but reminisce about times of better contention.

As his stint at RCR continues to go up in flames, Kyle Busch lays out all his cards

20 years ago, Kyle Busch made his debut in the then-Nextel Cup Series, driving the #84 Chevrolet for Rick Hendrick. Halfway through the year, Busch was announced as a full-time driver for HMS starting in 2005. In only his first year of Cup Series contention, Busch brought home two wins for HMS, cementing himself as the Rookie of the Year that season. However, this dominant relationship between Kyle Busch and Hendrick Motorsports didn’t last long.

Halfway through the 2007 season, ‘Rowdy’ announced that he and Hendrick had parted ways. The reasons, according to Busch, had a lot to do with a “change in an agent” and the All-Star Race incident, which led to troubled relationships between ‘Rowdy’ and the HMS boss. Although Busch moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing and made history, when the time came to bid farewell to his Cup Series home of nearly 15 years, ‘Rowdy’ went over to Richard Childress Racing with hopes of continuing his run at the front of the pack.

Unfortunately, after a string of lackluster results this year, Kyle Busch does not seem to be at peace with his decision-making. So, when he was asked about his prospects for moving to a former team like JGR or HMS, Rowdy laid out all his cards on the table. In an interview with FrontStretch, Busch shared, “I would say anything is possible always. Certainly that, if I was welcome [at JGR], I would go back. If Hendrick welcomed me, I would go back.” That’s not to say he isn’t committed to his current team.

Busch added, “But right now, I’m at RCR with my group of guys and the deal that we have in place. So we’re trying to build this program and make RCR great again.” There’s no denying that the #8 driver has had a tough time this season. And there’s also no denying that 2024 has been the season of his former teams, HMS and JGR. Understanding the position he’s in, while also bringing up an enticing question, an interviewer asked, “Did anyone from JGR reach out to you to see if it was possible to get out of your contract?”

As things stand, Busch has a contract with Richard Childress Racing that sees him through the end of next season. Considering this, ‘Rowdy’ replied, “No. They pretty much knew what my terms were. So no talk clauses.” Seeing as this is Martin Truex Jr’s seat that Kyle Busch could potentially take over, he did pay tribute to the 43-year-old.

Reflecting on their bond, Busch said, “We’ve been here the whole time together. We have always had a great relationship, a great understanding, and respect for one another. It was always fun working with him and being a part of the same team.” Even when they weren’t on the same team, they showed their camaraderie on track. Remember the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix? Martin Truex Jr was furious with many drivers during the race, but right after, as Busch’s #8 ran out of fuel and struggled to make it back to the pits, the #19 driver came to the rescue with a few bumps.

Now that Truex Jr is hanging up his full-time helmet following this season, time is working against the 39-year-old Kyle Busch, too. So, what choices does he have for a potential change if not for Hendrick Motorsports?

Alternatives for Kyle Busch’s RCR exit plan

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If Kyle Busch were to move from RCR to another team, there are a few options that would fit right in, considering Rick Hendrick shows no interest. Apart from Joe Gibbs Racing, both Team Penske and 23XI Racing have shown solid form throughout the season, outperforming nearly all RCR drivers on the regular season points standings thus far.

With the departure of Martin Truex Jr from JGR leaving a prime spot up for grabs, ‘Rowdy’ could swoop in and rekindle his greatest NASCAR partnership. Apart from these front-running teams, Kyle Busch could also choose to remain with Richard Childress Racing and build the team to the levels of HMS and JGR, just as he mentioned. But that’s not all.

As a 39-year-old full-time Cup driver, Busch finds himself in a peculiar spot. On the one hand, ‘Rowdy’ is old enough to have experienced all that Cup racing entails, making him the perfect driver to help lead a newer team like 23XI Racing or even mentor newer drivers at a team like JGR. That said, time is also running out for Busch as only a few years of full-time contention remain in his career.

As Kyle Busch inches closer to becoming the oldest active driver in the Cup Series, can a change in teams and the environment help ‘Rowdy’ rejuvenate his lost momentum in time for another championship?