When Tony Stewart made the bombshell decision to shut down Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) at the end of 2024, it didn’t just send shockwaves through the NASCAR garage—it created an opportunity. A flood of engineers, crew chiefs, and top-tier technical staff suddenly found themselves searching for a new home, and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) wasted no time in making the most of it. Coming off a frustrating, winless season, the first in Kyle Busch’s storied career, RCR knew something had to change. Now with the fresh talent coming in from now-defunct SHR, Kyle Busch feels that the new energy and idea just might steer RCR’s ship in the right direction.

And the big question: Can these new hires finally help deliver Busch the one trophy that has eluded him for two decades—the Daytona 500?

Kyle Busch and RCR looking to overturn the misfortunes of last year

There’s no point sugarcoating it—2024 was tough for Kyle Busch. The two-time Cup Series champion is known for his fire and sheer ability to win regardless of car across all three national series, but last year? Nothing. No wins. Zilch. For the first time ever. A bitter pill for a driver who has 63 Cup Series victories and two Championship to his name.

Looking back, Busch didn’t hold back. “We went to Miami and struggled, ran in the 20s all day,” he said. “Which is funny because we ran with Joey Logano all day, and he won the championship. Then we go to Phoenix and struggle there too. There are places where we still need to really work on our program and be better.”

That’s where the SHR influx comes in. RCR went all-in during the off-season, bringing in top-tier talent, including Richard Boswell, who will be crew chief Austin Dillon’s No. 3, and John Klausmeier, now serving as the team’s technical director. Klausmeier, a battle-tested former SHR crew chief with multiple Cup wins under his belt, brings experience and fresh ideas to an RCR team looking to regain its edge.

“I’m thrilled to join Richard Childress Racing,” Klausmeier said. “With such a rich history in the sport, I’m excited to contribute to their groundwork for success.” Busch sees the moves as a major step in the right direction. “I feel like hopefully the hires we made over the off-season with some of the people from SHR are going to help us progress and get us where we want to be each and every week,” he said. “Pit road is a big deal too. You’ve got to come down pit road and pick off spots. You can’t go backwards.”

While, the #8 team found some pace on tracks like Daytona, Darlington and Atlanta, they often shot themselves in the foot with blunders on the pit road. Interestingly, the first of the many muck-ups came at the Daytona 500 which forced the top brass within the team to bring in the changes. From leading 12 laps in the race to finishing the race in the 12th spot all it took was one mistake on the pit road to derail Rowdy’s good run.

The team owner, Richard Childress was livid with how the pit crew was performing. He dropped the hammer on his employees with a stern message over the radio. “Crew guys get your head out of your a– and stop f—— up.” More problems popped up in the following race weekends, which eventually forced RCR into making sweeping changes ahead of the Phoenix race. So, apart from consistent speed, Kyle Busch would appreciate some smooth pit stops this year. And it will be interesting to see how big of a difference the folks from SHR will make when it comes to on-track performances for the RCR cars.

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Busch’s attempts to re-create Dale Sr.’s Daytona 500 moment after 20 years of trying

But let’s cut to the chase—even after 231 total race wins, there’s still one race Kyle Busch wants more than anything: the Daytona 500, and tonight will be his 20th shot at it. This number carries weight for more reasons than meets the eye.

When the legendary seven-time Cup series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. won his first (and only) Daytona 500 on his 20th try in 1998, it was one of the most iconic moments in NASCAR history. Kyle Busch—now driving for the very same team—knows how poetic it would be to do the same.

“Twenty years of trying,” Busch said with a smirk. “There was another storied racer of the past who won on his 20th try, and that was a pretty big deal. He was a former RCR driver as well, so it’d certainly be nice to win that race and do it with RCR in the No. 8 Chevrolet. That would be pretty cool.”

While he starts tonight’s “Great American Race” from 21st place, let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane. Busch’s Daytona history is filled with close calls and what-ifs. In 2007, he was in contention before a last-lap wreck. The following year, in 2008 he pushed Tony Stewart to the front but lost momentum, watching Ryan Newman steal the victory. In 2019, he came painfully close again, finishing second. Then in 2023, in his first Daytona 500 with RCR, he was in contention, until the inevitable Daytona “big one” took him out on the final lap.

“Back in 1998, that would’ve been the win, boys!” Busch radioed to his team during that race, referencing Earnhardt’s legendary win. But instead of celebration, it was another case of what might have been. For Kyle Busch and RCR, 2025 is about more than just the Daytona 500. It’s about getting back to victory lane—anywhere, everywhere. The SHR hires, the strategic changes, the renewed focus on execution—it’s all aimed at making sure 2024 was just a blip, not a trend.

Maybe, just maybe, this is finally Kyle Busch’s Daytona 500 moment. Twenty years of trying, twenty years of frustration—but now, a team that’s making moves to get it right. We’ll see soon enough if this is the year Rowdy finally takes the sport’s biggest prize.