2024 wasn’t an easy year for Richard Childress Racing. The team struggled to perform in the Cup Series, with both its drivers failing to make the playoffs. Whether it was a lack of speed, reliability problems, or just plain old bad luck, results were simply hard to come by at NASCAR’s highest level, raising plenty of uncertainty going into the upcoming season. From winning championships with Dale Earnhardt to struggling on the racetrack, Richard Childress’ side has been on a steady decline for a while.

The circumstances at Richard Childress Racing have put Kyle Busch in a spot. The two-time Cup Series winner failed to win a single race in 2024, breaking his streak after two decades. With ‘Rowdy’ under contract till 2025, can he turn his fortunes around this season?

Richard Childress Racing needs to do right by Rowdy

Kyle Busch is looking for redemption. After spending 15 years at Joe Gibbs Racing, the Nevada native made a high-profile move to Richard Childress’ team, which seemed like a controversial move at that time. Despite all the buzz, the No. 8 Chevy driver started 2023 on a positive note, securing three wins during his debut season, a significant improvement from his last few years at Joe Gibbs’ side. However, 2024 can only be described as a nightmare for the 39-year-old, who failed to make it to the playoffs after finishing runner-up at Darlington and Daytona International Speedway.

Sharing his thoughts on the ongoing dilemma, NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp said, “Frankly, it’s not often that a generational talent basically falls into your lap, but that’s what happened in 2022 when Kyle Busch became available. They got off to a hot start in 2023. RCR and Kyle Busch won three races in the first half of that season and then it’s been rocky ever since. Richard Childress Racing has not won a Cup Series championship in decades.” The content creator went on to say, “You can’t miss this up. You’ve been gifted a generational talent. You can’t fumble the bag.”

Despite links to a potential move during the off-season, Kyle Busch has no choice but to remain at Richard Childress Racing in 2025. ‘Rowdy’ is under contract with the team and his recent results haven’t been convincing enough to motivate another side to buy out the remaining duration. Moreover, how does one replace a driver of Busch’s caliber? The 39-year-old is single-handedly keeping RCR’s Cup Series program alive and represents their best chance of making a comeback this year.

The likes of Austin Hill, Jesse Love, and Ty Dillon are promising drivers, but they pale in comparison to Kyle Busch. Richard Childress Racing needs to give Rowdy a competitive car going into 2025 so that the team in turn can return to winning ways. The Nevada native is fighting for his future as well, as his performances this season will determine his potential career move. Will the former Cup Series champion rise to the occasion in 2025 and perform like he’s capable of? Time will tell. However, it’s clear that Busch’s back is against the wall, and he will need to claw his way out of the rut. He has now laid down a few ground rules for a better career in his team.

Kyle Busch lays down conditions for RCR stay

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Time is running out for Kyle Busch. At 39 years old, the racer isn’t a spring chicken anymore who has decades to go at the highest level. ‘Rowdy’ cannot afford to be in a team that is in the middle of a transition anymore and needs to be challenging for race wins every weekend. While 2024 fell far below his expectations, the Nevada-based driver is keeping his hopes alive for an improved season ahead. Ultimately, performances on the track will dictate if he chooses to remain at Richard Childress Racing after the end of his existing contract.

Speaking to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Busch said, “I would say you gotta win, right? Unfortunately, we weren’t able to win last year. So, being able to get back to Victory Lane, being able to build on some consistency—getting those top-fives, top-tens, getting that number higher than what it was last year—is definitely paramount.” Hoping to hit the ground running when the season begins, the racer went on to say, “Earlier in the year would be better, but it’s always a long year, and you’ve got to fight it out every week.”

Richard Childress Racing knows retaining Kyle Busch will be key to getting back to their glory days. Rowdy’s colleague Austin Dillon, the grandson of the team’s owner went as far as to say, “Try and give maximum effort every weekend, put him in the best position we can, and we’ll see where all the chips fall at the end.” Ultimately, it would all depend on RCR’s ability to provide a competitive car. The team has made plenty of changes behind the scenes to turn their fortunes around and will hope it translates into results in a make-or-break season this year.