Kyle Busch to Avoid Rick Hendrick & Joe Gibbs, Claims Kevin Harvick With Grim News for Richard Childress

“Yeah, good day for the 8 car get all the points. That’s a normal day, I’d love to have a lot more normal days. We just can’t seem to get any.” This was Kyle Busch’s response after a P4 finish at Dover Motor Speedway last year. The facial expressions backed by a sarcastic jab aimed at his team were evident as Busch was hoping for consistent speed and performance from his No. 8 RCR Chevy Camaro. Little did anyone know that Rowdy would go the entirety of 2024 winless and fail to make the playoffs.

It was indeed a huge falloff when compared to his first year with RCR, where he scored three wins. So the question begs, is Richard Childress Racing equipped and geared up to turn the corner for good in 2025? After all, there’s a good opportunity that Kyle Busch would be tempted to explore options if things don’t work out. And if we are to go by Kevin Harvick’s assessment, he believes that the #8 RCR team needs to have an explosive start to their 2025 campaign. Otherwise, there’s a good chance they might not be in position to retain him.

Can Kyle Busch kickstart the silly season saga in 2025?

Now we all know the 2-time Cup Series champ has had his troubles with the Next Gen race car. But even the big names of the sport weren’t immune to this issue; take Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, and Martin Truex Jr., for example. Both Elliott and Keselowski broke long winless streaks last year, whereas MTJ went the entirety of the 2024 campaign without a single-race win. The only reason why Busch’s struggles are highlighted is because he is expected to elevate RCR back to its glory days.

The only difference here is that RCR themselves aren’t in the best shape to be a competitive organization. As a result, they haven’t been able to provide Rowdy with the means and resources to match the strides against the Hendrick, Penske, and JGR drivers. So, the ball is in their court to set the tone on how they want to start a new season with Busch. “I think the beginning of the season for Kyle is as important as any of the seasons that he has begun because if it doesn’t start well, there’s gonna be tension and all those questions are going to frustrate Kyle about what he’s going to do next.” Kevin Harvick said this on the Happy Hour podcast.

Harvick also stated that if things don’t improve between Busch and RCR, he could be one of the hot properties for rival camps. Interestingly, he did express his desire to head back to JGR as Truex Jr.’s replacement. “I would say there’s anything’s possible always you know. Certainly, if I was welcomed, I would go back. If Hendrick welcomed me back, I would go back.” It has to be noted that Busch is in his contract year with RCR, so he would be tempted to talk to other teams. But, Harvick feels, a reunion with JGR or HMS isn’t on the table; rather, he dropped a surprising suggestion, a team that is a tier-1 Toyota partner.

MADISON, IL – JUNE 04: Kyle Busch 8 Richard Childress Racing 3CHI Chevrolet answers questions at a press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz after winning the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 on June 04, 2023, at World Wide Technology Raceway, in Madison, IL. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUN 04 NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon23060448

“He could be a pretty hot free agent that has limited options because of everything that happened at Toyota, everything that happened at Hendrick. So you limit those options, but is it something where he could go to Legacy Motorsports and make an impact or somewhere that isn’t on that unapproved list?” Harvick added. Let’s not forget, how heartbreaking Kyle Busch’s exit from JGR was, where he felt the team didn’t do enough in finding a new sponsor after M&M’s exit from NASCAR. Moreover, HMS has a good group of drivers who are nearing their prime years, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to get Rowdy back on board.

Now, a lot of Kyle Busch fans would want to see him return to winning ways at the Daytona 500. After all, the Harley J. Earl Trophy has eluded him all this time despite winning tons of races and multiple championships. But, not being able to win the Daytona 500 wouldn’t be the end of the road for Rowdy; rather, there’s another storyline that aligns perfectly with his redemption arc.

Can Rowdy get back to winning ways in Mexico City?

Well, out of all the ovals and strong tracks, Mexico City is indeed a wildcard race for Kyle Busch to script a comeback run. However, this is a special occasion as for the first time since 1958, NASCAR will host a points-paying race outside the United States. Well, there was a lot of talk surrounding Rowdy’s entry into Mexico as he had run-ins with law enforcement recently. In 2023, during a routine check at the airport, the RCR driver was found carrying a firearm and ammunition, which was illegal in the country.

The incident led to a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a $1,000 fine. But the local judge let Busch off the hook after he paid an undisclosed bond to the authorities. Well, the driver put all the rumors to bed after confirming his entry for the Mexico race: “Excited to race for another win in Mexico 2025!” Well, apart from his storied history with the legal authorities, Rowdy has had some good memories racing in Mexico in the Busch Series.

It’s not that NASCAR hasn’t raced at all in Mexico; the Busch series (Xfinity Series) had a good stint from 2005 to 2008. And a young Kyle Busch driving the No. 20 JGR Toyota was the last NASCAR driver to feel what it was to win at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. So you see, stars can align again for Kyle Busch in Mexico and add to his massive comeback story everyone is waiting on.

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