Two promising recent developments for Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing may finally end speculation about their 2023 NASCAR Cup Series plans.
Kyle Busch has become a silly season focal point, given his lack of contract with Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. The impending departure of longtime title sponsor M&M’s further complicates matters, as their absence will leave a huge void to be filled.
Busch, despite being a two-time series champion who leads active drivers with 60 career wins, admitted it could very well be “goodbye” from Joe Gibbs Racing – maybe even the Cup Series in his together – without landing a viable replacement sponsor.
But recent developments have Rowdy fans hoping that an announcement about the 37-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada native’s future could be coming in the very near future.
About two weeks ago, Sports Business JournalAdam Stern of ‘s reported that Joe Gibbs Racing had made an “unprecedented move” and hired Brand Activation Maximizer, the marketing agency owned by Tad Geschickter. Geschicketer is co-owner of JTG Daugherty Racing, a Chevrolet team with no affiliation to Toyota’s powerhouse.
According to the report, “advanced talks” with a “major technology company” on a one-year contract for the #18 Toyota have since taken place.
Busch’s name was not specifically used in the report as a potential driver of the #18 Toyota in 2023. However, since Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota have made it clear they want Busch back, more the fact that Busch would clearly like to be back, if possible, it’s pretty hard, if not impossible, to imagine talks with a potential sponsor becoming “advanced talks” if that sponsor isn’t willing to have Busch as their driver.
Additionally, team owner Joe Gibbs recently said his grandson Ty Gibbs’ goal is to run two full seasons in the Xfinity Series. Ty is in his first full season driving the #54 Toyota for his grandfather’s team after racing in 18 of the 33 races on the schedule last year.
He won four races last year and would have been a championship contender had he been eligible for the playoffs; he won the ARCA Menards Series championship last year. So far this year he has won three wins in 13 Xfinity Series races.
After Busch made his cryptic comments about his uncertain future in April at Talladega Superspeedway, Ty was seen as the obvious replacement candidate for Busch if the 2022 season was truly to be his 15th and final year driving the No. 18 Toyota.
But it’s clear that Joe Gibbs Racing has no desire to rush the 19-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native, and there’s no indication there will be an urgent need for him to take charge of the potentially vacant Cup seats in the four-car squad. in 2023.
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