legend is making moves for 2023. After 15 years with , Busch will be joining the No. 8 machine for 2023.
The announcement came this morning during a press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“This is probably one of the biggest days of my life, of my career, and I’m excited to tell you about my future,” Busch said during the press conference. “I’m thankful to Joe [Gibbs] for allowing me to be a kid and to grow into a man.
“I had to find a place where I knew I could go win races immediately. Collecting trophies is still the main reason why I get up and go to the race track. I also needed a place where I could hit reset.”
Busch will be taking the No. 8 car, currently driven by Tyler Reddick. This also means Busch will be transitioning from a Toyota-engined team to a Chevrolet team. Reddick will remain with the team, but in a third car.
Richard Childress also awarded Busch’s son, Brexton, with an option to compete for RCR in the future.
Busch has found ample success with the Joe Gibbs Racing team, including two NASCAR championships and over 50 wins, with at least one win every year he’s competed behind the wheel of the No. 18. Busch’s change comes after the candy company announced it would not renegotiate its longtime contract with the JGR team. The deal will expire in 2022, and a suitable replacement has not been found.
RCR itself has already been involved in some drama this year. Driver Tyler Reddick announced a very early move to for the 2024 season back in July, 18 months before any official move will take place.