NASCAR Insider Reveals How Joe Gibbs Racing Might Have Stopped Kyle Busch From Finding Sponsors After Bitter Divorce

The 2022 NASCAR season had a lot of great stories and a number of heartbreaks. Somewhere on the top of that list would feature the unceremonious divorce of Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing.

Kyle Busch had been on the roster of Joe Gibbs Racing for 15 years, starting in 2008. Having joined from Hendrick Motorsports where he drove the Chevrolet, it was a big change for the Las Vegas man. But he adapted, and he adapted well. Driving JGR’s Toyota, Busch helped the team win Cup Series twice, once in 2015 and the next in 2019. Apart from the Championships, he also brought the team 56 wins in the Cup Series.

Unfortunately, his decorated time with the team ended in a bitter manner after his sponsorship with Mars & Wrigley wasn’t renewed by the company. Fans of The Candyman were understandably distraught.

A fan raised a question to veteran NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass. They asked, “Hey Bob, I was really hoping Rowdy would be able to bring some sponsorship with him from Gibbs. I know that’s not the norm, but this isn’t a normal split either. I mean, if you’re Interstate battery, I would much rather have my ties with Kyle than Ty Gibbs.”

The experienced journalist revealed “No idea if it is the case here, but teams are getting better about protecting sponsors with clauses that they can’t follow a driver for a year. That might not prevent it from happening but it can then cost driver/sponsor time, headache & $$ to make it happen (buyout, lawyers, etc).”

Teams would be justified in protecting their interest – after all, there’s a lot of money involved. But it’s unlikely Rowdy Nation will see things that way.

Kyle Busch finally finding his feet at RCR

Busch’s troubles at JGR were largely sponsorship related. He carried those demons with him as he made the transition to Richard Childress Racing. But as new developments suggest, he can finally breathe easy.

KFB’s lack of sponsors is finally being reversed as a number of sponsorship deals have been signed over the last few weeks. Most recently, the sponsors of the driver he replaced at RCR, Tyler Reddick, have come on board.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen signed a multi-year and multi-race agreement with RCR and Busch to become the primary sponsors for the #8 he will drive for the team.

The restaurant chain said in its statement “We’ve loved partnering with RCR and the No. 8 race team since our debut into the sport three years ago, and we’re just getting started. We’re excited to welcome Kyle Busch and Rowdy Nation to the Cheddar’s family, and we look forward to celebrating many wins to come.”

Busch too expressed his satisfaction with having the company onboard, as he said, “I’m really excited to be representing Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and RCR. Family is really important to Samantha [his wife] and me, so partnering with a brand that values family and community is a great fit.”

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For Rowdy Nation, there couldn’t be better news to get them through the off-season!