Ever since making the swap from Joe Gibbs to Richard Childress Racing, Kyle Busch has noticed his popularity rising. When he was the Candy Man, he generally had more boos than cheers from the NASCAR fans. Now, everything has changed.
Is it because he drives a Chevy now instead of Toyota? Is it the Childress brand itself? Or, have we seen Busch grow on the NASCAR fanbase as his generation begins to be replaced by the upcoming one?
More than likely due to a number of reasons, Kyle Busch has more popularity now than ever. He’s a winning driver and former champion, and now he drives the No. 8 for RCR? What’s not to like?
In an interview with Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, Busch talked about that newfound popularity and how he feels about it.
“I have noticed that, and I love it … I think it’s great,” Busch said to Bianchi. I’ve seen it happen with a lot of other big-name drivers over the course of their career as well, too.
“I feel as though the move from JGR Toyota to RCR Chevrolet was a big deal in the fan base and the eyes of casual and avid fans, if you will. Just kind of like, ‘OK, well, we love this. This is a great mix.’ … People are just excited for me to be a part of the legacy of RCR. And they love the legacy of RCR and Richard and everything that they’re about, so they’ve given me my fair shot, and I think it’s going well.”
In his second year at RCR, could Kyle Busch become the most popular driver in the Cup Series, unseating Chase Elliott?
Kyle Busch put in tough spot at JGR
When the time came, Joe Gibbs Racing just didn’t have what it needed to keep Rowdy in their organization. The writing was on the wall. After a deal with Oracle fell through in early 2022, the team was left without options for their champion driver.
However, Kyle Busch was still offered a contract to remain at JGR. According to the driver, Coach Gibbs was going to have him race an unsponsored car for 2023. An unsponsored car wouldn’t be very fitting for JGR or Busch, though.
So, it was clear, Busch had to move on. It just so happens that RCR has one of the best sales departments in the Cup Series. They have been able to secure sponsorship for Austin Dillon for years as well as new and interesting partners for Tyler Reddick.
Already this year we are seeing that creativity and out-of-the-box thinking pay off. Brands such as Rebel Bourbon, zone nicotine pouches, and Global Industrial have all stepped up to sponsor Busch this season. 3CHI might find a race or two to sponsor as well.
Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing are doing just fine. This is a case of a win-win situation. And, Busch gets to be a popular figure in the latter stages of his career.
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