Kyle Busch joins Richard Childress Racing to drive No. 8 car in 2023
Kyle Busch's 15-year run with Joe Gibbs Racing is over.
The two-time Cup Series champion is joining Richard Childress Racing in 2023, he announced Tuesday. He'll drive the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for RCR, and Randall Burnett will be his crew chief.
A Championship Tradition continues in 2023. pic.twitter.com/uC00r1T0Ob
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 13, 2022
It's a multi-year agreement, Busch said, according to Kelly Crandall of Racer Magazine.
"RCR has an impressive history in NASCAR, and I'm honored that Richard is putting his trust in me to come in and continue to build on that legacy," Busch said in a statement. "Growing up in a family of passionate racers myself, I feel like the culture that the Childress family has built within their organization will be an ideal fit for me. As I begin the next chapter of my career, I'm looking forward to driving for RCR and working with everyone there to add more wins and championships to both of our resumes."
The 37-year-old Busch is in the final year of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, ending a successful career with the race team that saw them win 56 races. The two sides had been negotiating a contract extension for some time, but recent sponsorship issues involving Busch's No. 18 car became a concern.
Busch's arrival will also displace current RCR No. 8 driver Tyler Reddick. Owner Richard Childress confirmed Tuesday that Reddick still has a contract with his team for 2023 but will drive a different car next year, according to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports.
Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to name 19-year-old Ty Gibbs, Joe's grandson, as Busch's replacement in the No. 18 car.