Latest news with #RichardChildressRacing
Fox News
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Why another year of Kyle Busch at RCR makes sense
Kyle Busch will return to Richard Childress Racing for the 2026 season. From the outside looking in, some might wonder why a two-time Cup champion with 63 career victories riding a 69-race winless streak would return to a team for another year, that both sides might figure it's not working. But Richard Childress and Kyle Busch have a mix of determination and stubbornness that make them believe they can continue to work together. Add that Busch — who turned 40 earlier this month — doesn't want to stop racing and another year at RCR isn't a bad gig. The announcement Saturday confirmed RCR has picked up Busch's option — it isn't totally clear who had control of the option but forcing Busch to stay if he wanted to leave likely wouldn't work out well for RCR — and any significant talks for 2027 and beyond are still yet to happen. Busch wants to keep racing and eventually race trucks with his son, Brexton, who is 10 (potentially they would split a season when Brexton is 16 and can only do short tracks and road courses). "There's kind of the vision or the plan, if you will, on being able to race in some truck races with Brexton alongside," Busch said. "So obviously, that's six years from now before he can make that start. "So that would sort of be an idea of when I would look at stepping aside from Cup Series racing, but it's a long ways out." Those inside RCR say that Busch remains engaged in working with the team to improve. He also might have more options after the 2026 season when more big rides could become available. William Byron signed a contract extension through 2029, making all four Hendrick drivers signed through at least next year. Joe Gibbs Racing likely will extend its deal with Denny Hamlin for at least a couple more years. If Trackhouse makes any moves, it has Connor Zilisch waiting in the wings; if 23XI does, it has Corey Heim ready to take over a car. All of Spire's drivers are under contract for next season. Those are all Chevrolet teams and while RFK Racing shouldn't be ruled out as a possibility for Busch in the future, that organization could be in limbo for its third car depending on the Legacy-Rick Ware Racing litigation over a RWR charter sale to Legacy that was supposed to occur after 2026 (not to mention Ryan Preece hasn't done anything to lose that ride). Busch driving for Team Penske, which also could very well have the same stable next year, doesn't appear likely. Several of those teams could have more openings after 2026, and if a new manufacturer wants to race NASCAR, those plans might be more clear in another year. There's another benefit of staying with RCR and in the Chevrolet camp for Busch — if he did want an opportunity to race in the Indy 500, it is the one manufacturer that competes in both series. Kyle Larson is in the second year of a two-year deal with Arrow McLaren to compete in the event and hasn't been committal to additional years. Busch said he had been talking to INDYCAR teams when the Larson deal got done, which didn't leave another ride with an engine package available. "I wouldn't say I've given up on, but the phone hasn't been ringing," Busch said. "I think Larson got the seat I was supposed to get for the last two years now. So whether that seat is open for next year, I'm not sure. "I haven't really ventured into that, but those conversations pretty much take place July, August of each year, and then try to get done before December." RCR's announcement included confirmation the organization plans to remain a two-car Cup team with Childress grandson Austin Dillon as Busch's teammate. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ross Chastain cuts tire, crashes after leading Coke 600 practice averages
Ross Chastain finished second in Friday night's NASCAR Truck race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and when the Cup cars went out on the track for Coca-Cola 600 practice, he was again very fast. Timing in ninth overall on the time sheets, Chastain was showing impressive long-run speed in the No. 1 Chevrolet. He led all drivers in the 10-lap, 15-lap, and 20-lap averages. Unfortunately, after 20 laps on track, disaster struck as he cut a left-rear tire going down the backstretch. The car spun out in Turn 3 and Chastain hit the outside wall with the driver-side door. The car came to a rest on the apron and was towed back to the pit lane. While a cause has yet to be officially determined, being aggressive with extremely low air pressures has caused previous tire issues for other teams this year. "Just down the backstretch, all of the air came out of it at once," said Chastain after being released from the infield care center. "I tried to just keep it straight and braked as hard as I could in a straight line. But it was too late. I was okay until I got into the banking and then the whole car got on the ground and around it went." Advertisement While Chastain was the only driver to suffer an on-track incident during the practice session, another Chevrolet driver never even got on track to begin with. Kyle Busch, who announced a contract extension with Richard Childress Racing on Saturday morning, was the only driver not to run any laps. Busch reported a steering issue and the team scrambled to replace the power steering pump. Read Also: Richard Childress: Kyle Busch's career "is not even close to being over" Kyle Busch extends contract with Richard Childress Racing through 2026 To read more articles visit our website.
Forbes
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
RCR Extends Kyle Busch Amid NASCAR Struggles And Future Uncertainty
Despite their collective struggles, Richard Childress and Kyle Busch are giving it at least one more go. On Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the pair made it official: the team has picked up the one-year option that keeps Busch behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet through the end of the 2026 season. That means Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 63 career wins, is staying put at Richard Childress Racing. But that headline doesn't tell the whole story—because since 2023, Busch's NASCAR tale has taken a turn. After a promising start with RCR that year, racking up three wins and injecting fresh optimism into the program, 2024 turned out to be a statistical ghost town. No wins. No playoff appearance. And the end of a 19-season streak of at least one win per year—a record-breaking run that quietly shaped Busch's reputation as a perennial contender. Twelve races into 2025, there are flickers of the old fire. A top-five here. A handful of laps led there. But the winless streak now stands at 62 races and counting—the longest drought of his Cup career. Still, if Busch is frustrated, Richard Childress isn't ready to pull the plug. Far from it. 'I love a driver that doesn't like to lose,' Childress said. 'We've worked hard. We've got some exciting things coming up. He and I are both alike in one area—we don't like to lose. We want to win races. I still think Kyle will win him a championship, and we're going to have it at RCR. That's our plans.' It all sounds like a vote of confidence—until you realize the announcement was about the team exercising a one-year option, not offering a contract extension. In racing, as in business, one-year deals can be read two ways: as a second chance, or a soft goodbye. But Childress insists it's business as usual. 'We always wait until we get started the following year, or maybe later this year we'll be discussing the future,' he said. 'There's a big future there for Kyle.' As for Kyle, he's putting in the work to turn things around. 'I think the speed has been there,' Busch said. 'More and more we continue to work on that and get that closer to where it's consistent speed. I feel like there's times in the race where we do have top speed, but it's not the whole race. So we've got to work on beginning to end and being able to put everything together. So that's a big part of what you see. A lot of these guys that are winning right now … they're just good from start to finish. So that's a big piece of what we're doing. ' Childress says the engineering as a lot to do with it. 'Well, it all boils down to the drivers having their own feel,' he said. 'And we're working hard to get that feel. The first year, we won three races right out of the bat. We've changed a little in our engineering and I think that bit us just a little… These cars are different. And once we get that feel he wants, it's going to be Katie Bar the Door.' So here they are: one of the sport's most successful drivers and one of its most storied owners, still swinging. The wins aren't coming, the pressure is mounting, and the critics are circling—but Richard Childress and Kyle Busch are both betting there's still fuel left in the tank. And if they can finally give Busch the feel he needs from the car—well, as Childress put it, 'It's going to be Katie bar the door.' Until then, the losing streak continues. But not the fight.
24-05-2025
- Automotive
2-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch to return to Richard Childress Racing for 2026 season
CONCORD, N.C. -- Richard Childress Racing announced Saturday it has picked up the option on Kyle Busch's contract, meaning the two-time Cup Series champion will be back with the team for the 2026 season. The 40-year-old Busch is in the midst of the longest slump of his career, with his winless streak closing in on 70 races. Busch has won 63 Cup Series races since joining the circuit in 2003, but has not taken the checkered flag since St. Louis on June 4, 2023. Still, Busch believes RCR will get things turned around soon. 'It's a great place to be, a great place to work and a great atmosphere — there is a lot of determination there from a lot of people (to win),' said Busch, who won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019. Team owner Richard Childress said he felt like the organization let Busch down in 2024, his first season without a Cup Series win in his career. Busch has one top-5 finish this season. He is 17th in the point standings. 'I think we will win a race with him this year,' Childress said. "We have to work smarter and that is what we are trying to do. We have a lot of good things going." The polarizing Busch, known for his outbursts and rants, called the losing streak 'a little humbling.' 'I'm excited for the next win whenever that is," Busch said. "I feel like there are times where it gives you that motivation and gives you that itch to get back to victory lane.' Childress said there is hope that he can sign Busch to a long-term extension at some point in the future. "There is a big future for Kyle," Childress said. Busch said he has not considered retiring from racing, He said that is something he will reconsider once his 10-year-old son, Brexton, is old enough to get into racing on the national circuit. Busch will run Sunday in the Coca-Cola 600, a race that he won in 2018.
Fox Sports
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Why another year of Kyle Busch at RCR makes sense
Kyle Busch will return to Richard Childress Racing for the 2026 season. From the outside looking in, some might wonder why a two-time Cup champion with 63 career victories riding a 69-race winless streak would return to a team for another year, that both sides might figure it's not working. But Richard Childress and Kyle Busch have a mix of determination and stubbornness that make them believe they can continue to work together. Add that Busch — who turned 40 earlier this month — doesn't want to stop racing and another year at RCR isn't a bad gig. The announcement Saturday confirmed RCR has picked up Busch's option — it isn't totally clear who had control of the option but forcing Busch to stay if he wanted to leave likely wouldn't work out well for RCR — and any significant talks for 2027 and beyond are still yet to happen. Busch wants to keep racing and eventually race trucks with his son, Brexton, who is 10 (potentially they would split a season when Brexton is 16 and can only do short tracks and road courses). "There's kind of the vision or the plan, if you will, on being able to race in some truck races with Brexton alongside," Busch said. "So obviously, that's six years from now before he can make that start. "So that would sort of be an idea of when I would look at stepping aside from Cup Series racing, but it's a long ways out." Those inside RCR say that Busch remains engaged in working with the team to improve. He also might have more options after the 2026 season when more big rides could become available. William Byron signed a contract extension through 2029, making all four Hendrick drivers signed through at least next year. Joe Gibbs Racing likely will extend its deal with Denny Hamlin for at least a couple more years. If Trackhouse makes any moves, it has Connor Zilisch waiting in the wings; if 23XI does, it has Corey Heim ready to take over a car. All of Spire's drivers are under contract for next season. Those are all Chevrolet teams and while RFK Racing shouldn't be ruled out as a possibility for Busch in the future, that organization could be in limbo for its third car depending on the Legacy-Rick Ware Racing litigation over a RWR charter sale to Legacy that was supposed to occur after 2026 (not to mention Ryan Preece hasn't done anything to lose that ride). Busch driving for Team Penske, which also could very well have the same stable next year, doesn't appear likely. Several of those teams could have more openings after 2026, and if a new manufacturer wants to race NASCAR, those plans might be more clear in another year. There's another benefit of staying with RCR and in the Chevrolet camp for Busch — if he did want an opportunity to race in the Indy 500, it is the one manufacturer that competes in both series. Kyle Larson is in the second year of a two-year deal with Arrow McLaren to compete in the event and hasn't been committal to additional years. Busch said he had been talking to INDYCAR teams when the Larson deal got done, which didn't leave another ride with an engine package available. "I wouldn't say I've given up on, but the phone hasn't been ringing," Busch said. "I think Larson got the seat I was supposed to get for the last two years now. So whether that seat is open for next year, I'm not sure. "I haven't really ventured into that, but those conversations pretty much take place July, August of each year, and then try to get done before December." RCR's announcement included confirmation the organization plans to remain a two-car Cup team with Childress grandson Austin Dillon as Busch's teammate. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
