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.
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