NASCAR: 3 possible landing spots for Kyle Busch in 2023

Kyle Busch’s future with Joe Gibbs Racing is uncertain beyond the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Where will he end up in 2023?

The uncertainty about Kyle Busch’s future in the NASCAR Cup Series might have appeared to be a thing of the past following his surprise victory in the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Easter Sunday. But it definitely wasn’t.

Last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, Busch, who will be losing longtime primary sponsor M&M’s after the 2022 season, claimed that he hoped to have things done “yesterday” in regard to a contract extension to continue driving the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023, though he stated that he isn’t “antsy about it.”

He then stated, “If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it don’t. Goodbye.” When asked to elaborate, he told reporters to ask Joe Gibbs, stating that it wasn’t his problem. Referencing sponsorship, he stated, “Got to sell it. If you don’t see it, then nothing to have”.

So where will Busch end up in 2023? Here are three possibilities.

Kyle Busch landing spots: No. 1 – Joe Gibbs Racing

Before the Kyle Busch retirement hype train heats up, let’s not forget that Joe Gibbs Racing is probably still his most likely landing spot for the 2023 season, and nothing he said indicated that he is in any way already on his way out, despite the fact that many took it that way.

He has long been a master of playing the media and making entertaining statements, and this may very well have been no different.

Interestingly, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson stated that he was a “little disappointed” in Busch’s comments, according to NBC Sports. He stated the following.

"“Our vision, Joe’s and our vision, Toyota’s vision, is for Kyle to retire out of Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. He is clearly a little frustrated and that’s understandable to a point. Little disappointed that he voiced it, to be fair, but he knows —he knows — because Joe talks to him a lot of the time how hard we are collectively working to make sure that we have a place for him for as long as he wants to stay.”"

Could that disappointment lessen the chance of a deal getting done, or is Wilson serious in terms of Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing doing everything they can to continue on with Busch?

Gibbs himself later commented.

But as long as nothing is confirmed, there are other possibilities to consider.