NASCAR: Kyle Busch announcement speculation heats up
By Asher Fair
Kyle Busch’s media availability ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway has led to rumors of an announcement.
As we continue to wait for Kyle Busch to confirm his plans for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, speculation and rumors about what he might decide to do next year continue to heat up.
The two-time champion is without a contract to continue driving the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing next year, and while an extension was initially seen as a formality, even with Mars Wrigley not returning as a primary sponsor, that has proven not to be the case.
Further complicating matters is the fact that what was once viewed as a promising sponsorship development fell through, effectively setting the team back to square one.
NASCAR Press Pass indicates that Busch is set to speak at Daytona International Speedway at 4:00 p.m. ET this afternoon, leading to speculation that this could be when he makes an announcement about his future plans.
Here is the schedule for Saturday, August 27, according to the website.
"3:15 PM – Kyle Larson3:40 PM – Better Than Ezra4:00 PM – Kyle Busch4:15 PM – Trackhouse Racing4:45 PM – Daytona Announcement10:30 PM – Post Cup Race"
Of course, take this speculation with a grain of salt, especially considering some of the other names listed here (and what NASCAR Press Pass is generally used for on a weekly basis).
When Busch joined a NASCAR Twitter Space last week, many believed was that he was going to make his long-awaited announcement.
He did not.
When Tony Stewart announced that he had a “major announcement” to make the week before that, many believed that Stewart-Haas Racing was going to confirm Busch as a part of their Cup team in 2023.
He did not.
We have essentially reached a point where any time Busch’s name is attached to something other than driving the #18 Toyota on race day in 2022, fans are going to assume that it has something to do with his 2023 plans.
Eventually, that will be the case, one way or another. But for now? Perhaps it’s just the usual hype caused by the ongoing anticipation.
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Should Busch leave Joe Gibbs Racing, Kaulig Racing is currently seen as the most likely landing spot, with Stewart-Haas Racing and 23XI Racing seen as two other possibilities with an outside shot. He has had discussions with all three manufacturers, which is huge when you consider the implications his decision would have on Kyle Busch Motorsports’ future.