NASCAR: The major announcement everybody is waiting for

While 2023 NASCAR Cup Series plans continue to be announced, the announcement that everybody has been waiting for has yet to be made.

In an era where literally all news is billed as a “major announcement” by the announcing party or parties, NASCAR did indeed get a big one on Thursday when it was confirmed that North Wilkesboro Speedway is set to host the Cup Series for the All-Star Race next May.

Of course, even that wasn’t all that “major” when it happened, however, considering the news was leaked a day ahead of time. But at face value, it’s pretty huge.

While this is far from the only confirmation that has been made about the 2023 season, whether we’re discussing the driver lineup or the schedule or something totally separate, there is still one truly “major announcement” that hasn’t been made.

And it is one which NASCAR fans have been waiting on for several months.

Toward the end of 2021, Mars Wrigley announced that the 2022 season would be their final season with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch’s #18 team, leading to a scenario the team hadn’t had to deal with in quite some time: a sponsorship hunt.

When Busch, who is in a contract year himself, made his “goodbye” comments at Talladega Superspeedway back in April, many chalked it up to Kyle Busch being Kyle Busch.

That take was further justified when he wore a “clickbait” t-shirt to Dover Motor Speedway the following week for his media session.

However, both proved untrue.

A once promising sponsorship development ultimately fell through, and that opened fans’ eyes to the possibility that Busch may be competing for another team in 2023. He has been with Joe Gibbs Racing since 2008.

Busch, who is currently the sport’s highest paid driver, admitted that he would be willing to take a pay cut to return for a 16th season behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota, and Toyota have been clear that they are doing literally everything in their power to keep him.

But he also admitted that he had been in talks with multiple other teams, and he has since confirmed that he has received and is considering multiple offers, including one from his current organization.

When Busch revealed he had received multiple offers, he said he would have hoped to announce something “yesterday” — the same thing he said when asked when he wanted to have an extension done with Joe Gibbs Racing back in April.

He added that the big holdup is Kyle Busch Motorsports, given the fact that a manufacturer switch on the driver side would also have to produce one for his currently Toyota-aligned team.

While a decision is expected in the near future, there is no true timetable for said announcement, perhaps the most highly anticipated and biggest announcement since the June 2007 confirmation that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be driving for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

What is super unique about this situation too is the fact that there are no true “leads”. Whereas several other driver announcements turn out to be “worst kept secrets”, there have literally been six different organizations that have, at some point throughout this monthslong process, been stated by “reliable sources” as the “favorite” to land the services of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 60-time race winner.

The current “favorite” wasn’t even mentioned until a few weeks ago. Bottom line? Nobody really knows, and still we wait.

And it’s not just the fans who are waiting. Kyle Busch has said that he has been told by multiple teams that he needs to be the first “domino” to fall. So with him wanting to have something to announce “yesterday”, you better believe he doesn’t want to dawdle and draw out a “hard as hell” situation longer than he needs to.