NASCAR: 3 Cup drivers Ty Gibbs could replace

Ty Gibbs replacement candidates: No. 3 – Kyle Busch

Perhaps Ty Gibbs can join his grandfather’s Cup team a year sooner than initially expected, and this is the obvious option.

Kyle Busch is the second longest tenured driver at Joe Gibbs Racing and has been with the organization since 2008 following a three-year stint with Hendrick Motorsports to open up his full-time career.

He is a two-time champion — and still the only driver to win two titles under the Championship 4 format, which was introduced in 2014 — and is aiming to break Richard Petty’s all-time record of 19 straight winning seasons next year. His 60 wins are tied for the most among active drivers.

Yet with M&M’s out as a primary sponsor after this year, Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing weren’t able to get a deal done to keep him behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota for what would be a 16th season in 2023.

What was once a promising sponsorship development fell through, and that led many believe that Busch won’t be back with the team next year. Indeed, he won’t be, as he is set to join Richard Childress Racing.

With Ty having gained unexpected Cup Series experience over the summer, replacing Busch makes perfect sense, even if it comes after just one full season of Xfinity Series experience.

Now that Busch’s #18 Toyota is officially open for next year, expect Gibbs to be confirmed in the near future. At this point, an announcement is nothing but a formality.