NASCAR: 3 possible replacements for Kurt Busch

Whether Kurt Busch decides to retire after the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season or return for another year in 2023, who might replace him?

2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch has a contract with 23XI Racing which runs through the 2023 season and contains an option for 2024, but the fact that he remains sidelined after suffering concussion-like symptoms following a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway back in July has led some to question his future.

Even before the crash, comments Busch made indicated that he was considering retirement following the 2023 season, and considering he is set to continue with 23XI Racing in some capacity post-retirement, it seems relatively unlikely that he will return in 2024.

But who will replace Busch behind the wheel of the #45 Toyota (or #23 Toyota, depending on whether Bubba Wallace moves back to the #23 Toyota from the #45 Toyota), whether he returns in 2023 or not?

Possible Kurt Busch replacements: No. 1 – Ty Gibbs

Ty Gibbs is seen as the shoo-in replacement for Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing with Busch set to end his 15-year relationship with the team and Toyota to reunite with Chevrolet and join Richard Childress Racing.

However, that still hasn’t been confirmed. Is confirmation simply a matter of when, not if, because of the “lock” it seems to be, or is there a chance that it doesn’t happen?

Joe Gibbs had said in the past that he wanted his grandson to run two full seasons in the Xfinity Series before a promotion to the Cup Series. However, it was Ty who was called upon to replace the injured Kurt Busch, giving him unplanned Cup Series experience.

If Kurt doesn’t return in 2023, could Ty continue driving for the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated 23XI Racing, netting him another full season of experience — albeit not in the Xfinity Series — before a full move to his grandfather’s Cup Series team in 2024?

Denny Hamlin confirmed that he has a contingency plan in place if Kurt Busch doesn’t return in 2023, and that it didn’t involve Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick, whom the team have already signed for 2024. Ty driving for Kurt in 2023 and then moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024 when Reddick leaves Richard Childress Racing would make things simple.

But the question would then become who Ty replaces at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024. Would Kyle’s replacement stay for just one year? Would Ty replace Martin Truex Jr., who hasn’t confirmed he’ll retire, or even Hamlin?

If the move were to happen in 2023, that isn’t a question. However, with Reddick’s Richard Childress Racing deal now likely to be bought out, could things even be simpler?