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Kyle Busch shares new reflection on Hendrick Motorsports’ exit – Motorsport – Sports
Kyle Busch may not be known for speaking about regret, but he has finally admitted that his breakup with Hendrick Motorsports might have been avoidable – while sharing the exact point at which the decision was made to leave. Busch opened up about the beginning of the end with the team that gave him his […]
Kyle Busch may not be known for speaking about regret, but he has finally admitted that his breakup with Hendrick Motorsports might have been avoidable – while sharing the exact point at which the decision was made to leave.
Busch opened up about the beginning of the end with the team that gave him his first shot at NASCAR stardom. The moment immortalized in the 2022 documentary ‘Rowdy’ came during the 2007 All-Star Race crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A three-wide pass attempt gone bad wiped out Jeff Burton and Busch himself and his older brother Kurt, costing all three a shot at the $1 million prize.
Kevin Harvick would go on to win, while Jimmie Johnson finished second for Hendrick. The Busch brothers would further establish their legacies in a rivalry showcased by their aggressive nature toward each other on the track.
“That was the end, that night,” Busch said in the film. “That was the end of HMS [for Busch]. Not having a whole lot of life experience to that point of getting into a professional career, one that’s in the limelight…You’re on TV every weekend, and you don’t really know how to act in certain situations.”
The crash served as a microcosm of deeper issues simmering behind the scenes between him and team owner Rick Hendrick. These days, Busch believes immaturity and a lack of communication played a bigger role than he previously acknowledged.
In a conversation with Jeff Gordon that Busch said lasted more than an hour, he admitted the relationship “wasn’t one to terminate” and conceded it “could’ve been fixed.” But Busch had a better relationship with Rick’s son, Ricky Hendrick, who passed away in 2004 at the age of 24.
Busch left Hendrick following the 2007 season and signed with Joe Gibbs Racing, where his career took off. He admitted to Gibbs taking a more hands-on approach to his job and asked about his ambitions and visions for a successful season.
Between 2008 and 2022, he won 52 Cup races, secured two Cup Series championships [2015, 2019], and became one of the most dominant drivers in the sport’s modern era. He also achieved 102 Xfinity Series wins and added 67 more in the Craftsman Truck Series, driving for his Kyle Busch Motorsports team.