INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Busch’s future remains uncertain as he discussed his contract for next season — or the lack of a contract — as he met with media outside the NASCAR hauler at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Gasoline Alley on Saturday.
This marks the final year of Busch’s contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. M&M Mars announced earlier this year that it was completing its long-term sponsorship of Busch’s No. 18 Toyota.
Unfortunately, neither JGR nor Busch have been able to find a sponsor, meaning the rider currently has no agreement with any Cup team in 2023.
“No,” Busch said when asked. “Nothing really at the moment.”
Busch on the track at IMS. (HHP/Jim Fluharty)
Busch indicated he may accept a deal below market value to remain active in the NASCAR Cup Series next season. Busch remains one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. He has 60 career Cup Series wins and two Cup Series championships, a record 102 wins in the 2009 NASCAR Xfinity Series and Series Championship, and 62 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships.
That’s a staggering 224 combined wins across NASCAR’s three national touring series.
“I don’t think money was ever the goal or the problem,” Busch said. “Of course I know the sports landscape. I know what’s happening. The conversation from my side was that I know that concessions have to be made and that I have to drive below my market value.
“And I accepted that. And I told everyone that. I’m trying to figure out where it all is.”
Busch confirmed that he speaks to someone “every week.” He prefers to stay at JGR but would be willing to move to another team if needed.
“I would say no more or less,” Busch said. “They didn’t necessarily put an end date on when the unicorn shows up, in case something happens. I don’t have a (deadline) right now at this particular moment.
“I have already admitted that I am ready to make concessions. I have the feeling that the market is different than it was years ago. And willing to drive below my market value. Whatever comes of this, obviously it’s a negotiation and figuring out where I’m going, what the long-term game is, what the short-term game is, and hopefully not being able to go through that again?
Busch is willing to get creative, such as accepting a “bridge deal” for a year and then signing a longer contract in 2023.
“Everything is on the table,” he said. “We’re talking about 23 options, we’re talking about 24 options. We’re talking long term. everyone, everything The white board is pretty full.
“It’s difficult. You have to get sponsored in this sport to get ahead. It’s not that easy to be a basketball player and be a Michael Jordan or a LeBron James or something and be a really good player and that team to lose a sponsor and then to say, ‘OK, Michael and LeBron, we have to let you go because we can’t afford you.’
“You have to have some sponsorship for this car. Unfortunately, this unicorn does not exist. There’s no such big $20 million number out there. I’d like to put it together, but I haven’t heard much about that either.”
One thing that could work in Busch’s favor is his Toyota truck deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports. It is one of Toyota’s flagship teams in the Camping World Truck Series.
“It definitely is,” Busch said. “I would like to believe that it does. But it could also be a burden and a bit of a headache when some other teams you speak to don’t want to carry the burden. They don’t want anything to do with that. That’s frustrating too.
“Like I said last week, I repeat, there are 50 families over there that I care about that we keep this thing going as best we can. Of course I have to look out for the future of myself and my family, but also of all of them.
“There are many sleepless nights.
“We’ve just stuck our heads in the books to try and keep working and continuing what we know we’re good at. We didn’t talk about the uncertainties.”
Contract negotiations in a good economic climate can be frustrating, but Busch is trying to broker a deal as the US economy teeters on the brink of recession.
With falling stock market values, companies are having to cut their budgets, making it difficult to invest $20 million in a NASCAR team.
“Obviously it’s a mess right now,” Busch said. “I’m just trying to sort everything out as best as I can. There are a lot of factors that come into play and I really don’t want to go through that. My first option. My first goal. My first sentence is to be with Joe Gibbs Racing and stay with Toyota and not change anything. But this unicorn didn’t come out of the sky for $20 million or whatever, and I don’t think it has to be that number. Because obviously there’s a number in there that pays a driver and I’ve said before that I’m willing to make concessions and race below my market value and continue to stay in the seat I’m home for the last 15 Years.
“I don’t think it’s been changed back and forth. If you’ve read my quotes for the last 3-4 weeks I have said and will continue to say that staying with Joe Gibbs Racing is my number one goal. If the wheelchair music stops and I’m still standing with no space, I’m screwed, so I have to make sure I keep talking and evaluating every place, every situation to find something.”
Here’s what sets Busch’s dilemma apart from other NASCAR drivers who may be looking for a drive next season.
He is currently the only multiple champion of the series not under contract.
“I hate to draw comparisons, but someone told me about a week ago it would be like Dale Earnhardt in 1998, win his last championship for three or four years, be on the open market and not have a ride,” Busch said. “That just sounds crazy. So, I don’t know what to do, how to fix it. It’s the unicorn. The sponsorship you need to get ahead. That’s what it’s all about.
“I hope we find something.
“I’ve spoken to so many people, it’s a cluster. Someone said you might want to do the Larson tour. Drive Late Models, Dirt Cars, IMSA, IndyCar. And it’s like oh my god. That just seems to add a new element to everything. And that’s probably the lowest on my list that I would consider but certainly wouldn’t skip.”
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