NASCAR Rumors: Insider Sheds Light on Kyle Busch’s Limited Options as Free Agent

The Kyle Busch winless streak in the Cup Series has now reached triple digits, with a contract year likely to end with him going a third consecutive season without a trip to victory lane. With a departure from Richard Childress Racing feeling inevitable, it appears the future Hall of Famer may discover in NASCAR silly season that he doesn’t have much better options.

On the latest episode of The Teardown, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic stated that Busch will have to settle for a similar situation to what he’s in now because he won’t have an opportunity to join one of the four best teams in NASCAR.

“Let’s say he decided to go somewhere else and you look at the landscape. He’s not going to a big team. He’s not going to Hendrick Motorsports, he’s not going to 23XI, he’s not going back to Joe Gibbs Racing. Like, what are his options? You start looking at where the landscape is and it’s going to be in a similar situation where it’s a team where, yeah they have got some potential and promise, but they also have some warts.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on Kyle Busch’s team options for next seaosn

Related: Kyle Busch Fires Back at Denny Hamlin

Let’s start with 23XI Racing. Bubba Wallace, who sits eighth in points, is already under contract for the 2027 season in the No. 23 car. Meanwhile, reporting has hinted that top prospect Corey Heim will be replacing Riley Herbst in the No. 35 car next season. As for Tyler Reddick, who has won five times in nine races this season, co-owner Denny Hamlin made it clear a contract extension is coming, even if it’s going to be pricey.

As for Joe Gibbs Racing, they are more than happy with the results delivered by Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs. While there will need to be a plan for who drives the No. 11 car after Hamlin retires following the 2027 season, all signs point to that being Brent Crews.