In the high-speed world of revving engines and split-second action in NASCAR, friendships are tempered in the fires of competition. We’ve seen how things have turned out. Take Logano and Keselowski at Penske. Daytona in 2015 or Martinsville in 2021, there is no shortage of battles. However, today, we’re looking at their rivals in Joe Gibbs Racing.

Hamlin and Busch, former teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), have a relationship as heated as the battles they’ve shared on the track. Their relationship—founded on respect, competition, and unvarnished honesty—has endured through conflicts, career changes, and personal evolution. By 2022, Busch’s 15-year JGR stint came to an end, and he switched to Richard Childress Racing (RCR), a decision that left fans in shock. The breakup was akin to a breakup, with everyone wondering if their connection could last. At the heart of it is a mutual truth: a selfish ambition on the track that drove them to success but never shattered their bond.

Even as their personalities have diverged, their story is one of brotherhood, laughter, and an unspoken promise to keep it real. Today, the Kyle Busch of old is hard to spot. “I don’t even recognize you anymore,” Hamlin told him, a line that captures their evolving dynamic. Busch, once NASCAR’s bad boy, has softened. Even Richard Childress saw this change, especially since Rowdy began his journey as a parent and watching Brexton race. “He wants him to win and he is a winner, he’s a good little driver… I think that those things mature you… Life changes all of us and age changes all of us.”

And it’s not just Childress who’s seen the change. Even Hamlin noticed it, and he pointed it out recently when speaking to Busch. “But here in the last few years, Kyle, I don’t even recognize you anymore. You’re a different guy. What’s going on?” Gone was the Rowdy of old, the fiery interviews and angry interactions. But was that always how the dynamic was between him and Hamlin when they were together at JGR? Apparently not.

As Hamlin recalls, “I got asked by a driver during our horse cattle around the racetrack. It was someone that has a difficult teammate, and they said, have you ever had a difficult teammate? And I said, not really. And I thought for about 10 seconds, I was like, Kyle’s difficult at times, but he was always fair. That was the one thing I would say, is that on the racetrack, I think you were fairer than maybe any teammate that I’ve ever had on the racetrack. The difficult part was sometimes we didn’t see things eye to eye, right? The all-star race, for an example, right? When I kind of washed up in turns one and two, which is very normal protocol in today’s world.” 

What did Hamlin mean by difficult but fair? Well, back in 2010, at the All-Star Race, things came to a head between the teammates at the Roval. In the final 10 laps of the race, the two drivers went head-to-head with each other as Hamlin mounted a fierce defense of the race lead. It all came to a head when Rowdy tried to make a move down the outside, resulting in Denny nudging him into the wall.

With a sour result, Busch returned to the pits, only to park his car outside Hamlin’s trailer! Based on his radio message, things weren’t looking great. “Somebody better keep me away from Denny Hamlin after this race. I am going to kill that motherf****r. … I had this race won. Won.” Coach Gibbs followed, and 20 minutes later things cooled down.

And Gibbs’ comments showed just what Hamlin meant that Kyle was fair. “They talked it over and I think both of them expressed what they felt about what happened on the racetrack. I feel good about it and I think they’re ready to go race as teammates. This can happen and it can happen again. You’ve got good cars. You’ve got good drivers. It can happen between teammates because they’re competitive and both of them are wanting to win a race. We love that in both guys.” 

In more recent times, Rowdy’s calmer demeanor has clearly reflected in his driving. Talking about it just a few months ago, Christopher Bell had said, “I’m just so proud of the way that everybody raced each other at the end of that race—Redick included, myself, Kyle leading the race, William Byron behind me. Like, I would love to change the narrative of the Cup Series—this just running into people and moving them out of the way. ” 

Rowdy’s calmer vibe and Hamlin’s bolder persona haven’t dimmed their connection. They’re two racers who’ve seen it all—wins, losses, and everything in between. As the RCR driver said, Busch was fair, and that fairness, mixed with a touch of selfishness, is why their bond endures, lap after lap, through every turn of their wild NASCAR ride.

Both ex-teammates had a horrible outing at Kansas

Heart aches for NASCAR fans right now—two of the sport’s giants, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch, are grappling with brutal races, and their raw emotions are hitting hard. Hamlin’s Kansas race was a gut punch. He was running strong until a wreck sent him spinning into the wall, marking his second consecutive DNF —a rare low he hasn’t seen since 2013.

“Yeah, I think eventually just broke the transaxle trying to leave the stall there,” Hamlin said when speaking about the final incident. “Unfortunate for the Progressive Toyota team. Just really fast again — just can’t keep it together right now.” Despite the crash, he tried to stay optimistic, pointing out his No. 11 JGR car’s speed, but the damage is real—two races, zero points, and a slide to third in the standings. But still with two wins in his kitty, he has nothing to worry about before the playoffs, apart from finally winning that elusive Championship trophy.

Then there’s Kyle Busch, whose Kansas race was pure frustration. He crossed the line in 20th, a far cry from where a two-time champion expects to be. The Next Gen car, NASCAR’s standard since 2022, was his breaking point. On his radio, he unloaded, “Un-[expletive] believable!” the driver said over the team radio. “These cars suck so bad. Thank you, NASCAR.” The car’s tight handling and limited adjustability—issues drivers have griped about before—left him powerless. He is still trying to get off from his winless rut.

Both Hamlin and Busch are battling for playoff spots, and Kansas was a body blow. Hamlin’s trying to keep his chin up, focusing on his team’s potential, but Busch sounds like he’s hitting a wall—mentally and competitively. Racing is supposed to be heart-pounding, not soul-crushing. Can they find their groove at North Wilkesboro?