Fans Drag Joe Gibbs to the Hot Seat as Kyle Busch Publicly Blames Coach for Losing Out on “The Double”

Is there anything left for Kyle Busch to conquer in the realm of NASCAR? The easy answer is the Daytona 500, which is the obvious one, but other than that, he’s won everything. Two Cup Series championships and a combined of 232 national series wins to his name. No doubt that he is a first ballot NASCAR Hall of Famer, but despite the illustrious career, he wishes the compete in the Indy 500 and have a go at “The Double.” It’s not that Rowdy never got the opportunity to, but things didn’t work in his favor.

Interestingly, Busch opened up about the two opportunities he had to complete the 1100 miles at the Indy and Charlotte on Actions Detrimental. And it turns out, the first and clear chance was blocked by his former team owner, Joe Gibbs. You heard it right, before Kyle Larson could spread his wings, Busch could’ve completed his historic double, but he didn’t get the green light from Coach.

“I had an opportunity done, sealed, signed, delivered… 2017, I had it all done,” Busch disclosed at Monday’s podcast episode of Actions Detrimental. The two-time Cup Series champion explained that M&M’s was ready to sponsor the effort, and both Chevrolet and Toyota had given their blessing. “M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who said no?” Busch asked rhetorically before Hamlin correctly guessed Joe Gibbs. This bombshell revelation showcases how a single decision potentially altered the trajectory of one of NASCAR’s most versatile drivers.

What makes Busch’s story even more compelling is that this wasn’t his only near-miss with Indianapolis glory. Busch revealed he had another opportunity that ultimately went to Kyle Larson in 2024. “I had it signed, sealed, and delivered again and then Larson took it,” Busch explained, detailing how a sponsor was in talks with McLaren CEO Zak Brown before negotiations broke down over who would purchase the car. According to Busch, Brown insisted the sponsor buy the car outright: “In case he wrecks the tub, we want you to buy the tub.” The sponsor wasn’t interested in ownership, only wanting to sponsor Busch’s effort.

Before these parties could resolve their differences, Busch learned that Kyle Larson had secured the opportunity instead. “Then I found out Larson signed a two-year deal, and we were only going to do a one-year deal,” Busch explained. For the 40-year-old driver who has accomplished nearly everything else in NASCAR, these missed opportunities represent significant what-ifs in an otherwise legendary career. Busch himself admitted that competing in the Indianapolis 500 ranks second only to winning the Daytona 500 on his racing bucket list: “Yeah, that would be – besides winning the DAYTONA 500 – but doing the Indianapolis 500 would certainly be [the highest thing on my bucket list].”

Well, Rowdy Nation wasn’t impressed to learn about Coach Gibbs deliberately blocking Busch’s shot at Indy 500 glory. As soon as the podcast was out, fans took to Reddit and other social media platforms to share their take on this development.

Fans React to Gibbs’ Indy 500 Blockade

Fans quickly connected Busch’s revelation to Tony Stewart’s famous workaround when facing similar restrictions. “KFB should had Smoke Johnson it,” wrote one fan, referencing how Stewart used the alias “Smoke Johnson” to compete in dirt races when Gibbs had implemented a dirt racing ban. The comment highlights a long-standing tension between Joe Gibbs Racing’s restrictive policies and drivers’ desires to compete across multiple disciplines. The good thing is that the driver ban is no longer active at JGR, as we were able to see Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs compete in dirt events this year. But this has left the fans wondering why Coach Gibbs didn’t make an exception for his star driver back in the day.

Well, fans also started connecting the dots on why all of a sudden, Coach started to allow his driver to race in non-NASCAR races. And the answer to the query, according to this race fan, is because his grandson, Ty Gibbs, wanted to race dirt, not because he wanted Bell to compete for Golden Drillers. “Only started letting his drivers race in other series again because Ty wanted to run sprint cars lol.” The inconsistency hasn’t gone unnoticed by a fanbase that values fairness and authenticity, especially when it appears personal connections might influence business decisions at Joe Gibbs Racing.

For fans who attended the 2017 Indianapolis 500, Busch’s revelation adds a bitter “what if” scenario. “I went to that Indy 500. Didn’t expect to be this angry at Coach Gibbs today,” wrote one fan, expressing how this news retroactively changed their perception of an event they witnessed firsthand. That year’s race saw Takuma Sato claim victory in a thrilling finish, but fans now wonder how Busch might have fared given his well-documented skill and adaptability across racing disciplines. Busch’s brother Kurt had already attempted “The Double” in 2014, finishing 6th at Indianapolis before mechanical issues ended his Charlotte run, suggesting Kyle had a family template for success.

Perhaps most tellingly, fans connected these restrictive policies to Busch’s eventual departure from Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2022 season. “I don’t blame Kyle Busch for leaving Gibbs after 2022,” commented one fan, suggesting these behind-the-scenes frustrations may have contributed to the split that shocked NASCAR after 15 years together. Now, this might be a far-fetched thought because if Mars Inc. continued to sponsor the No. 18 car, who knows, Busch would still be at JGR.