Reality be what it may be, on the surface, to an outsider, the reason why Kyle Busch had to leave Joe Gibbs Racing was because of the lack of a sponsor. His longtime sponsor Mars Inc. announced their coming departure from the sport earlier this season.

And as a result, JGR simply couldn’t find Busch a fitting sponsor.

Now, although the driver’s financial demands (at the start) did play a role in this failed sponsor quest, Busch’s personality too could’ve been a factor in signing a big enough brand to support the #18 driver.

With that said, when the two-time Cup champion’s current teammate, Christopher Bell, recently penned a new long-term deal with JGR, one of the things that Coach Gibbs said, could be now interpreted as a subtle dig at his soon-to-be former driver.

“If you want a poster child for someone that knows how to treat sponsors, it’s Christopher Bell, honestly,” Gibbs said.

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Joe Gibbs emphasizes how hard he worked to keep Kyle Busch

In a recent interview, Joe Gibbs opened up on the efforts his team put in to keep Kyle Busch at JGR post the 2022 season. The legendary team owner also made a point that Busch will certainly pose a threat to them as well as other teams, such is his talent.

“I just think we worked hard trying to get everything done there. We couldn’t. I think he’s found a home, and I’ll be willing to bet he’s going to be after it next year, and he’s going to want to win a bunch of races,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs revealed that he did talk to his #18 driver, emphasizing that he is really “pulling for him” and his family.

“The rest of his racing career – this guy is going to win a bunch. We know that. He’s a great competitor,” he added.

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