Kyle Busch Kickstarts Life Without Toyota, Gives Major Update Around NASCAR Team

Kyle Busch Motorsports has been one of the top contenders in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, winning multiple driver and owner’s championships. The team has overcome several obstacles since its inception in 2010, and it looks like they have also overcome their biggest one yet.

Busch’s team was faced with a major decision—whether to continue with long-time partners Toyota or switch over to Chevrolet. The transition became smoother when Kyle quit his 15-year stint with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Cup Series and joined Richard Childress Racing. The decision to switch over to Chevrolet is a major boost for KBM.

KBM was forced to let go of a few of its drivers, but Busch has found worthy replacements in Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. And it seems like there’s more good news for members of KBM—they have promoted Jimmy Villeneuve to crew chief for the #4 car! As per a statement published in KBM’s official webpage, Villeneuve seems motivated and eager to prove that Busch has made the right choice in entrusting him with the responsibility.

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The new crew chief said, “I’m honored that Kyle has chosen to elevate me to the crew chief position and I’m going to do everything that I can to prove that it was the right decision. We’ve got a close-knit group of guys on the 4 team that are working hard to make sure that we come out of the gates strong to start the 2023 season. Chase has been at the shop pretty much every day, so we’re already getting acclimated to him as a person and making things comfortable for him inside the truck so that when the season starts we can unload with fast Silverados each week.”

What made Kyle Busch choose Jimmy Villeneuve?

Busch isn’t a man to make decisions at a whip, and a lot of thought must have gone into making such a big decision. Talking about Jimmy, he said, “Jimmy has been an instrumental part of the success we have had at KBM in recent years winning a lot of races and a couple of championships as a truck chief, so we feel like he’s well deserving of the opportunity to be promoted to crew chief.” 

Talking about the experience Jimmy has had with KBM, Busch added, “He’s learned the KBM way under Eric (Phillips) and Rudy (Fugle) and being able to promote someone from within the organization to lead Chase (Purdy) and the No. 4 team will allow them to come out of the gates strong to start the 2023 season. It also shows the quality of people we have working at KBM throughout the building in every position and that hard work and dedication within our company will be rewarded.”

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Jimmy has definitely earned the position, and the 2023 season will show whether Busch took the right call. Meanwhile, keep following this space to see what more developments happen for Kyle Busch Motorsports prior to the 2023 season.