After another round of disappointing finishes, Kyle Busch didn’t mince words about what came next. “Obviously, we’re not getting the results, right?” he admitted ahead of the Charlotte Roval weekend. That’s when things took a turn inside the Richard Childress Racing garage.

Randall Burnett, who’s been calling the shots atop the No. 8 pit box since Busch joined RCR, was moved out with veteran engineer Andy Street stepping in as interim crew chief. The shake-up comes at a pivotal time for Busch, who’s been searching for that missing spark all season. And as we move towards the 2026 season, his new full-time crew chief might just surprise a few people.

In a move that’s got fans raising their eyebrows, Busch’s 2026 lineup is set to include a familiar name with championship-winning ties to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Kyle Busch’s new right-hand man has Dale Jr. DNA

When Kyle Busch started looking for his next crew chief, experience wasn’t the only thing on his checklist. Leadership and proven results mattered more. That’s where Jim Pohlman came in. Richard Childress Racing confirmed that Pohlman will take over as Busch’s crew chief next season, marking a reunion of sorts between the two after Pohlman’s stint at RCR in an R&D role during the early days of the Next Gen car.

But what really sold Busch on Pohlman was his recent success with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports. As Justin Allgaier’s crew chief, Pohlman guided the team to an Xfinity Series championship last season and has kept them in the hunt again this year. That consistency, combined with JRM’s incredible 17-win campaign, caught Busch’s attention.

“They’ve had good cars for a long time, but it seems like the last two, three years they’ve really taken a step higher,” Busch said at Talladega. “I feel like a guy like that who’s been able to jump into a system that’s already successful and still improve it shows really good leadership traits.”

For Busch, Pohlman’s influence goes beyond numbers. It’s about energy and direction: two things the No. 8 team desperately needs after a turbulent season. “His passion and the leadership conversations we had really stood out,” Busch added. “You’re not hiring a guy based off results in a Cup car. That’s yet to be made. Hopefully, he’s the guy who can lead us — not just the 8 car, but RCR as a whole.”

And while Pohlman’s Cup résumé is brief, including a stint with Juan Pablo Montoya way back in 2011, his ability to elevate teams makes him a gamble Busch is more than willing to take. It’ll be interesting to see how that chemistry unfolds next season. And whether Pohlman can be the missing piece that helps Kyle Busch return to his winning form.

Jim Pohlman credits Justin Allgaier

For Jim Pohlman, the call from Richard Childress Racing was validation of a journey built on grit, loyalty, and the right partnerships. When news broke that he’d be atop Kyle Busch’s pit box starting in 2026, few were surprised. After all, Pohlman’s run with Justin Allgaier at JR Motorsports had turned heads across the NASCAR garage.

Together, the pair became a model of consistency and performance: Nine wins, multiple Championship 4 appearances, and the 2024 Xfinity title that reestablished Pohlman as one of the sharpest minds on pit road. But if you ask Pohlman, the real credit doesn’t belong to him.

“Justin is the guy that put me on the map,” he admitted. “Without JRM, this opportunity doesn’t exist.”

That bond between crew chief and driver wasn’t just professional, but it was personal. From their early days winning together in ARCA to conquering Xfinity, Allgaier and Pohlman built a foundation of trust that shaped both their careers.

Leaving that behind, though, hasn’t been easy. “It’s very hard to leave Justin,” Pohlman confessed. “We’ve won an ARCA championship, we’ve won an Xfinity championship. Hopefully, we’re going to win two. To walk away from the possibility of winning three in a row was very heavy on my mind.”

As Pohlman prepares to return to the Cup Series spotlight, he carries both Allgaier’s influence and JRM’s culture of excellence with him. For now, his focus remains on finishing what they started – chasing another Xfinity title before reuniting with RCR to tackle NASCAR’s top tier alongside Busch.

And if history’s any indication, he’ll arrive with momentum, confidence, and a blueprint for winning already in hand.