Another year, same story! Kyle Busch’s 2025 season again turned out to be one of frustration and unmet expectations. Once one of NASCAR’s most feared competitors, the two-time Cup champion has struggled (again) to find his rhythm with Richard Childress Racing. Despite flashes of speed, Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet has been plagued by inconsistency, leaving him winless and sitting distant below in the standings.

For a driver with 63 career Cup victories, that’s a tough pill to swallow. But as the 2025 season winds down, Busch’s focus has already shifted toward rebuilding. With crew chief Jim Pohlman expected to join RCR for 2026, Busch is pinning his hopes on fresh chemistry, renewed communication, and an offseason reset to spark the turnaround he desperately needs.

Kyle Busch eyes revival with Jim Pohlman

Richard Childress Racing recently announced Jim Pohlman as the new crew chief for Kyle Busch’s No. 8 team starting in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Kyle Busch wasted no time laying out the next phase of his career with Pohlman, saying, “Well, we just got to keep working on building everything, and you know, getting Jim Pohlman announced as our crew chief for next year, hopefully, that will help things and get us trending, continuing to trend in the right direction.”

Pohlman brings with him a commendable resume from the Xfinity Series and a proven leadership track record. He’s a nine-time race-winning crew chief in the Xfinity Series and has been a key factor in Justin Allgaier’s success at JR Motorsports, boasting 38 top-five and 59 top-10 finishes in 96 starts with the No. 7 car since 2023. Together, they won the 2024 Xfinity Series title with Allgaier at Phoenix Raceway in an emotional, feel-good fashion.

Busch acknowledged the importance of consistency as the first step toward returning to the top. “Being most consistent each and every week and finishing consistently in the top five is the easiest way to prove that you’re capable of your next win. So we’ve got to get to that point first,” he said. And Busch has been spot on! The 2025 season has been a challenging one for ‘Rowdy’ as he managed just two top-5s (COTA and Chicago) and struggled to compete for wins, with just 88 laps led through the entire season.

The offseason offers Busch and Pohlman an opportunity to build camaraderie and alignment with Pohlman. Busch emphasized the value of understanding each other’s mindsets to anticipate moves on and off the track, especially with reduced practice time in modern NASCAR. “Getting on the same page to start our season,” Busch explained.

As Busch prepares for this new chapter, fans and analysts alike wonder: Can the partnership with Pohlman reignite the veteran driver’s winning ways and return the No. 8 team to championship contender status in 2026? Only time will tell if this dynamic duo can pave the way for a stronger season ahead.

Pohlman shares his feelings on joining RCR and Busch

For Jim Pohlman, the call to return to Richard Childress Racing wasn’t just another career move. Rather, it was a homecoming. After three successful seasons steering Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 team at JR Motorsports, Pohlman is ready to step up to lead Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Cup team in 2026.

His RCR roots run deep. Back in 2022, he was one of the key figures in the organization’s research and development department, helping fine-tune setups and innovations for the Next Gen car. That background, combined with his Xfinity success, made him an ideal fit for Busch’s long-term rebound plan.

“Working for Richard Childress, a Hall of Famer, and Kyle Busch, a future Hall of Famer, speaks paramount for the organization and what they are trying to accomplish,” Pohlman said at Talladega. “Who better to take a swing at the Cup Series with than those two guys?”

When the opportunity arose, Pohlman didn’t have to think twice. But he still ran it by Allgaier. The JR Motorsports driver, who’s shared so much success with him, didn’t hold back. As Pohlman recalled, “Justin told me I’d be an idiot if I didn’t take it.” For Allgaier, parting ways with Pohlman is bittersweet. “I’m sad to see him go because he’s meant the world to me,” he admitted. “But his dream has always been to be a full-time Cup Series crew chief.”

Pohlman echoed that sentiment, calling the move a lifelong goal realized. “The goal for me has always been to race on Sunday and have an opportunity to win Daytona 500s and compete at the highest level.” Though he and Busch have crossed paths professionally for over two decades, their working relationship is just beginning.

With 20 Cup starts already on his résumé (including 17 with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2011), Pohlman’s next chapter is about more than just experience. It’s about building something that lasts.