For all the twists Kyle Busch’s career has taken, one relationship has quietly endured through the chaos: his long-running connection to Rick Hendrick. Busch’s NASCAR story truly began under the Hendrick Motorsports banner in the early 2000s. The Rowdy got rookie honors, early wins, and the foundation of the talent he would eventually unleash on the sport. Two decades later, the arc has circled back. With an elite Chevy team announcing Busch’s return for eight Truck Series races in 2026, backed primarily by HendrickCars.com, the old Hendrick–Busch pipeline is open once again. And this time, the reunion arrives with far more experience, star power, and strategic purpose behind it.

Kyle Busch expands 2026 Truck slate

Kyle Busch isn’t just returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He’s returning with momentum, star-power backing, and a fully loaded eight-race lineup. After NASCAR revised the long-standing participation rule originally dubbed the “Kyle Busch rule,” the two-time Cup champion wasted no time taking advantage of the expanded schedule.

“I’m excited that after NASCAR amended the ‘Kyle Busch rule’ that I was able to work it out with Jeff (Dickerson, owner), Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and everyone at Spire Motorsports to increase my race count up to the eight that are allowed this year…I’m looking forward to going out each and every race, giving it all we can to get Mr. H, HendrickCars.com and the other partners that will fill out the schedule to Victory Lane.” Busch said.

For 2026, Busch will wheel Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado with HendrickCars.com serving as the primary partner for most of his schedule, an endorsement that instantly elevates the program. The partnership between Busch and Rick Hendrick comes full circle, rekindling a relationship that traces back to Busch’s early NASCAR development days.

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Busch’s eight-race campaign kicks off Feb. 21 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Fr8 Racing 208. From there, his slate includes:

• Bristol Motor Speedway – April 10
• Texas Motor Speedway – May 1
• Dover Motor Speedway – May 15
• Charlotte Motor Speedway – May 22
• Nashville Superspeedway – May 29
• North Wilkesboro Speedway – July 18
• Richmond Raceway – Aug. 14

Rick Hendrick expressed equal enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “HendrickCars.com is proud to support Kyle and Spire Motorsports. Kyle is one of the best drivers of his generation and Spire is a proven winner in the Truck Series, so it’s another opportunity to align our brand with a successful driver and team.”

Across the past two seasons, Busch has tallied three wins, five top-fives, and six top-tens in just 10 Truck starts with Spire. And with his historic Truck/Xfinity/Cup sweeps at Bristol in 2010 and 2017 still iconic moments in NASCAR history, expectations for his 2026 return are sky-high.

Is Kyle Busch’s Cup Series window closing? Insider sounds the alarm

Kyle Busch may be gearing up for an action-packed Truck Series slate, but his NASCAR Cup Series slump remains the storyline he can’t outrun. Nearly 1,000 days removed from his last Cup win, the two-time champion has watched his once-dominant reputation fade into a cycle of underperformance and frustration. His move to Richard Childress Racing in 2023 initially looked promising. He won three races that year, including Gateway, his most recent victory. Since then, however, that win has stood alone.

Despite occasional top-five flashes, Busch has spent the past two seasons mired in inconsistency. The struggles have reached a point where some analysts believe the decline isn’t temporary. It’s unfortunately terminal. NASCAR insider David Style did not hold back in his assessment, stating, “It will not happen again. He is done. Put a fork in him. He will not win a race in 2026. He can just not overcome the equipment issues that they have at RCR.”

RCR once carried an early advantage with the introduction of the Next Gen car, enabling them to outshine larger organizations. But that edge has evaporated. As other teams made rapid gains, RCR stagnated. This left Busch with equipment that rarely looks capable of contending for wins. His No. 8 car often lacks the speed, balance, and adaptability needed to run up front week after week.

When reviewing Busch’s performance across 2024 and 2025, the pattern is hard to ignore: he hasn’t consistently challenged for wins, and in many races, he hasn’t looked close. Style doubled down on that point, adding, “If he does get a win, it will be at a super speedway or some fluke instance.”

For Busch, 2026 may mark not just another season, but a crossroads between resurgence and the fading of an era.