“The goal for me has always been to race on Sunday and make it to that level and have an opportunity to win Daytona 500s and win at the highest level.” These words by Jim Pohlman capture a dream that’s motivated him through years of grinding in NASCAR’s lower ranks. After guiding Justin Allgaier to nine Xfinity wins and the 2024 championship at JR Motorsports, he’s finally prepping to live his Cup dream.

Now heading to Richard Childress Racing’s No. 8 team in 2026, it’s more than a job change for him. Pohlman sees this as a chance to inject fresh energy and mentality into a team that’s hitting deep patches lately. Kyle Busch, going through a 90-race winless streak since 2023, needs that steady hand to gear things up. And good for him, as Pohlman is bringing exactly that mentality.

Jim Pohlman plans on unlocking the No. 8’s potential

In a recent interview clip shared by Matt Weaver on X, Pohlman opened up about his approach to joining RCR, starting right off with the honor of the gig. “It’s a huge honor to work for Richard Childress and Kyle Busch. Richard’s a Hall of Famer. Kyle Busch is a first, probably a first-ballot future Hall of Famer. They both know how to get the job done. I think they have a great organization. And I think Kyle’s a great race car driver. There’s no problem there.”

Jim Pohlman, who’s idea was it to give Justin Allgaier his first hot dogs in literal decades next year?

Also, talk about Phoenix prep and what he hopes to provide Kyle Busch and RCR next year https://t.co/l9CEbUbTiB pic.twitter.com/bQNbWnY8Nx

— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) October 18, 2025

Pohlman isn’t just using flattering words to impress anyone. He is just grounding his excitement in respect for a team with deep roots in the series. RCR, after all, handed him early Next Gen development work in 2022. Back then, he helped lay the groundwork for cars that Busch now pilots, giving him insider knowledge of the shop’s strengths and tweaks needed for speed.

That 2022 knowledge of an old team makes his transition feel like coming home, especially as the No. 8 crew stays mostly intact, minus the outgoing Andy Street. Pohlman’s ready to build on that foundation, using his Xfinity blueprint, where quick close calls and a sharp eye on the track and the car turned into nine triumphs, to help Busch capitalize on those late-race surges that’ve shown speed but fallen short.

What sets Pohlman apart, though, is his focus on the mental game, a theme he stated in the same talk. “And, and I feel like I can come in and help lead the company and do some things that they’ve asked me to do. And just bring the mentality, right? Like, I think the biggest thing to this sport is having your headspace, right? Being focused on your own stuff and what you have to do.”

He’s spot on in recognizing the things most needed in Team 8; NASCAR’s Next Gen era, with its tight 25-minute practices, demands crews locked in from the green flag, not scrambling mid-race.

Pohlman’s vision? Foster that laser focus across the No. 8 pit wall and shop, drawing from his JRM days, where he and Allgaier won the 2024 Xfinity championship with sharp-witted pit calls. For Busch, mired in frustration after back-to-back winless seasons and a 22nd-place points run in 2025, this could be the reset.

By prioritizing “headspace,” Pohlman aims to cut the mental noise that’s plagued RCR’s starts, potentially flipping those 90 drought races into consistent top finishes and, finally, checkered flags.

Busch himself echoed this transition during a Talladega interview, praising Pohlman’s fit. “I would say his passion and just the leadership conversations that we had… Hopefully, he’s the guy that can help lead us in the right direction with not just the 8 car but also RCR as a whole.”

It’s telling that Busch, with 63 Cup wins but zero since Gateway in 2023, picked Pohlman not for Cup stats (he has just 20 starts as a chief) but for that intangible spark seen in JRM’s rise, now hoping that spark could ignite Busch’s career again.

Their talks revealed shared traits with Busch’s past chiefs like Adam Stevens (2015-2020), where both built winning dynasties through trust. But this new pairing could end the dip by blending Busch’s raw talent with Pohlman’s steady calls, much like how Pohlman elevated Allgaier from solid contender to champ in 2024.

As RCR rallies around Busch, family ties run deep, even if one key player is not willing to steal the spotlight.

Dillon plays down his hand in No. 8 shake-up

Austin Dillon, RCR’s homegrown talent and Richard Childress’s grandson, had a front-row seat to the crew chief search but insists he’s no mastermind. “I don’t get a lot of credit for the interview process. I think Richard Boswell, my dad, Kyle [Busch], and Andy Street were some of those who went through that. I definitely had some say in the candidates that we talked to.”

Dillon’s humility shines here, especially given his No. 3 team’s own battles; he got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but it underscores RCR’s collaborative vibe. The shop first eyed internal hires to boost culture, interviewing staffers who stayed put, before circling back to Pohlman’s proven edge from his 2022 R&D stint and Xfinity dominance.

He doubles down on the team effort: “The credit really goes to the group of guys and Kyle working together to get the right guy. I think Kyle was in on the process from the beginning.” This group-think paid off, landing a chief who knows RCR’s quirks and can mesh the No. 8 with Dillon’s squad for shared setups.

For Busch, it’s a revival boost amid his streak, with Dillon quietly nudging toward hires that prioritize leadership over flash, echoing how his family rebuilt after struggling years.