TALLADEGA, Ala. — The president of Toyota Racing Development told NBC Sports on Sunday that he’s a “little disappointed” in Kyle Busch’s comments this weekend, but that “we have a place for him for as long as he wants to stay.”
Busch gave cryptic responses to reporters Saturday when asked about his future, suggesting if Joe Gibbs Racing couldn’t find sponsorship, there might not be a place for him after this season.
Asked about Busch’s comments, David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development told NBC Sports: “Our vision, Joe’s and our vision, Toyota’s vision, is for Kyle to retire out of Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.
“He is clearly a little frustrated and that’s understandable to a point. Little disappointed that he voiced it, to be fair, but he knows —he knows — because Joe talks to him a lot of the time how hard we are collectively working to make sure that we have a place for him for as long as he wants to stay.”
Questions about Busch’s future exist because longtime sponsor M&M’s is leaving the two-time Cup champion’s team after this season. No new sponsor has been announced.
Coy Gibbs, vice chairman and chief operating officer at Joe Gibbs Racing, said after Busch’s win last weekend at Bristol that “we’ve got a couple of people we’re talking to (in terms of sponsorship), so we’re excited about that, excited about the leads.”
That didn’t seem to matter to Busch when he talked to reporters this weekend.
Asked about a timeframe for when he hoped to have things done, Busch said: “Yesterday.”
Asked if he was getting antsy about no deal being completed at this point, Busch said: “I’m not getting antsy about it. If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it don’t. Goodbye.”
Asked to clarify, Busch said: “Ask Joe Gibbs.”
Asked if he’s knocking on Gibbs’ door about the situation, Busch said: “Not my problem.”
Told it is JGR’s problem, Busch responded: “Got to sell it. If you don’t sell it, then nothing to have.”
Busch is a pillar for Toyota. He delivered Toyota its first Cup win in 2008 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and gave the manufacturer its first Cup championship in 2015.
Kyle Busch Motorsports is aligned with Toyota and often is used as a stepping stone for those in Toyota’s driver development program. Cup drivers who ran at least half a season for KBM in the Camping World Truck Series are: William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Christopher Bell, Harrison Burton, Daniel Suarez and Todd Gilliland. Saturday’s Xfinity winner, Noah Gragson, also drove for the team.
