Joe Gibbs says Kyle Busch did not just win races for Joe Gibbs Racing, he helped turn the team into what it is today.
Kyle Busch was with JGR from 2008 to 2022, becoming one of the most successful drivers in the organization’s history.
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Speaking after Denny Hamlin’s Michigan tribute, Gibbs reflected on Busch’s victories, personality and lasting influence within the team.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Gibbs says Busch was key to building JGR
Busch’s impact on the team went far beyond his results.
During his time with JGR, he won two Cup Series championships and recorded 56 Cup victories for the organization.
Those numbers made him one of the defining drivers in team history and helped turn the No. 18 Toyota into one of NASCAR’s most feared entries.
But Gibbs said it was about more than just wins. Busch helped establish the standards that drove the organization forward.
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“All of us have just been focused on Kyle Busch and what he’s meant to the sport… I talked about building our race team. He was a key part of doing that.”
That is the right way to frame Busch’s JGR legacy. He was not simply a driver who won races there, he became central to the team’s competitive identity.
Busch’s influence went beyond the track
Gibbs also spoke about the side of Busch that was not always visible to fans, the one seen by teammates, employees and partners inside the organization.
He said Busch was deeply committed to the team, its sponsors and the people around him.
“There was a different side of Kyle that we all loved… He was all-in. He was really good with our sponsors.”
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Gibbs also reflected on Busch’s relationship with Hamlin, who honored him after winning the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan.
The two spent years pushing each other in meetings and on the racetrack, creating a competitive environment that helped elevate the entire organization.
Hamlin’s tribute at Michigan demonstrated how much Busch still means to the drivers and leaders who shared those years with him.
For Gibbs, the message remains simple. Busch helped shape JGR’s success, and the organization is still celebrating the impact of a driver who left a permanent mark on its history.
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