- Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds to Hamlin’s question about Busch’s future.
- Dale Jr. explains why Spire could be the best fit for Busch right now.
- Rumors of Busch joining Spire have circulated for quite some time.
Although last week Denny Hamlin raised doubts over Kyle Busch’s recent performances, questioning whether any team would take a punt on him and what lies ahead once his contract with Richard Childress Racing runs out, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has stepped in with an answer of his own.
Junior said he believes Busch could find a landing spot at Spire Motorsports.
Dale Jr. lays out why Spire could be a fit for Kyle Busch
After a quiet 2025 NASCAR Silly Season, 2026 was expected to open the floodgates, with chaos and uncertainty back on the table. Among the long list of drivers either known or rumored to be in the final year of their deals is former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.
Busch signed with Richard Childress Racing ahead of the 2023 season and, after a start that set the tone, has since lost ground as his contract has run its course. The future Hall of Famer entered a contract year last season but chose to stick with the team for 2026.
That call has yet to bear fruit, with Busch and the No. 8 team slow out of the blocks, sitting 27th in points behind teammate Austin Dillon. With his final year at RCR not off to the races, the rumors have started swirling around, with questions swirling about Busch’s 2027 plans and where he might land. On the latest episode of The Dale Jr. Download, Busch’s former rival, Dale Earnhardt Jr., weighed in on the struggles of the No. 8 team and the road ahead.
While many believe Busch’s start to the 2026 season could hurt his chances of landing a top ride in Silly Season, Dale Jr. does not see it that way. Instead, he reckons Busch could end up at a team like Spire Motorsports.
“Weird feeling he’s gonna end up at Spire”
He said, “If I had to predict what’s going to happen, Kyle Busch ends up getting an opportunity that gets him back toward the front of the field. . . I just got a weird feeling he’s gonna end up at Spire for some reason.”
“I could see him getting over there. I think that he ends up getting in a decent car before it’s all said and done. Like, he’s not going to drive cars that are underperforming for the rest of his career,” he continued.
“That guy that’s got all the money over there at Spire, he might pay Kyle what Kyle’s looking to make, right, to move on to a different program,” Dale Jr. reasoned. “He might, that would be maybe where he could land the contract financially that he’s looking for.”
But it’s not new for an insider to have that thought. Rumors linking Busch to Spire have been in the air, even if they have cooled as the story has dragged into the spring. Even so, Dale Jr. and others in the NASCAR community continue to connect the dots when it comes to Busch and a move to the Chevrolet camp.
If Busch is in line for a ride that can take him back to victory lane, Spire could tick both boxes, on the track and at the bank.
How did the Spire talk gather pace?
While Busch has links to Spire through its ownership, including Jeff Dickerson, and through his on-track ties in the Truck Series, talk of a move to Spire in the Cup Series can be traced back to last fall. NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports told Kevin Harvick on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour that Spire had interest in the 41-year-old.
That talk has carried into the 2026 season, with Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic noting on an episode of The Teardown in early February that Busch could be a name to watch for Spire.
At the same time, Spire has taken steps to build its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program, buying Busch’s Truck Series team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, along with its shop, ahead of the 2024 season.
Since then, Busch has made starts with the team each year and stands as its winningest driver in the Truck Series. After his win at EchoPark Speedway, fans online began to float the idea of him joining the team in 2027, especially after he celebrated with Spire driver Carson Hocevar, pointing to a link that could grow into something more.
However, the question that hangs in the balance is that even if Spire wants Busch, is there room at the inn for him within the team?
