Kyle Busch Motorsports

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) is an American professional dirt racing team that competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. They formerly competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, CARS Tour, ARCA/CRA Super Series, Southern Super Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West, and was also the parent company of Super Late Model chassis constructor Rowdy Manufacturing. Originally fielding Toyota Tundras since its inception, the team switched to Chevrolet Silverados beginning in 2023. The team last fielded two full-time Chevrolet Silverados: the No. 4 for Chase Purdy and the No. 51, which was driven each year by the team owner Kyle Busch along with Jack Wood and multiple Chevrolet drivers from other NASCAR series.

History

KBM was founded after Busch purchased the remaining assets of

After operating out of the former Xpress shop for most of its first season, the team opened its new $10 million facility in Mooresville, North Carolina on October 14, 2010.^[5][6]

In 2011, KBM made its first foray into the then-Nationwide Series (now NASCAR Xfinity Series) in conjunction with NEMCO Motorsports.^[7] The team moved to full-time in 2012. On November 16, 2013, Busch announced that the team will not race in the Nationwide Series in 2014 due to lack of funding.^[8]

In December 2014, former competition director Rick Ren (released after 2013) filed a lawsuit against the team for breach of contract, claiming the team failed to pay him a contractual bonus and 10% commissions for two sponsorship deals Ren claimed to have procured for the team, totaling US$355,000. The sponsorships in question – Central Kentucky Angus Sales for driver Parker Kligerman and Sabala Whitetail for driver Brian Scott (owned by Scott's father J. B. Scott) – had prior associations with the drivers.^[9]

On January 25, 2021, Busch announced the team's late model program would be temporarily shut down in order to better manage his other obligations, though he did not rule out the possibility of a revival in the future.^[10]

After receiving engines from Triad Racing Technologies early in its history, KBM would ultimately receive engines and technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing through 2022.^[11]

After JGR and Toyota failed to secure a replacement for Busch's departing primary sponsor

On September 27, 2023, it was announced that Spire Motorsports had purchased the assets of KBM, and that they would suspend their operations at the conclusion of the season, along with Busch's manufacturing company, Rowdy Manufacturing.^[13]

In February 2024, KBM sued Rev Racing for breach of contract. The lawsuit states that KBM was owed US$325,000 for bringing Nick Sanchez into the Truck Series.^[14]

Nationwide Series

In May 2011,

For the operations of the No. 54 team after the 2012 season, see Joe Gibbs Racing

Kyle Busch & Kurt Busch (2012)

For 2012, KBM added a full-time Nationwide team, the No. 54 Toyota Camry. The car was split by both Kyle Busch and older brother Kurt, both with sponsorship from Monster Energy.^[16] Kyle ran 22 races while Kurt ran 11. The team struggled in its initial year, winning only one race with Kurt at Richmond.^[17] This was the first time in his Nationwide Series career that Kyle Busch did not score a victory over the course of a season, leading him to return to Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide program for 2013, bringing the No. 54 Toyota Camry and Monster Energy with him.^[11]

Car No. 54 results

Car No. 77 history

Parker Kligerman (2013)

For 2013, 22-year-old

Truck No. 4 history

Erik Jones (2015)

The No. 4 Truck Began in 2015. Erik Jones began running a third KBM truck full-time after running the No. 51 part-time in 2013 and 2014. In December 2014, it was announced that the truck would be number 4.^[18][19] Jones would have his best season with collecting 3 wins, 11 top-five and 20 top-ten finishes to win the championship title. Jones also collected rookie of the year honors. This would be the first driver's championship at KBM and the third consecutive owner's title.

Christopher Bell (2016–2017)

Christopher Bell moved into the truck full-time for 2016.^[20] Bell was involved in a violent crash near the end of the season opener at Daytona. His truck gripped the track, causing the truck to go on two wheels before it launched into the air and barrel-rolled multiple times. He was credited with a 16th-place finish. He would finish the season with one win at Gateway and a 3rd-place points finish.^[21] Bell returned to the truck in 2017 and won the NCWTS Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Todd Gilliland (2018–2019)

For 2018, KBM announced that Todd Gilliland would compete for Rookie of the Year honors driving the No. 4 truck for 19 races. Gilliland missed the first four of the season due to age restrictions; his father David Gilliland would drive at the season opener at Daytona and owner Kyle Busch would drive at Atlanta and Kansas. Spencer Davis raced at Las Vegas. Gilliland ran the full 2019 Truck season and won at Martinsville,^[22] but was replaced by Raphaël Lessard in 2020.^[23]

Raphaël Lessard (2020)

In 2020, Raphaël Lessard was tabbed to drive the 4 full time. Although he won at Talladega, his results did not allow him to keep his ride and was released from the team following the 2020 season.

John Hunter Nemechek (2021–2022)

In 2021, Lessard was released and replaced with John Hunter Nemechek, who drove the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford in his rookie season in the Cup Series in 2020 but decided to leave FRM to return to the Truck Series full-time, which he previously did in 2016 and 2017 in the No. 8 truck for his family team, NEMCO Motorsports, and won four races in those two years.^[24] Lessard ended up going to GMS Racing, where he would sign to drive at least 12 races for the team with hopes of a full season, depending on sponsorship. Nemechek won 5 races in 2021 and finished 4th in points. He then signed a contract extension through 2022. Nemechek will not return to the team in 2023 due to Kyle Busch Motorsports switching from Toyota to Chevrolet, as Nemechek has a contract with Toyota and not the team.^[25]

Chase Purdy (2023)

Chase Purdy will pilot the No. 4 full time in KBM’s first season with Chevrolet. On April 6, the No. 4 was docked 10 driver and owner points for illegal modifications of the engine oil reservoir tank prior to the Texas race.^[26]

Truck No. 4 results

Truck No. 9 history

William Byron (2015–2016)

In the middle of the

At Phoenix in November, William Byron made his debut in a fourth KBM truck numbered 9, with sponsorship from Liberty University.^[29][30] Byron finished 31st after being involved in an early wreck with Brandon Jones and Cole Custer.

Byron drove the No. 9 truck full-time in 2016.^[20] In his thirteenth career start, at Pocono, Byron scored his fifth win of the season, breaking Kurt Busch's old record for wins by a rookie Truck Series driver, with nearly half the season left to go.^[31] Byron would continue to win collecting a 6th win at New Hampshire in the first race of the chase for the championship. The team suffered an engine failure with ten laps to go at the last race of the Round of 6 at Phoenix after Byron led a majority of the race, costing him his shot at the Driver's Championship. However, Byron won the season finale at Homestead and Kyle Busch Motorsports collected the Owner's Championship for Truck No. 9 in 2016. This was Kyle Busch Motorsports' fourth-consecutive and fifth all-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner's Championship.

Truck No. 9 results

Truck No. 15 history

Part Time (2011)

In April 2011, KBM signed

Multiple drivers (2010–2012)

The No. 18 truck (Kyle Busch's

Both Ickler and Busch returned for 2011, with Kyle running 16 races and Ickler running 4. Kasey Kahne drove a single race for the No. 18 with sponsorship from Automotive Service Excellence, winning at Darlington. Josh Richards drove two races with Joy Mining Equipment. Kyle Busch scored 6 wins over the course of the season and the 18 truck finished second in the owners championship to the Kevin Harvick Incorporated No. 2 truck.^[36]

For 2012, veteran Jason Leffler was signed to be the primary driver of the No. 18 Toyota Tundra. The team secured sponsorship from Dollar General for 14 races.^[37] After nine starts and with a lone top-five finish to his credit, Leffler was released.^[38] Finishing the season in the truck were Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Brian Scott (five races), Denny Hamlin, Drew Herring, and Kyle Busch (3 races), along with Kurt Busch.^[38] Kyle Busch had previously abstained from driving in the Truck Series per a request from JGR co-owner J.D. Gibbs, following an incident the previous season.^[39] Hamlin and Scott scored the team's only wins of the season at Martinsville and Phoenix. Kyle Busch didn't win a race for the first time in his Camping World Truck Series career.

Joey Coulter (2013)

For 2013, Busch hired former Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter to drive the No. 18.^[17][40] Coulter and Busch had a previous on-track altercation in 2011, leading to a physical encounter between Busch and team owner Richard Childress.^[41] Coulter struggled, with only five top tens and a 15th-place points finish. With Coulter moving to GMS Racing, the No. 18 team did not run in 2014 and 2015.^[42]

Multiple drivers (2016)

In late 2015, KBM announced that Cody Coughlin would pilot the No. 18 JEGS.com Toyota Tundra part-time for the 2016.^[20] Coughlin ran the 18 in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. Harrison Burton made his Truck Series debut in the No. 18 at Martinsville Speedway.^[43] Kyle Busch returned to the No. 18 Truck for 4 races at Martinsville, Charlotte, Kentucky and Chicagoland. Busch won the races at Martinsville and Chicagoland. Noah Gragson ran the final 2 races of the year in the Phoenix and Homestead with sponsorship from SPEEDVEGAS. For the final 2 races of the season, the trucks were prepped by Wauters Motorsports.

Noah Gragson (2017–2018)

It was announced in October 2016 that Noah Gragson was signed to drive the No. 18 full-time in 2017, and that he would compete for Rookie of the Year honors.^[44] Gragson missed the playoffs but scored his first win at the fall Martinsville race. Gragson finished 10th in points, second highest of the non playoff drivers.

Harrison Burton (2019)

In 2019, Harrison Burton piloted the truck full-time, replacing Gragson who moved to the Xfinity Series and JR Motorsports. Burton did not win a race and finished 12th in points.^[45]

Christian Eckes (2020)

When Burton was promoted to Xfinity racing in 2020,^[46] Christian Eckes took over the No. 18.^[47] Eckes also went winless, finishing 8th in points.

Chandler Smith (2021–2022)

In 2021, Eckes was released and replaced with Chandler Smith, who drove the Nos. 46 and 51 part-time for the previous two seasons, and competed for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series, where he racked up nine wins in three part-time seasons. Smith won two races in 2021, but inconsistency led him to an eighth place points finish.

Smith began the 2022 season with a 21st place finish at Daytona. He scored wins at Las Vegas and Pocono to make the playoffs. During the playoffs, he won at Richmond and stayed consistent enough to make the Championship 4. Smith finished third at Phoenix and third in the standings.^[48]

Smith, like his teammates, will not return to KBM in 2023, as he will drive full time for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the No. 16 Chevrolet, replacing A. J. Allmendinger.^[49]

Truck No. 18 results

Truck No. 46 history

Multiple Drivers (2017–2019)

In 2017, KBM formed the No. 46 team with sponsorship from Pedigree Petfoods and Banfield Pet Hospital. Todd Gilliland drove the No. 46 with Pedigree sponsorship at Dover and Martinsville, scoring a top 5 at Martinsville, finishing 5th, while Kyle Busch drove the Banfield-sponsored No. 46 at Kentucky and Bristol, winning at the latter.^[50] The team returned in 2018 with Brandon Jones at Charlotte and Riley Herbst at the second Las Vegas race. The team also returned in 2019, with drivers such as Raphaël Lessard, Riley Herbst, and Chandler Smith.

Truck No. 46 results

Truck No. 51 history

Part-time (2011–2012)

The No. 51 was previously used by Busch at

In 2014, Kyle Busch and Erik Jones split the No. 51 truck, with Busch driving 10 races and Jones driving 12 races. Eric Phillips served as the crew chief.[53] Dollar General sponsored the truck at Kentucky, Bristol, and Chicagoland with Busch driving and at Phoenix with Jones driving.^[54] Busch won the season-opener at Daytona along with his next four starts in the No. 51 truck at Kansas, Charlotte, Dover, and Kentucky. Erik Jones won at Iowa, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. The team won its second consecutive owner's championship, with 10 wins among the two drivers.

For 2015, Busch shared the ride with JGR

For 2016, Suárez split the ride with Cody Coughlin, with the two drivers slated to contest a minimum of 10 races each.^[20] Suárez collected his first truck win in the 51 at Phoenix late in the season.

In 2017, it was announced that multiple drivers would run the full schedule. Owner Kyle Busch ran five races with Textron Aviation as the primary sponsor.^[57] It was later announced that Harrison Burton would run six races and Todd Gilliland in four.^[58][59] Myatt Snider contested eight races with Louisiana Hot Sauce as the primary sponsor.^[60] Busch won at Kansas and Charlotte in the truck, while Gilliland put up impressive numbers in his starts, posting a top 5 at Loudon and two top tens. Burton scored a top 5 in his last race in the truck at Martinsville, and Snider collected three top 10s in his eight starts.

KBM announced that the No. 51 would return running the full schedule with multiple drivers again in 2018. Burton returned for nine races, and owner Busch for three races. Spencer Davis was added to the team for four races, and Brandon Jones, a JGR Xfinity driver, was also added for four races, and Riley Herbst joined the team for his debut at Gateway Motorsports Park. David Gilliland was also a driver for Talladega. In 2020, the truck ran full-time with drivers Kyle Busch, Chandler Smith, Riley Herbst, Brandon Jones, and Alex Tagliani. Jones picked up his first career Truck Series win at Pocono, beating eventual champion Sheldon Creed. In 2021, the truck was split between Busch, Drew Dollar, Corey Heim, Brian Brown, Parker Chase and Martin Truex Jr. Brown, Dollar, Chase, and Heim were all making their series debuts. Busch won at Atlanta and Truex won at Bristol Dirt.

The No. 51 would run the full season again in 2022, with Corey Heim running most of the races, winning 2 so far, Kyle Busch ran 5 and won at Sonoma Raceway. Buddy Kofoid would also run 2 dirt events at Bristol Motor Speedway and Knoxville Raceway.

For the team's first season with Chevrolet, the No. 51 will return as the multi-driver truck in 2023 with Busch running five races and Jack Wood running a minimum of 10 races. Busch scored a win at Las Vegas.^[61] On April 6, the No. 51 was docked 10 driver and owner points for illegal modifications of the engine oil reservoir tank prior to the Texas race.^[26] Busch scored the team's 100th win at Pocono.^[62]

Truck No. 51 results

Truck No. 54 history

Bubba Wallace (2013–2014)

In 2013,

In 2022, KBM fielded the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Sammy Smith and Drew Dollar in the ARCA Series.

Car no. 18 results

ARCA Menards Series East

Car No. 18 history

In 2022, KBM fielded the No. 18 Toyota Camry full time for Sammy Smith.

Car no. 18 results

ARCA Menards Series West

Car No. 18 history

In 2022, Sammy Smith drove the No. 18 Toyota Camry at season opener and season ending both at Phoenix. Smith won the season ending.

Car no. 18 history

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kyle Busch Motorsports.

• Official website
• Kyle Busch Motorsports owner statistics at Racing-Reference