DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch appears to be staying put.
Busch noted during Wednesday’s Daytona 500 Media Day availabilities at Daytona Int’l Speedway that he is in negotiations with Joe Gibbs Racing over a contract extension to remain with the team.
The Las Vegas native won the Cup Series title with JGR in 2015 and has driven the No. 18 Toyota since 2008. Forty-seven of his 51 career wins at NASCAR’s top level have come under team owner Joe Gibbs.
“We’re in discussions right now and we are talking. It’s all been agreed to,” Busch said of his contract details. “It’s just a matter of putting a pen to paper. We’re all good.”
This year is reportedly a contract year for Busch, according to the Associated Press, and his last contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing was announced in November of 2015.
After Busch’s performance last season, a new deal would seem to be all but a formality. Busch won eight times and made the championship round of the playoffs for the fourth time in the five-year history of the elimination format, finishing fourth in points behind Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick.
Busch comes into the new season with a shot at tying or exceeding Richard Petty’s mark of 200 NASCAR national series victories. He currently has 194 wins across NASCAR’s top three series, with 92 Xfinity Series and 51 Gander Outdoors Truck Series wins in addition to his 51 Cup Series triumphs.
In contrast, Petty won all 200 of his events in the Cup Series, something that Busch says will make Petty’s mark incomparable to his own total.
“My mark won’t ever relate to his … because his number is obviously Cup wins and mine’s not,” noted Busch. “I feel as though I’m chasing Jeff Gordon, or maybe even David Pearson. I don’t know if I can get all the way there (to Pearson), but I like to think I can get there.
“I’m at 51 right now, so if I can get another 50 in the next 10 years, that would certainly be nice to go out with 100 Cup wins. Nobody will ever touch 200, though.”
The one win Busch wants is the Daytona 500, which he’s yet to conquer and hopes to on Sunday.
“There’s plenty on there for sure, but the biggest one, the top item is the Daytona 500,” Busch said. “I would certainly like to knock that off a lot sooner than later, but hopefully – eventually, whether it’s the last year I do it or whatever – I can get one.
“It does frustrate me that I haven’t won it yet, but it’s a tough race to win. Hopefully Sunday is the day.”
