Mars U.S. was finalizing a deal Thursday to use its M&M’s brand to sponsor Kyle Busch when he moves to Joe Gibbs Racing next season. M&M’s would replace Interstate Batteries, which has sponsored Gibbs’ flagship No. 18 since its 1992 inception. J.D. Gibbs, president of the race team, didn’t respond to a request for comment. But two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Mars was working on a deal to sponsor Busch that will be officially announced next month at M&M’s World in New York City. They requested anonymity because the deal was not yet complete. The sponsorship would be a financial upgrade at JGR, which first partnered with Interstate 16 years ago. Interstate chairman Norm Miller is a close friend of Gibbs’, and Miller funded the No. 18 to help Gibbs launch what was then a single-car team. Bobby Labonte drove the car to a Cup championship in 2000. Interstate is expected to stay involved with JGR in a smaller role.
Joe Gibbs Racing has signed 22-year-old Kyle Busch to drive for the No. 18 team in Nextel Cup beginning in 2008. Busch will take over for J.J. Yeley, current driver of the No. 18 Chevrolet, following the conclusion of the 2007 season. He’ll begin preseason testing as a teammate to two-time Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart and 2006 Nextel Cup rookie of the year Denny Hamlin.
The 2008 season will mark Busch’s fourth full season in Nextel Cup. He currently competes for Hendrick Motorsports, where he ran a six-race schedule in 2004 before joining the series full time in 2005. Busch continues to showcase his skills in 2007. He currently sits eighth in points with a March win at Bristol Motor Speedway highlighting his five top-fives and 12 top-10s, and he appears poised to make a repeat appearance in this year’s Chase for the Nextel Cup.
ThatsRacin.com is reporting that Kyle Busch, who is leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season, signed a letter of intent last week to join Joe Gibbs Racing and drive its No. 18 Chevrolet beginning next season. Sources confirmed Busch would replace J.J. Yeley, who has struggled since moving full-time to the series in 2006. A letter of intent is not binding and Busch, 22, could still change his mind and sign with another team. Busch’s finalists were Joe Gibbs Racing. DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing.
Kyle Busch has been in talks with Richard Childress Racing about driving in the Busch Series in 2008, which probably means RCR would be the front runner for Busch in a Cup Series ride.
Add Chip Ganassi Racing to the list of teams that are interested in Kyle Busch. Team owner Chip Ganassi said he is interested in talking to the driver. Ganassi said he is not in the position to add a team since the best of his three drivers is Juan Pablo Montoya, who ranks 21st in the points.
Car owner Richard Childress was unable to sign Dale Earnhardt, Jr., but his team is hardly hurting as is. The car owner said Saturday that like a lot of car owners in the garage, he’s very interested in talking with newly minted free agent Kyle Busch, possibly for a long-rumored fourth Richard Childress Racing car.
As expected, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced on Wednesday that he will drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2008. Earnhardt will replace Kyle Busch at Hendrick. No announcement was made in regards to sponsorship or what car number Earnhardt will drive. It was not announced where Busch will end up. Earnhardt joins Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears as a teammate. Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 of the 14 races this season.
Budweiser will likely move with Earnhardt Jr. to Hendrick Motorsports sponsoring him in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Meanwhile there is speculation that Kyle Busch will end up driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. next season.