Kyle Busch has a new home - now what?

Round Two of Silly Season wrapped up on Tuesday as Joe Gibbs Racing announced it signed Kyle Busch to a five-year contract.

After being ousted from his ride at Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Busch had nearly every major team courting him as a potential driver. Rumors started swirling a few weeks ago about where he might land, but last week it was all but hung out on a banner that the Gibbs stable would house Busch next year.

As a Hendrick Motorsports fan, I was dismayed when I first learned that Rick Hendrick was letting Busch go in favor of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. There were definitely conflicts between Busch and his teammates, to be sure, but I never believed that Hendrick would go more for marketing than talent.

Before the Junior fans send me awful hate mail, let me say this. I think he is a good driver. I don’t think he is a great driver. I do think that with Hendrick power he has a much better chance of finishing the race in front of the pack. I also think he will have a great chance of competing for the Chase next year if only for the fact that Hendrick cars and powerplants are not known for failures. DEI can’t say as much this season, with five DNFs for the Budweiser Chevy.

I can sit here and explain all the reasons why I do think that Hendrick is a good fit for Junior (because I do believe that, and I do have reasons) but I would rather tell you that I wish Hendrick would have five teams going into 2008.

Kyle Busch, aside from his brash and aggressive reputation, is becoming known as a wheelman. He can drive his car tight or loose and still win, regardless of whether or not he actually likes the way his car feels. His comment after his win at Bristol proves my point. He is 22 years old and easily has another ten years of quality racing and maturing ahead of him.

Now, reread the above paragraph, and change the name to Tony Stewart…

Joe Gibbs Racing has a lot of experience dealing with hotheads and egotistical drivers. I think Kyle is going to fit right in. Tony had a long period of fiery emotions, and was placed on probation, fined and even sent to anger management classes to curb his bubbling rage. Yet JGR stuck with him and provided him support and superior cars each week. They can do the same for Kyle.

I think that Tony Stewart will be a mentor for Kyle, teaching him, ironically, to keep his cool in situations when it isn’t worth it to lose control. And even though Kyle does not have the bent to jump into anything with wheels, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Tony taking Kyle with him to some of the races Tony frequents during the year. I also think that Tony can teach Kyle some even more precise techniques of car control. Both of them can drive a car on a loose, slick surface, and I think that Tony’s expertise will only enhance Kyle’s talent.

I have not decided how I think Denny Hamlin and Kyle will get along. I do think they will identify somewhat simply because they are closer in age than Tony and Denny or Tony and Kyle. Earlier this year, a SPEED channel reporter caught Kyle and Denny sitting on the pit wall, waiting for qualifying on a Friday afternoon. They complimented one another and didn’t look pinched or seem obviously disgusted about saying kind words about their competitor.

Denny has never been the third wheel at Gibbs and he won’t be now. Even though Kyle will be taking over the floundering #18 team, I think that Kyle and Denny are on par, talent-wise. Do not expect to see the distinct segregation in 2008 that the 18 team has suffered since Bobby Labonte left. Kyle won’t stand for it. He moved to Gibbs for quality cars and a chance to compete week in and week out, and if he doesn’t get the attention and equipment he feels is his due, he is going to speak out about it. As far as wheels go, I picture a tricycle. There’s one wheel in the front, and it’s Tony. The two equal and opposite wheels in the back are Denny and Kyle.

Speaking of equipment, speculation is rife that JGR will switch to Toyota next year. Chevrolet is holding summits with its teams, and owner Richard Childress even went so far as to say that he wouldn’t be comfortable with JGR executives being in on the talks if they are defecting to Toyota.

If Toyota can grab JGR, their new flagship team will really be the flagship. Three cars already in the top 35 (and that’s assuming the qualifying rules don’t change) with three top-tier drivers will boost Toyota’s image and numbers in the win column. After a year filled with scandal, DNQs, and driver replacements, Toyota could use a team like Gibbs. Notice I say Toyota needs Gibbs. Gibbs doesn’t need Toyota.

I don’t truly believe that the Toyota chassis are that different from any other manufacturers’. I think that Toyota has been plagued with second and third tier drivers, not enough points, and almost zero team chemistry. It is to be expected. If Gibbs comes aboard, Toyota instantly benefits from a superbly organized team that only needs to have parts supplied.

I think that Tony, Denny, and Kyle are talented enough to drive almost anything they are given and still place it well. If Gibbs can improve the #18 team’s personnel mix and get instant chemistry with Kyle, I see them being a formidable contender. At the end of 2008, I wonder which owner, Hendrick or Gibbs, is going to think they got the better deal?

Questions and comments can be sent to samanthamaynard@sportsgrumblings.com.