Kyle Busch, the driver jilted by Hendrick Motorsports to make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr., kept his head high Friday but couldn’t conceal that he is surprised by the move.
“No, I don’t feel like I got pushed out,” admitted Busch, 22, who’d been signed as a 17-year-old prodigy by Hendrick. “No, I’m not bitter. But I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would leave Hendrick Motorsports,”
Confusion had arisen after team owner Rick Hendrick, in announcing Wednesday that he had signed Earnhardt for 2008, said contract-extension negotiations with Busch had broken off because Busch had “unbelievable opportunities” with other teams.
That opened the door for Earnhardt to team with four-time champion Jeff Gordon, reigning Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and young Casey Mears to form the most star-laden team in NASCAR history.
Then Thursday, Busch seemed to contradict Hendrick by saying on a satellite radio program that “this is all brand new. I hadn’t talked or discussed or done anything with any other team.”
As it turns out, Busch’s agent was getting overtures from other teams and wasn’t keeping Busch informed. But he was informing Hendrick as part of the negotiations. Busch changed agents this week but claimed that was only coincidental to the ouster from Hendrick.
“My previous representation didn’t inform me of the [details of ] the calls,” Busch said. “He did inform me he was getting calls. Then I guess that [elaboration on the offers] was opened up to Hendrick Motorsports, and then that’s when they sort of got upset.”
In the end, his separation from Hendrick after the end of this season “was a mutual agreement,” Busch said, adding he doesn’t feel pushed out because of “the way the negotiations were going. It wasn’t going well, then it was, then it wasn’t again, so I think I can do better somewhere else.”
Busch still has 22 races left to drive for Hendrick this season.
“I’m still 100 percent focused on that team,” he said. “I love [my crew]. … So I’m going to go out there and do what I do every week, and that’s drive that car to the limits and try to win races.”
More Top Picks Best Universal Travel Adapters
To make his point, Busch then went out and qualified third for Sunday’s Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway. His speed of 186.829 m.p.h. in a Hendrick Chevrolet was topped only by pole-winner J.J. Yeley at 187.505 in a Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy and Johnson at 187.500.
Asked about conjecture that he might end up in the Dale Earnhardt Inc. ride Earnhardt will vacate at the end of this season, Busch said, “I’m interested in talking to anybody who wants to talk. Whether it’s DEI, Gibbs, Richard Childress Racing, Evernham, Yates, whoever has an open seat, let’s sit down.
“I don’t have a timetable. I’ve got to play it out by ear, see exactly who’s out there, see what’s available.”
Hendrick is currently the strongest team in NASCAR, having won 10 of the 14 Nextel Cup races this year. Gordon and Johnson have four victories each, and Gordon leads the point standings. Busch has one victory this year and four overall with Hendrick.
So won’t Busch be dropping off with any other team?
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Hendrick Motorsports is obviously a great organization. There are other great organizations out there. Gibbs is great, RCR’s great, DEI has a great organization over there too.
“It’s just about trying to build a new relationship with not only a different car owner but building people around myself.”
———-