Though it is currently unofficial, Kyle Busch will give Joe Gibbs Racing its own version of the Dream Team.
Everyone seems to believe that the trio of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr will become the Dream Team in NASCAR, and they very well may, however, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch will give them a run for their money.
While Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr are less controversial, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch have surrounded themselves in controversy, Stewart and Busch more so than Hamlin.
Stewart and Busch have a history of ruffling the feathers of NASCAR officials, opponents, and fans. In fact, Stewart and teammate Hamlin had their own issues a month ago at Daytona.
Hamlin has shown that he is a fiery competitor and will not hold back his frustration, even if it means that his crewmembers are the ones who are taking the heat. His outspokenness has rubbed many fans the wrong way. But Hamlin will not back down from anyone, including Tony Stewart.
With three of the most talented drivers in the NASCAR garage, Joe Gibbs Racing will indeed rival Hendrick Motorsports as NASCAR’s top team, even if the Gibbs outfit trades in their Chevy’s for Toyotas.
Is Kyle Busch better off at Joe Gibbs Racing?
Well, he would be taking over the 18 team, which has been the least productive team for Gibbs over the previous two years. However, when Busch took over the 5 car at Hendrick Motorsports in 2005, that team had struggled for years, with the exception of the 2003 season. In many cases, all a team needs is the right driver/crew chief combination. When Denny Hamlin took over the 11 ride with Mike Ford as the crew chief in 2005, there was an evident increase in performance. Before Hamlin, Jason Leffler and Terry Labonte had struggled mightily in that ride.
Can Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch play nice?
On several occasions over the past two years, Tony Stewart has been Kyle Busch’s most vocal critic. Maybe now that Busch is in Stewart’s domain, Stewart can take the youngster by the neck, and candidly give him the constructive criticism that he likely never received at Hendrick Motorsports.
Other than his little tiff with Denny Hamlin at Daytona, Stewart has, for the most part, played nice with his teammates.
J.J. Yeley made it clear that he will not return to Joe Gibbs Racing, which is further indication that Busch will take over the 18 ride in 2008.
