Retirement for Kyle Busch? Not yet, but how long will he continue Cup quest?

Bob Pockrass

FOX Motorsports Insider

When Kyle Busch posted a cryptic social media message last week about news coming, there were whispers about a possible retirement announcement.

Ultimately, there was no retirement news. It was just a tease about the announcement of him racing against his son.

But with his RCR contract in its third year and the possibility of it ending after 2025 or next year if an extension is not signed, that certainly begs the question about whether this season could be his last full-time year in the Cup Series.

Busch, who turns 40 in May, was asked about it on NASCAR RaceDay on FS1.

Kyle Busch opens up about racing against his son

“It was a consideration three years ago,” Busch said about the possibility of retirement. “I think daily, you kind of work through those things and those thoughts and where you want to be and what you want to do.

“But when you’re still out here being able to enjoy what you’re doing, working with your team and continuing to try to improve RCR and improve the program and get it to where we all want it and put ourselves in victory lane, we’re going to keep working at it.”

The reason to retire? End the frustration of not winning as much in recent years while also still having your health. He has given more than 20 years to Cup racing.

The reason not to retire from full-time Cup racing? Champions don’t like to finish their careers without showing they can still vie for a championship. Look at Jeff Gordon. He made it to the championship race in his final season, leaving many fans feeling like he went out pretty much on top.

Busch is also a racer, and folks at RCR feel he has remained engaged in trying to improve the program. There isn’t a feeling that there is no path forward, that a split is the answer for both sides.

And Busch could have another incentive.

If he wants to race for another five years or so, he would be a great driver for a new manufacturer. His knowledge of cars and how they should feel would benefit any new Cup entrant, and he would bring publicity and the spotlight to any new effort.

So if he is willing to keep racing, there could be a bigger payday down the road.

It is always hard to tell what Busch is going to do. There are days when he appears to be feeling the grind. Hey, he’s human. At 20 years at the Cup level, not every day is going to be greeted with a spring in your step.

The series now heads to Darlington, where Busch nearly won last fall. Had he won, that victory would have vaulted him into the playoffs and maybe made the retirement talk a little less loud. Instead, he came up with a frustrating second-place finish, an all-too-familiar feeling for him in a winless, inconsistent season.

Can I predict with total confidence what Busch is going to do? No. But it’s easy to see the competitor in him isn’t done yet.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.