June 27, 2007

By Sharon Sherwood

"I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would leave Hendrick Motorsports"

It was not so long ago that Kyle Busch’s vision for the future began and ended with driving the No. 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Released from his contract with Hendrick earlier this month so that the team could make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, Busch now finds himself on the outside looking in on the most dominant organization in NASCAR. Yet the talented young driver, who was just 17 when he signed with Hendrick, seems free of bitterness or resentment.

"I'm looking forward to next year and a few years after that,” Busch said shortly after the announcement of his departure from HMS. “There's a fresh opportunity to get a fresh start somewhere else, why not be excited about that?”

Why not indeed? Kyle Busch is footloose, fancy-free, and hotter than Daytona in July. Team owners Ray Evernham, Robert Yates, and Richard Childress want to sign him as well as, reports Busch’s agent Bruce Kempton, “Just about every organization in the Nextel Cup garage.”

The team that lands Kyle Busch will snag the most promising diamond in the rough to come along since the late Dale Earnhardt, whose successful alliance with team owner Richard Childress is part of NASCAR legend.

With patient guidance Childress was able to channel Earnhardt’s potential, forging a rock-solid partnership that produced 67 of Dale’s 76 career wins and 7 Winston Cup championships.

RCR in particular would seem a good fit for the sometimes problematic but gifted Busch, who possesses the same raw ability and exuberant recklessness that made working with the young Dale Earnhardt such a challenge.

Busch is brash, confident, and driven. He already has four Cup Series wins, has qualified for the Chase, and bears the distinction of being the first driver to win with the Car of Tomorrow. Off the track the driver projects an image that is personable, intelligent and immensely marketable. His temperamental missteps are not a result of character flaws but of callow youth.

Let’s not forget that Kyle Busch is all of 22 years-old. He still has some rough edges that need smoothing, his level of common sense and maturity not yet caught up with his precocious abilities.

With the right handling, Kyle Busch could achieve his place among the NASCAR greats.

The Nextel Cup Series heads to New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300. Kyle Busch won this event last year leading the most laps in a fuel mileage nail biter that vaulted him from eighth to fourth place in the point standings.

Making it two in a row would even further ramp up car owners' interest in the eligible young driver.

Busch said in his official statement following the announcement of his departure from Hendrick:

“I still have a job to do this year, and will give it my all - just as I’ve always done - to make sure we put the No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy in victory lane a few more times before the year is out.”

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.