“I wanna be the first guy since Dale Earnhardt to do it”: Kyle Busch sets his ambitions straight with RCR

Entering his 21st NASCAR Cup Series season, Kyle Busch opened up about his goal for Richard Childress Racing. Busch aimed to bring a Cup championship to the team to follow up on Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s 1994 title.

Busch, a 39-year-old Las Vegas native, drives the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for RCR. While the ace driver has won two championships, he wants to win his first for the team Dale Sr. got six of his seven titles.

Speaking with former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace on the Kenny Conversations show, Busch shared his ambitions for the coming races with RCR, including a championship-winning run following the footsteps of the seven-time champion.

"I think with a championship, for me, I would love nothing more than to bring home a championship to Richard Childress Racing with our number eight car, and be the first guy to do it since Dale Earnhardt did in 1994," Busch said [0:32].

The 63-time Cup race winner believes delivering a championship to RCR after Dale Earnhardt Sr. would be an ideal end to his racing career.

"That would be icing on the cake for me and my career. Even though it's only one more and it's only three for me. Like I won two at JGR. I moved on to a different team at RCR. I won another one at RCR and then I could probably just walk away and be done and happy with that," Busch concluded.

Kyle Busch will return to NASCAR following an underwhelming season last year. For the first time in 19 years, the driver failed to win one race in a season. Consequently, he missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Aside from a championship, Busch looks to win his first Daytona 500. He will reattempt to earn a maiden win at Daytona on February 16.

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When Kyle Busch reflected on a tough season with RCR last year

After the season-finale at Phoenix Raceway last year, Kyle Busch shared his thoughts on his second season with Richard Childress Racing. Busch acknowledged it was the toughest year of his career but remained optimistic for the 2025 season.

The two-time NASCAR champion wrote on X:

"Arguably the toughest year of my career. Full of trials, n heartbreaks. I know my RCR guys r gonna get after it this winter n we’ll come back stronger nxt season. Grateful for all of our partners, helping us do what we love. Thx Rowdy Nation for sticking w me. Y’all r the best.💯"

While Kyle Busch failed to score a single win last year, the driver had good races to extend his winning streak. He was leading the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona but Harrison Burton took the lead on the final lap after Parker Retzlaff pushed the No. 21 Ford to the front.

Busch also looked strong at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas after taking the lead from Ross Chastain in the final stage. However, his No. 8 Chevy got loose trying to overtake a backmarker, eventually dropping to a P19 finish, with Chastain winning the race.

For the 2025 campaign, Kyle Busch will try to bounce back in the No. 8 Chevy for RCR alongside teammate Austin Dillon.