When Dale Earnhardt Jr. cryptically leaked Kyle Busch’s move away from Joe Gibbs Racing

In September 2022, Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted a cryptic message on his social media platform. It basically contained the next team that Kyle Busch would be joining after he confirmed he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of 2022. At the time, the decision was unannounced.

As speculation on Busch's destination after departing from JGR was in full-swing, Earnhardt Jr. posted three emojis on his social media handle. A tree or bush appeared in one of the three emojis; a hand gesture with a finger pointing in the right direction appeared in the second; and an eight-numbered ball appeared in the third.

Fans and most industry insiders were able to draw their own conclusions based on these three emojis alone, as well as the background of the person who posted the tweet. It was quite clear that Kyle Busch would be joining Richard Childress Racing in the #8 car.

Junior, naturally, sent out another cryptic tweet soon after in an attempt to make the tweet non-obvious. However, a few days after Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s post, the move was officially announced.

Earnhardt's cryptic leak of Busch's RCR move is worth looking at in light of Christopher Bell's recent accidental slip-up. While addressing the media, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver unintentionally revealed the name of the driver who would succeed a retiring Martin Truex Jr. in the #19 car in 2025.

Although Bell didn't take the full name, given the ongoing speculation, what he said was enough for everyone to connect the dots.

"I don’t think there really is a leadership role in that aspect, and whenever Chase comes into the car ... whenever some... I don't even know what to say," Bell said.

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Kyle Busch gave Dale Earnhardt Jr. "a hard time" after the former HMS driver leaked his move

In the aftermath of Busch's RCR move becoming official, Dale Earnhardt Jr. addressed the subject properly on his podcast show, including his leak. Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download, Junior spoke about him putting out the tweet about Busch going to RCR.

He stated (as per Awful Announcing):

"I regret sending that tweet. Kyle calls me and he’s like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’ And I’m like, ‘Man, everybody’s speculating. I’m just jumping into this conversation.' And he’s giving me a hard time. And I’m like, ‘So I’m right? Am I right about this?’ And he’s like, ‘Dude, wait until Tuesday. Why couldn’t you wait until Tuesday to send that tweet?’ And he says, ‘Send another tweet. Send another tweet.’ I’m like, ‘OK. What tweet do you want me to send?’"

The second cryptic post, with the basketball in it, was allegedly created later by Earnhardt and Busch "to sort of throw people off."