Kyle Busch reveals he misplaced Indy 500 McLaren drive to Kyle Larson

He is already a two-time NASCAR Cup Collection champion with over 200 wins throughout the three nationwide divisions of the game, however there are two issues Kyle Busch has but to perform that stay on the very prime of his bucket checklist. The primary is successful the Daytona 500, which he’s at present 0-20 in making an attempt to attain. Nonetheless, quantity two on that checklist is competing within the Indianapolis 500, which has but to occur.

His older brother Kurt did the five hundred in 2014, driving for Andretti and incomes Rookie of the 12 months honors with a seventh-place end. Kyle tried to get his foot into the door for the five hundred a couple of years in the past, however the deal was blocked by crew proprietor Joe Gibbs.

He revealed this in a dialogue with fellow Cup star Denny Hamlin on his weekly podcast, Actions Detrimental.

2017 deal blocked by Gibbs

“It was all carried out,” mentioned Busch. “M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who mentioned no?” Hamlin accurately named Joe Gibbs, who has been hesitant to permit his drivers to run races past the scope of NASCAR previously. Busch has since left Joe Gibbs Racing and apparently tried to safe an Indy 500 trip once more in 2024, however these plans additionally by no means got here to fruition.

On this second try, Busch was making an attempt to work one thing out with Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren. Apparently, the deal was virtually carried out earlier than it fell aside.

Why 2024 cope with McLaren failed

“I had it signed, sealed and delivered once more, after which Larson took it,” revealed Busch.

Explaining it additional, Busch mentioned: “I gained’t launch the sponsor, however I had a sponsor speaking to Zak Brown. The deal was carried out, and we have been about able to go to contract, and Zak Brown informed the sponsor ‘Hey, I want you to purchase the automobile.’ And the sponsor was like, ‘why do I wish to purchase the automobile? I do not want the automobile. I wish to sponsor the automobile. I am sponsoring Kyle [Busch] and he will drive the automobile.'”

As for why Brown needed to go this route, Busch mentioned that it was in case he ended up wrecking and damaging the bathtub. Hamlin questioned why they did not simply add a crash clause, however nonetheless, that is the place negotiations stalled.

Busch continued: “It wasn’t two weeks later that I am speaking to this sponsor man, and he was like, ‘Yeah, we’re too late anyway now. The chance is closed as a result of Larson acquired it.'” 

Larson’s two-year deal was information to Busch, who was solely planning on doing a single try. He acknowledged that working the Indy 500 stays a prime precedence for him, however the prospects are restricted if you wish to be with a aggressive crew.

He pointed to Penske as the most suitable choice for working the five hundred, and even spoke with Roger Penske about it sooner or later. “We have been speaking to Roger,” revealed Busch. “The sponsor is near Roger and we have been speaking to Roger about doing it and he says ‘I am unable to get you the suitable individuals to have the ability to do one other automobile.'”

You possibly can hear the remainder of the fascinating 80-minute dialogue between Busch and Hamlin HERE.