What’s Happening?

No NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team has impacted NASCAR as the now-defunct Kyle Busch Motorsports has. Not only did the team serve as a playground for its namesake, but it also developed some of the top drivers in NASCAR today. Here is a look at some of the most notable KBM alumni.

• Kyle Busch Motorsports was founded in 2010 and was originally fielded primarily for Kyle Busch to race in the Craftsman Truck Series. Over the years, it became one of the top teams in the Truck Series and a coveted seat for drives with aspirations of moving up to the Cup Series.
• For this list, we will individually look at drivers who completed at least one full-time season for KBM. However, we will also have a section dedicated to notable part-time KBM drivers.
• We will not look at every single KBM driver that ever raced. However, a good percentage of them went on to do big things.

Bubba Wallace: 2 Full-Time Seasons, 44 Starts, and 5 Wins

Bubba Wallace was the first driver to work his way up at Kyle Busch Motorsports. He maintained that Toyota connection as he found his permanent home at 23XI Racing, where he’s won two Cup Series races.

Erik Jones: 1 Full-Time Season, 2015 Championship, 42 Starts, and 7 Wins

Erik Jones won the team’s first driver Championship in 2015. While his initial Cup Series stint with Joe Gibbs Racing did not turn out as planned, he still won two races, and he got a surprise win with Petty GMS in the 2022 Southern 500, Jones’ second win in the prestigious race.

Christopher Bell: 2 Full-Time Seasons, 2017 Championship, 54 Starts, and 7 Wins

Christopher Bell took home the team’s second Championship in 2017 and essentially ousted Jones at JGR. Bell has become a stalwart at JGR, making two consecutive Championship 4 appearances. He is a potential future Champion and a true star.

William Byron: 1 Full-Time Season, 27 Starts, and 7 Wins

William Byron took a one-year detour with KBM in 2016 before returning to the Hendrick Motorsports pipeline. He was a sensation with KBM, winning seven races, only falling an engine failure short of the Championship 4. Since then, he’s become one of the top drivers in the Cup Series, making his first Championship 4 in 2023.

Noah Gragson: 2 Full-Time Seasons, 47 Starts, and 2 Wins

Noah Gragson continued the tradition of hot prospects at KBM. While finding his footing in NASCAR took him a while, he eventually settled into the Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing. Now, he is set to join Front Row Motorsports in 2025 as the team looks to build around the young talent.

Harrison Burton: 1 Full-Time Season, 48 Starts, and 0 Wins

As far as KBM drivers go, Harrison Burton was certainly one of them. Still, he ended up in the Cup Series with The Wood Brothers, but he is losing that ride at the end of the year. Now, the future for Burton is uncertain.

Todd Gilliland: 1 Full-Time Season, 48 Starts, and 1 Win

Todd Gilliland only won one race at Kyle Busch Motorsports, and he quickly moved on to Front Row Motorsports, where he still races today. He’s worked his way up through the Truck Series and into the Cup Series for the team, and he is set to reunite with former KBM teammate Noah Gragson for 2025.

Christian Eckes: 1 Full-Time Season, 35 Starts, and 0 Wins

Christian Eckes’ career did not take off until after leaving KBM. It all came to a head earlier this year at Bristol when Eckes beat his former boss for a win. Now, Eckes eyes a potential Cup Series seat.

John Hunter Nemechek: 2 Full-Time Seasons, 45 Starts, and 7 Wins

John Hunter Nemechek made the eyebrow-raising decision to jump from the Cup Series to the Truck Series with KBM for 2021 and 2022. The move sparked a career resurgence, ending with Nemechek back at the sport’s top level with Legacy Motor Club this year. A remarkable story of a gamble that paid off,

Chandler Smith: 2 Full-Time Seasons, 61 Starts, and 4 Wins

Chandler Smith was the last prospect to truly shine with KBM, but he moved out of the crowded Toyota pipeline to Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series for 2023. Smith moved back to Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2024 and awaits a hopeful Cup Series call soon.

Notable Part-Timers

Kyle Busch Motorsports had 18 drivers win Truck Series races. From Cup Series veterans like Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, and Greg Biffle to young guns like Daniel Suarez and Corey Heim, KBM impacted many careers. These drivers advanced their careers and helped contribute to KBM’s seven Owner’s Championships.

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