Kyle Busch Could Have Solved the Key Issue Holding Back Stewart-Haas Racing

Kevin Harvick wanted Stewart-Haas Racing to sign Kyle Busch. The team replaced Cole Custer with Ryan Preece.

Aric Almirola announced he would retire at the end of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Stewart-Haas Racing was looking for a replacement. AlamirolA was the only Stewart/Haass Racing winner the previous season and the Smithfield sponsorship was closely connected to the driver. Ryan Preece will replace Almrol a the Cup series car. Cole Custer will take over the Xfinity Series car after a winless 2021 season, and Tony Stewart won the battle between Gene Haas and Gene Stewart.

Kevin Harvick wanted to sign Kyle Busch for Stewart-Haas Racing. Busy's negotiations with Joe Gibbs Racing went nowhere and he ended up at Richard Childress Racing instead. He would have been a significant upgrade over Aric Almirola and even more so over Cole Custer.

Kyle Busch left Stewart-Haas Racing for Joe Preece. Harvick won twice last season and has gone winless in the last eight full-time seasons. Preence has had opportunities with JTG Daugherty group in past, but he has to win.

Kevin Harvick wanted Kyle Busch to push his teammates to be better. Kevin Harrick is the only driver who can win races for Stewart-Haas Racing. Chase Briscoe is getting there, but he's not going to challenge his team-mates the way William Byron does at HMS or Christopher Bell at JGR.