Kyle Busch’s signing bonus from Richard Childress was a hilarious reference to his new boss once punching him
Of course, NASCAR fans loved this joke.
Welcome to FTW’s NASCAR Feud of the Week, where we provide a detailed breakdown of the latest absurd, funny and sometimes legitimate controversies and issues within the racing world.
Our latest NASCAR Feud of the Week is actually a throwback to an 11-year-old incident that came full circle this week, ending with a fabulous joke.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch will have a new team and new ride beginning in the 2023 season, and, of course, that also means he’ll have a new boss. Busch announced Tuesday that he’s leaving Joe Gibbs Racing after 15 seasons with the powerhouse team to join Richard Childress Racing.
“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be taking my talents to Welcome, North Carolina to drive the No. 8 car for Richard Childress Racing starting in 2023,” 37-year-old Busch said in a statement reminiscent of LeBron James in 2010.
So instead of Joe Gibbs, he’ll be reporting to Richard Childress — an interesting pair if you know you’re NASCAR history.
Basically, in what’s now known as the “hold my watch” incident, then-65-year-old Childress and then-26-year-old Busch tangled after a Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2011. Now, Busch is no stranger to (sometimes physical) altercations in NASCAR, but in this instance, he wasn’t really the instigator.
A refresher on what happened, via The Athletic:
After a 2011 NASCAR Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway, team owner Richard Childress was livid over how Kyle Busch had made contact with Joey Coulter — who was then driving a Richard Childress Racing entry.
Childress infamously told grandson Austin Dillon to “Hold my watch,” because you wouldn’t want to mess up a nice timepiece in a fight. Then, according to witnesses, the much older man proceeded to place Busch into a headlock and punch him in the head several times before Busch fell to the ground. Childress was later fined $150,000 by NASCAR.
Fast forward 11 years later, and Busch and Childress are now on the same team and will be indefinitely, as the current No. 18 Toyota driver said it’s a multiyear deal.
During Busch’s announcement Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, Childress even had a little fun over their shared history. After Busch shared his plans for next season and beyond, Childress joined him on stage and with a gift for his new driver.
“Well, you know, Kyle, the other week when we signed our contract, there was something I forgot to give you,” Childress said. “It was your signing bonus, so I’ve gotta give you your signing bonus.
“Will you hold my watch?” he asked, handing Busch a Rolex box.
“Absolutely,” Busch responded.
“That’s all we’re gonna talk about that,” Childress added. “That’s history.”
Clearly, Busch and Childress have moved far beyond the “hold my watch” incident more than a decade ago, and they made that clear recently, as uncertainty and speculation about Busch’s future was really heating up.
Saturday at Kansas, Busch also made a joke about their history. He said, via FOX Sports:
“Who is to say he hasn’t punched me again in any of these conversations?” he said. “Whenever you go into negotiations, it’s never fun, so you’re duking the whole time.
“You grow up, and you work through things. It was fine the first time I sat down with him.”
That’s a nice-looking signing bonus…