Driver: Kyle Busch -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Team: No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet
Points: 5th (-430)
2006: 10th in Cup Standings
Key Stats: 1 win, 11 Top-5s, 20 Top-10s
Back in 2008?: Moves to Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota
There's a lot of people in the NASCAR world that would have lost a lot of money if following the race at Bristol in March if they were given a bet of whether or not Kyle Busch would win again in 2007.
After all, Busch had just won the Food City 500 (with a car that "sucked", nonetheless) and looked to be heading in a very bright direction.
He didn't win again in 2007.
But you've got to believe that getting fired from your job -- effective at the end of season -- and a large dose of immaturity will do that to you.
Busch definitely did not handle the situation well after the initial problems with his agent and Rick Hendrick in the process of firing him and hiring Dale Earnhardt Jr. to his ride. Later in the summer, Busch took a "we're in this on our own" type of attitude and made some pretty disparaging remarks towards the team that was still letting him race.
After a while, Busch changed his tune -- on his own or with some stiff warnings from Hendrick -- and made the Chase. During the playoff run, Busch managed six Top-10s but four other finishes of 20th, 20th, 36th and 41st sealed his fate as an "also-ran".
For 2008, Busch moves to Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 18 car with Toyota and M&M's as the sponsor. Success in 2008 relies directly on the many unknowns of Toyota stemming from 2007.
Look for Busch to run well at Daytona, but its tough to guess what the rest of the year will hold.
