NASCAR chief Joe Gibbs admits 'challenges' dealing with Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart

NASCAR Cup Series chief Joe Gibbs has admitted there were challenges in dealing with both Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart during their time with his team, but that he appreciated the way they 'went after it'.

Stewart entered the Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in 1999 and remained with the team until 2008, during which time he won two of his three Cup Series championships and 33 races.

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Busch, meanwhile, joined JGR in 2008 after leaving Hendrick Motorsports, going on to win two Cup Series championships with the team and 56 races, which, for a time, made him their most winningest driver.

Whilst both drivers achieved great success, both are known for having fierce personalities and in a recent appearance on the Kevin Harvick Happy Hour podcast, the former NASCAR driver quizzed Gibbs on which of the pair were harder to deal with.

“I knew that was coming up because I normally get the Kyle Busch and Tony,” Gibbs responded.

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Joe Gibbs issues Kyle Busch/Tony Stewart verdict

Gibbs continued, admitting that whilst at times there were challenges dealing with them, on the whole, they did a great job for the team: “They were both very super talented, and both of them a little bit alike in all kinds of stuff.

"They were into all kinds of stuff. Houses, buying race tracks, Tony. All the different things he was in. And Kyle a little bit that way too. But really, both of them, I really appreciated their talent, the way they went after it for us.

"Both of them, like if you get Kyle, he’s got a great sense of humor. You get him in a social setting and stuff, you’ll laugh a lot. But both of them really talented, so obviously, that was great for us.

"And you know, every now and then, there were some challenges. But really, they helped build our race team, they really did.

"I appreciated both of them so much because, you know, they won a ton.”

Stewart left JGR for the 2009 season and beyond, going on to win a further Cup Series championship as a co-owner at Stewart-Haas Racing, where he raced until his retirement at the end of 2016.

Busch, meanwhile, left JGR for the 2023 season to join Richard Childress Racing, but so far has not picked up another championship.

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