After The Checkered Flag

Kyle Busch's responsibilities as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver and 15-year career at the organization where he won a pair of Cup titles officially ended on Thursday night at the NASCAR Awards banquet in Nashville. He didn't wait long to start the next chapter. A day later, the 37-year-old began his Richard Childress Racing career on a promising note, putting his car on the pole at the World Racing League event held at Circuit of the Americas. Unfortunately, on Saturday, the car encountered mechanical issues and cut the day short. Following the abbreviated run, the future Hall of Famer visited exclusively with After the Checkered Flag, talking about his first business trip working with his new team, why running laps at COTA will help him when NASCAR returns to the road course in a few months, and how he plans to elevate RCR in the years to come. Photo Credits: Getty Images

Denny Hamlin was one of the most outspoken drivers in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, often criticizing NASCAR for its handling of the Next Gen car and addressing safety issues. Later in the year, he even called for a complete redesign of the car and a change in leadership. While those comments deservedly received a lot of attention, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver made less publicized remarks related to the new car earlier in the year at Circuit of the Americas, critical of NASCAR and its surprise partnership with Hendrick Motorsports on the Project 56 car to be raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. The three-time Daytona 500 winner said the collaboration gave the organization an unfair advantage. At the time, some suggested it was a case of sour grapes for Hamlin. Now, with the recent news that NASCAR is adapting changes discovered while testing the Project 56 car for use in next year's Cup car, it appears the 42-year-old driver was right in his suspicions. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: Stacking Pennies Podcast Photo Credits: Getty Images

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season is officially in the books and Joey Logano is now a two-time champion. And what a year it was, starting with the much-anticipated debut of the Next Gen car. The new car made its first competitive laps in LA at the Clash at the Coliseum. The Team Penske driver won the race and sent a message to his competitors that he was prepared for battle in the new ride. Logano's victories at LA and Phoenix bookended an entertaining season filled with crashes, concussions, conflicts, and controversial DQs. While there were plenty of highlights with 19 different winners (5 of them first-timers), it also included some more poignant moments, like the retirement of Kurt Busch from full-time racing and the shocking death of Coy Gibbs on the eve of the championship. Here's a look back at a very memorable 2022 season. ***The 2022 NASCAR Yearbook is a great holiday gift! Check it out at https://www.Fanmag.com.*** Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

Chase Elliott had a great 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, winning five races, or more than any other driver, including champion Joey Logano. For his efforts, he won the regular-season title and advanced to the playoffs. However, in the postseason, the 2020 champion, by his own admission, struggled as his team battled inconsistency. As a result, the typically reserved 26-year-old didn't hide his frustration in several postrace interviews. Last weekend, after coming up short in the Championship 4 race in Phoenix, the Hendrick Motorsports driver made it clear that he was ready to get away from racing and take some time off. Understandable when you consider the teams have been at it for 36 weeks with a one-week break. But this week, Elliott went back on his word and competed in a very different form of racing, and one where he readily expressed how happy he was to be participating, unlike his previous comments about NASCAR less than a week earlier. For the sport's most popular driver, it was a bad look and sent a confusing message to his fans. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Peacock Nitro Rallycross Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Coming into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Ryan Blaney was considered a legitimate title contender after his breakthrough season in 2021 when he won three times. In the season-opening Daytona 500, the Team Penske driver was in position to win on the final lap, but ultimately saw his chance slip away when his teammate Austin Cindric made a block and squeezed him into the fence just feet from the finish line. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old driver, it was a precursor of things to come. The No. 12 car would run solid for most of the season, but that was just it — solid. Those top-finishing performances never converted over to wins. Blaney turned out to be the lone driver to advance to the postseason on points, and made it to the Round of 8, but that's where the high pressure got to the driver and he made a pair of costly mistakes in back-to-back races, which ended his chance at making the Championship 4. On Sunday at Phoenix, he started second to teammate Joey Logano. The pair crossed the finish line in that same order. After the race, when the NBC reporter caught up to Blaney for the post-race interview, he revealed the frustration that had been building for nine months when he bluntly called out the reporter for his dumb question. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

Denny Hamlin was outspoken about the Next Gen car in July 2021, months before its debut, expressing concern about safety issues. He recently acknowledged how drivers boycotted the NASCAR docuseries "Race for the Championship" last year in protest of how executives were insistent on pushing forward with the new car without properly testing the car for safety. Fast forward to this season, where drivers have repeatedly said how impacts in the new car are more intense. In July, everyone saw the effects of those crashes when Kurt Busch suffered a concussion backing into the wall at Pocono during qualifying. He never returned. Alex Bowman suffered a concussion in September at Texas in a similar type of incident. The drivers united at Talladega a week later, went public with their concerns, and called out NASCAR for its lack of concern about safety as evidenced by the car taking a step backward in that department. NASCAR President Steve Phelps and officials responded to the drivers, held a meeting to discuss the issues, and then repeated what the sanctioning body has insisted all along how driver safety is the No. 1 priority. This week during the "State of the Sport" address before the championship races in Phoenix, Phelps talked about the importance of safety in the new car, and then moments later contradicted himself, and confirmed what Hamlin and other drivers have repeatedly suggested that driver safety has not been the top priority. #nascar Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports AB Dynamics I Am Athlete - NASCAR Photo Credits: Getty Images

Ty Gibbs has been in the headlines all week for his shocking move last weekend at Martinsville when he wrecked his teammate Brandon Jones on the final lap of the Xfinity Series race and took away his chance to compete for a championship. The deliberate dumping was bad enough, but the 20-year-old compounded his problems by making multiple bad decisions that only added to an already horrible look. This week on his popular podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. discussed Gibbs' behavior and justifiably questioned those who are advising the young driver behind the scenes, including grandfather Joe. Junior suggested big changes must be made to correct the persistent bad choices. Incredibly, Earnhardt's words on what Joe might be saying to his grandson behind closed doors were echoed by the team namesake in a meeting with reporters this week, where the 81-year-old repeated what he has said in the past when trouble has arisen and how they are working with Ty through the process. ********************************************** The 2022 NASCAR Yearbook is a great holiday gift! Check it out at Fanmag.com. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

Ty Gibbs has had a great year in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, collecting six wins. While the 20-year-old has made headlines for his results, he's also been in the news for his decision-making. In a season of numerous bad decisions, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver took his poor choices to the next level on Saturday at Martinsville. In an overtime restart, Gibbs started on the front row next to Noah Gragson on his outside and JGR teammate Brandon Jones behind. The No. 19 car got a great launch and got a push from Sheldon Creed to take the lead just before taking the white flag. Moments later, the No. 54 drove hard into the rear of Jones and sent him into the wall, allowing him to pass and cruise onto victory. The broadcast team immediately criticized Gibbs for the move. Fans rained down boos on the driver when he exited his car and throughout his postrace interview. After that interview, Gibbs visited with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's Claire B. Lang, where he shockingly compared himself to Jesus. And that was just one of the bizarre postrace moments for the young driver who then met with the media and sounded like a robot, repeating the same answer over and over and over. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Thanks to Rocket Money for sponsoring this video. http://rocketmoney.com/checkeredflag #rocketmoney #personalfinance Years from now, the 2022 Cup Series season will be remembered for the Next Gen car, the concussions it caused, and a still yet-to-be-determined champion. Another storyline right up near the top will be the Kyle Busch contract drama, which started at Talladega back in April. After months of speculation, the two-time champion announced in September that he would be taking his talent to Richard Childress Racing in 2023. It was a move no one would have predicted at the start of the season. Since it happened, Busch has been relatively quiet on how it all went down. That changed in the latest episode of the NASCAR docuseries "Race for the Championship," where the 37-year-old didn't hold back and had several negative things to say about the organization, and, in particular, team owner Joe Gibbs. Interestingly, several industry insiders with knowledge of the contract situation said the driver acting like the victim in the show is just that, an act. According to the sources, Gibbs did not fire Busch as the driver would have you believe. Adding another level of intrigue, just last week, Busch's longtime teammate Denny Hamlin made an interesting remark during an appearance on Danica Patrick's podcast, where he suggested that the driver was leaving JGR not because of his performance, but his attitude. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports USA Network CupScene.com Audio Credits: Door Bumper Clear Photo Credits: Getty Images

Bubba Wallace made a bad decision last weekend at Las Vegas when he retaliated against Kyle Larson, which ended in disaster for both cars, and included Christopher Bell. The 23XI Racing driver then compounded his problems by walking across a hot track and confronting the reigning Cup Series champion on the infield, where he proceeded to push him several times while ignoring the directions of a NASCAR official. Last week, after NASCAR announced Wallace would receive a one-race suspension for his actions, Kyle Petty appeared on Motor Mouths and said the sanctioning body got it all wrong, and suggested the suspension should have been for the rest of the season. During Sunday's Countdown to Green pre-race show from Miami, the Wallace situation and penalty was unsurprisingly a hot topic of conversation. Petty was again present and echoed his previous thoughts. However, when NBC's Marty Snider surprisingly revealed that Wallace had declined an interview with the network, Petty called out the driver and team for its silence on the matter. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Frontstretch Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Bubba Wallace reacted to a move that he didn't like by Kyle Larson in Sunday's race at Las Vegas by hooking the 2021 Cup Series champion into the wall. The intentional accident was bad enough, but the 23XI Racing driver compounded the problem by committing multiple errors in judgment, including walking on a hot track, shoving Larson multiple times, pushing away an official's hand, and refusing to get inside the ambulance for a ride to the infield care center. For the next couple of days, fans debated on social media over what the penalty might be because there were multiple violations to choose from. On Tuesday, NASCAR provided the answer when it announced that Wallace would be suspended for the upcoming race at Homestead. Not surprisingly, that ruling was widely criticized because fans and media were trying to correlate what happened in Sin City with previous incidents and punishments handed down in the past, or precedents. Big mistake. NASCAR COO Steve O'Donnell appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR radio after the penalty announcement and addressed the situation. Unfortunately, his explanation, like multiple times this season when a NASCAR official stands before a microphone, didn't add up. His questionable choice of words only added to the level of distrust growing among fans who are tired of being fed lines of BS from NASCAR on a consistent basis. And, ironically, all of it confirmed that Denny Hamlin was right in what he had to say about the sanctioning body just a month ago. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Kevin Harvick has made plenty of headlines this season for both his on-track performance and his outspokenness. Since August, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has been particularly vocal about the Next Gen car, raising concerns about the car's overall safety and pointing out multiple parts failures. The 2014 Cup Series champion reached a boiling point and went off at Darlington in September when his car caught on fire, ending his race early and severely hindering his chances of advancing in the playoffs. He's continued to call out the sanctioning body and just a few weeks ago NASCAR nailed the No. 4 team with a major penalty for a violation found during a random inspection at the R&D Center. This past weekend at Las Vegas, Harvick didn't say anything, but SHR team co-owner Gene Haas did, and revealed that the driver doesn't plan on returning after 2023. While that was a huge bombshell, Haas also surprisingly shared another piece of news regarding a disagreement he currently has with team co-owner Tony Stewart about a driver at SHR, which has understandably only added to the growling list of frustrations the three-time champion has with NASCAR. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

History will show NASCAR had more than a few ugly moments during the 2022 Cup Series season, the first year in the Next Gen car. The new car itself was problematic before it turned its first laps, as drivers voiced concerns about safety last year long before its debut, which, unfortunately, have all been validated in the form of multiple concussions. NASCAR officials finally addressed those issues with the drivers at the Charlotte Roval last weekend. However, as important as driver safety is, there was another even bigger news story the day before that received much less attention, but featured some big hitters, including four-time champion and Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. In a meeting with the media, the Cup teams, which were represented by Gordon, JGR president Dave Alpern, and two others, detailed discussions with NASCAR on the upcoming television contract that renews in 2025, and how the governing body had been provided a seven-point proposal, and responded with a counteroffer that Gordon described as "very far apart." Gordon and Alpern also made some shocking admissions about their respective teams and their financial success, or lack thereof, and how that the current business model is no longer sustainable. Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted this week on his podcast that when he learned about what Gordon and the group had to say, it freaked him out and he is reconsidering whether he wants to pursue owning a Cup team in the near future. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Dale Jr. Download Photo Credits: Getty Images ********************************************** The 2022 NASCAR Yearbook is a great holiday gift! Check it out at Fanmag.com.

Chase Elliott was leading and in prime position to win his sixth Cup race of 2022 at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday, but a bizarre late caution due to a sign on the track changed everything. On the subsequent restart, Elliott got moved by AJ Allmendinger and spun by Tyler Reddick. After another strange caution due to a displaced piece of curb, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was involved in a crash in Heartburn Turn on the restart that ended any chance at a good result. The 2020 Cup champion finished 20th. After the race, the typically calm Elliott revealed a high level of frustration not once, but twice. When an NBC cameraman was filming the driver talking with his HMS teammate William Byron, the 26-year-old wasn't having any of it, pushed away the camera, then tried shooing off the cameraman multiple times. Moments later, Elliott was interviewed by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's Claire B. Lang, where he talked about the race and proceeded to bash the Next Gen car and what the future holds for it the rest of the 2022 season. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

Kevin Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers have both been critical of NASCAR this season. It's happened on multiple occasions. In recent months, the 2014 Cup champion has escalated the rhetoric around safety concerns with the Next Gen car. NASCAR has responded to the driver several times. Last week, Harvick joined a chorus of drivers who were outspoken following the news that Alex Bowman had suffered a concussion and would miss the race at Talladega. On Sunday after Talladega, where Harvick finished 29th, NASCAR announced the Nos. 4 and 19 of Martin Truex Jr. would be taken back to the R&D center for a closer inspection. On Wednesday, NASCAR delivered the results of that inspection, and it included a major penalty to Harvick's team, including a four-race suspension and $100,000 fine for Childers. Unsurprisingly, both the driver and crew chief responded. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Front Stretch AB Dynamics Photo Credits: Getty Images

Denny Hamlin was outspoken about safety concerns with the Next Gen car last year, long before it ever made its debut in the Clash at the Coliseum. This season, multiple drivers, including Hamlin, have repeatedly claimed that all impacts are more intense than any previous generation of cars. Hamlin has been closer to the situation more than most with his 23XI Racing driver Kurt Busch suffering a concussion during qualifying at Pocono in July. Busch has now missed 11 races. Last week's announcement that Alex Bowman had suffered a concussion and would miss the Talladega race hit a nerve with the drivers. Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Hamlin and others candidly spoke about the situation. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver made the most surprising comments, even by Hamlin standards, suggesting that the car needed a complete redesign and NASCAR needed a change in leadership. That was on Saturday before Talladega. On Sunday, Hamlin met with NASCAR President Steve Phelps before the race and talked about that meeting with reporters after he finished fifth. Interestingly, he struck a dramatically different tone and his remarks revealed that he had changed his mind with regard to one of his positions from the day before. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports AB Dynamics Noah Lewis Peter Stratta I Am Athlete - NASCAR Photo Credits: Getty Images

Anthony Alfredo returned to the Xfinity Series in 2022 after running last year in the Cup Series. His first season with Our Motorsports has been a rollercoaster of a ride, with multiple DNFs and three top-10 finishes, including his best, a fifth place at California. Fast Pasta, as he's nicknamed, came into Texas with confidence, knowing he had recorded his best NASCAR career finish on the 1.5-mile circuit in 2020, when he finished third for Richard Childress Racing. The 23-year-old Alfredo and his crew allowed After the Checkered Flag the opportunity to follow along from before the first run at practice to the waving of the checkered flag. Here's a look at his day in the Lone Star State. Photo Credit: Getty Images

At 19 years old, Ty Gibbs is unquestionably one of the best drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with an impressive nine wins in less than two full-time seasons. While there's no denying that the grandson of Joe is a talented driver, it's also indisputable that he has a penchant for making bad decisions. Some of those poor choices can be chalked up to inexperience. Others, unfortunately, can be attributed to a quick temper. He's shown it time and time again, aggressively retaliating against other drivers on the track. Last weekend at Texas in the Cup Series race, Gibbs got a two-for-one special, delivering retaliatory strikes against a pair of drivers. This week, NASCAR retaliated with a $75,000 fine for his inexcusable and dangerous pit road move with Ty Dillon while the driver in the other incident directly warned Gibbs that he better not do it again. But that driver wasn't the only one unhappy with the youngster's moves. America's Crew Chief Larry McReynolds was also upset about it and didn't hold back on his SiriusXM NASCAR Radio show, where he blasted the driver and all those who've enabled his behavior and not held him accountable thus far in his short career. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Joe Gibbs has shown he has a proven formula for success, winning three Super Bowls and five Cup Series championships. The 81-year-old, who is in both the Pro Football and NASCAR Halls of Fame, understands that any successful story includes overcoming adversity. This year, Joe Gibbs Racing has faced plenty of it with on-track issues and the months-long drama with Kyle Busch and his contract situation. This past weekend at Texas, Denny Hamlin encountered a tough set of circumstances late in the race when William Byron was upset by a move by the No. 11 several laps earlier, and spun him out under caution. Hamlin and his team were not happy that NASCAR didn't allow him to return to his original position before the wreck or penalize Byron for the action. After the race, reporters caught up with the drivers to find out what happened. Interestingly, before Hamlin ever said a word to the media, Gibbs intervened, abruptly pulling his driver away for what appeared to be a one-sided conversation that Toyota officials didn't want anyone to see. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Dale Jr. Download In Depth With Graham Bensinger Photo Credits: Getty Images

Moments after Noah Gragson collected his Texas-sized trophy for winning the Xfinity Series race, he showed it off and talked about the race with reporters, then left the media center in an epic walk that included him entertaining his famous follower and NASCAR Hall of Fame boss Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. loves the Bristol night race. He's been a huge proponent of the half-mile track for years. However, last weekend's race in the Next Gen car was noticeably different and not in a good way. Junior admitted as much this week on his podcast. The Hall of Famer broke down the race, and identified what he views as the problem for Bristol and all short tracks this year with the new car — tires. He then went into a detailed explanation of why the tires don't work with the car and bluntly called out those responsible for the "massive mistake" (not NASCAR) and surprisingly revealed that he knew it was destined to fail at the very beginning of the design process. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports ESPN Audio Credits: Dale Jr. Download Photo Credits: Getty Images

No one at the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, including Kyle Busch, could have predicted the two-time Cup Series champion would be driving for any team in 2023 but Joe Gibbs Racing, where he's raced for 15 years and won a couple of championships. But here we are. After months of speculation, Busch announced last week that he's joining Richard Childress Racing next season. However, before that happens, he will drive the No. 18 car in the final seven races of the season for JGR, in an odd position, out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time in his career. And that's not the only awkward thing happening with Busch. This week, JGR announced a big change for his team, and in the process sent a message to the future Hall of Fame driver about the rest of the 2022 season that won't make Rowdy Nation very happy. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Photo Credits: Getty Images

Martin Truex Jr. is one of the most even-keeled drivers in the Cup Series garage. However, this season has been filled with repeated disappointment and tested the patience of the 2017 champion. One issue after another has set the No. 19 team back, which has ended chances at wins, and more significantly, kept the team from making the playoffs and making a run at a second title. This past weekend, the 42-year-old had a good run and finished fifth at Kansas. You couldn't tell after the race because the veteran driver was dejected and didn't try to hide it. In an intense emotional conversation with SiriusXM NASCAR's Claire B. Lang, Truex talked about how another one got away and candidly admitted to the violent way he wants to get over his frustrating season. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Photo Credits: Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch didn't always see eye to eye during their racing days. Since Junior retired, those tensions have cooled and the pair have become friendly — so much so that Busch recently admitted how he sought advice from the Hall of Famer while figuring out his future plans. During this week's episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt revealed that their friendship was tested less than a week ago when he sent out a tweet that suggested Busch was headed to Richard Childress Racing and the No. 8 car long before the announcement was official. The panicked driver frantically called and questioned why Earnhardt would do such a thing. That's when things got interesting and the pair concocted a plan that would throw off fans. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports Audio Credits: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Dale Jr. Download Photo Credits: Getty Images

Kevin Harvick has been in the headlines a lot over the last couple of months. Ending a 65-race winless streak at Michigan and following it up with back-to-back wins at Richmond will do that. But Harvick hasn't just let his wins do the talking. The 2014 Cup Series champion has been very outspoken about safety issues with the Next Gen car. After his car caught on fire last weekend at Darlington, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver was appropriately hot after the race and blasted NASCAR for its incompetence. This weekend before the race at Kansas, Harvick held court with reporters and continued in his critique of the governing body in a 12-minute long rant that talked about his fire, the overarching concern of NASCAR not addressing safety issues, and what he thinks should be done about it. Video Credits: NASCAR NASCAR.com Fox Sports NBC Sports AB Dynamics Photo Credits: Getty Images