Kyle Busch through the years

Kyle Busch shifted to Richard Childress Racing for 2023, ending a 15-year run at Joe Gibbs Racing. Here's a look at some memorable photos and moments from his championship career over the years.

Busch got his NASCAR start at just 16 years old in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a replacement driver for Nathan Haseleu in the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Busch's debut was made in 2001 at Lucas Oil Raceway, where he finished ninth. The future NASCAR Cup Series champion competed in a total of six races in 2001.

In 2003, Busch became a developmental driver for Hendrick Motorsports and ran seven ARCA Menards Series races for the team, scoring his first career win at Nashville Superspeedway. Once Busch turned 18 years old, he drove the No. 87 Chevrolet for seven races in what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Busch's first NASCAR national series wins came in 2004 driving in what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Rick Hendrick. He won five races that year en route to a runner-up finish in the standings.

At the end of the 2004 season, it was announced Busch would compete full time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports in 2005, replacing Terry Labonte in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Busch won his first race in the sport's top series that September at Auto Club Speedway.

In 2006, Busch earned one win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in his career. Busch finished the season 10th in the driver standings.

In June 2007, it was announced Busch was leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season. In August, Busch revealed he would join Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2008 season, replacing J.J. Yeley in the No. 18 Toyota.

Busch's first NASCAR Cup Series win for Joe Gibbs Racing came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2008. It was one of eight races he would win that year as he topped the standings for much of the regular season. All his wins came in the first 22 races of the season.

Busch scored a hometown victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009. To date, it is his lone NASCAR Cup Series win at his home track.

The 2009 season saw Kyle Busch win the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. He has had huge success in that series, winning 100 races as of this update.

How sweep it is! Busch made NASCAR history as he won all three NASCAR national series races at Bristol Motor Speedway in August 2010.

Busch and Samantha Sarcinella were married on New Year's Eve in 2010.

Kentucky Speedway hosted its first premier series event in 2011, and Busch helped christen the track with a win.

Busch had his share of rivals, most notably Brad Keselowski in recent years.

Busch's 2015 season got off to a scary start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series opener at Daytona International Speedway. A late-race wreck left him with a compound fracture of the right lower leg and a left mid-foot fracture. He would be sidelined for 11 races, including the Daytona 500.

Busch returned to the track for the All-Star Race in May 2015 -- nearly three months after suffering his injuries at Daytona International Speedway and with his wife, Samantha, due with their first child. Busch was granted a playoff waiver, meaning he needed a win and to finish the regular season in the top 30 in points to be eligible for the postseason.

Five races into his return, Busch scored his first victory of the 2015 season at the road course of Sonoma Raceway. A late stop for four tires helped Busch hold off his brother, Kurt, for the victory.

Busch's son, Brexton, was born May 18, 2015. The youngster was immediately seen around the track -- and even here in Victory Lane, helping his dad celebrate his first Brickyard 400 win.

Busch capped off his comeback season with a fairytale ending -- winning the 2015 championship. The title was his first, the first for manufacturer Toyota in the sport's top series and the first for Joe Gibbs Racing since 2005. Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 for his fifth victory of the season.

Kyle Busch Motorsports began with the 2010 season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. To date, the Trucks team has won a total of 87 races. The organization has provided a strong development pipeline for Toyota Racing as evidenced by its championships with Erik Jones (2015, seen here) and Christopher Bell (2017) in recent years.

The Busch family alongside Joe Gibbs re-enact a scene from "The Hangover" at the 2015 NASCAR Awards. Busch has driven for Gibbs since 2008.

Prior to 2016, Busch had yet to win a national series race at Martinsville Speedway. That changed in one weekend with a sweep of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Cup Series races.

Kansas Speedway had been a track that had long given Busch fits. In 2016, though, he would win for the first time there in NASCAR's top series. The only track he has yet to win at in the NASCAR Cup Series is Charlotte Motor Speedway's Roval. Busch went on to reach the Championship 4 later that year but did not successfully defend his title of the previous year.

For the second time at Bristol Motor Speedway, Busch brought out the broom. "Rowdy" swept the 2017 tripleheader in Thunder Valley.

Martin Truex Jr. and Busch were the championship favorites throughout the 2017 season. The two Toyota drivers battled for the lead at numerous races, and each reached the Championship 4. The Homestead-Miami Speedway title race came down to both drivers in the closing laps with Truex holding off Busch as the JGR driver finished second in the race and the final standings.

As son Brexton has gotten older, a Victory Lane toss has become part of the family's winning tradition. Here, Busch tosses Brexton after winning at Texas Motor Speedway in 2018.

For the second time in his career, Busch won three consecutive races at NASCAR's top level. Busch won the Texas Motor Speedway-Bristol Motor Speedway-Richmond Raceway stretch of the spring season. It marked just the 25th time in NASCAR's modern era (since 1972) a driver has won three consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races.

A well-earned selfie for Busch after his dominant performance in the 2018 Coca-Cola 600, where he led 377 of 400 laps. The win was his first points-paying victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In July 2018, Busch matched Ron Hornaday Jr.'s win mark in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at 51 wins. Ironically enough, that was his Truck number for the day, too.

In September 2018, Busch earned his 50th NASCAR Cup Series win. Busch matched his career-best tally with eight wins that season and established a new personal-best mark with 22 top fives en route to finishing fourth in the standings.

With his victory in the Ultimate Tailgating 200 on Feb. 23, 2019 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Busch became the sole owner of the all-time wins mark in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His 52 wins put him atop the list over Hornaday.

When the green flag dropped in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on Feb. 24, 2019, Busch made his 500th start in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Busch matched Richard Petty's mark of 200 NASCAR national series wins at Auto Club Speedway in March 2000.

Busch locked down his second Cup championship in 2019 with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He won five races on the year.

Busch snapped a 33-race winless drought stemming back to his 2019 championship triumph in Miami by winning in the playoffs at Texas Motor Speedway. He became the first non-playoff driver to win in the postseason since Matt Kenseth at Phoenix Raceway in 2017. The victory also extended his streak of 16 consecutive seasons with at least one win.

With his overtime victory in the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway, Busch earned his 100th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win. He won two more Xfinity Series races to give him 102 in the series and he's indicated that is likely it for him when it comes to racing in the Xfinity ranks.

Kyle Busch notched two Cup wins in 2021 with new crew chief Ben Beshore -- a victory at Pocono in June (pictured) as well as one at Kansas in May. He reached the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Busch's lone victory of the 2022 campaign came in surprising fashion in April on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt. He slipped past a last-lap tangle between front-runners Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick, notching the 60th win of his Cup Series career. His playoff run ended early with elimination in the Round of 16.

The Busch family grew to a party of four in May when Kyle and Samantha Busch welcomed daughter Lennix Key Busch into the world. She joined her dad and big brother, Brexton, on the grid at Kansas Speedway in September.

On Sept. 13, Kyle Busch signaled a new era by joining forces with Richard Childress Racing, starting in 2023. The announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame ended a drawn-out contract negotiation and marked a break from Joe Gibbs Racing, the No. 18 and Toyota, shifting his allegiances to RCR, the No. 8 and Chevrolet next season.

Kyle Busch rounded out the 2022 campaign and his JGR tenure by driving a special No. 18 Toyota in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. The M&M's Camry featured a mosaic design and a "Thank you, fans!" message on the rear bumper.

Although the 2023 regular season had yet to begin, Kyle Busch didn't fail to leave a strong first impression. Enter the 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, where Busch, in his newly minted No. 8, collected a podium finish and a bronze medal to pair with his third-place result.

Kyle Busch utilized a fast No. 8 Chevrolet en route to one final win on the 2-mile configuration at Auto Club Speedway, giving him his 61st win in the Cup Series and his first for Richard Childress Racing. Busch went on to win two more races in his inaugural season at Richard Childress Racing, advancing to the NASCAR Playoffs ahead of a 14th-place finish in points.