Sure, Michael Jordan’s charter lawsuit with NASCAR has done a lot to increase team valuations to nearly $100 million, but it has also sparked rumors that two of the sport’s smaller teams could be forced to shut down. Meanwhile, RFK Racing has lost its third charter for the upcoming season. However, if rumors are anything to go by, Brad Keselowski’s team might end up getting it back after another team shuts down.

As per industry insiders on the Rubbin’ in Racing podcast, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is on the verge of losing his ride with Hyak Motorsports, a team that has operated with just one charter in the series without much success so far. It was already among the names being discussed a few weeks ago alongside the Haas Factory Team, which is also rumored to be shutting down its NASCAR operations.

“There’s some other talk regarding Hyak Motorsports, the team Ricky Stenhouse races for, and there’s reason to believe, or I guess rumors to suggest, that they might close up shop at the conclusion of this season,” the host on the podcast mentioned. “So I guess my—not that I necessarily believe that or this is not my scoop, but in that hypothetical, I guess there could be a world in which Ricky Stenhouse would take McDowell’s ride should he step away.

“I think that for me, that is the most logical route. Is it that if you asked me if McDowell retires, who drives his car next year? I would say Stenhouse is one, Kyle Busch is second, and the field is three.”

This is probably the ideal situation for RFK Racing and their plans. Earlier, Brad Keselowski explained how NASCAR charters work and that he could spend $40–80 million on a smaller team’s charter to secure a ride for his third driver in 2027. Hyak Motorsports fits that criteria exactly.

They are struggling among the full-time competitors, with just two top-10 finishes and one DNF in 11 races, while hardly attracting any revenue or sponsors. In that case, Keselowski and RFK Racing would not have to break the bank and could easily take over Hyak’s operations. While that would solve the problem for their driver, it also leaves a lingering question about Stenhouse Jr.’s future.

The 2023 Daytona 500 winner has yet to receive an invitation from a good team. For him, this will be a do-or-die season if Hyak Motorsports ends up shutting down. The only open spot on the grid right now points towards Richard Childress Racing and their deal with Kyle Busch. Although to replace a driver of Busch’s caliber and star power, Stenhouse Jr. will need some really strong results and multiple victories this season.

However, the hosts of Rubbin’ is Racing believe that Stenhouse Jr. is possibly the most logical choice for Childress in case they want to part ways with Busch. And the reason behind it is rather simple.

Kyle Busch is no longer the best version of himself

One of the insiders on the podcast brought up the recent incidents involving Kyle Busch. The race at Texas Motor Speedway was probably one of the better performances during Busch’s three-year slump in NASCAR. However, what he did at the end of the race was rather unacceptable.

Busch is currently risking a $50,000 fine from NASCAR over his aggressive move against John Hunter Nemechek. Earlier during the race, he also tried to shut down his spotter, who was trying to calm his aggression. The co-host of the podcast then argued that Busch is way past his stardom days in NASCAR.

“I don’t know what Kyle Busch wants, and I don’t know who wants Kyle Busch anymore,” the host said. “I saw a tweet that was basically like, ‘What a fall from grace! Kyle Busch is now beefing with John Hunter Nemechek, like, for 21st place while the guys he used to be competing with are, like, battling out up front.’

“I mean, Busch would be fun. I think that’d be a fun move, and I can’t think of anybody else I’d rather see in that seat just from, like, an experiment standpoint, but I don’t know if it’s the right answer.”

He further suggested that Busch should be replaced with a younger, better driver who can deliver the desired results for the team.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, Dale Jr. argued that Busch’s stardom is exactly what RCR currently needs. However, his radio fallout with the team and unnecessary moves against fellow drivers do raise the question: Is this his last dance with a top team?