Jim Pohlman will rejoin RCR

Jim Pohlman returns to the spotlight in NASCAR, and he’s bringing a brutally honest take on what it will take to get Kyle Busch back to Victory Lane.

The veteran crew chief has officially signed with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and will lead Busch’s No. 8 Cup car beginning in the 2026 NASCAR season, replacing the now-departed Randall Burnett, a decision that Denny Hamlin made his feelings clear on.

In an interview with Racer, Pohlman didn’t sugarcoat the road ahead. “We’re probably a lot alike,” he said of himself and Busch. “I haven’t seen his analytical chart … but having done the crew-chief role and reading people, I would say we’re probably identical. There might be some spats, I’m not going to lie.”

Busch's 63 Cup wins are most among active drivers

He added, “He’s passionate. I’m passionate. The end goal is that he wants to win races, and he wants to do that at RCR.”

That kind of frankness could be just what Busch, who is winless since 2023, needs. The two-time Cup champion has struggled to recapture his prior dominance inside RCR’s No. 8 car, and the organization hopes Pohlman’s approach will jolt the program back to life.

Pohlman brings strong credentials. Most recently, he led JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier to the 2024 Xfinity Series championship. Over three years together, that duo racked up nine wins and never finished below third in points.

Before rejoining RCR full-time, Pohlman oversaw its research and development efforts, giving him familiarity with the organization and a deep technical perspective on the current-generation Cup car.

Pohlman acknowledges the challenge ahead. The Cup Series has evolved rapidly since his last full-time stint in 2011, and adapting to today’s aerodynamics, tires, and horsepower packages will demand full commitment.

“When we got the first car through there, I understood the rule and mindset of what NASCAR was after,” Pohlman said. “I think that helped me at RCR when I got there because it put me, not a step ahead, but having been involved and understanding the car from conception was important.

 

“To move forward, obviously, I’m three years behind. Things have developed and changed. I’m just going to have to get in there and dig and find out where they’re at, right? The mindset and the rules are still the same from four years ago.”

Pohlman said he plans to “lead by example,” sometimes grabbing a wrench himself, big picture and hands-on in equal measure. He believes keeping crew morale high during long seasons is essential, especially on a team under intense pressure to end a long winless drought.

Busch seems to share that confidence. “You’re not hiring a guy based on results in a Cup car, that’s yet to be seen, but hopefully he’s the guy that can lead us in the right direction,” Busch said after the announcement.