The early union of Richard Childress and Kyle Busch is off to a good start as the NASCAR Cup Series champion owner and the two-time champion driver continue to get to know each other.

Earlier this month, Busch participated in the Goodyear tire test at Circuit of The Americas. Busch was one of three drivers at the test, as each manufacturer had a representative. Busch was the Chevrolet representative in his No. 8. It is the first time he’s been in a Chevy since he drove for Rick Hendrick from 2004 through 2007.

Looking good, @KyleBusch and @RCRracing! pic.twitter.com/EvEWY5HM1Q

— Netspend (@Netspend) January 20, 2023

“I think one of the things about Kyle each time I’ve talked to him,” Childress said earlier this week, (he says), ‘Man, I can’t wait to go have some fun.’ ‘Man, I had some fun down there at COTA. I can’t wait until we go test and have some fun.’ I’ve asked a couple of drivers, why did you get into racing to start with? Well, to go out and have some fun and enjoy it.

“So many drivers, I think, today have forgotten why they got into racing, but Kyle Busch hasn’t. He still is a racer. He loves to race, and it is fun to him to go out and race and win.”

Busch signed a multiyear deal to drive for Richard Childress Racing beginning this season. Childress will be the third team Busch has driven for in the NASCAR Cup Series, coming after a successful 15-year tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing that produced two titles and 56 victories.

“Kyle will bring a lot of experience and knowledge,” Childress said. “I think he’ll help Austin (Dillon) a lot in his career. I think he can help our whole organization from a standpoint of what we need to do better and go faster. That’s what we’re looking forward to with him.”

Childress drivers — Dillon and Tyler Reddick — won four races last season. Both drivers made the playoffs. It was the most successful season for Childress since former driver Kevin Harvick won four races for the organization in 2013.

The last Cup Series championship for Childress was in 1994. With the addition of Busch, Childress is excited to keep the company’s winning ways going and said he wants to have more wins than last season.

Busch has never had a winless season in his career.

“I think he’s going to fit in with this group of guys as good as anybody,” Childress said. “Just watching his interaction with the guys and interactions I’ve had with him, everyone is excited about it. I know he’s excited. The tests have been good.

“They went to COTA and won a little sports car race down there. To have him go out and win a race right off with Austin (Dillon) and Sheldon (Creed) was a pretty neat deal. I was down there for that and just watching how he gets in there and works with everybody. He’s a racer, he wants to win and that’s what I love.”