Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is making a bold change to spark new life into its NASCAR Cup Series program. The team announced Thursday that Jim Pohlman will become Kyle Busch’s new crew chief for the 2026 season.
Jim Pohlman replaces Randall Burnett, who’s heading to Trackhouse Racing to lead rookie Connor Zilisch. The move highlights Richard Childress Racing’s determination to restore Busch’s winning form and push the No. 8 team back into championship contention.
Jim Pohlman Brings Proven Winning Experience
A familiar face to RCR, Jim Pohlman, is returning to the team with a strong résumé. “A determined competitor, Pohlman previously worked at RCR as the organization’s head of research and development.”
“Since taking over the reins as crew chief of the No. 7 Chevrolet with driver Justin Allgaier at JR Motorsports in 2023, Jim Pohlman has built a winning program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series that includes nine wins.”
“He guided Allgaier to a Championship 4 appearance during their rookie year together in 2023, and followed up their first-year success with a dominating performance that led Justin Allgaier to his first Xfinity Series championship in 2024. The duo is currently battling to defend the 2024 title with another NASCAR Playoffs appearance.”
Jim Pohlman’s steady, data-driven approach, focusing on tire management, restarts, and execution, has been praised as an ideal match for the tighter competition under NASCAR’s Next Gen car rules.
“Everyone at Richard Childress Racing remains focused on improving performance and is committed to putting the right people in place, including on the No. 8 team,” said team owner Richard Childress. “Jim Pohlman is a relentless competitor and fits in perfectly with our mission at RCR. He’s been here before, and we know he’ll do a great job leading Kyle Busch.”
Jim Pohlman also brings Cup experience from his time calling races for Juan Pablo Montoya at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2011.
Kyle Busch Aims for Redemption with Richard Childress Racing
For Kyle Busch, this change could be the reset he needs. Since joining RCR in 2023, the two-time Cup champion has faced a long dry spell. He’s gone 90 races without a win, his longest career drought, and has missed the playoffs two straight seasons.
Andy Street will serve as interim crew chief for the final three races of 2025, including this weekend’s Talladega playoff event.
Kyle Busch, 40, remains optimistic about the future. After Kansas, he said, “We worked throughout the race to fix some rear grip issues. Now, it’s all about consistency, finishing up front and getting our RCR car back to Victory Lane.”
Many insiders believe this new pairing could reignite Kyle Busch’s career. But some fans are not happy about this initiative.
Barry Taylor, a fan, has this to say: “So he’s been in the Xfinity series for a while now. He has no experience with the NextGen7 car or an IMSA car setup. So he will be 4 years behind Hendrick engineers on setting up these IMSA cars.”
As Jim Pohlman finishes his Xfinity duties, both he and Kyle Busch are focused on 2026, a season that could define their comeback. And with Talladega on deck, fans might get the first glimpse of what’s next for the No. 8 team.
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