John Hunter Nemechek needs to pay $6 Million for a JGR Cup seat in 2024: Kyle Busch

John Hunter Nemechek is JGR’s best alternative if Martin Truex Jr. retires.


John Hunter Nemechek needs to pay $6 Million for a JGR Cup seat in 2024: Kyle Busch

John Hunter Nemechek and Kyle Busch (Credits: NASCAR)

Two times NASCAR Cup series champion Kyle Busch has revealed the financial barrier stopping talented drivers from getting into the premier division. He pointed out that the Cup teams lack sustainable financial backing so they won’t invest in talents with championship potential. The teams will offer seats to drivers with proper sponsorship backing.

Busch said that ex-KBM driver John Hunter Nemechek, who is now a full-time racer in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, has to pay a minimum of $6 Million to secure a JGR Cup seat for the coming year. He added that it’s a hard truth everyone needs to accept as they can’t afford to field drivers who are without sponsors.

YouTube video

This isn’t to be mean or rude or a bad word, but he needs 6 million bucks and he’ll be in a JGR Cup car next year. It’s all he needs. It’s not a success game anymore. It’s a money game. So if he can find the cash, then there’ll be a seat for him. I’m pretty sure,” Kyle Busch said.

FS Video

He added that the proper talents not getting enough financial backing sometimes makes Cup races less competitive. Bush said, “But sometimes when you’re here in Cup or Xfinity or whatever, the talent isn’t quite as grand as maybe it could be. If you had all of those types of guys here, it would be a lot tougher,”.

Nemechek is seeking a revival of his career with the new Toyota journey. He landed a Cup ride with Front Row Motorsports after moderate success in lower divisions with Chevy and Ford teams. He was dropped after the rookie season. He joined KBM in 2021 after the poor Cup stint and got an Xfinity promotion to JGR following two solid seasons in the third division. He has been one of the consistent drivers of the series this season.

In case you missed it: Denny Hamlin backs ending NASCAR’s meaningful presence in the huge Southern California market in favor of Chase Elliott’s home state

Kyle Busch praises Rick Hendrick for sponsoring Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch

Busch pointed out that his former boss Rick Hendrick is the only team owner that invests in talents. He is talking about the fact that 2021 Cup champion Kyle Larson’s No:5 team’s primary sponsor is Hendrickscars.com. No other driver in the garage has a sponsor like that.

These owners anymore, there’s not enough money in the sport that they’re making. Money that they’re willing to reinvest it into their talent pool, into their driver pool, and put it out there. So I think Rick is probably the only one with Larson. Everybody else is all sponsorship-driven,” Kyle Busch said.

John Hunter Nemechek is one of the front runners to land the No:19 seat of Martin Truex Jr. once he retires. But JGR isn’t a team that could afford a driver without sponsorship, and he has no option but to bring that money to the table; the addition of LEGACY MC to the TRD garage opens up one more team he could join.

Discover more: