Benching Addington wasn't his call, Kyle Busch says
Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009
Getty Images for NASCAR
HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Steve Addington, crew chief for the #18 Pedigree Toyota, watches during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images for NASCAR
LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 18: Kyle Busch (left), driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, talks with crew chief Steve Addington (right) during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 18, 2009 in Loudon, New Hampshire (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Kyle Busch (left) talks with team owner Joe Gibbs after the race at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 12, 2009. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
AP
J.D. Gibbs with Joe Gibbs Racing talks about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s future, following Earnhardt's announcement earlier in the week that he will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of this season, Saturday, May 12, 2007, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Emily Horos)
Getty Images for NASCAR
LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 19: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, prepares to drive during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 19, 2009 in Loudon, New Hampshire (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Kyle Busch, speaking publicly for the first time about the removal of crew chief Steve Addington, said the decision was made by team owner Joe Gibbs and team president J.D. Gibbs.
“It’s their organization and they’re one of the best at knowing what’s best for their organization,” Busch said. “Steve was a great asset to the team – he’s done a great job over the past two seasons and, unfortunately, we haven’t quite had the success we would have liked this year and we’ve struggled a lot.”
Since Busch joined Joe Gibbs Racing at the start of the 2008 season, he and Addington have won 12 races. They qualified for the Chase last season, but four wins mixed with several bad performances left them out of the Chase this season.
“I don’t think it was Steve that didn’t give me what I needed, I don’t think it was the engineers. It was just something didn’t click,” Busch said.
“Obviously, this is a performance-based business and we’ve got to be the best we can out there. When you’re not beating (Jimmie Johnson), something has to change.”
JGR’s Nationwide crew chief, Dave Rogers will take over as crew chief of the No. 18 next weekend at Texas.
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