Bush, Championships, JGR, MWR, tides have turned

Love him or hate him, Kyle Bush as an excellent racer. I say racer, because his skills are not just limited to stock car driving. Kyle Bush takes on many different forms of motor sports including ownership, which any true race fan knows, in order to be a successful owner, you must think like a racer; ie: you are a racer.

I wish Bush was running the entire Nationwide schedule this year but unfortunately, his Cup boss, JGR, decided that he needs the time on the Cup side to get his cars extra ready for the final push toward a championship.

In a sport where the barriers to entry are very difficult to overcome, and even more demanding to stay, winning races is special, and winning championships even more special. However, winning a championship is the key component to reaching the status of elite. Kyle Bush has a Nationwide Championship. Kyle Bush has Cup Chase births and Cup wins. But Kyle Bush doesn't have a Cup Championship and that is what he needs to truly become considered elite. Think of Charles Barkley.

Martin Truex has two Nationwide Championships. Would you consider Truex a more successful driver than Kyle Bush?

Brian Vickers has a Nationwide title. Who do you consider to be a better Cup driver?

With that said (written), I am looking forward to watching Kyle Bush win a Cup Championship because I think he is a special talent and I want to see him achieve the elite driver status. However, until recently, I do not think he could achieve this goal without cutting back on his Nationwide and Truck commitments. Now Kyle has put himself in the best possible situation to achieve the goal of a Cup Championship. And, by being a good teammate to Denny Hamlin and Joe Logano, he should reap the rewards of a team whose owners want that championship even more than any one of their drivers. If you have not figured it out yet, the tides have turned, and JGR with Toyota is the new Hendrick. As Hendrick's drivers and their reflexes age into the sunset, JGR's stable is just entering their middle years....and the team still has room to add a 4th driver to their stable.

Penske's program is getting better each weekend too as is MWR. I am looking for Brad Keselowski to win the Nationwide Championship this year and that will jump him into a new category, and then for Keselowski to slow down his Nationwide commitments next year in order to focus on Cup...ala Kyle Bush this year.

Penske and MWR are improving....Henrick has been on the top......something will change and I think it has already started. What cements all of these changes, just like what solidifies a driver to actual elite status is the same; Championships.