For years, the colorful candy brand M&M’s was not just a logo on Kyle Busch’s car but a core part of his image. Fans dubbed him the “Candyman,” and always associated the #18 Toyota with the animated characters and the sweet sponsorship that brought charm and controversy to the track. Through wins, feuds, and championships, Busch and M&M’s created one of the most iconic commercial duos in the sport. But even this eventually ended.
In 2022, Mars Inc., the parent company of M&M’s, announced that it would be leaving NASCAR after more than 3 decades in the sport, due to a shift in its overall marketing strategy and a desire to explore new avenues for advertising and brand engagement. In March 2022, Anton Vincent, president of Mars Wrigley, North America, said, “There’s a lot of consumer interest and other passion points we need to get to.” The departure marked the end of an era, one where brands built long-standing, personality-driven campaigns around drivers.
This was followed by Kyle Busch leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, primarily due to a lack of sponsorship opportunities for his Cup Series program. JGR offered Busch a contract that involved him racing in an unsponsored car, which Busch refused. Ultimately, Busch found a new sponsorship deal and joined Richard Childress Racing. Now that the next chapter is starting to take shape in a bold new way, Kyle Busch has teamed up with a $138 billion company in a serious investment, blending lifestyle branding with motorsports once again. And, if you thought the Candyman era was over, what comes next might just be his most electrifying identity yet.
Kyle Busch is still pulling in big sponsors despite his on-track woes
Adam Stern, a reporter from the Sports Business Journal, reported that Kyle Busch teamed up with Anheuser-Busch to become the face of the brand’s new energy drink, Phorm Energy. Busch’s image had always been on a tightrope between talent and temperament. With 63 career Cup Series wins and 3 Championships, there was no doubt about his skill. But sponsors have sometimes been cautious around his fiery persona. After his breakup with M&M’s, Busch began positioning himself more authentically, and he is a top prospect for the big brands despite his shortcomings on the racetrack.
.@AnheuserBusch‘s new energy drink, Phorm Energy, has lined up @KyleBusch as an endorser for the brand. pic.twitter.com/SpEVktDhWz
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) May 29, 2025
Phorm Energy was born as a “vision to take The Lou’s best-kept secret and transform it into a national powerhouse in the energy drink category,” according to a May 28 press release. It also stated that the drinks feature only natural flavors and caffeine from green tea, which is blended with electrolytes for hydration and ingredients aimed at supporting mental focus.
But long before this, Busch had a plan of his own. In 2020, Kyle Busch launched his own energy drink company called Rowdy Energy. For several years, the brand was closely tied to Busch’s image, appearing prominently on his fire suit, across his cars and trucks, and regularly showing up in the Victory Lane. The venture also expanded its roster with athletes like John Hunter Nemechek and dirt racing star Rico Abreu, aiming to create a broader lifestyle brand.
But in early 2024, Busch made a surprising announcement that caught many people off guard. Posting on social media, he shared, “Like many other consumer brands, the headwinds have proven to be too strong, and it makes the most sense to end the journey so I can remain focused on my family and my racing career.” This marked the end of the Rowdy Energy era.
Now, a little more than a year later, Busch is returning to the energy drink space, this time playing a more conventional role. Rather than building a brand from the ground up, he is lending his image and influence as an endorser. Instead of a typical beer-brand NASCAR ad spot, this deal will see the RCR star stepping into the world of energy drinks once again as a high-profile face rather than an owner.
With a fresh product and a new partnership with one of the most powerful beverage brands, Rowdy is ready for another off-track chapter, this time hopefully for the long term.
Kyle Busch’s plan to stick with Richard Childress Racing
After he departed from Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch decided to team up with Richard Childress Racing in 2023. And let’s just say the switch hasn’t been a game changer for either party. Busch, for the first time in his career, failed to notch up a single win last year and missed the playoffs. He was vocal about his complaints, in demands for more speed and resources from the team. With Busch headed in his contract year driving the #8 car, this was proving to be a big storyline for this year’s silly season. But before the party began, RCR cleared the air and secured their star driver for another year. An extension until 2026.
“I really want to give thanks to Richard and Judy (Childress) and everyone at RCR for another opportunity to be able to go back and drive the 8 car for next season,” Busch shared. “There’s a lot of things happening behind the scenes. It’s a great place to be, a great place to work, a great atmosphere, and a lot of grit and determination with a lot of people up there in Welcome, North Carolina.”
Busch’s tally of 63 Cup Series wins includes 3 with RCR in 2023, but he has been seeking more consistency in the 2025 season. While this season hasn’t produced wins yet, it has included a Top 5 and three Top 10 finishes for Rowdy. “I think the speed has been there,” said Busch. “More and more, we continue to work on that and get that closer to where it’s consistent speed. I feel like there’s times in the race where we do have top speed, but it’s not the whole race. So, we’ve got to work beginning to end and being able to put everything together.”
Richard Childress, who is now in his 6th decade as a team owner and renowned for his historic partnership with Dale Earnhardt, sees great potential in Busch and is committed to supporting him fully. “Watching Kyle race and working with him, it’s been a great pleasure… I love a driver that doesn’t like to lose. We want to win races. I still think Kyle will win a championship, and we’re going to have it at RCR. That’s our plan,” said Richard.
Although many have written Kyle Busch and RCR off when it comes to contention for the championship. But with this new deal in place, backed by a sponsorship for Rowdy, things are looking up for him and the organization.
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