August 18, 2026
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – On what certainly feels a fitting date to celebrate Kyle Busch’s impact on NASCAR, today – 8.18 a nod to Busch’s famed car numbers – the sport’s entire industry will recognize “Kyle Busch Day” with competitors, crew members, team owners and corporate execs sharing favorite memories of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion on multiple media platforms.
Busch, 41, passed away unexpectedly May 21 of complications from severe bacterial pneumonia and sepsis, however the impact of his life and career will never cease thanks to an amazing legacy he established both on and off the race track.
Using hashtags such as #ForeverRowdy and #KyleBuschDay on social media, those who knew the late superstar best and those who may have only admired his flair and style from a distance will participate in the day-long tribute to one of the most talented drivers in the sport’s history, and certainly one of its most charitable hearts.
“I think it’s an awesome remembrance and way to show he’s still on the top of all of our minds,” said Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell, who credits Busch with helping establish his own NASCAR career.
“I think the industry has done really, really, good of not letting it just go. He had such a big impact on the whole industry. So, I’m glad they’re implementing it and I know it will go on for years to come and will be something we always cherish.”
Busch is the all-time winningest driver in NASCAR’s three national series with an astounding – and never to be matched – combined 234 victories.
The 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion has 63 wins in NASCAR’s premier series, ranking him ninth on the all-time list – driving for legendary teams and NASCAR Hall of Fame owners such as Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress.
The 8-18 is a nod to the No. 8 Chevrolet Busch was driving for Childress when he passed away this spring and the No. 18 Toyota, which he won his season titles with driving for Gibbs.
“I think that’s really cool the 8-18,” said Busch’s RCR teammate Austin Dillon. “I got to hang out with Brexton, and Sam and Lennix this week at RCR family day so anything we can do as a sport to honor Kyle, we should.”
The 2009 champion in what is now called the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Busch is the all-time winningest driver with 102 victories – more than twice that of any other driver in series history.
Busch’s 69 trophies from competition in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is most all-time as well. He hoisted the last of those only six days before he passed after leading a typically dominating 147 of the 200 laps – from pole position – in the Truck race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
Not only was his skill appreciated, but behind the brash bold competitive personality Busch was a devoted husband to Samantha and proud father to Brexton and Lennix – whether it be meticulously guiding 11-year-old Brexton’s young racing career or twirling around his beloved four-year-old Lennix dressed in a princess gown. His love for his young family was always first in his heart.
He and Samantha founded the Bundle of Joy Fund to help provide IVF access, the dedication touching countless souls after candidly sharing the couple’s own challenges with infertility treatment. The tireless work they put into creating and funding this charity is absolutely indicative of the ways the Busch’s hoped to positively impact other families.
It’s indicative of the passion Busch possessed and shared. And for a racer who loved to test the tolerance and gumption of his competitors, they all respected his talent on track and that compassion off it.
“I think it’s important,” Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron said of today’s industry-wide tribute. “The way that life happens, people don’t take a lot of time to reflect. Thinking about some of the things we remember about him and seeing Ty’s [Gibbs] Bristol [paint] scheme to honor him, shows there’s still ways that we are remembering him and he’s still staying in everyone’s minds.
“I think that’s really important we keep that going.”
For a lot of drivers, Busch was their first crucial nod of approval. And it could be life changing. Bell and Spire Motorsports driver Daniel Suarez are among the long list of competitors who credit Busch with giving them their first big break.
“I think it’s very nice that NASCAR continues to think about Kyle, about Samantha and his family,” said Suarez.
“In other scenarios, I would be very easy to just do a tribute and move on, but NASCAR doesn’t. They continue to honor him and I’m very proud of NASCAR for doing that. I’m very proud also of Samantha for allowing us to do this. I have a lot of memories with him, a lot of times with him, and I’m looking forward to sharing something good about him, something that makes me smile on that day.”
As with Suarez, Bell grins widely thinking about his mentor and friend. Busch challenged them in ways that changed their lives and fulfilled their dreams.
“Certainly, what I will always remember are all the collective moments,” Bell said, adding with a playful smile. “He had two completely different demeanors, this big brash person, but the most kind-hearted guy as well.
“He obviously had the biggest impact on me, more than any driver in the sport with the Kyle Busch Motorsports program and the Truck Series. And then when I graduated to JGR, he was the teammate that kinda looked after me. He had a really big impact on my life.”
A public Celebration of Life for Busch will be held Oct. 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway following the day’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. It’s a way for the public to join the Busch family in honoring his unique and plentiful contributions not only as a champion race car driver, but also as someone whose generous spirit extends well beyond.
Kyle Busch – By The Numbers
From Las Vegas, NV
5/2/1985-5/21/2026 (41 years old)
- Two-time NASCAR Cup Champion (2015, 2019)
- 2005 Cup Rookie of the Year
- 63 Cup wins rank ninth all-time
- 63 Cup wins came in 19 seasons
- 63 wins came on 25 different tracks
- 63 wins came for three different teams (JGR-56, Hendrick-4, RCR-3)
- 19 straight seasons with a win is the Cup Series record
- First Cup win was at Auto Club Speedway on 9/4/2005 (was the youngest Cup winner at the time at 20 y: 04 m: 02 d)
- First Cup pole was at Auto Club Speedway on 2/26/2005 (was the youngest Cup pole winner at the time at 19 y: 09 m: 24 d)
- Winningest driver of the decade between 2010-2019 with 40 wins
- 2018 Coca-Cola 600 win made him the first driver to win on every track he competed on with his win at Charlotte (additional tracks were added afterward that he never won on)
- Swept both the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race and the Cup Series race a record 12 times
- Only driver to win in Trucks, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Cup series in the same weekend (Bristol in 8/10 and 8/17)
- Eight Cup wins at Bristol were his most at a track
- Ranked in the top-10 with 63 wins (9th), 254 top-5s (9th), 394 top-10s (7th), 19,485 laps led (9th)
- 2015, 2016 Brickyard 400 winner
- 2008 Southern 500 winner
- 2019 Coca-Cola 600 winner
- Won both Cup races he competed in on his birthday (5/2/09 at Richmond, 5/2/21 at Kansas)
- Won the Cup race at his home track in Las Vegas in 2009 after winning the pole (started the race in the rear after an engine change)
- Gave Toyota it’s first Cup win in a points race at Atlanta in March 2008
- Gave Toyota it’s first Cup Championship in 2015
- Competed in at least one Cup race in 23 seasons
- 2026 was his 22nd full-time Cup season
- 2009 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion
- 102 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins lead all drivers by 53 wins (Mark Martin ranks second with 49)
- 39 of his 102 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins came from pole (more than all but two other drivers have in career wins in the series)
- Oldest driver to win five straight starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at 36 y: 02 m: 08 d
- 13 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins in 2010 are the most in a season, his 12 wins in 2013 are the second most
- Became the leader in NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at Bristol on 8/26/2011 with his 50th win
- 102 wins, 70 poles, 54 runner-ups, 226 top-fives, 20,129 laps led in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series lead all drivers
- Led 31% of all laps he raced in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
- 69 Truck wins lead all drivers by 18 wins (Ron Hornaday Jr. ranks second with 51 wins)
- 38% win percentage in Trucks (69 wins in 184 starts)
- Won a Truck-record seven straight starts between 2018 and 2020
- Only driver to win at least five straight Truck starts more than once (did it three times)
- Owned Kyle Busch Motorsports which leads all teams with 100 wins and 70 poles in Trucks
- Two drivers won the Truck championship driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017)
- Seven Truck Owner Championships are the most of all teams
- Kyle Busch Motorsports ran two seasons in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with one win: Richmond in 2012 with Kurt Busch
- Father is Tom, Mom is Gaye, brother is Kurt
- Married Samantha Sarcinella in Chicago on 12/31/10
- Son Brexton Locke Busch born on 5/18/2015
- Daughter Lennix Key Busch born on 5/10/2022
- Foundation is The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund (founded in 2015 to provide financial support for IVF)
