Kyle Busch

NASCAR Achievements

• 2015 Sprint Cup Champion
• 2015 Brickyard 400 winner
• 2012 Sprint Unlimited winner
• 2009 Nationwide (now called Xfinity) series Champion

Sprint Cup Statistics

• Best points finish: 1st (2015)
• First Win: 2005 Sony HD 500 - California
• Last Win: 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 - Homestead Miami
• Most wins in a season: 8 (2008)
• Total Sprint Cup wins: 34

Nationwide and Camping World Truck series Career

In addition to his success at the Cup level he’s known for dominating NASCAR’s other top two series: Nationwide and Camping World Trucks. He took the Nationwide championship in 2009. And despite only driving part-time in the Nationwide series in 2010 he still won 13 races, setting a record for most wins in a season, and finished 3rd in the points. With over 60 wins he is the all time leader in the series. He also has his own team in the Camping World Truck series, Kyle Busch Motorsports, which took the owner's championship in 2010.

Other Info

Sibling Rivalries

At the 2007 All Star Race in May he was attempting to pass his brother Kurt with 18 laps to go. Kyle made contact, lost control, spun, and hit the rear of Kurt’s Miller Lite Dodge, sending both cars into the wall. Interviewed afterward Kurt told Dick Berggren that he wouldn’t be eating Kellogg’s anytime soon, Kyle’s sponsor at the time. Reportedly the two hardly spoke to each other until Thanksgiving that year when their grandmother made them bury the hatchet.

Of Boos and Bows

After he wins he usually takes a bow in front of the fans, expressing gratitude and enraging those that don’t like him. In fact he is booed quite frequently and will often make crying gestures to spur on the crowd. While he has been known as a sore loser with a sour personality, many have noted a more positive and reserved Kyle Busch in the 2011 season, citing his recent marriage as a major reason. It’s also worth noting that some of NASCAR’s most accomplished drivers were booed in their day including Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and most recently Jimmie Johnson.

The Bristol Sweep

In late August of 2010 Kyle made history by becoming the first driver to win all three events in one race weekend. This happened at Bristol in the Camping World Trucks, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup races. Kyle was handed a broom in victory lane for completing the sweep. Former driver turned analyst Ricky Craven commented that while there were a handful of drivers (Craven himself included) that had wins across all three series Busch did it in one race weekend.

Feuds with Drivers and NASCAR

Kyle has had rivalries and feuds with other drivers including Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, and, most recently, Kevin Harvick. While the rivalry with Edwards has turned into mutual respect and the one with Keselowski seems to have simmered down from 2010, both he and Harvick have admitted to not liking each other. Though it wasn’t the beginning it all came to a head at the 2011 SHOtime Southern 500 at Darlington. After what Harvick saw as an intentional wreck in the final laps he blocked Busch’s car on pit road after the race, got out and attempted to punch Busch in the face. Kyle hit the gas, sending Harvick’s unmanned car into the pit road wall. Both were put on probation for a month.

Busch was also accosted by Harvick’s owner, Richard Childress, for banging doors with Joey Coulter’s truck after the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. According to ESPN analyst Marty Smith that is just driver code for “I’m letting you know I don’t like what you did” and something we see all the time and not that big a deal. Childress, 65, apparently didn’t feel the same way as he was reported to have put the 26 year old Busch in a headlock, punching him a few times. Childress was fined 150,000 dollars and put on probation the rest of the year. NASCAR saw no need to fine or discipline Busch.

On Novemember 4th 2011 at the truck race in Texas Kyle deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday under caution, ending Hornaday's chances at a fifth truck series title. Busch was black flagged the rest of the race and the next morning NASCAR officials announced he would remain parked for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup events that weekend. Busch was in the chase for the championship and mathematically had a shot at the crown, but missing an entire race ended any hope he had of a title, ultimately finishing last in the chase in 12th position. Sponsors M&Ms and Z-Line Designs, for Sprint Cup and Nationwide respectively, announced their displeasure with Busch. M&M's said they would be back as sponsor in 2012 but would pull out for the remaining two races. Z-Line Designs also requested that Busch's teammate Denny Hamlin drive the car for the Nationwide finale in Miami.

Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky

On July 9th 2011 Busch became the winner of the inaugural Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway. Busch commented that while he doesn’t currently have any of the big ones (most likely meaning the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400) this ranks up there with winning in Las Vegas (his hometown) as the most prestigious of his wins.

100th Win

On July 16th 2011 Busch won the New England 200 Nationwide race at New Hampshire. This victory was significant for two reasons: it tied him with Mark Martin for most wins all time in the series (49), and was his 100th win total across NASCAR's top three series. While some have started comparing him to NASCAR luminaries Richard Petty (200 wins) and David Pearson (105 wins), many argue that the comparison isn't apt as Petty and Pearson's wins all came in the top level Cup series, where Kyle, at the time of his 100th win, had only 22 wins.