With his famed resume boasting two NASCAR Cup Series championships, 63 Cup race victories, and a staggering 232 total wins across NASCAR divisions, Kyle Busch is all but guaranteed a spot in the Hall of Fame. Yet, the Richard Childress Racing driver recently opened up about one elusive accolade he hopes to claim before joining his brother Kurt Busch among NASCAR’s immortals.
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After 2004 NASCAR Cup champion Kurt Busch was officially announced as a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Kyle was asked whether their sibling rivalry on the track fueled his own ambitions — and if so, what remains on his bucket list. Busch didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah. I mean, obviously, I think there’s one box left for me to check off, which is winning the Daytona 500. So, it would certainly be special to win that and to just basically have everything that you could accomplish in this sport accomplished, and that would be most meaningful for me to be able to go into the Hall of Fame with,” Busch said.
Though the notion of his own induction has crossed his mind, Busch signaled he still has plenty of competitive years left. He offered heartfelt congratulations to his brother, calling the honor an “amazing milestone” that neatly caps his career filled with race wins, championships, All-Star victories, Coca-Cola 600, and Daytona 500 wins — everything a driver dreams of achieving.
Kyle, however, has yet to seize the elusive Daytona 500 victory before he makes it to the HoF. In his 22-year Cup career, he’s come agonizingly close on multiple occasions. His closest brush with the Harley J. Earl Trophy came in 2019 while driving the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
On his 14th attempt at conquering the Great American Race, Busch crossed the line second, trailing teammate Denny Hamlin, with Erik Jones completing the JGR sweep. That runner-up finish eclipsed his previous best, a third-place showing in 2016.
In the 2023 Daytona 500, Busch once again appeared primed for a breakthrough. Leading from laps 197 to 202, he found himself at the front of the field in a race originally slated to end at lap 200. However, two overtime extensions stretched the spectacle to a record 212 laps.
In the final overtime restart, Busch muscled his way from fifth to second in the outside lane, hot on Joey Logano’s tail entering Turn 1. But the charged atmosphere unraveled in Turn 2, where a slight clip to Busch’s left-rear quarter panel sent his car spinning into the outside SAFER barrier, dashing his hopes yet again.
For now, Busch has one more shot at Daytona glory in 2026. Richard Childress Racing and Busch have agreed to a contract extension through that season, despite his winless run since capturing three wins in the opening 16 races of 2023.
