Late NASCAR star Kyle Busch captures NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award

MIAMI — The late Kyle Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who died in May, was named the 2026 National Motorsports Press Association’s Most Popular Driver on Tuesday.

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Busch, who was 41 when he died on May 21, received the posthumous honor, tabulated through fan voting, during the NASCAR’s season-ending awards ceremony in Miami, according to NASCAR.com.

The driver’s widow, Samantha Busch, accepted the award on behalf of her husband, The Athletic reported. It is awarded by the National Motorsports Press Association.

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell acknowledged Kyle Busch to start the evening and directly addressed his widow, who was sitting next to seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson in the audience. The Busches have two children, 11-year-old son Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix.

“I want you to know that Brexton and Lennix and you will be with us forever,” O’Donnell said. “I said it in Charlotte (at a memorial service for Busch), and I mean it for the rest of the time we are all at NASCAR: You are always part of the NASCAR family.”

It was the first time the Cup award had been presented posthumously since 2001, when the late Dale Earnhardt captured the honor, NASCAR.com reported.

Kyle Busch was the younger brother of auto racing Hall of Famer Kurt Busch.

“There’s been so much love for Kyle from this sport over the past several months, and I wish more than anything that he could be here to see it,” Samantha Busch said, according to The Athletic. “He gave so much of his life to racing, and I know it would mean the world to him to see the impact he had on NASCAR and the people who love it.”

[ Death certificate: Kyle Busch had pneumonia for ‘days to weeks’ before he died ]

That love also included respect.

Fellow driver Chase Elliott, who has won the Most Popular Driver Award every year since 2018 and could have been a favorite this year, removed himself from the ballot, The Athletic reported.

“I do think it’s an opportunity for me to encourage the great supporters that I have, and the people that have supported my family over the years, to ultimately show that love and show that energy to Kyle and his family,” Elliott said last month in explaining his decision. “And, ultimately, I believe that he is a deserving winner of it and he has my vote. And I encourage those of you out there that I know want to get involved and want to take part in that to show him that same love.”

Samantha Busch acknowledged Elliott’s gesture in her remarks.

“I especially want to thank Chase Elliott and all the drivers who encouraged their fans to vote for (Kyle),” Samantha Busch said. “That respect from the drivers he raced against means so much.”

Kyle Busch’s death came 11 days after he radioed his crew near the end of a Cup Series race in Watkins Glen, asking a doctor to give him a “shot” after the race, The Associated Press reported.

He won 63 races on NASCAR’s main circuit and 234 across its three series -- more than any other driver.

The Athletic, citing the driver’s death certificate, reported that Busch died of natural causes at 4:37 p.m. ET on May 21.

According to the death certificate, pneumonia and sepsis were among a “chain of events” that led to Busch’s death. The Athletic reported that the sepsis lasted for one day.

The sepsis led to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a rare blood-clotting disorder. The condition cuts off the flow from blood vessels to body organs, USA Today reported.

In Busch’s case, the condition caused hemorrhagic shock caused by severe bleeding. The conditions lasted for hours, according to the newspaper.

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