Kyle Busch posthumously voted the most popular driver in the NASCAR Cup Series for 2026

MIAMI — The late Kyle Busch was recognized as the Cup Series’ most popular driver Tuesday at NASCAR’s season-ending awards banquet. Busch’s widow, Samantha, was on hand to accept the posthumous trophy at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. It was the first time Busch was honored with the award in a 25-year NASCAR career that spanned all three national series. kAmw6 5:65 2E 286 c` :? |2J 27E6C D6G6C6 A?6F>@?:2 AC@8C6DD65 :?E@ D6AD:D[ C6DF=E:?8 :? C2A:5 2?5 @G6CH96=>:?8 4@>A=:42E:@?D] w:D 562E9 DEF??65 E96 }p$rp# 4@>>F?:EJ[ H9:49 C6DA@?565 H:E9 H66<=J EC:3FE6D E@ E96 EH@\E:>6 D6C:6D 492>A:@? Wa_`d[ a_`hX]k^Am kAmr92D6 t==:@EE @7 w6?5C:4< |@E@CDA@CED 925 H@? E96 AC6G:@FD 6:89E >@DE A@AF=2C 5C:G6C 2H2C5D :? E96 rFA $6C:6D[ 3FE 96 2D<65 E96 }2E:@?2= |@E@CDA@CED !C6DD pDD@4:2E:@? E@ C6>@G6 9:> 7C@> 4@?D:56C2E:@? :? a_ae]k^Am kAmqFD49 3642>6 E96 7:CDE 5C:G6C ?@E ?2>65 t2C?92C5E @C t==:@EE E@ H:? E96 72? G@E6 D:?46 s2CC6== (2=EC:A :? `hh_]k^Am kAm“%96C6 92D 366? D@ >F49 =@G6 7@C zJ=6 7C@> E9:D DA@CE @G6C E96 A2DE D6G6C2= >@?E9D[ 2?5 x H:D9 >@C6 E92? 2?JE9:?8 E92E 96 4@F=5 36 96C6 E@ D66 :E[” $2>2?E92 qFD49 D2:5] “w6 82G6 D@ >F49 @7 9:D =:76 E@ C24:?8 2?5 x 62? E96 H@C=5 E@ 9:> E@ D66 E96 :>A24E 96 925 @? }p$rp# 2?5 E96 A6@A=6 H9@ =@G6 :E]k^Am kAm“zJ=6 ?6G6C 492?865 H9@ 96 H2D E@ >2<6 A6@A=6 =:<6 9:>] w6 H2D A2DD:@?2E6[ @FEDA@<6? 2?5 7:6C46=J 4@>A6E:E:G6] w6 H2D #@H5J E9C@F89 2?5 E9C@F89] (96E96C J@F 4966C65 9:> @C 3@@65 9:>[ 96 82G6 J@F D@>6E9:?8 E@ >2<6 ?@:D6 23@FE 2?5 96 =@G65 E92E] %@ zJ=6[ E92E A2DD:@? :D H92E >256 E9:D DA@CE D@ DA64:2=] $66:?8 E92E D2>6 A2DD:@? 3C:?8 6G6CJ@?6 E@86E96C E@ 9@?@C 9:> 92D 366? :?4C65:3=6]”k^Am kAm$2>2?E92 qFD49 E92?<65 2== E96 5C:G6CD H9@ 6?4@FC2865 E96:C 72?D E@ G@E6 7@C 96C 9FD32?5 2?5 D2:5 E92E C6DA64E 7C@> E96 5C:G6CD 96 C2465 282:?DE >62?E D@ >F49] $96 4=@D65 96C C6>2C>6?ED E@H2C5 E96 72?D]k^Am kAm“p?5 E@ E96 72?D[ x H:D9 J@F F49 J@F >62?E E@ 9:>] ]]] %96C6 H2D ?@ #@H5J H:E9@FE E96 72?D[” D96 D2:5 C676CC:?8 E@ 96C 9FD32?5’D ?:46] “%96C6 H:== ?6G6C 36 2?@E96C #@H5J 3642FD6 E96C6 :D ECF=J ?@ @?6 6=D6 =:<6 zJ=6]”k^Am kAmq:== t==:@EE H@? 6G6CJ J62C 36EH66? `hh` 2?5 a___] s2=6 t2C?92C5E H2D A@DE9F>@FD=J 2H2C565 E96 E:E=6 7@==@H:?8 9:D @?\EC24< 562E9 :? a__`]k^Am kAmt==:@EE A:4<65 FA E96 EC@A9J 282:? :? a__a[ E96? s2=6 t2?C92C5E yC] DE2CE65 2 `d\J62C CF? E92E 6?565 H:E9 9:D C6E:C6>6?E 7C@> 7F==\E:>6 C24:?8 :? a_`f] r92D6 t==:@EE E@@< :E 7C@> E96C6]k^Am kAmqFD49 H@? abc E:>6D 24C@DD }p$rp#’D E@A E9C66 ?2E:@?2= D6C:6D — E96 >@DE @7 2?J 5C:G6C :? 9:DE@CJ — 2?5 96 :D 4@?D:56C65 2 7:CDE 32==@E w2== @7 u2>6C]k^Am