On November 22, 2015, as the final circuits concluded at the Ford Ecoboost 400 in Homestead, the entire No. 18 M&M’s Toyota squad—comprising proprietor Joe Gibbs, team chief Adam Stevens, and half a dozen yellow-clad crew members—exhibited signs of extreme tension, their anticipation clashing with apprehension. With the championship title at stake, every individual on the team was visibly distressed and perspiring.
However, the driver, Kyle Busch, remained an exception, observed crooning a children’s animated program’s jingle.
Approaching his championship victory, Busch vocalized the “VocabuLarry” theme, a program adored by his infant son, Brexton, then six months old. This peculiar habit maintained his composure, thoroughly perplexed his crew chief… and proved effective.
That evening, Kyle Busch secured his inaugural Cup championship. That evening, he affirmed his self-proclaimed prowess. That evening, his achievements finally aligned with his assertions.
Kyle Busch passed away on Thursday afternoon, delivering a profound jolt to a sport that had previously endured numerous such losses. He embodied a classic racing persona, an endearing troublemaker who would outperform rivals on the circuit before verbally sparring with them off it. Yet, he possessed a reflective and astute mind, content to embrace the antagonist role for public consumption, but even more content to engage with children—whether autograph seekers or his own offspring—when public attention shifted.
Busch displayed such early and exceptional skill that he largely bypassed the need for acquiring modesty. By age 16, he was competing nationally, and by 20, he was securing pole positions and Cup wins for the renowned Hendrick Motorsports. Achieving triumphs at such a rapid pace often inflates one’s ego, and Busch proved to be such a formidable challenge that Hendrick terminated their association in 2007.
He then sought opportunities within the racing community, encountering an unlikely supporter in Gibbs, the former Super Bowl-winning NFL head coach, who had considerable familiarity in managing volatile, passionate young adults in their early twenties.
Busch later recounted Gibbs remarking, “You’re a rather volatile and temperamental individual, frequently encountering difficulties. What justification is there for us to employ you?”
“You likely shouldn’t,” Busch admitted. Nevertheless, Gibbs proceeded, forging a collaboration that would become among the most triumphant in NASCAR’s annals.
Driving Gibbs’ distinctive yellow M&M’s No. 18 Toyota, Busch secured 56 Cup victories and two championship titles. Throughout his professional tenure, he captured at least one Cup race annually from 2005 to 2023, and no other competitor has amassed more wins across all three of NASCAR’s national circuits than Busch’s 234. If legendary Richard Petty trails your career win total by 34, it signifies exceptional driving prowess.
Kyle Busch commemorates his 2015 Cup championship win alongside his son Brexton and spouse Samantha.
(Sarah Crabill via Getty Images)
The 2015 racing season represented a critical juncture in Busch’s career trajectory. In February of that year, he sustained fractures in both legs during an Xfinity Series event at Daytona, when his vehicle veered across the infield turf and struck an unshielded barrier in the first turn of the expansive circuit.
Physicians projected Busch’s absence for half a year; however, he resumed racing within three months. He achieved victory in his fifth return race, subsequently securing triumphs in three of the following four events. Despite the competition having a three-month advantage, he swiftly closed the gap within a few weeks.
His personal life also underwent a transformation in 2015. His wife, Samantha, delivered their son, Brexton, on May 18th, coinciding with Busch’s recovery period from his Daytona injuries. Abruptly, the driver, intensely focused on racing, encountered a broader perspective on existence beyond the racetrack and discovered that life encompassed more than mere velocity.
“Engaging in the recovery process, I would not suggest it as a path to a championship,” Busch stated then, “yet it fortified us both mentally and physically.”
He triumphed in that 2015 championship event, alongside numerous subsequent races. Crucially, he also earned esteem—from his peers, the spectators, and the sport as a whole. Similar to Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart prior to him, he matured into his abilities and shed his contentious demeanor.
Mostly, that is. Busch retained his fondness for delivering exaggerated bows to disapproving fans following additional victories, though he did so with a smile. It was a well-understood ritual, recognized by all as an integral element of the spectacle.
Kyle Busch bows following his victory at Bristol in 2009.
(John Harrelson via Getty Images)
However, the distinction between entertainment and competition lies in the unscripted nature of races. One must personally secure victory, circuit after circuit, venue after venue. And for many years, well beyond his championship seasons, he consistently participated and achieved wins.
His latest triumph occurred merely six days prior, when he clinched the Truck Series event at Dover. Donning a Hendrick Motorsports firesuit—an indication that he and Rick Hendrick had reconciled long ago—he filled it out slightly more, a natural progression for most. His physical motions were somewhat less nimble than during his brash youth, and the crowd now offered cheers instead of jeers, but as he stood on the circuit, relishing yet another win, he seemed perfectly at home.
“Kyle, why do these instances retain their freshness?” inquired Amanda Busick of Fox Sports.
“Because one can never foresee when the ultimate one will be,” Busch responded, with a smile.
Unbeknownst to him then—indeed, who could have foreseen it?—that particular event marked Kyle Busch’s concluding points race. How appropriate, how ideal, how perfectly suited that he emerged victorious.
