Upon arriving at Daytona International Speedway, spotting a Kyle Busch fan is inevitable. As you drive under the tunnel into the infield, a ‘Rowdy Forever’ banner greets you, among many others. This weekend, the banners are omnipresent.
The reason is poignant. This is the first NASCAR Cup Series race here since Busch passed away in May. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled to conclude the regular season over three months after the sport lost a figure reminiscent of Dale Earnhardt.
In life and in legacy, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt are interlinked. Busch, who drove the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota, participated in the qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona back in February 2020.
Busch’s tragic death marked the first major NASCAR loss of an active driver since Earnhardt’s untimely accident in the 2001 Daytona 500. Daytona presented consistent challenges to Earnhardt. Despite numerous victories, the Daytona 500 win eluded him. Similarly, Busch won only one race at Daytona in his twenty-year career, missing out on the 500 victory.
He made an attempt earlier this year, securing his first Daytona 500 pole and leading 19 laps, but faltering in the end. Though Daytona never held the same fondness for Busch as it did for Earnhardt, he held it in high regard.
‘Led lap 3 for Dale plus a few more today,’ Busch posted after leading the race’s third lap, dedicated to Earnhardt on the 25th anniversary of his death. ‘Made it to the end, just not in the right spot.’
With the series returning posthumous of Busch—without any Earnhardt or Busch, marking a first since 1978—this is a historic moment.
Saturday’s race will be the first at Daytona in 48 years without an Earnhardt or a Busch. Back then, Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500, and Earnhardt initiated his Daytona career months later in the Firecracker 400.
Indeed, both Earnhardt and Busch are integral to NASCAR’s history. Dale passed away in the ’01 Daytona 500, the first race for Kurt Busch, while Kyle debuted in the series five years later with Hendrick Motorsports.
Kyle Busch won 63 Cup races in his two-decade career, alongside two championships and 234 wins across NASCAR’s national series. His accolades include one Coca-Cola 600, two Southern 500s, and three Indianapolis 500 triumphs. Although he won at Daytona, the cherished 500 remained out of reach.
‘Yeah, it’s a box we got to check,’ Busch said earlier this year. ‘Here we are. This is an opportunity to be able to do that. I’ve come down here a lot of years.’
Daytona didn’t favor Busch; it wasn’t his preferred racing venue. He faced his share of misfortune here. But now, his absence is palpable.
The presence of Kyle Busch, much like Dale Earnhardt, remains undeniable. His legacy persists, visible all around. Zach Dean, a writer for OutKick, captures the essence of Busch’s impact on NASCAR and Daytona.