For years, Kyle Busch chased one NASCAR honor that always remained out of his reach. Even his fierce competitive spirit could not help him win it during his lifetime. But months after his sudden death, fans finally made his long-awaited dream come true. As Kyle was named the 2026 NMPA Most Popular Driver, his wife, Samantha Busch, accepted the award with an emotional tribute to the man behind the Rowdy legacy.

“Winning the Most Popular Driver award, he wanted it so bad,” Samantha said. 

Kyle had tried for years to win the award but never received it during his lifetime. However, months after his sudden death, NASCAR fans came together to give him the recognition he had always wanted. 

“He would try to rally the fans, and there was one year, I think, he didn’t see Chase (Elliott) out here or maybe Chase didn’t come and he was like, ‘I got it, I got it.’ He was so excited and then he didn’t. And so he called NASCAR, and he was like, ‘I want to see the numbers. How far off was I? Was I close?’ Kyle was very competitive, and he took this no differently,” Samantha said in a speech. 

Samantha later walked onto the stage to accept the award. Before speaking about Kyle’s legacy, she congratulated Kyle Larson and his wife, Katelyn, on the Cup Series championship. 

“There has 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 said during her acceptance speech, as reported by NASCAR.com.

Kyle was someone who never changed himself just to win people’s approval.

“Kyle never changed who he was to make people like him. He was passionate, outspoken and fiercely competitive. He was Rowdy through and through.,” Samantha said. 

Kyle’s nickname, Rowdy, suited his bold personality. He often received strong reactions from NASCAR fans.

“Whether you cheered for him or booed him, he gave you something to make noise about, and he loved that,” Samantha continued. “To Kyle, that passion was what made this sport so special.”

The award also gave their children, Brexton and Lennix, another reason to feel proud of their father.

“What makes this award extra special to me is what it gives to (son) Brexton and (daughter) Lennix. They miss their dad in ways that I can’t even begin to explain, but through this, they get to see another side of the dad that they love so much. There was no Rowdy without the fans, and there will never be another Rowdy because there is truly no one else like Kyle,” Samantha concluded the speech. 

Kyle’s death on May 21, 2026, at the age of 41, shocked the entire NASCAR community. According to a statement from his family, he died due to a severe illness. The disease caused serious complications in a short period.

At the time, he was racing full-time for Richard Childress Racing in his 22nd NASCAR Cup Series season. Even during his final weeks, he continued to make racing appearances despite his illness.

His last Cup Series points-paying race took place at Watkins Glen International on May 10. He finished eighth before returning to action in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15.

“You never know when the last one is, you know? I know all too well, unfortunately, with the Cup stuff, but here with the truck stuff, right now, it’s awesome just to be a part of Spire Motorsports,” Kyle said during his post-race interview.

Those words became even more emotional after his death just six days later.

Kyle made his final racing appearance at the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover on May 17. He finished 17th. He was also scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24. However, a severe illness forced him into the hospital before the race.

Rowdie has 234 National Series wins. Nobody in NASCAR history has more, and nobody is close. The two-time Cup champion’s 63 Cup victories alone would make a Hall of Fame case, but it is the 102 Xfinity wins and 69 Truck wins that turn his record into something no driver may ever touch.

His 234 victories across NASCAR’s three national series remain a record. Kyle also won races in all three series during the same Bristol race weekend twice. In 2023, NASCAR named him one of its 75 Greatest Drivers, recognizing his remarkable contribution to the sport.

Kyle Busch winning the award was great, but there’s a catch here too. Chase Elliott stepped aside from the 2026 Most Popular Driver award and encouraged fans to vote for Kyle.

Chase Elliott follows in his father’s footsteps to help Kyle 

Chase Elliott had won the Most Popular Driver award from 2018 to 2025. Other NASCAR drivers also supported Kyle’s campaign, asking their fans to help him win the honor.

“He has my vote, and I encourage those out there who want to get involved to show him that same love,” Elliott said, speaking about his decision in October. “It would be a really cool honor for him and his family.”

Interestingly, this was not the first time a NASCAR driver had stepped aside to help a fellow driver receive the award after his death.

In 2001, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a crash during the Daytona 500. At the time, Bill Elliott had won the Most Popular Driver award for 10 straight years, from 1991 through 2000. However, he withdrew his name from the competition after Earnhardt’s death. 

Earnhardt eventually won his first and only Most Popular Driver award posthumously in 2001. Bill’s decision became an important example of a driver putting aside his own record to honor a fellow competitor.

More than two decades later, his son Chase followed the same path. According to NASCAR.com, Kyle became the first driver outside the Earnhardt and Elliott families to win the Cup Series Most Popular Driver award since Darrell Waltrip in 1990.

Chase was not the only driver who supported Kyle Busch. Other drivers, including Kyle Larson, asked their fans to support Samantha’s husband. 

“At the end of the day, NASCAR is a big family,” she said, speaking to Autoweek.

Along with Kyle’s posthumous recognition, NASCAR also announced the Most Popular Driver winners in its other two national series.

Justin Allgaier won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series award for the seventh time. Layne Riggs received his first Most Popular Driver honor in the Craftsman Truck Series. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson officially received recognition as the 2026 Cup Series champion after winning his third career title.

However, Kyle Busch’s recognition at the ceremony meant much more than another award. It showed how deeply he connected with fans, fellow drivers and the entire NASCAR community.

Samantha’s emotional words also showed why this moment would remain special for Brexton and Lennix as they grow up and learn more about their father’s life. Kyle never got to hear his name announced as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver during his lifetime. But his fans and the sport finally gave him the honor he had wanted for so many years.