A thrilling final-lap pass decided third place by just 0.011 seconds. This proved that Kurt Busch still has his magic touch. The 2004 NASCAR champion made a great move in the final corner of Sunday’s vintage race at Le Mans to take the final podium spot. This hard-fought finish was a powerful and emotional moment for his family. Kyle Busch’s sudden death on May 21 shattered the NASCAR world, leaving fans and drivers completely heartbroken.

For Kurt, the pain of losing his little brother was even deeper. But he found a way to honor Kyle by doing what they both loved most: racing.

Kurt Busch shines on his Le Mans debut

Before traveling to France, Kurt changed the number on his 2020 Chevrolet Camaro. He took off his usual No. 1 and put Kyle’s famous No. 8 on the doors. Kurt wanted the race to be a perfect tribute to his brother, a two-time Cup Series champion.

“I said a couple of weeks ago that Kyle’s ‘spirit will always ride with me,’ and the first time will be on one of the greatest tracks in the world this weekend,” Busch said via IMSA. “It is still incomprehensible to think he is gone, not suiting up for the next race as he did for nearly his entire life, but Kyle would have loved to have been right there racing alongside me and our friends at Le Mans. It would be great to make it a fitting tribute with a win for him in full Kyle style.”

Kyle Busch, at 41, died in Charlotte, North Carolina, just hours after he was admitted to a hospital with a “severe illness.” His family later revealed that he had pneumonia that rapidly progressed into sepsis and led to his demise. He left behind his wife, Samantha, and two children, son Brexton and daughter Lennix.

Just over a month later, his older brother took his memory to the famous track in France. Over the July 4th weekend, the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) series made its first trip overseas. They went to celebrate 50 years since NASCAR first raced at Le Mans in 1976.

The field was full of classic stock cars. Kurt brought his personal 2020 Chevy from his days driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. This is the same car he drove to a win at Las Vegas in 2020. On Sunday’s final lap, Kurt battled hard against Saturday’s race winner, JC France. Coming out of the final turn, Busch drove underneath France and stole third place by just 0.011 seconds.

Though Kurt Busch couldn’t win the race on Sunday, a podium finish was also a fitting tribute to his brother.

Kurt Busch ‘felt like a kid again’ amid historic NASCAR classics

Kurt Busch retired from full-time NASCAR racing in 2023 after a bad crash gave him a concussion. However, he has stayed very active in vintage racing. He won an IROC exhibition race in Charlotte just this past April. Around that same time, he also ran practice laps at an HSR event at Road Atlanta. He used that event to test his Camaro before shipping it to France. Getting back behind the wheel brought back great memories.

“It’s been so much fun,” said Busch after testing the Camaro in April. “Just even just pulling in the gates and the memories from Road Atlanta and testing here a lot with our NASCAR cars. Seeing all of the other divisions there just makes me proud of everyone. All of the cars that people are keeping up and putting quality efforts into racing them in all of the different divisions. It makes you feel like a kid again when you see them all out there.”

The field of classic cars included a former Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado NASCAR Truck from 2016, a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro carrying the same Garage 56 livery, a 1966 No. 43 Plymouth Belvedere, and a No. 55 Perrier 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, among others.

For Kurt, driving his fast Chevy around the famous French track was a dream come true. But crossing the finish line with Kyle’s number made his Le Mans debut a race he will never forget.