“Brexton is going to smoke him.” That’s what Kyle Larson declared when he learned that Kyle Busch and his 9-year-old son, Brexton, were set to race each other in a micro sprint race at Millbridge Speedway a couple of months ago. It was classic Larson: witty, honest, and deeply aware of the generational shift happening right in front of him.

It’s not a secret that Kyle Busch has already mapped out Brexton’s path, and it looks eerily similar to Larson’s own journey. From dirt tracks to Little League pavement, then into Legends, Late Models, and eventually the Cup Series, the blueprint fits perfectly. And watching that next generation setting sparks? Larson says he’s just or and his excitement is as unfiltered as ever.

Brexton Busch is far from just a legacy kid; he’s racking up wins and turning heads. In 2025 alone, he grabbed the Tulsa shootout Jr. Sprint A-Main championship, leading every lap to hoist the golden driller trophy. Now, he’s already competing in Late Models on both pavement and dirt. And he seems to be following the precise step-by-step climb Kyle Busch has mapped out for him.

Kyle Larson reflects on Brexton’s dirt-driven rise

Kyle Larson couldn’t hide his respect for that uphill journey and was quick to point out the similarity between Brexton’s journey and his own. In a recent interview with Marty Smith, Larson didn’t hold back. He said, “I respect Kyle Busch so much, like I always have. And then now, like, seeing his son Brexton, you know, racing all these different types of cars and really putting a big emphasis on the dirt racing—and the background that I exactly grew up doing—I think it’s really cool.”

And Kyle Larson knows this Dirt-first approach route better than most. He cut his teeth in microprints, racked up 3 Chili Bowl and Knoxville nationals titles, and later stormed into NASCAR with a Cup championship in 2021. Now, seeing Busch Jr. mirroring that formula—dirt, pavement, and then the big leagues—makes Larson genuinely proud.

Brexton’s dirt-first approach isn’t just trendsetting; it echoes the transformations laid by legends like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, who legitimized the track credentials as a viable route to NASCAR. Jeff Gordon began in quarter midgets and sprint cars on Midwestern dirt tracks, notably dominating in USAC competition in his teens. Moreover, Tony Stewart also cemented the legitimacy of the racers by thriving in every discipline, from World of Outlaws sprint cars to IndyCar, where he was a champion, and ultimately NASCAR.

While Kyle Busch is adamant about making Brexton the “next Kyle Larson,” the Hendrick Motorsports driver recognizes that the Busch brothers took a different route. He goes on to say, “Because, yeah, Kyle Busch—like, he grew up the pavement route. And you’d think that him and his brother—you know, two champions of our sport—like, they had, they know the path. Like, they lived it; they’ve done it. They know the path of the Cup Series.”

Kyle Busch cut his teeth in legends and late models on asphalt, racking up championships in Xfinity in 2009 and Trucks in 2005 before launching his Cup career. His brother, Kurt Busch, burst into the Cup in 2001 after sprinting through trucks with tenacity and raw talent, capturing the 2004 Cup title and enduring a 23-year career with 34 wins and 780 starts, and is now a 2026 Hall of Fame Inductee.

Brexton is blending the Busch brothers’ asphalt legacy with Larson’s dirt ethos, an evolving blueprint that honors the past while carving a new track. Larson sees this divergence in exciting ways, saying, “And then now, Kyle has a son, a young racer of his own, and that path doesn’t look anything similar to what he did. And it looks a lot more similar to what I did. It’s really cool.”  For a driver who climbed from dirt to Glory, seeing Brexton and others follow and improve the same road is a full-circle moment worth celebrating. The legacy isn’t just repeating; it’s evolving right under Larson’s nose.

The 2021 Cup Series champion goes on to praise all other drivers who follow this path, beaming with great pride, saying, “And that’s something that I respect a lot and admire. And it’s not—I’m not just picking out Brexton—but yes, I have noticed, you know, a lot of other young kids and even competitors that I’m racing with now, you know, trying to get more dirt racing in their, you know, bucket of skills and stuff. So yeah, that’s cool. It definitely makes me proud.” 

And while Larson is watching the next generation embrace dirt racing with pride, Kyle Busch is getting back behind the wheel himself, on a track away from the NASCAR spotlight but loaded with personal stakes.

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Kyle Busch heads back to Oxford with a point to prove

Kyle Busch is set to claw back into the short track spotlight this July at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway, as he returns for the celebration of America 300 on the first and second of July. This time around, a $20,000 prize and some serious unfinished business around the line are a perfect recipe for red redemption. NASCAR’s 40-year-old veteran, racing under Go Fas Racing’s banner in the No. 51 Corvetteparts Net Late Model, is aiming to reclaim short-track glory.

Oxford Plains, a 3/8 mile asphalt oval and Maine’s top short track venue, holds a special place in Busch’s career. He’s the 2011 Oxford 250 champion, and he brought home the inaugural celebration of America 300 last July before a late crash dropped him to 24th. He returned in May for the Memorial Day clash 200, finishing eighth after leading laps and running second early, a strong reminder of his short-track talent.

Despite the 2024 cup play-off and enduring a winless cup campaign since 2023, Kyle refuses to dial back his competitive edge. “I’ve got some unfinished business up there in Maine. I’m looking forward to coming back up to Oxford Plains Speedway for the Celebration of America 300 on July 1-2. Be sure to be there.” With 232 wins across NASCAR’s three national tours and a reputation as a fierce wheelman, Kyle steps into Maine as a hungry racer looking to reignite his short track streak and remind the racing world why rowdy still matters.