We continue our ‘Kyle Busch Remembered’ series ahead of the Bristol Night Race. At the iconic half-mile oval, Busch won a total of 23 races between the top three divisions, leading over 5,000 laps and sweeping the weekend—twice.
No other NASCAR driver has ever pulled off a weekend sweep of all three national divisions, at any track.
Those nearly two dozen victories at Bristol count towards his record 234 career NASCAR national series wins — more than any other driver in history. Busch died at the age of 41, just days after his final NASCAR victory due to severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
Since that tragic day, we’ve been highlighting his most impressive, memorable, or even infamous moments at whatever track is up next on the NASCAR Cup schedule. Bristol was a track where there was no shortage of memorable moments, and honestly, too many to properly highlight in a single story, like when he fought back from an early spin to lead a Busch brother 1-2 in the 2019 spring race, or his photo
Previously, we covered Atlanta, Sonoma, Nashville, Michigan, Pocono, Chicagoland, Indianapolis, Richmond, New Hampshire Daytona, Darlington and Gateway — which you can find by clicking the names of each track as mentioned. Now, here’s a look back at Rowdy’s most big wins at Bristol:
Kyle Busch Bristol (non-dirt) NASCAR Stats
NASCAR CUP: 39 starts / 8 wins / 2 poles / 14 top fives / 19 top tens / 2598 laps led
O’REILLY: 27 starts / 9 wins / 6 poles / 17 top fives / 20 top tens / 2204 laps led
TRUCKS: 13 starts / 5 wins / 4 poles / 8 top fives / 10 top tens / 688 laps led
Also won 2022 NASCAR Cup race at Bristol Dirt
Pulling off an unprecedented weekend sweep…twice
Watch: Kyle Busch breaks out the broom after 2017 Bristol sweep
Only one driver in NASCAR history has managed to win the Cup, O’Reilly, and Truck races all during the same race weekend at any track on the entire schedule — Kyle ‘Rowdy’ Busch. Most impressively, he managed to pull off this once unprecedented feat TWICE. He won all three races at Bristol on the same weekend in 2010, and then again in 2017. Busch was absolutely dominant in both weekends. The first time he pulled it off, Busch led at least 100 laps in each of those six victories, and led over half the 2010 Cup race. But as you’ll read on later in this story, a lot more happened on that 2010 weekend than just a trio of victories…
Being the villain fans loved to boo, and always good for a soundbite
Some of Busch’s most iconic soundbites came at Bristol Motor Speedway during his career, and he didn’t seem to mind leaning into the role of villain that was thrust upon him by the fanbase. Expecting jeers from the crowd in 2021, he walked out to driver intros and said into the mic: “If you love you some Rowdy, let me hear you go boooo.” Not realizing what he just said, most of the stands rained down boos in a hilarious moment.
In 2010, Brad Keselowski walked out to driver intros at Bristol and said “Kyle Busch is an ass,” drawing cheers from the crowd. Busch went onto win that race, and when asked by the press about Keselowski’s pre-race comments, he simply replied: “Who?” And when he was ‘informed’ that Brad Keselowski drives the No. 12, Busch quipped: “I saw it, but I passed it.”
One of Kyle’s more comical moments came in 2018 interview after a wreck in the NASCAR O’Reilly car, making face and giving a thumbs up to the NBC reporter that became an instant meme that is referenced to this day.
That wasn’t his only memorable soundbite from that weekend either. After the Cup race, he was asked about the ‘highs and lows’ from the race. “I don’t know if there was any highs, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When reminded about his drive back through the field, he scoffed and said, “that’s just me.” After a noticeable pause, he then added “…and this team, and never giving up.”
In 2016, he wrecked out of the Cup race due to a parts failure, and had some choice words for Justin Allgaier, who arrived on the scene late and ran into him. He said that the “biggest moron out there was the spotter and driver of the #46 [Allgaier] … I’ve been wrecking for half a lap and they just come on through and clean us out. That’s stupid.”
When a microphone was put in front of him, you truly never knew what Rowdy would end up saying, often living up to the nickname.
Heated rivalries with Edwards, Keselowski…and many more
Now, Keselowski didn’t simply call Busch an ‘ass’ because he felt like it. These two drivers clashed often, and at Bristol, and one day before the hot mic moment. While battling for the lead in the previous day’s NASCAR O’Reilly race, Busch moved up in front of Keselowski when he wasn’t quite clear, and Keselowski was not keen to lift. Busch hit the wall and Keselowski quickly reclaimed the top spot, but Busch promptly returned the favor, sending Keselowski spinning.
Busch had a similar run-in with Elliott Sadler in the 2011 NASCAR Truck race. Busch got turned into the outside wall by Sadler, suffering significant damage. However, he didn’t immediately take his truck into the pits. He rolled around on the inside and waited for Sadler to return, taking revenge. Later, Busch alleged that Sadler walled him on purpose to help his (NASCAR O’Reilly) team owner, Kevin Harvick, prevail in the Truck owner’s championship fight.
But he didn’t always come out on top in these exchanges, like in 2008 when Busch clashed with Carl Edwards. With just over 30 laps to go, Edwards booted Busch out of the way and took the win. Busch showed his displeasure after the race, dooring Edwards, who immediately hooked Busch and spun out the M&M’s No. 18. “Whatever. Carl’s going to say he’s sorry, he didn’t want to race that way, because he always does — Mr. Ed-like.” Funnily enough, those two ended up becoming teammates one day, and they still raced each other just as hard.
Even as recently as 2026, one month before his passing, Busch was still dishing out payback at the concrete half-mile. Riley Herbst sent Busch spinning in the middle of the race, and when Busch came across him with just a few laps to go, he didn’t hesitate in sending his fellow Las Vegas native spinning around.
Final win as a JGR driver comes in dramatic fashion, and seemingly out of nowhere
56 of Busch’s 63 Cup wins came while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. His final victory as the driver of the M&Ms No. 18 came at Bristol Motor Speedway, but in a year where it was covered in dirt and under the most unusual circumstances. Busch was not a factor in the battle for the win, but when Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe both spun after colliding in the final corner, it was Busch who raced by to steal the checkered flag. He passed Reddick just before the finish line, who was actually driving the RCR No. 8 Busch would take over less than a year later.
It was the one and only lap he led the entire night — the only time in his entire Cup career where he lead only a single lap en route to victory. “I didn’t even do anything!” Busch exclaimed after the unexpected win.
Winning first COT race, and then trashing it on TV
The Car of Tomorrow was a huge departure from the cars NASCAR had raced for years, and thee was some understandable apprehension about it. Series officials were hopeful for some good PR from its debut race, which ended in a photo finish. Kyle Busch bested Jeff Burton on the final lap by just 0.064s.
NASCAR was surely pleased with the great finish, but that changed after Busch climbed out of his No. 5. Busch promptly revealed his true feelings about the new car in his TV interview, saying: “I’m still not a very big fan of these things, I can’t stand to drive them, they suck.”
Photo finishes and remarkable comebacks
In the 2019 Cup race, Busch spun in the very first caution of the race. With a little damage, he fought his way back through the field, appearing at the front of the field with just over 100 laps to go. He went on to beat brother Kurt in a 1-2 finish, and the brothers celebrated together in Victory Lane.
In the 2013 NASCAR O’Reilly race, Busch had an incredible showdown with then-rookie Kyle Larson, another driver who would go on to dominate at Bristol. But on this day, Busch prevailed in a dramatic photo finish. Larson got to the outside of Busch and they slammed doors to the finish line, separated by only 0.023s.
That same year, Busch was part of another nail-biting finish, but this time in the Truck Series. Peters got underneath Busch at the exit of Turn 4, and they were door-to-door as contact was made and Peters spun across the line, while Busch kept his own truck straight and captured the checkered flag, 0.050s ahead.
That was the closest Truck finish in Bristol history, and Busch was also on the winning end of the closest Bristol finish in NASCAR O’Reilly history, as well! In 2011, he and Joey Logano were teammates, but that didn’t stop them from leaning on each other. Logano pushed up into Busch, and they were in a dead-heat at the exit of Turn 4, only for Busch to nose ahead by a mere 0.019s at the finish line. That was Busch’s 50th win in the secondary level of NASCAR.
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