How did winless Kyle Busch punch the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race ticket?

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch will be among the 23 drivers competing in the 41st edition of the All-Star Race at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. Despite going winless in both the 2024 season and so far in 2025, the two-time Cup Series champion paved his way to the 0.625-mile short track by fulfilling one of three major eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for the Million Dollar Race in the NASCAR All-Star event, a driver must meet at least one of the following criteria: they must have won a Cup Series race in either the previous or current season, be a former All-Star Race winner currently competing full-time, or be a past Cup Series champion who is also a full-time Cup competitor.

Kyle Busch qualified for this year's All-Star Race under two of the three eligibility criteria. The 40-year-old is not only a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion but also a former All-Star Race winner, having taken the victory in 2017 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Here's a look at the RCR driver's special paint scheme for the upcoming race at NWS.

Busch’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, Austin Dillon, will also take part in the All-Star Race, joining 19 other drivers already locked into the main event. The final three spots in the 23-car field will be filled through the All-Star Open: the top two finishers from that race will advance, while the 23rd and final entry will be determined by a fan vote, where rookie Shane van Gisbergen is among the five finalists.

Busch finished last year's visit to North Wilkesboro Speedway in P10. However, despite the end of the race, the RCR driver met with some furious action in the pits as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. confronted him for an early on-track incident during the race.

When Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fined $75,000 after a skirmish with Kyle Busch at NWS

Tensions ignited early in last year’s All-Star Race when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. forced Kyle Busch into the wall on the opening lap. Although Busch’s #8 Chevrolet sustained only minor damage, he wasted no time in responding, delivering a retaliatory bump just one lap later that sent Stenhouse’s #47 car crashing hard into the wall, ending his race within the first two laps.

Following the end of the race, the JTG Daugherty Racing driver (now HYAK) confronted the two-time champion for allegedly ending his chances to win a million dollars. Here's a look at the incident (via X)

"Bring it! I don’t give a fu*k. I suck just as bad as you!" Kyle Busch yelled at Stenhouse Jr. before he got punched in the face (via NASCAR)

This year's All-Star Race is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at 5:30 PM Eastern time. Catch the action live on FOX Sports 1, MRN, and SiriusXM's NASCAR Channel.