Kyle Busch shares powerful message in tribute to brother Kurt’s Hall of Fame nomination

Kyle Busch congratulated fellow NASCAR driver and brother Kurt on the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 election. The younger Busch said he's proud of his brother, citing achievements such as winning the Cup Series championship and Daytona 500.

Kurt Busch won the championship in 2004, a year before Kyle debuted in the premier series with Hendrick Motorsports. The soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee also won 34 Cup races, including the prestigious Daytona 500 with the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017.

Unfortunately, the now-46-year-old had a career-ending crash during the qualifying session at Pocono Raceway in 2022. While he announced his retirement from the sport a year later, Kyle Busch moved from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing.

In an X post, the #8 RCR Chevrolet driver wrote a lengthy congratulatory post on his brother's Hall of Fame Class of 2026 election as a first-ballot selection.

“🎉🏁 Congratulations, @KurtBusch ! 🏁🎉,” Kyle Busch said.

“What an incredible achievement to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame! Your dedication, hard work, and passion for the sport have truly paid off, and being a Cup Series Champion and Daytona 500 Champion is no small feat,” he continued.

“I couldn't be prouder of you! You’ve not only made a name for yourself on the racetrack, but also inspired so many with your journey. This honor is a testament to your talent and perseverance. Cheers to you and this amazing milestone! 🏆🚗💨,” Kyle added.

Kurt Busch will be part of the Class of 2026 alongside Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick. They will officially be inducted on January 23, 2026.

As for his NASCAR career, Kyle Busch has been itching to return to victory lane. His last Cup win was at the World Wide Technology Raceway two years ago. The winless drought ended his 19-year streak of winning at least one race a season.

Kyle Busch (#18) and Kurt Busch (#45) at Kansas Speedway in 2022 - Source: Imagn

Nevertheless, Kyle Busch is the winningest driver across NASCAR's three national series with 232 combined victories. Like his brother, the 40-year-old is a Cup Series champion (2015 and 2019), but has yet to register a Daytona 500 win.

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Kyle Busch shares former boss stopped him from emulating brother Kurt's 'The Double' attempt

In a recent episode of Denny Hamlin's Actions Detrimental podcast, Kyle Busch revealed that Joe Gibbs didn't allow him to attempt The Double in 2017. Consequently, Busch, driving the #18 JGR Toyota at the time, couldn't join his brother Kurt on the list of drivers who ran the 1,100-mile slugfest.

The Double refers to participating in two races on the same day during the Memorial Day weekend, namely the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indy 500. His older brother, Kurt Busch, did it in 2014, where he finished in a respectable sixth place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but had a race-ending engine failure at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Speaking to his former JGR teammate Denny Hamlin about missing The Double in 2017 despite the approval of a sponsor and manufacturers, Kyle Busch said:

“I had an opportunity done, sealed, signed, delivered [...] 2017, I had it. It was all done. M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who said no?” [44:10].

After Hamlin guessed Joe Gibbs, the two-time NASCAR champion replied:

“Yep. Chevrolet was okay with it, Toyota was okay with it, M&M was paying for it.”

This year, Kyle Larson will have his second go at The Double. He will drive the #17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in the Indy 500 before entering the Coca-Cola 600 in the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy on Sunday, May 25.