#22. Kyle Busch (tie). – Net worth: million – Known for: NASCAR – Nationality: United States Dubbed “The Candy Man” thanks to his longtime sponsorship with Mars Inc., Kyle Busch races full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. At various points in his career, Busch, who owns his team Kyle Busch Motorsports, won the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Additionally, he holds the record for having the most all-time wins in the Xfinity Series (102) and the Camping World Truck Series (62).
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
The No. 8 race team’s radio crackled to life right before the most important part of NASCAR’s most important race — and the team’s driver said something true.
“Back in 1998, that would be the win, boys!” Kyle Busch said.
This truth referenced Dale Earnhardt Sr.
It also contained multitudes.
In 1998, Earnhardt entered Daytona International Speedway as one of the best drivers of all-time. He’d won his seven Cup Series championships. He’d well-earned his nickname as “The Intimidator” — he was a take-no-prisoners driver who was among the most transcendent and polarizing figures in NASCAR.
But he hadn’t won a Daytona 500 in 19 tries.
Busch, similarly, entered Sunday’s Daytona 500 as a two-time Cup champion with almost every moniker imaginable. But like Earnhardt, a Daytona 500 victory eluded him.
In that fated race nearly 25 years ago, Earnhardt won. There was no overtime then, and he won under caution.
On Sunday’s race, there was overtime. That’s when Busch made his comment over the radio. Eventually, though, Busch got lost in an overtime wreck and finished 19th.
Busch and Earnhardt, in other words, share many similarities. Busch was hoping that this race, 25 years after Earnhardt won it, could be his version of 1998 — an all-time great capturing the win that has long eluded him.
“I think this was the first time I led Lap 200 here,” he told reporters after emerging from the track’s infield care center. “So I wish it was 1998 rules.”
Busch’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, Austin Dillon, also hoped Sunday could be the 8 car’s time to shine. The two worked together late to make a move past Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher — and had the race stayed green, they probably would’ve finished in the top two.
But Daniel Suarez spun out before the white flag emerged in regulation.
A restart commenced.
And Busch’s chances at the title were dashed.
“I hate it because I really wanted to get Kyle Busch into Victory Lane in the Daytona 500,” Dillon said. “Looking back, probably should have been a little more selfish to that point, honestly, but it was one of those deals where it’s a hard point to be in.
“I wish it would’ve been to the white flag for the position we were in.”
Busch has been critical about what he thinks the Daytona 500 has devolved into. He called the end of the race a “wreck-fest” earlier this week — explaining that winning this race is largely circumstantial, that winning this race doesn’t mean you are a top-echelon driver.
He shed similar frustration Sunday evening.
“It’s just par for the course,” he said. “I come down here every year just to find out when and where I’m gonna crash and what lap I come out of the care center.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of JTG Daugherty Racing ended up taking the checkered flag on Sunday. Stenhouse has won three races in his Cup career — two of which have come at Daytona.
Said Busch: “Who won? I don’t know who even lucked into it.”
He was then told it was Stenhouse.
“There you have it,” Busch said.
Alex Zietlow writes about NASCAR, Charlotte FC and the ways in which sports intersect with life in the Charlotte area for The Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the APSE, which awarded him with Top-10 finishes in the Beat Writing and Short Feature categories in its 2021 writing contest. He previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill from 2019-22.