Overview
- NASCAR announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Miami that fans voted Kyle Busch the 2026 Cup Series Most Popular Driver and his widow, Samantha Busch, accepted the trophy for him.
- Chase Elliott removed his name from the ballot and asked his fans to back Busch, and other drivers including Kyle Larson and Carson Hocevar urged supporters to vote for him, turning the contest into an organized tribute.
- Busch died on May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, and the vote followed months of trackside tributes such as Lap 8 observances at Cup races.
- The award marks the first Cup winner not named Earnhardt or Elliott since 1990 and makes Busch only the second driver to win the Cup award posthumously, joining Dale Earnhardt.
- Samantha Busch used her acceptance to highlight what the honor means for their children and said the vote reshaped public memory of Busch by foregrounding his connection with fans and fellow drivers.