Late NASCAR champion Kyle Busch named most popular driver: ‘Will never be another Rowdy’

MIAMI (WBTV) - Late NASCAR champion Kyle Busch was named the Cup Series’ most popular driver on Tuesday night.

NASCAR held its annual awards banquet in Miami on Nov. 10.

The sport’s top three series champions were honored, and the most popular drivers were crowned.

Kyle Busch -- who died on May 21 -- was posthumously named the Cup Series’ most popular driver. His wife, Samantha, accepted the award on his behalf.

“There’s been so much love for Kyle from this sport over the past several months, and I wish more than anything that he could be here to see it,” Samantha said. “He gave so much of his life to racing, and I know it would mean the world to him to see the impact he had on NASCAR and the people who love it.”

Fellow NASCAR champion Chase Elliott had been the most popular driver for the past eight years, but removed his name from consideration following Busch’s death and encouraged fans to vote for the late driver.

Samantha thanked Elliott for the gesture, and said: “That respect from the drivers [Kyle] raced against means so much.”

“To the fans, I wish you knew just how much you meant to him. He loved packed grandstands, meeting families, and seeing kids light up when he signed an autograph. He knew you spent your hard-earned money and time to watch him, and he never took that for granted. He loved racing and he loved that you did too.”

“There was no Rowdy without the fans,” Samantha said in closing, with tears in her eyes. “And there will never be another Rowdy, because there is truly no one else like Kyle.”

The 2015 and 2019 Cup Series champion, Busch was 41 years old when he died.

Across NASCAR’s top three series, nobody has won more races than Busch. He earned his 234th and final race win on May 15 in the Truck Series race at Dover, just six days before his sudden death.

Previous Kyle Busch coverage:

• Kyle Busch remembered at Charlotte Motor Speedway with celebration of life
• Kyle Busch celebration of life event announced at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Details here
• ‘Kyle Busch Invitational’ to honor late NASCAR champion at race track in North Carolina
• Race team scraps plan to honor late NASCAR champ Kyle Busch
• NASCAR driver honors late champion Kyle Busch after historic race win
• Kyle Busch’s wife thanks fans after NASCAR champion’s sudden death
• NASCAR driver to honor late champion Kyle Busch in this weekend’s race
• Emotional Coca-Cola 600 winner dedicates win to late NASCAR champion Kyle Busch
• Kyle Busch died after severe pneumonia turned into sepsis, his family says
• NASCAR fans, friends remember Kyle Busch’s charitable legacy after sudden passing
• ‘American bad---’: NASCAR CEO remembers Kyle Busch’s legacy on, off the track
• ‘Reserved and ready’: Kyle Busch’s No. 8 saved for son, NASCAR team says
• Kyle Busch was ‘coughing up some blood’ before sudden death, 911 caller says
• WBTV archives: Kyle Busch finishes 2nd in NASCAR Busch Series debut in May 2003
• Kyle Busch reportedly battled cold, requested a ‘shot’ after race days before sudden death
• ‘Never know when the last one is’: Kyle Busch wins race 6 days before sudden death
• NASCAR legend Dale Jr. sheds honest light on relationship with late Kyle Busch
• NASCAR champion Kyle Busch became unresponsive day before his death, report says
• NASCAR colleagues remember cup champion Kyle Busch after his death
• ‘Far too soon’: Family, colleagues of NASCAR’s Kyle Busch issue statement on his ‘sudden’ death
• 2-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch dead at 41
• NASCAR champion to miss Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte after hospitalization