Kyle Busch posthumously voted NASCAR most popular driver

Kyle Busch was posthumously voted NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver for 2026, earning the fan award for the first time in his career. His widow, Samantha, accepted the trophy at the season-ending awards banquet in Miami, where NASCAR leaders and the racing community honored the two-time Cup champion, who died at 41 after complications from pneumonia and sepsis. Chase Elliott, who had won the award for the previous eight years, withdrew from the ballot and encouraged his supporters to vote for Busch; other drivers also rallied fans behind him. Busch, NASCAR’s all-time winningest driver across its top three national series, received tributes throughout the season, and the award added a posthumous honor to his legacy.