# “He Wanted It So Bad”: Samantha Busch Pays Tribute as Late Husband Kyle Finally Becomes NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver

> HelixNews · Web page: https://helixnews.one/story/1039215 · All pages for agents: https://helixnews.one/llms.txt

4 outlets covering · First listed: EssentiallySports, Nov 11, 2026, 8:58 AM · Read it: <https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-he-wanted-it-so-bad-samantha-busch-pays-tribute-as-late-husband-kyle-finally-becomes-nascar-s-most-popular-driver/>

For years, Kyle Busch chased one NASCAR honor that always remained out of his reach. Even his fierce competitive spirit could not help him win it during his lifetime. But months after his sudden death, fans finally made his long-awaited dream come true. As Kyle was named the 2026 NMPA Most Popular Driver, his wife,

## Who's covering it

In the order they published:

- Nov 10, 2026, 6:57 PM: [Kyle Busch wins NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award, six months after his death](<https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7771859/2026/11/10/kyle-busch-nascar-most-popular-driver-award/>) — The Athletic (Sports, United States)
  Busch won the award six months after his shocking death. Perennial winner Chase Elliott pulled himself out of the voting to support Busch.
- Nov 11, 2026, 12:43 AM: [Samantha Busch Delivers Speech After Husband Kyle Wins Most Popular Driver](<https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/samantha-busch-delivers-speech-husband-064309994.html>) — Yahoo Sports (Sports, United States)
  Samantha Busch delivered a tearful speech in honor of her late husband, Kyle, at the NASCAR Awards on Tuesday night in Miami. Kyle Busch posthumously won the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, an award voted on by the fans.Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion and the winningest driver across NASCAR’s top three series, died
- Nov 11, 2026, 8:58 AM: [“He Wanted It So Bad”: Samantha Busch Pays Tribute as Late Husband Kyle Finally Becomes NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver](<https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-he-wanted-it-so-bad-samantha-busch-pays-tribute-as-late-husband-kyle-finally-becomes-nascar-s-most-popular-driver/>) — EssentiallySports (Sports)
  For years, Kyle Busch chased one NASCAR honor that always remained out of his reach. Even his fierce competitive spirit could not help him win it during his lifetime. But months after his sudden death, fans finally made his long-awaited dream come true. As Kyle was named the 2026 NMPA Most Popular Driver, his wife,
- Nov 11, 2026, 10:57 AM: [Kyle Busch Voted NASCAR's Most Popular Driver: 'It's Really Special'](<https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/kyle-busch-voted-nascars-most-popular-driver>) — Fox Sports (Sports, United States)
  Kyle Busch now owns an award that he "wanted so bad for so many years" after fans posthumously voted him NASCAR's Most Popular Driver.