As NASCAR heads to Michigan, we want to highlight the most iconic, or even infamous Kyle Busch moments from his time racing at the 2.0-mile oval. He had some incredible battles, including a few that got a little heated, and on more than one occasion he helped to forge the future stars of the sport.
Last week, we highlighted some of Busch's wildest Nashville moments, which you can check out HERE.
Busch is the winningest driver in NASCAR history with 234 victories across the top three series, and he died unexpectedly on May 21st, at the age of 41.
In remembrance of KB, we turn our attention to Michigan International Speedway where Busch was a winner across all three national divisions, and look back on some of his most unforgettable moments there:
Michigan 2004: Fifth NASCAR O'Reilly win in his rookie season
This was the fifth and final win of Busch's 2004 NASCAR O'Reilly campaign, and the 19-year-old rookie went on to finish second in points before making the jump up to Cup. It was a dominant showing, leading 87 of 125 laps, and beating Hall of Famer Mark Martin by 3.8 seconds, the same driver he would one day dethrone for the No. 1 spot on the all-time wins list in the O'Reilly Series.
Michigan 2009: Feuding with Vickers after thrilling battle for the win
Busch was battling Brian Vickers for the 2009 NASCAR O'Reilly win at Michigan, and it did not end well for either driver. As they battled back-and-forth, it opened the door for Brad Keselowski to pass them both and steal the win. Busch was irate, chasing Vickers into the pit lane on the cool-down lap and cutting in front of his car, even making slight contact. They had a heated discussion, and Busch did not hold back in his post-race comments. He called Vickers an 'idiot' for allowing Keselowski into the picture in a classic Rowdy interview. Vickers sarcastically replied that he had "forgot it was the Kyle Busch Show." An incredibly awkward press conference followed soon after, as they sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the media center.
Michigan 2011: Lone Cup win at Michigan, defeating Jimmie Johnson
Busch's only Cup Series win at Michigan came during the 2011 season. He started 17th, and didn't lead any laps until the halfway point of the race. He faced the legendary Jimmie Johnson, who at the time had just won five consecutive Cup Series titles and looked near-unbeatable. After working the inside line for several laps, he finally pulled up alongside the No. 48 and passed Johnson with 13 laps to go. He had to deal with a green-white-checkered finish due to a late caution, but there was no stopping KB as he captured the checkered flag. Crew chief Dave Rogers called Busch "the most competitive guy I've ever worked with" following the win, as Busch was hyper-focused on getting the job done after recent victories that slipped away from him late in the running.
Michigan 2015: A learning experience for Elliott, another win for Rowdy
After Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick collided in the battle for the win, Busch faced off against a rising star and future Cup Series champion -- Chase Elliott. But at the time, Elliott was still working his way up through the ranks. Busch stalked him for a few laps before pulling to the outside, taking the lead with four laps to go and never relinquishing it again. "I chose the wrong lanes and he chose the right ones," said Elliott, as KB taught him another lesson that day in Michigan.
Michigan 2015: Final Michigan win, and his first in Trucks
Busch's fourth and final win at Michigan came later that same summer in 2015, this time in the Truck Series. He faced another future Cup champion who at the time was also a rising star -- Ryan Blaney. After some wild three-wide battling and chaotic restarts, the fight for the win came down to Blaney trying to hold back Busch. Much like Elliott one month prior, Busch stalked Blaney, studying his line before making his move, and it was decisive. Again, with four laps to go, he surged by and never gave it back.
Michigan 2016: The student (Suarez) beats the master (Busch)
There seems to be a theme here at Michigan with Busch engaging in thrilling battles for the win against future stars of the Cup Series. In a 2016 O'Reilly race, that driver was Daniel Suarez, and they were teammates. The Mexican-born driver began his journey into the national levels of NASCAR through Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series, and was now in a head-to-head battle for what he hoped would be his first O'Reilly win. However, he had to deal with Kyle Busch, a teammate he often leaned on for advice. It was a memorable battle, with Suarez pulling alongside Busch at the white flag. As we know, Busch hates to lose, and he didn't go down without a fight, aggressively side-drafting, but Suarez cleared him out of Turn 2 and captured his first win at the secondary level of the sport.
"You never want to get beat, but it's cool when you get beat fair-and-square," said Busch, who agreed that it was both a bittersweet and proud moment for him. Suarez went on to become the first foreign-born driver to win at all three national levels of NASCAR, and of course, he earned an emotional win in the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 just three days after Busch's passing, dedicating the victory to the man who helped him make it this far.
Michigan 2017: Impressive rally after start crash from pole
Keselowski and Busch always had an interesting relationship, with several run-ins over the years. The 2017 NASCAR O'Reilly race at Michigan was just another chapter in that very long and tumultuous story. Busch started from pole position, but that car never made it to Turn 1 intact . As he crossed in front of Keselowski on the run down into the first corner of the opening lap, they got together, and Busch spun from the lead, sustaining some right-side damage. Undeterred, but likely annoyed, Busch soldiered on and rallied all the way back to fifth by the time the checkered flag flew.
Kyle Busch Michigan NASCAR Stats
NASCAR CUP: 37 starts / 1 wins / 0 poles / 10 top fives / 17 top ten / 303 laps led
O'REILLY: 11 starts / 2 wins / 3 poles / 9 top fives / 10 top tens / 263 laps led
TRUCKS: 10 starts / 1 wins / 1 poles / 8 top fives / 9 top tens / 287 laps led
