# Kyle Busch Wins NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award

> Kyle Busch, who died in May, finally receives NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award posthumously after years of wanting it.
- Title: Kyle Busch Wins NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award · Autoweek
- Summary: Kyle Busch, who died in May, finally receives NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award posthumously after years of wanting it.
- Keywords: nascar, kyle busch, most popular driver award, chase elliot, nascar cup series, posthumous award, comcast community champion of the year, Autoweek
- Source: Autoweek — https://autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a74394432/kyle-busch-gets-nascar-most-popular-award
- Author: Deb Williams
- Published: 2026-11-11T03:17:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nascar, kyle busch, most popular driver award, chase elliot, nascar cup series, posthumous award, comcast community champion of the year, cars, sports
## Kyle Busch wins posthumous award
Kyle Busch received the National Motorsports Press Association’s NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver award after his death.

> I want to cry thinking about it. He wanted that award so bad for so many years
## Kyle Busch’s wife shares emotional story
Samantha Busch said Kyle would try to rally fans but never got the award despite his efforts.

> He would try to rally the fans, and there was one year, i think, that either he didn’t see chase (elliott) out here or maybe chase didn’t come, and he was like, ‘i got it. i got it.’
## Kyle Busch dies in May
Kyle Busch died May 21 after pneumonia progressed into sepsis.

> Sadly, busch, like seven-time nascar cup champion dale earnhardt, won the award in the year the sport bid him farewell
## Chase Elliott supports Kyle Busch
Chase Elliott removed his name from the ballot to vote for Kyle Busch, mirroring his father’s 2001 decision.

> Earlier this year, chase elliot, who had won the award for eight consecutive years, requested that his name be removed from the ballot and asked fans to vote for busch
## Drivers rally fans for Kyle Busch
NASCAR drivers united to encourage fans to vote for Kyle Busch posthumously.

> i think a lot of people see the competitors, they don’t like each other, but at the end of the day, nascar is a big family
## Kyle Busch’s legacy with family
Kyle Busch’s son Brexton and his impact on the Comcast Bundle of Joy Fund were highlighted by his wife.

> he was such a big part of this sport, and it was just beautiful to hear in the last couple of months the impact that he had
## Posthumous co-champions named
Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle were named co-champions of the 2026 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award.

> in addition to the most popular driver award, busch and greg biffle were posthumously named the first-ever co-champions of the 2026 comcast community champion of the year award
## Key takeaway

Kyle Busch won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award posthumously after his death in May, fulfilling a long-held wish.