
Imago
Syndication: The Tennessean Retired NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch speaks onstage at the 2023 NASCAR Awards Banquet at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStephaniexAmadorx/xThexTennesseanx USATSI_22005015

Imago
Syndication: The Tennessean Retired NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch speaks onstage at the 2023 NASCAR Awards Banquet at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStephaniexAmadorx/xThexTennesseanx USATSI_22005015
Kurt Busch finally received his NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee ring at the induction ceremony today. The person who did the honors of officially inducting him into the Hall of Famers’ list was none other than his brother, Kyle Busch. The younger brother was incredibly proud of his older brother’s achievement. His speech conveyed every bit of love and respect that he held for Kurt Busch.
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“You’ve earned every bit of this, and I am so proud of calling you my brother. It is now my honor on this 23rd day of January, 2026, to present the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee ring and officially induct Kurt Busch into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”
Kurt Busch’s response and speech after receiving the accolade were much more emotional and effective than anyone could have imagined. When he spoke, he did not hold back from mentioning how his parents’ teachings instilled in him his racing attitude. Kurt Busch’s final statement was also a nostalgic nod to his childhood.
Kurt Busch recalls his parents’ teaching surprising audience with honest admission
On stage, Kurt Busch was giving his NASCAR HOF speech. His parents were sitting in front of him in the crowd. What Busch said next left his mother’s eyes watering, and she couldn’t hide it.
“Dad was always out front and winning like that, and that attitude was instilled in me. My mom is the best racer, Mom. She was always there for me. She volunteered at the track, assigning booth, qualifying line-up, and pay window. This is all while Grandma watched after me on the grandstands. Grandma Busch was the best grandma and the voice of reason. We all know all star race in our family. You know she always put others first, but her hamburgers were legend.”
Busch then recalled how his dad taught him everything he knew about racing. It all started with an honest denial that drove Busch into the world of four-wheel motorsports. But in the end, it was the same denial that would lead him to his 2004 Cup Series championship in the future.
“My journey in this world started with cars, cars, and more cars. Over time, I was like dad why do all my friends have dirt bikes? Can I have one? And he said no son, you’ll live a longer life on four tires than you will on two tires. My Dad Tom, who is my greatest racing legend, treated this go-kart as a tool for me, not a toy. My fondest memories as a child growing up in Las Vegas were going to the track on weekends to watch dad race.”
It takes a Hall of Fame family to raise a Hall of Fame racer. pic.twitter.com/CZ8Buux5RG
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 24, 2026
Busch has always been a hard racer in the NASCAR Cup Series. There were more than a few moments during his career when he butted heads with another driver. But that’s just how NASCAR is. You need to be fast, and you need to learn how to snatch away victories, or else you get left behind in the dust.
“He went there to win; he didn’t go there to make friends. Dad was always out front and winning like that, and that attitude was instilled in me.”
While Kurt Busch looked up to his parents, his younger brother couldn’t stop himself from relishing and admiring his latest accolade. Kyle Busch’s speech was all about his love for his older brother and how much he was inspired by him.
The ‘Shrub’ looks up to the ‘Busch’ during the NASCAR HOF Ceremony
Owing to the phonetic similarity of their surname, the Busch brothers have a special nickname in the Cup Series. Kyle Busch is often called ‘Shrub,’ because his older brother is the ‘Bush.’ So naturally, while he invited Kurt Busch to the stage, his younger brother poured out all of his emotions.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my brother Kurt. Cause we were just two kids in Las Vegas, Nevada, raised in a blue-collar, hard-working family. Where hard work wasn’t an option, we were taught to grind it out and make it happen.”
“None of this came easy, and in this sport it shouldn’t. Watching Kurt believe in himself long before the results ever showed up has been an incredible experience for me to learn from him. ”
“This Hall of Fame induction isn’t just about wins or stats. It’s about years of effort, resilience, and the heart that it took to get here.”
Younger brother @KyleBusch presents the @NASCARHall ring to 2026 inductee @KurtBusch#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/6qFdi9rst6
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) January 24, 2026
Not only in his words, but Kyle Busch practices the same philosophy in his life, too. While teaching his son, Brexton, who is also interested in motorsports, Kyle Busch makes sure that he remembers his roots. Busch came from a blue-collar family, and he wants his son to stay grounded and not get ahead of himself.
Kurt Busch’s 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony has once again proved that with enough grit and effort, one can achieve what they set out to achieve. He came from a blue-collar racing family, but never let it get in the way of his racing career. What a legend!







