NASCAR 26 | The Game Will Include a Tribute to Kyle Busch

• Kyle Busch will be selectable as a driver in NASCAR 26’s “Quick Race” and “Multiplayer” modes.
• The Busch family approved his appearance in the game.
• A tribute sticker will also be available in the vehicle editor.

During a recent Q&A session on Discord, Matt Lewis, production manager at iRacing Studios, announced that NASCAR 26 will include a tribute to Kyle Busch.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, died in May as a result of sepsis after winning his final race just the previous week.

With his final victory in the Craftsman Truck Series at Dover, Busch cemented his status as the driver with the most wins across NASCAR’s three highest series: Trucks, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup. Away from motorsports, he also supported various charitable projects, including his own Kyle Busch Foundation.

This commitment contrasted with his often polarizing public persona, which he sometimes deliberately amplified. Nevertheless, he remained a popular and highly respected figure within the NASCAR community.

“He’s not just one of the greats, but one of the best of all time, right?” Lewis explained.

A True Winner

“This man was a winner through and through. That was evident both on the racetrack and off it in his personality,” Lewis continued.

“We worked very closely with NASCAR, RCR [Richard Childress Racing, Busch’s racing team since 2023], KBM [Kyle Busch Motorsports] and his family. Our goal was to ensure that we implemented this tribute respectfully and appropriately,” he continued.

“As a result, several tributes will be visible in the user interface. This includes the tribute sticker that was just shown in the Discord Q&A chat and will be available in the vehicle editor. In addition, Kyle Busch will be selectable as a driver in the Cup Series.”

“Players will therefore be able to use him as a driver themselves. He will not appear in the AI driver field, but he will be available to anyone who wants to select him in quick races or multiplayer mode.”

“As mentioned earlier, this is a tribute to one of the greats. We see it the same way the fans do: Regardless of whether you liked him or disliked him, he was a winner, difficult to beat, and embodied on the racetrack everything you want from a racing driver,” Lewis concluded.