Kyle Busch Remembered: Rowdy’s finest drives at Sonoma Raceway

As NASCAR returns to Sonoma Raceway, we keep in mind probably the most memorable drives of Kyle Busch’s profession on the historic highway course. He gained twice there on the Cup stage, and as soon as within the Truck Collection.

Busch is the winningest driver in NASCAR historical past with 234 victories throughout the highest three collection, incomes his ultimate win simply days earlier than his sudden passing on Could twenty first, on the age of 41.

We’ve determined to recollect Kyle with this weekly collection, highlighting his most spectacular, memorable, and even notorious moments at no matter observe is up subsequent on the NASCAR Cup schedule.

We have already lined Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono, which you’ll find by clicking the names of the every of observe, or following the hyperlinks beneath earlier than we get into Motorsport.com’s checklist of Sonoma moments. 

Learn Additionally:

Sonoma 2008 — KB’s first Cup win on a highway course

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photograph by: Robert LaBerge/Getty Pictures

In 2008, KB gained eight races in his very first season as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver. At Sonoma, he began thirtieth and made fast work of the midfield, however an opportune warning helped bounce to the entrance, taking the lead on Lap 33. Exterior of a short second throughout green-flag pit stops, he by no means gave up the lead once more. It was pure dominance by the M&Ms No. 18, main 78 of 112 laps, and securing his first-ever Cup win on a highway course.

Sonoma  2015 — Busch brothers 1-2 and the start of a historic title run
 

Busch suffered a compound fracture of his decrease proper leg and a damaged left foot at first of the 2025 season, which isn’t how championship runs usually start. Nonetheless, after lacking the primary eleven races of the 12 months, he returned with two targets: Win, and crack the highest 30 in factors.

Doing so would put him into the playoffs below the win and also you’re in format. Effectively, it did not take him very lengthy. In simply his fifth race again, Busch charged by the sphere on more energizing tires on a late-race restart. He ran down Jimmie Johnson, passing him with 5 laps to go. He then needed to maintain off his older brother Kurt, capturing the checkered flag simply half-a-second forward of him. And so started the 2015 title run for KB, the place he would in the end earn his first of two Cup Collection titles.

Sonoma 2022 — Closing win as a Toyota driver, and preserving Truck win streak alive
 

For the primary time in 24 years, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection returned to Sonoma Raceway in 2022, and naturally, Busch simply needed to be a part of it. He certified third, however went on to steer 45 of 75 laps, profitable the race. Busch has one Truck begin at Sonoma, and one win. Because the collection has but to return to the observe since then, Busch stays the latest Truck winner at Sonoma as nicely. It was additionally his ultimate win as Toyota driver in any stage of NASCAR, however much more notably, it was Busch’s solely Truck win of the 12 months, preserving his seasonal win streak alive at ten consecutive years. He continued so as to add to that document with 14 consecutive years with no less than one Truck win per season, culminating together with his ultimate win at Dover 2026, simply days earlier than his passing.

Sonoma 2023 — Virtually profitable back-to-back races with RCR

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Photograph by: Larry Placido of Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures

After what ended up being his 63rd and ultimate NASCAR Cup win, Busch practically added a sixty fourth only one week later at Sonoma Raceway. Only for the document, to this very day, an RCR driver has not gained back-to-back Cup races since Kevin Harvick did it over 15 years in the past, however Busch virtually obtained it achieved in 2023. Busch led 17 laps in the course of the mid-portion of the race, however remained a contender to the very finish. He adopted Martin Truex Jr. by a gaggle of automobiles that stayed out on older tires, however merely could not hold tempo with MTJ within the closing laps. He crossed the road 2.9 seconds behind Truex. 

Kyle Busch Sonoma NASCAR Stats

NASCAR CUP: 20 begins / 2 wins / 0 poles / 7 prime fives / 10 prime tens / 133 laps led

NASCAR O’REILLY: N/A

NASCAR TRUCKS:  1 begin / 1 win / 0 poles / 1 prime 5 / 1 prime ten / 45 laps led

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