Busch ran 6 races in 2004 in the #84 Carquest Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. His highest finish was 24th at California Speedway.
After the announcement that long time Hendrick NEXTEL Cup series driver Terry Labonte would be running a limited schedule in 2005 and 2006, Busch was picked to take over the #5 Kellogg's/Carquest Auto Parts Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Hendrick Motorsports.
He won his first Cup race at the Sony HD 500 at California Speedway in Fontana, California in September 2005, and is the youngest-ever winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, at 20 years, 125 days. He followed that up with another win two months later in November 2005 at Phoenix International Raceway. Busch clinched the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Rookie of the Year title before the end of the 2005 season
A strong victory in the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway led to a strong showing during the last race before the 2006 Chase at Richmond International Raceway, in the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, where he finished second after leading the most laps. He entered the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup fourth in Cup points.
Kyle started mid-pack in the first race of the Chase at the New Hampshire International Speedway but got caught up in an incident on lap four when he made contact with #66 Best Buy Chevrolet of Jeff Green, and knocked the front suspension out of line, eventually spinning out and wrecking the car. Kyle followed up the next week at Dover International Speedway with an initially strong run before an engine failure took him out of the race. Kyle then went to the Kansas Speedway and led several laps before being caught for speeding on pit road and finished in the bottom half of the top-ten.
Kyle finished the season in tenth place in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series standings, 448 points behind champion Jimmie Johnson. His winnings for the 2006 season totaled $5,537,337. Kyle is currently the youngest driver to make the NASCAR NEXTEL Chase for the Cup. He is also the youngest pole sitter in NEXTEL Cup history
With his milestone win at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, on March 25, 2007, Busch became the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver to win in NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow. He also scored Hendrick Motorsports their 200th NASCAR win (in all series), and also scored Chevrolet's 600th NASCAR victory, the first by the Chevrolet Impala since Wendell Scott's historic 1963 win in Jacksonville, Florida.[2] At the Aaron's 312 Busch Race at Talladega, Busch went on a wild ride down the backstretch when he got turned into teammate Casey Mears' car by Tony Stewart, which was similar to the bump Brian Vickers gave to Jimmie Johnson in the 2006 UAW-Ford 500. The car spun towards the outside wall and flipped onto its roof. The car then slid down the track and hit the turn 3 grass, flipping side over side. The car flipped a total of seven times, but Busch walked away unscathed. In the Nextel All-Star Challenge at the Lowe's Motor Speedway, he and older brother Kurt Busch got together, knocking them both out of the race.
On June 13, 2007, Kyle announced his plans to leave Hendrick Motorsports after the 2007 season. The two sides had been working on a contract extension but eventually agreed mutually to part ways.[3] It was announced the same day that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be replacing Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports. However, days later Kyle Busch stated that he had no idea he was going to be released.[4]. It was announced on August 14, 2007 that Busch has chosen Joe Gibbs Racing for his team in the 2008 season. He will replace J.J. Yeley in the #18 Toyota Camry. M&M's has signed on as the sponsor of the car for three years
Kyle Busch Awards and Recogntions
- 2004 Busch Series Rookie of the Year
- 2005 NEXTEL Cup Rookie of the Year
Special Thank you to Barrys Ticket Service for helping us to get Daytona 500 Tickets as well as other
Nascar event tickets.
Born: May 2, 1985