Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with more than 200 victories across NASCAR’s three national divisions, still has two major goals he wants to achieve. One is winning the Daytona 500—a race he’s attempted 20 times without success. The other is competing in the prestigious Indianapolis 500, a goal that remains unfulfilled.
His older brother, Kurt Busch, raced in the Indy 500 back in 2014 for Andretti Autosport and impressed with a seventh-place finish, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Kyle himself came close to entering the Indy 500 a few years ago, but his deal was blocked by Joe Gibbs, his team owner at the time. Busch shared this experience during a conversation with Denny Hamlin on Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast.
“It was all done,” Busch said of the initial deal. “M&M’s was going to back it. Guess who said no?” When Hamlin correctly guessed Joe Gibbs, Busch confirmed it, noting Gibbs’ long-standing reluctance to let his drivers participate in non-NASCAR events. Since leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch attempted to make another run at the Indy 500 in 2024—this time with McLaren’s Zak Brown. That plan also ultimately fell through.
Busch explained that he had everything lined up with a sponsor and McLaren. “I had it signed, sealed, and delivered again, and then Larson took it,” Busch revealed. The issue stemmed from a disagreement over car ownership. Zak Brown reportedly told Busch’s sponsor they’d have to buy the car outright. The sponsor declined, saying they wanted to sponsor the car, not own it. Talks stalled there, and just two weeks later, Busch learned that the opportunity had closed because Kyle Larson had secured the ride instead.
Larson’s two-year commitment to the Indy 500 was a surprise to Busch, who only planned to make a single attempt. Despite the setbacks, Busch insists that competing in the Indy 500 remains one of his biggest goals, though he admits options are limited if he wants to join a top-tier team.
Busch mentioned Team Penske as the ideal organization for a serious Indy 500 run and even had conversations with Roger Penske. However, Penske told him they couldn’t put together the right crew to field another competitive entry.
Kyle Busch reveals he lost Indy 500 McLaren drive to Kyle Larson
