#18 Kyle Busch
At age six, Kyle got his first go cart. He honed his racing skills by trying to keep up with Kurt. When Kyle was 13 years old, he began racing Legends Cars, winning a total of 65 victories and 2 track titles in Las Vegas. In 2001 Kyle started competing in Late Models, and posted 10 victories for the season. During this time while Kyle was still in high school, his older brother Kurt Busch became a rookie in the NASCAR circuit. At the age of 16, Kyle made his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series driving for Roush Racing. But NASCAR changed the rules, you now had to be 18 to race in any of the top three NASCAR series. While waiting to turn 18 Kyle focused on school and raced in the ASA(American Speed Association). To jump start his racing career he graduated a year early with honors. Finally when he turned 18 Kyle signed with Hendrick Motorsports and began driving in the Nationwide Series. His first start was at Lowe's Motor Speedway, he finished second driving the #87 Ditech.com Chevrolet. In 2004 Kyle replaced the 2003 Nationwide Series Champion Brian Vickers (who moved up to the Cup Series) in the #5 Lowes Chevrolet and drove full time in the Nationwide Series. He had five wins, five poles and won Rookie of the Year honors while finishing second in points to Martin Truex Jr. Also in 2004 he made his first Cup Series start at his home track, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He raced a total of six times in the Cup car in preparation to move up to Cup racing full time in 2005. In 2005 his rookie year in Cup Series racing he won twice and was the youngest driver to win a Bud Pole Award while finishing 20th in the series points standings. In 2008 Kyle signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the #18 M&M's Toyota Camry. Other career milestones include winning the first
COT
(Car of Tomorrow) race at
Bristol Motor Speedway
on March 25, 2007 and winning the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race for Toyota at
Atlanta Motor Speedway
on March 9, 2008.
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