Ty Gibbs and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) are honoring the late Kyle Busch at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race this September at Bristol Motor Speedway, one of Busch’s best racetracks, by returning the iconic M&M’s colors and branding to the racetrack.
Samantha Busch made the official announcement Thursday in a social media post, which reads: “Bristol was always one of Kyle’s favorite tracks. He loved racing under the lights, found so much success there, and the iconic M&M’S car holds some of the best memories of his career and our life together.”
“Going back without him will be heartbreaking. He should be there. But I’m so grateful to be able to tell you that those iconic M&M’S colors will be coming back to Bristol, one last time, on the 54 car. It’s a chance to honor him at a place he loved so much, surrounded by our NASCAR family and the fans who loved him too. I know Kyle would want us to be there, to keep showing up, keep racing, and keep carrying his legacy forward. We hope you’ll join us at Bristol as we celebrate Kyle, the incredible legacy he left behind, and the love he had for racing that will always be a part of our family.”
The paint scheme itself is reminiscent of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry that Busch piloted during his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing, from 2008 to 2021, but it isn’t just the iconic colors and branding. This scheme, in particular, also includes a mosaic of images of the Busch family, as well as some of his best moments while driving for JGR.
“Some moments in racing become part of history, and for Kyle [Busch] so many of those moments happened under the lights at Bristol,” said Kyle’s wife, Samantha Busch. “Bristol wasn’t just another race for him; he loved everything about that place – the intensity, the energy, the fans, and the challenge of racing there. “Some of the greatest moments of his career happened on that track in the yellow M&M’s car, which became such an iconic part of Kyle’s legacy.”
“It was so much more than a paint scheme. Kyle became the M&M’s guy. Over the years, we heard countless stories from fans about them or their kids cheering for the M&M’s car before they even knew who was behind the wheel. Those bright colors brought so many people to Kyle and to the sport, and somewhere along the way, the car and Kyle just became synonymous with each other. It’s a paint scheme I think so many of us will always see and immediately think of him.”
“Seeing Mars and Joe Gibbs Racing come together to honor Kyle is incredibly emotional for me,” Samantha continued. “The M&M’s car holds so many memories from our life together, and seeing it back on the track knowing that Kyle won’t be the one behind the wheel is going to be both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. To see the No. 54 car carry those iconic colors again, filled with moments from Kyle’s incredible career, feels like bringing a piece of him back to the track that he loved so much.”
“Kyle loved Bristol and Bristol loved Kyle. Being back with our NASCAR family under the lights to celebrate his life, his career, and the memories he gave all of us will be something we never forget. I know he will be right there with us that night.”
Bristol Motor Speedway was one of Kyle Busch’s best racetracks, with eight NASCAR Cup Series victories to his credit, as well as nine NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories and five NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins.
‘The Last Great Coliseum’ was a major part of history for Busch, on two separate occasions, when he became the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event on the same weekend — something nobody else has been able to accomplish since Busch did it twice (2010 and 2017).
