Kyle Busch is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of his generation, boasting two Cup Series championships and holding the record for the most combined national series wins (232). Approaching his 40th birthday and still searching for his first victory since the 2023 Enjoy Illinois 300, he acknowledges the top talents currently competing in NASCAR.
Despite falling just short of a win several times this season, Busch has remained competitive, leading 58 laps—sixth-most in the Cup Series—heading into Homestead-Miami. Frequently battling at the front with younger drivers, he has taken notice of a few standout competitors.
In an interview with Kevin Harvick for FOX Sports, Busch named Kyle Larson and William Byron as the best drivers in NASCAR right now, describing them as the top-tier competitors in the Next Gen car.
Busch explained that Larson and Byron are consistently among the most competitive drivers each week. His team also relies on insights from them, as his crew chief, Randall Burnett, has a connection with an engineer from Byron’s No. 24 team, and Busch himself has a strong relationship with Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fugle, who worked with Kyle Busch Motorsports for a decade.
Statistics support Busch’s claim. Over the past 36 races, Byron has the second-best average finish (11.8) and is tied with Larson for the second-most top-five finishes (15). Larson has dominated in laps led (1,548), holding a 390-lap lead over the next closest driver, Christopher Bell, and is tied with Bell for the most wins (five) in that span.
At 27 and 32 years old, respectively, Byron and Larson are expected to remain among NASCAR’s biggest stars for years to come. Busch’s comments about them come just before the race at Homestead-Miami, where they are among the betting favorites—Larson at +400 and Byron at +700.
Although Busch has performed well this season, his chances of breaking his nearly two-year winless streak in Miami are slim. He has not finished in the top five at Homestead-Miami in several years, meaning his drought could extend to 63 races.
