Bowman Gray to honor Kyle Busch next month with invitational event

Kyle Busch will be honored by Bowman Gray Stadium next month with the creation of the “Kyle Busch Invitational” that benefits the Bundle of Joy Fund.

Bowman Gray, the quarter-mile in Winston-Salem, N.C., will run the event on Friday, Aug. 21. It will feature Legend and Bandolero races, with the field size a nod to Busch’s former car numbers. There will be “up to” 51 cars in the Legends race and 18 in the Bandolero category.

FloSports and the NASCAR Channel will broadcast the event.

“It’s an honor to host the Kyle Busch Invitational at Bowman Gray Stadium and celebrate the life and legacy of one of racing’s most accomplished drivers,” said Clay Campbell, president, Martinsville Speedway and vice president, NASCAR Mid-Atlantic Division. “This event brings together the passion of our fans, the rich history of the Madhouse, and an incredible cause through The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund. This will be a special night for our fans, our community, and everyone involved.”  

Busch unexpectedly passed away on May 21 from pneumonia that had progressed into sepsis. He was 41.

Bundle of Joy was created by Kyle and Samantha Busch in 2015. It was inspired by the infertility challenges the two went through before having their first child, Brexton. The non-profit provides financial support to families for IVF and, to date, has helped bring about the birth of 111 babies with $2,388,784 in funds granted.

There will be automatic bids given to drivers to make the Kyle Busch Invitational field if they are in the top five of the final Summer Shootout standings (which takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway) in the Pro, Semi-Pro, Master, and Young Lions divisions. Additionally, there will be automatic bids for any driver who has won a feature race in those divisions but did not finish in the top five in the standings.

“The Legend Car played an important role in Kyle’s development on his path to becoming one of the greatest race car drivers of his generation,” said G.E. Chapman, VP of U.S. Legend Cars International and the INEX Racing Series. “To celebrate Kyle’s life and legacy with a Legend Car and Bandolero event at Bowman Gray Stadium, while also recognizing the incredible impact he and Samantha have made through The Bundle of Joy Fund, is a tremendous honor. We’re proud to be part of an event that celebrates both his accomplishments in motorsports and the lasting difference he continues to make off the racetrack.”