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'I’m Not Done Yet': Kyle Busch Shuts Down NASCAR Retirement Talk
Feb 13, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (8) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Feb 13, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (8) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. | Credits- Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

'I’m Not Done Yet': Kyle Busch Shuts Down NASCAR Retirement Talk

Originally posted on The SportsRush  |  By Neha Dwivedi  |  Last updated Feb 15, 2026 7:00 AM ET

Kyle Busch seems to have turned a corner, especially after his Daytona qualifying run and a pole for the 500 which takes place on Sunday. When he turned40 last May, talk of hanging up his helmet started making the rounds, but he kept batting it away, saying he still had laps left in him.

Now Busch has doubled down again with more fire than ever after the pole run. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has shut the door on retirement chatter and is entering his 22nd full-time season.

Busch’s contract with Richard Childress Racing runs through 2026, and with questions about his future role still up in the air, he isn’t giving up. Winless for 93 races? Doesn’t matter.

“I would say still just the competition of it, the nature of me being a competitor and wanting to go out there and still do this. And, obviously the Daytona 500 box that’s unchecked is obviously another driving factor to that, wanting to come out here,” Busch said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“We only get a chance to do that once a year to try to win that race. But, the rest of it, too, like I don’t feel like I’m at the age to hang it up. Like I’m not done yet. There’s plenty more to do. I feel like I’m at the age where there’s still more championships available.

“Being able to put the rest of the pieces together to be able to have all of that around you to go out there and achieve that is another thing. But, just excited about another new year,” he added.

Busch has also hinted that he plans to stick around until his son, Brexton, is old enough to compete on the national stage, a milestone that’s still at least six years away. Despite a winless stretch dating back to June 2023, Busch remains focused on Victory Lane and believes more titles are still within reach at 40, much like Denny Hamlin continues to prove at 44.

Kevin Harvick backs his former rival, Busch

Kevin Harvick has said a Busch rebound would be a lift not just for the RCR camp but for the sport at large. More than that, he admitted it’s hard to watch a driver with that resume hit a rough patch late in the ride.

As he put it, “Yeah, I think that Kyle Busch being competitive and winning races is really important to our sport, and he deserves that. It’s a contract year for Kyle Busch, and I believe that he can still get it done.”

Still, it comes down to Busch feeling at one with the car and getting what he needs under the hood. Step one would be having speed under the hood. The RCR camp has taken heat for pace, but Daytona showed signs of life, with Busch’s pole run putting the field on notice. Harvick believes that puts a target on everyone else.

On the other side, Busch himself can’t afford to throw it away with spins, wrecks, or slip-ups on pit road, especially when the consistency will play such a big role from this season onward. The No. 8 crew still has loose ends to tie if they want to keep the wheels on the wagon.

This article first appeared on The SportsRush and was syndicated with permission.

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