Kyle Busch Wins Daytona 500 Pole, Wife Samantha Shares Emotional Reaction

The two-time Cup Series champion secured his first Daytona 500 pole position, sparking an enthusiastic response from his family.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Kyle Busch won the pole position for the 2026 Daytona 500, marking a significant milestone in his NASCAR career. His wife, Samantha Busch, shared an emotional reaction on social media, celebrating the achievement. The article highlights Busch's long journey to the front row and the importance of this pole position for the driver, who has yet to win the Daytona 500.

Why it matters

Winning the Daytona 500 pole position is a major accomplishment for any NASCAR driver, as it puts them in a strong position to potentially win the sport's biggest race. For Kyle Busch, this achievement is particularly meaningful, as he has never won the Daytona 500 despite his impressive career accomplishments. The emotional reaction from his wife, Samantha, underscores the personal significance of this milestone for the Busch family.

The details

Kyle Busch turned in one of the fastest qualifying laps of his career to win the pole position for the 2026 Daytona 500. His lap of 183.651 mph edged out Chase Briscoe by just 0.064 mph, making it an intense fight for the top spot. Busch, who is a two-time Cup Series champion, has never won the Daytona 500, despite making 20 previous starts in NASCAR's biggest race. This pole position puts him in a strong position to finally capture the elusive Daytona 500 victory.

  • On Wednesday, Kyle Busch won the pole position for the 2026 Daytona 500.
  • Busch has made 20 previous starts in the Daytona 500 without a victory.

The players

Kyle Busch

A two-time Cup Series champion who has never won the Daytona 500, despite making 20 previous starts in NASCAR's biggest race.

Samantha Busch

Kyle Busch's wife, who shared an emotional reaction on social media after her husband won the Daytona 500 pole position.

Brexton Busch

Kyle and Samantha Busch's elder son, who was also excited to see his father earn the top spot for the Daytona 500.

Richard Childress

The owner of the Richard Childress Racing team, which fields the No. 8 Chevrolet that Kyle Busch drove to the Daytona 500 pole position.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This feels good, feels really good for RCR as a group. Just a valiant effort by everybody here. It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night.”

— Kyle Busch (profootballnetwork.com)

“Kyle, we gotta get this 500.”

— Richard Childress, Team Owner (profootballnetwork.com)

“Yesssssss way to go!!! So much hard work this offseason by everyone at RCR, what a way to start the season.”

— Samantha Busch (Instagram)

What’s next

Busch will now focus on converting his Daytona 500 pole position into a victory on Sunday, as he seeks to finally add the prestigious Daytona 500 trophy to his impressive career accomplishments.

The takeaway

Kyle Busch's Daytona 500 pole position is a significant milestone in his NASCAR career, and the emotional reaction from his family underscores the personal significance of this achievement. After years of coming close but falling short, Busch now has a prime opportunity to finally capture the elusive Daytona 500 win.