Another important North Carolina venue will honor the late, great Kyle Busch.
Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem announced Thursday that it will host the Kyle Busch Invitational later this summer. It’ll be a collection of races — featuring Bandaleros and Legends cars — on Friday, Aug. 21.
The races will “honor the life and legacy of Kyle Busch,” according to a release, with all proceeds benefiting The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund. The organization, among many functions, provides grants to families needing access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) care and coverage.
“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,” Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway and VP of NASCAR’s Mid-Atlantic Division, wrote in a statement. “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.”
The invitational will feature up to 51 Legend cars and 18 additional Bandalero cars. It’ll take place at Bowman Gray Stadium — one of the oldest tracks in NASCAR history that has also been the site of The Clash, NASCAR’s first exhibition race of the year the past few seasons.
Busch, who died in May at 41 years old, was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. But his legacy is deeply rooted in North Carolina, the home of NASCAR. Busch remains the winningest driver across all NASCAR national series in history and is considered one of the sport’s greatest talents. He died just before one of his favorite races — the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway — due to sepsis that caused a host of other associated complications.
It is possible Busch’s son, 11-year-old Brexton, will race in the event. According to a release, drivers will earn an automatic bid if they are in the Top Five of the 2026 Summer Shootout final point standings in Pro, Semi-Pro, Masters and Young Lions — or if those drivers notched an “A-Main Feature victory during the 2026 season.”
Brexton recently finished second in the Young Lions feature at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Samantha Busch, the wife of Kyle and mother to Lennix and Brexton, shared in an Instagram story that the event is special — particularly with his affinity for grassroots racing and inspiring the next generation.
“Seeing one of Kyle’s dreams live on through this event means so much to our family,” Busch said. “I’m so incredibly grateful to (NASCAR chief operating officer) Ben Kennedy and everyone who helped make this dream a reality.
“I know this night will celebrate everything Kyle loved. … I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor him.”
Qualifying and practice will take place from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the racing beginning at 5 p.m. Aug. 21. Visit Bowman Gray Stadium’s website for tickets.
A public funeral for Busch is planned for Oct. 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., the same weekend the NASCAR Cup Series is coming to town.
This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 3:16 PM with the headline “Kyle Busch memorial races will be hosted on famous NC racetrack. When and where.”
Alex Zietlow
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