Kyle Busch was a future hall-of-famer who was taken from his family, NASCAR, and the world too soon; he sadly passed away this week, leaving loved ones and fans mourning. To honor his life, achievements, and legacy, we take a look at what connects him to the rest of us and the car community: his cars. We can't glaze over the fact that he owned an impressive collection of race cars that won titles and burned rubber on the track over the years, but he joined enthusiasts off the track with a handful of classic cars, sports cars, and surprisingly practical daily drivers.His private collection was just that - kept exceptionally private. He may have owned more cool cars, like a rumored Lexus LFA, or even more boring cars like a Ford Edge, neither of which reached the public eye, but we know through auctions, social media posts, and his YouTube channel that he had a handful of road cars that some of you might have sitting in your garage or driveway right now.Out of respect for Kyle and his family, this article covers the vehicles he chose to publicly display and talk about. Busch's personal collection was generally kept private, and we honor his desire to keep that so. 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 1956 Chevrolet Bel AirStarting with his oldest car by model year, we have Kyle's 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air. At a glance, it might appear to be just another well-restored Bel Air like the ones you might find at a local classic car show, but Busch rebuilt it with some custom touches. Under the hood is a Chevy LS1, like you might find in a C5 Corvette from 1997.Power is transferred via a 4L60E transmission, which was introduced in GM vehicles in 1994, to a Ford 9-inch rear end with 4.11 gears and a limited slip differential. According to Barrett-Jackson, where this car was just auctioned to a new home in April this year, this Bel Air was fully stripped down to powder coat the chassis, and upgraded with more parts like Billet Specialties wheels, 2.5-inch stainless-steel exhaust system, 13-inch Baer disc brakes, air suspension, and more. 1957 Ford Thunderbird 1957 Ford ThunderbirdKyle's wife, Samantha Busch, also included her 1957 Ford Thunderbird in Barrett-Jackson's recent auction. Unlike Busch's Bel Air, which was upgraded with all sorts of modern parts from newer vehicles and even a Ford rear end, this Thunderbird underwent a more faithful restoration to Ford's original model.Under the hood is a 240-horsepower rebuilt Ford 312ci V8. Barrett-Jackson notes that power is directed to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission, but doesn't specify its type or origin. Nevertheless, this Thunderbird includes a white convertible soft-top with a detachable, color-matching hard-top, new white leather upholstery, and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels with wide whitewall tires. The car won a gold award in concours judging at the August 2013 Classic Thunderbird Club International regional convention. 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C7There are no public photos of Busch's C7 Corvette Z06, but most sources agree that this was included in his collection. The C7 Z06 was introduced for the 2015 model year, following the C6's success. This car is on a level of its own; the closest competitor of its time is the 5th-generationDodge Viper, which was on sale from 2013 through 2017. The Z06 was equipped with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that made 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, which was sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed manual transmission. When it was new, the 2015 Z06 started at $78,995; today, the same coupe is still worth around $76,176, according to Classic.com's data including the last year of sales, auctions, and listings. 2021 Toyota Camry TRD 2020 Toyota Camry TRDThe most humble, and extremely interesting, car in his known collection was a Toyota Camry TRD. The addition makes sense when considering how many of his NASCARs were based on the Camry and even the Toyota Tundra in the Craftsman Series. Busch's race cars occasionally had Camry styling, even though they were outfitted with V8s and didn't resemble a Toyota under the skin. However, his Toyota affiliation led to him building a 2018 Camry "Rowdy Edition" for the 2017 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) convention.Choosing a Camry TRD was only natural, given his history. It's the fastest Camry ever sold from the factory, with a top speed of 135 miles per hour, and it could launch to 60 mph from a standstill in the high five-second range. Power is sent to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic, so it isn't the most engaging model to toss around a track, but its power, handling, and reliability make for a fun daily driver. A Down-To-Earth Collection Of Fun Cars Kyle's untimely passing is tragic and shook the world of motorsports. This official statement says more than we ever could:“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series.His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’ Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha’s parents, Kurt and all of Kyle’s family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon."- The Busch family, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCARKyle's collection of cars — what he drove on the streets next to you and me — showed that Busch was an enthusiast in his own right, choosing American classics and cars that provide both reliability and fun. He joined the ranks of classic Chevy collectors with a customized, LS-swapped 1956 Bel Air, and his wife joined the world of classic Fords with her beautifully restored 1957 Thunderbird.Busch's Toyota Camry TRD may not be as powerful as the NASCAR versions he raced, but it also made for a practical daily driver, leaving his C7 Z06 as a perfect weekend toy. We wouldn't be surprised if he did indeed have a Ford Edge, too, as it would make sense given his family-oriented nature.Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Kyle Busch; may his legacy, and memory, live on through the cars, and motorsport, he loved so much.
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