Samantha Busch has announced that M&M's will return to NASCAR for one more race as a tribute to her late husband, Kyle Busch, who passed away on May 21 at the age of 41.
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Samantha announced the news on Thursday with a video on her social media channels. She highlighted how Bristol Motor Speedway was one of Busch's favorite tracks and reflected on all of his success at the short track.
She then confirmed that M&M's will return for the Bristol Night Race on Sept. 19. The company will sponsor Ty Gibbs while using a scheme to highlight numerous moments from Busch's racing career.
Bristol was always one of Kyle’s favorite tracks. He loved racing under the lights, found so much success there, and the iconic M&M’S car holds some of the best memories of his career and our life together.
Going back without him will be heartbreaking. He should be there. But… pic.twitter.com/gNfIa4UeEg— Samantha Busch (@SamanthaBusch) August 13, 2026
"Going back without him will be heartbreaking," Samantha wrote. "He should be there. But I'm so grateful to be able to tell you that those iconic M&M'S colors will be coming back to Bristol, one last time, on the 54 car.
"It's a chance to honor him at a place he loved so much, surrounded by our NASCAR family and the fans who loved him too. I know Kyle would want us to be there, to keep showing up, keep racing, and keep carrying his legacy forward."
Joe Gibbs Racing also posted photos of the No. 54's tribute scheme after Samantha made the announcement. This Toyota features the traditional yellow base with the different colors of M&M's taking up prominent space.
Photo credit: Joe Gibbs Racing
However, the scheme also has far more details. The design features hundreds of photos from Busch's career, which highlight the successes on the track. Dozens of these photos show Busch waving the checkered flag or doing his signature bow.
Bristol is a track where Busch achieved staggering amounts of success. He won there eight times in the Cup Series alone. He also won at Bristol nine times in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and five times in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Bristol is the track where Busch made history. He became the only driver in NASCAR history to sweep a tripleheader weekend, and he did so two times. He first delivered the Bristol sweep in 2010, and then he doubled down in 2017.
Now, this short track will be the site of the M&M's scheme returning to NASCAR for the first time since the 2022 season. This time, it will be Gibbs who showcases the scheme while honoring a driver to whom he admired.
"He was just so supportive of me, and that meant so much to me as a young kid," Gibbs told FanBuzz at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
"I mean, I remember just going Go-Kart racing and meeting up with him after he won Brickyard, probably four or five times, and like having my race bag with me. Just thinking he asked about racing."
