Being the kid brother of a NASCAR champion usually adds loads of pressure to a young driver. However, that has never been the case with Kyle Busch. At the age of 13, Kyle began winning races in the Legends Cars. In fact, he tallied sixty-five total victories in that genre of racing. Additionally, he posted two Las Vegas track titles.

In 2001, while still in high school, Kyle Busch began competing in Late Models. By this time, Kyle’s older brother Kurt Busch had become a rookie in NASCAR’s highest level of competition, so the pressure began to mount. Despite the pressure, Kyle posted 10 Late Model victories.

At the youthful age of 16, he made his debut race in the Craftsman Truck Series driving for Roush Racing. However, the NASCAR sanctioning body implemented a rule that disallowed any driver under the age of 18 to compete in any of the three premier NASCAR series in 2002. Hence, Kyle Busch’s blossoming NASCAR career was temporarily halted. Months before, he posted the fastest practice lap at an event in California, but was forced to forfeit his starting spot in the race due to the fact that he was under the age of 18. The race Kyle intended to compete in was part of a weekend of races, one of which had tobacco company sponsorship.

The age limit did not curtail his hunger for competition. He began competing in the American Speed Associate (ASA) in 2002, and finished eighth in the final championship standings.

Once Kyle reached the age of 18, many assumed that he would follow in his older brother Kurt’s footsteps and sign a long-term developmental contract with Roush Fenway Racing. Conversely, Kyle surprisingly announced that he would partner with Hendrick Motorsports and begin driving Busch (Nationwide) Series cars for them following his 18th birthday.

In 2003, Kyle Busch started six races for Hendrick Motorsports in the #87 ditech.com Chevrolet. He made his debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May, and posted an impressive second-place finish. Moreover, he won two ARCA races for Hendrick Motorsports at Kentucky Speedway and Nashville Super Speedway.

As the 2004 season commenced, Kyle Busch was set to replace Brian Vickers full-time in the #5 car. Vickers and the #5 team had just won the 2003 NASCAR Busch Series championship. Lowe’s, also the sponsor on the #48 Sprint Cup team driven by Jimmie Johnson, became the primary sponsor for Busch.