Kyle Busch has nothing left to prove in NASCAR. With over 230 victories across all three national series and two Cup Series championships, his name is etched indelibly into the record books. But behind the numbers and the trophies, Busch’s love for racing runs deeper than just competition. Beneath his intense, often polarizing persona on the track, he’s still a passionate sport fan. And nothing makes that clearer than his childhood obsession: collecting diecast cars.

Recently, during an Instagram Live, Busch gave fans a glimpse into this lesser-known side of his life. He recounted fond memories of building a massive collection of diecasts featuring NASCAR legends like Dale Earnhardt Sr., Jeff Gordon, and Mark Martin. But the big revelation? That cherished collection has been missing for years!

A childhood obsession packed away for Kyle Busch

Busch’s fascination with diecasts began early, thanks to his father, Tom Busch, who played a pivotal role in shaping that connection. Working as a Mac Tools distributor, Tom’s truck was more than just a mobile store for racing tools—it was also a treasure trove of NASCAR memorabilia. “My dad always ran a Mac Tool truck, visiting racers and shops,” Busch recalled in an Instagram live. “He’d deal diecasts too—Action Collectibles, Racing Champions. When all those magazines would always come out, I’d dive into the catalogs, checking out new paint schemes for everybody’s coming up season.”

Growing up, the young Busch said he would watch his father trade tools and diecasts with local racers, bringing home models of his favorite drivers. Over time, the collection expanded to include autographed pieces and special editions. “We had Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace—you name it, we had them,” Busch said.

“My dad being on the the dealership side of stuff like that selling tools to the dealerships he would know when [those] guys were coming to town so we would go pick up some of those die casts and go get them autographed and whatnot.” continued the two-time Cup Series champion.

Among the Busch family diecasts were likely iconic paint schemes like Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s menacing black No. 3, Jeff Gordon’s eye-catching rainbow No. 24, and Mark Martin’s sleek Valvoline No. 6. These models represented some of NASCAR’s most celebrated eras, igniting a passion in Kyle that would later fuel his remarkable career. But the collection’s fate became uncertain when the family moved from Las Vegas to North Carolina. Tom packed everything, including the dicasts, into an 18-wheeler trailer full of boxes. That’s where they’ve been ever since. “I guarantee you, they’re still in there somewhere,” Busch said. “One of these days, I’ll get them back out.”

For Busch, these diecasts weren’t just toys or memorabilia. They were a connection to the sport he adored as a kid, a tangible way to admire the drivers who inspired him.

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A new era of collecting

Though his childhood treasures are still packed away, Busch has since built a new collection—as a personal tribute to his own remarkable career. He’s amassed diecasts commemorating nearly every one of his race victories, right from the Truck Series to the Cup Series. “For all 230, whatever wins, I’ve got most of them,” Busch said. “I’m short maybe five, six, or seven, but the majority are stored away.” That’s a collection that been growing over the course of over 20 years!

Whether it’s his groundbreaking 2008 win at Atlanta, where Kyle Busch delivered Toyota’s first Cup Series victory, or his emotional 2015 Homestead-Miami triumph to clinch his first championship, Kyle Busch has apparently got em all. Add to that his dominant 2019 Food City 500 at Bristol, his 2019 Ford EcoBoost 400 win to secure a second title, and his milestone 100th Xfinity Series victory in 2021, and it’s clear that Busch cherishes his fabled career and loves to document the moments that showcase his brilliance across NASCAR’s biggest stages in his own little way.

When Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) closed its doors in 2023 as a result of its sale to Spire Motorsports, Kyle Busch decided to sell the team, including all its assets, but his beloved die cast collection joined other memorabilia from his career in a warehouse as he explained. “I know where they are—they’re just not displayed right now,” he added.

Busch’s career mementos are a reflection of his relentless drive and love for the sport. But he hasn’t let his success overshadow his appreciation for NASCAR’s roots. Whether he’s recounting stories of collecting as a kid or reminiscing about paint schemes that caught his eye, Busch reminds fans that he’s still one of them at heart.