When Kyle Busch Broke NASCAR and Forced Them to Change the Law, Greg Biffle Recalls

“That wasn’t one of the funnest days of my career,” Kyle Busch once said while talking about his failed attempt to race in NASCAR. Sure, it had been five years since that fateful day in Fontana, yet it hurt all the same. The contract was ready. He was the fastest driver in the final practice session. The race could have been his first win. Yet, just five minutes before going out in the qualifying sun, he was not permitted to go out. It’s been over two decades since that fateful Vegas afternoon, and as the NASCAR world would have it, one legend revealed details about the ordeal.

In an appearance on Dale Jr.’s podcast, Greg Biffle revealed how Jack Rousch and his combined efforts seemed to go to waste when the Kyle Busch rule came into play.

Now, the Biff had made his name in the racing circuits in the 90s. Truck Series, Xfinity, you name it and he had probably driven on it. So, when Jack Rousch came calling, the Biff answered. When Rousch discovered the talent that existed in racing, he seemed keen to find the next big thing, and alongside Biffle, he set to find their prodigy. What they didn’t know is their biggest talent wouldn’t be permitted to race in an event that could have been his first victory!

As Greg Biffle narrated it, this was how it went. “When Jack hired me and then had that talent show, he’s like how many more guys like you are across the US out there? Jack said, ‘I’m going to bring all these young guys in and see how many more there are.’ I handpicked at Toledo, Ohio. I handpicked Kurt Bush. Kurt was like 18 or 19 you know and so here comes Kurt in and then we hire his brother. His brother is 16. I forgot about that. All of a sudden it’s going and NASCAR made the age rule because of Kyle Bush.” 

Back then, NASCAR had no strict age limit for competing in the Truck Series. If you were fast enough and a team was willing to sign you, no one stopped a driver from racing. Before the Busch brothers came along, hiring a driver under 25 was almost unheard of. Back then, teams wanted experience, not raw speed. Jeff Gordon was an exception to the rule, and even he had to prove himself. Busch had the kind of talent that made veteran drivers nervous. He had already run six truck races before Fontana, and that afternoon in Vegas was shaping up positively for Rowdy. However, in came Marlboro with a decisive ruling.

You see, the company was one of the main sponsors of the event. They felt that no one under the age of 18 should compete in the event because of the tobacco companies’ Master Settlement Agreement with the states’ attorneys general that prohibited advertising targeted toward the youth. And just like that, the “Kyle Busch Rule” was born. NASCAR implemented a new age requirement, setting the minimum age at 18 for the Truck and Xfinity Series, ensuring no one as young as Busch would ever shake up the system again. 

Since Busch couldn’t drive till he was 18, he joined the Hendrick Motorsports development program, eventually finding success in 2005 with his first win. However, just because he was cut short by the rule didn’t mean he would let other drivers face the same treatment. When a young Joe Gibbs Racing prodigy came sniffing for NASCAR glory at 17, Rowdy backed him up. It was none other than Joey Logano. This was at a time when NASCAR was considering upping the minimum age from 18 to 21 and Busch was having none of it.

“You’ve got a 17-year-old kid who is the best talent that we’ve … seen. Not just Joe Gibbs Racing, but NASCAR. You can get him into a [Nationwide] Series car this year. He wins a few races this year. You get him into the [Nationwide] Series next year; he dominates and wins the championship. The following year he wins the championship again. You’re going to make him run again because he’s not yet 21? That’s stupid. Put him in a Cup car. He’s got the ability to do it,” he explained in 2008.

Now, with Kyle Busch planning his son’s entry into the sport, he may run into some problems. Since the plan is to bring a part-time truck with Brexton Busch, his son, and Rowdy sharing the seat when B-Rex is 15, Busch may have to fight for his son since the Truck Series has regulations about the minimum age being 16. Even then, Brexton would only be able to race on certain shorter circuits.

While Busch figures that out, one thing fans must concede to Rowdy is his impact on the sport. We’re not talking about the wins or the age rule. There’s another rule that was seemingly brought on by Rowdy.

Kyle Busch rule 2.0

While Rowdy may not have won in the Cup Series in the last year, it doesn’t take away his Xfinity and Truck Series achievements. He remains the winningest driver in both and has forever left his mark there. And while most of this happened when Busch competed in each respective Series when he started out, he kept going back to test his mettle. However, back in 2017, NASCAR decided Cup Series drivers with more than three years of experience would have limited starts in Xfinity and Trucks.

At the time, Busch looked at it positively. “I guess I should be flattered people are saying that. There’s already been a Kyle Busch Rule years ago when they made the rule (about 18 being the minimum age) when I was 16 and got booted out. So this is Kyle Busch 2.0.”

Despite this rule, Busch hasn’t kept himself from going back to his old stomping ground, even if it’s just a taste of his glory days. During the 2025 Atlanta race weekend, Busch piloted the #7 Spire Motorsports truck to the victory lane after frustrating opening races left him yearning for more.

Perhaps this year, we can see more of Busch winning in Trucks. His joy after winning brought out the best in fans, as they cheered from the stands.