The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced that the late NASCAR star Kyle Busch had been selected in the state’s annual moose lottery for an October antlered moose hunting permit.
Busch died in May at the age of 41 after complications from severe pneumonia and sepsis, but his ties to Maine remained strong, having competed in Oxford in both 2011 and 2024.
A posthumous permit
The lottery distributes roughly 3,700 antlered moose permits each year, and state law allows the selected permit to be transferred to a family member, giving Busch’s relatives the chance to pursue the hunt.
Officials from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said that such selections, while rare, do occur from time to time when applicants meet the required criteria.
The unusual convergence of a celebrated driver and a wildlife tradition highlights how regional customs can intersect with national sports figures, leaving a lasting imprint even after a competitor’s passing.