The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced that the late NASCAR driver Kyle Busch had been chosen in this year’s moose lottery, earning a coveted antlered moose hunting permit for the upcoming October season.
Busch, who passed away in May at the age of 41 after complications from severe pneumonia that progressed to sepsis, would have been 42 later this year, making his selection a posthumous footnote in the state’s wildlife management records.
The lottery released roughly 3,700 permits for antlered moose this year, a modest number given the species’ protected status and the state’s effort to balance conservation with limited hunting opportunities.
Although Busch never owned a home in Maine, he maintained strong ties to the region, having competed in Oxford, Maine, during the 2011 and 2024 racing seasons, a connection that likely helped his name surface in the random draw.
Under Maine state law, a moose permit may be transferred to a direct family member, meaning that Busch’s relatives could potentially inherit the right to hunt the animal if they choose to do so.
A Curious Intersection of Racing and Wildlife
The driver’s professional legacy is still anchored by his long‑standing affiliations with teams such as Dale Coyne Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, organizations that have shaped modern IndyCar and NASCAR competition.
Fans and wildlife officials alike have noted the odd juxtaposition of high‑speed motorsport and the quiet, forest‑bound tradition of moose hunting, a reminder that even in death, public figures can become part of unexpected narratives.