Kyle Busch, the late NASCAR star, has been selected in Maine’s annual moose lottery for an antlered October permit, a twist that has captured the attention of both racing fans and wildlife officials.
A posthumous permit
Busch died earlier this year at the age of 41 after complications from severe pneumonia and sepsis, but his connection to the state persisted through previous races in Oxford in 2011 and 2024, which helped forge a personal tie to Maine’s hunting community.
The lottery, which distributes roughly 3,700 antlered moose permits each year, allows winners to harvest a single moose during the October season; state law permits the permit to be transferred to a close family member, ensuring that Busch’s selection could still result in a harvest by a relative.
While the notion of a deceased driver receiving a hunting permit may seem surreal, it underscores the unique ways in which personal legacies can intersect with state traditions, and it has sparked discussions about the cultural significance of moose hunting in New England.
Fans and officials alike have responded with a mixture of reverence and curiosity, noting that Busch’s legacy extends beyond the track and into the rural traditions of his adopted home state.