The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced that the late NASCAR driver Kyle Busch had been selected in this year’s moose lottery, earning a coveted antlered moose hunting permit for the upcoming October season.
A Posthumous Permit
Busch, who passed away in May at the age of 41 after complications from severe pneumonia and sepsis, maintained a modest but notable connection to the state, having competed in Oxford, Maine, during the 2011 and 2024 racing weekends.
The lottery, which distributes roughly 3,700 permits annually, grants recipients the chance to hunt a limited number of moose, with the antlered category reserved for those seeking trophy specimens. State regulations allow the permit to be transferred to a close family member, a provision that could see Busch’s relatives inherit the opportunity.
The coincidence of a motorsport figure being linked to a wildlife management program underscores the varied ways public personalities can become entangled with regional traditions. While Busch’s racing career is remembered on tracks across the country, this selection adds a chapter to his legacy that bridges the roar of engines with the quiet of the Maine woods.
The news has sparked a mix of amusement and reflection among fans and wildlife officials alike, highlighting how the boundaries between sport, celebrity and nature can occasionally overlap in unexpected ways.