Kyle Larson was announced as the cover driver for NASCAR 26 The Game, developed by iRacing, on Thursday.
The announcement was made during a live event, where Larson performed donuts on the historic USS Midway aircraft carrier in Coronado.
What happened?
Fans reacted with disappointment to the news, wanting Kyle Busch to be on the cover as a tribute to the late legend, who passed away on May 21, 2026.
Some fans questioned whether the Busch family was approached by NASCAR and iRacing for approval.
Why it matters for Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson's last Cup series win came on May 12, 2025, at the Advent Health 400 in Kansas, and he hasn't won a race since then.
Larson has been running in the Top 5 and isn't stressed about the winless streak, saying "we're doing a good job with what we have" on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
What comes next?
NASCAR 26 The Game is set to be released in September, with Larson as the cover driver, and fans are eagerly awaiting the game's release.
Larson was in the lead for the majority of the first stage at last weekend's Cup race at Pocono and finished in P5.
The stock car racing series revealed the cover driver for the game ahead of the race weekend in Coronado, with Christopher Bell, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney being the three drivers in last year's game.
Kyle Larson is sixth in points and not too far out of fourth, with a focus on staying consistent and getting back to winning form.