Kyle Busch's 2015 Daytona crash was a big impact that made a big impact on NASCAR

The lone major void in Kyle Busch’s career was victory in the Daytona 500, though he won several other races in every manner of stock-car (and truck) that competed at the World Center of Racing. But it’s the one Daytona 500 he missed entirely that made a lasting impact on Daytona International Speedway, and the entire sport in general. It came due to an unfortunate physical impact.

During the 2015 Xfinity Series race, the Saturday 300-miler preceding Sunday’s Daytona 500, Busch was part of a multi-car crash just past the start-finish line with nine laps remaining. Kyle Busch after 2015 Daytona crash: "Man, I'm done" While other cars careened off each other and the outside wall, Busch’s No. 54 Toyota, with broken steering, was sent on a high-speed angle directly toward the concrete wall bordering a grass field inside the entrance to Turn 1.

The head-long crash left Busch with a double compound fracture to his right leg as well as a broken left foot. He not only missed the next day’s 500, but the first 11 races of the season as he recovered. Later, he recalled his immediate thoughts as he awaited the rescue crew.

“I'm thinking to myself, 'Man, I'm done. There's no way I'm going to be able to come back from this. This hurts.