NASCAR champions Kyle Busch and Daniel Hemric set to headline Memorial Day Clash 200 at Oxford Plains Speedway 

NASCAR champions Kyle Busch and Daniel Hemric are set to headline the inaugural Memorial Day Clash 200 at Oxford Plains Speedway on May 27. The event, organized by the Pro All Stars Series (PASS), marks the first leg of the Oxford Crown Jewel Triple Crown.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion with 232 career wins across NASCAR’s top three divisions, will compete alongside Hemric, the 2021 Xfinity Series champion. Busch, now in his 21st full-time season driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, remains a top draw for fans. Hemric, racing for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the No. 19 truck, is chasing a Truck Series championship.

“We are very excited about Kyle and Daniel returning to compete at Oxford this year,” said PASS president and Oxford Plains Speedway owner Tom Mayberry (via shorttrackscenes). “A lot of people in that group worked really hard to put this deal together. I think it’s going to be great for the fans and the competitors.”

Both drivers are no strangers to the track. In last year’s Celebration of America 300, Busch led laps before race contact ended his day early with a 24th-place finish. Hemric didn’t fare much better, finishing 21st, two laps down. Both are looking for redemption in this year’s Memorial Day Clash 200.

The event’s format brings an interesting twist. Time trials will lock the top two qualifiers into the main event, provided they complete all laps in their heat races. The heat race results will determine the remaining 35-car field. A competition caution is scheduled between laps 100 and 125, allowing teams to change two tires, with a six-tire limit for the 200-lap race. The winner takes home $10,000.

The Memorial Day Clash 200 kicks off the Oxford Crown Jewel Triple Crown. This also includes the Celebration of America 300 and the prestigious Oxford 250 in August.

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Kyle Busch’s strong partnership with Rebel Bourbon gains momentum

Kyle Busch’s primary sponsor, Rebel Bourbon, is making big moves after a successful debut season with Richard Childress Racing in 2024. Rebel, owned by Luxco, backed Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet in three races last year, seeing impressive returns.

Rebel Bourbon is now set to release a limited-edition Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel Bourbon, bottled at 54% ABV. Luxco brand manager Philip Lux credited Busch’s bold persona as key to the partnership’s success, saying "people are engaged with the brand now".

Lux told Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern that fans at Daytona admitted they didn’t know the brand before NASCAR but do now. Rebel leaned into Kyle Busch’s “Rowdy” nickname, matching his aggressive racing style with their marketing.

Ahead of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Busch hosted a bottle-signing event at Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Foods in Austin, Texas. The event drew a large crowd, showing the growing popularity of both Busch and Rebel Bourbon.

Luxco saw strong financial returns from the sponsorship, with Nielsen data and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association reporting a sales boost in markets like Pennsylvania and a threefold increase in Missouri.