Busch began the 2013 racing season with a crash in the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway. In qualifying for the 2013 Daytona 500, he won his Budweiser Duel qualifying race; Busch ran as high as second in the Daytona 500 before blowing an engine after 150 of the race's 200 laps. At Phoenix International Raceway, Busch won the Nationwide Series Dollar General 200 from the pole, ending the second-longest winless streak of his career, at Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks later, he won the Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway by less than .025 seconds over rookie Kyle Larson, tying Kevin Harvick for the most wins at Bristol in the Nationwide Series. That same weekend, Busch won the Sprint Cup pole, setting a new track qualifying record. He finished second after rallying back from a speeding penalty.