NASCAR world mourns driver Kyle Busch as condolences flood in on social media
The racing world mourned the sudden death of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, and social media quickly filled with tributes from fans.
The racetrack continues to feel like home to Samantha Busch and her family, even after the shocking death of her husband and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.
Samantha Bush expressed as much in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, her 11-year-old son Brexton got behind the wheel of the Legend Car at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Summer Shootout, finishing sixth on Monday night. On Tuesday, Tom (Kyle Busch’s 72-year-old father) took an honorary lap around the track in his No. 51 Legend car as Brexton waved its flag.
As Brexton drove the neon green No. 18 car around the track in Concord, North Carolina, Samantha said she remembered Kyle.
Samantha Busch wrote, “It’s heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time to see Brexton back on the track, because we see a glimpse of Kyle in him, the same determination, the same passion, the same brilliance. And for a moment, it feels like a piece of him is still with us.” “While these moments are incredibly painful, they also serve as a reminder that Kyle’s story is not over. It lives on through the dreams he inspired and the two children he loved more than anything.”
When Kyle was admitted to hospital before his tragic death on May 21 at the age of 41, Samantha said she promised her children she would do everything in her power to help them pursue their dreams.
“For Brexton, that dream is racing,” Busch wrote. “It wasn’t a dream that Kyle chose for him. It was something the two of them shared. They spent countless hours talking about race cars, working together, dreaming together and building a bond around what they both truly love. Racing is what lights up Brexton, and as long as that is the dream that is in his heart, I will be right by his side, rooting for him every step of the way.”
Ahead of this past weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Michigan, Richard Childress reiterated that Kyle’s stylized No. 8 jersey will remain retired until Brexton wants to use it, even if it belongs to another team. Kyle has raced for Team RCR in Childress for the past four seasons.
Samantha said she and Kyle’s daughter, 4-year-old Lennix, just got her first cart for her birthday.
“The racetrack has been home for our family for nearly 20 years. It’s where our best memories were made, where our children grew up, and where much of our life together happened,” Busch wrote. “At a time when so much of our world feels foreign, it’s one of the few places that still feels like home.
“Every time we get to the track, we’re reminded that someone on our team is missing. The person who should be next to us isn’t there. That part is heartbreaking. But it’s also where we feel closest to him, surrounded by memories, people, and the dreams he helped build. So we keep racing.”
Kyle Busch passed away from complications from severe pneumonia that progressed to sepsis. He is the winningest driver of all time in NASCAR’s top three touring series with a total of 234 wins. His sudden death shocked NASCAR, and drivers continued to pay tribute to him. Denny Hamlin ran around with a specially stylized No. 18 flag during his victory lap after tying Busch, his former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, for the ninth Cup Series victory Sunday at Michigan.
In an emotional moment before the Coca-Cola 600 race, with Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, Kyle’s parents and brother Kurt standing next to him, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell told the Busch family, “Everyone here, everyone in the back, everyone watching on TV, everyone in the grandstands is your family. And we’re going to protect you.”
