CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Auto racing’s biggest day became a Memorial Day weekend tribute to NASCAR racing great Kyle Busch from Indianapolis to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Busch died Thurday at 41 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications, according to a statement released by his family, and his loss sent shockwaves through the motorsports world and beyond.
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At the Coca-Cola 600 — a race Busch won in 2018 — NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway honored the two-time Cup Series champion with a large, black No. 8 and his signature on the frontstretch grass and a photo on the videoboard.
The U.S. Army Golden Knights planned to carry Busch’s flag prior during pre-race festivities following a moment of silence. Each of the 39 cars in field will carry Busch’s decal. And, the speedway’s public address system and the television commentators plan to go silent on the eighth lap of the race.
There may be other undisclosed tributes planned as well, per track officials.
On Saturday night, Layne Riggs celebrated his Trucks Series win at CMS by doing one of Busch’s traditional bows to the crowd after the race, and Ross Chastain did the same after capturing the rain-shortened O’Reilly Auto Parts race.
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NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell called Busch “an American badass.”
“When you think race car driver and what that person should be like, Kyle Busch is probably one of the first that comes to your mind on the type of racer he was,” Cup Series driver Joey Logano said.
Fans at CMS arrived in droves with shirt to honor Busch that read “Rowdy” and “KFB.”
Earlier in the day at the Indianapolis 500, Dale Coyne Racing changed the font of Romain Grosjean’s No. 18 car to replicate the font the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Brickyard 400 winner used during his 14 seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing in his No. 18 car.
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Then came the opening prayer, in which Busch was mentioned by name. And on Lap 18, race officials lit up the scoring pylon next to pit lane with Busch’s name, his birth year and 2026.
Even with the pageantry of Indianapolis’ big IndyCar race, Busch, who had a record 234 victory across NASCAR’s three national series, was never far from the thoughts of people in the city that dubs itself the “Racing Capital of the World.” The father of two died Thursday at age 41 from what his family said was severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
“It’s desperately sad. It’s also one of those things where you try not to think about it or let it in because you’ve got so much to do, you can’t let yourself get emotional,” Katherine Legge said Friday after returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “But honestly, racing has lost one of the greatest drivers, in my opinion, of all time. If you look back at the history and just — he was a legend.”
As Indy held its biggest race of the year, those who knew or competed against Busch raced with a heavy heart.
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“How can you not be in shock over the situation?” two-time Indy winner Josef Newgarden said Friday. “I think it just puts into perspective how fragile life is. You just don’t know. Makes me think of his kids, to be honest with you. Gosh, I feel terrible about — I have two sons now. That’s the thing that breaks my heart.”
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