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Kyle Busch’s family was in attendance at the Coca-Cola 600, where NASCAR honored the late driver with an emotional tribute
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Kyle’s wife, Samantha Busch, and their children — Brexton, 11, and Lennix, 4 — were at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the May 24 racing event, in which Kyle was supposed to compete before his death
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Kyle died at age 41 on May 21 from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis
Kyle Busch’s family gathered to honor the late NASCAR legend on what was supposed to be a major race day for him.
On Sunday, May 24, Kyle’s wife, Samantha Busch, and their children — son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4 — made an emotional appearance at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, in which Kyle was supposed to compete before his death at age 41 on May 21.
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Also in attendance were Kyle’s parents, Tom and Gaye Busch, and his older brother, NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch. The grieving family gathered at the speedway’s infield, where NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell paid tribute to the two-time Cup Series champion with a speech.
“This was Kyle Busch’s home. Every racetrack was Kyle Busch’s home,” O’Donnell said. “He competed like he had something to prove every single race, when in reality he had already proven everything. What I think we’ll miss the most isn’t the wins. It’s the guy who quietly wanted to help a teammate, give some advice, who was the husband, the father, the guy who quietly did things for others when no one was watching.”
O’Donnell then spoke directly to Kyle’s family.
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“Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you, and that you and your children are NASCAR family forever,” he continued, to cheers from the crowd. “Brexton and Lennix, your dad loves you with all his heart. Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everyone watching on TV, and all those people up in that grandstand, they are your family, and we’ve got you.”
“Kyle Busch is NASCAR,” he ended the speech. “He was one-of-a-kind, and there will never be another.”
The legendary athlete’s Richard Childress Racing (RCR) team announced on Friday, May 22, that “it has opted to shelve the No. 8 that Kyle last drove, switching to the car No. 33 for the foreseeable future,” according to NASCAR.
The team also indicated that it has reserved the No. 8 for Kyle’s son, Brexton, “when he is ready.”
Tom Busch, Gaye Busch, NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch and Lyda Moore at the remembrance ceremony for Kyle Busch on May 24, 2026
Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty
The somber moment at the Coca-Cola 600 came one day after Kyle’s family shared his cause of death. They revealed that the NASCAR driver and father of two died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
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Kyle’s family had previously only shared that he had experienced a “severe illness resulting in hospitalization.”
“The medical evaluation provided to the Busch family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” the driver’s family said in a statement obtained by ESPN.
NASCAR Hall of Famer and RCR team owner Richard Childress, Samantha Busch, Brexton Busch and NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell pay tribute to Kyle Busch
Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty
In addition to the Coca-Cola 600, Kyle had been scheduled to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Concord, N.C., on Friday, May 22.
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Kyle was hospitalized days after requesting medical attention after finishing a race on May 10 at Watkins Glen International. He was heard over the radio asking his team to have a doctor ready to meet him at his bus because he was going to “need a shot.”
A handwritten message on the grid at the Coca-Cola 600 in memory of Kyle Busch
Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty
During the television broadcast, it was said that Kyle was struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the “intense G-forces and elevation changes” at the course, according to the Associated Press.
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NASCAR previously mourned Kyle in a statement announcing his death jointly with his family and RCR.
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement read in part. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.”
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