Tuesday night at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Brexton Busch was in a racecar.
The 11-year-old son of the late Kyle Busch ran laps June 2 in a practice session for the CookOut Summer Shootout, a Legend Car Series that runs weekly at the track in Concord, North Carolina. Busch was piloting his neon green No. 18 car around the track, according to photos posted on social media by the Charlotte Motor Speedway official account.
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Busch was back in his legend car just hours after a private memorial service was held for his father in the Charlotte area.
Kyle Larson alluded to the service being held after his dirt race win in Iowa on Monday night, and Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass confirmed a memorial was happening. Retired NASCAR driver Mark Martin wrote in a tweet Wednesday morning, “My eyes watered a lot yesterday.”
Brexton Busch has been racing since the age of six. Last year, he won 48 competitions in multiple disciplines of racing, from legends cars and bandeleros, to micros, bandits, late models and sprint cars. Legend cars are designed to replicate old-style cars from the 1930s on a five-eighths scale, running on Yamaha motorcycle engines. Their speeds top out between 115 and 140 miles per hour.
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Legend cars are one of the many series that winds up producing drivers who go on to NASCAR. Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace and Dale Earnhardt Jr. all started out in legends. And so did Kyle Busch, out in Las Vegas.
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with daughter, Lennix Busch son, Brexton Busch and wife, Samantha Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026, in Hampton, Georgia.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)
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See the most heartfelt moments with Kyle Busch and his family.
Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with daughter, Lennix Busch son, Brexton Busch and wife, Samantha Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026, in Hampton, Georgia.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)
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Team owner Joe Gibbs, Samantha Busch, her husband, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, and their son Brexton Busch are introduced at the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards show at Wynn Las Vegas on December 4, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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See the most heartfelt moments with Kyle Busch and his family.
Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with his daughter, Lennix Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026, in Hampton, Georgia.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 Realtree Chevrolet, celebrates with his wife, Samantha Busch, and daughter, Lennix Busch victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 12, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 Realtree Chevrolet, celebrates with his wife, Samantha Busch, and daughter, Lennix Busch victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 12, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)
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Jan 23, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Kyle and Kurt Busch pose on the red carpet during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction at Charlotte Convention Center – Crown Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
(Jim Dedmon, Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
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NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Kyle Busch (54) celebrates in victory lane with his wife Samantha, and son, Brexton, after winning the Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Saturday, June 19, 2021.
(Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, eats a peach with son, Brexton Busch and wife, Samantha Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)
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May 8, 2022; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (L) poses for a picture with his mother Gaye Busch (C) and brother Kurt Busch (R) on pit road prior to the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(Jasen Vinlove, Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
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NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Busch and wife, Samantha Busch pose for photos on the red carpet prior to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
(David Jensen, Getty Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #07 Gainbridge Chevrolet, his wife, Samantha Busch, daughter, Lennix Busch and son, Brexton Busch bow their heads during pre-race ceremonies.
(David Jensen, Getty Images)
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NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Kyle Busch celebrates with girlfriend Samantha Sarcinella after victory in the Camping World 300.
(Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE)
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DOVER, DE – MAY 16: Kyle Busch (R), driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, kisses his fiancee Samantha Sarcinella in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 16, 2010 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
(Jason Smith, Getty Images for NASCAR)
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Jun 19, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Kyle Busch (54) is congratulated by his brother NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (1) after winning his 100th career Xfinity race during the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
(Christopher Hanewinckel, Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODA)
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Nov 2, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch with son Brexton Busch during the NASCAR Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
(Mark J. Rebilas, Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 iK9 Toyota, poses with his wife, Samantha, and son, Brexton, after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series My Bariatric Solutions 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on March 30, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota along with his wife Samantha and son Brexton pose with the trophy after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead Speedway on November 17, 2019, in Homestead, Florida.
(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)
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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, his son Brexton Busch and wife Samantha Busch pose for photos on the Las Vegas Raiders’ sideline before a game between the Raiders and the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on November 24, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
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Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Skittles Toyota, poses with his wife, Samantha, and son, Brexton, after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crown Royal Presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 24, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Rey Del Rio, Getty Images)
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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch poses with the winner’s trophy in victory lane with wife Samantha and son Brexton after winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, left, with wife Samantha and son Brexton pose on the red carpet for the “Rowdy” movie at the Regal Opry Mills Stadium 20 of the Opry Mill Mall on Jun 23, 2022.
(Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 02: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet, and son, Brexton Busch wave to fans as they walk onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 02, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 04: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch, along with his wife Samantha and son Brexton pose for a photo on Broadway with the Championship Trophy on December 04, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 23: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, kisses the bricks with his wife, Samantha, and son, Brexton, after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 23, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Busch died at the age of 41 on May 21 after complications from severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis. His sudden death sent shockwaves through NASCAR and drivers have continued to honor him. Many of the legend cars at practice on Tuesday night had decals for Busch on their cars.
Busch is NASCAR’s all-time leader in combined victories across its top three national touring series with 234. He won his final race just six days before his death, driving into victory lane in the Truck Series race at Dover.
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Brexton will race in Round 1 of the CookOut Summer Shootout on Monday, June 8.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brexton Busch returns to racing after Kyle Busch’s memorial service
