Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Tribute To Kyle Busch Was Special

Dale Earnhardt Jr. paid tribute to Kyle Busch in a special way on Sunday night, May 24.

The legendary NASCAR driver remembered Busch, who died at the age of 41, following complications from pneumonia.

On Sunday night, Dale Jr. opened up about his friend, in a special, touching tribute that aired on Amazon Prime prior to the start of the Coca-Cola 600.

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“In 2001, Kurt Busch said, ‘You think I’m a pretty good race car driver? Wait until you see my brother.’ He was right. Kyle was born into racing,” Earnhardt said. “He drove go-karts before he could reach the pedals. His dad working the gas as Kyle sped around the homemade course. About 10 years old, he was the crew chief of Kurt’s team. And at 13, his own racing career began.

“65 wins and two titles in Legends cars at the Las Vegas Bullring. Then, late models, and his truck debut, at 16, where he finished ninth for Roush Racing. About the only thing that could stop him was the rule change that raised the minimum age in trucks to 18. And then, 23 years ago this weekend, he made his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Charlotte, finishing second. It wasn’t before he went from Kurt’s little brother ‘Shrub’ to ‘Rowdy.’

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“And man, did it fit. A generational talent with swagger for days, and that signature bow that his fans loved, and his critics hated. Skilled, fierce, and competitive as (heck). There was some hard racing, and some hard feelings. But beneath it all, he had a simple approach. You win, in order to go race again next weekend. And boy, did he win. More than anyone else. Ever. 63 Cup Series victories. 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins. 69 Craftsman Truck Series wins. And a record 19 straight Cup seasons visiting victory lane. Four crown jewels, including the 2018 Coca-Cola 600. And of course, two Cup Series titles.

“Along the way, as he evolved, the boos gave way to cheers. And rivalries, they became friendships.

“Some time ago, Kyle was asked how he wanted to be thought of when he retired. His answer: ‘The first thing they’ll remember me by are my on-track success.’ And then he added, ‘The second thing would be how I grew up in the limelight. I started this when I was 18 years old, and now, I’m 26. And when I retire, I’ll be 40. And they’ll see the whole transition of my life, and how I made it through. And it was all under the skeptics’ eye. Certainly, I know wasn’t the best coming in, and I’m not now. But we’ll see how it turns out when I’m 40.’ It turned out to be legendary.”

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“I’ll always remember him as a guy who hated to lose more than anybody,” Earnhardt explained. “He won more races across the top-three NASCAR series than any driver in history, with win No. 234 coming in the Truck Series just last weekend at Dover.”

The Busch family is asking for privacy at this time

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. 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. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’ Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha’s parents, Kurt and all of Kyle’s family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.

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“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate.”

Our thoughts continue to be with Samantha Busch and their children.

This story was originally published by The Spun on May 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NASCAR section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.