Brexton Busch honored his late father, Kyle Busch, in an appropriate manner during a celebration of life on Friday, doing burnouts at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The youngster was behind the wheel of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet when he drove in front of 10,000-plus fans and performed burnouts until the rear tires went flat.
Brexton Busch then climbed onto the roof of the car and acknowledged the crowd. His 4-year-old sister, Lennix, handed him a checkered flag, which Brexton then waved atop the car while taking a bow — his father’s signature victory celebration.
Kyle Busch died unexpectedly on May 21 at age 41 of complications from severe bacterial pneumonia and sepsis.
During the Friday event, Kyle Busch’s brother Kurt, also a NASCAR champion, team owner Joe Gibbs and drivers including Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson discussed Kyle Busch’s legacy.
Samantha Busch, Kyle’s widow, was the last to speak.
“I keep thinking how lucky I was to know every single version of him, the young racer who took me around Indianapolis Motor Speedway when I was just 21 years old, and little did we know, it’d be the ride of our lifetime,” Samantha Busch said. “The fierce competitor who basically thought second was last, and threw our kids ridiculously high in the air, a tradition that they loved and I feared every single time. The team owner who gave others a chance, Rowdy who loved his fans more than anything, and of course, stirring up things, and the dad who found so much joy and pride in his children. …
“This is not the end of Kyle’s story. His story continues every time we give a young racer a chance, share something he taught us, or tell the next generation what made Rowdy unforgettable. Years from now, I hope people remember Kyle as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. He worked his entire life for that. But I also hope they meet someone whose life is better because Kyle was here.”
Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2015 and 2019. His total of 234 victories in NASCAR’s top three series, including 63 in the Cup Series, is an all-time record.
RCR has paused use of the No. 8 Chevrolet after Kyle Busch’s death, saying the number is reserved for use by Brexton Busch “when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”
