Not since the death of Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhardt at the Daytona 500 in 2001 has the sport of NASCAR been so shaken to the core. Unfortunately, that happened on Thursday when legendary driver Kyle “Rowdy” Bush passed at a hospital where he was being treated for a severe illness.
In the aftermath of Busch’s shocking and tragic passing NASCAR, the sport’s biggest stars and fans paid tribute to one of the greatest to ever get behind the wheel.
“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch remembering him as “one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR said on X.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community,” NASCAR said.
NASCAR And Richard Childress Racing Issue Joint Statement
While the illness that Busch suffered from wasn’t disclosed, a joint statement released by RCR and NASCAR sounded like this.
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the Busch family, 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.”
“His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation,’” the statement continued. “NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”
Busch won 234 races across the sport’s three national series, more than any other driver in history. He had 63 Cup victories, along with 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts wins and 69 Trucks victories — both records.
He was in his fourth season at Richard Childress Racing after having won titles with Joe Gibbs Racing. His last win came in 2023, in his first with RCR.
Drivers Pay Tribute To Rowdy
At times like this the competitive juices become an afterthought as drivers Busch competed with and against offer their condolences.
Former teammate with Joe Gibbs Racing turned nemesis and once again confidant Denny Hamlin posted this on X:
“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”
Hamlin recently said Busch belongs on the sport’s Mount Rushmore.
NASCAR driver and team owner Brad Keselowski tweeted, “Absolute shock. Very hard to process. Hug your loved ones.”
“Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you,” driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. mentioned via X.
Fellow race car driver William Byron remembered and described Busch as “the best mentor you could ever have.”
“He was incredibly unselfish, cared about his people and his family deeply. And helped shaped my career to what it is. I’m heartbroken. Thinking and praying for the Busch family during this time,” he wrote.
Fans Pay Tribute To Busch
“Wow. Wow. Dam. This feels kinda like Kobe, but if he was still playing & had no explanation for it. All Time Wins Leader gone the week after a win. RIP,” a fan said.
“This guy was the first person I ever rooted for in NASCAR when I was about 6 years old. I always knew him as the M&M guy. Rip to him,” another fan said.
“This one feels heavy. You watch someone for years, cheer them, criticize them, talk about them every weekend and then news like this makes everything feel too real. Heartbreaking,” another fan quipped.
“Awful news. RIP legend,” a fan replied.
Busch Had Just Won 69th Trucks Series Race
Just four days prior to his passing, Busch won his 69th Trucks Series race at Dover. When asked about his future in the sport and how many more races he felt he needed to win before calling it a career, Busch’s statement resonates with his passing.
“You take whatever you can get, man,” Busch said. “You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all — trust me.”
Unfortunately for Busch’s family, which includes his wife Samantha, son Braxton, daughter Lennox and his parents, that happened last weekend in Delaware.
