Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
When NASCAR Cup Series drivers and crews took the grid for the annual Coke 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, they did so with a heavy heart.
Just three days earlier, star driver Kyle Busch suddenly passed away from complications from pneumonia that caused sepsis. Busch was just 41 years old and had just won a Truck Series race at Dover days prior.
His passing stunned the entire motorsports world, so much so that NASCAR considered canceling its Memorial Day Weekend races in Charlotte, which the series calls home. Ultimately, CEO Steve O’Donnell stated that the show must go on and that it’s what Busch would have wanted.
However, prior to that show, the series honored Busch with a touching tribute involving his wife Samantha, his children Brexton and Lennix, his parents, as well as his brother, former series champion Kurt Busch.
Kyle Busch Tribute Brings Tears To Eyes Of All Involved And Watching At Home
“Every racetrack was Kyle Busch’s home,” O’Donnell said to the crowd at the track and watching on Amazon Prime. “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, the husband, the father, the guy who quietly did things for others when no one was watching.”
In loving memory of Kyle Busch. pic.twitter.com/UvcB5C0oMn
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 24, 2026
Members of the Charlotte Fire Department pipe band then played Amazing Grace as Samantha Busch, with her arm around her son, looked on.
It was an absolutely heartwrenching sight.
“All kinds of crying over this tribute,” radio host Amy Lawrence wrote on X. “Praying Samantha, the kids, Kurt, and their parents all find strength in being surrounded by others who are grieving Kyle, too.”
“As someone who lost their mom at 17–it’s heart-wrenching watching this and that young boy trying to be strong for his mom. But I’m guessing they felt some comfort being around their NASCAR family, too,” said local TV host Tim Boyum.
Ultimately, it’s hard to imagine anyone watching the tribute and feeling anything other than devastated. But hopefully Busch’s family can draw strength from the community that has so solidly stood behind them in recent days.