In the wake of Busch’s passing, tributes have begun flowing for the star driver and his family, who is survived by his wife Samantha, 11-year-old son Brexton, and four-year-old daughter Lennix.
A future Hall-of-Fame inductee, Busch amassed 234 wins across NASCAR’s top three divisions.
His 102 wins in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 69 wins in the Craftsman Truck Series put him atop the all-time wins list for both series.
Stock car racing heavyweights have led tributes to Busch, who was just 41 years old.
Former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin wrote, “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news”, while fellow JGR driver Chase Briscoe delivered an emotional tribute.
Chase Briscoe – “This doesn’t even feel real typing this… Easily one of the absolute greatest of all time, any track, any car, it didn’t matter he was gonna be good. Getting to race against Kyle was a true pinch me moment, I’ll never forget the first time just sharing the track with someone I had so much respect for. Two of my favourite wins of my entire career came going head to head against KB and what made them so special was the fact that I was racing against KB someone who I considered one of the all time best. Getting to know Kyle throughout my NASCAR career has been a highlight for me. Rather I was racing door to door with him or talking to him about Samantha, Brexton, and Lennix and what all they had going on I always had to tell myself how cool it was I was getting to be around one of my heroes. I’m gonna miss everything about “KFB” and I can assure you no race I run from now on will ever feel the same because the impact Kyle Busch left is unlike one any other driver could ever have. Thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Busch family and all of Rowdy Nation. Godspeed KB.”
Busch won two Cup Series titles in 2015 and 2019 with Joe Gibbs Racing in the #18 Toyota Camry.
Chief among his rivals was seven-time Cup Series winner Jimmie Johnson, who made the #48 famous for Hendrick Motorsports.
Between 2005 and 2007 they were teammates before Busch made the move to Toyota.
Jimmie Johnson – “Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen, he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with. We spent years as teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and even as competitors, there was always a deep respect for what he could do behind the wheel. Kyle pushed all of us to be better. His passion, intensity, and love for racing were unmatched, and his impact on this sport will be felt forever. I’ll always remember the many laughs and conversations away from the spotlight, and most importantly the way he cared so deeply about his family. My heart goes out to Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, Kurt, his parents, many teammates across the industry, fans and everyone who loved Kyle. NASCAR lost one of its greatest talents today, and we’ve all lost a friend.”
Team Penske driver Joey Logano beat Busch to the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series title. He was among Busch’s many adversaries.
Speaking in the hours after Busch tragically passed, a downcast Logano recounted his relationship.
Joey Logano – “Kyle and I have been tough competitors. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on everything but there was a mutual respect for each other’s talents and what he’s been able to do in our sport. The bottom line is he is one of the best drivers to ever sit in a race car and he impacted our sport in so many ways. He’s such a huge personality. It’s a really big reminder of how fragile life is, because, honestly, he won the race last week in the Truck Series. This week, we don’t have Kyle any more. I’m shellshocked. I don’t really even know what to say. My heart goes out to his family. Our whole community is pretty tight. We compete against each other but our kids play together on the weekend. You know their family, you know their personal side. It’s heartbreaking thinking about what they’re going through right now at this moment.”
Busch will be remembered by name for beginning the careers of several top drivers.
Legacy Motor Club driver John Hunter Nemechek raced in the Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports, as did Erik Jones.
Nemechek and Jones credited Busch with kick-starting their professional racing careers .
John Hunter Nemechek – “It’s hard to put into words what Kyle Busch has meant to me throughout my life and my career. From the time I was young, Kyle believed in me, gave me opportunities, pushed me to be better, we had so many hard fought battles, and always someone | could lean on. He’s been more than a mentor to me. He’s been a longtime friend and someone I’ve looked up to for so many years. Some of my favorite memories in racing and in life are because of him, and I will always be grateful for the impact he’s had on me both personally and professionally. He always been there for me no matter what the circumstances may have been. Right now, my thoughts and prayers are with Kyle, Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, the entire Busch family, and everyone who loves him. I’m asking everyone to keep the Busch family in your prayers and respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
Erik Jones – “Kyle was not just a mentor, but also a friend. His impact on my career was significant, and I’m forever grateful to him for giving me a chance in the Truck Series over 13 years ago. He helped put me on a path in NASCAR from our first time racing each other at that 2012 Snowball Derby. He was one of the best in the sport who pushed us all to be better drivers. Kyle had an impact on so many careers in this sport. I’m heartbroken at the loss of this champion. My thoughts and prayers are with the Busch family. Please keep them in your prayers during this difficult time. He will be missed.”
Busch made his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Hendrick Motorsports in 2004.
Sporting the iconic #5 on his Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Busch won his first Cup Series race in 2005 at California Speedway.
Eponymous team owner Rick Hendrick offered a stirring tribute to his former driver.
Rick Hendrick – “This is an incredibly painful shock for all of us and a heartbreaking loss for the NASCAR family. Kyle was one of the most talented drivers I’ve ever seen and a racer in the truest sense of the word. He had a fire and competitive spirit that drove him to be great. I watched Kyle grow up in this sport and valued the friendship we shared long after he drove for our organisation. As much as he loved to drive a race car, nothing brought him more joy than being a husband, a father and watching his son race. On behalf of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, our hearts are with Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, Kurt and the Busch family.”
NASCAR enjoyed huge growth in the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, underpinned by legends like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Earnhardt Jr revealed he had discussions with Busch about racing a JR Motorsports Late Model at North Wilkesboro Speedway this year.
They had planned to meet next week.
Dale Earnhardt Jr – “Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible. We did some media together also to laugh through some of the things we put each other through many years ago. Most recently we had even been discussing him running my Late Model at Wilkesboro this summer. He seemed extremely happy and we had planned to meet up next Thursday to get his seat to the shop. He laughed over the idea of his fans and JRM fans having to cheer in unison during that race. Kyle was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. No one can deny that. But he was also a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many. My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends.”
Busch was arguably one of the most polarising characters in NASCAR history.
‘Rowdy’ divided opinion among fans and drivers, often receiving rapturous applause at the same time as a cacophony of boos.
Carson Hocevar, who was teammates with Busch through Truck Series team Spire Motorsports, admitted he grew up “a hater” but eventually switched sides.
Carson Hocevar – “Every day is a privilege and today is a truly sad reminder of that. This little boy in this picture hated you on Sundays. But he loved to hate you, and you made it very difficult to hate and not become a fan when your passion for racing showed, when you would show up to his hometown to race at his home tracks. He will be forever grateful for that. From a fan, to a hater, to a competitor, to a teammate, and to even maybe a friend. I share that story because this little kid in the picture was not anywhere near the true number that you impacted for the better just through racing. You will be deeply missed. both on the race track, but certainly off. RIP.”
Countless tributes have flown for Busch and will undoubtedly continue in the days to come as NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600.
It’s the first time since Dale Earnhardt’s death in 2001 that an active NASCAR Cup Series driver has died.
Completely heartbroken to hear the news of Kyle’s passing.
I have so many memories of great battles with him throughout my career that I’ll cherish forever. It’s hard to even put into words what he meant to me and my career, whether he knew it or not. He was the bar we all… pic.twitter.com/wJmFDmY7LN
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) May 21, 2026
My first hero. The first driver I ever wanted to be like. You were bigger than life. Since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day I could be like you too. I’m just one of the many kids you gave that dream to. And I never stopped looking up to you.
My heart is with Samantha,… pic.twitter.com/kU1i3hVlGh
— jesse love jr (@jesselovejr1) May 21, 2026
RFK Racing’s statement on the loss of Kyle Busch. pic.twitter.com/JrmNgAcgwG
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) May 21, 2026
Absolute shock. Very hard to process. Hug your loved ones
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) May 21, 2026
At a loss for words. Thinking and praying for the entire Busch family. Godspeed my friend❤️
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) May 21, 2026
I’m so sad and stunned to hear the news about KB. He meant so much to a lot of people, not just myself. Kyle was 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… pic.twitter.com/Y4VYaf5QNS
— William Byron (@WilliamByron) May 21, 2026
Kyle was not just a mentor, but also a friend. His impact on my career was significant, and I’m forever grateful to him for giving me a chance in the Truck Series over 13 years ago. He helped put me on a path in NASCAR from our first time racing each other at that 2012 Snowball… pic.twitter.com/MK0Jk8QkDm
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) May 21, 2026
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