The NASCAR community gathered at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night, Oct. 9, to celebrate the life of Kyle Busch, drawing more than 10,000 fans, according to ESPN. The two-time Cup Series champion died in May at age 41 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, his family said.
The most emotional moment came after Busch's widow, Samantha, finished speaking. Their 11-year-old son, Brexton, performed a burnout on the front stretch in his father's honor, then took the trademark Busch bow.
During a speech of about 10 minutes, Samantha told the crowd, "This is not the end of Kyle's story." She said her husband had grown to appreciate his career and was truly happy, then gave thanks for the life they shared. "I thank God I got to share that life with him," she said. She added that she hopes fans remember Kyle as one of NASCAR's greatest drivers and also as someone who made other people's lives better.
Kyle's older brother, Kurt Busch, opened the program by recalling that he knew early on his younger brother was going to be fast. Joe Gibbs, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Daniel Suárez, Noah Gragson and Austin Dillon also shared stories.
The free event featured 10 of Busch's most iconic race cars, video tributes, a drone light show and an acoustic performance by country artist Cole Swindell. It aired live on FS1.
Busch won 234 races across NASCAR's three national series, and he is the winningest driver in Charlotte Motor Speedway history. The NASCAR Hall of Fame also unveiled a new exhibit, "Kyle Busch: Honoring A Legacy," on Friday.
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