He’s a proud dad, as he should be.
This past weekend, Kyle Busch‘s family was at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 yesterday, which was their first public appearance since the NASCAR legend suddenly passed away on Thursday at the age of 41.
Along with Busch’s parents Tom and Gaye, and his brother Kurt, his wife Samantha was on hand with their two children, 11-year-old Brexton and 4-year-old Lennix for an emotional pre-race ceremony to honor the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.
And as Samantha and her kids made their way to pit road, Brexton was greeted by one of his own friends in a heartwarming moment. In a touching scene, cameras caught Owen Larson, the son of NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and his wife Katelyn, quietly stepping out of the crowd and walking up to his friend Brexton to give him a hug.
They’re both 11-years-old, and it was such a beautiful moment to see the pure love and support Owen showed towards Brexton in what is an unbelievably sad and tragic time in his life. Owen seemed to walk up to Brexton, unprompted by his parents, and didn’t hesitate to give him a hug and just be there for his friend. It was precious:
Clearly, they’ve both been raised very well, and both boys are accomplished racers themselves even at their young age. Kyle Busch often spoke about his desire to someday race against his son in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and there’s no doubt that Owen and Brexton could someday find themselves on the track together as competitors – but in that moment on pit road, it was just one friend trying to comfort another.
During the tearjerking tribute, NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell reminded the Busch family that their racing family was there to support them:
“Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you. And that you and your children are NASCAR family forever. And Brexton and Lennix, your dad loved you with all his heart. Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everybody watching on TV, and all those people up in that grandstand are your family, and we’ve got you.
Kyle Busch is NASCAR. He was one of a kind, and there will never be another. And I’d ask everybody now to join us in a moment of silence for Kyle.”
The appearance by the Busch family was one of many tributes to the winningest driver in NASCAR history. Ahead of the race, Kyle’s older brother Kurt walked to the infield to lay 8 white roses on the tribute that had been painted in the grass.
Richard Childress Racing announced last week that they would be suspending the use of the #8 that was driven by Kyle Busch and would instead renumber his car to the #33 – at least until Brexton is old enough to drive it:
“Richard Childress Racing has elected to suspend use of the No. 8 and will run the No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and beyond. Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry.
No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”
Busch has piloted the #8 car since 2023, when he moved to RCR after 15 years in the #18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing. He won three races during his first season with the team, en route to becoming the winningest driver in NASCAR history with 69 Truck Series wins, 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins, and 63 Cup Series victories.
And during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Kyle Larson spoke about that aforementioned sweet moment between Owen and Brexton before the Coca-Cola 600, saying he was of course “very proud” of his son, and while he was unsure of how much Owen would understand the gravity and emotion of the situation, he clearly did and knew how to show up in a beautiful way.
Larson added that he was also “very proud” of Brexton for the strength he showed being there for his mom and being very strong throughout the entire time they were at the track:
“You know, when Owen walked over there to put his arm around Brexton, that made me obviously very, very proud of him and to see the emotion on Owen’s face when he came back over was also a proud moment.
Because you don’t know how an 11-year-old is going to kind of grasp the situation and understand what has happened and the pain that they’re going through. I was also very proud of Brexton how he was staying strong right then, you could tell. It gave my heart a lot of comfort.”
I think everyone watching was touched by it, too, and no one more so than Brexton who surely needed a hug from a friend, as any of us would in that situation.
Larson was also asked about Busch’s dreams to one day race with his son in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as you have to be at least 16 to race on road courses and oval tracks (1.25 miles or shorter), and you have to be 18 years old to compete on larger oval tracks (over 1.25 miles), so that dream for the Busch’s was still quite a few years off, but it was something Kyle spoke about often and he was no doubt looking very forward to racing with his son one day.
Larson says that Brexton is “the best 11-year-old that there is” doing the racing he’s doing now, where he competes in the Junior Late Models and various Outlaw/Micro Sprint divisions, and he has no doubt he will make it to the Cup Series one day and be just as successful, if not more successful, then his dad was:
“Yeah, I think that was his ultimate goal, it what it seemed like. He’s raised Brexton to be an amazing race car driver, so there’s no doubt in my mind that Brexton will make it to the Cup Series some day and hopefully accomplish all of the things his dad has been able to, if not more.
Brexton is probably the best 11-year-old that there is doing the racing that he’s doing right now, and I know he’ll make Kyle very proud along the way.”
I couldn’t have said it any better than that, and I’m sure that was Kyle’s dream too, for his son to be better than he was… and he was one of the best to ever do it.
Brexton was beyond impressive standing next to his mom and comforting her the entire time they were at the 600 on Sunday, of course they’ve all experienced an immense tragedy and it’s very fresh, obviously, but he was so brave and sweet during a time of unimaginable pain for him and his family.
He’s going to do great things, and I know his dad is watching down on him and very proud of the young man he is becoming.
@entertainmenttonightKyle Larson was proud of his 11-year-old son, Owen, for comforting Brexton during NASCAR’s emotional tribute to his father, Kyle Busch, at the Coca-Cola 600. Busch died last week at age 41 following complications from pneumonia that turned into sepsis.♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight
