She’s an incredibly strong woman, that’s for sure.
Nearly three weeks ago, NASCAR legend Kyle Busch sadly passed away on May 21st, 2026 at the age of 41 due to pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. It was very sudden, and in the short time since his death, tons of tributes from fans and drivers have poured in.
He left behind his wife, Samantha, and two children, Brexton (11) and Lennix (4), as well as his parents and fellow race car driver in his brother, Kurt Busch. It’s just so incredibly sad, and my thoughts and prayers continue to go out to his family who have experienced such a devastating tragedy.
Brexton is already a very talented young driver, and he competes in dirt racing, Jr. Late Model and Legends Cars and he is very, very good, already seemingly on track to eventually end up in any of the NASCAR series if that’s what he chooses. His dad spent much of his own racing season following Brexton around during the week, and no doubt, Brexton looks up to his dad and wants to be just like him.
Brexton certainly seems to have come by his racing talent very honestly, and in a recent interview, Cup Series driver Kyle Larson said Brexton is “the best 11-year-old that there is,” and Larson’s own son, Owen, is the same age as Brexton and often competes against him.
Kyle would often talk about wanting to keep racing until Brexton was 16, so they could compete against each other in the Truck Series since that it the age minimum, and then he would retire after that as Brexton worked his way to the Cup Series (you have to be 18). Richard Childress has already announced that no one will race at RCR with the #8 care until Brexton is old enough to use it, if he so chooses.
Brexton is already back to racing, returning to practice just hours after the private ceremony held for Kyle last week, and on Monday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he placed sixth in the first race he competed in since his father sadly passed, running in the the Young Lions division of the CookOut Summer Shootout. He also joined his grandpa, Tom, for a special tribute to his late father.
And of course, Samantha has continued to be by his side through it all, and she shared a lengthy post on Instagram this evening explaining how important it has been for Brexton to continue to show up at the track even during this tragedy. She says that she sees so much of her husband in Brexton, and while Kyle never chose this path for him, it’s a love they both shared and she detailed how much time they spent “talking about race cars, working together, dreaming together and building a bond around something they both genuinely loved.”
She also revealed that she made a promise to Kyle when he was in the hospital that she would do everything she could to help their children “pursue their dreams no matter what.” She said that the race track has been a home to their family for 20 years, and it’s where they all feel close to Kyle:
“Watching Brexton back at the track is both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once because there are moments when I catch a glimpse of Kyle in him, the same determination, the same passion, the same spark, and for a second it feels like a piece of him is still right here with us. These moments are incredibly hard, but they also remind me that Kyle’s story isn’t over.
It lives on through the dreams he inspired and the two children he loved more than anything. In the hospital, I made Kyle a promise. I promised him that I would do everything I could to help our children pursue their dreams no matter what. For Brexton, that dream is racing. It wasn’t a dream Kyle chose for him. It was something they shared.
They spent countless hours talking about race cars, working together, dreaming together, and building a bond around something they both genuinely loved. Racing is what lights Brexton up and as long as it’s the dream in his heart, I’ll be right there beside him, cheering him on every step of the way. And if one day his dreams take him somewhere else, that’s okay too.
And if Lennix wants to get behind the wheel (we just bought her a kart for her 4th bday) it won’t be the same as having Kyle by her side but we will do our absolute best. The racetrack has been home for our family for nearly 20 years. It’s where some of our greatest memories were made, where our kids grew up, and where so much of our life together happened. Right now when so much of our world feels unfamiliar it’s also one of the few places that still feels like home.
Every time we get to the track, we’re reminded that a piece of our team is missing. The person who should be standing beside us isn’t there. That part is heartbreaking. But it’s also where we feel closest to him, surrounded by the memories, the people, and the dreams he helped build. So, we race on.”
It’s just beautiful, and I cannot even imagine how heartbroken Samantha is, but the fact that she’s continuing to carry on her husband’s legacy in the face of unimaginable tragedy and be there for her two young children is just incredible.
