She spent many, many Sunday’s at the track cheering on her husband, and eventually, she did so with their two young children.
It’s been over a month now since NASCAR legend Kyle Busch sadly passed away at the age of 41, on May 21st, 2026, due to pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. It was very sudden, and 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. Samantha has shared several posts since his passing, mostly thanking fans for all of their support:
Even though her life has completely fallen apart, she knows that Kyle is still with her and their whole family:
They’ve all been so positive, as she shares some peaks into how their family has tried to continue with their lives even though they’ve suffered such an imaginable loss. Brexton is already back to racing, and of course, Samantha and Lennix have been there every step of the way supporting him.
And today, she shared another heartfelt post thanking the NASCAR fans for all of their support, calling them “family.” She was very open about how she still looks for Kyle’s name when she watches the races, saying that their family into being at the track with him has been incredibly difficult. She explained that she will “never be able to fully put into words” what the support has meant to them.
She also talked about making a public appearance with his family and kids at the Coca Cola 600 just days after his death, and how much it meant to her to see Brexton light up seeing some of the drivers wear his t-shirt. Samantha also thanked her fellow racing wives for loving on her children and carrying her through what have surely been the worst days of her life:
“As another race day approaches I’m reminded again how much it hurts that we’re not there cheering on Kyle. It still feels surreal watching from the couch and I still catch myself looking for his name on the leaderboard. At the same time, I’m filled with gratitude. To the NASCAR community and every single fan, thank you. Over the past weeks you’ve surrounded Brexton, Lennix and me in ways I will never be able to fully put into words.
You have honored Kyle’s life and legacy, shared your memories, prayed for us, cried with us and reminded us just how deeply he was loved. I’ll never forget sitting beside Brexton during intros at the Coke 600. As each driver walked onto that stage wearing Kyle gear, doing his signature bow, tears were streaming down my face to see how much Kyle is loved.
Watching Brexton though every time a driver walked out in his tee he’d light up with a smile and look of awe. To see his heroes choose to wear his shirt in honor of his Dad made him feel so special. To see your child smile during such darkness is all a mom can ask for. The NASCAR wives, thank you for showing up with meals when I couldn’t think about cooking, for the texts that reminded me I wasn’t alone, for continuing to love on us in the midst of your busy lives.
You didn’t just love on me, you loved on our children. Your kids made Lennix the sweetest cards and she still looks at them and asks, ‘When are we going back to the MRO to see my friends?’ Behind the scenes, our family and closest friends carried me through moments I honestly don’t know how I would have survived. They stepped in when I physically and emotionally couldn’t, sat with me in the silence, loved our children like their own, and reminded me over and over that I didn’t have to walk this road alone.
And to the fans… thank you for loving us through every high and every low over the years. Your prayers, stories and unwavering support have always meant so much to us. For nearly twenty years NASCAR has been our home and these past several weeks have reminded me that NASCAR isn’t just a sport, it truly is a family.”
While this tragedy has been undeniably difficult for the Busch family, it’s clearly meant the world to them to have so many people showing love and support for Kyle:
Earlier this week, NASCAR announced a celebration for Kyle at Charlotte Motor Speedway, following the CRAFTSMEN Truck Series Race on October 9th. Kyle was the all-time wins leader in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, holding an unmatched 67 career victories, so that is definitely a fitting time to do it.
Kyle’s family already held a private funeral for him, but this is a chance for fans to attend the free memorial and pay their respects to one of the greatest drivers to ever do it. The NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 400 is set for Sunday, October 11th, so there will likely be tons of fans in the Charlotte-area for the race weekend, and I have to imagine there will be a packed out for the fans to pay proper final tribute to the legend:
Forever remembered. Forever celebrated.
Join us on October 9 at @CLTMotorSpdwy as we honor the life and legacy of Kyle Busch. pic.twitter.com/oCH3UbaLO5
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 10, 2026
