NASCAR Honors Kyle Busch at Coca-Cola 600 After Driver’s Death

Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, died Thursday at age 41 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell addressed Busch’s widow Samantha and their children Brexton and Lennix before the start of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.

O’Donnell told the family, “Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you, and that you and your children are NASCAR family forever. ” — Steve O’Donnell, May 24, 2026 (NBC News) A moment of silence followed. Fans in the grandstands held up eight fingers. The track displayed a large black No. 8 and Busch’s signature on the infield grass.

Larson walked across the infield and placed his arm around Brexton Busch during the ceremony. Brexton wore a cap bearing his father’s No. 8. Busch’s older brother Kurt, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, and his parents Tom and Gaye also attended. Richard Childress Racing has reserved the No. 8 car for Brexton should he choose to race.

At the Indianapolis 500 the same weekend, Dale Coyne Racing altered Romain Grosjean’s No. 18 car font to match Busch’s former Joe Gibbs Racing style. Race officials lit the scoring pylon with Busch’s name, birth year, and 2026 on lap 18. U.S. Army Golden Knights carried Busch’s flag during pre-race activities.

Each of the 39 cars in the Coca-Cola 600 field displayed a Busch decal, and the field formed a missing-man formation on the pace lap.