Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a public tribute to Kyle Busch on Thursday evening, following the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s death at age 41. Busch was working in Concord, North Carolina, and underwent transport to a Charlotte hospital after becoming unresponsive in a racing simulator.
Earnhardt reflected on their long history in the sport, describing a “challenging existence for many years” between the two drivers. The friction started in 2007 when Hendrick Motorsports released Busch to make room on their roster for Earnhardt Jr. Despite years of intense on-track competition, Earnhardt expressed gratitude that they eventually took the time to figure out their differences.
According to his social media post, Earnhardt noted that Busch took the initiative to mend fences by inviting him into his bus. Inside, they discussed how they managed their respective racing teams and cleared the air. Earnhardt praised Busch as “one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history,” while emphasizing that off the track he was “a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many.”
The finalized numerical status of Busch’s career stands at 234 national series victories across the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck series. That total makes him the all-time winningest driver in NASCAR history across those three divisions. The sport’s governing body confirmed the loss Thursday in an official joint statement from NASCAR, Richard Childress Racing, and the Busch family regarding his legacy.
Other NASCAR veterans have also spoken out following the news. Denny Hamlin stated he “absolutely cannot comprehend this news.” Brad Keselowski described the sudden loss as an “absolute shock.”