Kyle Busch’s brother Kurt Busch was at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to support his nephew Brexton Busch in the 11-year-old’s first race since his father passed away. NASCAR fans reacted to Kurt’s Instagram story as the former stock car driver cheered on Brexton.
Kyle Busch was a constant presence on track with his son Brexton, often racing in late models and sprint cars with him. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion not only played the role of a father but also a racing mentor for Brexton on and off the track.
On May 21, 2026, the No.8 Richard Childress Racing driver passed away. A family statement earlier that day revealed Busch had been fighting a severe illness, and just hours later, NASCAR announced the death of the legend.
Reports suggested that a private memorial service for Kyle Busch took place on June 2, 2026. Just hours later, Brexton Busch was seen at the Charlotte Motor Speedway practicing in the Legend cars.
On Monday night, June 8, Brexton Busch participated in the first race since his father’s death. It was the Young Lions division of the CookOut Summer Shootout that took place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Kyle’s elder brother, Kurt Busch, was at the Speedway to support his nephew. The 47-year-old uploaded a story on his Instagram as Brexton Busch drove from the garage to the tarmac before the start of the race.
“Yeah, buddy! Of course it’s raining, we’re at a racetrack. Go get em, Brex!” said Kurt Busch.
Fans reacted as Kurt Busch’s story was shared across different social media platforms.
“Crying at 6:53 in the morning at work,” commented a user.
Another commented, “😭😭😭😭.”
“This was amazing to see 🥹🥹,” mentioned another user.
While some fans got emotional seeing Kurt Busch at the track to support Brexton after Kyle’s sudden death, others asked the former NASCAR champion to take the 11-year-old under his wing.
“Uncle Kurt💪,” commented a user.
Another wrote, “Kurt absolutely should take Brexton under his wing.”
A user commented “Great job @brextonbusch.”
Brexton had a few issues with grip during the race, like other drivers, possibly due to the shower of rain before the start, and finished the race in P6.
Kurt Busch’s Emotional Tribute For “Little Brother” Kyle Busch
The Busch family requested privacy following Kyle’s death and hadn’t spoken publicly until Samantha Busch uploaded an emotional “thank you” for the support on Instagram. Just a few days later, on June 8, Kurt Busch uploaded an emotional tribute to his brother. He shared images of him & Kyle from childhood and from them racing together on track. The caption was an emotional message that read,
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, everyone, for the well wishes, support, and love for my brother and our family. Finding a silver lining, I reflect back on the days Kyle and I raced anything we could get our hands on. From big wheels to competing on the biggest stages in motorsports, we were more than just fierce competitors. We pushed each other, challenged each other, and learned from each other.
“Kyle, your passion, determination, and love for your family inspired everyone who knew you. No trophy, championship, or accomplishment could ever measure the impact you had on my life and on so many others. I will forever be grateful for the memories we made, the lessons you taught me, and the brotherhood we shared. My heart is broken, but I know your spirit will always ride with me. Rest easy, little brother.”
The Busch brothers shared the track for nearly two decades before Kurt announced his full-time racing retirement at the end of the 2022 NASCAR season.
