Sounding melancholy and expressing his continued disbelief over the tragic loss of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion driver Kyle Busch only two weeks ago, Busch’s team owner Richard Childress addressed the media Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway.
It was the first time the NASCAR Hall of Famer owner Childress has spoken at length publicly since the 41-year-old Busch’s death in Charlotte May 21 from pneumonia and sepsis. And the emotion was still raw – the days and weeks since Busch passed away still so difficult.
“It’s been an unbelievable challenge we all are facing losing Kyle Busch at such a young age and so unexpected for all of us,” said Childress, whose Richard Childress Racing team fields the Chevrolets for Busch and Childress’ grandson Austin in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Childress allowed that one of the “hardest parts” of coming forward Saturday to speak of Busch’s impact on the team and legacy on the sport, was that the two had originally planned to speak to the media on this day to reveal that Busch had signed a one-year contract extension with the team keeping with RCR through 2027.
“And now it’s a different kind of media availability,” Childress said glancing down and conceding even up until that very moment he “still had envisioned walking in [to the media center] with Kyle.”
He revealed that he and Busch had spoken the Tuesday night before Kyle’s passing only two days later, calling it a “great conversation.” He said that Busch was invigorated about how things were going with the team and eager to see what another year together may bring, telling Childress, “You give me cars like you did the last three weeks, and he said, “I will make the Chase [NASCAR playoffs] this year.’ “
“We were that confident.”
And Childress confirmed Saturday that RCR’s longtime NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver, Austin Hill will continue to compete in both series – driving Busch’s former car – with the number 33 instead of Busch’s number 8 – for the rest of the season.
Childress spoke often of Busch’s family – wife Samantha, 11-year-old son Brexton and four-year-old daughter Lennix – acknowledging how much love and pride Busch unfailingly carried and demonstrated for them.
He promised to keep Busch’s personally stylized No. 8 available for the talented young driver Brexton whenever and for whoever he competes for one day. He’s attended several of Brexton Busch’s races, including one this week saying of the young standout, “That kid can drive a race car.
“He’s just a bright young man and a great race car driver and he’ll carry the Busch legacy for many years to come.”
Busch’s legacy is something Childress mentioned often during his 15-minute meeting with the press in advance of Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET on Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) .
His 254 combined wins in NASCAR’s three national series – the NASCAR Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – will likely never be equaled. And Busch holds the all-time win mark in the O’Reilly Series (102) and Truck Series (69); claiming a victory in the Truck Series at Dover, Del. only six days before his passing.
His 63 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series are ninth most in the history of the sport. And Busch is one of only 18 drivers to win multiple championships (2015 and 2019).
“Kyle will go down in history as one of the greatest race car drivers that’s ever been,” Childress said. “He’ll definitely be in the [NASCAR] Hall of Fame and I’d love to see them put him in it right away.
“I think his legacy is going to be he was a man who a lot of people thought was tough to deal with,” Childress said acknowledging Busch’s legendarily bold personality.
“But he is a man that loves this sport. He loved it so much he wanted to see his family carry on and to watch what he had going on with Brexton, just to see the enjoyment in Kyle’s eyes watching his son race was just unbelievable.
“His legacy in history will be that he will go down as one of the greatest drivers of all time. … and all of us are going to miss him.”
–NASCAR Wire Service–