Bristol and NASCAR honored Kyle Busch in several different ways during the track's first race weekend since his death earlier this year, including a poignant speech from his widow Samantha.
Samantha Busch spoke to the crowd just before the command to fire engines in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Sept. 19, with children Brexton and Lennix at her side on pit road.
"Bristol was always so special to Kyle," Samantha Busch said to the crowd. "He loved racing under the lights, the energy of this place and most of all, you, the fans. For 20 years, this sport was our life. It’s where we raised our babies and made some of our very best memories. I never imagined we’d be standing here without him.
"But looking out at all of you reminds me that we aren’t
walking this alone. You celebrated his wins, you stood by him on the hard days, and yeah, plenty of you guys booed him as well. But whether you knew him as Kyle, the Candy Man, Rowdy, or simply your favorite driver, there is no Rowdy without you guys. Since we lost him, this racing community has embraced Brexton, Lennix and I, and we are so grateful for all of you."
Kyle Busch died at age 41 on May 21 after complications from pneumonia progressed into sepsis, days before the Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte. That Sunday, Samantha, Brexton and Lennix Busch were present at the Charlotte Motor Speedway during a moment of silence and tribute for Kyle Busch in what was the most emotionally-stirring moment in recent NASCAR history.
Since then, the racing community has stepped up with several tributes and events honoring the Busch family, including the Kyle Busch Invitational in August at Bowman Gray in which Brexton Busch competed on track. There is also a planned celebration of life for Kyle Busch in October after the Truck Series race at Charlotte.
Ty Gibbs is driving a M&Ms paint scheme on the No. 54 Toyota this weekend, made up of images of Busch's success with M&Ms and Joe Gibbs Racing — including eight Cup Series wins at Bristol. Brexton Busch planned to watch the race on Gibbs' No. 54 pit box.
As we prepare to head to Bristol for a special weekend honoring Kyle Busch, we wanted to give those closest to him the first opportunity to see the M&M’S tribute car up close. The scheme contains a mosaic of photos that capture Kyle’s life as husband, father, championship-winning… pic.twitter.com/pjfkfqX0TM
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) September 15, 2026
Along with Gibbs, Brad Keselowski had his own Kyle Busch tribute during pre-race introductions with a callback to a years-ago intro where Keselowski called Busch "an ass". This year, Keselowski proclaimed: "Tonight, Ty Gibbs is an ass."
Brad Keselowski with a classic Kyle Busch call-back haha pic.twitter.com/SaHuNaRBYs
— Eric Estepp (@EricEstepp17) September 19, 2026
"Kyle’s legacy is so much bigger than wins and championships," Samantha Busch continued in her pre-race remarks. "It lives on in the drivers that he mentored, the fans that he connected with, and most of all, the incredible father and husband that he was to us. Seeing these iconic M&Ms colors back under the Bristol lights tonight feels like a part of him is still here with us. So when Lap 18 comes around, grab those towels and wave them high. Let’s show Kyle that Bristol will always have a special place in its heart for the one and only Rowdy.”
The fans complied as did crew members on pit road, with yellow towels waving across the track on Lap 18.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Samantha Busch gives poignant speech honoring Kyle Busch before NASCAR Bristol night race
