Samantha Busch has spent the weeks since her husband Kyle Busch’s death trying to honor the promise she made him, starting with getting their son back on the racetrack.
Before Kyle died on May 21 from complications of pneumonia and sepsis, Samantha vowed to do everything she could to help their son, Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4, pursue their dreams.
She wrote about the promise on Wednesday, June 10, just one day after Brexton returned to the track for the first time since losing his father.
The promise
“Watching Brexton back at the track is both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once because there are moments when I catch a glimpse of Kyle in him, the same determination, the same passion, the same spark, and for a second it feels like a piece of him is still right here with us,” Samantha wrote on Instagram.
“These moments are incredibly hard, but they also remind me that Kyle’s story isn’t over. It lives on through the dreams he inspired and the two children he loved more than anything.”
“In the hospital, I made Kyle a promise. I promised him that I would do everything I could to help our children pursue their dreams no matter what,” she revealed. “For Brexton, that dream is racing.”
Supporting their dreams
Samantha noted that racing wasn’t something Kyle pushed on Brexton, it was something they loved together.
“They spent countless hours talking about race cars, working together, dreaming together, and building a bond around something they both genuinely loved,” she wrote. “Racing is what lights Brexton up and as long as it’s the dream in his heart, I’ll be right there beside him, cheering him on every step of the way.”
Samantha also acknowledged that paths can change. If “one day [Brexton’s] dreams take him somewhere else, that’s okay too,” she wrote.
She extended the same to Lennix, noting she recently bought her a kart for her fourth birthday. If “Lennix wants to get behind the wheel … it won’t be the same as having Kyle by her side but we will do our absolute best.”
‘Still feels like home’
Samantha said the racetrack “still feels like home,” but going back isn’t easy. “We’re reminded that a piece of our team is missing,” she continued.
“The person who should be standing beside us isn’t there. That part is heartbreaking. But it’s also where we feel closest to him, surrounded by the memories, the people, and the dreams he helped build. So, we race on.”
The racing world shared in that loss. The Busch family, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing announced Kyle’s death in a joint statement, describing him as “a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation.”
“He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans,” the statement read. “NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon. During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate.”
Paying tribute
Samantha also released her own statement, saying “the love that has surrounded our family during this unimaginable time has brought comfort in the middle of so much pain.”
She added, “Knowing the impact Kyle had on others and seeing how they are honoring him through each unique act of generosity is a true testament to how special Kyle is to so many people.”
Those tributes have continued on the track as well. Last month, fellow racer Romain Grosjean competed in the Indianapolis 500 in a Honda carrying Busch’s number 18.
