Richard Childress Breaks Silence After Kyle Busch Death

Richard Childress spoke publicly for the first time after Kyle Busch’s death at 41, calling the NASCAR driver “one of the greatest” and linking the loss to Dale Earnhardt Sr. Childress also discussed Busch’s final phone call, plans for a contract extension, an

Richard Childress walked into the Michigan International Speedway press conference still wrestling with the same sentence all weekend: Kyle Busch was gone.

Speaking for the first time since NASCAR’s star driver died at age 41. Childress told reporters on Saturday. June 6 that Busch “will go down in history as one of the greatest race drivers that’s ever been.” The Richard Childress Racing boss. now 80. added that Busch’s legacy was tied to how many people viewed him as “tough to deal with. ” even as he “loves his sport.”.

Busch’s final NASCAR chapter began years earlier. but his last three seasons were specifically in the NASCAR Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing (RCR). On May 20, Busch became unresponsive in Concord, North Carolina, while preparing for that weekend’s competition, and he was hospitalized. NASCAR confirmed hours later on May 21 that the driver had died at age 41.

A death certificate obtained by Us Weekly described what happened in Busch’s final days. It said he suffered a “chain of events. ” with bacterial pneumonia progressing into sepsis and intravascular coagulation. also described as small clots. By the time Busch died, he had developed hemorrhagic shock due to blood loss.

At the Saturday press conference, Childress placed Busch’s death alongside another unforgettable tragedy in NASCAR history, likening it to the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. Earnhardt died at age 49 in a February 2001 crash after spending 18 seasons with RCR.

“You lose two of the greatest drivers that’s ever driven a car in NASCAR and to have to go through it again,” Childress told the media. “I just feel so bad for the family and the employees and everybody. But yeah, I mean, I haven’t slept very good lately.”

He returned to the personal weight of it all when he described his last conversation with Busch. Childress said he had spoken with Kyle the night before Busch’s hospitalization and that he’d planned to offer the driver a contract extension.

“He reflected on his final phone call with Kyle the night before his hospitalization, revealing that he’d planned to offer the driver a contract extension,” the report records, with Childress continuing to talk about what was supposed to come next.

Childress also said he wanted to help Busch’s family guide Brexton Busch’s amateur racing career. pointing to his 11-year-old son as a future path toward professional competition. Richard Childress Racing announced on May 22 that it will retire Kyle’s No. 8 car unless Brexton chooses to race professionally some day.

“Talking to Kyle at different times, knowing his plans and what he had in the future for Brexton and his family,” Childress said. “The many things that we all could have done together, that was probably the toughest part of this whole thing.”

The contrast between what was planned and what was taken made the grief harder to ignore—on May 20, Busch was preparing for a weekend race; by May 21, NASCAR confirmed his death at 41; and by June 6, Childress was still processing the phone call that was meant to lead to more racing.

Earlier in the week. Kyle’s wife Samantha Busch had also spoken. offering the first tribute from her since his death. On Friday. June 5. the 40-year-old posted on Instagram. telling fans. “As a family. we wanted to take a moment to say thank you.” She wrote about the support arriving in waves—“The prayers. messages. flowers. meals. hugs. and countless acts of kindness”—and said that. even while her “hearts are absolutely shattered. ” she and her children felt God’s presence.

Samantha Busch said she and Kyle shared children Brexton and daughter Lennix, 4. She added that the love surrounding their family had brought comfort during what she called “the most heartbreaking days of our lives,” while honoring the impact Kyle had on others through the kindness people showed.

“We have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you. ” she wrote. “The love that has surrounded our family during this unimaginable time has brought comfort in the middle of so much pain.” She concluded that even when “the weight of this loss feels impossible to carry. ” she felt that God was showing them “we are not alone.”.

Kyle Busch Richard Childress NASCAR NASCAR Cup Series Richard Childress Racing Michigan International Speedway Dale Earnhardt Sr. Brexton Busch Samantha Busch No. 8 car death certificate