Kurt Busch, the brother of fellow NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, has opened up after the sudden and tragic passing of his sibling.
It’s been nearly three weeks since Kyle, who was still competing in motorsports, suddenly passed away after battling pneumonia which progressed into sepsis.
Kyle was set to race at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina but was taken to the hospital on May 21 before he died later that day.
In a post to Instagram, Kurt shared a gallery of images from their time racing against each other and captioned it with a lengthy and heartfelt statement.
‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, everyone, for the well wishes, support, and love for my brother and our family,’ the statement began.
‘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.
Kurt Busch (R) has released a statement three weeks after the death of his brother, Kyle
Kurt took part in the ceremony for Kyle held at Charlotte Motor Speedway the week of his death
The brothers raced together in NASCAR for years, ending with four career 1-2 finishes
‘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.’
Kurt was among the family members who took part in a ceremony at Charlotte Motor Speedway before the 600-mile race to honor the 41-year-old and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.
Kurt, who won the 2004 Cup Series title, preceded his brother’s entry into the top-flight series by four years before he retired in 2022.
The brothers had four 1-2 finishes across their careers and Kurt even raced for Kyle’s team in the second-division series now known as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The statement comes days after it was revealed by team owner Richard Childress that Kyle was set to continue racing for the 2027 season.
At a press conference at Michigan International Speedway, Childress said the presser was initially set up ‘to announce that [Kyle] was coming back in 2027 and drive for RCR. And we wanted to do it up here at Michigan with our GM friends, with Chevrolet. And it didn’t happen.’
