Samantha Busch, the wife of two-time NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch, made her first public comments Friday, just over two weeks since his stunning death at age 41. In an Instagram post, she thanked fans for their overwhelming support, describing their hearts as "absolutely shattered" and expressing gratitude for the prayers, flowers, and acts of kindness that have carried the family through.
Busch died May 21 after pneumonia escalated into sepsis. He collapsed during a simulator session before the Coca-Cola 600 and died the next day. A private memorial was held earlier this week.
Busch, a future Hall of Famer, made 762 career Cup starts with 63 wins, winning titles in 2015 and 2019. He holds the all-time record for wins in both the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. His final win came at Dover just one week before his death, when he led 147 laps in a dominating Truck Series victory.
Kyle's 11-year-old son Brexton returned to the racetrack earlier this week for the first time since his father's death.