Richard Childress has spoken publicly for the first time since Kyle Busch passed away on May 21 at the age of 41. He used the opportunity to reflect on his friendship with the two-time Cup Series champion, as well as Busch's legacy in the sport.
Videos by FanBuzz
"Kyle will go down as one of the greatest race car drivers that has ever been," Childress said. "He'll be in the Hall of Fame. I'd love to see him put in it right away."
The championship-winning team owner acknowledged that these past weeks have been difficult since Busch suddenly passed away due to severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
He certainly has not slept much while he and countless others have mourned.
He had originally scheduled a press conference at Michigan International Speedway for a significantly different reason. He and Busch had planned to sit on the stage with General Motors and announce that the two-time champion would return to RCR for the 2027 season.
Busch had been scheduled to become a free agent after the 2026 season, but the two sides wanted to continue working together in 2027.
As Childress mourned these past few weeks, he also looked back at past conversations with Busch at the shop or on hunting trips as the two built a friendship. Many of these conversations focused on Busch's son Brexton and his rise through the racing ranks.
"He really got into hunting, he started taking Brexton, and we had other plans," Childress said after noting that he took Busch on one of his first hunting trips.
"The sad part for me, looking back, knowing what Dale Earnhardt had in mind, and the plans he had for him and his future, and sitting and talking to Kyle at different times, knowing his plans and what he had in the future for him and Brexton and his family and the many things that we all could (have) done together, did together, that was probably the toughest part of this whole thing."
Childress repeatedly mentioned this family connection when discussing Busch's legacy in the sport. He acknowledged that the late NASCAR driver made a positive impact on Richard Childress Racing, but he focused more on how Busch embraced his role as a father.
As Childress told it, Busch always had enjoyment in his eyes while watching son Brexton race at Millbridge Speedway in North Carolina and at other tracks.
That family-focused side of the veteran racer stood out to Childress far more over the years, and he believes that this will be an incredibly important part of Busch's legacy moving forward.
Sure, winning more than 200 races will secure Busch's place in the Hall of Fame, but people will remember him for far more than just doing celebratory bows.
"He was a man that a lot of people thought he was tough to deal with, and that we wouldn't last long, but he is a man that loves this sport," Childress said. "He loved us so much. He wanted to see his family carry on."
