CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell sat down in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Center on Friday evening, and he perfectly put into words the pain the industry is experiencing one day after Kyle Busch's death at the age of 41.
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The two-time Cup Series champion passed away suddenly on Thursday after being hospitalized for a "severe illness."
"I believe I can speak for everybody in the sport, and I'll just say this: For me personally, the family reunions week to week are just not going to be the same without him, but we're going to do our damn best to continue his legacy and support his family," O'Donnell said in his opening statement.
Busch was many things — the winningest driver in national series history. A two-time Cup Series champion. A fierce competitor who ruffled feathers on the track and away from it. Busch was a man who set numerous records while driving for multiple teams.
But he was also a member of the massive NASCAR family, one that travels together 38 weeks each year.
"My best description of NASCAR is it's like a family reunion every week," O'Donnell said. "And those of you who have gone to family reunions, you know that from time to time families don't get along, but at the end of the day, everybody knows that they're all part of the family.
"If you look at our drivers, but just as equally when you think about family, that includes everybody in this room: media, team owners, drivers, sponsors. We're all part of that group when we think about that family reunion. And when you think about drivers in particular, you get to watch drivers come into the sport — young, hungry. Hopefully, you see them win, and you see them grow up and you see them learn.
"You also get a chance when you're in some of our positions to watch drivers off the track. You get to see them maybe find a friend, a girlfriend becomes a wife, they become fathers, they have kids, they start families.
"And you celebrate all that together because each and every weekend we are together, and we're there to celebrate it. And that's what this sport is, and Kyle Busch lived just about every chapter of what you can do in NASCAR."
#NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell spent several minutes talking about Kyle Busch's legacy before taking questions from media. pic.twitter.com/uTfTktIfxi
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) May 22, 2026
To O'Donnell's point, Busch certainly had disagreements with the family members. He occasionally butted heads with members of the media. He had a couple physical altercations with fellow drivers and a team owner.
He also embraced the members of the NASCAR family, whether it was at the dirt track, in sitdown interviews, or in simple conversations behind the scenes. He showed them that he cared in multiple ways.
Just like any other family, each member reacted differently to Busch's actions and comments. This certainly included O'Donnell, who had his own run-ins with Busch over the years.
"My favorite interview Kyle Busch ever gave — and I wish I could do it every weekend, and I know most of you probably hated it, but 'everything is great,' and he just kept saying it over and over and over again. That's Kyle," O'Donnell said.
"One of my favorite moments as well back in Texas — he would challenge NASCAR on some rules — maybe spun out, maybe hit the wall. Decided that we needed to take him to the care center.
"(He) laid flat out on a pit cart, made fun of us. I was mad at the time, but I look back, and that was damn funny, and that was Kyle."
Busch was certainly a larger-than-life personality. He was someone who built up a massive fanbase known as Rowdy Nation. He also became a villain to other members of the NASCAR fanbase.
Now that he has passed, he leaves a massive hole in the sport, as well as the overall NASCAR family. It's up to everyone else to honor him and support his wife and children as the season continues.
