Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had his issues with Kyle Busch, but he also recognized him as a one-of-a-kind driver who brought needed flair and intensity to the NASCAR world.
The 2023 Daytona 500 winner is putting aside his past animosity with the two-time Cup Series champion and sending his condolences amid Busch’s tragic passing.
“There aren’t really words for today,” Stenhouse posted on X shortly after it became known to the public that Busch had died at the age of 41. “I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it.
“But more than the wins and the records, I keep thinking about Samantha, Brexton, and Lennix, and the entire Busch family right now. That’s where my heart is. Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you.”
Despite placing 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race on May 17, Busch was hospitalized with a severe illness on Thursday. He battled a sinus cold about two weeks earlier but was still preparing to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday.
Stenhouse is far from the only one who is in complete shock and despair, as current and former drivers grieve this devastating loss.
He had a unique relationship with Busch. They had a longstanding feud that boiled over on May 19, 2024, resulting in one of the most memorable NASCAR moments of the last decade.
Busch crashed into Stenhouse on the second lap of the Cup Series All-Star Race, and the latter confronted the former in a heated exchange following the action. Stenhouse threw a punch, and a wild brawl ensued.
None of those hard feelings are relevant on this somber day, however. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is choosing to remember Kyle Busch not as a rival, but as someone who got the best out of him and his contemporaries. Prayers are with the Busch family and all those affected by his passing.
The post Ricky Stenhouse Jr. posts heartbreaking reaction to Kyle Busch’s death appeared first on ClutchPoints.
