The racing world continued mourning NASCAR legend Kyle Busch on Friday when Josef Newgarden shared an emotional public reaction ahead of the Indianapolis 500, adding another heartbreaking moment to one of motorsports’ most devastating weeks.
Newgarden’s comments quickly spread across racing social media as fans from both NASCAR and IndyCar reacted to the growing wave of tributes honoring Busch’s legacy.
Josef Newgarden, Kyle Kirkwood Address Kyle Busch’s Death Ahead of Indy 500
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who drives the No. 2 Chevrolet for Team Penske, said the timing of the news made it all the more difficult to process.
“I just heard about this yesterday, and then the next thing you know, you hear the news about it,” Newgarden said, at a post-practice press conference Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It just puts into perspective how fragile life is. You just don’t know.”
Newgarden, a two-time IndyCar Series champion (2017 and 2019) and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner in 2023 and 2024, said what broke his heart most was not Busch’s legacy but what he left behind.
“It makes me think of his kids, to be honest with you,” he said. “I have two sons now, and that’s the thing that breaks my heart for sure.”
The Hendersonville, Tennessee, native emphasized that Busch’s talent was beyond dispute.
“He was an extreme racer, one of the best you’d ever see on track,” Newgarden said. “Kyle was one of those unique individuals who was phenomenal at what he did.”
Kyle Kirkwood, a six-time IndyCar race winner, said at the press conference that his connection to Busch went all the way back to childhood. The Andretti Global driver said the second race he ever attended was a NASCAR event at Texas Motor Speedway around 2006, and Busch was the first professional racer he ever met.
“I remember getting that signature, and for many years — and still to this day — I still have that hat with my trophies at my house,” Kirkwood said. “I remember that moment kind of really turned me on to racing.”
Katherine Legge Remembers Kyle Busch
Katherine Legge went further, placing Busch among the all-time greats in any series.
“Racing has lost one of the greatest drivers in my opinion of all time,” Legge said. “If you look back at the history, he was a legend.”
Legge spoke about a personal connection as well.
“He and (his wife) Samantha were two of the nicest drivers to me, welcoming me to the series,” she said. “They took the time to get to know me and give me some help and advice, and I would class them as friends now.”
Busch, known throughout NASCAR as “Rowdy,” won Cup championships in 2015 and 2019, becoming the first driver to earn multiple titles under the sport’s playoff format. He is survived by Samantha and their two children, Brexton and Lennix.
Newgarden summed up the grief with characteristic directness.
“My empathy and feelings are towards his family for sure,” he said. “I hope their community can rally around the kids, because that’s what’s going to matter at the end of the day.”
Kyle Busch Remembered by Indy 500 Drivers: Josef Newgarden Reacts to Tragic Death