Kyle Busch Celebration of Life, Friday, October 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (NASCAR Creative Design, nascar.com)
CONCORD, N.C. – Charlotte Motor Speedway will host a public Celebration of Life for NASCAR icon Kyle Busch on Friday, Oct. 9, track officials announced.
The memorial ceremony will take place directly at the start/finish line of the 1.5-mile oval track immediately following the conclusion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoff race. Attendance will be free for fans, and those holding tickets to the evening’s race will be permitted to move onto the track toward the start/finish line.
The ceremony aims to honor the legacy of the late two-time Cup Series champion, who passed away suddenly on May 21. It will feature a display of 10 of Busch’s most iconic race cars, a commemorative drone light show, and a closing musical performance by country music star Cole Swindell.
Busch’s widow, Samantha Busch, will take the stage to anchor a lineup of prominent NASCAR drivers and personalities sharing memories of the driver widely known by his aggressive moniker, “Rowdy.”
Scheduled speakers include team owner Joe Gibbs, Fox Sports announcer Mike Joy, and drivers Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson, and Austin Dillon.
Busch drove for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2008 to 2022, capturing both of his premier series championships and 56 of his 63 career Cup victories in the No. 18 Toyota. Bell, Gragson, and Suárez all advanced their early careers driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, where Bell captured a Truck Series championship in 2017. Dillon was Busch’s teammate at Richard Childress Racing from 2023 until his passing.
Larson, a longtime track rival who famously dueled Busch in a legendary multi-contact final lap at Chicagoland Speedway in 2018, will pay tribute to Busch during this Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will feature a throwback paint scheme honoring Busch’s early career at Hendrick from 2005 to 2007, complete with Busch’s affectionate nickname for Larson, “Tiny Kyle,” decaled above the door window.
