As NASCAR prepared for the start of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, the sport paused to honor Kyle Busch following his sudden death earlier in the week at age 41.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion had been hospitalized Wednesday after becoming unresponsive while training in Charlotte ahead of the race weekend. His family initially announced Thursday morning that he would miss the Coca-Cola 600 because of a “severe illness.”

Hours later, NASCAR confirmed Busch had died, sending shockwaves through the racing world.

On Saturday, Busch’s family revealed that severe pneumonia had progressed into sepsis, leading to rapid and overwhelming complications.

Emotional pre-race tribute at Charlotte

Before Sunday’s race began at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch’s family joined NASCAR officials and drivers for an emotional ceremony in the infield led by NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell.

Busch’s parents, Tom and Gaye Busch, stood alongside his brother Kurt Busch, himself a former Cup Series champion and winner of the 2010 Coca-Cola 600.

“No one ever feels fully prepared to speak at a moment like this,” O’Donnell said during the tribute. “And I think we can all agree this was Kyle Busch’s home. Every race track was Kyle Busch’s home.”

O’Donnell praised Busch’s relentless competitiveness and the quieter acts of kindness many people never saw publicly.

“He competed like he had something to prove every single race, when in reality, he had already proven everything,” O’Donnell said. “What I think we’ll miss most isn’t the wins. It’s the guy who quietly wanted to help a teammate or give some advice. It was the husband, the father, or the guy who quietly did things for others when no one was watching.”

Message to Samantha, Brexton and Lennix

The NASCAR executive then turned his attention to Busch’s wife Samantha Busch and the couple’s children, Brexton Busch and Lennix Busch, who stood nearby during the ceremony.

“Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you and that you and your children are NASCAR family forever,” O’Donnell said.

“And Brexton and Lennix, your dad loved you with all his heart.”

“Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everybody watching on TV and all those people up in that grandstand are your family. And we’ve got you.”

He ended the tribute by declaring: “Kyle Busch is NASCAR. He was one of a kind. And there will never be another.”

More than 95,000 fans packed the sold-out speedway and observed a moment of silence before three bagpipers performed “Amazing Grace.”

Tributes continued during the race

Drivers later took to the track carrying No. 8 decals on their cars to honor Busch and the iconic number he drove for Richard Childress Racing.

The team previously announced it would retire the No. 8 for now and reserve it for Brexton should he eventually race in NASCAR himself.

During the pre-race pace laps, the field performed a missing-man formation, leaving Busch’s starting position empty in tribute.

Then, on lap eight, the Amazon Prime broadcast went silent while fans throughout the stadium raised eight fingers in honor of Busch’s famous car number.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. honors Busch

The pre-race coverage also included a tribute video narrated by former NASCAR driver and analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr..

Busch leaves behind one of the greatest résumés in NASCAR history. Across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series, he recorded 234 victories more than any driver in the sport’s national series history.

He also captured Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 and finished his career ninth on the all-time Cup wins list with 63 victories.