[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H3999-H4000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING LIFE AND LEGACY OF KYLE BUSCH

  (Mr. McDowell of North Carolina was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)
  Mr. McDOWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy 
of Kyle Busch, a fierce competitor, a legendary race car driver, and, 
most importantly, a great man.
  Kyle was a husband to Samantha and a father to two beautiful 
children. He was a brother, a son, a businessman, a driver, an 
entertainer, and one of the greatest competitors to ever get behind the 
wheel racing cars.
  If I sat here and listed every checkered flag that Kyle Busch ever 
won, my time would expire before I could finish.
  Kyle Busch was a winner. Kyle won 234 races across the top 3 series 
in NASCAR, including 63 wins at the cup level, making him the ninth 
all-time winner on the cup series.
  Kyle was a fierce competitor. It was like he hated losing more than 
he loved winning. We all got an inside look at that through listening 
to his team radio on race days. Kyle had an expectation that if he was 
behind the wheel of a car, he should win. He had every right to believe 
that because he was that good.
  We all remember the Michael Jordan flu game during the 1997 NBA 
finals. Imagine Michael Jordan playing every game after the All-Star 
break with the flu and still winning MVP because that is what Kyle 
Busch did.
  In February of 2015, Kyle wrecked hard at Daytona and compound 
fractured his right leg and broke his left foot. After multiple 
surgeries, by early May, Kyle was back racing in the All-Star race. By 
November, Kyle Busch was a NASCAR champion.
  Behind the wheel, Kyle Busch was fast. Truth be told, sometimes he 
was too fast. Even NASCAR couldn't contain him, and he was regularly 
penalized for speeding off of pit row. This would infuriate Kyle. But 
he was so fast that by making him go to the back of the pack, that 
didn't mean he wouldn't still win.
  Mr. Speaker, Kyle Busch's story was that of race legends racing with 
incredible teams. He started in the truck series for Jack Roush and 
Roush Racing. He spent time with Hendrick Motorsports racing for Rick 
Hendrick. From 2007 to 2023, Kyle drove the number 18 for Coach Joe 
Gibbs at Joe Gibbs Racing. Then, in 2023, he joined Richard Childress 
Racing and welcomed North Carolina, racing in the number 8 car proudly 
representing my hometown.
  He also drove for two of the best team presidents in NASCAR with Dave 
Alpern at Joe Gibbs Racing and Mike Verlander at Richard Childress 
Racing. Both call the Sixth District of North Carolina their home.
  Kyle's impact across the NASCAR family was massive. He inspired a 
generation of drivers who are working their way through the ranks right 
now. That impact alone is an incredibly strong legacy to leave.

[[Page H4000]]

  But the track is only part of Kyle Busch's story. Alongside his wife, 
Samantha, they started the Bundle of Joy Fund to advance access to 
fertility treatments through care and coverage, building awareness and 
providing support for the many who have struggled to bring children 
into the world.
  Because of his efforts on the track, he was able to make an impact on 
countless families and couples' lives by providing support and to let 
them know that they were not alone.
  Most importantly, Kyle was a devoted husband and a loving father. It 
was obvious that above all of his racing success, all of the trophies 
that he won, nothing mattered more to him than his precious family.
  Mr. Speaker, as we continue to shower the Busch family with prayer 
and as we grieve this loss alongside Kyle's wife, Samantha; his 
children, Brexton and Lennix; and his entire family, let us remember 
that Kyle Busch will forever be a legend.
  There are heroes, and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but 
legends never die. Kyle Busch was a legend behind the wheel. In that 
sense, he is immortal.

                          ____________________