Local NASCAR fans react to sudden death of legend Kyle Busch

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away at 41 years old from what his family is calling a “severe illness.”

Gary Simpson from Stafford Springs told us Busch will be missed.

“If your doors aren’t dented, you aren’t racing. And he was that guy,” said Simpson.

Larry Zwicker from Grafton, Massachusetts, said Busch won more than anyone in sports.

“No one has ever won Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” Zwicker said. “He did it twice.”

Connecticut native and 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano took to Twitter and said in part:

Kyle was a champion, a feared competitor, a loving husband, and a great dad, and he’ll truly be missed.

Busch was not only beloved but also highly decorated. Over his 22-year career, he racked up 63 Cup Series victories, leaving him 9th all-time.

Additionally, Busch won 234 races across 3 top national series, which is the most of all time.

“He could cut in front of someone with this much space,” said Zwicker. “How do you do that?”

Mike Massaro, the senior director of RFK Racing and a former reporter at NBC Connecticut, told us his competitive spirit was unmatched.

“He was an intense driver, relentless on the racetrack,” Massaro said. “Just his desire to win was deeper than anybody’s in the field.”

Busch leaves behind his wife and two children.

“Brexton, who is only 11 years old, just celebrated his 11th birthday this week. He is one of the most accomplished young racecar drivers in the country,” said Massaro. “He’s following in his father’s footsteps, and Kyle took great pride in that.”

Despite his career spanning over two decades, Busch had not lost a step, winning a truck series event in Delaware just last week.

He was asked about the meaning of the victory in the truck series in Dover, and he said, “Well, you never know when the last one’s going to come,” said Massaro. “So that will sit with me for a while.”

Source Link