Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of numerous NASCAR luminaries paying tribute to fallen Cup Series champion Kyle Bush, telling how the two overcame a “challenging existence” to become the best of friends.
While the entire motorsports world was in shock and mourning, Earnhardt Jr.’s response was one of the most viral, given that their wreck in a 2008 race became the flashpoint for a rivalry between the two.
Busch, the younger of two brothers who won Cup championships, managed to take the trophy twice in 2015 and 2019. He had 63 wins at the top division in the sport and a record 234 wins among the top three NASCAR tiers, according toThe Athletic.
He was racing for Richard Childress Racing this season; while he had a lingering illness in recent interviews and at races, nothing seemed terribly serious. In fact, on May 15, he won a race inNASCAR’sTruck Series at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.
However, earlier this week, he was admitted to the hospital with an illness that was described as serious. On Thursday, he succumbed, leaving behind a wife and two children.
Condolences poured in from around the auto racing world, but no tribute meant as much as that from Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was a contemporary, a friend, and — at one time — a bitter rival.
In a post on X, Dale Jr. noted the two had a tough beginning; although he didn’t specify why they had beef, he was clearly referencing the events leading up to and proceeding the 2008 spring race at Richmond International Raceway.
Near the end of that race, Busch spun Earnhardt Jr. as the two were racing for the lead. Dale hit the wall and Kyle ended up getting passed by Clint Bowyer for the win, according toUSA Today, but it marked the peak of hostilities between the two.
Those didn’t last, asDale Jr.said on social media on Thursday.
“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams,” Dale Jr. said in his post.
Source: VidNews » Feed
