The roar of the engine and the smoke pouring off the tires made Brexton Busch’s burnout at Charlotte Motor Speedway a moment NASCAR fans won’t soon forget. But for the 11-year-old, climbing behind the wheel of his late father Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet was about much more than putting on a show. It was a tribute to the man he lost and a glimpse of how he is continuing to embrace the racing world they shared. Now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is praising Brexton’s resilience and the family supporting him.

“That kid Brexton’s done an amazing job just handling the challenges of what he’s going through, and he must have a very incredible support system around him. Obviously, his mother is doing a tremendous job keeping things going and keeping those kids’ spirits up. I don’t have real intimate details of all that, but it’s just from the perspective that we all have: they’re doing a hell of a job, and he’s doing a great job,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared those words on the latest edition of Ask Jr., reflecting on how 11-year-old Brexton Busch has continued to navigate life after losing his father, Kyle Busch.

For Dale, the young racer’s resilience and the support Samantha Busch has provided her children deserve recognition. Brexton’s recent tribute at Charlotte Motor Speedway offered a powerful reminder of that journey, bringing together the sport’s grief, his family’s love, and the racing passion he shared with his dad.

On October 9, over 10,000 fans gathered in Charlotte for Kyle’s Celebration of Life. The event featured stories from family members, former team owner Joe Gibbs, and drivers who had raced alongside Kyle, along with displays of ten of his iconic cars and trophies.

But after Samantha delivered an emotional tribute to her husband, the evening took a deeply personal turn. She introduced Brexton, who climbed into the blue-and-white No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet his father had driven and headed to the front stretch.

Brexton performed burnouts as the crowd cheered, filling the track with tire smoke. Afterward, he climbed onto the car’s roof, accepted a checkered flag from his four-year-old sister, Lennix, and recreated Kyle’s signature victory bow. He then embraced his mother and sister. The moment was more than a tribute to a champion’s familiar celebration. It was a young boy stepping into a very public moment of remembrance while continuing to participate in the sport that had closely connected him to his father.

At Charlotte, Kyle Larson recognized something familiar in the young racer. “I see so many similarities between the two of them,” Larson said, reflecting on the father-son connection. Christopher Bell also explained how he had followed Brexton’s development closely, describing himself as “emotionally invested and hooked” on the youngster’s racing career.

Racing had been central to Brexton’s life long before the memorial. He began competing as a young child and developed across several disciplines, including micro sprints, Bandoleros, Legends cars and late models. Kyle wasn’t simply watching from the sidelines. He helped guide Brexton’s development, offering advice, working on his cars and sharing the track with him.

In March 2025, father and son even competed against each other in a 600cc Winged Micros feature at Millbridge Speedway. Kyle finished third, while nine-year-old Brexton came home sixth in a 20-car field. It was the experience Kyle had long wanted: seeing his son race while competing alongside him.

Brexton returned to racing less than three weeks after Kyle’s death on May 21. On June 8, he competed in the Young Lions division of the CookOut Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway, starting 13th and finishing sixth in his Legends car.

The result was significant not because it was a victory. But because it marked his return to the track after losing the person who had been his father, mentor, and racing coach. The following day, Brexton also served as an honorary starter for a tribute to his grandfather, Tom Busch, driving Kyle’s No. 51 Legends car.

After Kyle’s passing, his first win came at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Racing in the Restrictor Micro division, Brexton started 14th before working his way through the field to win the feature. He dedicated the victory to his father, while Samantha shared the bittersweet emotions of watching her son succeed without Kyle there to celebrate with him. Brexton’s milestone showed how he pursued the sport they loved together, even as the family adjusted to an absence they could not fill.

Dale Jr. acknowledged that grief looks different for everyone. Brexton could have felt uncomfortable driving in front of thousands of people, he noted, or chosen to step away from the spotlight. Instead, he wanted to take part in the tribute.

Dale Jr.’s praise ultimately came back to the family behind that moment: Samantha keeping her children’s spirits up, and Brexton finding his own way to remain connected to his dad through racing.