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NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch opened up about how racing helps him cope with the sudden loss of his younger brother, NASCAR legend Kyle Busch, who died in May.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion died at 41 from complications related to “severe pneumonia [that] progressed into sepsis,” according to a statement from his family.
“When you get behind the wheel, I feel his presence of… he like sees my mistakes now, like I can’t hide them, but it helps me cope with it. I see my brothers in the racing world,” Kurt told “The Big Weekend Show” on Saturday.
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Kurt’s comments about his brother came after his race in IndyCar’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix, held on a 1.7-mile course that includes Pennsylvania, Constitution and Independence avenues.
His remarks also follow the inaugural celebration of “Kyle Busch Day” on Aug. 18, a day to honor the late NASCAR icon in a nod to Busch’s famed car numbers.
Kurt, who shared a strong bond with Kyle on and off the track, told Fox News that racing helps him cope with his brother’s sudden death.
“It just feels like someone stole him, and it’s still unfathomable,” he said.
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“I don’t know really how to cope with it other than getting in the car and going racing,” he added.
Kurt said the loss of his brother in May came just months after another NASCAR-related tragedy, when his friend and fellow race car driver Greg Biffle died with his family in a plane crash in December.
Kyle, a two-time Cup champion, is survived by his wife Samantha and their two children. His 11-year-old son, Brexton, could eventually inherit his father’s No. 8, which Richard Childress Racing has reserved for him when he is ready to race in NASCAR.
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Kurt said racing has become a positive outlet for the grieving family, allowing them to remain connected to Kyle while carrying on his legacy.
“With Brexton racing… he needs to be around his friend and needs to out there racing because that’s what Kyle would have wanted us to do,” Kurt said. “And so a lot of ups and downs, just trying to find a middle ground.”