The NASCAR community will gather at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, October 9, for a public Celebration of Life. This special event honors the life and legacy of Kyle Busch. The ceremony is free and open to everyone.
The event takes place at 8pm EST at the start/finish line in Concord, North Carolina. According to Motorsport.com NASCAR Cup, the ceremony will follow the Truck Series race. This is a huge moment for the sport. Busch was a massive talent. He won 234 races across three national divisions and earned two NASCAR Cup Series championships. He died suddenly on May 21 at the age of 41.
How to attend the ceremony
You do not need a ticket to join this tribute. The event is free to attend, and the track is offering free parking as well. If you already have a ticket for the Truck Series race, you can stay in your seat or move closer to the start/finish line. If you do not have a truck race ticket, you can still enter the track through Gates 4 and 5A. You just have to wait until the truck race ends to get in.
The timing might shift slightly because the ceremony starts right after the race. FOX SPORTS 1 will broadcast the event at 8pm EST, though this depends on when the Truck race finishes. I always tell people to check the schedule close to the date. Race delays happen, and you do not want to miss the start of the tributes.
The speakers and special tributes
This event will be a heavy night for racing fans. Many people close to Busch will speak. His wife, Samantha Busch, will be on stage. She is also a co-founder of their Bundle of Joy Fund. His brother, Kurt Busch, will also share memories. Kurt is a 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion and a Daytona 500 winner. It will be powerful to hear from family members who knew him best.
The list of guest speakers includes several big names from the garage. NASCAR Cup, speakers will include:
- Joe Gibbs, the owner of Joe Gibbs Racing where Busch won 56 of his 63 Cup wins.
- Kyle Larson, a two-time Cup champion and current points leader.
- Christopher Bell, a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.
- Daniel Suárez, a driver for Spire Motorsports.
- Noah Gragson, a driver for Front Row Motorsports.
- Austin Dillon, who was Busch’s teammate at Richard Childress Racing until his death.
The night will also feature more than just speeches. There will be a full drone show and video tributes. The track will even display a curated collection of Busch’s race cars and trophies. It is a massive way to show respect for a driver who changed the game.
A night of music and remembrance
The ceremony will not end with just the tributes. A post-ceremony concert by country star Cole Swindell is planned. It is a way to bring the community together after a very emotional program.
