OPINION:
The racing world was recently hit with shock and intense grief over the death of NASCAR champion Kyle Busch, who died May 21 after a battle with bacterial pneumonia and sepsis.
Mr. Busch, a 41-year-old husband and father of two, was a highly decorated and insanely successful driver. In fact, he was among the most accomplished in the industry, racking up hundreds of wins in his yearslong racing career.
“Racing across NASCAR’s top three divisions — the Cup Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Craftsman Truck Series — he accumulated 234 combined wins, more than any driver in history across all three,” his obituary reads. “Along with his two Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019, he won the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2009. With 63 Cup wins, he was ranked ninth for all-time wins.”
His notoriety, and his death at such a young age, rocked many fans. Many focused on words he said just days before his life ended — an almost prophetic utterance told to a reporter after his recent Truck Series win. Mr. Busch was asked why winning moments “never get old.”
“Because you never know when the last one is,” he told a reporter.
These stunning comments have naturally yielded a plethora of reactions, considering he said them just days before his death. But there’s something more remarkable he left behind: a legacy of faith.
The NASCAR star was known for sharing his beliefs with fans, making public proclamations about God and the Bible — and these occurrences stretch back years.
In 2011, Mr. Busch won the Camping World Truck Series in Nashville, Tennessee, and he spoke about the importance of living biblically — and finding God along his own journey.
“The book is a good tool to help you through challenges in life, aspects of life and to have people that help you with that, for me, now is more beneficial than actually reading it,” he said. “Talking to people that have really lived some stories that they can allude you [to], that you’ve been in the same place already. I’m 25, and I’ve done some of the same things Coach [Joe] Gibbs has done. And so it’s been interesting to feel some of those people’s passion about it.”
And he wasn’t done there. Mr. Busch added: “When you live your life and you don’t really pay attention to how you’re living your life, it can really impact you, versus the other way.”
Flash forward to 2026, when Mr. Busch appeared on his wife, Samantha’s, podcast, “Certified Oversharer.” As The Christian Post reported, the two discussed their faith journeys and the importance of Christianity in their lives.
They said they “pray every night” and that they had been “getting deeper into [their] faith.” The couple also prayed regularly with children.
Ultimately, Mr. Busch said he experienced a shift in his faith walk, comparing what it was like for him as a child navigating church and faith to what it was like for him more recently. Ultimately, he expressed being more intentional in living out his faith values.
“We had it when I was a kid, and we went to church every Sunday, but it was maybe a little bit more of the check-the-box thing,” he said. “Now, I feel like it’s a little bit more of sort of a way of life.”
Forbes published a piece in December shedding light on Mr. Busch’s career and family. The article offered some fascinating tidbits, among them a statement about faith.
“Finally, there’s faith,” the text read. “Something that has quietly become another pillar in the Busch household, one that has helped them navigate setbacks and reflect on what really matters.”
The article quotes the late NASCAR star speaking about the importance of relying on God to navigate much of what happens in life.
“You put your faith in God in a lot of things — racing, life, decisions you have to make as a family,” he said. “You think you can make the best choices yourself, but honestly, a lot of it’s in God’s control.”
These are wise words, as people are prone to worry, panic and attempts to obsessively control scenarios and situations. But the reality is human beings only have so much sway over the events unfolding around us. Mr. Busch’s tragic loss at such a young age only underscores that reality, reminding us that we never truly know what’s around life’s many bends.
One can’t help but pray that Mr. Busch’s family is relying on their faith as they cope with such immeasurable loss. Let’s all remember to pray for his wife and children while also cherishing his willingness to share his faith and devotion with the masses.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell also is the author of four books.
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