NASCAR's Ross Chastain: Support for Kyle Busch's Family Continues Behind the Scenes

Nearly four months after Kyle Busch's sudden death at age 41, the NASCAR community remains committed to supporting his family, according to fellow driver Ross Chastain. The Trackhouse Racing driver spoke exclusively with PEOPLE at the Iowa Speedway before the Iowa Corn 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on Aug. 9, where he debuted a special paint job honoring his agricultural heritage.

Busch died May 21 from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. His death shocked the racing world and left his wife Samantha and their two children, son Brexton (11) and daughter Lennix (4), to carry on his legacy.

How is NASCAR supporting the Busch family?

Chastain says the support for the Busch family has been both public and private since the tragedy. He described ongoing efforts within the NASCAR garage to rally around Samantha, Brexton, and Lennix during this difficult time.

“It's tough. How do you do it? I don't think anybody knows the perfect way,” Chastain told PEOPLE at the Iowa Speedway. “It's still wild to me that he is gone, but there's efforts behind the scenes and publicly that groups [in NASCAR] are doing to continue to support his family.”

The Busch family has remained active in racing following Kyle's death. His father, Tom Busch, has been seen driving one of Kyle's cars, and his older brother Kurt Busch, a former teammate of Chastain's at Chip Ganassi Racing, has also returned to the track.

“They're still out racing. And I think that's great. Brexton's going to continue to race... Racing is what they all love,” Chastain said.

Brexton Busch's racing future

Young Brexton has already gotten behind the wheel since his father's passing. On June 2, he drove his Legends car at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Cook Out Summer Shootout. He has since competed at Oklahoma's Port City Raceway dirt track and the Summer Shootout Young Lions feature race in North Carolina.

Chastain says the 11-year-old has the foundation to pursue a NASCAR career if he chooses, but emphasized that Brexton should not feel pressured to follow in his father's footsteps.

“The building blocks are there. The foundation's there if he wants to pursue it,” Chastain said. “He doesn't have to. Just because [his] dad did it doesn't mean you have to. My dad farmed, but I'm not technically farming right now. I'm the guy that sells watermelons and promotes farming. So, whatever he wants to grow up and do, he doesn't have to decide now.”

Chastain added: “He's a kid. Be a kid. Go play in the dirt, go jump in the pool, go swim, go have fun. Whatever he wants to do down the road, it'll be available.”

Chastain on the next generation of NASCAR drivers

The Trackhouse driver also reflected on the constant pressure in NASCAR to perform as younger drivers emerge. He acknowledged that every driver eventually faces questions about their future as the next generation comes up through the ranks.

“There's always the next group coming along. And competition is what our sport's all about. You have to keep performing. And every year that goes by, there will be more questions. And I see that with drivers similar in age to me. They'll win for a little while, and the question starts swirling,” Chastain said.

“I mean, at some point you'll run your last race and the next guy will step up. So I say bring it on and let him come try to beat me.”

Remembering Kyle Busch's legacy

Chastain paid tribute to Busch in the days following his death. After winning the Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he delayed his traditional watermelon-smashing celebration to honor Busch with a bow, mimicking the late driver's signature victory celebration.

Daniel Suárez also dedicated his Coca-Cola 600 victory to Busch, saying, “This one is for Kyle. For Kyle, for Samantha, for Brexton, for Lennix -- for all his family.”

On May 24, Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, Kurt, Tom, and Tom's wife Gaye made an emotional appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, where they were showered with tributes from NASCAR and fans alike.

Chastain summed up the sentiment shared by many in the racing community: “We're never going to forget Kyle. He was the best driver of this generation.”