Austin Dillon shares emotional tribute to teammate Kyle Busch

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Austin Dillon shares emotional tribute to teammate Kyle Busch

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated May 22, 2026 3:39 PM ET

Austin Dillon shared perhaps the most emotional tribute yet to teammate Kyle Busch after Busch’s sudden death on Thursday.

Dillon had been teammates with Busch on Richard Childress Racing since 2023, but had looked up to Busch for his entire life. Dillon spoke about how much of an accomplishment it was to ever beat Busch, and how much of a joy it had been to be teammates.

“You are the ultimate racer and my favorite teammate and driver of all time,” Dillon wrote.

Dillon also pledged to be there for Busch’s widow Sam and his two children.

Austin Dillon’s letter to Kyle Busch.

This one is emotional to read, but beautifully written. pic.twitter.com/zTI9VyZr3A
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) May 22, 2026

In many ways, Dillon was seen as something of a protege of Busch’s in light of his bold and at times controversial moves. Beyond being teammates, it certainly makes sense that the loss would hit him particularly hard.

Busch died Thursday after what was described as a sudden illness. Few details have been made public, though he was reportedly found unresponsive in a simulator before being hospitalized.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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