Denny Hamlin Reflects on Kyle Busch's Growth During NASCAR Career

The Coca-Cola 600 weekend was a somber one, even more than most years. Memorial Day weekend is always a time to reflect and remember, but losing Kyle Busch had the NASCAR community in a state of mourning. Denny Hamlin is still reflecting on his time with Busch during their careers together.

Of course, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were teammates for many years at Joe Gibbs Racing. They are the two winningest drivers ever for JGR in the Cup Series. During Busch's career, Hamlin saw him grow up from a wild teen into a father and husband.

On Actions Detrimental, Hamlin talked about that growth, as well as his friendship with Busch. The two became closer in the last few years as pure competitors, instead of teammates.

"Certainly, you know, I saw the transition of him over the years and kind of how he went from being really young, and in my mind kind of immature, to just starting a family and getting married, and the evolution of him, his personality on and off the racetrack - it just, it changed, a lot. It was definitely a pleasure to see that," Hamlin said on his podcast on Memorial Day.

"You know, sometimes you become better friends when you're not teammates. It was like that with me with Tony Stewart. Many of my other ex-teammates. You don't appreciate them until they're gone and then you have that friendship that bond that starts."

Denny Hamlin came up short in the Coca-Cola 600. Daniel Suárez, another former teammate of Kyle Busch and a former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, won in a rain-shortened event. There were many symbolic results, kind gestures, and stories told.

While the NASCAR schedule moves ahead to Nashville Superspeedway, the absence of Rowdy will be felt by the fans at home and in the stands, and the drivers and teams throughout the garage.