Kevin Harvick remembered Kyle Busch as one of his fiercest competitors.
And he also credited Busch, who died suddenly on Thursday at age 41, as one of the sport’s most influential figures.
“NASCAR lost one of its true giants, whose impact is almost beyond measure,” Harvick wrote in a post on social media.
Harvick, now a FOX Sports analyst, and Busch had much in common, both growing up on the West Coast (Harvick in Bakersfield, Calif., and Busch in Las Vegas) and carrying the competitive desire that nothing else mattered but winning.
The two nearly came to blows in a confrontation at Darlington Raceway in 2011. Harvick got out of his car after the race, went over to Busch’s car and took a swing at the window net while Busch drove away and hit Harvick’s car in the process.
Busch and Harvick waged fierce battles over the years. Busch had to beat Harvick (as well as two other Champ 4 finalists) in both the 2015 and 2019 championship races, with Harvick finishing just 1.5 seconds behind Busch in 2015. They competed against each other over 20 Cup seasons. Busch sits ninth on the all-time wins list at 63; Harvick is 11th at 60.
“Kyle Busch and I spent years pushing each other to the limit,” Harvick wrote. “We raced hard, traded paint and fought for every inch because all either of us wanted to do was beat the other.
“What people may not realize is how much that rivalry drove us both. Kyle made me better because you had to be at your absolute best to beat him. Over time, that fierce competition turned into a mutual respect.”
They both shared a passion for the sport that went beyond driving. Harvick and Busch both owned teams that raced in NASCAR’s national series. Kevin’s son, Keelan, is a few years older than Busch’s son, Brexton. Both Keelan and Brexton are aspiring NASCAR drivers.
“As our careers evolved, so did our conversations,” Harvick wrote. “We talked over building race teams, life beyond the racetrack, and our families, especially raising young sons who want to be racers themselves.”
The NASCAR industry mourns the loss of Busch, who is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their children, Brexton and Lennix.
“I’m deeply saddened for Samantha, Brexton and Lennix,” Harvick wrote. “There’s nothing that can replace a husband or a father.”
Kyle Busch (left) and Kevin Harvick talk in the garage before practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consmers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 11, 2018, in Brooklyn, Mich. (Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
