‘The only way you can honor his memory is to race’: NASCAR mourns Kyle Busch the only way it knows how

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

Concord, North Carolina (CNN) — It’s a solemn day as tens of thousands of NASCAR fans are trekking to Charlotte Motor Speedway to remember Kyle Busch at the first race after since his sudden death.

The Coca-Cola 600 outside of the Queen City has been circled on race fans’ calendars for months as one of the premier races on the NASCAR schedule. However, it has turned into a sort of group memorial for 95,000 fans and hundreds of NASCAR drivers, crew members, and other officials as they mourn the passing of a legend taken far too soon.

“The only way you can honor his memory is to race. You don’t stop living in someone’s absence – you continue on, you be strong,” said Jason Sherrill, a fan wearing a Busch shirt outside of the track. “Kyle has dealt with loss … and Kyle said, ‘If it ever happens to me, let’s race, line up and do what I love to do,’ and that’s the best way we can go about it is to race in honor and memory of him today.”

The skies above Charlotte Motor Speedway are finally showing some blue after days of rain that followed the announcement of Busch’s death, just days after his final victory at Dover last weekend in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Busch’s family announced on Saturday that the 41-year-old NASCAR legend died from complications of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. Sepsis is the body’s “overwhelming and life-threatening response” to an infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The condition can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. Sepsis can be triggered by any type of infection, even a minor one, and occurs when germs enter a person’s body and multiply, causing illness and damage to organs and tissues.

The loss has led to a sudden onset of grief at one of NASCAR’s signature weekends. Busch’s rapid decline stunned the racing world, inside and outside the track.

Busch was coughing up blood and experiencing shortness of breath on Wednesday while getting ready for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

According to a 911 call obtained by CNN in response to a request for recordings related to Busch’s medical emergency, a caller – whose name is redacted in the recording – asks for an ambulance to come to a training facility in Concord, North Carolina.

The caller states that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor and was awake at the time of the call. The caller requested that the ambulances approach the building with sirens off and gave directions on the quickest route to Busch.

The 911 call, made at 5:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, came almost exactly 24 hours before NASCAR, Busch’s family and Richard Childress Racing announced Busch’s death.

Busch’s No. 8 was painted on the infield of Charlotte Motor Speedway and became a place for drivers to come and spend a few minutes grieving their fallen competitor. The No. 8 car won’t be seen in NASCAR for some time; Richard Childress Racing announced it would suspend use of the number until Busch’s 11-year-old son, Brexton, was ready to start NASCAR racing. Brexton is training to follow in his father’s footsteps and is already an accomplished youth racer.

The atmosphere at a NASCAR speedway on race day is usually more like a tailgate ahead of a big college football game, only on steroids. Outside and inside the track, campers have been posted for days enjoying beverages and grilled meats of all kinds. The music is usually blaring, flags are waving and a festive mood fills the air.

It’s a little different in North Carolina this week. Days of rain have delayed the on-track racing multiple times and the campgrounds are full of mud.

But mostly, it’s Busch’s death that lingers over the place as the crowds and crews prepare themselves for the emotional moments that will come when the race begins around 6 p.m. ET.

“It’s a big loss for the community because NASCAR has a history of being really on the edge, you know, and rowdy and we’ve got these drivers that just push the limit all the time,” said Michelle Tuhis, a fan at the race on Sunday. “And when they’re just pushing the limit and just being rowdy, you know, we love those drivers. We boo them but we love them at the same time, you know.

She added, “He pushed the limit. … It gave us some excitement to have somebody to boo for even though I didn’t. I mean, I loved him, loved him.”

A hint of what’s to come came Saturday when Busch’s team car — now adorned with No. 33 — was unloaded first off the trucks. Video from the scene showed the rollout turning into an almost ceremonial moment, as the garage stopped and watched in silence as the Chevrolet was wheeled out.

CNN’s Rafael Romo, MariaSole Campinoti and Nic Anderson contributed to this report.

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