After most fans exited a rainy Charlotte Motor Speedway late on May 24, Daniel Suarez celebrated in victory lane after winning the weather-shortened Coca-Cola 600.
At one point, Suarez took the checkered flag and bowed in front of the trophy in honor of the late Kyle Busch following the first NASCAR Cup Series race after Busch’s death on May 21.
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“The very first thing that came to my mind (after winning) was Kyle,” Suarez said in his press conference after the race. “As we all know, this has been a difficult week and weekend for all of us — drivers, team owners, media, fans and most importantly, his family.”
Tributes honoring Busch were all over NASCAR’s longest race, from fans holding up eight fingers during a silent Lap 8 to drivers wearing Busch’s hats and shirts throughout the weekend and decals on each car.
But most incredibly was the strength shown by Busch’s family at the track for a pre-race tribute that included a moment of silent and a show of support from the NASCAR world.
CUP POINTS: NASCAR points standings, Cup Series points update after Charlotte race
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NASCAR Charlotte takeaways as the sport honors Kyle Busch
The Kyle Busch tribute was an unforgettable moment
The most memorable moment of the weekend took place before NASCAR’s longest race of the year.
Kyle Busch’s family arrived to pit road for NASCAR’s tribute to the two-time Cup Series champion, including Busch’s wife Samantha, children Brexton and Lennix, brother Kurt and Busch’s parents.
Kurt Busch laid eight flowers atop the No. 8 tribute logo painted on the infield grass. Race team members, drivers and family surrounded the family behind them.
Samantha, Brexton and Lennix Busch were embraced by friends before NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell spoke to the family and the crowd with words of support. A moment of silence transitioned into a piercing performance of “Amazing Grace” played on bag pipes ahead of the routine pre-race ceremonies.
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The enduring strength shown by Kyle Busch’s family three days after their tragic loss was incredible. The scene of Busch’s family standing front and center with their NASCAR family behind them will be the lasting image of an emotionally-charged and heartbreaking weekend.
Daniel Suarez holds off Toyota to win a crown jewel race, solidify Chase standing
Daniel Suarez’s long day at Charlotte started off with multiple issues, then ended with a trophy.
Suarez made unscheduled pit stops in both the first and second stages for a tire vibration. Suarez’s first free pass of the day came shortly after his first unscheduled stop under green. The next came on Lap 330, when only 18 cars were on the lead lap.
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Suarez took advantage, moving up into the lead with a two-tire stop under caution 26 laps later.
The driver took it from there, holding off Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin twice on restarts despite a tire disadvantage before rain cut the race short with 27 laps to go.
Suarez and Kyle Busch had a relationship that threads through Suarez’s career. Suarez’s NASCAR national series career began with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series and as Busch’s teammate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Suarez noted several times in interviews this week that Busch called him often early in Suarez’s career as the Mexican-born driver got comfortable in the sport.
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“H made me want to be like him, wanting to help others, wanting to go give a hand to those upcoming drivers that need a hand,” Suarez said. “He was a role model.”
Chase Briscoe misses opportunity to pull away from Chase cutline
Chase Briscoe ran in the top five for most of the night, recording 24 stage points in what a needed buffer for what came in the final stage.
Briscoe made contact with Chris Buescher on Lap 329 (That caution was really consequential!) after Buescher made a bad attempt at a block down the backstretch, triggering a multi-car crash.
Briscoe registered a 34th-place result, marking his fifth finish of 29th or worse in 13 races this season.
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Briscoe clearly has speed, and he is above the Chase cutline at 15th in points. But the longer he lingers near the cutline, the possibility of missing it altogether grows larger. And for the No. 19 and Briscoe anyway, championship contention should be the goal. That’ll be a difficult thing to do from back of the top 16 in points when the Chase begins in September.
Austin Cindric, Ryan Preece teeter on the edge of the Chase after crashes
It’s that time of year where points come into focus and become the context of which races are evaluated for better or worse. Charlotte marked the halfway point in the regular season.
And while 13 races is a lot of opportunity remaining, there is only one more traditional 1.5-mile oval race left in the regular season.
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Ryan Preece and Austin Cindric hug each side of the Chase points cutoff coming out of Charlotte following unavoidably hard crashes.
Cindric exited in the first stage with a DNF and a 38th-place finish after spinning before getting hit by Connor Zilisch on the apron in turns 1 and 2.
Preece was clipped by teammate Chris Buescher as Buescher spun following contact with Chase Briscoe, ending his day with a 33rd-place finish.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kyle Busch tribute with his family creates lasting image, more NASCAR Charlotte takeaways
