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Kyle Busch speaks with Daniel Suárez before NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying at Kentucky Speedway on July 7, 2016, in Sparta, Kentucky.

Daniel Suárez is remembering Kyle Busch not just as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, but as someone who helped shape his career and life behind the scenes.

In an emotional exclusive interview with People following Busch’s sudden death at age 41, Suárez reflected on the friendship and mentorship the two drivers built over more than a decade in the NASCAR garage.

Busch and Suárez first became teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, when Suárez was still trying to establish himself in NASCAR’s national ranks. According to Suárez, Busch immediately made an impact.

Daniel Suárez Says Kyle Busch Helped Him When He Needed It Most

Suárez told People that Busch’s support early in his career became one of the defining relationships of his NASCAR journey.

“He didn’t really have to help me, and he gave me a hand when I needed it the most,” says Suarez. “To have a legend like Kyle give me advice pretty much on a weekly basis for an entire year was extremely helpful, and I realized what kind of person he was.”

That mentorship, Suárez explained, went far beyond racing advice.

For years, Busch built a reputation as one of NASCAR’s fiercest competitors — outspoken, emotional and unapologetically himself. But Suárez said the version many fans saw publicly was only part of the story.

Suarez says now that Busch has passed, “it’s very important to spread the message because he was such a good person behind closed doors.”

The Spire Motorsports driver said Busch consistently showed up for people around him, especially younger drivers trying to navigate NASCAR’s highest level.

Daniel Suárez Says Kyle Busch’s Legacy Will ‘Live Forever’

Suárez also believes Busch’s impact on NASCAR went far beyond statistics and championships.

Beyond being an exemplary role model of the sport, Busch was “the Michael Jordan of NASCAR,” says Suarez. “His legacy is going to live forever,” he continues. “He’s broken so many records in the sport, extremely talented driver, very outspoken on the things he believes in and he was always himself. That’s the beautiful about human beings, right, that we all are different, and he never changed. He was always himself.”

The comparison carries enormous weight coming from Suárez, who raced against Busch for years and saw firsthand how much respect Busch commanded throughout the garage.

Busch leaves behind one of the most dominant careers NASCAR has ever seen, including multiple Cup Series championships and more national series wins than any driver in the sport’s history.

But for Suárez, some of the memories that stand out most have nothing to do with trophies.

Daniel Suárez Says Kyle Busch Was Like a ‘Superhero’

Suárez told People he still vividly remembers meeting Busch for the first time back in 2014.

Suarez says he feels “very, very blessed” to have called Busch a “teammate” and to “have built a great friendship with him throughout the years,” he says, recalling first meeting Busch in 2014.

“I was a little bit nervous, right, because Kyle was like a superhero to me,” Suarez remembers, describing his late friend as “extremely driven and very competitive.”

“He was just an amazing person outside the racetrack and on the racetrack, he was a great competitor, obviously,” says Suarez. “I mean, he’s a legend of the sport.”

The emotional weekend culminated Sunday night when Suárez captured an emotional Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway — one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races.

After climbing from his car, Suárez dedicated the moment to Busch, saying afterward that racing through the grief of the past several days had not been easy.

Despite racing with a “heavy heart” in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, Suarez adds that it was “an honor to be able to win the race for Kyle this weekend,” after his victory.

The win became one of the defining moments of NASCAR’s emotional Coca-Cola 600 weekend, as drivers, teams and fans continued honoring Busch’s memory across Charlotte Motor Speedway.