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Ryan Blaney paid tribute to Kyle Busch in the wake of his tragic death.

Ryan Blaney was one of many NASCAR drivers who took to social media on Friday to honor the late Kyle Busch. The sudden and tragic death of the two-time Cup Series champion has sent shockwaves through the sports world.

Blaney and Busch were competitors through all three of the top NASCAR series ranks. While they were fierce competitors on the track, Blaney had a ton of respect for the driver and person Busch was. 

Blaney on Busch’s legacy: ‘Never will be another racer like Kyle Busch’

The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford took to social media on Friday to reflect on the life and legacy of Kyle Busch. “Rowdy” was a larger than life figure not just in NASCAR, but the sports world as a whole.

Blaney described Busch as the most talented driver he has ever seen, and does not believe anyone will compare, given what the 41-year-old could do on the racetrack. 

“There never has been and never will be another racer like Kyle Busch. The most talented, relentless and smartest person to have sat behind the wheel. I was in awe growing up and seeing the absolute dominance of someone every week,” Blaney wrote.

Blaney went on to write that he was lucky to race against Busch in late models, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the Cup Series. 

The Team Penske driver said no one would make a driver feel like they had “so little talent” because Busch could do things that seemed impossible to do, but it was “normal to him.”

Blaney finished his post by speaking about Busch’s character and how fortunate he was to watch him race. He also expressed his deepest sympathies for the Busch family. 

“Getting to know Kyle over the years, I got the chance to experience how incredibly funny and charismatic his personality was. I truly believe Kyle is the greatest driver that our sport has ever seen. And we were lucky to witness it, whether you’re a fan or competitor. My heart is broken for Samantha, Brexton and Lennix. Rowdy will forever be a part of our lives,” Blaney wrote. 

Busch died after being hospitalized with ‘severe illness’ 

The shocking news of Busch’s tragic death came yesterday afternoon, shaking the NASCAR world to the core.

On Thursday morning, the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing released a joint statement that Busch had been hospitalized with a “severe illness” and was receiving treatment.

Hours later, the tragic news of Busch’s passing was announced. Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion and the winningest driver across all three major series, was 41 years old. He is survived by his wife, Samantha, and two children, Brexton and Lennix.

Busch was undoubtedly one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all-time. His 63 career Cup victories ranks ninth on the all-time wins list. At the time of his death, he was one of only three active multi-time Cup champions, alongside Joey Logano and Kyle Larson. 

In 2023, Busch was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.