LEBANON, TENN. — Austin Dillon spoke to the media for the first time at Nashville Superspeedway since the sudden loss of two-time NASCAR Cup Champion Kyle Busch. Looking back on the week since losing his teammate, Dillon emphasized the support the fans and community have shown the team.
“I’m so proud of our people, our employees, our fans, some of the nicest things that could be done, NASCAR really took care of us in Charlotte and I’m just proud of to be part of RCR and our employees for doing what they can,” Dillon said.
Dillon penned an emotional letter to Busch and shared it via social media, sharing what he meant to him and his family.
“My grandfather and my dad were at the hospital, I was at the shop with everybody and they tried to keep my updated — going through that was tough,” Dillon said. “When I got home I told Whitney that I had to write him a letter.”
The letter he was wrote is what made him feel like he could move forward and heal.
“It was because it was from the heart and it’s how I felt about Kyle. It’s going to hurt for a long time, but knowing who he was he would want us to go kick butt; We just want to go out there and run well.”
Dillon has long been projected to be the next leader of RCR when it’s time to step up. This is the second big loss the company has faced after losing Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001. Dillon was very young when it happened, but he saw his grandfather navigate that tragic time
“I didn’t quite understand things at that age as you do now, but having gone through this, the amount of respect and toughness of all those employees, you start to understand the brotherhood, the family aspect of what RCR has in Welcome, NC.”
He reflected on a conversation Dale Sr. and Childress had regarding what would happen if either of them had passed.
“The great horse wreck is what my grandfather calls it on their hunting trip they would go on. Whether one of them passed away or not they would be racing and putting their heart and soul into it,” he said. “I think Kyle Busch, his character, would have wanted all of us to do what we could to get back to victory lane and work as hard.”
Riding for the brand is a theme echoing within RCR, coming from a poem.
“It’s a Red Steagull song or poem where he talks about that and I played it that for our whole company and said, ‘Kyle, he rode for the brand and now it’s our time to go do that,'” Dillon said.
Part of riding for the brand is Austin Hill racing the renumbered No. 33 Chevrolet. Stepping into the car of one of the all-time greats of NASCAR is no easy task but Hill has the full faith of Dillon and RCR behind him.
“Austin Hill is a grizzly bear, you’ve seen what he’s been able to do in the O’Reilly Series. He’s won 23 times between there and the trucks; he doesn’t take any crap out there on the track,” Dillon said. “In this series, when you’re coming into something like he is right now, you’ve got to be that guy. I’m excited to work with him, to see his development and we’re doing everything we can to make everybody proud.”
While Hill is the driver at this time, nothing has been set in stone in who will take over the car permanently.
“That’s a decision that will be made over time, he’s a dog and I’m going to war with him, go out there as my teammate and battle with him.”
For Dillon, his faith in God is what ultimately brings some peace and comfort during a tragic loss.
“Trust God in everything, lean not on our understanding of things. Sometimes you don’t understand things, but you trust God in all things.”
That rang true for Kyle and does for his family as well.
“Being around Samantha [Busch] at different times, when we signed Kyle, she prayed over the airplane before we took off in front of Brexton and Lennix,” he said. “Samantha [Busch] asked me a few weeks prior on the plane ride what I was reading and we had a conversation about God, I know he was present in their household. Kyle is in a better place and I don’t know why it was his time, but God’s timing is everything.”
Before the media session wrapped up, he left an important piece of advice.
“Don’t be afraid to tell someone that you love them,” he said. “Whenever you are around them, sometimes we are very tough in this garage, I told a lot of guys that I’ve never told I loved them last week for sure.”