When Samantha Busch broke down in tears on the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield Sunday night, it was her 11-year-old son standing beside her, consoling her. Wearing his father’s No. 8 on his cap and a “Battle Busch” tribute T-shirt, Brexton held himself composed. But he’s only a kid, and it was his first time back in the NASCAR world since Kyle Busch died on May 21. So, three days – that is all the time he had before standing in front of a packed Charlotte crowd and a national television audience on Amazon Prime, while the entire world watched.

Fortunately, another kid understood, and then, without hesitation, without looking around for adult approval, Owen Larson walked straight over and wrapped his arms around Brexton. And Owen’s father, Kyle Larson, couldn’t be prouder.

“You know when Owen walked over there to put his arm around Brexton, that made me obviously very, very proud of him to see the emotion on Owen’s face when he came back over.

“It was also a proud moment, because you don’t know how an 11-year-old is going to kind of grasp the situation and understand what has happened and the pain that they are going through. I was also very proud of Brexton, how he was staying strong right then. You could tell. It gave my heart a lot of comfort.”

In fact, the moment moved Denny Hamlin just as deeply: “A great moment caught Kyle Larson’s son, Owen, going up and giving Brexton a hug. It’s just heart-wrenching, for sure”.

To grasp why Owen Larson’s simple hand around the shoulder moved the community so much, one has to understand that this was an 11-year-old at his first public NASCAR appearance since his father’s death, on one of the sport’s most prestigious race weekends. And no one had heard much from Brexton, except for a silent tribute, as he had updated his social media profile picture to one from Feb. 21 – when Kyle Busch had won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway in Georgia, as Brexton ran towards his father to wrap him in a hug.

So, everyone wanted to know how this kid – who had not only lost his father, but the man he relied on to kickstart his racing career – was holding up. And beyond that, there was the pressure of carrying his last name’s legacy – a pressure so crumbling and one that the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr. have often talked about. In that moment of pressure and tragedy, Owen’s supportive gesture was something only someone of his age could provide.

Also, these two boys are not just sons of rivals; they are future rivals themselves, competing in similar youth divisions. So, Owen knew exactly what it meant to grow up as the son of a NASCAR champion, with a father who built his whole world around giving his kid every possible advantage in racing. He didn’t need an adult to explain Brexton’s pain.

As for the pressure, Brexton had already been tasked with something monumental for someone still processing grief at such a tender age.

Richard Childress was the first to display his utmost confidence in Brexton Busch. At the age of 11, Brexton has raced incredibly well to the point of beating his father in late model and modified events like the Tulsa Shootout. And as the winner of the prestigious Golden Driller at Tulsa, he has already made significant progress towards an eventual career in NASCAR.

Considering those factors and the emotional weight of the decision, Richard Childress decided to retire the No. 8 until Brexton joins the Cup Series grid to continue his late father’s legacy. But many, like sports radio host Marc Fellhauer, believe “he just lost his dad, and now he has to become a race car driver. That was a really odd thing to say, just retire his number”.

Still, in Kyle Larson’s eyes, “Brexton is probably the best 11-year-old that there is doing the racing that he is doing right now, and I know he will make Kyle very proud along the way.

“He’s [Kyle Busch] raised Brexton to be an amazing race driver, so there’s no doubt in my mind that Brexton will make it to the Cup Series someday and hopefully accomplish the things that his dad has been able to, if not more.”

And Larson is far from the only one who believes in Brexton’s abilities.

Chase Elliott promises that he is one call away

“I will throw my name out there now and for as long as needed; if I was ever to be needed for help, I hope Brexton knows that I’m a phone call away here, whatever, to try and lend a helping hand,” Chase Elliott said to the media while discussing Kyle Busch’s unfortunate demise.

Kyle Busch had been personally training his son since he was 5 years old. And it is fair to believe that no one else can match the level of expertise and bonding that Brexton had with his father as his mentor. Busch made sure that Brexton always had the best possible training and equipment as he progressed forward. After all, Rowdy wanted to race with his son in NASCAR someday.

And as the son of a NASCAR veteran and legendary driver, Elliott knows how much it helps to grow up around the sport.

“I grew up in a very similar manner, growing up around the race track and seeing some of those things. Such a shame that he’s not going to have the opportunity to see some of the things that my dad has got to see. Just really, really tough.”

Undoubtedly, with Elliott by his side, Brexton Busch is going to learn a lot about NASCAR racing. It definitely feels nice to witness the entire racing community come together for Brexton.