NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. has paid an emotional, heartfelt tribute to his former rival and friend Kyle Busch after his sudden death.

The NASCAR community is in shock and mourning after it was announced on Thursday evening that Busch had died at the age of 41.

Earlier in the day, the Busch family had confirmed that he had been hospitalized with a serious illness, and the tragic news followed just hours later.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. pays tribute to Kyle Busch

Earnhardt Jr. and Busch both had hugely successful careers in the sport and struck up a dramatic rivalry in the late 2000s and early 2010s that captured the imagination of NASCAR fans across the country.

Now, Earnhardt Jr. has revealed that he is thankful he and Busch took the time to figure out their differences with one another before it was too late.

"Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams," Earnhardt Jr. wrote on X.

"I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible. We did some media together also to laugh through some of the things we put each other through many years ago.

"Most recently we had even been discussing him running my Late Model at Wilkesboro this summer. He seemed extremely happy and we had planned to meet up next Thursday to get his seat to the shop. He laughed over the idea of his fans and JRM fans having to cheer in unison during that race."

Earnhardt Jr: Busch one of NASCAR's greatest drivers

Earnhardt Jr's post continued: "Kyle was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. No one can deny that.

"But he was also a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many. My heart is broken for the Busch family.

"I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends."

Oval Insider sends our deepest sympathies to the Busch family at this tragic time.

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