NASCAR moms a special, different breed of parent (cont'd)

And race they did, all the way to the big leagues of NASCAR, where mother Busch is still hands-on helping to run both of her sons charitable foundations and scoring for Kyle's No. 18 car every weekend in the Cup Series.

For the third year in a row, Busch and other NASCAR moms will receive tribute in Darlington this weekend in light of the Mother's Day holiday. She will walk across the driver's stage with both Kurt and Kyle.

Here is where it gets tough.

“

Seeing that they are happy and great at what they are doing, to see a dream that they had as teenagers come true as young adults, to see them come this far and live this life is a great accomplishment.

”

GAYE BUSCH

"There will be a lot of hurt feelings this weekend, it will be very hard on me walking across the stage in front of Junior Nation," Gaye lamented.

She is referring to the anticipated backlash and boos from Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans that hold her son Kyle responsible for the wreck at Richmond last weekend. After the recent tangle, the media labeled her son public enemy No. 1.

Sure the fans boo both Kyle and Kurt time after time, but this weekend will be especially loud, she fears.

"It's just part of it I guess, but they don't understand how hurtful it can be especially on Mother's Day," she said. "I've always told Kurt and Kyle to keep their chins up and let it roll off their shoulders, get used to it. Sorry my boys weren't born in the South and sorry they win."

The track in Darlington usually holds a tea or a luncheon for the NASCAR moms, and in years past, Busch has sat with Brenda Earnhardt, Junior's mother.

"I don't know who I'll be sitting with this year," she added.

But Gaye didn't raise either of her sons to back down from a challenge or the competition, otherwise they may not be enjoying the success they have found today.

My hat goes off to Gaye Busch for many reasons.

Working extra hours at the local school district to pay for racing trips; driving Kurt to the tracks when he couldn't because he was too tired to drive from working the night shift at the Water District; and hand-delivering 400 fliers around Las Vegas to spread the word about an event for Kyle's foundation are just a few that come to mind.

And my admiration for Cindi Coleman is just as great.

Her adventures as a NASCAR mom are just beginning. Her son is too new to evoke cheers or jeers.

Nevertheless, she is taking her first step into the business side of supporting her son this weekend in Darlington as many NASCAR mothers before her have done.

She, with the help of NASCAR wife Ann Schrader, is set to make several sponsor-related appearances promoting a special Mother's Day, Huggies and Pull-Ups paint scheme on her son's No. 27 car. The sponsor will present the Women's Auxiliary of Motorsports a $10,000 check benefiting Children's Chance, a charity that provides help to families who have children battling cancer.

"Brad would kill me for saying this but having Huggies and Pull-Ups on the car Mother's Day weekend is only fitting because I can't tell you how many diapers I changed," Coleman laughed. "It doesn't seem that long ago that I was changing his diaper, but in my mind he'll always be my baby."

Still, NASCAR moms have to learn to let go of their son's hands earlier than the average mother, because racing requires a maturity level that most only get through years of life experiences.

"When Brad asked to move away from home for racing, it nearly ripped my heart out," Coleman said. "As a mother, I'm anticipating four years of high school for us to get sick of each other and then he'll go to college. My empty nest syndrome came four years too early, but how many mothers can say their sons know what they want to do at age 14 with such certainty." (Continued)