NASCAR legend Kyle Busch dies suddenly at age 41
Kyle Busch, one of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history, has died at the age of 41, NASCAR announced.
Fans continue to mourn Kyle Busch two days after the NASCAR legend’s sudden and shocking death at the age of 41.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was hospitalized in Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier this week with what his family and the auto racing series called a “serious illness.”
Busch was scheduled to compete in two NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend. One is the rescheduled Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday morning, May 23rd, and the annual Coca-Cola 600, the Cup Series’ longest race of the season, on Sunday, May 24th.
Busch has 63 Cup Series wins, ranking him ninth all-time, and won season championships in 2015 and 2019. He holds the record for most wins in the second division O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with 102 and 69 in the Truck Series. His most recent track win came last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, giving his post-race interviews a whole new layer.
Here’s what we know about Kyle Busch’s death.
Kyle Busch’s newly renumbered car leaves the garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Kyle Busch’s trucker and newly renumbered car arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Richard Childress Racing has made the decision to temporarily retire Busch’s iconic number by replacing the No. 8 car with the No. 33 car. The team selection honors Busch’s legacy, with the number remaining reserved until Busch’s 11-year-old son Brexton is ready to take over.
What is Kyle Busch’s cause of death?
Kyle Busch’s cause of death is not yet known. The racing star was hospitalized this week with a “serious illness”. Busch was testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital in Charlotte, the Associated Press reported.
Earlier this month, he was heard on team radio at Watkins Glen talking to team doctors as he battles a sinus cold. A week later at Dover, Busch spoke about the cold in a video after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 on May 15. “I can’t say I’m great yet,” he said. “My cough last week was pretty bad.” — Victoria Hernandez
What happened in the 911 call to Kyle Busch?
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was vomiting blood when paramedics responded to the General Motors facility in Concord, North Carolina, the day before he died, according to a 911 call obtained by USA TODAY.
During the call, a man told the dispatcher that Mr. Bush was awake and in pain on the bathroom floor. He said Bush was vomiting blood, short of breath and extremely feverish. The caller asked that the siren be turned off once emergency personnel arrived.
“There’s a person who’s short of breath, has a very high fever and is about to pass out. He’s bleeding a little and he’s coughing,” the caller told dispatchers.
The caller identified the location as the General Motors Charlotte Technical Center off Speedway Boulevard in Concord, next to Hendrick Motorsports. — Scooby Axon and Christy Ackert
What disease did Kyle Busch die of?
Kyle Busch had a “serious illness,” according to a joint statement from his family and NASCAR, which did not provide further details. During the May 10 NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, FOX Sports reported on the air that Busch was battling a sinus infection. He radioed the team to see the track doctor after the race, but did not elaborate on why. Less than a week later, as NASCAR traveled to Dover, Delaware, for the All-Star race weekend, Busch said he was still not feeling well and had a “pretty bad cough.”
What does NASCAR say about Kyle Busch’s cause of death?
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell held a grievance conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 22, before drivers took to the track for the Craftsman Truck Series race where Kyle Busch was scheduled to compete. O’Donnell was asked by reporters for detailed information about Bush’s health and cause of death, but he answered carefully out of respect for Bush’s family.
“The call will come in 24 hours, but I don’t think that’s the case. Out of respect for the family and they want privacy, I’m not going to address that at all,” O’Donnell said. “However, I would like to add that those of you who know me know that transparency is something we all believe in. So over time, everyone will become complacent.” — Mitchell Northam
How has NASCAR honored Kyle Busch so far at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell began a press conference Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, praising the two-time Cup Series champion as “America’s bad guy. Who he wants to be when he gets behind the wheel.”
O’Donnell also confirmed that Busch’s wife Samantha, son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4, will continue to be part of the NASCAR family. “This sport and all of us grew up watching Kyle become a racer, but just as we watched him become a champion, we also watched him become a husband and father,” O’Donnell said.
Fox Sports also celebrated Busch Friday night when the Truck Series began broadcasting on FS1, with main play-by-play announcer Mike Joy narrating a monologue and video about Busch.
Joy will also be joined in the broadcast booth by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano and former driver and longtime NASCAR TV analyst Michael Waltrip, who will provide color commentary for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Truck Series race. Both men battled with their own emotions, both on and off the course, as they tried to make sense of the death of someone they knew.
Although the Truck Series race was postponed from Friday night to Saturday morning due to rain, Charlotte Motor Speedway held a moment of silence for Busch before the national anthem and prayer during pre-race celebrations.
Anyone else pay tribute to Kyle Busch?
Along with drivers and athletes from all over the world, Kyle Busch was also congratulated by President Donald Trump, who also expressed his condolences to Busch’s wife, Samantha.
Austin Dillon, Busch’s teammate at Richard Childress Racing, also posted a long letter about Busch on Instagram. Busch was Dillon’s favorite driver as a child working in his grandfather Richard Childress’s racing shop, a rival Dillon battled with on the track in three different NASCAR series, and Busch became a teammate and mentor.
What will happen to Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Cup Series car?
Kyle Busch has been driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing since 2023, but RCR announced on Friday, May 22, that it will suspend use of that number until Busch’s 11-year-old son Brexton is ready to take over. RCR will instead switch to the No. 33 Chevrolet for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“Kyle Busch contributed to the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8, which became synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol to his fans and the NASCAR industry,” the team said. “Nobody can take it to the level he can. No. 8 is reserved and ready for when Brexton Busch is ready to race in NASCAR.” —Christie Ackert
Who will replace Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600?
Kyle Busch was preparing to race in this weekend’s NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 as part of the “Greatest Day in Motorsports” with the Indy 500 before he was hospitalized and passed away.
Richard Childress Racing will call up Busch’s backup Austin Hill from the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the Cup Series race at Charlotte. Hill’s most recent win came in February at Daytona International Speedway. According to Hill’s biography on NASCAR’s website, it was his 15th career win in NASCAR’s second-tier series and his 11th draft-style win, joining the series record for most draft-style wins previously held by Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Tony Stewart. —Andres Soto
