2-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch has died at 41, NASCAR says
Busch won 234 races across NASCAR's 3 national series — more than any driver in history
Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series, has died at 41.
The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying that Busch died after being hospitalized. No cause of death was given.
Busch’s family said earlier Thursday that he was hospitalized with a “severe illness,” three days before he was to compete at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement said. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.
The statement went on to say that “throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’”
Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Busch’s team or family.
Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold While racing May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed his team requesting a “shot” from a doctor after he finished. Per the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.
It's unclear if that issue had something to do with his death. Busch did race last weekend and won the Trucks Series race at Dover and finished 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race. That would be his final race.
Busch won 234 races across NASCAR's three national series — more than any driver in history. He won Cup season championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
