CONCORD, North Carolina (AP) — Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion and the winningest driver in NASCAR’s three national series, has died. He was 41.
The Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement on Thursday confirming Busch had died after being hospitalized. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Busch’s family had said earlier that day that the decorated driver had been hospitalized for a “serious illness” three days before he was set to race in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Busch was testing on Chevrolet’s racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he collapsed and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, according to several people close to the situation.
The sources spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because neither the family nor the team had released details.
Busch was the younger brother of Kurt Busch, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
“Our entire NASCAR family is devastated by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement read. “A future Hall of Fame member, Kyle was an exceptional talent, the kind who comes along once per generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he possessed immense talent, and he cared deeply about the sport and the fans.”
The release added that, over a career spanning more than two decades, Kyle set win records in NASCAR’s national series, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level, and helped propel the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His quick wit and competitive spirit fostered a deep emotional connection with racing fans of all ages, creating the proud and loyal “Rowdy Nation.”
The news comes 11 days after Busch radioed his team near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen to ask a doctor for an “injection” after finishing the race.
According to television coverage, Busch had been dealing with a sinus cold that was intensified by the circuit’s high G-forces and elevation changes in the New York track.
Busch finished eighth in the race.
He competed at Dover last weekend and won the Truck Series race for Spire Motorsports. He finished seventeenth in NASCAR’s All-Star Race.
“Absolute shock. Very hard to process,” veteran NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski wrote on social media.
Busch, a polarizing figure known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” for his post-race scraps, his frequent feuds with other drivers and his sometimes flamboyant behavior, burst onto the Cup Series in 2005 by winning the Rookie of the Year award.
He later captured championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
A native of Las Vegas, Busch enjoyed unprecedented success across NASCAR’s three national series, amassing a combined 234 wins across the Cup, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the Truck Series. He logged 63 Cup wins, 102 victories in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 69 wins in Trucks — all-time records.
Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and his children, Brexton and Lennix.
