Gone too soon: NASCAR driver Kyle Busch passes at age 41 after sudden hospital trip

NASCAR icon Kyle Busch died Thursday at 41 after being hospitalized with what his family and team described as a severe illness, according to ESPN. The two-time Cup Series champion had been testing on Wednesday at the General Motors Charlotte Technical Center in Concord, North Carolina, when he became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital in Charlotte.

A 911 call obtained by Yahoo Sports said Busch was short of breath, very hot, and coughing up blood before an ambulance was requested. No cause of death was released.

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A career that set records

Busch was one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. According to ESPN, he won 234 races across NASCAR’s top three series, more than any other driver, including 63 in the Cup Series, 102 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and 69 in the Craftsman Truck Series.

He won Cup championships in 2015 and 2019 and was in the middle of his 22nd Cup season. Busch’s latest Truck Series victory came on Friday, May 15, at Dover, and he had finished eighth at Watkins Glen just 11 days earlier.

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Reaction from NASCAR

Richard Childress Racing, the Busch family, and NASCAR said in a joint statement, per ESPN, “Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch.” The statement added, “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation.”

Former teammate Denny Hamlin wrote on X, “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news,” while Brad Keselowski posted, “Absolute shock. Very hard to process.” Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and children Brexton and Lennix.