05/21/26 05:21:00
Printable Page
05/21 17:20 CDT 2-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch dies at 41 after being
hospitalized with a 'severe illness'
2-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch dies at 41 after being hospitalized with a
'severe illness'
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) --- Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more
races than anyone across NASCAR's three national series, has died. He was 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.
"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.'"
The news comes 11 days after Busch radioed into his crew near the end of a Cup
Series race at Watkins Glen asking a doctor to give him a "shot" after he
finished the race. According to 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.
Busch finished the race in eighth place.
Busch competed at Dover last weekend and won the Trucks Series race for Richard
Childress Racing. He finished 17th at the NASCAR All-Star race.
"Absolute shock. Very hard to process," veteran NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski
posted on social media.
NASCAR driver and former teammate Denny Hamlin posted on social media:
"Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family
during this time. We love you KB."
A polarizing figure known as "Rowdy" and "Wild Thing" for his post-race fights,
regular feuds with other drivers and sometimes outlandish behavior, the
multi-talented Busch stormed on the Cup Series scene in 2005 by winning Rookie
of the Year.
He went on to win championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
From Las Vegas, Busch experienced unrivaled success across NASCAR's three
national series winning a combined 234 Cup, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Trucks
Series races. He had 63 Cup victories along with 102 O'Reilly Auto Parts wins
and 69 Trucks victories --- both records.
Busch is the younger brother of Kyle Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Famer.
Kyle Busch was said to be ready to race at NASCAR's top level at 16, but a
cigarette settlement banned his debut and he had to wait until he was a 18. At
the time Kurt Busch said "if you think I'm good, wait until you see my brother."
Busch is survived by his wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix.
___
AP writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
|
