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Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died suddenly on Thursday, NASCAR announced. Busch was hospitalized earlier in the day with an undisclosed “severe” illness, prompting representatives to announce that he would not be able to race in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600.
“On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch,” the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR said in a joint statement.
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. 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 said.
Fierce, passionate, and immensely skilled. That pretty much says it all about Busch, or Rowdy as he was known, who held the all-time win record for NASCAR’s national series with 234 checkered flags. It’s a massive loss for the sport, the racing community, and most of all, his wife Samantha Busch, his 11-year-old son Brexton, and his four-year-old daughter Lennix.
“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, the statement said. “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 nature of Busch’s illness is unknown. Two weeks ago during the race at Watkins Glen, he was heard on the radio requesting to see a physician’s assistant after the finish, saying “I’m gonna need a shot.” Last week, when The Athletic asked him if he was feeling better, Busch responded: “You can kind of hear it. I’m still not great. The cough was pretty substantial last week.”
Richard Childress Racing originally said that Austin Hill would race in Busch’s place this weekend; given this development, it’s possible the team will retire from this weekend’s entry entirely.
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Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
