Former NASCAR champion Kyle Busch dies at 41 after illness

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has died at the age of 41, NASCAR announced Thursday.

“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR posted on social media. “He was 41 years old. We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”

Busch’s family announced on social media earlier Thursday that he had been hospitalized with a severe illness and would not be competing at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.

“We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation,” the statement continued.

Busch – the younger brother of Kyle Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Famer – is survived by his wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix.

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.

“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB,” NASCAR driver and former teammate Denny Hamlin posted on social media.

Busch, a Las Vegas native, won championships in 2015 and 2019. This season, he was ranked 24th in the Cup Series standings, with two top-10 finishes in 12 races this season.

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.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR said in a joint statement. “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.”

“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 statement continued. “NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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