Nascar Legend Kyle Busch Dies Unexpectedly at 38
Quick Look
- Nascar legend Kyle Busch has died at the age of 38.
- His passing was announced by his family, Richard Childress Racing, and Nascar.
- Busch was a two-time Cup Series champion with 63 wins, ninth on the all-time list.
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Why It Matters
Kyle Busch was a prominent figure in Nascar, known for his numerous wins and championships. He was in his 22nd full-time season and was scheduled to compete in an upcoming race.
The sudden passing of the Nascar legend, who was ninth on the circuit's all-time win list, was announced in a joint statement on Thursday by the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and Nascar.
They did not share a cause of death. Busch's representatives had said earlier on Thursday that he had been sent to hospital with a severe illness.
"A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation," the statement reads. "He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. ... Nascar lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon."
At the time of his death, Busch was in his 22nd full-time season in Nascar's top division, where he had won two Cup Series titles and 63 races.
"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.
Earlier on Thursday, Busch's family said in a statement that he was in hospital due to a severe illness.
He was undergoing treatment, they said, and would not compete in any of his scheduled activities over the coming weekend.
"Absolutely cannot comprehend this news," former teammate Denny Hamlin wrote on social media. "We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB."
Speedway Motorsports, which owns Charlotte Motor Speedway where Busch was set to compete this weekend, remembered him as a "champion among champions" and as a "once-in-a-generation competitor".
Dale Earnhardt Jr, who clashed with Busch early in their respective careers, said in a statement: "We luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. ... But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible."
He continued: "My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends."
Open Questions
- What was the cause of Kyle Busch's death?
- What was the nature of the severe illness that led to his hospitalization?
