Kyle Busch died from “severe pneumonia [which] progressed into sepsis”.
Kyle Busch died at the age of 41
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion passed away on Thursday (21.05.26) at the age of just 41 after being hospitalised with a severe illness, and his family have now revealed the cause of his passing in a new statement.
The note, which was shared by Dakota Hunter, the vice president of Kyle Busch Companies, read: “The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.”
It was previously revealed Kyle had collapsed in a Chevrolet simulator, with audio from a 911 call heard by Fox News and OutKick revealing someone had rang in to advise he was “coughing up some blood” and experiencing a shortness of breath during a training session.
It was also noted Kyle had been battling a sinus cold which was worsened by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the Watkins Glen course in New York earlier this month.
Kyle’s death was announced just hours after his family revealed he had been taken to hospital.
A statement from NASCAR, the Busch family and his Richard Childress Racing team read: “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.
“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. 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 statement concluded: “Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha’s parents, Kurt and all of Kyle’s family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”
The Busch family had announced earlier in the day that the driver would be absent for two upcoming races in North Carolina – including the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday (24.05.26) – due to illness.
They said: “Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalisation.
“He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation.”
Kyle began his NASCAR career back in 2001 and won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in both 2015 and 2019.
He is ranked ninth on the all-time list of NASCAR Cup Series wins and has the most overall victories (234) across the sport’s top three national series.
Busch is survived by his wife Samantha and their children – son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, four.
