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Kyle Busch death: What we know about legend’s passing

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Kyle Busch death: What we know about legend’s passing

Kyle Busch died on Thursday, May 21 at the age of 41. The NASCAR legend was hospitalized earlier in the week with what the motorsport series and his family called a “severe illness.” He did not recover.

Tributes poured in from across social media to honor the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, husband, father and friend. Busch’s former rival, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was among those who mourned the loss of the Richard Childress Racing driver, who was known as “Rowdy.”

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“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” Busch’s family, NASCAR and RCR 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. 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.’”

Here’s what we know about Busch’s passing:

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Remembering Kyle Busch’s life and NASCAR career in photos

Kyle Busch’s career left a lasting mark on NASCAR, with achievements and moments that defined his time in the sport.

Above, Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with daughter, Lennix Busch son, Brexton Busch and wife, Samantha Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on Feb. 21, 2026, in Hampton, Georgia.

(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)

Kyle Busch’s cause of death

Kyle Busch’s cause of death is not immediately known. The racing star was hospitalized this week with a “severe illness.” He was preparing to race in the the Coca-Cola 600, which is on Sunday, May 24.

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Earlier this month, he was heard on team radio at Watkins Glen talking with the team doctor and was battling a sinus cold.

The Associated Press reported that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte.

What illness did Kyle Busch die from?

It is not known at this time what illness Kyle Busch died from. NASCAR said that he was hospitalized this week ahead of the Coca-Cola 600 with a “severe illness.” He did not recover.

At Watkins Glen on May 10, FOX Sports noted during its broadcast that he had been fighting a sinus cold. He radioed in to his team to have the track doctor meet him after that race, but he did not elaborate why. He still finished eighth, his best result for the 2026 season.

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— Kristie Ackert

Who paid tribute to Kyle Busch?

Tributes poured in from across social media to mourn the death of Kyle Busch. Fellow drivers, the teams he raced for and even his former rival Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflected on the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s legacy.

“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But 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,” Earnhardt Jr. wrote in an X post. “I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible. We did some media together also to laugh through some of the things we put each other through many years ago.”

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Who will replace Kyle Busch at the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600?

Kyle Busch was preparing to race in the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 this weekend, part of the “Greatest Day in Motorsport” with the Indy 500, before he was hospitalized and passed away.

Since Busch will not be competing, Richard Childress Racing is calling up Austin Hill, Busch’s backup from the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, for the Cup Series race in Charlotte. His most recent win came in February at Daytona International Speedway. Per Hill’s bio on the NASCAR website, it was his 15th career win in NASCAR’s second-tier series, and his 11th drafting-style win, which added to his series record for the most drafting-style victories previously held by Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Tony Stewart.

— Andrés Soto

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here’s what we know about Kyle Busch’s death

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