Kyle Busch, NASCAR legend, dies suddenly at 41 of severe illness
Kyle Busch, one of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history, has died, NASCAR announced. He was rushed to the hospital with a severe illness, according to his family, and did not recover.
Busch, 41, was scheduled to compete this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The motorsport legend's family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR released a joint statement sharing the news of his death.
“We are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," they said.
“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.’ 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."
Busch had been dealing with illness in recent weeks. At Watkins Glen on May 10, FOX Sports noted during the broadcast that he had been fighting a sinus cold. He was overheard radioing for the track doctor during that race. He actually finished eighth that day, his best result of the season. He also won a Truck Series race at Dover the following weekend.
Busch is one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation. The Las Vegas native won Cup championships in 2015 and 2019 with Joe Gibbs Racing and is ninth in NASCAR history for Cup Series victories with 63. He dominated NASCAR’s lower series throughout his career, winning Xfinity and Truck Series races by the dozens while regularly competing at all three levels simultaneously.
He joined RCR ahead of the 2023 season and won in his first year with the team. This season has been more difficult. He sits 24th in the standings prior to his death, with two top 10 finishes in 12 races and was in the final year of his contract.
He is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children; son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4. The couple co-founded the Bundle of Joy Foundation, a nonprofit providing financial support to couples undergoing fertility treatments, after a difficult and public road to parenthood.
After the news broke of Busch's death, tributes poured in from across the internet. Fellow NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski summed up everyone's thoughts when he said he was in "absolute shock."
Kyle Busch NASCAR stats
Kyle Busch lived up to the nickname “Rowdy” and held the claim for winning more races than anyone across NASCAR's three national series with 234 victories.
He won 63 Cup Series races, 102 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 69 in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
Busch’s success on the track led to him winning the Cup Series championship in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also won the regular-season championships in 2018 and 2019.
Busch had some of his success at Bristol Motor Speedway, winning a track record 23 national-series races across NASCAR’s three marquee divisions.
He is the only driver to have won all three NASCAR national-series races in a single Bristol weekend. He’s accomplished the feat twice, once in 2010 and again in 2017.
- James H. Williams
Why did Kyle Busch bow for his signature celebration?
Kyle Busch won a lot. He is ninth in NASCAR history with 63 wins in the top tier of the motorsport series. He also has 69 Truck Series wins, which is a record. The two-time Cup Series champion's signature celebration was a bow and it was a tribute to his hometown of Las Vegas.
In a video for NASCAR in 2023, he gave the origin story of the gesture. He said it all started in 2004, his first full year in the Xfinity Series, then known as the Busch Series. When he won early on in his career, he would do a burnout. He recalled winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway and, while waiting for the smoke to clear so that fans could see him, the idea came to him naturally: bow to the crowd.
"I gave a bow and after that moment there, I figured, okay, I'm from Vegas, being a showman, having a great performance of the day, winning the race, coming out from the smoke, after the show is over in Vegas, what do all the show people do?" he said. "They come out, they give a bow to the crowd as like a thank you and so that's kinda where it came from."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares emotional post on rivalry with Kyle Busch
Reactions from NASCAR legends poured in all over in multiple ways after Kyle Busch's death, notably in the form of social media posts. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to X, formerly Twitter, and had an emotionally heartfelt post detailing their relationship and how Busch would be missed.
"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. "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."
- Marcus D. Smith
Kyle Busch net worth
Kyle Busch was one of the highest-paid NASCAR drivers of his time. The Las Vegas native won the Cup Series twice and won 63 races in the top tier of the motorsport series. On top of his winnings, Busch had several sponsorships, including from Lucas Oil, Rebel Bourbon, FICO and M&Ms, who was the sponsor during his championship runs.
Busch's net worth is estimated to be $80 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Busch was the highest-paid driver in NASCAR in 2024, per Front Office Sports, and made $16.9 million that season. He raked in $3 million more than the second highest-paid driver, Denny Hamlin, who earned $13.1 million that year.
Who is Kyle Busch's backup driver?
Since Kyle Busch will not be competing in the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600, 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
Chevrolet and Toyota mourn Kyle Busch's death
Kyle Busch split time in his 22 full NASCAR seasons racing both Chevrolet and Toyota in the motorsport series. He most recently drove the No. 8 Chevrolet as part of Richard Childress Racing, but spent 2008 through 2022 with Joe Gibbs Racing where he was at the wheel of the No.18 Toyota and won two NASCAR Cup Series championships.
Both Chevrolet Racing and Toyota Racing Development joined the many in the motorsport community who mourned Busch's death.
"The shocking news of Kyle’s passing is devastating to me, and to everyone at Chevrolet and General Motors," Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, the parent company of Chevrolet, said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Samantha, their children Brexton and Lennix and the Busch family, everyone at RCR, Kyle’s legions of fans and all of Rowdy Nation. He was a fierce competitor who found success both as a driver and team owner, as well as a generous benefactor to countless families with the Bundle of Joy Fund he founded with his wife, Samantha. On top of all that, he found time to be a true friend to us all."
"Kyle was an incredible champion who demanded perfection every single day due to his deep desire to win," Tyler Gibbs, president of Toyota Racing Development U.S.A. said in his own statement. "Kyle and Toyota were synonymous with winning for 15 years, with countless record-breaking milestones, race victories and multiple championships celebrated together. While there were many exciting moments spent in victory lane, Kyle’s personal relationship with the entire Toyota family was even more memorable. His impact on NASCAR and the whole motorsports community cannot be measured. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with Samantha, Brexton, Lennix and the entire Busch family during this difficult time.”
Kyle Busch on final win: 'You never know when the last one is'
Kyle Busch won his final race at the 2026 Ecosave 200 at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware on May 15, six days before his sudden death at the age of 41. It was the 69th win in the NASCAR Truck Series, extending his record for the most all-time victories.
Despite the many victories in the series, Busch soaked in the win and was asked by Fox Sports' Amanda Busick why those moments don't get old. His answer would prove to be a heartbreaking one.
"Because you never know when the last one is, you know?" Busch said. "I know all too well, unfortunately, with the Cup stuff, but here with the truck stuff, right now, it's awesome just to be a part of Spire Motorsports."
- Jordan Mendoza
Kyle Busch's family
Kyle Busch's wife was Samantha Busch. They got married in 2010. They have two children, an 11-year-old son named Brexton and a 4-year-old daughter named Lennix.
The NASCAR legend has racing in his blood. His older brother is Hall of Fame driver Kurt Busch. Their father, Tom, was a gearhead and worked as a mechanic in their hometown of Las Vegas where he also raced in local competitions.
Kyle Busch's last tweet is heartbreaking
NASCAR fans might've known Kyle Busch for his aggressive style and moxie outside of the car, but his two kids, Brexton and Lennix, knew him as just their father. And Samantha, his wife, knew him as a husband.
It was just on May 18 that Busch was tweeting a birthday message to his son Brexton, who was starting a racing journey of his own. It turned out to be the two-time Cup Series champion's final post on the social media platform.
We hope you have some tissues nearby:
"Happy Birthday @brextonbusch!!!" Busch wrote on X. "Your mom & I are so proud of who you’re turning out to be! You’re the best kid on & off the track, you amaze us every day. Keep doing what you’re doing and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish! Love you buddy!"
- Nick Brinkerhoff
Joe Gibbs Racing pays tribute to Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing posted a tribute to Kyle Busch on social media after the news broke of the NASCAR star's death. Busch raced for the team from 2008 to 2022 and won both his NASCAR Cup Series championships with them. The team said its thoughts were especially with Busch's wife and children.
"Our hearts are broken for Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, and the entire Busch family," the post said with a black and white photo of Busch holding up a NASCAR Cup Series trophy. "Kyle was a fierce competitor, an incredible teammate, and, far more importantly, a devoted husband, father, and son. His impact on our organization and on the sport of NASCAR will never be forgotten.
"During this unimaginable time, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and the Gibbs family are lifting the Busch family up in prayer."
Why is Kyle Busch called "Rowdy?"
Kyle Busch's nickname was "Rowdy" throughout his career. He adopted the moniker because of his aggressive style of driving and as an homage to Michael Rooker's character Rowdy Burns in the 1990 movie "Days of Thunder" starring Tom Cruise.
There was a documentary about the NASCAR star called "Rowdy" released in 2022.
When was Kyle Busch's last win?
Kyle Busch's final NASCAR Cup Series win of his career occurred at the Enjoy Illinois 300 — at the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois — on June 4, 2023. He led from the pole and after numerous restarts to win on the oval circuit.
The last win of his professional career came on May 15, 2026 on the Craftsman Truck Series: He won the 2026 Ecosave 200 at the Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.
- Austin Curtright
What was Kyle Busch's car in NASCAR?
At the time of his death, Kyle Busch raced in the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He has raced with the team since 2023.
He previously was a part of Joe Gibbs Racing, where he drove the No. 18 Toyota from 2008 to 2022. He won the 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series titles in the car, which swapped between sponsorships from M&Ms and Interstate Batteries.
Busch made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2003 at age 18 for Hendrick Motorsports. He drove the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick in his first three full-time seasons in 2005 through 2007.
- Victoria Hernandez and Ellen Horrow
Why was Kyle Busch hospitalized?
Kyle Busch was hospitalized due to a "severe illness," according to NASCAR. The specific illness has not been disclosed.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was battling a sinus cold earlier this month at Watkins Glen.
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.
Earlier this month, he was heard on team radio at Watkins Glen talking with the team doctor and was battling a sinus cold.
How old was Kyle Busch?
Kyle Busch was 41 years old at the time of his death. He was born on May 2, 1985.
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.
- Kristie Ackert