Kyle Busch died after complications from sepsis, severe pneumonia, family says

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Busch died Thursday at 41, shocking the motorsports community. Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images

Kyle Busch suffered from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, “resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” the NASCAR driver’s family said in a statement Saturday.

The statement was based on a medical evaluation provided to the family, it said.

Busch died Thursday at 41 after being hospitalized on Wednesday night, and the motorsports world has mourned the racing legend’s shocking loss in the days since.

The quick decline in his health followed a weeks-long illness through which Busch continued to race.

On May 10, Busch was competing at Watkins Glen International when he radioed his team asking for help after the race.

“Can somebody try to find Bill Heisel? He’s the Hendrick doctor guy,” Busch said.

When asked where Busch wanted to meet Heisel, a longtime sports physician’s assistant who has worked with NASCAR teams, the driver asked to do so at his motorhome.

“I’m gonna need a shot,” Busch said before he finished eighth in the race.

A memorial for Kyle Busch outside Daytona International Speedway.Nadia Zomorodian / Imagn Images

One week later, when The Athletic asked Busch last Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway whether he was feeling better from whatever was bothering him in the car at Watkins Glen, Busch motioned to his face.

“You can kind of hear it — I’m still not great,” he said. “But the cough was pretty substantial last week.”

Busch was doing well enough to win a NASCAR Truck Series race at Dover, then seemingly continued with his normal routine. He attended the grand opening of a karting center in Durham, N.C., on Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday, Busch posed for pictures with fans at the Richard Childress Racing shop, which were later posted to social media.

However, by Wednesday evening, he suddenly took a turn for the worse.

On Friday, 911 audio obtained by The Athletic and other outlets requesting recordings related to Busch revealed that an unidentified caller on Wednesday asked that an ambulance be sent to the GM Charlotte Technical Center in Concord, N.C. Busch was at the racing simulator at that facility on Wednesday, according to a source briefed on the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject.

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The 911 caller said the individual, whose name was redacted in the released audio, was having shortness of breath, feeling very hot, thinking he was going to pass out and “coughing up some blood.” The caller told the dispatcher that the individual was awake on a bathroom floor and asked that responders turn off their ambulance sirens upon arrival.

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell held a news conference Friday, but declined to comment on Busch’s health leading up to his death.

“We’re 24 hours from getting a phone call, and I don’t think — it’s out of respect for the family, and they’ve asked for privacy,” O’Donnell said. “I’m not going to address any of that. … You guys who know me know that transparency is something we all believe in. So in due time, I think everyone will be comfortable with where things stand.”

Kyle Busch’s Wife Samantha Breaks Down in Tears Ahead of Moment of Silence for Late NASCAR Driver

Samantha Busch (née Sarcinella) was brought to tears ahead of a moment of silence at the Indy 500 that honored her late husband, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch.

Clutching the shoulder of son Brexton, Samantha, 39, was overcome with emotion while one of the event’s announcers paid tribute to the Busch family at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24. “Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you, and that you and your children are NASCAR family forever,” the announcer told the crowd, as seen via a TikTok video posted by Bleacher Report.

Samantha, donning a matching black T-shirt to that worn by Brexton that read “Battle of the Busches,” held her son to her chest and hugged him as fans applauded the words.

“Brexton and Lennix [the couple’s daughter], your dad loves you with all his heart,” the announcer continued. “Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everybody watching on TV, and all those people up in that grandstand are your family, and we’ve got you.”

As the crowd applauded again, the teen adjusted his black cap and rubbed his mom’s arm.

“Kyle Busch is NASCAR. He was one of a kind and there will never be another, and I’d ask everybody now to join us in a moment of silence for Kyle,” the announcement continued.

The tribute comes after NASCAR confirmed on Thursday, May 21, that Kyle had died at the age of 41. The announcement came after the athlete reportedly “became unresponsive” while testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday, May 20.

News broke the following day that Kyle had been hospitalized, and the Busch family issued a statement the following day. “Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization,” the statement read. “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.”

On Saturday, May 23, a rep for the family confirmed to NBC News that Kyle died of pneumonia that progressed “into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.”

Kyle was also honored during the early stages of Sunday’s Indy 500. “As the drivers exit turn four … on lap 18, we remember Kyle Busch,” an announcer said during the race. The moment was shared via INDYCAR on FOX’s official X account at the time, with the caption, “A tribute to Kyle Busch on Lap 18 of the Indy 500.”

Kyle’s final race was the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 17 at Dover International Speedway. He finished in 17th place. “You never know when the last one is,” he told reporters in the event’s aftermath.

“Brexton and Lennix [the couple’s daughter], your dad loves you with all his heart,” the announcer continued. “Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everybody watching on TV, and all those people up in that grandstand are your family, and we’ve got you.”