Kyle Busch’s family has revealed the medical cause behind the NASCAR champion’s shocking death at just 41.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, causing “rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” according to a statement released by his family Saturday.
Dakota Hunter, vice president of Kyle Busch Companies, said the family received the medical evaluation over the weekend.
The update came two days after Busch’s sudden death stunned the racing world and left fans searching for answers.
Busch died Thursday, May 21, one day after he became unresponsive while testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina. He had been preparing to race in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The emergency unfolded Wednesday afternoon at the simulator facility, where a 911 caller reported that Busch was struggling to breathe, extremely hot, feeling like he might pass out and coughing up blood. The caller said Busch was lying on the bathroom floor but was awake when help was being summoned.
He was taken to a Charlotte hospital, where his condition quickly turned fatal.
Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that happens when the body has an extreme response to an infection. Instead of simply fighting the infection, the immune system can go into overdrive and begin damaging the body’s own tissues and organs.
The CDC says sepsis can lead to organ failure and death if not recognized and treated quickly. In Busch’s case, his family said the pneumonia moved into sepsis and triggered rapid, overwhelming complications.
Busch had reportedly been feeling ill in the days before his death. He was believed to have been dealing with what seemed like a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen on May 10 and radioed to his team that he needed a “shot” from a doctor after the race.
Still, he continued racing.
He bounced back to win the Truck Series race at Dover the following weekend, then finished 17th in the All-Star Race on Sunday. Days later, he was hospitalized.
Fellow NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski said he knew Busch had not been feeling well recently, but seeing him win the Truck Series race made those concerns fade.
“Yes, but I won’t go into any specifics,” Keselowski said when asked if he knew Busch had been sick. “But then when he ran the Trucks race last week, those thoughts were honestly kind of erased in my mind.”
Keselowski said Busch’s death has forced drivers to think harder about their health, especially in a sport where athletes often feel pressure to push through sickness instead of sitting out.
“There’s no shortage of drivers that would love to take my seat or anybody else’s seat if we weren’t feeling well, and I think every driver feels that pressure,” Keselowski said. “All athletes do.”
Chase Briscoe called Busch’s health scare a “wake-up call” and said drivers need to get checked out when something feels wrong.
Busch’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon was not made available for comment.
Austin Hill will replace Busch in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 and drive the No. 33 car. Richard Childress Racing is temporarily retiring Busch’s No. 8 until his 11-year-old son Brexton is old enough to race.
All 39 cars in Sunday’s race will carry a small black No. 8 decal in Busch’s honor.
Busch leaves behind one of the most powerful legacies in NASCAR history. He won 234 races across NASCAR’s top three national series, more than any driver in history. He was a two-time Cup champion, a fierce competitor and one of the most polarizing stars the sport ever produced.
Ryan Blaney said Busch was impossible to ignore.
“He was a polarizing figure that no matter if you like him or disliked him as a racer, he was always talked about,” Blaney said.
Blaney said fans eventually came to respect that Busch always spoke his mind and stayed true to himself.
Outside the car, Busch was a husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Samantha, their 11-year-old son Brexton and their 4-year-old daughter Lennix.