NASCAR driver Kyle Busch dies at 41 after 'severe illness'

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on May 21, 2026

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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch has died after being hospitalized with a “severe illness.”

His seemingly sudden death was confirmed in a joint statement from NASCAR, the Busch family and his racing team.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement said. “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.”

It was earlier reported that he would miss this weekend’s competition in North Carolina to battle “severe illness.”

Busch was not expected to participate in weekend events, including Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 41-year-old driver had regularly participated in that event since 2004, winning the race in 2018.

His racing team had announced earlier Thursday that substitute Austin Hill would drive Busch’s No. 8 car in Charlotte, so that the Chevrolet’s primary operator could focus on getting healthy.

Busch’s family offered no further information about his ailment. The Sporting News said the race car driver’s sickness hit while he was on a roll.

The Las Vegas native reportedly recorded two top-10 finishes in his last three races and won a NASCAR Truck Series race last week in Delaware.

He and his wife, Samantha Busch, welcomed their second child in May 2022. The couple married in 2010.

“Kyle has always been my rock,” Samantha told People in a 2024 interview.

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