Kyle Busch, one of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history, lost his life at age 41 on Thursday (May 21).
The stock car driver had been hospitalized with an undisclosed “severe” illness. His family has not revealed the cause of his passing.
An emergency call made around 5:30pm on Wednesday reveals what Busch experienced in the day before the tragedy.
Highlights
- Kyle Busch experienced shortness of breath and coughed up blood the day before his passing, a 911 call reveals.
- The call was made while Busch was at a training facility in North Carolina preparing for his next race.
- The NASCAR icon, who had two children, passed away on Thursday (May 21) at the age of 41.
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In the audio, released by TMZ, a male caller is heard requesting an ambulance to the training facility in Concord, North Carolina, where Busch was preparing for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 event.
The caller said the legendary driver had “shortness of breath” and was “very hot.”
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“[He] thinks he's going to pass out, and he's producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller described.
At the time of the call, Busch was still conscious, with the caller clarifying, “He is awake. He's awake. He's awake.”
While the ambulance was being requested, the NASCAR driver was lying on a bathroom floor at the training facility.
The caller asked that paramedics shut off their sirens when approaching the building and said he would be waiting outside to lead them to a side entrance.
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Busch is believed to have been using the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord when he began to feel unwell before his hospitalization, the Associated Press reported.
Sources told the AP that he was found unresponsive inside the racing simulator the day before his passing.
The simulator prepared him for the race in Charlotte by replicating the motion and G-forces that drivers experience during a race.
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Earlier this month, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was reported to be dealing with a sinus cold.
During the Cup Series race on May 10, Busch radioed his crew mid-race to request medical aid. He asked to see his doctor, Dr. Bill Heisel, and to receive an injection after he finished.
That day, broadcasters noted how “Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.”
Speaking with The Athletic, Busch confirmed he had not recovered, sharing, “You can kind of hear it, I’m still not great. The cough was pretty substantial last week.”
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Despite his sinus cold symptoms persisting, the athlete continued to compete and went on to win his fifth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series trophy on May 15.
“You take whatever you can get, man,” Busch said after his win when asked how many more victories he wanted in his career. “You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all - trust me.”
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Busch’s family posted a message on his X account on Thursday at 10:23 a.m stating that he had been hospitalized and would not be competing this weekend.
“Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization,” the family wrote. “He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
Seven hours later, the race car driver’s family announced his passing.
Busch’s family remembered him as “fierce, passionate, and immensely skilled”
“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.”
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Busch made his national debut at the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) in 2001 in the Craftsman Truck Series.
The Las Vegas native, nicknamed “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing,” won championships in 2015 and 2019 and a total of 232 races across NASCAR’s three national series.
At the time of his passing, he ranked ninth on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins list and first in overall wins.
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Tributes poured in from across the racing world. Dale Earnhardt Jr, an on-track rival, called him “one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history” and said, “I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we found a way to become friends.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrote, “I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it. The sport won’t be the same without you.”
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“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news,” said Denny Hamlin, a 22-year NASCAR veteran and Busch’s former teammate. “We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”
Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children: 11-year-old Brexton and 4-year-old Lennix.
Fans celebrated Kyle Busch’s legacy and sent their condolences to the driver’s family
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