NASCAR icon Kyle Busch dies at the age of 41 - ESPN

NASCAR icon Kyle Busch dies at the age of 41

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NASCAR icon Kyle Busch dies at the age of 41<br>53m

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ESPN News Services

Multiple Authors

May 21, 2026, 05:49 PM ET

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NASCAR icon Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who has won more races across the sport's three national series than any other driver in history, has died at the age of 41, the racing series announced Thursday.<br>The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying that Busch died after being hospitalized as the result of a severe illness, three days before he was to compete at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. No cause of death was given.<br>"On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," NASCAR said in a statement. "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."<br>Remembering Kyle Busch<br>• 2-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (2015, 2019)

• Ranks 9th on the all-time Cup Series wins list (63)

• Holds record 234 combined wins in NASCAR's top-3 series

• Holds wins record in O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and Craftsman Truck Series (69)

• Won a Cup Series race in record-breaking 19 consecutive seasons from 2005 to '23

• Most recent win came in the Truck Series at Dover on May 15

• Most recent Cup Series win came June 4, 2023, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway

• Had competed in 397 straight starts in the Cup Series, the 4th-longest active streak behind Joey Logano (624), Brad Keselowski (592) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (412)

-- ESPN Research

The news comes 11 days after Busch radioed into his crew near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen asking a doctor to give him a "shot" after he finished the race. According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.<br>Busch finished the race in eighth place.<br>Busch competed at Dover last weekend and won the Trucks Series race for Richard Childress Racing. He finished 17th at the NASCAR All-Star race.<br>"Absolute shock. Very hard to process," veteran NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski posted on social media.<br>Busch ranked 24th in the Cup Series standings this season, with two top-10 finishes in 12 races. The Las Vegas native won championships with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 and 2019. Busch was in his fourth season at Richard Childress Racing.<br>Our hearts are broken for Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, and the entire Busch family. 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... pic.twitter.com/Va7PzWEseG<br>— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) May 21, 2026<br>His last win came in 2023, his first with RCR.<br>From Las Vegas, Busch experienced unrivaled success across NASCAR's three national series winning a combined 234 Cup, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Trucks Series races -- more than any driver in history.<br>He had 63 Cup victories, which ranks ninth all-time, along with 102 O'Reilly Auto Parts wins and 69 Trucks victories -- both records.<br>Kyle Busch, nicknamed "Rowdy" as one of racing's most polarizing personalities, won Cup Series championships with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 and 2019. He moved to Richard Childress Racing in 2023. He won 234 races across NASCAR's top three series. Jared C. Tilton/Getty...