Bush experienced shortness of breath, felt overheated and coughed up blood the day before his death, according to 911 calls obtained by The Associated Press.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Legendary NASCAR driver Kyle Busch Passed away on Thursday at the age of 41Just three days before he was set to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
As Bush’s friends and family Fans mourn his death and paid tribute to his legacy, but details of exactly what happened remain limited.
Here’s what we know so far about the events leading up to his death.
Busch died after being hospitalized due to injuries sustained by his family, according to a joint statement released by the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR. It’s called “serious illness.”
Busch had been suffering from a sinus cold earlier this month, which was apparently worsened by the intense gravity of the race, but it’s unclear whether that played a role in his death.
As of Saturday morning, officials had not released a cause of death.
Sources told The Associated Press that Busch was testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was rushed to a hospital in Charlotte.
A 911 call obtained by The Associated Press on Friday showed Bush reportedly experiencing shortness of breath, feeling overheated and coughing up blood the day before his death.
The call came to the General Motors Training Center Wednesday afternoon.
“I found a person who was short of breath, very hot, thought he was going to pass out, and was coughing up a little blood,” the caller told emergency dispatchers.
According to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, Busch was lying on the bathroom floor in the building and the caller told the dispatcher “he woke up.”
The man then gave instructions to emergency responders where they should go and asked them to turn off all sirens upon arrival.
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell addressed reporters at a press conference on Friday but declined to answer any questions about the cause of death or any health concerns.
Busch’s unexpected death is just the latest tragedy to hit NASCAR. In December, former driver Greg Biffle, his wife, two children and three others Died in plane crash Located in Statesville, North Carolina.
News of Busch’s death was announced after teams left Gasoline Alley during media day for the Indianapolis 500.
NASCAR officials confirmed to The Associated Press that the Coca-Cola 600 race will proceed as planned on Sunday. Speedway officials said they plan to honor Busch “in some way” at the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend, but details are still being finalized.
Drivers are expected to head to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord starting on Friday, with practice and qualifying starting on Saturday. Earlier in the day, RCR announced that Austin Hill would replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Richard Childress Racing will temporarily retire Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Cup Series car — at least until the late driver’s 11-year-old son, Brexton, is ready to take the wheel.
Busch won 234 races in NASCAR’s three national series – more than any driver in history. He won Cup championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
