Kyle Busch's Family Releases Statement On His Death at 41
The NASCAR world has been dealt a sudden, tragic blow as two-time Cup Series champion and 63-time race winner Kyle Busch passed away. He was 41 years old.
Busch was hospitalized earlier this morning with what was only described as a "severe illness." Details on the exact cause of Busch's passing are likely to come in the hours and days to come, but the family has asked for privacy.
A joint statement from the Busch family, Busch's Richard Childress Racing team and NASCAR itself has been released:
"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. 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. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal 'Rowdy Nation.' Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha's parents, Kurt and all of Kyle's family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.
"During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family's privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate.
A legend in every way
Busch's accomplishments in NASCAR and motorsports in general are too numerous to list but here are just a few of the highlights.
- Two-time winner of the NASCAR Cup Series (2015, 2019) and the NASCAR Cup Series regular season title (2018, 2019)
- All-time leader in top-three finishes in NASCAR races (234)
- All-time wins leader in NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (102)
- All-time wins leader in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
- 1st driver in history to win on every track competed
- NASCAR Cup Series record of 19 straight seasons with at least one win
- The 2009 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion
- Seven-time winner of the NASCAR Truck Series (2010, 2013-17, 2019) as owner of Kyle Busch Motorsports
- WWE 24/7 Champion
- Two-time ESPY Award winner for best driver (2016, 2019)
- Voted one of NASCAR's 75 greatest drivers in 2023
- 395 top-10 finishes in 762 NASCAR Cup Series races
- 267 top-10 finishes in 367 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races
- 148 top-10 finishes in 184 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races
That's a resume that stacks up against almost any driver to ever grip a tire.
Our hearts go out to Busch's family and loved ones.
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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 6:02 PM.