NASCAR driver Kyle Busch experienced shortness of breath, felt he was overheating, and was coughing up blood the day before his death, according to a 911 call obtained by The Associated Press.
Busch died Thursday at age 41. The cause of death has not been disclosed. His family said he had been hospitalized with a severe illness three days before he was scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
On Wednesday, Busch was testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, when he became unresponsive. He was transported to a hospital in Charlotte.
During the emergency call from the General Motors training facility, an unidentified caller calmly told dispatch: "I've got an individual that's shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood."
Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the facility. The caller confirmed he was awake and gave directions for emergency responders, asking them to turn off sirens upon arrival.
Busch's death sent shockwaves through the NASCAR community. Vice President JD Vance said on social media: "I had the opportunity to meet Kyle, one of NASCAR's greatest racers... Usha and I are praying for him and his family."
Christopher Bell, a fellow driver, called Busch's death a "gutwrenching feeling" and said it's a "very stark reminder of how fragile life can be." Bell spoke with Busch before the last Trucks Series race and said he seemed "normal, like completely normal."
Busch won last week's Trucks race at Dover, his final career victory, giving him 134 wins across NASCAR's three national series-the most of any driver. He finished 17th in the All-Star race on Sunday.