Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the all-time leader in wins on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, died Thursday at the age of 41. He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
His death was announced hours after it was revealed he would miss racing activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend due to a severe illness resulting in hospitalization. NASCAR, the Busch family, and Richard Childress Racing did not offer a cause of death.
Tributes poured in not only from the NASCAR world but also from professional wrestling fans. In 2019, during “Monday Night Raw” in Nashville, Busch pinned R-Truth with the help of Michael Waltrip to become the WWE 24/7 champion for a minute before R-Truth regained the title. He was also gifted a WWE title belt after his 2009 win at Texas Motor Speedway.
In a statement, NASCAR said: “We are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, he was a rare talent… He was fierce, passionate, immensely skilled, and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.”
Busch leaves behind his wife Samantha, children Brexton and Lennix, and brother Kurt.