Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than any other driver across NASCAR’s three national series, has passed away at the age of 41.
The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCAR released a joint statement on May 21 announcing that Busch died after being hospitalized. The exact cause of death was not disclosed. Busch’s family said earlier on May 21 that he had been hospitalized with a “severe illness,” just three days before he was scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Busch was participating in a simulator testing with Chevrolet in Concord, North Carolina, on May 20 when he lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital in Charlotte.
Busch was the younger brother of Kurt Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Famer. He is survived by wife Samantha and his children Brexton and Lennix.
Tragically, many athletes who have shown immense dedication to their sport have had their lives fatefully cut short. Click through this gallery to discover other sports stars who died too young.