A 911 call obtained by The Associated Press has revealed that NASCAR driver Kyle Busch experienced shortness of breath, felt he was overheating, and was coughing up blood the day before his death. Busch passed away on Thursday at the age of 41. No cause of death has been officially announced, though his family previously stated that he had been hospitalised with a "severe illness" three days before he was scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
According to several people familiar with the situation, Busch was testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte. These individuals spoke on condition of anonymity as details have not been disclosed by Busch's team or family.
During the emergency call placed late that afternoon from the General Motors training facility, an unidentified caller calmly informed the dispatch: "I've got an individual that's (got) shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood." The caller reported that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex but was awake, according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office. The caller also provided directions for emergency responders and requested that they turn off any sirens upon arrival.
NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell addressed reporters at a news conference on Friday but declined to answer questions about the cause of death or any health issues that may have affected Busch. "We are 24 hours from getting a phone call and out of respect for the family, and they have asked for privacy, I am not going to address anything," O'Donnell said. He added, "But transparency is something that we all believe in. So in due time I think that everyone will be comfortable with where things stand."
O'Donnell spoke extensively about Busch's legacy, describing him as "an American badass" and recalling his rebellious nature and feuds with NASCAR. "We certainly had our battles but I would give a lot of money to have a few more battles," O'Donnell said. He joked about an incident where Busch pretended to be seriously hurt after hitting a wall at Texas, lying flat on a pit cart to mock NASCAR's orders to visit the infield care centre. "I was mad at the time, but I look back and that was damn funny — and that was Kyle," O'Donnell remarked.
O'Donnell also mentioned that NASCAR might consider adding Busch to this year's list of Hall of Fame Class of 2027 inductees, which was determined earlier this week with Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Larry Phillips being voted in.
The news of Busch's death sent shockwaves across the motorsports world on one of racing's biggest weekends, which also features the Indianapolis 500. The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes honored Busch with a moment of silence before Thursday night's Eastern Conference Finals game against the Montreal Canadiens. Vice President JD Vance took to social media, saying, "I had the opportunity to meet Kyle, one of NASCAR's greatest racers, on the campaign trail in 2024. Usha and I are praying for him and his family. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord."
Richard Childress Racing announced plans to suspend use of Busch's No. 8 Cup Series car until his 11-year-old son, Brexton, is old enough to begin NASCAR racing. Gloomy, gray skies hung over the track on an unseasonably cool day in Concord, which seemed a fitting background for the in memoriam photo of Busch on the videoboard.
Christopher Bell was among the drivers planning to run in the NASCAR Trucks Series race on Friday night, one that Busch had been scheduled to compete in. Busch won last week's Trucks race at Dover — the final win of his career — giving him 234 victories across NASCAR's three national series, the most of any driver. "It's going to be very strange to be out there without Kyle in the field," Bell said. "It's going to take a long time before things feel back to normal." Bell called Busch's death a "gut-wrenching feeling" and noted that he spoke to Busch before the last Trucks Series race, where he seemed "normal, like completely normal."
On Monday, Busch posted a birthday message to Brexton on Instagram, saying, "Your mom & I are so proud who you're turning out to be!" The father and son spent Tuesday night in Durham, North Carolina, with the Andretti family at the opening of a go-kart facility. "I guess it is a very stark reminder of how fragile life can be," Bell added.
O'Donnell said NASCAR never seriously considered canceling the Coca-Cola 600. "Kyle Busch would probably be pretty (upset) if we didn't race," O'Donnell said. "So we're going to honor his memory and make sure people know what he was all about."
