NASCAR star Kyle Busch dies after 'severe illness'
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died May 21, 2026. Earlier, he had pulled out of the NASCAR race in Charlotte with a "serious illness."
Kyle Busch died May 21, the same day it was announced the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was hospitalized with a severe illness . He was 41. Busch's team had announced earlier in the day that he was withdrawing from all activities at the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway the upcoming weekend.
NASCAR, Richard Childress Racing and the Busch family announced his death in a statement shared on social media. "NASCAR lost a giant for the sport today, far too soon," the statement read . Known by fans as "Rowdy," Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series in 2015 and 2019.
His 63 Cup Series wins are ninth-most in history and the most for active full-time drivers (Jimmie Johnson has 83 but has only raced in the Daytona 500 this year). He never won the Daytona 500, though his older brother, Kurt Busch, did in 2017. Kyle Busch earned pole position at the 2026 Daytona 500, finishing 15th in the Great American Race, and has two top-10 finishes on the NASCAR Cup circuit this season, most recently at Watkins Glen on May 10.
Near the end of the race, Busch requested medical attention from his team. “Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization," read the family's post from 10:23 a. m.