Kyle Busch unresponsive in driving simulator before death, per report

Kyle Busch , a two-time  NASCAR Cup Series  champion with more than 200 victories in his racing career, died at age 41 on May 21 following a severe illness. Busch was testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina on May 20 when he became unresponsive according to a report by the Associated Press. He was then transported to a hospital in Charlotte where he died a day later.

Busch is survived by his wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix. He was also the younger brother of Kurt Busch , a NASCAR Hall of Famer. BUSCH'S CAREER: What made Kyle Busch, who died at 41, one of NASCAR's all-time greatest drivers “Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch," NASCAR released in a statement on May 21.

"A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. ” Busch, a Las Vegas, Nevada native, won his first O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race as a 19-year-old.

One year later, he won his first career Cup Series race at age 20 with Hendrick Motorsports. Busch's career finished with two Cup Series championships, the 2009 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship, 63 Cup Series wins, 102 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series wins and 69 Craftsman Truck Series wins. Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean.