Kyle Busch, 41, died on Thursday May 21, three days before he was scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Here’s what you should know
How did kyle busch die?
At this time, the cause of death has not been disclosed, and facts are limited.
What is known is that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was taken to a Charlotte hospital, according to several people familiar with the situation who spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because Busch’s team or family had not disclosed any details.
Had Kyle Busch been ill?
Busch was believed to have had a sinus cold. While racing at Watkins Glen on May 10, Busch radioed his team and asked for a “shot” from a doctor after finishing the race.
According to the television broadcast, Busch had been suffering from a sinus cold, which was compounded by the severe G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.
It is unclear whether such an issue was related to his death. Busch competed last weekend, winning the Trucks Series race at Dover and finishing 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race. This would be his final race.
How good was Kyle Busch?
Busch has won the most races in NASCAR’s three national series, 234 to date. He won the Cup season championship in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
His inaugural championship was very outstanding. Busch missed the first 11 Cup races of the 2015 season after injuring his foot in a crash in the O’Reilly Auto Parts series opener in Daytona.
Still, he recovered to win five races and qualify for the playoffs before winning the championship at Homestead.
Will the Coca-Cola 600 be postponed or cancelled?
No, NASCAR officials confirmed that the 400-lap race will take place as scheduled on Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1 1/2-mile course.
Earlier that day, RCR revealed that Austin Hill will replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Does CMS plan to honor Kyle Busch?
Yes, CMS officials stated that they intend to recognize Busch “in some way” this weekend during the Coca-Cola 600, but specifics were still being worked out.
