From NASCAR:

We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport's greatest and fiercest drivers. He was 41 years old.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.

I am in shock.  I will add Kyle was my favorite NASCAR driver.  Dang, life is short.  Rest in peace, Kyle Busch. 

Oh my god. So sad I met him along time ago.

11 minutes ago, theguru said:

Richard Childress has now said goodbye to two of the best to ever do it and both were driving for Childress when they passed away. So sad.?Prayers for his family!

RIP.

Kevin Harvick wears so many hats well. 

He was fighting a sinus infection which might have been a brain aneurysm from what I have read. I am sure they will release something in the next few days. Sad thing is  Braxton just celebrated his birthday a few days ago.

From Austin Dillon:

Dear KB,

I’ll start at the beginning. I grew up watching a larger-than-life figure drive race cars like he was born to do it. Dale was a superhero in my house and when he passed his legend only grew. The bar was set high from a young age.

Growing up around my grandfather and watching him hold Dale in such high regards as a driver, friend, and competitor, I never thought anyone else could compare. It was plain and simple. There was Dale, and then there was everyone else.

I grew up around some great drivers that came through RCR, including Hall of Fame drivers. But during that time, there was one guy on another team, and we all knew that when he showed up, we were fighting for second place.

It was clear every race who had the most talent and who hated to lose the most. For obvious reasons, my family was never the biggest fan of this guy. He was the enemy at the time, and he was hard to beat. I could never really show my fandom, but secretly I was a fan.

My Grandpa really hated losing to this guy, but I know he respected him. This guy literally owned the Truck Series. When he showed up, it was a good day if you finished second. As a driver, if you beat him, your truck was probably faster, so you never truly beat him, your team did. So, did anyone ever really beat him? I don’t know, but it felt dang good if you did because you felt like you accomplished something that day.

Moving from Friday to Saturday, well yeah, he owned Saturdays, too. At times, he looked like he was in a Cup car racing on Saturday. His intensity every lap and willingness to make any move inspired a generation of racecar drivers.

His Rowdy restarts were one of a kind. This guy could fire off faster than everyone and by the time his tires were shot it was time to pit. Once again, if you beat him, you really were doing something. It was almost an instant qualification that you might be a race car driver.

He loved racing so much that he decided to build his own race team while he drove. I had gained enough respect from him that he offered me the chance to drive for his new team. I was blown away that he had enough respect for me to offer me a ride. Admittedly, it didn’t go over so well with my Grandpa (and I’m not so sure that isn’t why he took off his watch that one time).

Throughout the years, I was able to compete against the guy at the Cup level where he won multiple championships and races. During that time frame, I had multiple different teammates each bringing something different to the table.

When you became available in 2023 it was a no brainer that we had to go after you. When I made the call, your response was hilarious. You asked, ‘Do you think your Grandpa would want me?’ I had already checked with my Grandpa, and his response was the same as yours, ‘Do you think he would want to come to RCR?’ I said ‘yes. You both are the same people. You are RACERS.’

When we got closer to signing, I could tell how excited my grandpa was. I started hearing things like ‘He’s the only guy I’ve ever seen drive like Dale. He takes no prisoners.’ That made me happy, knowing my grandpa had a driver that got him fired up the way Dale did.

As we started off your first season with RCR, you took off like you always did. You drove right to the front. But this time, you were in our car. You became family. I watched you work, push, prod, and bring instant success to RCR.

Your mentality and mindset rubbed off on those around you, and the employees in the shop. They knew that you brought a standard of excellence. It wasn’t always roses. The wins got harder to come by, but the grind and mentality never changed.

I watched you battle with our race cars and spend countless hours in the sim trying to get results. I was most inspired by your fight when things got to their lowest. You stood your ground. People were talking, but they didn’t know the work that was being put in behind the scenes. That version of KB is the one I am most proud of. The one that was going to put us back where we wanted to be – in the Winner’s Circle.

I can’t thank you enough, KB. You are the ultimate racer and my favorite teammate and driver of all time. I always felt like I had your back and you had mine.

My favorite conversations with you were our conversations about Brexton and his abilities on the race track. I know how happy and excited he made you. You raised one of the nicest, well-mannered kids, and that is a direct reflection of his parents. Sam is one strong woman and the best MOMager in the business. I promise to always be there for Sam, Brex, and Lennix. They are RCR family for life.

I love you brother. Myself and all of the RCR employees will keep fighting and striving for more victories in your memory.

Proverbs 3:5

Jimmie Johnson:

Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen — he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with. We spent years as teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and even as competitors, there was always a deep respect for what he could do behind the wheel. 

Kyle pushed all of us to be better. His passion, intensity, and love for racing were unmatched, and his impact on this sport will be felt forever.

I’ll always remember the many laughs and conversations away from the spotlight, and most importantly the way he cared so deeply about his family.

My heart goes out to Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, Kurt, his parents, many teammates across the industry, fans and everyone who loved Kyle.

NASCAR lost one of its greatest talents today, and we’ve all lost a friend.

RCR has retired #8 until Braxton is old enough to drive it which will be soon.

They just announced severe pneumonia turned into sepsis is what killed him.

Kyle's widow, Samantha, posted this:

As a family, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you.

The prayers, messages, flowers, meals, hugs, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through the most heartbreaking days of our lives. While our hearts are absolutely shattered, we have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you.

The love that has surrounded our family during this unimaginable time has brought comfort in the middle of so much pain. Knowing the impact Kyle had on others and seeing how they are honoring him through each unique act of generosity is a true testament to how special Kyle is to so many people. There are moments when the weight of this loss feels impossible to carry, yet time and time again God, through you all, has shown us we are not alone.

From family and friends to fans and complete strangers, thank you for showing up for us. Thank you for loving our family so well.

Thank you for loving Kyle.

Thank you for honoring him.

We may never find the words to fully express what your support has meant to us, but please know that we are deeply grateful.

❤️ Samantha, Brexton & Lennix

I'm not a NASCAR Fan.  I've always been an open wheel guy.  My brother-in-law tried to get me hooked, but it just never worked out for me.  

But I'll say this, Kyle Bush was one of the very few drivers in this sport that I could clearly tell had immense talent.  He was fearless and he didn't care if it was a NASA Rocket or a skateboard, he would race you on it and do his darnedest to beat you!  He was a heck of a CUP guy, but most people don't realize how good a truck guy he was too.

This story really saddens me.  Life is short.  Don't put off for tomorrow for what you can do today.

Rest in Peace Kyle Bush!

I'll miss you!

54 minutes ago, Purple88 said:

I'm not a NASCAR Fan.  I've always been an open wheel guy.  My brother-in-law tried to get me hooked, but it just never worked out for me.  

But I'll say this, Kyle Bush was one of the very few drivers in this sport that I could clearly tell had immense talent.  He was fearless and he didn't care if it was a NASA Rocket or a skateboard, he would race you on it and do his darnedest to beat you!  He was a heck of a CUP guy, but most people don't realize how good a truck guy he was too.

This story really saddens me.  Life is short.  Don't put off for tomorrow for what you can do today.

Rest in Peace Kyle Bush!

I'll miss you!

All time wins leader in the Truck Series with 69 wins.  His last win was at Dover on the May the 15th of this year.  Also, I doubt his win total will ever be surpassed.  In today's world if you win several (say 10) races you are moving up to the next level so the chances of anyone getting anywhere close that amount of Truck wins is slim and none.