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NASCAR champion Kyle Busch dies at 41 after 'severe illness'

Kyle Busch won 234 races across NASCARs top three series, including 63 in the Cup series. He won the Cup series championship in 2015 and 2019.

[Kyle Busch]

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NASCAR champion Kyle Busch has died just hours after his family said he had been hospitalised(Image: AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Racing icon Kyle Buschhas died aged 41 just hours after his family revealed he had been hospitalised with a "severe illness".

NASCAR confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement posted on X on Thursday evening.

They said: We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sports 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.

[FILE - Kyle Busch celebrates in Victory Circle after winning the NASCAR Trucks auto race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., June 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Garry Jones, file)]

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Kyle Busch's career saw him set records in NASCAR(Image: AP)

Earlier in the day, Buschs family had announced that the NASCAR superstar had been admitted to hospital and would miss this weekends scheduled activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The statement read: Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization. He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

[Kyle Busch takes a selfie with his trophy for winning a race in 2021]

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Kyle Busch won 63 NASCAR Cup Series races in a stellar career(Image: Austin Mcafee/CSM/Shutterstock)

We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation.

No further details about the illness were disclosed.

Richard Childress Racing also issued a statement earlier on Thursday confirming Busch would be replaced by Austin Hill for the Coca-Cola 600.

The team said: Kyle Buschs health is our utmost priority and he and his family have the full resources of RCR behind them.

Kyle is an integral part of our organisation and we wish him a safe and speedy recovery.

Buschs death has sent shockwaves through the motorsport world, with tributes already pouring in from fans, drivers and teams across NASCAR.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of his generation, Busch enjoyed a glittering career spanning more than two decades.

[DOVER, DELAWARE - MAY 15: Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)]

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(Image: Sean Gardner, Getty Images)

Known by fans as Rowdy, Busch won two NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 and amassed 63 Cup Series victories during his career.

He also became one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history across all three national series, recording more than 200 combined wins.

Busch made his Cup Series debut in 2004 and quickly established himself as one of the sports fiercest competitors.

During his career he raced for Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing, becoming one of the defining figures of modern NASCAR.

His aggressive driving style and outspoken personality made him a divisive figure at times, but also one of the sports biggest stars.

Away from the track, Busch was a devoted family man and team owner. He founded Kyle Busch Motorsports, which became one of the most successful organisations in the NASCAR Truck Series.

He is survived by his wife Samantha and their children.

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