As fans, friends and family mourn the death of Kyle Busch, here’s what we know so far about the days leading up to his death.
WASHINGTON — It was just days ago that NASCAR legend Kyle Busch soaked up his Truck Series win at Dover and remarked that he cherishes all of his victories because “you never know when the last one is going to be.”
Just six days after that, Busch’s family announced his sudden death at the age of 41. While a cause of death has yet to be released, here is a look at what we know about his last few weeks.
Sunday, May 10 – Radio call about doctor during race
Near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed into his crew asking a doctor to give him a “shot” when he finished the race.
According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.
It’s unclear if that issue had something to do with his death.
Friday, May 15 – Last victory
A few days later on May 15, Busch won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Dover. Comments from his post-race interview resurfaced as news of his death spread.
Busch was asked how many races he wants to win in his career before he stops racing.
“You take whatever you can get, man,” Busch said. “You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all — trust me.”
Sunday, May 17 – Busch’s final race
Busch, the winningest driver across NASCAR’s top three national touring series, finished 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race on Sunday, May 17. That would be his final race.
Tuesday, May 19 – Karting with his son
On Tuesday, Busch was in attendance for the grand opening of Mario Andretti’s Indoor Karting & Games in Durham, North Carolina.
Videos posted on social media showed Busch meeting fans and racing his son at the new go-kart track.
May 20 – Medical emergency at simulator facility
A 911 call from a North Carolina facility home to driving simulators reveals a man experienced a serious medical emergency on the same day Kyle Busch reportedly fell ill while testing in a racing simulator in Concord.
While the NASCAR legend is not named in the call, the Associated Press previously reported he was found unresponsive on Wednesday in a driving simulator. The sheriff’s office redacted both the name of the caller and the patient before releasing the call to WCNC Charlotte.
The caller described the individual as having shortness of breath, feeling very hot, believing he was going to pass out and coughing up blood.
The Associated Press reported Busch was taken to a hospital in Charlotte.
May 21
On Thursday morning, Busch’s family posted on social media that the NASCAR star was hospitalized, undergoing treatment for a “severe illness,” and would miss the upcoming race weekend in Charlotte.
Just hours later, Busch’s family and NASCAR released a joint statement at 5:46 p.m. Eastern confirming the 41-year-old had died.