Kyle Busch death: fresh details emerge after tragic passing of NASCAR icon

News of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s passing came suddenly, just hours after he was reportedly admitted to the hospital following a short illness on Wednesday, May 20.

Busch was widely renowned for his success on track across both the NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series and had been expected to take part in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 race prior to his death. However, following the announcement and the initially unclear details surrounding the cause, fresh information has now surfaced regarding the Las Vegas-born driver’s final hours.

According to a report from CNN, Busch required medical attention on Wednesday after coughing up blood and experiencing shortness of breath while preparing for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 event.

The report further states that a 911 call obtained revealed that a caller, whose identity was redacted, requested an ambulance to a training facility in Concord, North Carolina. “I’ve got an individual that’s experiencing shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out and producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller said.

The report adds that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor but was conscious at the time of the call. The caller also requested that emergency services approach with sirens off and provided directions to the facility. The emergency call, made at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, came almost exactly 24 hours before NASCAR, Busch’s family, and Richard Childress Racing officially announced his passing.

Further reports indicate that Busch had been testing on a racing simulator earlier that day when he became unresponsive and was subsequently transported to a hospital in Charlotte, according to several unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

Richard Childress Racing, the team Busch drove for up until his passing, has paid tribute to the 41-year-old. The racing outfit announced it will suspend the use of Busch’s No. 8 car and instead field the No. 33 car.

The team has also confirmed that the No. 8 will be reserved for Brexton Busch, his 11-year-old son, who has already begun following in his father’s footsteps and has recorded multiple wins in junior racing categories across the United States.