Kyle Busch Honored by North Carolina Gov. After His Death: ‘His Loss Will Be Felt Throughout the Entire NASCAR Community'
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Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty; Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- After Kyle Busch's death, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein ordered that all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities be lowered to half-staff over the weekend in honor of the late NASCAR driver
- “Kyle was not just a talented and record-setting driver; he was also a kind person,” Stein said in a statement
- Busch died at age 41 following a hospitalization for a "severe illness"
Kyle Busch's legacy lives on in North Carolina.
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After the legendary NASCAR driver died at age 41 following a hospitalization for a “severe illness,” Gov. Josh Stein ordered that all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities be lowered to half-staff over the weekend in the late motorist's honor, according to the state's Department of Administration.
“Kyle was not just a talented and record-setting driver; he was also a kind person,” Stein, 59, said in a statement. “His loss will be felt throughout the entire NASCAR community and well beyond. May his memory be a blessing.”
Busch lived in North Carolina with his family before his death. The state is also a central hub of NASCAR.
Kyle Busch celebrates winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 in May 2026.Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty
NASCAR announced Busch's death on Thursday, May 21, just hours after his family shared that he was hospitalized and would miss two upcoming races in North Carolina.
"On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," the joint statement from NASCAR, the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing read.
"Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch," the statement continued. "A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.”
According to audio from a 911 call obtained by PEOPLE, Busch was coughing up blood and lying on the floor of a bathroom when an ambulance was called on his behalf on Wednesday, May 20.
"I've got an individual that's [got] shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and he's producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller told emergency responders around 5:30 p.m local time. “He is awake. He's awake on the bathroom floor right now.”
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Kyle Busch during NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Tennessee Army National Guard 250 in April 2026.Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty
Following Busch's death, Richard Childress Racing remembered the late athlete by announcing that it would suspend the use of Busch's No. 8 car and reserve it for future use by his 11-year-old son, Brexton.
Busch joined RCR in 2023 after 15 years with Joe Gibbs Racing.
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"Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR's stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry," the organization said in a post on social media.
It continued, "No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing."
Along with Brexton, Busch also shared daughter Lennix, 4, with wife Samantha Busch.
Read the original article on People