NASCAR icon Kyle Busch has died at the age of 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) - NASCAR star Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup series champion regarded as one of the sport’s greatest ever drivers, died Thursday aged 41, his family confirmed in a joint statement.

Busch, who was in his 22nd season in NASCAR’s top division, had been hospitalized earlier Thursday with an undisclosed but “severe illness”.

“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,” a joint statement said.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken … 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.

“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

Busch won NASCAR Cup Series titles in 2015 and 2019 and amassed 63 victories in his career – a figure that leaves him in ninth on the circuit’s all-time list.

He was also dominant in NASCAR’s other two national series, with 102 wins in the O’Reilly Auto Part Series and 69 victories in the Craftsman Truck Series.

NASCAR is one of the most popular motorsports in the United States, primarily featuring high-speed oval track racing where drivers pilot purpose-built stock cars at speeds often in excess of 200mph (321 km/h) at venues such as Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

The sport’s roots date back to the Prohibition era, when producers of illegal moonshine souped up their cars in order to evade law enforcement.

Busch began his career in NASCAR Cup racing with Hendrick Motorsports before joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, where he spent the bulk of his career before switching to Richard Childress Racing in 2023.

Known for his fearless, aggressive racing style, Busch earned the nickname “Rowdy” – a reference to a character in the 1990 Tom Cruise movie “Days of Thunder”.

Busch’s fellow NASCAR drivers led the tributes to the late star.

“There aren’t really words for today,” Hyak Motorsports driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrote on X.

“I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it.

“Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you.”

Stenhouse was involved in one of the most infamous incidents of Busch’s career during the 2024 All-Star Race, punching Busch to the ground after accusing him of causing a high-speed crash during the event.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin added: “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time.”