Kyle Busch died of severe pneumonia, family says

BREAKING NEWSMay. 23, 2026, 3:51 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsKyle Busch died of severe pneumonia, family saysThe NASCAR legend’s family said Saturday that he died of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Kyle Busch during practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15.Sean Gardner / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Marlene Lenthang and Matt LavietesNASCAR legend Kyle Busch died of severe pneumonia, his family revealed on Saturday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The 41-year-old driver died Thursday May 21 after his family said he was hospitalized with a “severe illness.” In a new statement, the family said that the NASCAR driver died from a pneumonia that progressed “into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.”On Wednesday, he was coughing up blood and lying on a bathroom floor at a General Motors training facility in North Carolina, according to a 911 call obtained by NBC News.“I’ve got an individual that’s, uh, shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out and is producing a little bit of blood — coughing up some blood,” the caller could be heard saying around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.Busch was on a simulator that day at a training facility, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell has said.Earlier this month, Busch radioed his crew at near the end of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, New York, and asked a doctor to give him a “shot” after he finished, the Associated Press reported. Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was worsened by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the road course on May 10, according to the TV broadcast of the race.Five days later, he won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Dover.Busch, who was known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” for postrace fights, leaves an indelible legacy as a two-time NASCAR Cup Series...