05/22/26 05:23:00
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05/22 17:21 CDT NASCAR's Kyle Busch was short of breath, coughing up blood day
before his death, 911 call reveals
NASCAR's Kyle Busch was short of breath, coughing up blood day before his
death, 911 call reveals
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) --- NASCAR driver Kyle Busch experienced shortness of
breath, felt he was overheating and was coughing up blood the day before his
death, according to a 911 call obtained Friday by The Associated Press.
Busch died Thursday at age 41. No cause of death has been given, though his
family said earlier he had been hospitalized with a "severe illness" three days
before he was to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday
when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte,
several people familiar with the situation told the AP.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because details have not been
disclosed by Busch's team or family.
During the emergency call placed late that afternoon from the General Motors
training facility, an unidentified caller calmly told the dispatch: "I've got
an individual that's (got) shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to
pass out, and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood."
Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex and the caller told
dispatch "he is awake," according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County
Sheriff's Office.
The man then gave directions on where emergency responders should go and asked
that they turn off any sirens upon arrival.
NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell addressed reporters at a news conference Friday but
declined to answer any questions about the cause of death or any health
problems that might have plagued Busch.
"We are 24 hours from getting a phone call and out of respect for the family,
and they have asked for privacy, I am not going to address anything," O'Donnell
said. "But transparency is something that we all believe in. So in due time I
think that everyone will be comfortable with where things stand."
O'Donnnell talked at length about Busch's legacy, his rebellious nature and
even his feuds with NASCAR, while calling him "an American badass."
"We certainly had our battles but I would give a lot of money to have a few
more battles," O'Donnell said.
He joked about the time Busch pretended to be seriously hurt when NASCAR had
ordered him to go to the infield care center after hitting the wall at Texas.
"He laid flat out on a pit cart, made fun of us," O'Donnell said. "I was mad at
the time, but I look back and that was damn funny --- and that was Kyle."
O'Donnell mentioned NASCAR might consider adding Busch to this year's list of
Hall of Fame Class of 2027 inductees, which was determined earlier this week
with Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Larry Phillips being voted in.
The news of Busch's death sent shock waves across the motorsports world on one
of racing's biggest weekends, which also features the Indianapolis 500.
The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes honored Busch with a moment of silence before
Thursday night's Eastern Conference Finals game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Vice President JD Vance took to social media, saying "I had the opportunity to
meet Kyle, one of NASCAR's greatest racers, on the campaign trail in 2024. Usha
and I are praying for him and his family. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord."
Richard Childress Racing announced plans to suspend use of Busch's No. 8 Cup
Series car until his 11-year-old son, Brexton, is old enough to begin NASCAR
racing.
Gloomy, gray skies hung over the track on an unseasonably cool day in Concord,
which seemed a fitting background for the in memoriam photo of Busch on the
videoboard.
Christopher Bell was among the drivers planning to run in the NASCAR Trucks
Series race on Friday night, one that Busch had been scheduled to compete in.
Busch won last week's Trucks race at Dover --- the final win of his career ---
giving him 234 victories across NASCAR's three national series, the most of any
driver.
"It's going to be very strange to be out there without Kyle in the field," Bell
said. "It's going to take a long time before things feel back to normal."
Bell called Busch's death a "gut-wrenching feeling."
He said he spoke to Busch before the last Trucks Series race and said he seemed
"normal, like completely normal."
On Monday, Busch posted a birthday message to Brexton on Instagram, saying,
"Your mom & I are so proud who you're turning out to be!"
The father and son spent Tuesday night in Durham, North Carolina, with the
Andretti family at the opening of a go-kart facility.
"I guess it is a very stark reminder of how fragile life can be," Bell said.
O'Donnell said NASCAR never seriously considered canceling the Coca-Cola 600.
"Kyle Busch would probably be pretty (upset) if we didn't race," O'Donnell
said. "So we're going to honor his memory and make sure people know what he was
all about."
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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