On Thursday, we brought you the sad news of the sudden death of NASCAR legend Kyle Busch at age 41, the cause of which was not disclosed at the time the story broke. On Saturday afternoon, his family released a statement shedding more light on the athlete's cause of death:
NASCAR star Kyle Busch's family released a statement saying, "The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis” was the cause of the 41-year-old's sudden death.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 23, 2026
Two weeks ago, while competing in a Cup race at Watkins… pic.twitter.com/gZs3rP52jg
The post reads:
NASCAR star Kyle Busch's family released a statement saying, "The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis” was the cause of the 41-year-old's sudden death.
Two weeks ago, while competing in a Cup race at Watkins Glen, Busch was heard on radio telling his team to have a doctor waiting for him when the race ended. The TV broadcast said Busch had been dealing with a sinus cold.
Here's more from AP and CBS News' reporting:
NASCAR star Kyle Busch died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, according to a statement released Saturday by his family.
"The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," according to the statement from the Busch family.
Busch, who won more races in NASCAR's top three series than anyone in history, died suddenly on Thursday after passing out a day earlier in a driving simulator at General Motors facility in Concord, North Carolina.
Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the body has an extreme response to an infection, causing damage to tissues and organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
My colleague Sister Toldjah wrote Thursday about the family's previous statement on his condition at the time:
...[E]arlier in the day, the Busch family shared news on X that "Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization. He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation.
Toldjah also noted this NBC Sports report "that he had been sick at a race he took part in ten days ago":
During a Cup Series race on May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed in to his crew requesting medical aid from Dr. Bill Heisel and a “shot” after the race. According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the Upstate New York road course.
Busch continued to race and finished eighth.
READ MORE: NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch Passes Away at 41
Why Kyle Busch's Death Hurts So Much
This is a developing story. RedState will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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