CBC Sports49%
911 audio reveals NASCAR's Kyle Busch was short of breath, coughing up blood day before death 39%
By Steve Reed0%
5/22/2026, 3:47:45 PM
Keywords: Death, Severe Illness, Nascar, Richard Childress Racing, Brexton Busch, Jd Vance, Kyle Busch, Steve Odonnell
BS Summary: This article contains 22 faulty reasoning types, including Halo Effect, Biased Writer Voice, and Ambiguity (Equivocation), with Appeal to Emotion as the most egregious example at 20.6% saturation with 185 hits. Analysis detected 1,373 faulty-reasoning hits from 898 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 44.7% and a BS Rank of 39% (13,352 of 21,887 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 61.00% of the article peer group.
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, N.C., 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.
News of Busch's death sent shockwaves across the motorsports world on one of racing's biggest weekends, which also features the Indianapolis 500.
The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes honoured Busch with a moment of silence on Thursday night prior to their conference final game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Even 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, who Busch has raced for the last four seasons, announced it plans to suspend use of Busch's No.
8 Cup Series car and will run the No. 33 instead beginning on Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600 and moving forward.
RCR said the No. 8 will now be reserved for Busch's son, Brexton, to use when he is ready begin NASCAR racing.
Brexton Busch is 11 years old but is already known for his racing exploits.
"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 fans and the NASCAR community," RCR said on X.
"No one can carry it forward to the level that he did."
Meanwhile, 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 is 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.
He finished 17th in the all-star race on Sunday.
"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 prior to the last Trucks Series race and said he seemed "normal, like completely normal."
On Monday, Busch posted a happy birthday message to his son 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, N.C., 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.
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