NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died from complications of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, “resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” his family said Saturday.
“The Family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time,” Dakota Hunter, Kyle Busch Companies vice president, added.
The two-time NASCAR champion died at 41 on Thursday, a day after passing out in a Chevrolet simulator. A 911 call made to rescue workers on Wednesday indicated that Busch complained of overheating, experienced shortness of breath and spat up blood while training for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“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.
The unidentified caller added that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex, adding that he was “awake” at the time. The speedster was subsequently rushed to a hospital in Charlotte, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sepsis is the body’s “overwhelming and life-threatening response” to an infection. It can result in tissue damage, organ failure and death. Sepsis can be triggered by any type of infection, even a minor one, and occurs when germs enter a person’s body and multiply, causing illness and damage to organs and tissues.
Earlier this month, Busch radioed his team as he was nearing the end of a NASCAR Cup Series race at New York’s Watkins Glen asking for medical attention. He’d been suffering with a sinus cold exacerbated by the course’s intense G-forces and elevation changes, according to the TV broadcast of the race. He told his crew members he needed a “shot” at the end of the race on May 10.
Austin Hill will replace Busch and drive the No. 33 car at the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, which will include 39 racers, all of who will be wearing a small black No. 8 decal to honor Busch.
Busch won 234 races across NASCAR’s top three series over his two-decade career, more than any driver in history. His number will be temporarily retired until his son is old enough to race.
With News Wire Services
