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Kyle Busch looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 21, 2026, in Darlington, South Carolina.
The NASCAR world mourning the loss of Kyle Busch as new details emerged Thursday night surrounding the events leading up to the two-time Cup Series champion’s death.
According to a report from The Associated Press, Busch became unresponsive while testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday before being transported to a Charlotte-area hospital.
The Associated Press is reporting that Kyle Busch became unresponsive while testing in the Chevy simulator on Wednesday.
Source: t.co/kkS27EKSQd
The AP reported that multiple people familiar with the situation spoke on the condition of anonymity because details surrounding Busch’s condition had not been publicly disclosed by either his family or team.
Earlier Thursday, NASCAR confirmed Busch’s death at the age of 41 following what the sanctioning body described as a “severe illness.”
New Details Emerge About Simulator Session
The Associated Press reported Busch was participating in a test session inside Chevrolet’s simulator facility when the incident occurred.
The simulator, located in Concord near many NASCAR team headquarters, is regularly used by drivers and manufacturers to prepare for upcoming races and gather data before major race weekends.
Busch had remained active throughout the 2026 NASCAR season, competing in is 22nd year as a full-time Cup driver.
NASCAR Community Left Stunned
Thursday evening, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing released a joint statement announcing Busch had died at the age of 41.
The news immediately sent shockwaves throughout motorsports.
Busch is widely regarded as one of the most talented and polarizing drivers in NASCAR history. Over the course of his career, he became a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion while compiling more than 60 Cup Series victories.
He also built a reputation as one of the fiercest competitors the sport has ever seen, becoming the all-time wins leader in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one of the most successful Truck Series drivers ever.
Maggie MacKenzie Maggie MacKenzie covers NASCAR for Heavy.com. She previously worked for NASCAR.com, where she reported, wrote, and edited race-weekend coverage and traveled to key events throughout the season. She has more than ten years of experience in sports media and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. More about Maggie MacKenzie