The NASCAR world is mourning one of its biggest stars.

Several of Kyle Busch’s fellow drivers paid tribute after his stunning death at 41, remembering the two-time Cup Series champion as one of the defining figures of his era.

“Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen, he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with,” Hall of Fame driver Jimmie Johnson wrote on X. “NASCAR lost one of its greatest talents today, and we’ve all lost a friend.”

Denny Hamlin, who won Busch’s last race at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday, also took to social media to honor his friend.

“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news,” he wrote on X. “We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”

Even Busch’s long time rival, Dale Earnhardt Jr., had kind words for the fallen driver. 

“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years,” Earnhardt wrote on X. “But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible.

“Kyle was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. No one can deny that. But he was also a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many. My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends.”

Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better…

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 21, 2026

Kyle Larson, who came up in NASCAR as Busch was already one of the sport’s defining stars, also joined the outpouring. 

“Completely heartbroken to hear the news of Kyle’s passing,” he wrote.

“I have so many memories of great battles with him throughout my career that I’ll cherish forever. It’s hard to even put into words what he meant to me and my career, whether he knew it or not. He was the bar we all measured ourselves against. Just a pure racer to the core. As real as they come.”

Early on Thursday, Busch was abruptly pulled from the Coca-Cola 600 field with what was described as a “severe illness resulting in hospitalization.”

Hours later, NASCAR announced that Busch had died.