Kyle Busch after final win: 'You never know when your last one is'
Just days before he died at age 41, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was reflecting on the fleeting moments of victory in sports.
“It’s your 69th victory in this series, your fifth right here — why do these moments never get old, Kyle?” a Fox Sports reporter asked Busch after what would be his last win, at the 2026 Ecosave 200 at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware, on May 15.
“Because you never know when the last one is,” Busch responded.
Six days later, Busch died after being hospitalized with a “severe illness.” His exact cause of death is not yet known.
“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate,” read a joint statement from the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR.
Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children, 4-year-old Lennix and Brexton, who turned 11 on Monday.
Brexton was born into a family of drivers that included his father, uncle Kurt, and grandfather Tom, a mechanic and local racer. He began his own racing journey in 2020. Busch’s last tweet celebrated his son’s birthday.
“Happy Birthday @brextonbusch!!! Your mom & I are so proud of who you’re turning out to be! You’re the best kid on & off the track, you amaze us every day. Keep doing what you’re doing and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish! Love you buddy!”
The Bundle of Joy Fund, a foundation that Busch and his wife created in 2015 to support in-need couples seeking fertility treatments, collected thousands of dollars in donations after his death.
The Busches had been open about their own fertility struggles, and Samantha Busch published a book about her experience with infertility and the mental health challenges it brought.
The fundraising page had hundreds of donations labeled with notes like “In Memory of Kyle Busch” with donations for $18.08, $18.51, and other combinations of 5, 8 and 18, a reference to numbers on the cars Busch drove in the NASCAR Cup Series.
