The racing world continues to pay tribute to NASCAR legend Kyle Busch after his shocking and untimely death.
“A silent garage pays its respect as the No. 33 @RCRracing Chevrolet unloads at @CLTMotorSpdway,” the official NASCAR social media account wrote via X on Saturday, May 23, alongside a video showing the late driver’s team unloading his car at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The blue, white and red Chevrolet adorned with the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen logo was unloaded in complete silence in honor of the driver, who died on Thursday, May 21, at the age of 41. The car’s number was changed from No. 8 to No. 33, though a small No. 8 decal was seen on the door of the vehicle.
On Friday, May 22, NASCAR announced that the RCR team “opted to shelf the No. 8″ that Busch last drove, switching to the car No. 33 for the foreseeable future. The team indicated it will reserve the No. 8 for Busch’s son, Brexton, “when he is ready.”
NASCAR announced the two-time Cup Champion’s death on Thursday, hours after his family confirmed he had been hospitalized for a “serious illness.” He was 41.
“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” the organization said in a statement shared via X. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”
The racer is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children: 11-year-old Brexton and their 4-year-old daughter, Lennix.
On Saturday, May 23, a rep for the Busch family confirmed to NBC News that the late athlete died of pneumonia that progressed “into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.”
The final weeks of the racer’s life was marred by several health issues, even as Busch attempted to maintain his demanding NASCAR Cup Series schedule. During a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen in New York on May 10, Busch requested a doctor to come to his bus after he finished the race via his racecar radio audio.
“He’s the kindred doctor guy,” the racer was heard saying. “Tell him I need him after the race, please.”
Busch also notified his crew that he was going to “need a shot,” though he did manage to finish the race in eighth place. At the time, FOX’s commentary team told viewers that Busch was “suffering from a sinus cold,” exacerbated by the G-force the racer endured during the race itself.
On Thursday, his family stunned NASCAR fans when they announced that Busch was pulling out of his racing responsibilities as a result of his health issues. The late racer had not missed a race since 2015, when he skipped the first 11 races of the season after he suffered a compound leg fracture and broken foot.
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