Official Kyle Busch Cause of Death Announced Before Coca-Cola 600

Star NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte before he died hours later.

He experienced shortness of breath, felt he was overheating and was coughing up blood the day before his death, according to a 911 call.

In a statement released jointly by the Busch family and NASCAR, Busch suffered from a "severe illness" before his death, but no official cause of death was announced until Saturday morning.

Kyle Busch's Cause of Death Revealed

On Saturday morning the Busch family announced the driver died at 41 years old from severe pneumonia that progress into sepsis.

"The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass wrote from the Busch family statement.

Statement from Kyle Busch family on what caused his death: "The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications." @NASCARONFOX

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 23, 2026

What Is Sepsis?

Sepsis is a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection. The infection-fighting processes turn on the body, causing the organs to work poorly, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Sepsis may progress to septic shock, which is a dramatic drop in blood pressure that can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs. When the damage is severe, it can lead to death.

Any type of infection can lead to sepsis, per the Mayo Clinic, but those that more commonly cause sepsis include:

• Lungs, such as pneumonia.
• Kidney, bladder and other parts of the urinary system.
• Digestive system.
• Bloodstream.
• Catheter sites.
• Wounds or burns.

Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is about 30% to 40%.

Related: Kyle Busch News: NASCAR Makes Decision on Coca-Cola 600

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 8:37 AM.