NASCAR legend Kyle Busch leaves behind his wife, Samantha Busch, their two children and his brother Kurt Busch following his shocking death at age 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,” NASCAR announced in a statement via X on May 21, 2026. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”
The news of Kyle’s death broke mere hours after his family confirmed that the driver had developed “a severe illness resulting in hospitalization.” Kyle was supposed to race at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, but was pulled from the lineup due to his health emergency.
Kyle is survived by his wife of 15 years, their two children and a worldwide community of NASCAR fans who cheered for him throughout a 24-year NASCAR Cup Series career.
Keep scrolling for more about Kyle’s family:
Samantha Busch
Samantha is a lifestyle blogger and IVF advocate. She unexpectedly crossed paths with the NASCAR driver while working as a promotional model in 2007.
“16 years ago … the promo model agency I worked for sent me down to Indianapolis to work for Chevy getting people hyped up for the races,” she recalled via Instagram in 2023. “I was going into my senior year of college at Purdue at the time, a sorority girl and no big surprise not the sportiest of types. So I can honestly say it was my first time at a race track!”
Samantha remembered the day being “crazy hot” so she jumped at the chance when a staffer asked if she wanted a ride in one of the race cars.
“Now to tell Kyle’s side of the story he saw me from afar and asked his pr lady to ask if I wanted a ride! So needless to say I hopped in the car and the first thing I said when I saw him in his Chevy tee and ice cold car was, ‘Wow you got a way better assignment then I did,’” she recalled. “He looked at me funny assuming I knew who he was and we were off. I did most of the talking, big surprise, and then invited him to hang out with a group of us going out that night to which he declined bc he had to work. Little did I know he had a truck race. So I thought that was the end of that until Mr. Shy had someone ask me for my number.”
She went on, “Fast forward and remember Facebook had just started, texting was still pressing one button three times to get to the letter c, so social stalking wasn’t available. My friends Dad who overheard me telling her the story was actually the one who figured out that it was Kyle! Then I got super nervous so we talked on the phone for 4 months before seeing each other and going on a date and the rest is history!”
Kyle told Fox Sports in February 2010 that he proposed to Samantha under the lights at the Daytona International Speedway. They tied the knot at the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, on New Year’s Eve 2010, with highlights from the ceremony airing as a Style Network special the following year.
Their two children — daughter Lennix Key and son Brexton Locke — were born in May 2015 and May 2022, respectively.
In February 2019, the Busches revealed that they’d recently lost a child.
“Earlier this week, I suffered a miscarriage,” Samantha wrote via X. “We lost our baby girl. My heart hurts more than words can describe. I promise I will answer your questions and share more updates when we are ready, we just need some time as a family to process all of this.”
During a podcast conversation with Savannah Chrisley in June 2025, Samantha reflected on how her relationship with Kyle faced challenges after her miscarriage.
“We had a lot of marital struggles because we had never dealt with something so heavy and we didn’t understand how each other were grieving and we didn’t understand what each other needed in that time and place, so it was a struggle,” she remembered. “So we worked on it. We worked really hard. We went to marriage counseling.”
Samantha looked back on the “immense guilt” she personally felt over losing a child.
“I was so mad at myself for it,” she told Chrisley. “Kyle, on the other hand, he was like, ‘You know, I’m not trying to sound cold, but it’s done. There’s nothing that you can do to change this outcome. We have to keep moving forward.’”
“And I wanted him to still be in the trenches with me and he was moving forward and I couldn’t move forward,” Samantha went on. “So that caused a lot of animosity for us and it took us a while to just understand each other’s perspectives and where we were coming from.”
Samantha’s experience with pregnancy loss inspired her to become an IVF advocate.
Brexton Locke
In May 2015, the NASCAR driver and his wife welcomed a son, Brexton Locke Busch.
“Samantha Busch and I are happy to announce the birth of our son Brexton Locke Busch,” he disclosed via Facebook. “Born 5/18 at 9:45pm weighing 7lbs 10oz and 21 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great!
Lennix Key Busch
Three years after suffering a miscarriage, Samantha and Kyle welcomed a daughter, Lennix, on May 10, 2022. (The couple’s “rainbow baby” was born at 5:12 a.m. that day, weighing 6 lbs 1 oz 20 in.)
“We’re beyond overjoyed that God has blessed us with our beautiful girl. Our tiny little peanut has a head full of crazy hair and a big brother waiting at home who can’t wait to meet her,” Samantha shared via Instagram. “Thank you everyone who has followed our journey and prayed alongside of us. Our hearts are bursting with happiness.”
In May 2016, both of the Busch children’s birthdays occurred days before Kyle’s death.
Kurt Busch
Kyle followed in the footsteps of his older brother Kurt, who won the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in 2004. The brothers often joked about a competitive rivalry on the racetrack.
When he lost the Food City 500 to Kyle in 2019, Kurt admitted to Fox Sports One that he “really wanted to beat” his sibling.
“I was going to wreck him,” Kurt teased. “I was wanting to stay close enough so that when we took the white [flag] I was going to just drive straight into 3 and 4. I mean he’s already won. I figured he could give a little love to his brother.”
Kurt added, “I wanted that one bad. I feel like him right now. I’m all mad because I didn’t win.”
Later that year, Kurt described Kyle as “the best guy in the world to go race against” after competing with him at the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.
Kyle inducted his older brother into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, in January 2026.
Kurt was married to Eva Bryan from 2006 to 2011 and later to Ashley Van Metre from 2017 to 2022.
