Kyle Busch, one of the biggest names in recent NASCAR history, died Thursday at the age of 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness.
The news was confirmed in a joint statement from the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR. A specific cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.
In pro wrestling, Busch is remembered for a brief WWE appearance in 2019, when he won the WWE 24/7 Championship during Monday Night RAW in Nashville. With Michael Waltrip serving as the special referee, Busch surprised R-Truth with a pinfall to capture the title.
The title reign did not last long. Later that same night, R-Truth won the championship back by catching Busch off guard backstage during a photo shoot with the belt.
In NASCAR, Busch was a Cup Series champion in 2015 and 2019, and he racked up 234 wins across the sport’s three national series. He was also the brother of Kurt Busch, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Busch had been scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After his hospitalization, Austin Hill had been announced as his replacement in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 8 car.