What Mississippi's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said about Kyle Busch’s death

NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has a heartfelt message for the family of longtime rival Kyle Busch.

Busch, a racing legend, died at 41 on Thursday, May 21. Earlier in the week, he was hospitalized with what his family called a "severe illness."

"There aren’t really words for today. I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it," Stenhouse, a Mississippi native, posted on X.

What was Kyle Busch's cause of death?

Kyle Busch's cause of death hasn't been released.

The racing star was hospitalized this week with a "severe illness." He was preparing to race in the Coca-Cola 600, which is on Sunday, May 24.

Earlier this month, he was heard on team radio at Watkins Glen talking with the team doctor and was battling a sinus cold.

The Associated Press reported that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte.

Kyle Busch leaves behind a wife, 2 children

Stenhouse said he can't stop thinking about Busch's family - wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix.

Tributes for Busch pour in

NASCAR drivers, teams and fans are honoring Busch all across social media.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch," Busch's family, NASCAR and RCR said in a joint statement. "A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’"

"Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you," Stenhouse said.

There aren’t really words for today. I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it.

But more than the wins and the records,… https://t.co/hLS9vioUyN— Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (@StenhouseJr) May 21, 2026

Who will replace Kyle Busch at the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600?

Busch was getting ready for the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 this weekend before his sudden death.

Richard Childress Racing is calling up Austin Hill, Busch's backup from the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. The Charlotte event is a Cup Series race.

Contributing: Andrés Soto

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has heartfelt message for family of Kyle Busch