May 21 (Reuters) - Two-times NASCAR Cup Serieschampion Kyle Busch has died at the age of 41, NASCAR said on Thursday.
News of his death came just hours after Busch's family released a statement saying he had been hospitalized with a severe illness and would not compete in this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
"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 said on social media.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community."
Richard Childress Racing had announced that Austin Hill, who drives the No. 21 for RCR in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, will take Busch's place in the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend.
The 41-year-old Las Vegas native ranked 24th in the Cup Series standings, with a pair of top-10 finishes in 12 races this season. He won championships in 2015 and 2019.
His last win in 2023 was his first with RCR.
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes and Janina Nuno RiosEditing by Christian Radnedge)
