OAN Staff Lillian Mann
2:46 PM – Friday, May 22, 2026
Newly released 911 audio reveals that NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was coughing up blood when emergency responders were called to a General Motors facility in Concord, North Carolina, just one day before his tragic death.
In the call, an unidentified man tells a dispatcher that Busch was on the bathroom floor, coughing up blood and short of breath on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’ve got an individual that’s (experiencing) shortness of breath, very hot and thinks he’s going to pass out and he’s producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller told the dispatcher in the audio.
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The caller also confirmed that Busch was still conscious at the time, repeatedly telling the dispatcher, “he is awake. He’s awake. He’s awake.”
The driver had used the testing facility extensively since joining Richard Childress Racing. According to reports, Busch had become unresponsive while testing a Chevrolet racing simulator inside the complex just moments before making it to the bathroom floor where employees waited for paramedics to arrive.
The medical emergency follows weeks of apparent physical struggles for the two-time Cup Series champion. Following a race at Watkins Glen earlier this month, Busch urgently radioed his team to have a track doctor meet him, noting he was battling a severe sinus cold and stating, “I’m gonna need a shot.”
Following Wednesday’s simulator incident, the legendary driver was transported to a hospital in Charlotte. The following morning, his family revealed on social media he would not compete in the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
By Thursday evening, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing announced his shocking and tragic death at 41 years old. No official cause of death has been released.
“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,” the joint statement said.
“His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’”
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