911 Audio Reveals Busch's Fatal Crisis

Kyle Busch died Thursday at age 41 after suffering a medical emergency a day earlier at General Motors' Charlotte Technical Center in Concord, North Carolina, according to NASCAR and newly released 911 audio. The call, obtained by NBC News and local outlet WCNC, captured a caller reporting that a man was short of breath, very hot and coughing up blood while lying on a bathroom floor. NASCAR said Busch had been hospitalized with a severe illness before his death was announced. On Saturday, Busch's family said a medical evaluation concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, causing rapid complications. ### What does the 911 call say happened inside the Concord facility? A caller told dispatchers around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday that he had "an individual that's, uh, shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out and is producing a little bit of blood — coughing up some blood," according to audio reported by NBC News. The caller said the man was awake and "on the bathroom floor right now" at the GM Charlotte Technical Center in Concord. WCNC reported that the call was released by the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office Communications Division with the names of both the caller and the patient redacted. The caller also asked that medics arrive without sirens and use a discreet entrance, the station said. ### How was Busch linked to that emergency? NBC News reported that NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell confirmed Busch had been using the Chevrolet racing simulator when he got sick. O'Donnell told NBC News there was no evidence at this stage linking Busch's death to racing activity or the simulator session itself. The Associated Press, as cited by WCNC, had previously reported that Busch was found unresponsive in a driving simulator. The 911 call itself does not name Busch, but the timing and location match the reports about his medical emergency in Concord on Wednesday. ### What has Busch's family said about the cause of death? Busch's family said Saturday that "the medical evaluation provided to the Busch family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," according to NASCAR.com. The family asked for privacy and said further understanding was appreciated during a difficult period. NASCAR, Richard Childress Racing and the Busch family said in a joint statement on Thursday that they were "devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch." NASCAR.com said Busch was in his 22nd full-time season in the Cup Series and had won championships in 2015 and 2019. ### What was Busch doing before he fell ill? Concord, North Carolina, was part of Busch's preparations for race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NBC News reported he was using the Chevrolet racing simulator before the medical episode. NASCAR.com said Busch was driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the later stage of his career. The team had said earlier Thursday that Busch had been hospitalized with a severe illness before the death announcement later that day. ### What is known about Busch's final days on track? Watkins Glen, New York, was the site of a Cup Series race 11 days before Busch's death where he radioed to his crew asking for a doctor to give him a "shot" after the race, NBC News reported. The outlet said the television broadcast described Busch as dealing with a sinus cold aggravated by the track's G-forces and elevation changes. Five days later, Busch won a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Dover, according to NBC News. In what the outlet described as his final post-race interview, Busch said: "You take whatever you can get, man. You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all — trust me." ### What happens next? Saturday's family statement provided the first public medical explanation for Busch's death, identifying severe pneumonia and sepsis as the cause of the fatal complications. NASCAR said in its earlier joint statement that further updates would be shared as appropriate. Charlotte Motor Speedway remains the immediate backdrop for the next public response from NASCAR, Richard Childress Racing and Busch's family. Any additional records requests or statements about the Concord emergency are likely to come through Cabarrus County officials, NASCAR or the family.