Two days after Kyle Busch’s death, the Indy 500 remembered the NASCAR champion during lap 18—while fellow racers marked him in their own ways, including a No. 18 car tribute.
When the drivers streamed through turn four on lap 18, the moment wasn’t about racing lines—it was about remembrance.
At the Indy 500 on Sunday. May 24. an announcer said. “As the drivers exit turn four … on lap 18. we remember Kyle Busch. ” as the tribute was displayed on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s scoring pylon. INDYCAR on FOX also shared the scene on its official X account. captioning the post. “A tribute to Kyle Busch on Lap 18 of the Indy 500.”.
The honor didn’t stop with the broadcast. On Sunday as well, driver Romain Grosjean paid tribute to Busch while driving a No. 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing. The vehicle featured the same font Busch used when driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR.
Those tributes arrived just days after the racing world was shaken by Busch’s sudden collapse. On Wednesday. May 20. Kyle Busch reportedly “became unresponsive” while testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. North Carolina. The next day, news broke that he had been hospitalized.
In a statement shared on Thursday, May 21, the Busch family said, “Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization. He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation.”.
Hours before his death, a 911 call obtained by TMZ described the emergency at a training facility in North Carolina. The caller said Busch was experiencing shortness of breath and heat. feared he would pass out. and was coughing up blood. The caller added that Busch was still “awake” and conscious, and said, “He’s on the bathroom floor right now.”.
NASCAR confirmed on Thursday that Busch died at age 41. He was survived by his wife, Samantha Busch, and their two children. In a statement shared on X. NASCAR said. “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. We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”.
On Saturday, May 23, a representative for the family confirmed to NBC News that Busch died of pneumonia that progressed “into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.”
Busch’s last race came just days earlier: the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 17 at Dover International Speedway, where he finished in 17th place. After that race, he told reporters, “You never know when the last one is.”
He was scheduled to race at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, but he pulled out due to his hospitalization.
Kyle Busch Indy 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway IndyCar Romain Grosjean Dale Coyne Racing Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Samantha Busch pneumonia sepsis May 24 May 21 May 20