Danica Patrick reacts to Kyle Busch’s death: ‘It hasn’t even hit’
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Former NASCAR star Danica Patrick, like much of the sports world, is in shock over the unexpected death of Kyle Busch.
Busch died Thursday at the age of 41, and Patrick said the suddenness of his death is still not fully understood.
“I think we’re all in shock. We’re sorry,” Patrick said. OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” on Friday. “You know, this was something no one expected. When I first heard something was wrong, I thought he was using something, but it was something completely different.”
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(Left) Sky Sports announcer Danica Patrick stands at the starting line ahead of the Montreal Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 19, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec. (Right) Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch (8) is introduced prior to the start of the 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 3, 2026. (David Kirouac/Imagn Images;Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
Patrick said Busch’s death was devastating for his family and the NASCAR community.
“This is a devastating loss for Samantha, Brexton, Lennox, Kurt, his parents and the entire family, as well as for NASCAR and the racing community,” Patrick said.
“Because love him or hate him, Kyle Busch was a figure, a polarizing figure, an incredible driver who will go down as one of the best NASCAR drivers ever. This is a loss in another way.”
Patrick praised Busch’s driving skills. He was a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the winningest driver in the history of the NASCAR national touring series.
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Danica Patrick appears on the set of Sky Sports ahead of the qualifying session for the Circuit of The Americas Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on October 18, 2025. (Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire)
Busch holds the all-time wins record in both the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (69). He also has the most wins of all time in 19 consecutive seasons.
Patrick said Busch was able to get to the next level while racing so often.
“I get asked the question: ‘What does it take to be a great driver?’ I’ve touched on this scenario many times, and Kyle Busch was always top of mind as the driver who did it best. But when a driver is on track, it’s almost like a change of focus,” Patrick said.
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Kyle Busch celebrates in victory lane, holding a replica WWE world championship belt, after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 7, 2009. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR)
“The riders who could get to the next like, go mode could become the best riders. I was thinking about him all the time, but he managed to get to the next level so often. He was incredibly fast and incredibly passionate and always wanted to be the best.”
Patrick raced in NASCAR’s top series from 2012 to 2018. He had seven top-10 finishes and one pole position in 191 races.
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