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Former NASCAR star Danica Patrick is, like much of the sports world, shocked by the unexpected death of Kyle Busch.
Busch died at age 41 on Thursday, and Patrick said the suddenness of his death still hasn’t fully sunk in.
“I think we’re all shocked. We’re sad,” Patrick said during an appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” on Friday. “You know, it’s something no one expected. When I first heard something was wrong, I thought I was driving something, but it was something completely different.”
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(Left) Pak Gazette host Danica Patrick stands on the starting grid before the Montreal Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, on June 19, 2022. (Right) Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch (8) is introduced before the start of the 2026 Wurth Cup 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 3, 2026. (David Kirouac/Imagn Images; Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
Patrick called Busch’s death devastating for his family and the NASCAR community.
“It’s just a devastating loss for Samantha, Brexton, Lennox, Kurt, their parents, the entire family and for NASCAR and the racing community,” Patrick said.
“Because love him or hate him, Kyle Busch was a figure, he was a polarizing figure and he was an incredible driver who will go down in history as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time. That’s a loss in another sense, too.”
Patrick praised Busch’s driving skills. He was a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the winningest driver in NASCAR national series history.
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Danica Patrick appears on the Pak Gazette set before the qualifying session of the MSC Cruises Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on October 18, 2025. (Ken Murray/Sportswire Icon)
Busch holds the all-time record for wins in both the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (69). He also had a win in 19 consecutive seasons, the most of all time.
Patrick said Busch was able to reach the next level by racing so frequently.
“They ask me, ‘What does it take to be a great driver?’ And I have referred to this scenario many times and Kyle Busch has always been in my mind as the driver who does it best. But when a driver is on the track, it’s almost like an altered state of concentration,” 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 drivers who were able to get to the next level of go mode were able to be the best drivers. And I was always thinking about him in my mind, but he was able 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 premier series from 2012 to 2018. He recorded seven top-10 finishes and one pole in 191 races.
