Kyle Busch has been removed from NASCAR’s official Cup Series points standings following his death last Thursday at the age of 41.
According to reports, Busch died after developing sepsis following a bout with bacterial pneumonia. His death certificate stated he had been suffering from pneumonia for “days to weeks” before the infection became septic and caused blood clots to form in his bloodstream.
NASCAR confirmed Busch’s name no longer appears in the official standings posted on its website. Fox Sports reported the decision was made after discussions between NASCAR and Busch’s team, Richard Childress Racing, with officials citing sensitivity toward fans, family members and others impacted by his death.
Before last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600, Busch ranked 23rd in the Cup Series standings with 217 points through 12 races. He had recently shown signs of improvement after a difficult start to the season, posting top-10 finishes at Talladega and Watkins Glen.
Busch leaves behind one of the most decorated careers in NASCAR history. Across NASCAR’s three national touring series, he accumulated 234 victories, the most all-time. He remains the winningest driver in both the Truck Series and the former O’Reilly Series.
In the Cup Series, Busch’s 63 victories rank ninth all-time.
His final NASCAR victory came earlier this month at Dover in a Truck Series race. His most recent Cup Series wins came during the 2023 season, when he captured three victories in his first year driving for Richard Childress Racing.
As RCR struggled competitively in recent seasons, Busch’s results declined. Over his final 84 Cup Series starts, he recorded eight top-five finishes after collecting 246 top-five finishes during the first portion of his career.
Busch’s aggressive driving style, fiery personality and long list of accomplishments made him one of the sport’s most recognizable and polarizing figures over more than two decades in NASCAR.
Source: Yahoo! Sports