Kurt Busch opens up on brother's passing in new TODAY Show interview

NASCAR legend Kurt Busch spoke candidly on Friday's TODAY Show about the death of his brother, Kyle Busch. The 41-year-old NASCAR Cup Series star lost his brother to sepsis in the middle of the 2026 racing season, just days after winning a Truck race at Dover. Kyle was rushed to the hospital after experiencing a medical emergency at the GM Technical Center. The incident left Kurt and the rest of their family in shock and grief.

Kurt remembers spending the day at the hospital, praying for his brother's recovery, with his father Tom by his side. Kurt's father wanted to remember Kyle as he had wanted to be remembered. When Kurt went into the hospital room to say his final words to Kyle, he expressed his unwavering support and encouragement. "I said, ‘I got you man. Come on. I got you. I got you, Come on. Be strong," Kurt recalled.

The NASCAR legend shared that the on-track connection he and Kyle shared was unparalleled, as they were "carbon copies" of each other. "I just miss the on-track camaraderie. We could speak on track without saying a word... I miss the words that we never spoke to each other and the vibe that we had on track," Kurt expressed.

The loss of his brother has made Kurt even more appreciative of the grueling NASCAR Cup schedule, which consists of 38 weeks of racing and 36 points-paying events. Kurt himself had to retire abruptly after suffering a concussion in a 2022 qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway. His career began on a high note, as he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this year, thanks to the induction speech given by his brother Kyle.