SouthernWorldwide.com – Former NASCAR star Danica Patrick has expressed her profound shock and sadness following the unexpected death of Kyle Busch, a sentiment shared by many within the sports world.
Busch, a celebrated figure in NASCAR, passed away at the age of 41 on Thursday. Patrick shared that the suddenness of his demise has been difficult to process.
“I think that we’re all just shocked. We’re sad,” Patrick stated during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.” She elaborated, “You know, it’s just something that no one expected. When I first heard something was wrong, I thought he was driving something, but it was something completely different.”
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Patrick described Busch’s passing as a “devastating loss” not only for his immediate family but also for the broader NASCAR and racing community.
“It’s just a devastating loss for Samantha and Brexton and Lennox and Kurt and his parents and the whole family and for the NASCAR and racing community,” Patrick conveyed. She further emphasized his significance, stating, “Cause love him or hate him, Kyle Busch was a figure, he was a polarizing figure and he was an incredible driver that will go down as being one of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever. That’s a loss in another way, too.”
Patrick paid considerable tribute to Busch’s exceptional driving abilities. His career was marked by numerous achievements, including two NASCAR Cup Series championships and holding the record for the most wins across NASCAR’s national touring series.
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Busch’s name is etched in the record books as the all-time leader in wins for both the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with an impressive 102 victories, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he secured 69 wins. His remarkable streak of winning at least one race in 19 consecutive seasons also stands as a record.
Reflecting on what makes a great driver, Patrick pointed to Busch as an exemplary model. She explained the intense focus required on the track, describing it as an “altered state of focus.”
“I get asked, like, ‘What does it take to be a great driver?’ And many times I’ve referred to this scenario and Kyle Busch has always been in my mind as the driver that does this the best. But when a driver is out there on track, this is like almost like an altered state of focus,” Patrick shared.
“The drivers that could access that next level of like, go mode were able to be the best drivers. And I always in my mind was thinking about him, but he’s he was so able to get to that next level so often. He was just incredibly fast and incredibly passionate and always wanted to be the best.”
Patrick herself competed in NASCAR’s premier series from 2012 to 2018. During her tenure, she achieved seven top-10 finishes and secured one pole position across 191 races.
