“You take whatever you can get, man. You never know when the last one is going to be—so cherish them all. Trust me.” That was Kyle Busch, speaking in Victory Lane at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15 after his win. The veteran was answering why winning never gets old for him. Nobody thought twice about the answer he gave then, but six days later, these very words are echoing in a way no one could have expected.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the absolute Truck Series dominator passed away at the age of 41. And nobody, not his team, nor his family, nor millions of his fans saw this coming. And much of that shock also is from the fact that things reached here pretty abruptly.

Just hours earlier, the news came in that Busch had been hospitalized. His family came out with the statement about how he had taken a “severe illness” and that he wouldn’t be able to participate in the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Kyle has experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization,” the statement read. “He is currently undergoing treatment and will not compete in any of his scheduled activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We ask for understanding and privacy as our family navigates this situation.” But if you dig deeper, there were some minimal but sure signs that Busch was not keeping well.

On May 10, at Watkins Glen, Kyle Busch was delivering one of his season’s best performances. He was running in the top 10 competitively after a long time, but amidst all that, there was one radio exchange with his team that, in hindsight, was pretty telling.

“Can somebody try to find Bill Heisel? He’s the kindred doctor guy. Tell him I need him after the race, please.” Busch added, “I’m going to need a shot.”

The broadcaster at that time mentioned that throughout the week, Kyle Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold. Now that alone does sound manageable at some other racetrack, maybe. However, Watkins Glen is not like most places; it is one of the most difficult courses on the calendar, with all the elevation changes and the hard braking zones. Racing when you are sick for hundreds of laps can truly be a nightmare. But even then, Busch completed the race and finished eighth.

But that being said, the cause of death has not officially been released. However, what is known is that Busch was testing in Chevrolet’s racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte. Apparently, people familiar with the situation told the Associated Press the details on condition of anonymity, as neither Busch’s family nor his team had issued an official statement regarding the medical circumstances of his passing.

However, official statements are still awaited. As soon as the details are out, Lucky Dog on Track readers will receive timely updates.

Kyle Busch’s final message to his son

Just days before the NASCAR world was shaken by the news of Busch’s passing, things looked pretty normal for the Busch family. On May 18, Busch was celebrating his oldest son Brexton’s 11th birthday, and he even shared a heartfelt message on social media.

“Happy Birthday, Brexton!!!” Kyle wrote for his firstborn. “Your mom & I are so proud of who you’re turning out to be! You’re the best kid on & off the track; you amaze us every day. Keep doing what you’re doing, and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish! Love you, buddy!” Looking back now, the post feels almost difficult to read, because of how quickly things changed for the family.

This is understandably a very difficult time for Samantha Busch and her kids, Brexton and Lennix. His family and Richard Childress Racing did release a joint statement; however, not a lot was revealed in it.

“On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch […] During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate.”

As it stands at the moment, these are the only details that are revealed with relation to Kyle Busch’s unexpected passing.