Kyle Busch's rival Brad Keselowski recalls final encounter days before NASCAR star's death at 41
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died aged 41 last Thursday (21 May), and his long-time rival, Brad Keselowski, has now recalled their final encounter just days before his death.
NASCAR confirmed Busch's death with an official joint statement made alongside the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing on Thursday, which read: "We are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch."
The grieving family added that his death followed a 'severe illness'.
It’s since been confirmed that the motorsports star’s cause of death was severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
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The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, who has been dubbed a 'generational talent' and 'one of the sport’s greatest drivers', leaves behind his wife, Samantha, and the couple’s children, Brexton, 11, and Lennix, four.
Four days after Busch's passing, 42-year-old Keselowski opened up to PEOPLE about his final encounter with the beloved driver, which took place on a plane to Dover last week.
"Kyle is normally a fairly gregarious person, very outgoing—and he wasn’t. He sat down one row behind me and next to me and fell asleep right away, and I could tell he wasn't feeling well,” Keselowski said.
He added that, at the time, he 'didn't really think that much of it, to be honest'.
"And that was pretty much the last time I saw him. We were in a race, and you get in a race, and you don't really see each other," he continued. "So I saw him on the racetrack."
Keselowski revealed he was going to miss the 'rivalry' he had with Busch, sharing with the outlet: "I guess I had visions before his death of... actually, I thought about this multiple times: What's it going to be like when we're both in the Hall of Fame, and we're doing some kind of ceremony together, whatever that might be? Will the hatchet be buried? I think so.
"And will we actually be able to share a laugh about it? I guess in my mind, I hope so and now obviously not."
"The hard part is the closure was supposed to be when we were retired and when we were done racing together, and I don't think that's just for me, by the way," he added. "I think that's for a lot of people. And to not get that is tough.
"The loss of Kyle Busch is much greater than how it affects me, and so I don't wish to belittle that."
Delving into their on-track rivalry, Keselowski went on: "For whatever reason, Kyle and I had built into a relationship where, although there's 30-some other drivers on the racetrack, I valued meeting him more than anyone else.
"Fifth place day and race is generally a good day. It's not a great day, but it's a good day. With a fifth-place day, where Kyle Busch finished fourth didn't feel like a good day. And conversely, a 10th-place day where I beat Kyle Busch felt like a better day.
"That's what a rivalry is at its core and that's how I felt about it."
He resolved: "What I'm going to miss the most about Kyle is the rivalry."
"It's the middle of the season head-on one-on-ones that we had at different racetracks, and knowing he was the guy to beat and I was the guy to beat him," Keselowski concluded. "And him knowing that, and kind of having that rivalry where we didn't talk to each other."
"And when we were in settings together, we stood on opposite ends of the room. In the moment, that didn't feel all that pleasant, but it sure beats the reality of today."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Rhiannon Ingle