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'Down to earth': Kyle Busch left impact on Tulsa race fans

Kyle Busch dies at 41.PNG
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TULSA, Okla. — Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series, has died at 41.

Busch raced in the Tulsa Shootout this past year and attended the Chili Bowl at the SageNet Center at Expo Square.

Bryan Hulbert, publicist with the Chili Bowl and Tulsa Shootout, said Busch was very fan-oriented and would stop and shake hands with fans and sign autographs. "You know, he understood that there, he's having fun, and it showed in how he interacted with the fans and the officials, and you know, he was very down-to-earth, and just one of the guys when he walked into that building," Hulbert said in a Zoom.

"We lost a great driver, a great ambassador to sport, and a family lost a great dad. And that's really the tragedy in this." Hulbert said.

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Kyle Busch is introduced during the NASCAR All-Star auto race at Dover Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Dover, Del.

The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement:
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement said. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled, and he cared deeply about the sport and fans."


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