Ex-NASCAR star Danica Patrick reacts to Kyle Busch's tragic death: 'A devastating loss'

Danica Patrick takes us through what made Kyle Busch such an incredible and inspirational driver

Ex-NASCAR star Danica Patrick is like much of the sports world, in shock at Kyle Busch’s unexpected death.

Busch died at age 41 on Thursday, and Patrick said the suddenness of his death still hasn't fully sunk in.

"I think that we're all just shocked. We're sad," Patrick said during an appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" on Friday. "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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(Left) Sky Sports anchor Danica Patrick stands on the starting grid before the Montreal Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, on June 19, 2022. (Right) Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch (8) is introduced before the start of the 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 3, 2026. (David Kirouac/Imagn Images;Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

Patrick called Busch’s death devastating for his family and the NASCAR 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 said.

"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 heaped praise on Busch’s driving skills. He was a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the winningest driver in NASCAR national touring series history.

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