Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals Heartbreaking Final Text From Kyle Busch

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he was texting with Kyle Busch just one day before Busch’s sudden death, a final exchange that now reads like a gut punch for the racing world.

Busch, 41, was hospitalized last week after he became unresponsive while test-driving in a race simulator near Charlotte, North Carolina. He died last Thursday after what reports later described as a severe medical crisis that included pneumonia and sepsis. An official cause of death has not been announced in the initial family statement, though later reports cited details from a death certificate.

Earnhardt said their last messages were about racing, specifically a planned shop visit tied to the CARS Tour and a seat fitting for Busch’s late model.

“I was texting with him the day before he passed away about getting together this Thursday to bring his seat for his late model over to my shop,” Earnhardt said.

Then came the part that hit Earnhardt hardest. Busch, still thinking ahead, wanted to talk about the look of the car and the number. Earnhardt said Busch asked: “What scheme we going to run?” Earnhardt replied that Busch could choose whatever he wanted. Earnhardt then asked: “What number do you want to run?”

After NASCAR’s Kyle Busch died suddenly due to a severe illness, his longtime colleague and friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflected on their final text conversation and coping with the loss. https://t.co/tSN4M1fMcH pic.twitter.com/cNApVJf0Sf

— E! News (@enews) May 27, 2026

Busch’s answer carried extra meaning in Earnhardt’s orbit: “The Dale Jr. 8.”

Earnhardt said he didn’t hesitate. “You got it.”

The request was loaded for Earnhardt, who built much of his early Cup Series identity in the No. 8 car and racked up 17 Cup wins with it between 1999 and 2007. Busch never got the chance to run it.

RELATED: Chilling 911 Call Reveals Kyle Busch’s Symptoms, Final Moments Before Tragic Death

Reports following Busch’s death said he had been dealing with illness in the days leading up to the hospitalization. A death certificate obtained by media outlets said Busch battled bacterial pneumonia that rapidly progressed into sepsis. The document said Busch had sepsis for roughly a day before a rapid formation of blood clots led to fatal hemorrhaging and blood loss.

RELATED: Kyle Busch Battled Weeks-Long Illness Before He Died, Death Certificate Reveals

Busch was cremated in Mooresville, North Carolina, according to the same document.

Broadcast audio from a May 10 race also showed Busch asking his team to help him get medical attention after the event, telling them he needed a doctor and “a shot.” The broadcast said he had been struggling with what was described as a sinus cold.

Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children. Earnhardt’s account of the final text exchange underscored how quickly things turned, from planning the next race week to mourning a two-time Cup champion gone at 41.

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