Kyle Busch's NASCAR Rival Recalls Emotional Final Encounter Before His Tragic Death From 'Pneumonia and Sepsis' — And the Heartbreaking Sign He 'Wasn't Well'
Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski had a fierce rivalry on the race track.
May 26 2026, Updated 11:39 a.m. ET
Kyle Busch's racing rival seemed ready to bury the hatchet of their feud when the two met for what would ultimately be the last time earlier this month, RadarOnline.com can report.
Busch died at age 41 on Thursday, May 21, from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
'I Could Tell He Wasn't Feeling Well'
Kyle Busch died suddenly last week.
Four days after the NASCAR champ died unexpectedly, his on-track nemesis, Brad Keselowski, got emotional while remembering their final encounter, as the two found themselves on the same flight.
"I was flying to Dover last week with Kyle," Keselowski told People on Monday, May 25, explaining that "it was probably more by chance than anything else."
The 42-year-old noticed right away that something seemed off with his frenemy.
"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.
The racer said he initially didn't think that much of the encounter, adding: "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. So I saw him on the racetrack."
Keselowski Was Ready to Make Peace With Busch
Brad Keselowski paid his respected to the fallen racer.
Keselowski also reminisced about his rivalry with Busch, and indicated he was looking forward to a time where they could put it behind them and bond.
"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," he said. "And will we actually be able to share a laugh about it? I guess in my mind, I hope so and now obviously not."
Respect Among Racers
Kyle Busch (18) passed Brad Keselowski in the final stage to win the Federated Auto Parts 400 in Richmond, VA on Sept. 22, 2018.
Keselowski said that although their battles on the track were fierce, he always respected his opponent – which only made him want to beat Busch even more.
"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," he explained.
"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."
Busch's Sudden Death
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Kyle Busch leaves behind a wife and two children.
As Radar reported, Busch collapsed while using a racing simulator at his team's North Carolina headquarters the day before his shocking death. He was reportedly coughing up blood when paramedics were called to the General Motors Charlotte Technical Center on May 20, where the driver was preparing for this past weekend's Coca-Cola 600.
Busch was rushed to a local hospital, and his family announced on the morning of May 21 that he had been dealing with a "severe illness" and would not be racing this weekend.
Hours later, NASCAR announced that the two-time Cup Series champion had died.
