Stewart Criticizes Post-Death Praise
Tony Stewart Slams Misguided Community Reaction to Kyle Busch's Passing, Urges Deeper Understanding
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Reports also gave more specific medical details about Kyle Busch’s final illness: he died from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), stemming from complications of severe bacterial pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
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Busch’s death was described as coming suddenly even by NASCAR standards: he died May 21 at age 41, less than a week after winning the Ecosave 200 at Dover Motor Speedway.
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Stewart’s online tribute included detailed character assessments and specific family references, writing that Busch “was a fierce competitor” and “didn’t mince words,” and later naming those he said he was thinking of—his wife Samantha, children Brexton and Lennix, parents Tom and Gaye, and brother Kurt—while adding, “Even the haters will miss Kyle.”
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In his NHRA-related remarks, Stewart didn’t just criticize people for waiting to learn Busch’s character—he also used unusually direct language, saying that people who waited until after his death were “the a--holes for not taking the time to learn him and accept him for who he was back then.”
Tony Stewart lit into the NASCAR community on June 13, calling fans who suddenly praised Kyle Busch after his death "the a--holes for not taking the time to learn him and accept him for who he was back then," according to Sportskeeda. Stewart made the remarks ahead of the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, weeks after Busch died on May 21 at age 41 from complications of severe bacterial pneumonia.
Busch's death came with shocking speed. He won the Ecosave 200 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15. Just six days later, he was gone. His official cause of death was hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation — a dangerous clotting disorder — triggered by sepsis, according to The Charlotte Observer.
Stewart's Anger Over Fans Who Praised Busch Too Late
Stewart's frustration was pointed and personal. He said sports culture turns athletes into caricatures. Fans judged Busch only by what they saw on TV — the aggressive driving, the blunt words, the "Rowdy" persona — and never bothered to look deeper. "You want to wait till the guy dies, and now all of a sudden you care about who he was as a person? That's the part that pisses me off," Stewart said, per Sportskeeda.
Stewart was not blaming NASCAR as an organization. He was calling out a broader pattern. He argued that the shift from booing Busch to praising him after death was hollow. In his view, the people who never made the effort to know Busch while he was alive had no right to claim grief now, according to The Spun.
Busch's Final Days: A Racing Win, Then a Rapid Collapse
Busch had been battling what seemed like a sinus infection and early-stage bacterial pneumonia for days before his final collapse. On May 20, he was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor at the GM Charlotte Technical Center, coughing up blood. He was rushed to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, according to The Charlotte Observer. He did not survive.
The sepsis triggered DIC — a condition where blood clots abnormally throughout the body's vessels. That led to massive internal bleeding and hemorrhagic shock. Sepsis kills at least 350,000 adults in the U.S. every year, according to Conway Medical Center. Busch's final decline came within roughly 24 hours.
Stewart's Tribute Was Personal, Detailed, and Pointed
The day after Busch died, Stewart posted a tribute on social media calling him "a fierce competitor" who "didn't mince words." Stewart named Busch's wife Samantha, children Brexton and Lennix, parents Tom and Gaye, and brother Kurt, per Heavy Sports. He closed with a line that cut both ways: "Even the haters will miss Kyle."
Stewart and Busch were teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008. They clashed early but built a deep mutual respect. Both were known for being fierce, stubborn, and direct — qualities Stewart now says the public should have appreciated while Busch was alive, according to Sportskeeda.
NASCAR Faces Questions About How It Treats Its 'Villains'
NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell gave a formal tribute at the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, saying, "Kyle Busch is NASCAR. He was one of a kind, and there will never be another," per Sportskeeda. The polished corporate tribute stood in sharp contrast to Stewart's raw, profanity-laced critique delivered weeks later.
Stewart's comments have split the motorsports world. Some fans feel called out. Others agree that the "Rowdy" persona was a shield the public never cared to see past. Fox News framed Stewart's remarks as a "tone-deaf rant," but The Spun and others noted his core point — that sports culture humanizes athletes only after tragedy — is harder to dismiss.
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