Sports

No one will race the No. 8 car after Kyle Busch's tragic death ... with Richard Childress Racing announcing the digit will be suspended in his honor until his son, Brexton, is ready to join NASCAR.

The decision was shared on Friday ... with Busch's team saying it will opt to use No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend and beyond.

"Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry," RCR said minutes ago. "No one can carry it forward to the level that he did."

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away suddenly, according to an announcement from his racing team, Richard Childress Racing, and from NASCAR itself.

His "sudden and tragic passing" comes the same day his family revealed he'd been hospitalized with a "severe illness."

Kyle leaves behind an incredible legacy in the racing community. Keep reading to learn more and honor his memory.

Kyle was a Las Vegas native who was just 6 years old when he first fell in love with racing, often go-karting around his cul-de-sac.

He reportedly used crushed soda cans to create a makeshift track for himself and his brother, Kurt. Busch would even use the little tabs as targets to practice weaving in and out, according to ESPN.

Kyle's first popped on the NASCAR scene at only 16 years old ... racing for Roush Racing in a 2001 Craftsman Truck Series race, behind the wheel of a number 99 Ford.

While he finished 9th at Indianapolis Raceway Park, his debut was cut short ... thanks to a rule NASCAR implemented shortly after which banned drivers under 18 from competing in any of its touring divisions.

Once he was eligible, he went on to win Rookie of the Year twice -- in 2004 for NASCAR's Busch Series and again in 2005 for NASCAR's Cup Series.

Over the course of his 25-year career, Kyle won more NASCAR national series races than any other driver in history. He racked up 63 Cup Series wins, 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins and 69 Truck Series wins ... for a grand total of 234.

Busch also holds the records for most Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins. He's even been crowned Cup Series Champion twice -- in 2015 and 2019.

NASCAR made Kyle's GOAT status official ... naming him in their list of 75 greatest drivers. He's in good company, included alongside all-time greats and household names like Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.

This tracks, since Busch's list of accomplishments is longer than a CVS receipt. Not to mention ... he's taken home the top motorsports honor at the ESPYS twice ... having been crowned Best Driver in 2016 and 2019.

Kyle's young song, Brexton, is continuing the family tradition ... because he's a racer, himself. According to Brexton's bio, he started racing at just 5 years old, competing at the Beginner Box Stock division at Millbridge Speedway.

Just days before his death, Busch took to Instagram to wish Brexton a happy 11th birthday ... sharing sweet snaps of his son.

He wrote in the caption ... "You’re the best kid on & off the track, you amaze us every day. Keep doing what you’re doing and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish! Love you buddy!"

In addition to Brexton, Kyle is also survived by his wife Samantha and his 4-year-old daughter Lennix.

We first heard Kyle was sick when he radioed for medical help during his Cup Series race on May 10 at Watkins Glen in upstate New York, which he finished in 8th place.

And even though he was still under the weather, Busch raced again in a Truck Series race on May 15, where he won the EcoSave 200.

He was 41.

5/24/26 -- Attorney for the defendants, Morris Missry, tells TMZ ... “We have thoroughly reviewed Mr. Mayweather’s lawsuit. His claims against our clients are utterly baseless and refuted by substantial documentary evidence including Mr. Mayweather’s own correspondence."

"Our clients intend to vigorously defend against these claims and are confident that once all of the facts are presented in court, not only will our clients be vindicated, Mr Mayweather’s gambling issues, prolific spending habits, monies owed to third party creditors and IRS tax liens and levys, as well as other unseemly behavior will be exposed and we believe that Mr. Mayweather will be the one paying significant damages to our clients.”

10:15PM PT -- A source close to Rechnitz disputes the allegations entirely and says Mayweather’s financial, tax levy, and lien issues date back to at least 2018, years before they were ever involved professionally.

The source claims the boxer’s longstanding financial obligations and disputes were pre-existing and not caused by Rechnitz.

Floyd Mayweather says he got cleaned out to the tune of $175M ... claiming a former close associate ran a years-long scheme that allegedly drained his bank accounts, hijacked real estate deals, pawned off his jewelry and even made his private jet disappear.

According to a bombshell lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, Floyd claims Jona Rechnitz spent years gaining his trust ... before allegedly becoming the boxer's de facto money manager, real estate guy and banking middleman.

Now, Mayweather says it was all one giant setup.

2:45 PM PT -- Barstool is taking umbrage with TMZ's use of the phrase, "juicy fart," and in a "Cease & Desist" letter claims we've mischaracterized what was simply Hank's "butt releasing an odorless pocket of air due to the physics of crossing his legs."

Translation: It was an SND ... Silent Not Deadly. Duly noted.

Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" had an explosive interview with Kellen Moore on Friday's episode ... when the whole sit-down was thwarted by a juicy fart.

The blooper went down as Big Cat and PFT Commenter were chatting it up with the New Orleans Saints head coach as part of the Netflix podcast's annual "Grit Week."

The crew certainly had to show some grit during the episode ... when producer Hank Lockwood broke wind mid-conversation.

8:52 AM PT -- Kyle Busch's medical emergency has been partially revealed by 911 audio obtained by TMZ Sports ... with a caller saying the NASCAR superstar was struggling to breathe, overheating and coughing up blood before medics rushed to help.

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch tragically died at the age of 41 Thursday ... and we are starting to learn more about what happened prior to his shocking passing.

Before being hospitalized ... Busch was testing in a racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive -- and was rushed for medical care, the Associated Press reported via unnamed sources.

As TMZ reported ... Busch's family, racing team, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCAR announced the shocking news yesterday afternoon.

Ben Stiller was directing his ass off from his courtside seats on Thursday ... documenting the Knicks' win over the Cavs on his cell phone -- and fans can't get enough of the results.

The actor, director, and producer had his feet on the wood for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden ... and he elected to share his view with his 5 million followers on X.

The footage started with a slo-mo vid of a Jalen Brunson floater ... and he did a great job at tracking the action and zooming in and out with precision.

A genuine piece of the Chicago Bulls dynasty history is up for grabs -- and it's ain't a replica!

The exact 1992-93 NBA World Champions banner that hung in the old Chicago Stadium after Michael Jordan and the Bulls completed their first three-peat is now live at Grey Flannel Auctions.

The massive vinyl banner -- measuring a whopping 9 feet 8 inches by 14 feet 4 inches -- features bold black "CHICAGO BULLS" lettering at the top, the iconic Bulls logo below it, and "NBA WORLD CHAMPIONS 1992-93" sewn underneath.

Kyle Busch's shocking death at just 41 years old has devastated the NASCAR community ... with drivers sharing their grief on social media.

Brad Keselowski was one of the first to post about Busch's death ... saying, "Absolute shock. Very hard to process. Hug your loved ones."

Denny Hamlin also went to social media ... adding, "Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB."

Former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick is preparing for a different kinda court over some fake news ... saying anyone who reported she was joining OnlyFans will be hearing from her legal team.

The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft sent social media into a frenzy this week ... when she claimed a "link" would be added to her bio in 24 hours.

"Link in bio," of course, is a popular phrase used by adult models on X or Instagram (or so we're told) ... leading some folks to think this meant she had created an account on the sometimes X-rated subscription-based platform, especially since she shared the news with a sexy pic.

The visuals for LISA, Anitta and Rema's World Cup anthem just dropped ... and it's got everything -- soccer, dancing, blue flames, and even a Labubu!!

"Goals" was released via FIFA Sound on Thursday ... and it's bound to get sports fans pumped for this summer's tournament.

In the music video, the BLACKPINK artist kicks things off with a rap and her signature pristine moves ... but hilariously, a massive Labubu in World Cup merch is spotted cheering her on in a crowd full of spectators.

San Antonio Spurs player Carter Bryant had a two-or-one opportunity in the middle of the Western Conference Finals ... and it must've been an emergency, 'cause he apparently wound up using the restroom with the normies!!!

The baffling scene was captured on video by an Oklahoma City Thunder fan attending Game 2 of the series at the Paycom Center ... with the footage showing the rookie turning the corner and washing his hands in a hurry.

While it's hard to believe, all signs point to it being legit -- the fan shown in the video is wearing a shirt given to attendees prior to tipoff on Wednesday -- and the bathroom TV appears to show broadcast footage from the game.

Philadelphia Eagles star Nolan Smith was arrested for allegedly driving at an eye-popping rate of speed on Friday ... with officials claiming the linebacker reached 135 miles per hour before being pulled over.

The 25-year-old former Georgia Bulldog was taken to a jail in Georgia on Friday ... and according to an inmate information sheet obtained by TMZ Sports, the 6'7", 250-pound athlete was booked for speeding in excess of maximum limits and reckless driving.

The Twiggs County Sheriff's Office says Smith was driving 65 miles over the 70 MPH speed limit on the interstate prior to his arrest around 11 PM ... and was driving a black 2026 Lamborghini as he passed vehicles on the left and "rapidly" changed lanes without using his turn signals.

5/22/2026 8:52 AM PT -- Kyle Busch's medical emergency has been partially revealed by 911 audio obtained by TMZ Sports ... with a caller saying the NASCAR superstar was struggling to breathe, overheating and coughing up blood before medics rushed to help.

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch has tragically died at the age of 41.

Busch's racing team, Richard Childress Racing, along with NASCAR, announced the shocking news.

"On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch."

"Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. 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. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series."

17 million people tuned in to Jake Paul's MVP MMA 1 card Saturday night, and co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian is giving a State Of The Promotion after the event ... addressing everything from whether Gina Carano should've been in the cage with Ronda Rousey to the UFC's decision to drop big Conor McGregor return news during the event!

"Tremendous success. Unprecedented for someone to come into a sport that has an endemic reference brand like the UFC and to perform the way that we did," Bidarian told Babcock Wednesday afternoon.

"It speaks to obviously our partner in being Netflix, speaks to the fighters on the card, but also speaks to MVP, Jake Paul, who is the biggest brand in combat sports under the age of 30, unequivocally, and all of that magic coming together and our ability to execute. So very, very happy with the outcome."

Nakisa believes it was a smash hit ... begging the question, will MVP do MMA again?

Former MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer was involved in a gnarly crash in Arizona on Wednesday ... but fortunately for the Cy Young winner, he escaped unscathed -- and our sources say he was not at fault.

TMZ Sports obtained footage from the scene ... showing the current Long Island Ducks hurler documenting the damage done to his black McLaren -- and there is quite a lot of it.

In the clips, debris is scattered on the road and a nearby yard ... and another vehicle is sitting on the sidewalk of a residential street.

Sugar Ray Leonard's son left the boxing legend's home in a cop car for violating a restraining order, TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us a 911 call was made by Leonard's security team early Wednesday morning ... when Daniel Ray Leonard, 25, allegedly tried to enter the residence in Los Angeles by turning exterior door handles.

We're told when officers arrived and met with security, Daniel was located by the pool house and was promptly arrested.