UPDATED (7:25 pm ET): Kyle Busch will not race in Sunday’s Daytona 500 due to injuries incurred in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. He is being treated for an unspecified right leg injury. Click here to see Dustin Long’s story.
Kyle Busch was taken off on a stretcher after a brutal head-on hit into the inside retaining wall in the closing laps of Saturday’s Xfinity Series season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.
Bypassing the DIS infield medical care center, Busch immediately was transported by ambulance to Halifax Health-Medical Center for further evaluation, track officials announced.
The younger Busch brother will miss Sunday’s Daytona 500 Sprint Cup season opener because of an unspecified right leg injury, NASCAR officials said.
Busch got into the rear of teammate Erik Jones’ car, bounced off into the side of Kyle Larson’s car and then rocketed hard to the left, impacting the wall at an estimated 90 mph, according to Fox Sports 1.
Busch, 29, climbed out of his crumpled car but immediately was helped to the grass by a safety team. He remained there for about 10 minutes while medical personnel stabilized Busch.
Busch was awake and alert while being treated, but appeared to be in obvious pain.
Busch’s right leg was stabilized and placed in an air cast.
Busch has 29 career Cup wins and had qualified fourth for the Daytona 500.
His older brother Kurt indefinitely was suspended Friday by NASCAR after a protective order was granted to an ex-girlfriend and also will not race in Sunday’s 57th running of the Daytona 500.
There was no SAFER barrier at the impact, causing many in the NASCAR and racing community to react on Twitter.
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My prayers for @KyleBusch. Unreal.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 21, 2015
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All we do is wreck at Daytona and that massive wall has no safer barrier? Unbelievable! Hope Kyle is ok...
— Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) February 21, 2015
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Hopin the best for @KyleBusch, that was rough.
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) February 21, 2015
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That was an awful hit, and that's a concrete wall, praying for him!
— Darrell Waltrip (@AllWaltrip) February 21, 2015
When you hit head on your legs are extended from pushing on the pedals, that impact was brutal!
— Darrell Waltrip (@AllWaltrip) February 21, 2015
Man I hope @KyleBusch is alright... It's beyond me why we don't have soft walls everywhere. #nascar @DISupdates
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) February 21, 2015
I'm genuinely furious right now. Any wall in any of the top 3 series without safer barriers is INEXCUSABLE. It's 2015.
— Regan Smith (@ReganSmith) February 21, 2015
Please, PLEASE put safer barriers on EVERY wall a car could come in contact with!!!!!! 🙏
— DeLana Harvick (@DeLanaHarvick) February 21, 2015
Really hope @KyleBusch is ok.. Had thought he had hit a safer barrier at first.. 🙏
— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4) February 21, 2015
Let's put new stands on hold & how about putting in safer barriers on all the walls 1st at all @NASCAR tracks...
— Bob Jeffrey (@EyeInTheSky14) February 21, 2015
These drivers deserve safer barriers everywhere. It's very expensive but we have to find a way.
— Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) February 21, 2015
Terrible crash for @KyleBusch I wish him well. I will be praying.
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) February 21, 2015
I hope @kylebusch is ok. No safer barrier there. That must had hurt.
— Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan) February 21, 2015
Really hope @KyleBusch is ok. Ridiculously hard crash against no Safer barrier.
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) February 21, 2015
As someone whose hit like that but not as fast an with a safer barrier. I was terrified for Kyle there.
— Kevin Swindell (@KevinSwindell) February 21, 2015
More information to come -- check back for updates.
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