Kyle Busch loved to race and compete. He loved to make moves that no one else would dare to make. He loved being brash, whether with the car or with his tongue. But most of all, Rowdy loved to win. Man, did he love winning. He also hated losing. And those two attributes provided a combination on the track that turned Busch into one of the greatest talents ever to hold a NASCAR steering wheel. The 41-year-old Busch died Thursday, a day after being hospitalized overnight for a severe illness. The Busch family, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing released a joint statement Thursday, calling Busch "a giant of the sport." "His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal Rowdy Nation,'" the statement said. The stat sheets will say he won more national series races (234) than any other driver. He ranks ninth in all-time Cup Series wins at 63 and first in wins in the Craftsman Truck Series (69) and the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (102). Stats dont tell the entire story of the Las Vegas kid just trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Kurt Busch, to NASCAR. He literally got there too soon, having to leave his truck seat in 2001 at age 16, when it was determined that as long as Winston sponsored the Cup Series, he couldnt compete with the cigarette company branding on track property. One of the sport's brightest stars would have to wait a couple of years to return to full-time NASCAR racing, and when he finally came on the scene, he was aggressive and brash and determined to make up for lost time in becoming one of the NASCAR greats who will for sure join his brother in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He won throughout his 24-plus years in the sport, all the way to the end. His most recent victory came in a truck just last week at Dover Motor Speedway, where he competed in both the truck race and the NASCAR All-Star Race. Busch earned his best Cup finish of the season in the most recent points race on May 10, when he placed eighth at Watkins Glen International. During the event, he asked for a doctor to meet him after the race, but the reason was unclear. Busch indicated last weekend at Dover that he was still feeling a little under the weather. His family announced Thursday morning that he had been hospitalized with a "severe illness." Even with the serious tone of the announcement, it was hard to believe that someone fans had just seen race, someone they had seen battle for a win, could be gone. Many in the sport accept that tragedies could happen on the track. But off the track? Not to Rowdy. Not to the guy who loved to needle the media and loved to needle other competitors when in the right mood. Not the one who everyone was still hoping to rattle off some wins at any moment and help lift RCR to greater heights. RCR was the third Cup organization Busch had driven for, and one that seemed to fit his hard-nosed racing mold. He started his Cup career at Hendrick Motorsports in 2004, but when he found out he would be without a ride in 2008, he landed at Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch spent 15 years at JGR, where he won 56 Cup races as well as Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. He moved to RCR in 2023. He won three races with the team, the last one in June 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis. Busch also owned a race team that primarily competed in the truck series. Kyle Busch Motorsports won 100 truck races over 14 years with two driver championships (Erik Jones and Christopher Bell) and seven owners championships. His ownership of race teams connected him with hundreds of industry personnel, who have him to thank, at least in part, for helping mold their careers. But the 2015 Cup title might be one of his greatest accomplishments. The comeback from an accident at Daytona International Speedway where he broke his right leg and left ankle required an intense rehab that had him working hours on end to regain the strength to be able to compete. He missed 11 races, won soon thereafter and captured the title. For those who didn't think he should be the champion after missing 11 races? He didn't think twice. Don't hate the player, hate the game. And Busch often played the game. [NASCAR MOURNS: Tributes Pour In For Kyle Busch] Among his other accomplishments? The building of his family with wife Samantha and their two children, Brexton (11) and Lennix (4). Samantha and Kyle had trouble conceiving, and had Brexton through in vitro fertilization. When they discovered the high costs of the procedure, they dedicated their charitable efforts to raising funds so those who could not afford the price would still have a chance at becoming parents. Kyle raced against Brexton for the first time in micro sprints last year in March at a small dirt track in North Carolina. Kyle finished a little bit better and quipped with a laugh: "Ive got bragging rights for the next couple of weeks." That was Kyle Busch. Competitive even against his son. But also seeing the humor in such a statement. Busch could see the humor in racing in the moments he wasn't seeing red amid the anger of losing. He would make fun of himself and others, especially those he felt had done him wrong. He would say things with a smirk or dripping with sarcasm, especially if he felt he was being unfairly singled out or treated unfairly. He could even find humor while seething. One of the funniest lines he ever delivered was in the aftermath of a fight a couple of years ago with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., when Stenhouse told Busch he would wreck him. Busch replied: "Bring it. I suck just as bad as you." He carried that brutal honesty whether he was glum with the way he was running or elated with wins. Whenever Busch would win a race, he would deliver his signature bow. An act of confidence and an act that implied: "Yes, I've got a lot of these wins, come try to get you some." Fans would cheer. Fans would boo. Some lived to see him win. Some lived to see him lose. But he made them all feel alive. And, because of that, many will remember Kyle Busch as one of the greatest of all time.

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Katy ekes out 2-0 win over PSJA in Texas UIL Class 6A Division II semifinals opener originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Home runs by EK Smith and Lexie Waugh would prove to be enough for the Katy Tigers to get past the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Bears, 2-0, Thursday on a night when the pitching dominated.Both homers were of the solo variety with Smith striking in the first inning and seizing the early momentum for Katy, the nation's No. 14-ranked team inthe latest edition of the MaxPreps national rankings.Then Waugh's blast doubled the lead to 2-0 in the third inning, but that's where it stand the rest of the way until Katy made its final stand on the mound in the top of the seventh to end the game there.The Tigers take a 1-0 lead in the series, and with one more win, they'll advance to the state championship series next weekend against the winner of the Forney-Guyer series in the Texas UIL Class 6A Division II playoffs.HOW TO WATCH: Katy vs. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo on the NFHS Network__________Refresh for updates__________FINAL Katy 2, PSJA 0__________SEVENTH INNING__________PSJA will probably lament losing this game to the nation's No. 14 team. It was there for the taking on a night when pitching dominated, but they just never could figure things out at the plate.__________SIXTH INNING__________Katy unable to add to its lead. On to the seventh.__________PSJA just unable to solve Katy's pitching. Still 2-0 headed to the bottom of the frame.__________FIFTH INNING__________Katy scoreless as well, and they cling to that 2-0 lead headed to the sixth.__________PSJA still scoreless after their turn in the fifth.__________FOURTH INNING__________Katy comes up empty as well.__________PSJA unable to crack Katy's pitching, yet, and they're still scoreless as Katy comes up to bat in the bottom of the fourth.__________THIRD INNING Katy 2, PSJA 0__________And that's where it stands headed to the fourth inning.__________Lexie Waugh doubles Katy's lead with one swing of the bat, going yard for a 2-0 lead.__________PSJA still unable to scratch any runs across the plate. Katy up next in the bottom of the inning.__________SECOND INNING Katy 1, PSJA 0__________Katy comes up empty as well, and they head to the third inning.__________PSJA comes up empty again, and Katy is back to the plate leading, 1-0__________FIRST INNING Katy 1, PSJA 0__________EK Smith smashes a solo shot to give Katy a 1-0 lead, and that's where the first inning ends.__________Katy strikes out the side, and they head to the bottom of the first with the Tigers up.__________They are under way!__________Coming soon! Game time is set for 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST local!__________How can I watch Katy vs. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo?Date:8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST local,Thursday, May 21WATCH:Katy vs. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo on the NFHS NetworkMore high school softballCalvary Baptist Academy wins Louisiana's LHSAA Non-Select Division III softball state championshipNorth Carolina's NCHSAA postseason fast approaching with Weddington leading the wayAlabama's AHSAA softball playoffs set to get underwayFlorida's FHSAA softball district tournaments get the postseason started in the Sunshine StateTop-ranked Texas UIL softball squads all advance to the area playoffs

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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died Thursday at 41, three days before he was set to run the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Here is what to know:How did Kyle Busch die?At this point, the cause of death has not been released and details remain limited.What is known is that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Buschs team or family.Had Kyle Busch been ill?Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold While racing May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed his team requesting a shot from a doctor after he finished. Per the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.It's unclear if that issue had something to do with his death.Busch did race last weekend and won the Trucks Series race at Dover and finished 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race. That would be his final race.How good was Kyle Busch?Busch won 234 races across NASCAR's three national series more than any driver in history. He won Cup season championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.His first championship was particularly impressive. Busch missed the first 11 Cup races of the 2015 season after injuring his foot following a crash in the O'Reilly Auto Parts series opener in Daytona, but came back to win five races to qualify for the playoffs before capturing the title at Homestead. Will the Coca-Cola 600 be postponed or canceled?No. NASCAR officials confirmed that the 400-lap race will continue on as planned Sunday night at the 1 1/2-mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Earlier in the day, RCR had announced that Austin Hill would replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Does CMS plan to honor Kyle Busch?Yes, CMS officials said they plan to honor Busch in some way this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600, but details were still being ironed out.___AP freelance writer and former AP auto racing writer Jenna Fryer in Indianapolis contributed to this report.___AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died Thursday at 41, three days before he was set to run the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Here is what to know:How did Kyle Busch die?At this point, the cause of death has not been released and details remain limited.What is known is that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Buschs team or family.Had Kyle Busch been ill?Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold While racing May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed his team requesting a shot from a doctor after he finished. Per the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.It's unclear if that issue had something to do with his death.Busch did race last weekend and won the Trucks Series race at Dover and finished 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race. That would be his final race.How good was Kyle Busch?Busch won 234 races across NASCAR's three national series more than any driver in history. He won Cup season championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.His first championship was particularly impressive. Busch missed the first 11 Cup races of the 2015 season after injuring his foot following a crash in the O'Reilly Auto Parts series opener in Daytona, but came back to win five races to qualify for the playoffs before capturing the title at Homestead. Will the Coca-Cola 600 be postponed or canceled?No. NASCAR officials confirmed that the 400-lap race will continue on as planned Sunday night at the 1 1/2-mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Earlier in the day, RCR had announced that Austin Hill would replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Does CMS plan to honor Kyle Busch?Yes, CMS officials said they plan to honor Busch in some way this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600, but details were still being ironed out.___AP freelance writer and former AP auto racing writer Jenna Fryer in Indianapolis contributed to this report.___AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Thousands attend funeral prayers for the three victims of Monday's deadly shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego.