Kurt Busch isn’t retiring, just stepping back.
- Kurt Busch started his career fulltime in the NASCAR Cup series in 2000.
- His 23-year career is longer than any active driver currently in NASCAR.
- He leaves fulltime racing with 34 race wins in 776 starts.
Few NASCAR-watchers were surprised early Saturday when former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch announced plans to step away from full-time racing. The Las Vegas native suffered head injuries in a July qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway and has not raced since. Understandably, entering NASCAR’s concussion protocol led to months of speculation that he might never race again.
That speculation ended Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
At 44, Busch’s 23-year career was the longest of any active Cup Series driver. A virtual unknown and almost unnoticed, he debuted with a handful of mediocre results with Jack Roush and crew chief Jeff Hammond late in 2000. His last start – not counting any one-offs in his plans for 2023 – was for 23XI Racing the Denny Hamlin-Michael Jordan-owned team in Loudon, N.H., the weekend before his Pocono crash.
“I know I am not 100 percent in my ability to go out and race at the top level in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Busch said during his press conference at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “These are the best of the best drivers and lately, I haven’t felt my best. The doctors have come to the conclusion that it’s best for me to shut it down for this season. And even though I’ve made solid gains and have been working with all the top specialists and the team at Toyota Performance Center, I’m still not 100 percent and not cleared to race.”
Busch’s career has been marked by both glorious highs and humiliating lows. Never shy about showing his emotions, there were times when Series-watchers questioned whether Busch’s temperament and boorish public behavior might impact his career. Some owners, it was thought, acknowledged his considerable talent, but also realized he might be a handful, a sponsor and team liability. In time – and with some stern discipline from NASCAR and counseling during some dark days – he shed most of his “bad boy” image.
The highs: Busch won 28 poles and 34 races in 776 starts, his first start at Dover in September of 2000; the victories came between March of 2002 at Bristol and this spring in Kansas; he won the 2004 Cup Series title with Roush and finished 10 other seasons top-10 in points; he won at 18 venues, including short tracks, road courses, mid-length tracks, and superspeedways; he won at least once with owners Roush, Roger Penske, Stewart Haas, Chip Ganassi, and Hamlin-Jordan, but failed with James Finch and Barney Visser; he won at least once in 20 of his 23 full seasons, missing only in 2001 (Roush), 2012 (Finch/Visser), and 2013 (Visser); among his victories, the 2017 Daytona 500 and the 2010 Coca-Cola 600.
The lows: Roush took Busch out of the team’s No. 97 Ford for the late-season 2005 races at Phoenix and Homestead after Busch was involved with local police over a traffic incident. He was briefly detained on suspicion of drunken driving and cited for reckless driving after a confrontation with police; Busch was suspended from the first three races of 2015 after a Delaware court issued a protective order against him sought by his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll. She accused him of domestic assault after a late-night September 2014 incident at Busch’s motorcoach at Dover Downs. Charges were later dismissed, but NASCAR let it be known it wasn’t happy for the former champion’s behavior.
Busch was often reprimanded by officials for his on-track actions and his off-track behavior, some of it directed at race officials; he infamously flung a water bottle at a pit road official and on another occasion roared away from an accident scene at Talladega while rescue personnel were working nearby.
Kurt Busch raced at Team Penske from 2006-2011.
LAT Photographic
As for his short time with 23XI, this from Hamlin and Jordan: “From the day Kurt Busch joined our team we knew he was going to elevate our organization in many ways. From earning 23XI our first playoff berth with his commanding win at Kansas Speedway to numerous hours spent off the track helping to grow our program, Kurt has made us better.
“This season took an unexpected turn with his injury. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Kurt has not stopped being a true professional and a trusted teammate. We fully support Kurt’s decision to focus on his health and are grateful for his guidance as our team builds a strong foundation for the future.”
From NASCAR president Steve Phelps: “For more than two decades, we have been privileged to watch Kurt Busch compete. He has proven himself a champion on the racetrack, but perhaps just as importantly, he has grown to become a true ambassador for the sport. Kurt’s drive to improve the future of motorsports has set him apart. We are thrilled that he’ll remain in our sport as a leader and trusted resource. Kurt’s unparalleled passion for racing gives us hope that we will see him in a race car again.”
And from David Wilson, head of Toyota Racing: “Kurt’s decision to step away from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition next year is certainly not something anyone expected when we started the season together and celebrated in victory lane at Kansas Speedway earlier this year. Unfortunate circumstances led Kurt to a difficult decision, but we know that he will continue to contribute to the entire program at Toyota, TRD and 23XI Racing.
“He brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and firsthand championship experience to his team and fellow Toyota competitors. We’re here to support Kurt in this next chapter of his career and look forward to continuing to work alongside him.”
Busch’s retirement opened the way for Tyler Reddick to move from Richard Childress Racing to 23XI Racing next season, a year earlier than planned. The original plan was for 23XI to field Bubba Wallace and Busch in 2023, then add Reddick in 2024. When it became clear that Busch would not be available next year, 23XI bought the last year of Reddick’s contract from RCR, which was not unhappy to see him go.
In a Saturday statement from Las Vegas, the Hamlin-Jordan team added: “With Kurt choosing to not race full-time next year, 23XI announced today that upon reaching an agreement with Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick will join 23XI in 2023 to drive the No. 45 Toyota Camry. We look forward to competing against Tyler over the remaining four weeks of the season and look forward to having him join our team thereafter.”
After Busch’s announcement, the Cup series qualified for Sunday’s race. It will be the first time Kurt has not raced as his hometown track since 2000. His only win the came in 2020.
Meanwhile Reddick showed that the future for 23XI is perhaps a bright one without Kurt Busch behind the wheel, as Reddick won the pole and will start alongside Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric on Row 1 for Sunday afternoon’s South Point 400.
Row 2 will be Playoff drivers William Byron and Ryan Blaney, followed on Row 3 by Playoff driver Joey Logano and Daniel Suarez, then Playoff driver Christopher Bell and Harrison Burton on Row 4, and Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon on Row 5.
Keyword: NASCAR Champ Kurt Busch’s Career Filled with Highs and Lows