“He’s not driving, and I know it kills him,” Bubba Wallace opens up about the Kurt Busch situation
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Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace (Images via IMAGO/ USA Network)
The 23X1 Racing was of the teams that fans looked up to in the 2022 cup season. The Michael Jordon-Denny Hamlin-owned team represented on the track by Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch produced some of the best moments the track has seen this year.
The excitement was cut short when Kurt Busch was ruled out of Racing after a heavy collision in July. He suffered a concussion and was forced to abandon his season and playoff spot. He was replaced by 2022 Xfinity series champion Ty Gibbs. The youngster failed to produce similar success as Kurt, which is too much to ask from a debutant.
Kurt Busch will drive part-time with 23X1 Racing next year and 23X1 has signed d Tyler Reddick from RCR to take over the No:45 team. During the recovery phase, Busch wasn’t sitting around instead he was leading the 23X1 garage and mentoring the drivers. Bubba Wallace in a recent interview acknowledged the veteran’s leadership. Wallace pointed out that Busch was hurt inside because he wasn’t able to race for the remainder of the season.
“That’s the type of veteran leadership that we need. He’s not driving, and I know it kills him. It would kill me if I wasn’t driving. Especially with the circumstances that he’s in, but he’s not just lying over. He wants to see this team succeed, and he feels he has an obligation to fulfill in this new team, which is important,” Bubba Wallace said.
Kurt Busch’s advice helped Bubba Wallace to improve himself in 2022
Kurt Busch’s advice helped Bubba to understand and avoid some serious incidents he would have caused. He said, “Kurt told me this when I jumped him at Darlington last year. He said, ‘Hey man, you get reset every time a caution comes out or a stage comes out. You have to understand what that is and use that,’.
It took Bubba some time to process the veteran’s advice and it does make sense for him. He said, “Looking back, it makes so much sense. At the moment, you try to understand that, but you have to go through the trials and tribulations of it all to [realize] this is what the veterans are doing,”.
Wallace will be hoping to have another impressive season next year with 23X1. Busch will be a mentor for both him and Tyler Reddick. Busch has the chance to lead the team both on and off track. If 23X1 wants to call their 2023 season successful both of their drivers at least have to make it to the playoffs.
Also read: “Nepotism rarely pans out,” NASCAR Twitter reacts to Cole Custer’s demotion to the Xfinity series
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Justin P Joy
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