Kurt Busch explains why he decided to call time to his full-time cup career
Follow Us
Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch has decided to call time off from full time cup racing. The 23X1 Racing veteran has announced that he won’t be racing full time in the cup series now on. He will be replaced Tyler Reddick in the No:45 Camry. Reddick was contracted to join 23X1 in 2024 but the team has now decided to purchase his RCR contract.
Kurt Busch was out of cup racing for since his Pocono qualifying crash. He suffered a concussion after the class and is yet secure the medical clearance to return to the track. Ty Gibbs has been the substitute driver fir the veteran since Pocono. The No:45 ride was later taken over by Bubba Wallace in the teams’ efforts to secure manufacturers championship.
Kurt Busch has been one of the modern-day greats of the sports. He and his brother Kyle Busch are one of the most successful siling duo in NASCAR history. The 2004 Cup Champion has driven for all NASCAR manufacturers and major cup series teams. He has amassed 34 cup race win from his 776 starts.
Also read: Joey Logano is stronger and comfortable in the playoffs
Kurt Busch details the reasons behind his decision
Kurt Busch said that he chooses to end his full-time career as he is yet to secure the medical clearance to race agin. He pointed out that he took this unselfish decision due to his respect towards the industry. Busch added that the decision was necessary to ensure his teams growth.
“The timelines seemed to have shrunk up as far as what’s going to happen next year. It’s like, ‘well, I should be better by now and I haven’t been cleared.’ So, this is more of being unselfish and respecting what has to happen in this industry, and that’s to know how to make a team move forward,” Kurt Busch said.
Kurt Busch said that he will keep pushing to get back to the tack with the help of 23X1 and Toyota. He said, “I believe in 23XI and everyone here. For me, I will get back to 100%. I promise. I have a great team of specialists. Toyota Performance Centre has been wonderful. I will keep pushing myself and my health to get back that priority first, and then we can decide about racing afterward,”.
Busch pointed out that it’s gotten hard for him to grind to get back as he sued to do following the crashes he had in the past. He said, “It’s a layer of things, and to be frank and to smile a little bit, I’ve wrecked a lot of [expletive] in my life. Old cars. New cars. So, over the years, things add up. Different wrecks this year have made it tough, and the grind to get back each week to 100%, that was starting to get tough this summer,’.
The veteran pointed out that NASCAR has to continue making the Next-Gen car safer. He said, “Then, with the accident at Pocono, it’s, again, part of everything that’s kind of added up. It’s not one circumstance more than the other. The new car, the Next Gen car, we have to continue to make it safer. We have to learn from each of the circumstances,”.
Alluding to the recent crashes Busch pointed out that a lot is left to be done in order to make cars safer. He said, “Whether it’s mine, [Ross] Chastain’s or [Alex] Bowmen or Cody Ware’s. There have been a ton of hits that we’re all learning from and finding the areas that we need to improve. This is more of a look-out-the-windshield type moment,”.
Kurt Busch pointed out that the decision was very emotional, and he wasn’t prepared for this call. He said, “That emotional week was really tough. The emotions of this are something that I wasn’t prepared for. Nobody is prepared for anything like this,”.
Kurt Busch said that his situation is getting better but still he isn’t 100%. He said, “Just things are moving quick, and things are slowing down, and things are coming back to me. I just know I’m not at 100%. So, the vestibular side is really where I’m focused on with my concussion,”.
Kurt Busch pointed out that his time with NASCAR has been nearing an end and the concussion made it bit sooner. He added that the part-time gig will get him close to that door with less pressure. He asid, “It just happened a little sooner. But to race part-time and to enjoy things with a little less pressure, I think that will help fulfil things and close that door,”.
Kurt Busch pointed out that it was getting hard for him to run the whole 36 race series. He added that the concussion just changed his plans by a bit. He said, ”But to pursue a championship and to run 36 races weekends week in and week out, it was getting tough for my body to go through it no matter what. So, this just changed the course a little bit,”.
Busch said that he is happy with where the things rea right now. He said there is a lot of things left to write his final NASCAR chapter. “I’m happy with where things are. My family, with the race team, with Monster [Energy], with Toyota — there’s going to be plenty of things to do to keep that passion alive and to write the final chapter,”.
What is your favourite Kurt Busch memory?
Also read: NASCAR Twitter’s crazy reactions to Alex Bowman new crew chief announcement
Also read: Daniel Suarez shares insights into what makes Justin Marks and Trackhouse successful
Stay Updated!
Justin P Joy
(4859 Articles Published)