Busch, 45, began 776 NASCAR Cup Collection races throughout his outstanding profession.
Between 2000 and 2022, he earned 28 poles and 34 race wins with 5 totally different race groups. Amongst his many triumphs are victories within the 2017 Daytona 500, in addition to the Coke 600 and All-Star Race in 2010. He additionally led over 10,000 laps.
Busch turned a NASCAR Cup champion in 2004, which was the primary yr with a playoff format. He needed to beat NASCAR Corridor of Famers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in a dramatic finale that noticed him lose a wheel mid-race.
2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Kurt Busch celebrates
Picture by: Autostock
His thirty fourth and ultimate victory got here at Kansas Speedway in Might of final yr. Sadly, a crash in qualifying at Pocono Raceway simply two months later pressured him out of the race automotive.
He suffered a concussion and regardless of his finest efforts, was by no means in a position to return. Final fall, he introduced that he wouldn’t return as a full-time driver however there was nonetheless hope that he may very well be again in choose begins. 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin left the door open for Busch to drive for the crew once more.
Tyler Reddick changed him behind the wheel of the No. 45 Toyota, and an emotional Busch was a part of the COTA broadcast when Reddick earned his victory since becoming a member of the group.
Busch has remained near the motion, mentoring each Reddick and Bubba Wallace, whereas additionally serving as a model ambassador for Monster Power.
Earlier this yr, he was named as one NASCAR’s 75 Biggest Drivers and was amongst these honored at Darlington Raceway.
Race winner Kurt Busch, 23XI Racing, Jordan Model Toyota Camry
Picture by: Jasen Vinlove / NKP / Motorsport Images
Busch has consistently up to date the media relating to his restoration course of and beforehand mentioned that “on a regular basis life is regular.
“After I do my exercises with the bodily therapist, we swap them up a bit bit now onto a stability sort of pad and it helps with creating core power and it helps with my actions that I’ve to do and it’s fatiguing,” he mentioned in February. “I discover issues that carry me up after which break me down when I’ve to do a day on and a time off now. The place I used to be pushing seven days per week to attempt to get again to the automotive after which in all honesty, I took December off. It was an emotional time and that was a part of this course of as effectively. However I’m doing effectively.
It was speculated that Busch deliberate to retire on the finish of the 2023 season, however the accident pressured these plans to alter abruptly.
“Every part simply occurred a yr before I anticipated them to and I’m proud of the place all the pieces sits,” mentioned Busch.
Throughout the identical February replace, he mentioned: “I simply know that proper right here, I’m not one hundred pc to race with these guys, the most effective of the most effective right here at this degree. Might I am going do a SCCA membership race subsequent week? It’s most likely not clever. Go-karting has been superb for me, the simulator has been superb, it’s simply after I had my head within the headrest and there’s that motion, that’s bothers me. After which with the progress that I’ve made, progress since August, sure. I do imagine there shall be a full restoration and the brand new bodily remedy I’m on is one other problem and a variety of it’s with the stability and eye motion.”
The elder Busch brother’s profession was one among consistency, all the time in a position to push his gear to the entrance of the sphere. He received at the least one race in 19 of his final 21 seasons, which stands as one among his most spectacular accomplishments.
Busch additionally began the 2014 Indianapolis 500, ending sixth and incomes ROTY.
He ends his NASCAR profession twenty fifth on the all-time wins listing, at present tied with fellow Cup champion Martin Truex Jr.
