Former NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Kurt Busch was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated. According to court documents, the 46-year-old was pulled over for speeding after his 2024 Lexus was traveling at 63mph in a 45mph zone on Brawley School Road and was subsequently charged with careless and reckless driving, along with speeding charges as well. Court records indicate that the North Carolina native “had red glassy eyes” and “a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath,”  which led to his apprehension.

It wasn’t the first time Kurt Busch has been found guilty of such an offense. In 2005, he was charged with reckless driving after having been pulled over on suspicion of DWI. He was subsequently made to do 50 hours of community service.

Kurt Busch was driving 63 mph in a 45 mph zone

After the former 23XI Racing driver was pulled over, a North Carolina trooper, who was brought in to assist Kurt Busch’s traffic stop charged him for driving while impaired after his blood-alcohol concentration indicated 0.17 percent, over twice the permissible limit. Busch was then taken to the Iredell County Detention Center and was subsequently released by 2:36 am, with the condition that he will appear in court on September 19.

After news broke out about his arrest, Kurt Busch released a statement which read, “I’m very disappointed in myself and I apologize to my family, my racing family, and to my fans. I will work with the authorities to rectify the situation and work with the county to make it a safer place in the future.” Busch won the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series while driving for the Rousch Racing team, but his tenure came to a premature end in November 2005 when the racer was accused of driving under the influence in Maricopa County, Arizona. While he was only cited for reckless driving in that instance, the damage was already done.

The citation, while not for driving under the influence, affected Kurt Busch’s reputation. He was ordered to do 50 hours of community service, while Rousch dropped him from the team, despite only two races remaining for the 2005 season to conclude. Busch went on to join Penske Racing South the following season and had seemingly turned his fortunes around, after not just winning the race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but also becoming an honorary deputy for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

To repair his image in the sport, Kurt Busch went on to have short stints with Phoenix Racing and Furniture Row Motorsports, where he failed to secure a victory. However, his move to Stewart-Haas Racing was exactly what he needed to revitalize his career, as Kurt Busch went on to secure six wins during the four years on the team. The 46-year-old has a career spanning 23 years, with 34 race wins in 776 starts, but if Busch isn’t more careful, he runs the risk of only being remembered for his off-track misdemeanors.

Kurt Busch has a history of truculent behavior

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While it wasn’t the first time Kurt Busch was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence, the former 23XI Racing driver will hope it’s the last. The incident in 2005, as well as being charged with DWI in North Carolina aren’t the only instances when Busch has been found in hot water. He has been punched in the face by Jimmy Spencer for deliberately trying to wreck him in the past, as well as being called “an arrogant punk” by Kevin Harvick because of his attitude.

If that wasn’t all, Kurt Busch had got into trouble with NASCAR for refusing to go where instructed following a crash. After being called into the pits for a penalty, he was heard shouting expletives which were directed at NASCAR officials over the car radio, and threw a bottle that hit one of them. He has also been booed by NASCAR fans because of his aggressive style of driving, with the sanctioning body’s officials going as far as to say that his behavior was not “befitting of a champion.”

While injuries sustained because of a crash at Pocono Raceway in 2022 may have prematurely ended his career, Kurt Busch will need to remember that his racing legacy can easily be overshadowed by off-track headlines. The 46-year-old is currently associated with the 23XI Racing team, serving as a mentor for Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, and will hope to lead by example while he guides the current crop of NASCAR superstars to on-track success.

What are your thoughts about Kurt Busch’s arrest? Let us know in the comments!