It was at the Pocono Raceway, in 2022, that Kurt Busch suffered a career setback. In the debut season of the Next-Gen cars, Busch was involved in a crash during practice which led to a concussion. The driver was ruled out for the race on Sunday and subsequently, in August 2023, he retired from the sport. Now, after nearly three years away from the tracks, Busch looks set to return to the Race of Champions (ROC) to represent Team USA.

This time, fans will witness Busch at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. His drive for the Race of Champions will be on 7th and 8th March. The 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion has been medically cleared and will team up with Travis Pastrana in the land Down Under.

Busch ready to ‘push the limits’

Kurt Busch was seen in a video posted by Race of Champions on X, where Travis Pastrana video called Busch and announced the legend’s return. “If I’m going back over I’m going with someone I know can win and Kurt Busch is that guy,” said Pastrana. Back in 2003, Busch won the International ROC Championship and followed it with the Cup Series championship in 2004, a legendary run for the driver who holds a plethora of racing experience under this belt.

Taking to his social media, Busch announced this news and wrote, “Race car drivers always push the limits to be the best, and drive to win. That is what I have strived for my whole career, and to receive another invite from #ROCSydney is a chance to go up against the best of the best from around the world”.

The Race of Champions is rightfully, as the name suggests, one of the most competitive forms of race and it invites only the best drivers to represent their countries. This season one will also be able to witness former F1 driver and 4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel on the same tracks. Along with him, nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb will be taking part as well.

Earlier in 2024, Busch gave fans an update on how his recovery procedure has been. He said, “I’m feeling much, much better since the summer wreck in 2022 and all of the different physical therapy, different neurologist visits. It was taxing for a while. Basically every other day it was a doctor visit somewhere and going to get hearing checked, eyes checked, balance checked. The vestibular movements were what was greatly affected”. 

Kurt Busch’s return to competitive racing is a testament to his resilience and status as one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. Despite the challenges of his recovery, fans eagerly anticipate his comeback, confident that his unmatched skill and determination will shine once again on the global stage.

Travis Pastrana is full of praise for Kurt Busch

Trending

1

NASCAR’s Major Shakeup After Chase Elliott’s Brutal Criticism Earns Cup Series Teams’ Respect

2

How NASCAR Saved Carl Edwards From a Spiteful Driver After Pulling a “Mike Wallace” on the Vet

3

Tony Stewart’s Wife Leah Pruett Gifts Her Mother and Grandmother an Unforgettable Christmas Treat

4

How the Iconic Kenny Schrader Threatened a Young NASCAR Driver Mid-Race

Travis Pastrana is no short of legendary status himself. The Maryland native is a 6x National Rally Champion and has appeared in 49 races across the three series of NASCAR. Speaking of how incredible Busch is and the excitement that this partnership fosters, Pastrana said, “There is no-one that I’ve seen at past Race Of Champions from America that’s been able to jump in the cars and perform like Kurt Busch”. 

Speaking of how he has played a role in Busch joining back, Pastrana said, “I’ve talked to Kurt a few times over the past months and pleaded with him to come out of retirement since his crash in NASCAR. I would have loved to see another ultra–talented driver like Kyle Larson come to Race Of Champions as well, but he has a NASCAR race the same weekend. I said if I’m going all the way to Australia then it has to be with someone that can help me win it all for Team USA”. 

Kyle Larson unfortunately will not race at this event and if he tried to, he would have to miss the race at Phoenix in March. With NASCAR’s new rule that would strip him of all his playoff points if he misses a race because of non-medical/emergency reasons, Larson will stick to attempting just ‘The Double’ this time’. However, Kurt Busch has no NASCAR commitments on his plate and he is rearing to go.

Kurt Busch has been through a lot since his concussion and staying away from the sport he loved has not been easy. So it’s no surprise when the co-founder of the Race of Champions was delighted to see Kurt Busch back again. “We were very happy when Kurt confirmed that he has received his medical clearance and will be making his return to racing as part of Team USA with Travis Pastrana at the Race Of Champions,” said ROC co-founder Fredrik Johnsson.

What are your expectations from Kurt Busch on his return to racing at the Race of Champions in Sydney?