via Getty
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 16: Kurt Busch, driver of the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, speaks to the media during the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
via Getty
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 16: Kurt Busch, driver of the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, speaks to the media during the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Things aren’t going exactly to plan at 23XI Racing this season. Despite having two very win-oriented owners, world-class facilities, and a driver duo of experience and youth, it’s not working out. However, the experienced one in this equation is making sure the team doesn’t fall into a mental slump, the experienced one, of course, being, Kurt Busch.
Busch recently posted a pretty hilarious clip of Bluto’s speech from the movie National Lampoon’s Animal House. Only in this version of the scene, Kurt Busch’s face has been face-swapped with John Belushi, and he is the one trying to lift the spirits of his team.
“Meanwhile back at the @23XIRacing shop… Team meeting this morning,” Busch wrote.
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Meanwhile back at the @23XIRacing shop… Team meeting this morning pic.twitter.com/VuTPN2LbJt
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) April 4, 2022
As you would expect, NASCAR fans found this video pretty entertaining, which it really is considering how even team-owner Denny Hamlin is lying on the couch, hopeless.
That is the best thing I’ve seen on Twitter in a long time pic.twitter.com/I1LVU69Ho2
— Leland Henry 18 (@Henry18L) April 5, 2022
It's over, Maybe now Denny will stop 🛑 his crying every week.
— Pissed off American (@JGRSuck) April 4, 2022
I hope it works. I’ll be at the Bristol dirt race to hopefully see you crush it!
— 🧢ThrockStar🧢 (@SkyHighThrock) April 5, 2022
That is too funny 🤣
— Lisa McPherson (@LisaMcP33050093) April 5, 2022
Always helps to remain positive.
— VoltsWagon (@VoltsVahgen21) April 4, 2022
Kurt Busch came to 23XI Racing for one thing – winning
When Kurt Busch was announced to be the second driver at the 23XI Racing team last year, he made clear the one thing he would be striving for in his new team.
“Winning is important to 23XI, it’s important to Monster Energy, and it’s important to me. That is our goal,” Busch had said. “Racing to win is what I live for.”
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USA Today via Reuters
Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Yet, so far, that goal hasn’t been achieved even once, neither by him nor his teammate. But that’s not the only thing Kurt Busch was brought in for. The other part of the equation was his deep pool of experience, which is evident in the fact that he’s the longest active driver in NASCAR currently.
This was something that team-owner Denny Hamlin also mentioned when Busch was announced. “Kurt brings a wealth of knowledge and a championship mindset to our team and will be able to help us grow stronger and more competitive each and every week,” he said.
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So while Kurt Busch may not have delivered the wins yet, he’s delivering on other fronts by lifting his team’s spirits, and when the spirits are high, and the times are right, the wins will follow.
