This was not the farewell he deserved. It was void of laurels, a standing ovation in his firesuit, and most importantly, a burnout. Rather after 23 years of living as a NASCAR driver, it was a concussion that led Kurt Busch to hang up his helmet in utter despair. However, the racing bug is not easy to let go of, once bitten, and it seems that there might be a surprising announcement from the former Cup Series champion and his NASCAR team 23XI Racing.
The 2023 Cup Series season was a turnaround season for Michael Jordan and his NASCAR team. Both of its drivers were able to secure a berth in the playoffs. Amidst the gleeful milestone and proving its championship contention, the team also had to bid farewell to its veteran Kurt Busch, after the driver dropped a bombshell announcement last year in August. However, it seems that the curtain is yet to fall completely on the racing career of Busch after the driver teased his fans with an arcane message.
Is Kurt Busch set to come out of retirement?
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It seems that Kurt Busch has regained his vitality and zeal and is perhaps ready to don his firesuit once again. These speculations rise in the thick of Kurt Busch’s mysterious tweet and 23XI Racing’s intention to field a third car in the 2024 season. The former Cup Series driver took to Twitter and posted his picture with the words, “Heard today is my day. #RefiredNotRetiredDay.”
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Very few teams in the world of NASCAR have been able to send ripples across the sport as 23XI Racing did. Since the inception of the team in 2021, the team has transformed with leaps and bounds after roping in Bubba Wallace and later on expanded the team with Kurt Busch joining in. However, the ride towards prosperity was short-lived, after the former Cup Series champion suffered a concussion during the qualifying in the 2022 Pocono race. Although the driver hoped to make a comeback, his health failed to comply with his wishes. However, it’s not over till it’s over.
This post by Busch has left the NASCAR community speculating and joining the dots on whether the third driver is none other than Busch himself, who has taken up the position of an advisor in 23XI Racing, post-retirement. Moreover, it is not new for Michael Jordan to field a third car.
Heard today is my day. #RefiredNotRetiredDay pic.twitter.com/2LzCcoQhwA
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) March 2, 2024
The team’s #67 Toyota was piloted twice in the last season. It was Travis Pastrana who drove it during the Daytona 500, while it was Kamui Kobayashi who took the reins of #67 in the Brickyard race.
23XI Racing unveils its $16 million Airspeed facility
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It seems that 23XI Racing is ready to throttle its development and prove its position as a top-tier team, not only by expanding its drivers but also in terms of infrastructure. Airspeed, the headquarters of 23XI Racing at Huntersville, built over 37 acres of land and with an investment of $16 million, is on the verge of being unveiled.
The facility boasts state-of-the-art technology and design. Further, it includes approximately 12,000 sq ft of commercial space, 300 apartments, and a hotel consisting of 120 rooms. The edifice also includes awe-striking lounges, simulator labs, walls that narrate stories from the world of racing, and an open-air deck.
The official Twitter account posted a picture of the facility nearing its completion with the words, “We are still adding the finishing touches to Airspeed, but night mode. Look out for updates on our socials on all of our progress and when we’ll open our doors to welcome fans!”
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With a bag filled with surprises that are to be unveiled in the upcoming days, it will be interesting to see what the 2024 season has in store for the team that is still in its nascent stage.