Celebrated racing champion Kurt Busch announced his retirement from the NASCAR Cup Series via a video posted on social media page on Saturday afternoon.
Busch, who has not competed since suffering a concussion in a July 2022 crash in qualifying at Pocono Raceway, is stepping away from the sport he has loved to compete in for over two decades. After a brilliant career, filled with the highs and lows of crashes and championships, the 45-year-old Busch acknowledged that father time catches up to us all.
“Dreams we all have them… Those beautiful things that scare us and excite us and drive us forward,” Busch said in the video. “Sometimes dreams change over time and sometimes they take a lifetime to achieve, but me I only ever had one dream and I chased my mine with 100 percent of who I am every single day.”
Thank you to everyone who helped me accomplish my dream. pic.twitter.com/QiNiqSx0U4
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) August 26, 2023
“Racing requires 100 percent of focus, heart, stamina and determination, and I’ve never raced a day without all of that in mind,” Busch continued. “But sometimes father time can catch up to your dreams. My incredible team of doctors and I have come to the conclusion that at this point in my recovery there are just too many obstacles for me to overcome and get back to 100 percent.
“So, after 23 years behind the wheel and 45 years of living and breathing this dream, I’m officially announcing my retirement from NASCAR Cup Series competition.”
The accomplished driver posted 34 career victories over a span of 776 starts in the Cup Series, highlighted by capturing the Cup Series championship in 2004 and the Daytona 500 in ’17. Busch will forever be in the history books as the inaugural winner of NASCAR’s initial playoff format in the Cup series.
Busch, who ranks 12th on the all-time career Cup start list, finishes tied with Martin Truex Jr. for 25th on the circuit’s all-time win list.
