NASCAR star Kurt Busch steps away full time from racing due to concussion

LAS VEGAS — NASCAR star Kurt Busch said on Saturday that he will miss the rest of the auto racing season with a concussion and will compete on a part-time basis in 2023.

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Busch, 44, made his announcement at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track, according to ESPN.

“I know I am not 100% in my ability to go out and race at the top level in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Busch said in a statement. “These are the best of the best drivers, and lately, I haven’t felt my best.”

Busch has won 34 races on NASCAR’s premier series and ranks 25th on the circuit’s all-time victory list, according to the sports news organization.

He has missed the last 12 NASCAR Cup Series races after sustaining a concussion on July 23 at Pocono Speedway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, according to NASCAR.com. Busch said he will miss the four remaining events; he will be replaced in the driver’s seat of the No. 45 Toyota by Xfinity Series member Ty Gibbs through the end of the season for the 23XI Racing team, according to the motorsports website. Gibbs has been racing in Busch’s absence.

Busch said Tyler Reddick will replace him next season, according to The Associated Press.

Reddick, 26, was signed by 23XI Racing in July to a deal that begins in 2024, but an agreement made with Richard Childress Racing will allow him to end his obligations to the latter organization a year sooner, NASCAR.com reported.

RCR signed Kyle Busch, Kurt’s younger brother and a two-time Cup champion, for next season, the AP reported.

“If I’m cleared, maybe you’ll see me at a few select races” next season, Kurt Busch said.

Kurt Busch is the last active NASCAR driver to have competed against racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001.

“From the day Kurt Busch joined our team, we knew he was going to elevate our organization in many ways,” the team said. “From earning 23XI our first playoff berth with his commanding win at Kansas Speedway to numerous hours spent off the track helping to grow our program, Kurt has made us better,” 23XI Racing said in a statement. “This season took an unexpected turn with his injury. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Kurt has not stopped being a true professional and a trusted teammate. We fully support Kurt’s decision to focus on his health and are grateful for his guidance as our team builds a strong foundation for the future.”

According to his bio on the NASCAR website, Busch is the 2004 Cup Series champion and earned victories at the Daytona 500 in 2017 and the Coca-Cola 600 in 2010. He is also a five-time winner in the Xfinity Series and has won four times in the Camping World Truck Series.

“For more than two decades, we have been privileged to watch Kurt Busch compete,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said in a statement. “He has proven himself a champion on the racetrack, but perhaps just as importantly, he has grown to become a true ambassador for the sport. Kurt’s drive to improve the future of motorsports has set him apart. We are thrilled that he’ll remain in our sport as a leader and trusted resource. Kurt’s unparalleled passion for racing gives us hope that we will see him in a race car again.”

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Photos: Kurt Busch through the years Check out these memorable photos of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch through the years. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

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