Kurt Busch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kurt Busch
Busch at Sonoma Raceway in 2024
Born	Kurt Thomas Busch (1978-08-04) August 4, 1978 (age 46) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg)
Achievements	2004 Nextel Cup Series Champion 2003 IROC Champion 2010 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Winner 2011 Budweiser Shootout Winner 2017 Daytona 500 Winner 1999 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour Champion Has won a race with all current engine suppliers (Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota)
Awards	2000 Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year 2014 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
776 races run over 24 years
2022 position	30th
Best finish	1st (2004)
First race	2000 MBNA.com 400 (Dover)
Last race	2022 Ambetter 301 (New Hampshire)
First win	2002 Food City 500 (Bristol)
Last win	2022 AdventHealth 400 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles 34 339 28
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
30 races run over 5 years
2013 position	104th
Best finish	39th (2006)
First race	2006 O'Reilly 300 (Texas)
Last race	2013 Subway Firecracker 250 (Daytona)
First win	2006 O'Reilly 300 (Texas)
Last win	2012 Subway Jalapeño 250 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 23 3
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
28 races run over 3 years
2012 position	87th
Best finish	2nd (2000)
First race	2000 Daytona 250 (Daytona)
Last race	2012 Fred's 250 (Talladega)
First win	2000 Sears DieHard 200 (Milwaukee)
Last win	2000 Motorola 200 (Fontana)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 20 4
IndyCar Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2014 position	25th
Best finish	25th (2014)
First race	2014 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of December 25, 2021.

Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is famous for racing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000 to 2022. His last team was 23XI Racing, where he drove the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD.

Kurt Busch won the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series championship. He also won the exciting 2017 Daytona 500 race. He is the older brother of Kyle Busch, who is also a two-time Cup Series champion.

Busch started his NASCAR Cup Series journey in 2000. He raced for many top teams like Chip Ganassi Racing and Stewart–Haas Racing. He has won 34 Cup races. He also won the championship in the first-ever "Chase for the Cup" format. In 2006, he joined a special group of drivers. He won races in all three of NASCAR's main series. These are the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series.

Early in his career, Busch was known for being a very aggressive driver. He sometimes had disagreements with other drivers and his team. But over time, he became known for helping his teams get better. He is the only driver to win Cup races with four different car brands. These are Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet, and Toyota. Besides stock car racing, Busch has also competed in the Indianapolis 500. He also raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the National Hot Rod Association. In 2023, he was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.

Racing Career

Early Days

Kurt Busch started racing when he was 14 years old. He drove a Dwarf car at Pahrump Valley Speedway. His father helped him get into racing. He also tried IMCA Modified racing.

Busch got a big chance after another driver, Chris Trickle, was injured. The Star Nursery team needed a new driver. Busch raced against famous names like Ron Hornaday Jr. and Kevin Harvick. This happened in the 1997 Winter Heat Series.

Busch's team won the 1998 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Rookie of the Year award. The next year, in 1999, he won the series championship. This success led him to a tryout with Roush Racing. He won the tryout and earned a spot in the Craftsman Truck Series. He drove the No. 99 Ford F-150. He won four races and finished second in the championship. He also won the Rookie of the Year award.

NASCAR Journey

Roush Racing Years

2000 to 2005 Seasons

Busch (97) and Joe Nemechek (01) at Talladega Superspeedway in 2005.

In 2000, Roush Racing announced that Busch would move up to the Winston Cup Series. He would replace Chad Little in the No. 97 Ford. Busch raced in seven of the last eight races that season. His best finish was 13th place at Charlotte.

Busch started the 2001 season without a sponsor. Later, Roush Racing got a deal with Rubbermaid. Their Sharpie marker brand became Busch's main sponsor. Busch had three top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes that year. In the 2001 Daytona 500, Busch had a memorable moment with Dale Earnhardt. They touched cars, and Earnhardt made a gesture at Busch. Busch later said this was his only time racing against Earnhardt. Earnhardt sadly passed away in a crash on the final lap of that race.

Busch finished third at the spring Talladega race. He also got a fifth-place finish at the Brickyard 400. But he had some bad luck later in the season. He finished 27th in points. He was second to Kevin Harvick for the Rookie of the Year award.

The 2002 season was a big year for Busch. He won his first race at the Food City 500 in Bristol. He beat Jimmy Spencer in a close finish. Busch won three more races that year. He won at Martinsville, Atlanta, and Homestead. He had 12 top-five finishes and 20 top-10 finishes. He ended the season in third place overall. He was the first driver to win the most races in his first winning season. Carl Edwards later matched this record in 2005.

Busch had a mixed season in 2003. He won four races, including both races at Bristol. This made him the first driver to sweep Bristol since Rusty Wallace in 2000. But he finished 11th in points due to some inconsistent races. He earned over $5 million that season. Busch was also part of a historic finish at Darlington. He battled Ricky Craven for the win. Craven won by just 0.002 seconds. This was the closest finish in NASCAR history at the time.

In 2004, Busch won three races and two pole positions. He also won the first-ever NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship. This was the first season with "The Chase for the Championship." He won his fourth straight race at Bristol in March. He also became the second driver to win both races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in one season. The championship almost got away from him at the final race. His tire went flat, and his wheel came off. But he recovered and won the title. He ended the season with 10 top-five finishes and 21 top-10 finishes.

In 2005, Busch announced he would leave Roush Racing. He would join Penske Racing South. He would replace Rusty Wallace in the No. 2 Dodge. Roush Racing agreed to let him go early. This happened when Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jamie McMurray wanted to join Roush. Busch had a strong 2005 season. He won three races and had nine top-five finishes. He finished 10th in the final points standings.

Penske Racing Years

2006 to 2011 Seasons

Busch celebrating after winning the 2006 Food City 500.

In 2006, racing for Penske, Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol. This was his fifth win at that track. He celebrated by making a snow angel on the track. Busch also got six pole positions and 12 top-10 finishes. He finished 16th in the standings. He also won his first Busch Series race for Penske at Texas. He won another race at Watkins Glen. Busch missed the Chase for the first time in 2006.

In 2007, Busch won two races and earned one pole. He had five top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes. He made it into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. His racing improved a lot after Pat Tryson became his crew chief. Busch also raced in four more Busch Series races. He had two top-five finishes there.

Kurt Busch's 2008 Sprint Cup Series racecar

In 2008, Busch helped his teammate Ryan Newman win the 2008 Daytona 500. This was Penske’s first Daytona 500 win. On June 29, 2008, Busch won at New Hampshire. This ended a 29-race winless streak for him. Despite the win, Busch missed the Chase and finished 18th in points.

Busch started 2009 at the Daytona 500. He was in a crash but still finished 10th. He won the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500, leading most of the race. At Las Vegas, he shared a special moment with his brother Kyle after Kyle won. Kurt stayed in the top 5 for the rest of the season. He made the Chase and finished 4th overall. He won another race at the 2009 Dickies 500.

In 2010, Steve Addington became Busch's crew chief. On May 22, 2010, Kurt won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. He then won the Coca-Cola 600. He was only the seventh driver to win both in the same year. Busch made the Chase and finished 11th in the standings.

Kurt Busch's No. 22 at Pocono Raceway in 2011.

In 2011, Busch took over the No. 22 Dodge. He won his first Budweiser Shootout. He also won the Gatorade Duel 1. He started first in the 2011 Daytona 500. This made it three wins in a row to start the season.

Kurt competing in the 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, a race he would go on to win.

Busch won the pole at Kansas and led many laps. But a fuel issue cost him the win. On June 26, Busch won his first road course race at Infineon Raceway. He also won the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. By August 2011, Busch had won 25% of his Nationwide Series starts. On October 2, he won at Dover. This was his last win for Penske Racing. The season ended with some difficulties. Busch was fined $50,000 by NASCAR for his behavior. He also worked with a sports psychologist to improve his actions. On December 5, 2011, Busch left Penske Racing.

Phoenix Racing Years

2012 Season

Busch during practice for the 2012 Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

After leaving Penske Racing, Busch said he wasn't enjoying racing. He decided to get help for his anger and focus on having fun again. He chose to drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing in 2012. He also raced part-time in the Nationwide Series. He partnered with Kyle Busch Motorsports and his brother, Kyle Busch.

At the 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega, Busch's car looked like the car from the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He got permission from Sony and Will Ferrell to use the design. Commentators joked about him being "Ricky Bobby." His car ran well, but he spun out near the end. He drove backward down pit road to get new tires. He finished 20th.

At Darlington, Busch crashed with Ryan Newman. Both drivers were out of the race. NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 and put him on probation.

Busch's engine fails at the 2012 FedEx 400

On June 4, 2012, Busch had another incident. NASCAR suspended him from the Pocono race. They said he violated their rules against bad language. His suspension was extended. He had been on probation for a previous incident at Darlington. On July 6, 2012, Busch won the Nationwide Series Jalapeño 250 at Daytona. He passed Austin Dillon on the last lap.

Later that year, Busch finished third at Sonoma. He led laps and ran in the top three. He almost won at Talladega that fall. But he spun out and was told to stop his car by NASCAR. He refused and was parked. The next week, he started driving for Furniture Row Racing.

Furniture Row Racing Years

2012 and 2013 Seasons

On September 24, 2012, it was announced that Busch would drive the No. 78 Chevrolet SS for Furniture Row Racing in 2013. He replaced Regan Smith. Busch debuted for the team at the 2012 Bank of America 500. He finished 21st. He then had three top-10 finishes to end the season. He finished 25th in points.

Kurt Busch's No. 78 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2013.

The 2013 season started with a new team for Busch. He showed a lot of improvement. He crashed in the Sprint Unlimited. He struggled at Daytona and Phoenix. But he bounced back with a fourth-place finish at Bristol.

At Fontana, Busch got a penalty but still finished third. He was behind his brother Kyle and Dale Earnhardt Jr.. At Martinsville, he crashed and his engine caught fire. He was not hurt. At Texas, he almost got the pole position. His brother Kyle got it instead. Busch said, "I would rather lose to Kyle than anybody else."

At Richmond, Busch led for 36 laps. He was a contender for the win. But he crashed with Tony Stewart. Both drivers were called to the NASCAR office. Busch finished ninth. At Talladega, Busch was in a big crash. His car flipped over. He was not hurt.

At Darlington, Busch earned his first pole of the season. He led many laps early. But he finished 14th. In the All-Star race, Busch led 29 laps. He finished fifth.

At the Coca-Cola 600, Busch started second. He finished third. This was his first top-three finish in a long time. He said, "A top-five is great. To be up front, to lead laps, that's what it's all about."

Busch had good finishes at Dover and Pocono. At Michigan, he crashed early but still led laps. At Sonoma, he finished fourth. He recovered from two speeding penalties. At Kentucky, Busch caused a seven-car wreck. He finished sixth. He then had two more sixth-place finishes. This was Furniture Row Racing's first streak of three top-ten finishes. This moved Busch up to ninth in points.

At Bristol, a loose wheel caused him to finish 31st. But he bounced back with a fourth-place finish at Atlanta. The next week at Richmond, Busch finished second to Carl Edwards. This also marked Furniture Row Racing's first time in the Chase.

Busch started the Chase with a fourth-place finish at Chicagoland. He finished 13th at New Hampshire. At Kansas, he started at the back of the field. But he worked his way up to finish second. He ended the season tenth in the standings.

Stewart-Haas Racing Years

On August 26, 2013, Kurt Busch announced he was leaving Furniture Row Racing. He joined Stewart–Haas Racing (SHR). Team co-owner Gene Haas would sponsor his car. His car number would be 41.

2014 Season: Back to Winning

Busch at his souvenir trailer signing autographs at the 2014 Pocono 400

Busch had a great start with his new team at Fontana. He took the lead late in the race. But his brother Kyle passed him on the final lap to win.

The next week at the STP 500, Busch had a controversial moment. He crashed with Keselowski on pit road. Later, Busch battled Jimmie Johnson for the lead. With 11 laps left, Busch took the lead and won. This was his first win since 2011.

At Darlington, Busch crashed after being hit by Clint Bowyer. He was not hurt. He said, "That was a terrible way to end what could have been a decent night."

At the 2014 Coca-Cola 600, Busch tried to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. This is called double duty. But his engine failed, and he couldn't finish the Coca-Cola 600.

Kurt competing in the 2014 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma.

At Pocono, Busch finished third. He ran in the top five all day. At Daytona, Busch led the most laps. But rain stopped the race early. He finished third. NASCAR penalized him 10 points for an illegal car part.

Busch's performance improved after Daytona. He had top-five finishes at Pocono and Watkins Glen. Midway through the Chase, Tony Gibson became his new crew chief. Busch's performance got even better. He finished seventh at Talladega and Phoenix.

2015 Season

Busch racing at the 2015 Toyota/Save Mart 350, in which he took second place behind his brother, who took first

Busch had a tough start to 2015. He was in two crashes at the Sprint Unlimited. He also got a penalty at the Budweiser Duel.

On February 20, 2015, NASCAR suspended Busch. This was due to a family court finding about his ex-girlfriend. Regan Smith replaced him for the first three races. On March 11, 2015, NASCAR lifted his suspension. Prosecutors found no criminal evidence. He was allowed to race again. NASCAR also said he could still qualify for the Chase if he won a race.

In his first race back, Busch finished fifth. At Auto Club, he won the pole and led many laps. He finished third. The next week at Martinsville, he led early. He then dominated at Richmond and won his first race of the season.

Busch's second win came at Michigan in a rain-shortened race. At Sonoma, he finished second to his younger brother Kyle. This was their first 1-2 finish in the Cup Series. Even though he missed three races, Busch finished 8th in the 2015 championship. He had 21 top-10 finishes.

2016 Season

Busch celebrating after winning the 2016 Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400

Busch started 2016 with a 10th-place finish at the Daytona 500. He then won two pole positions. His only win of the season was at Pocono. His crew chief, Gibson, was suspended at the time. Busch had a very consistent season. He set a record for the most consecutive lead-lap finishes. His streak ended at Bristol after a crash. He finished 7th in the championship standings.

2017 Season: Daytona 500 Victory

Busch's 2017 Daytona 500 race-winning car

Stewart-Haas Racing switched to Ford for 2017. Ford had not won a Cup championship since Busch's 2004 title. Busch's season started with a crash. A week later, Busch won the Daytona 500. He passed Kyle Larson on the final lap. But Busch struggled for the rest of the year. He finished 14th in the standings.

2018 Season: Final Year at Stewart-Haas

Kurt competing in the 2018 Southern 500 throwback race at Darlington, a race he would finish in 6th.

In 2017, Busch and SHR had trouble agreeing on a new contract. But they signed a one-year deal for 2018. He started strong with pole positions at Texas, Michigan, and New Hampshire. Busch won his first race in 58 races at the Bristol night race. This secured his spot in the 2018 Playoffs. He made it to the Round of 8. But he was eliminated at Phoenix after a late crash. Busch finished seventh in points. On December 2, 2018, he announced he would not return to SHR in 2019.

Chip Ganassi Racing Years

2019 Season

Busch's No. 1 at Sonoma Raceway in 2019

On December 4, 2018, it was confirmed that Busch would join Chip Ganassi Racing. He would drive the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. His sponsor, Monster Energy, also moved with him. Busch signed a one-year deal. Many thought this would be his last full-time season.

At the Pennzoil 400, Busch's car had a special sponsor. It was Star Nursery, which was on his first NASCAR winning car. He finished second to his brother Kyle at the 2019 Food City 500. This was their second 1–2 finish. Busch won his first race with Chip Ganassi Racing at Kentucky. He beat Kyle on the final restart. This was the third 1–2 finish for the Busch brothers. But it was the first time Kurt won. He made the playoffs but was eliminated in the Round of 16. On November 2, 2019, CGR said Kurt would stay for at least two more years.

2020 Season

Busch made the 2020 playoffs without a win. He was consistent, with four top-five finishes and 14 top-10 finishes. He won his first race of the season, and 32nd career victory, at Las Vegas. This earned him a spot in the Round of 8.

2021 Season

Busch's race-winning car during the 2021 Quaker State 400

Busch started 2021 with good finishes. But his results dropped for a while. Then he had three straight top-eight finishes. On June 30, Justin Marks bought Chip Ganassi Racing's NASCAR team. This made Busch a free agent. On July 11, Kurt won the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta. He held off his brother Kyle. This secured a playoff spot and was their final 1-2 finish together. Busch was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished the season 11th in points.

23XI Racing Years

Busch’s No. 45 at Sonoma Raceway in 2022

2022 Season: Last Full-Time Year

On August 27, 2021, it was announced that Busch would drive the No. 45 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing in 2022. He started the season with a 19th-place finish in the Daytona 500. He had good top-five results at Phoenix and Atlanta. But then he had some bad finishes. However, he bounced back with a victory at Kansas.

Accident at Pocono and Retirement

Kurt announcing his retirement from full-time competition in August 2023.

At the Pocono race, Busch had a crash during qualifying. He was not cleared to race by doctors. He missed the last five races of the regular season. Ty Gibbs filled in for him while he recovered. On August 25, 2022, Busch decided not to ask for a playoff spot. He missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012. On October 16, 2022, he announced he would step away from full-time racing in 2023. He said he might race part-time. But on August 26, 2023, Busch confirmed he was fully retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing.

Other Racing Adventures

Drag Racing (NHRA)

Busch started training for NHRA Pro Stock racing in 2011. He got his NHRA Pro Stock license. He made his drag racing debut on March 10, 2011. This was at the Gatornationals in Gainesville. Busch qualified for the Pro Stock race. He competed in his first elimination round on March 13, 2011. He lost by a very small amount. He became only the fourth driver to race in both NASCAR and NHRA.

Open-Wheel Racing (IndyCar)

In 2003, Busch tested a Champ Car for Bobby Rahal. This was just for fun. In 2013, he tested an IndyCar for Andretti Autosport. This team was owned by Michael Andretti.

In January 2014, Busch said he really wanted to race in the Indianapolis 500. On March 4, 2014, it was announced that Kurt Busch would try to qualify for the 2014 Indianapolis 500. He would drive for Andretti Autosport. He also planned to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. This is a very rare challenge. Busch started 12th in the Indy 500. He finished sixth, which was a great result. But his attempt to complete both races ended early. His engine failed in the Coca-Cola 600.

Other Races

On October 21, 2014, Busch announced he would race in the 2014 Race of Champions. He raced for Team USA. He also raced in the 2017 Race of Champions with his brother Kyle Busch. They lost to Team Germany. On January 14, 2025, Busch announced he was cleared to race again. He will compete in the 2025 Race of Champions. This will be his first race since his 2022 injury.

Personal Life

Kurt Busch was born to Thomas and Gaye Busch in Las Vegas, Nevada. He went to Durango High School. He then went to the University of Arizona. He planned to study Pharmacy.

Busch married Eva Bryan on July 27, 2006. He later married Ashley Van Metre on January 7, 2017. They appeared on the TV show Racing Wives in 2019.

Busch loves baseball. He wants to visit every baseball park in the country. His favorite teams are the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears. He also likes the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. Before the 2006 season, Busch had cosmetic surgery on his ears.

Motorsports Career Results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.  – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series Summary

Daytona 500

Nationwide Series Summary

Camping World Truck Series Summary

24 Hours of Daytona

(key)

24 Hours of Daytona results
Year	Class	No	Team	Car	Co-drivers	Laps	Position	Class Pos.
2005	DP	49	Multimatic Motorsports	Ford Multimatic DP	Scott Maxwell Matt Kenseth Greg Biffle	588	27 DNF	15 DNF
2008	DP	9	Penske-Taylor Racing	Pontiac Riley DP	Ryan Briscoe Hélio Castroneves	689	3	3

American Open–Wheel Racing Results

(key)

IndyCar Series Summary

** Podium (Non-win) indicates second or third-place finishes.

*** Top-tens (Non-podium) indicates fourth through tenth-place finishes.

Indianapolis 500

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

See also

In Spanish: Kurt Busch para niños