Kurt Busch has not competed in the NASCAR Cup Series since he suffered a concussion during a qualifying session at Pocono Raceway last season. Busch marked the first of two drivers having concussions in the NextGen car as Alex Bowman suffered one later in the year.
There is a difference between the two drivers. Bowman ended up returning for the final race of the 2022 season at Phoenix Raceway while Busch continued his recovery process. The 2023 NASCAR season would have been the Las Vegas native’s farewell tour but he was robbed of it.
Busch did talk about a possible return to NASCAR during his media availability before the 2023 Daytona 500; however, major details about Busch’s recovery back to the sport’s top level were revealed on Monday morning.
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Kurt Busch reveals significant information on his recovery back to NASCAR
As stated above, Busch was at the Daytona 500 but it was not with the purpose of driving a race car. A group of NASCAR champions gave the command to start the engines and while Jimmie Johnson and Logano strapped in, Busch went to go watch the race.
It was supposed to be his final start in the Great American Race alongside Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. Instead, he looked forward as his drivers, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Travis Pastrana, tried to claim the trophy.
Busch sat down with the Associated Press and revealed a lot of information about his recovery process in the most detailed release we have seen to this point.
“When you look at the therapist, and he’s looking back at you, there’s work to be done. That’s really all I can give you. Go-karting has been fine for me, the simulator has been fine. It’s just when I had my head in the headrest and there’s that movement, that bothers me…The wreck might not look like it wasn’t that violent. But primal fear is…I leaned forward knowing I was backing into the fence. If you feel fear coming from behind, you lean away. So I exaggerated the hit by leaning forward and that 30 G’s backward was something I never felt before. I don’t remember the right front hit. That’s when things got serious in the infield care center.”
Kurt Busch on his recovery from a concussion at Pocono Raceway
Busch continued by describing how he couldn’t stand up straight following the wreck and answer questions the doctors asked him about the impact. Then, he went back to his motorhome and called his father, Tom Busch.
The 44-year-old driver was told it was probably the right front hit and he again said he didn’t remember the impact. It was a sobering reality when the replay was watched by Busch at Pocono Raceway. For drivers that feel invisible behind the wheel, it is truly a reality check.
Since then, it has been a long recovery and he is still not cleared to race yet. As Busch stated above, it is the movement of his head in the headrest which is causing him problems. The process has been trying but Busch has previously said he is happy with his current life.
The main question for NASCAR fans might surround whether Busch will compete in the sport again. That remains to be seen; however, the good thing is that Busch is enjoying his life off the race track.