Kurt Busch’s untimely exit from NASCAR racing is one of the sad stories of the sport in recent times. Busch, the former Cup Series champion, had to call it quits from racing due to injuries he sustained from his time racing with 23XI Racing. The crash occurred during the qualifying session of the 2022 Pocono race, and it left Busch with concussions.
Driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry, Kurt Busch spun wildly on the racetrack and rammed the rear end of his car into the safer barriers. It wasn’t a single hit, as after a hard impact that crushed the rear end of the car, it turned right back and hit straight up against the barriers again. The severity of the impact of this crash was such that it caused vestibular issues, which ultimately forced him to quit racing.
While he is on the recovery road hoping to hit the road soon, he’s far from race-ready. Speaking about his current conditioning to Racer.com after recovering from the horrifying crash, Busch said, “It was taxing for a while. Basically, every other day it was a doctor visit somewhere and going to get hearing checked, eyes checked, balance checked. The vestibular movements were what was greatly affected. I still feel the lingering effects, but it has calmed down, and it has been through all the physical therapy and all the great doctors who have helped me.”
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Although he’s off the racetrack, Busch for some reason found himself on the end of another controversy. Earlier this year, the former 23XI Racing driver was arrested for drunken driving. Upon investigation, he was tested with a blood alcohol content of .17, which is double North Carolina’s legal limit. He did apologize to his fans and supporters for his misconduct. Now that he’s opened up about his struggles with the injuries, fans aren’t sold on his story. Rather, they questioned his lifestyle and issues with alcohol as reasons that are holding his comeback to racing.
USA Today via Reuters Feb 16, 2022; Daytona, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Fans react to Kurt Busch’s health update after the Pocono crash
While a number of fans sympathized with Busch’s struggles after the nerve-wracking crash in 2022, there were a few who didn’t buy into his story. Especially after the details of his drunken driving case became public. Disappointed with his off-track shenanigans that could’ve led to a disaster, a fan wrote, “maybe the lingering hangover from his last DUI?”
Kurt Busch had a major turnaround in his relationship with the fans in the latter half of his career. Once upon a time, he was viewed as a villain of the sport and didn’t particularly enjoy the support he had today. While he did apologize for his drunken driving incident, stating, “I am very disappointed in myself, and I apologize to my family, my racing family, and my fans.” However, this plea didn’t seem to connect with this fan, who sarcastically replied, “The voices in his head told him to get a DUI.”
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While a few others weren’t too hard on Busch, they highlighted the urgency for him to focus on his primary goals to have a shot to get back on the racetrack. “He admits to having lingering issues from the crash, yet still thinks it’s ok to drink and hop behind the wheel. I hope he learns his limits and capabilities.”
While it’s not proven, Busch’s ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, described him as an alcoholic while accusing the NASCAR driver of physically assaulting him in court. For some fans, it was just hard to not connect the dots between Busch’s past behavior and his current situation. This fan in particular made a bold claim that this drunken driving case might not be his first one. “Not his first DUI he had one 20 years ago. Most likely he just has a drinking issue.”
It’s unfortunate how Kurt Busch’s racing career was cut short due to a major accident. While he has had a fair share of trouble being embroiled in controversy, this fan wanted to see Busch enjoy his retirement peacefully. Praying for his well-being, this Reddit user stated, “Jeezus…. I’m praying that he can spend his elderly years in relatively good mental health at this rate.”
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What do you make of Kurt Busch’s latest admission, and do you think he will return to racing in the near future?
“Maybe the Lingering Hangover”- NASCAR Community Trashes Kurt Busch’s Emotional Confession About Pocono
