Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. He is best known for competing in theNASCAR Cup Series from 2000 to 2022, last driving the No. 45Toyota Camry TRD for23XI Racing. Busch is the2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion and the2017 Daytona 500 winner. He is the older brother of two-time Cup Series championKyle Busch.
Busch began his NASCAR Cup Series career in 2000, driving for teams including23XI Racing,Chip Ganassi Racing,Stewart–Haas Racing,Furniture Row Racing,Phoenix Racing,Penske Racing, andRoush Racing. He has won 34 Cup races and claimed the championship in the inaugural "Chase for the Cup" points format. In 2006, he joined an elite group of 36 drivers to win races in all three of NASCAR's top divisions: the Cup Series,Xfinity Series, andCamping World Truck Series. Early in his career, Busch gained attention for his aggressive driving and clashes with competitors, team members, and the media. Over time, he became known for helping his teams enhance their programs. He is the only driver to win Cup races with four manufacturers:Ford,Dodge,Chevrolet, andToyota.[1]
Beyond stock car racing, Busch has competed inthe Indianapolis 500, the24 Hours of Daytona, and theNational Hot Rod Association. In 2023, he was named one ofNASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.
Busch began his racing career at age 14 in a Dwarf car at Pahrump Valley Speedway,[2] introduced to the sport by his father.[3] He also competed inIMCA Modified racing early in his career.[4]
Busch's big break came under unfortunate circumstances whenChris Trickle, a promising driver, was critically injured in an unsolved shooting and later died.[5] Trickle's No. 70 team, sponsored by Star Nursery, sought a replacement driver, giving Busch the opportunity to step in. He gained national attention in the 1997Winter Heat Series atTucson Speedway, competing against notable drivers likeRon Hornaday Jr.,Matt Crafton,Greg Biffle, andKevin Harvick.
In 1998, Busch won Rookie of the Year in theNASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series,[6] and went on to secure the series championship in 1999.[7] His success earned him a spot in theRoush Racing "Gong Show", where he won aCraftsman Truck Series ride. Driving the No. 99Ford F-150,[2] Busch achieved four victories, finished second in the championship standings to teammate Greg Biffle, and was named Rookie of the Year.
Roush Racing announced during the 2000 season that Busch would bypass the Busch Series for the Winston Cup Series for 2001, replacingChad Little in the No. 97 Ford.[8] Little was released early, allowing Busch to take over the No. 97John Deere Ford at Dover in September 2000. Busch competed in seven of the final eight races that season, withJeff Hammond as his crew chief, while Little drove at Talladega. Busch's best finish during this stint was thirteenth at Charlotte.
Busch began the 2001 season driving an unsponsored car after John Deere ended its sponsorship of the No. 97 car following 2000. Later that year, Roush Racing secured a multi-year deal withRubbermaid, with itsSharpie marker brand becoming Busch's primary sponsor. Busch recorded three Top 5 finishes and six Top 10 finishes during the season. In the2001 Daytona 500, Busch had a notable encounter withDale Earnhardt. On lap 85, the two made door-to-door contact, prompting Earnhardt to flash Busch a middle-finger gesture at 185 mph (298 km/h). The moment, captured byFox Sports replay cameras, led broadcasterMike Joy to comment, "Kurt, you're number one." Reflecting on the incident, Busch described it as his only on-track interaction with Earnhardt, who died in a crash on the race's final lap. Busch remains the last active driver to have raced against Earnhardt in the Cup Series.
Busch secured his best finish of the season with a 3rd-place result at the spring Talladega race, just three weeks after earning his first career top-five at Texas (fourth). He also claimed a fifth-place finish in theBrickyard 400 atIndianapolis. However, his season was marred by misfortune, particularly in the second half. At theSouthern 500 in Darlington, he led 74 laps before crashing out. At Martinsville, he led 38 laps but suffered a cut tire in heavy traffic, causing significant damage. At Rockingham, overheating issues hindered his performance despite leading 45 laps. He also failed to qualify for the penultimate race in Atlanta. Busch wrapped up the season with a 21st-place finish at the postponed race in New Hampshire, ending 27th in points and second toKevin Harvick in theRookie of the Year standings.
The 2002 season marked Busch's breakout year in the Winston Cup Series. He secured his first victory at theFood City 500 inBristol, outduelingJimmy Spencer on worn tires. Busch went on to win at Martinsville in October, Atlanta the following week, and the season finale at Homestead, totaling four wins. He also achieved twelve top-five finishes, twenty top-ten finishes, and one pole position, finishing third in the final points standings andUS$5,105,394 in prize money. Busch dominated the end of the season, winning three of the final five races and leading laps in the other two. He became the first driver in NASCAR history to win the most races in his first winning season, a record later matched byCarl Edwards in 2005.
Busch had a mixed season in 2003. He secured four wins, including a season sweep at Bristol, becoming the first driver to achieve this sinceRusty Wallace in 2000. Despite these victories, inconsistent performances later in the year caused him to fall out of the top ten in points, finishing 11th overall with nine Top 5 finishes and 14 Top 10s. However, he earned overUS$5 million for the season. Busch also played a role in NASCAR history during theCarolina Dodge Dealers 400 atDarlington on March 16. In the closing laps, he andRicky Craven battled intensely for the lead, both wrestling with loose cars. Busch held the lead entering the final corner, but Craven drew nearly even exiting Turn 4. The two cars repeatedly made contact as they raced to the finish line. Craven edged Busch by just .002 seconds, marking the closest finish in NASCAR history at the time.
In 2004, Busch won three races, earned two poles, and captured the inaugural NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship, the first season to feature "The Chase for the Championship". He achieved his fourth consecutive win at Bristol by taking theFood City 500 in March, marking his third straight victory in that event. Busch also became the second driver to sweep both races atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway in a single season. However, the championship almost slipped away during the final race atHomestead. On lap 93, Busch reported a flat right-front tire and entered the access road leading to pit road. As he approached the pits, the wheel came off his car, causing him to veer sharply left and narrowly avoid hitting the yellow barrels at the pit road entrance. If he had struck the barrels, his championship hopes would have been over. The loose wheel brought out a caution, but Busch recovered, regained his position, and secured the title. He ended the season with ten top-five finishes and 21 top-ten finishes.
In 2005, midway through the season, Busch announced that he would be leaving Roush Racing at the end of the year to replaceRusty Wallace in the No. 2Miller LiteDodge forPenske Racing South. Initially, Roush was upset with Busch's decision, but the situation changed whenChip Ganassi Racing revealed thatJamie McMurray wanted to join Roush Racing in 2006. As a result, Roush agreed to release Busch. Although Busch had asked team owner Jack Roush to let him out of his contract at the end of 2005,[9] Roush initially refused. However, when it became clear that Busch had already signed a contract with Roger Penske, Roush decided to let him go. Busch's final race with Roush Racing was at Texas, after which he was sidelined for the last two races of the season due to a NASCAR suspension following an incident with the police. Busch had a strong 2005 season, winning three races, earning nine top-five finishes, and eighteen top-ten finishes in 34 races. He also posted an average finish of 15.3, which helped him finish tenth in the final points standings.
In the 2006 season, driving forPenske Racing, Busch won theFood City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, his fifth win at the track. He celebrated by making asnow angel on the track due to the snow that weekend. Busch also secured six poles, seven top-five finishes, and twelve top-ten finishes, but finished the season sixteenth in the points standings. He made hisBusch Series debut for Penske in the No. 39 Dodge at Texas, winning in his first race. Busch added a second win at Watkins Glen by holding offRobby Gordon on the final lap. He compared the battle to his 2003 Darlington finish againstRicky Craven, where he lost by just an inch. Busch missed the Chase for the first time in 2006.
In the 2007 season, Busch secured two wins, one pole, five top-five finishes, and ten top-ten finishes over 26 races, earning a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. His on-track performance improved significantly afterPat Tryson joined as his crew chief midway through the season.[10] Additionally, Busch competed in four more Busch Series races, achieving two Top 5 finishes and three Top 10 finishes.
In 2008, to guarantee rookieSam Hornish Jr. a starting spot in the first five races, points from Busch's No. 2 car were transferred to Hornish's No. 77. Busch was still assured a spot due to NASCAR’s Champion’s Provisional Rule, which automatically qualifies the most recent series champion—Busch, with his 2004 title—if they're not in the Top 35 of owner points. During the2008 Daytona 500, Busch had a fast car and was in contention for the win. On the final lap, he pushed teammateRyan Newman pastJoe Gibbs Racing driversTony Stewart andKyle Busch, allowing Newman to win. It was Penske’s first Daytona 500 victory and made him one of the few owners to win both theIndianapolis 500 and Daytona 500. On June 29, 2008, Busch broke a 29-race winless streak with a rain-shortened victory at New Hampshire, his first win since Michigan in 2007 and his eighteenth career win. Despite the victory, Busch missed the Chase and finished 18th in points.
Busch began his 2009 season at theDaytona 500, where he was involved in a wreck on lap 124 whenDale Earnhardt Jr. swerved intoBrian Vickers. Vickers hit the wall, ricocheted intoDenny Hamlin, who then collided with Busch. Kurt spun into the grass with eight other drivers, including his brother Kyle. After multiple pit stops, he finished tenth. Busch, along with others, believed Earnhardt's contact was intentional and called for a penalty, but NASCAR did not penalize him. Busch qualified 4th for the next race atAuto Club Speedway, finishing 5th, which moved him up to third in points. He dominated the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500, leading 235 of 325 laps and securing his 19th Sprint Cup victory. AtLas Vegas, he shared a touching moment with his brother Kyle after Kyle’s win, withDarrell Waltrip calling it "the most touching thing I have ever seen."[11] Kurt remained in the Top 5 for the rest of the season, qualified for the Chase, and finished fourth, the highest-ranked driver not withHendrick Motorsports. He earned another victory at the 2009 Dickies 500 after Kyle ran out of fuel with two laps to go.
In 2010,Steve Addington became Busch's crew chief after two seasons withKyle Busch, where he helped secure fourteen wins. Addington replaced Pat Tryson, who left to joinMichael Waltrip Racing. On May 22, 2010, Kurt won theNASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and followed it with a victory in theCoca-Cola 600, becoming just the seventh driver to win both in the same year. Busch made the Chase, seeded fifth in points, and finished an impressive seventh at Daytona in theCoke Zero 400 despite three wrecks in the final twelve laps. He finished eleventh in the Chase standings.
In 2011, Busch and Keselowski swapped teams. Busch took over the renumbered No. 22 Dodge. He won his firstBudweiser Shootout afterDenny Hamlin went below the yellow line at Daytona, followed by a victory in theGatorade Duel 1. Due toDale Earnhardt Jr.'s crash in practice, Busch started first in the2011 Daytona 500, making it three wins in a row to start the season. During theCrown Royal 400 atRichmond, Busch launched a profanity-laced tirade on his in-car radio, seemingly directed at Penske technical director Tom German.[12]
Busch won the pole and dominated the race at Kansas by leading 152 laps, but a late fuel pickup issue cost him a victory, which went to his teammateBrad Keselowski. On June 26, Busch secured his first road course win atInfineon Raceway, leading 76 laps. After Keselowski was injured in a practice crash atRoad Atlanta, Busch filled in for him at theZippo 200 atWatkins Glen International, where he claimed the pole and won the race. By August 13, 2011, Busch had won 25% of his Nationwide Series starts. On October 2, he earned his first victory atDover's Monster Mile, leading the final 43 laps after two late restarts and beatingJimmie Johnson. This would ultimately be his last win forPenske Racing. The season ended on a sour note as Busch struggled in the final five races. Tensions peaked when he verbally attacked anESPN cameraman and made an obscene gesture after a transmission failure during the season finale.[13] Crew chiefSteve Addington departed forStewart–Haas Racing following the 2011 season.
During the post-race interview at the fall Richmond race, Busch made headlines with his fiery behavior. OnABC, Busch claimed he was "in [Johnson's] head".[14] The situation escalated after the race when NASCAR.com reporter Joe Menzer asked Busch if either he or Johnson could win the Chase. Busch, visibly agitated, interrupted Menzer, saying, "How did I see you were going to come with that? We’re good", before attempting to walk away. However, the exchange took a turn when Busch shouted expletives and physically confronted Menzer, prompting Penske team members to restrain him.[14] Later, during a press conference, AP journalist Jenna Fryer asked Johnson about Busch's comment from the ABC interview. Busch interjected, denying he made the statement, saying, "I didn't say that tonight. Did not." Fryer offered to show him the transcript, which Busch reviewed after the interview. In a dramatic gesture, Busch tore up the transcript and left the media center.[14] Busch later apologized to both Menzer and Fryer for his conduct.[14]
At the start of theSylvania 300 atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway, Busch's team faced a delay in rolling their car to pit road due to a pre-race inspection issue. The rear-end housing was found to be outside of allowable tolerances, causing the setback. As ESPN reporterJamie Little approached Busch to ask a question, he responded curtly, expressing frustration: "Why the fuck do you think I would be OK? I gotta go get in my car. NASCAR told me I gotta get in my car."[15]
During the final race of the 2011 season, Busch's transmission failed on the third lap. While his car was being repaired, Busch verbally abused an ESPN cameraman while he was waiting to get interviewed byDr. Jerry Punch where he said "can you get this motherfucker out of my face?" Eventually, Dr. Punch opted to not interview Busch. The incident, captured by a fan and posted on YouTube, drew widespread criticism. NASCAR fined BuschUS$50,000 for his conduct, and Penske Racing issued an apology for his "inappropriate actions."[16] Later, during Championship Week, Busch addressed the incident, revealing that he had been working with a sports psychologist for two months to address personal issues. He acknowledged the need to improve his behavior, stating, "I need to be a better person on the radio, to the team, as a leader. It's personal issues, of course, and working with a sports psychologist, I've gotten obviously a small grasp, but there are obviously bigger things that I need to accomplish and things can't happen overnight".[17]
On December 5, 2011, Busch's employment with Penske Racing ended. While both parties described the separation as mutual,[18] many observers believed he was fired.[19] According toThe Charlotte Observer, multiple sources confirmed that team owner Roger Penske made the decision after Busch's altercation at Homestead-Miami Speedway, viewing it as the final incident in a tumultuous tenure.[20] The announcement was reportedly delayed until after Champion's Week.A. J. Allmendinger was named as his replacement in the No. 22 car.
After his release from Penske Racing, Busch acknowledged that he was no longer "having fun" with racing and decided to seek therapy for his anger issues while focusing on restoring his enjoyment of the sport. Busch declined an offer fromRichard Petty Motorsports and instead opted for an early-season agreement to drive the No. 51 Chevrolet forPhoenix Racing in the2012 Sprint Cup Series season.[21] He also explored potential opportunities withMichael Waltrip Racing,Furniture Row Racing, andRichard Childress Racing.[4] Additionally, Busch competed in a limited Nationwide Series schedule with Phoenix Racing.[22] During this time, Busch also established a sponsorship deal withMonster Energy. Through this partnership, he signed on withKyle Busch Motorsports to share the No. 54 car in the Nationwide Series with his younger brother,Kyle Busch.[23]
At the2012 Aaron's 499 atTalladega, Busch paid tribute to the 2006 racing comedyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby by running his No. 51 car in the paint scheme of Ricky Bobby's No. 62 "ME" Cougar car from the film.NASCAR on Fox commentatorsMike Joy,Larry McReynolds, andDarrell Waltrip jokingly referred to Busch as "Ricky Bobby" throughout the race, while Busch quoted lines from the movie over team radio. Busch spent months securing permission fromSony,Will Ferrell, and other rights holders to use the design. Notably, parallels were drawn between Busch's real-life struggles during the 2011–12 Sprint Cup offseason and Ricky Bobby's fictional fall from grace.[24] Busch's car performed well, running near the front and leading a few laps. However, with six laps remaining, he spun out in the trioval after contact with former teammate Brad Keselowski. After stopping, Busch drove backward down pit road to get new tires. Despite the unconventional move, he avoided penalties and finished twentieth, the last car on the lead lap.
At Darlington, Busch collided withRyan Newman, ending both drivers' races. Busch was finedUS$50,000 and placed on a five-race probation, while Newman received no penalty. Busch ultimately finished 21st, the last car on the lead lap.
On June 4, 2012, Busch clashed withJustin Allgaier during the Nationwide event at Dover. Later, in an interview with reporterBob Pockrass, Busch was asked about his probation. He responded, "It refrains me from not beating the shit out of you right now because you ask me stupid questions. But since I'm on probation, I suppose that's improper to say as well. If you can talk about racing things, we'll talk about many things, Bob. It is not racing, you're here just to start stuff, you know that's you're all out here for!" As a result of this outburst, NASCAR immediately suspended Busch from the Pocono race, citing a violation of its policy against public profanity.[25] NASCAR later extended his suspension until June 13, 2012, and lengthened his probation through December 31. Busch had already been on probation for a prior incident involving Ryan Newman's team at the May 12 Sprint Cup race at Darlington, where he was cited for reckless driving through Newman's pit stall. According to a NASCAR news release, Busch was suspended for violating Section 12-1 of the rulebook, which prohibits "actions detrimental to stock car racing", including "violation of probation" and "verbal abuse of a media member".
On July 6, 2012, Busch won the Nationwide SeriesSubway Jalapeño 250 at Daytona, overtaking Austin Dillon on the final lap.
During his 7-8 month stint with James Finch, he finished third at Sonoma after leading several laps and running in the top three throughout the race. However, his closest near-miss occurred at Talladega that fall. Busch led early and midway through the race but spun out after contact withJamie McMurray. He was parked by NASCAR after driving away from safety officials who were trying to assist him, refusing to stop his car despite NASCAR’s instructions. The following week, he began driving for Furniture Row Racing.
On September 24, 2012, it was announced that Busch would drive the No. 78Chevrolet SS forFurniture Row Racing in the 2013 season, replacingRegan Smith.[26] The opportunity arose when then-crew chiefTodd Berrier reached out to Busch to gauge his interest in joining FRR.[4] Busch made his debut for the team at the2012 Bank of America 500, finishing 21st. He followed that with a 25th-place finish at Kansas. However, he rebounded with three consecutive top-ten finishes at Texas, Phoenix, and Homestead to close out the season. Despite the strong finish, Busch missed the Chase for the first time since 2008 and ended the year 25th in the points standings.
The 2013 season for Busch began similarly to 2012, as he joined a new team, Furniture Row Racing (FRR). However, Busch showed notable improvement over his challenging 2012 season, both individually and with FRR. His start to the year was rough, as he crashed during theSprint Unlimited on lap 14, finishing thirteenth. He placed fifth in theBudweiser Duel but struggled with handling issues, leading to a 28th-place finish in theDaytona 500, five laps down. His performance didn’t improve much at Phoenix, where he finished 27th, one lap down. He then placed 20th at Las Vegas. After these less successful finishes, Busch bounced back with a strong performance, securing a 4th-place finish at Bristol.
At Fontana, Busch briefly went a lap down due to a penalty for speeding during green-flag pit stops but rallied in the final laps to finish 3rd, behind his brother Kyle andDale Earnhardt Jr.. At Martinsville, Busch's luck soured. After an early crash and a successful lucky dog pass, he lost his brakes on lap 487 while running many laps down and hit the wall hard, causing his engine to catch fire. The incident led to a 6-minute red flag, but Busch was uninjured.
At Texas, Busch nearly secured the pole position with a qualifying speed of 195.688 mph (314.929 km/h). However, his younger brother, Kyle, ultimately claimed the pole with a speed of 196.299 mph (315.913 km/h), closing out the qualifying session. Busch started second, still on the front row, but expressed disappointment at losing the pole, saying, "I would rather lose to Kyle than anybody else... it is frustrating that I do lose it to him though."
At Richmond, Busch led for 36 laps and was a contender for the win. However, after a late restart, he collided withTony Stewart, bumping him out of the top ten. Post-race, the two exchanged shoves and argued on pit road, overshadowingKevin Harvick's victory. Both were called to the NASCAR hauler. Busch finished ninth and stated he didn’t intentionally hit Stewart and was surprised by Stewart’s retaliation. At Talladega, Busch led two laps and was in the top ten when he was caught in a massive wreck on lap 182.J. J. Yeley, after contact withRicky Stenhouse Jr., hit Busch, causing him to flip and land onRyan Newman before striking the wall and getting hit byClint Bowyer andBobby Labonte. Busch was unharmed.
At Darlington, Busch earned his first pole of the season and led 69 of the first eighty laps. However, his handling deteriorated after the green flag pit stops, and he finished fourteenth. In the All-Star race, Busch led 29 laps and won two of the four twenty-lap segments, with his brother Kyle winning the other two. A poor pit stop for both Busch brothers cost them the lead, and Kurt finished fifth in the final ten-lap shootout, won byJimmie Johnson.
Atthe Coca-Cola 600 a week later, Busch started second, on the outside of the front row. Despite having to change a battery late in the race, he led eight laps and finished third, marking his first top-three finish since June 2012 at Sonoma. When interviewed, he said, "Yeah, a top-five is great. To be up front, to lead laps, that's what it's all about. So we'll get these little hiccups polished up and continue plugging forward. That's the only thing we can do, is learn from what exactly happened – was it a cable issue, a battery that was dead, was the alternator not charging? To show our strength tonight, to finish third, we'll take it. I think that's what needs to be said. The Furniture Row team was fast, and we didn't quite have a perfect night, and we brought it home third."[27]
Busch earned a 12th-place finish at Dover and a 7th-place result at Pocono. At Michigan, he qualified on the front row and led the first 21 laps, but fell seven laps down after an early accident on lap thirty. At Sonoma, Busch secured his next top-five finish with a fourth-place result, after leading fifteen laps and recovering from a lap down following two speeding penalties on pit road.
At Kentucky, Busch was involved in a controversy on lap 48 when he caused a seven-car wreck. He went down to the apron, then came back up and turned Keselowski into turn 1, triggering a crash that also involvedGreg Biffle,Travis Kvapil, andDave Blaney. Busch finished 6th and followed that with another sixth-place finish at the Coke Zero 400, marking Furniture Row Racing's first-ever streak of three consecutive top-ten finishes. This moved Busch up to ninth in points. However, at Loudon the next week, Busch started second, led 102 laps, but was turned and wrecked byMatt Kenseth, finishing 31st.
At Indianapolis, Busch finished fourteenth. The following week at Pocono, he led nine laps and secured a third-place finish. He then earned a ninth-place finish at Watkins Glen. Back at Michigan, Busch started on the outside of the front row, led 43 laps, and finished third, moving up to ninth in the driver points standings.
At Bristol in August, Busch started from the outside row and led 54 laps early. However, a loose wheel forced him behind the wall, resulting in a 31st-place finish, 26 laps down. He rebounded in the next two weeks, finishing fourth at Atlanta. The following week at Richmond, Busch started 2nd and had one of the strongest cars of the night, ultimately finishing second toCarl Edwards. This also marked Furniture Row Racing's first-ever appearance in the Chase.
At Chicagoland, Busch began the Chase with a fourth-place finish. He then finished 13th at New Hampshire and 21st at Dover after pitting for a loose wheel. At Kansas, Busch had to start at the rear of the field due to a practice crash that required a backup car. Despite the setback, he worked his way through the pack to finish second. This marked his tenth Top 5 and fifteenth top-ten finishes in thirty races. Busch ultimately finished tenth in the final standings.
In 2013, Busch was scheduled to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet forPhoenix Racing in theNationwide Series, with plans to compete in sixteen events. However, he participated in only three races that season. He wrecked at Daytona but achieved top-ten finishes at Talladega and in the second race at Daytona.
On August 26, 2013, Kurt Busch announced his departure from Furniture Row Racing to joinStewart–Haas Racing under a multi-year contract. Team co-ownerGene Haas confirmed he would fully sponsor Busch's ride.[28] By late September, it was revealed that Busch's car would carry the No. 41.[29]
Busch had a breakout performance for his new team at Fontana. He took the lead late in the race after Jimmie Johnson blew a tire with seven laps to go. On the restart, Busch led against his teammate, Tony Stewart, but lost the top spot on the final lap when Kyle Busch slipped past to claim the victory.
The following week at theSTP 500, Busch found himself in a controversial moment on lap 43. During a caution, he collided with Keselowski on pit road, causing significant damage to Keselowski's car. After repairs, Keselowski returned to the track, leading to several heated on-track exchanges between the two drivers. In the final stages of the race, Busch engaged in a thrilling battle with Jimmie Johnson for the lead. With eleven laps to go, Busch overtook Johnson and held on to secure his first win since 2011 and his first victory at Martinsville since 2002.[30]
At Darlington, with just three laps to go and running in the top five, Busch was tapped from behind byClint Bowyer, causing him to spin and crash head-on into a barrier. Thanks to energy-absorbing walls, Busch escaped uninjured. However, under caution, he waved angrily at Bowyer and expressed his frustration during the post-race ceremonies. Reflecting on the incident, Busch stated, "That was a terrible way to end what could have been a decent night. We struggled at times to get the balance of the Haas Automation Chevrolet right, but we kind of found our spot just past the halfway point and made slight adjustments the rest of the way. We called for a two-tire stop at the end, hoping to gain some track position, but it seemed like everyone had the same idea. We gained a little, but the guys behind us all had four tires. I tried to hold them off the best I could, but someone (Bowyer) moved me out of their way, and it ruined our night. I hate it for the team, but we keep learning each week, and we will get better."
At the2014 Coca-Cola 600, Busch attempted to complete all 1,100 miles of theIndianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. However, his effort fell 194 miles short when his engine failed on lap 274, leaving him with 271 of the 400 laps completed.
At Pocono, Busch qualified third and led five laps during the race. He consistently ran in the Top 5 throughout the day and secured a 3rd-place finish, his best result since winning at Martinsville.
At Daytona, Busch qualified 42nd but managed to lead the most laps during the race. However, on lap 111,Aric Almirola passed him. Just five laps later, rain began soaking the speedway, and the race was called off on lap 116. In a post-race interview, a disappointed Busch stated, "I didn't do my job. Third is good, but I wanted to win." Following the race, Busch was penalized ten points, and crew chiefDaniel Knost was finedUS$10,000 due to an illegal window component that had been inadvertently installed before the race. Busch chose not to appeal the penalty.
After the Daytona race, Busch's performance improved significantly. He secured top-five finishes at both Pocono and Watkins Glen. Midway through the Chase, Knost stepped down as Busch's crew chief and was replaced byTony Gibson. With Gibson's guidance, Busch's performance further improved, consistently qualifying in the top ten for the remaining races. His best finishes during the Chase were two seventh-place results, achieved at Talladega and Phoenix.
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Busch began his 2015 season on a rough note during theSprint Unlimited, where he was involved in two multi-car accidents. In the second Budweiser Duel, he was running in 2nd place behindJimmie Johnson with nine laps remaining. However, Busch accidentally drove below the yellow line, which improved his position. As a result, officials issued a stop-and-go penalty, sending him to the back of the field for the final standings.
On February 20, 2015, NASCAR indefinitely suspended Busch following a Delaware family court's finding that it was "more likely than not" he had abused his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll.Regan Smith replaced Busch for theDaytona 500 as well as the races in Atlanta and Las Vegas.[31] Busch applied for reinstatement ten days after the Daytona 500 and began participating in NASCAR's reinstatement program.
On March 11, 2015, NASCAR lifted Busch's indefinite suspension after Delaware prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence for a criminal case (Driscoll was later sentenced to a year in jail for stealing money from her own charity and for tax evasion). He was cleared to race again, starting with theCampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix. NASCAR also granted Busch a waiver, allowing him to remain eligible for the Chase if he won a race before the Richmond event in the fall.[32] In his first race back, Busch finished fifth. At Auto Club, he won the pole, led 65 laps, but finished third after a last-lap pass byBrad Keselowski andKevin Harvick.
The following week at Martinsville, Busch led early in the race but dropped to the back of the field midway through. He was briefly penalized for changing lanes before a restart, but twenty laps later, officials rescinded the penalty. Busch then dominated at Richmond, where he battledJamie McMurray for the win in the final 100 laps. Busch pulled away to claim his first victory of the season.
Busch's second win of the season came in a rain-shortened race at Michigan.[33] At Sonoma, he dominated early but finished second to his younger brother Kyle, marking their first-ever 1-2 finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup history. Despite missing the first three races of the season, Busch finished eighth in the 2015 championship standings, with 21 top-ten finishes and three poles.
Busch began the 2016 season with a tenth-place finish in theDaytona 500 and two consecutive pole wins at Atlanta and Las Vegas. However, he received the pole at Atlanta due to his brotherKyle Busch's time being disqualified after failing post-qualifying inspection. His only win of the season came at Pocono, coincidentally, when his crew chief, Gibson, was suspended. Busch had a consistent season, setting a record for the most consecutive lead-lap finishes to start the year. His streak ended with his first DNF at Bristol after contact withJoey Logano. He finished seventh in the championship standings.
Stewart–Haas Racing switched to Ford for the 2017 season, a manufacturer that had not won a Cup championship since Busch's 2004 title with Roush.[34] Busch's season started with a crash in theAdvance Auto Parts Clash afterJimmie Johnson spun.[35] A week later, Busch won theDaytona 500, passingKyle Larson on the final lap.[36] However, Busch struggled for the rest of the year, finishing fourteenth in the standings with six top-fives, fourteen top-tens, and seven DNFs.
In the summer of 2017, Busch and Stewart–Haas Racing (SHR) struggled to finalize a contract renewal, with SHR not picking up his option. Despite this, Busch and SHR agreed to a one-year deal for 2018. He started the season strong with pole positions at Texas, Michigan, and New Hampshire. Busch won his first race in 58 races atBristol night race, securing a spot in the 2018 Playoffs. He advanced to the Round of 8 before being eliminated at Phoenix after a late crash withDenny Hamlin andChase Elliott. Busch finished the season seventh in points. On December 2, 2018, he announced he would not return to SHR in 2019.[37]
On December 4, 2018, it was confirmed that Busch and his sponsor,Monster Energy, would joinChip Ganassi Racing, driving the No. 1Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2019 season. Busch signed a one-year deal, leading many to believe that this would be his final full-time season in NASCAR.[38]
At thePennzoil 400, Busch’s No. 1 car was sponsored by Star Nursery, with a livery inspired by his first NASCAR win in the AutoZone Elite Division.[39] He finished second to his brother Kyle at the2019 Food City 500, marking their second 1–2 finish. Busch secured his first win with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) atKentucky, defeating Kyle on the final restart.[40] This was the third 1–2 finish for the Busch brothers, but the first time Kurt won. Despite making the playoffs, Kurt was eliminated in the Round of 16 after a twentieth-place finish at theCharlotte Roval.[41] On November 2, 2019, CGR confirmed Kurt would stay with the No. 1 team for at least two more years.[42]
Busch made the 2020 playoffs without a victory, relying on consistency with four top-five finishes and fourteen top-ten finishes. He secured his first win of the season, and 32nd career victory, atLas Vegas, which earned him a spot in the Round of 8.[43]
_(cropped).jpg)
Busch started 2021 with one top-five and two top-ten finishes in the first three races, but his results declined until a sixth-place finish at Sonoma in race 16, sparking a streak of three consecutive top-eight finishes. On June 30,Justin Marks, co-founder ofTrackhouse Racing, announced he had acquired Chip Ganassi Racing's NASCAR operations, making Busch a free agent after the season. On July 11, Kurt won theQuaker State 400 atAtlanta, holding off his brother Kyle, securing a playoff spot and their final 1-2 finish together.[44] Busch was eliminated in the Round of 16 at Bristol and finished the season eleventh in points.
On August 27, 2021, it was announced that Busch would drive the No. 45 Toyota Camry for23XI Racing in 2022. He kicked off the season with a nineteenth-place finish in the Daytona 500. After promising top-five results at Phoenix and Atlanta, Busch faced a series of setbacks, including poor finishes at COTA, Richmond, Bristol Dirt, Dover, and Darlington. However, he bounced back with a victory atKansas.[45]
At thePocono race, Busch was not cleared medically after a qualifying crash and missed the last five races of the regular season.Ty Gibbs substituted for him during recovery from concussion symptoms.[46][47][48][49] On August 25, 2022, Busch withdrew his playoff waiver request, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.[50] On October 16, 2022, he announced he would step away from full-time racing in 2023, with the option for part-time participation.[51] However, on August 26, 2023, Busch confirmed his retirement from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition.[52]
Busch began training in January 2011 under veteranNHRAPro Stock driver Allen Johnson and earned his NHRA Pro Stock competition license. He made hisdrag racing debut on March 10, 2011, at the 42nd annual Tire Kingdom Gatornationals inGainesville. Busch qualified for the Pro Stock field on March 12 and competed in his first elimination round on March 13, 2011, where he narrowly lost toErica Enders by 0.004 seconds. He became only the fourth driver to transition fromNASCAR to NHRA, joiningTony Stewart,Richard Petty, andJohn Andretti.[53]
In 2003, duringCART's pre-season test atSebring International Raceway, Busch tested a Champ Car for three-time CART championBobby Rahal. At the time, Busch's manufacturer in Winston Cup, Ford, was CART's exclusive engine supplier. The test was more for fun than evaluation. Busch drove a car originally fielded forMichel Jourdain Jr. (who later competed in NASCAR) and enjoyed the experience, though he was several seconds off the pace set byOriol Servià.[54]
In 2013, it was announced that Busch would test an IndyCar forAndretti Autosport, the team owned by1991 CART championMichael Andretti, at theIndianapolis Motor Speedway. Andretti's team, the defending champions, used Chevrolet engines, the same as Busch's Furniture Row Racing team in the Sprint Cup Series. Busch did not comment on whether he was preparing to race in theIndianapolis 500.
However, in January 2014, he expressed a strong interest in competing in the iconic race.[55] On March 4, 2014, it was announced that Kurt Busch would attempt to qualify for the2014 Indianapolis 500, driving a fifth car forAndretti Autosport. He also planned to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, performing the rare feat ofdouble duty.[56] Busch started twelfth in the Indy 500. After a cautious start, he became more competitive as the race progressed and finished sixth, earning praise from fellow NASCAR drivers. However, his attempt to complete the full 1,100 miles across both races ended 191 miles short when his engine blew on lap 273 at Charlotte.
On October 21, 2014, Busch announced that he would compete in the2014 Race of Champions for Team USA, alongside IndyCar'sRyan Hunter-Reay.[57] He also participated in the2017 Race of Champions, joining his brotherKyle Busch for Team USA NASCAR. In the Nations' Cup final, they were defeated by Team Germany'sSebastian Vettel.[58]
On January 14, 2025, Busch announced he had been medically cleared to return to racing and would compete in the2025 Race of Champions, his first race since his 2022 concussion.[59]
Busch was born to Thomas and Gaye Busch in Las Vegas, Nevada. After graduating fromDurango High School, he enrolled at theUniversity of Arizona with the intention of earning a degree inPharmacy.[60]
Busch got engaged to Eva Bryan at the2005 Hungarian Grand Prix and married her on July 27, 2006. They separated in June 2011.[61] In October 2014, he met Ashley Van Metre, and they got engaged on August 26, 2015, marrying on January 7, 2017.[62] They appeared onCMT'sRacing Wives in 2019. Ashley filed for divorce on May 17, 2022.[63]
Busch is an avidbaseball fan with the goal of visiting every ballpark nationwide.[64] Having grown up with parents from Chicago, his favorite teams are theChicago Cubs and theChicago Bears.[65] He is also a fan of theVegas Golden Knights.[66]
Before the 2006 season, Busch underwent cosmetic surgery to have his ears pinned back closer to his head.[67]
In November 2005, Busch was cited for reckless driving after being pulled over nearPhoenix Raceway on suspicion ofDUI.[68] He was sentenced to 50 hours ofcommunity service, which he was required to complete within a year. In November 2006,Maricopa County SheriffJoe Arpaio named Busch an honorary deputy.[69]
In August 14, 2024, Busch was arrested inIredell County, North Carolina, on charges of driving while intoxicated,speeding, andreckless driving.[70] In November 1, 2024, he pleaded guilty to driving while impaired. As part of a plea agreement, the reckless driving and speeding charges were dropped. Busch received a 60-day jail sentence, which was suspended for 12 months, and 12 months of unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to complete 24 hours of community service, pay a community service fee, and surrender his driver's license.[71]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCAR Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | NCSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2000 | Roush Racing | 97 | Ford | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | MAR | TAL | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | MCH | POC | SON | DAY | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA | DOV 18 | MAR 37 | CLT 13 | TAL | CAR 24 | PHO 29 | HOM 19 | ATL 36 | 48th | 613 | [72] | ||
| 2001 | DAY 41 | CAR 36 | LVS 11 | ATL 10 | DAR 30 | BRI 42 | TEX 4 | MAR 33 | TAL 3 | CAL 13 | RCH 18 | CLT 12 | DOV 39 | MCH 43 | POC 13 | SON 23 | DAY 30 | CHI 8 | NHA 42 | POC 37 | IND 5 | GLN 29 | MCH 43 | BRI 25 | DAR 39 | RCH 24 | DOV 41 | KAN 9 | CLT 22 | MAR 35 | TAL 29 | PHO 22 | CAR 39 | HOM 23 | ATL DNQ | NHA 21 | 27th | 3081 | [73] | |||
| 2002 | DAY 4 | CAR 12 | LVS 20 | ATL 11 | DAR 28 | BRI 1 | TEX 23 | MAR 10 | TAL 3 | CAL 2* | RCH 27 | CLT 31 | DOV 12 | POC 40 | MCH 10 | SON 4 | DAY 31 | CHI 6 | NHA 8 | POC 2 | IND 41 | GLN 41 | MCH 39 | BRI 6 | DAR 7 | RCH 19 | NHA 2 | DOV 7 | KAN 31 | TAL 4 | CLT 12 | MAR 1 | ATL 1* | CAR 3 | PHO 6* | HOM 1 | 3rd | 4641 | [74] | |||
| 2003 | DAY 2 | CAR 2 | LVS 38 | ATL 40 | DAR 2 | BRI 1 | TEX 9 | TAL 19 | MAR 28 | CAL 1 | RCH 8 | CLT 15 | DOV 15 | POC 36 | MCH 1 | SON 28 | DAY 36 | CHI 39 | NHA 11 | POC 2 | IND 7 | GLN 12 | MCH 18 | BRI 1 | DAR 13 | RCH 24 | NHA 15 | DOV 38 | TAL 6 | KAN 40 | CLT 41 | MAR 39 | ATL 8 | PHO 4* | CAR 17 | HOM 36 | 11th | 4150 | [75] | |||
| 2004 | DAY 16 | CAR 8 | LVS 9 | ATL 12 | DAR 6* | BRI 1* | TEX 6 | MAR 11 | TAL 36 | CAL 23 | RCH 31 | CLT 11 | DOV 12 | POC 5 | MCH 11 | SON 36 | DAY 4 | CHI 35 | NHA 1 | POC 26 | IND 10 | GLN 10 | MCH 6 | BRI 8 | CAL 11 | RCH 15 | NHA 1* | DOV 5 | TAL 5 | KAN 6 | CLT 4 | MAR 5* | ATL 42 | PHO 10 | DAR 6 | HOM 5 | 1st | 6506 | [76] | |||
| 2005 | DAY 2 | CAL 3 | LVS 3 | ATL 32 | BRI 35 | MAR 19 | TEX 7 | PHO 1* | TAL 7 | DAR 37 | RCH 17 | CLT 43 | DOV 9 | POC 22 | MCH 12 | SON 3 | DAY 37 | CHI 8 | NHA 2 | POC 1* | IND 18 | GLN 39 | MCH 7* | BRI 10 | CAL 12 | RCH 1* | NHA 35 | DOV 23* | TAL 8 | KAN 14 | CLT 2 | MAR 6 | ATL 36 | TEX 10 | PHO QL† | HOM | 10th | 5974 | [77] | |||
| 2006 | Penske Racing South | 2 | Dodge | DAY 38 | CAL 16 | LVS 16 | ATL 37 | BRI 1 | MAR 11 | TEX 34 | PHO 24 | TAL 7 | RCH 29 | DAR 19 | CLT 39 | DOV 16 | POC 2 | MCH 9 | SON 5 | DAY 3 | CHI 8 | NHA 38 | POC 2 | IND 12 | GLN 19* | MCH 40 | BRI 37 | CAL 27 | RCH 27 | NHA 19 | DOV 4 | KAN 25 | TAL 3 | CLT 32 | MAR 27 | ATL 14 | TEX 8 | PHO 8 | HOM 43 | 16th | 3900 | [78] |
| 2007 | DAY 41* | CAL 7 | LVS 26 | ATL 11 | BRI 29 | MAR 12 | TEX 11 | PHO 18 | TAL 3 | RCH 5 | DAR 12 | CLT 32* | DOV 42 | POC 16 | MCH 25 | SON 22 | NHA 21 | DAY 3 | CHI 6 | IND 11 | POC 1* | GLN 11 | MCH 1* | BRI 6 | CAL 9 | RCH 9 | NHA 25 | DOV 29 | KAN 11* | TAL 7 | CLT 26 | MAR 21 | ATL 8 | TEX 8 | PHO 12 | HOM 2 | 7th | 6231 | [79] | |||
| 2008 | DAY 2 | CAL 13 | LVS 38 | ATL 11 | BRI 12 | MAR 33 | TEX 23 | PHO 23 | TAL 39 | RCH 42 | DAR 12 | CLT 16 | DOV 20 | POC 8 | MCH 21 | SON 32 | NHA 1 | DAY 4 | CHI 28 | IND 40 | POC 38 | GLN 10 | MCH 36 | BRI 15 | CAL 39 | RCH 10 | NHA 6 | DOV 34 | KAN 30 | TAL 21 | CLT 3 | MAR 36 | ATL 6 | TEX 41 | PHO 2 | HOM 43 | 18th | 3635 | [80] | |||
| 2009 | Penske Championship Racing | DAY 10 | CAL 5 | LVS 23 | ATL 1* | BRI 11 | MAR 18 | TEX 8 | PHO 3 | TAL 6 | RCH 12 | DAR 16 | CLT 34 | DOV 5 | POC 37 | MCH 8 | SON 15 | NHA 3 | DAY 5 | CHI 17 | IND 27 | POC 9 | GLN 7 | MCH 36 | BRI 7 | ATL 38 | RCH 2 | NHA 6 | DOV 5 | KAN 11 | CAL 8 | CLT 10 | MAR 17 | TAL 30 | TEX 1 | PHO 6 | HOM 4 | 4th | 6446 | [81] | ||
| 2010 | DAY 23 | CAL 6 | LVS 35 | ATL 1 | BRI 3* | MAR 23 | PHO 35 | TEX 4 | TAL 8 | RCH 18 | DAR 3 | DOV 19 | CLT 1* | POC 6 | MCH 3 | SON 32 | NHA 3 | DAY 7 | CHI 26 | IND 10 | POC 33 | GLN 2 | MCH 40 | BRI 9 | ATL 6 | RCH 18 | NHA 13 | DOV 4 | KAN 13 | CAL 21 | CLT 30 | MAR 16 | TAL 30 | TEX 24 | PHO 9 | HOM 18 | 11th | 6142 | [82] | |||
| 2011 | Penske Racing | 22 | DAY 5 | PHO 8 | LVS 9 | BRI 7 | CAL 17 | MAR 16 | TEX 10 | TAL 18 | RCH 22 | DAR 27 | DOV 14 | CLT 4 | KAN 9* | POC 2 | MCH 11 | SON 1* | DAY 14 | KEN 9 | NHA 10 | IND 21 | POC 3 | GLN 38 | MCH 34 | BRI 17 | ATL 4 | RCH 5 | CHI 6* | NHA 22 | DOV 1 | KAN 13 | CLT 13 | TAL 36 | MAR 14 | TEX 30 | PHO 22 | HOM 34 | 11th | 2262 | [83] | |
| 2012 | Phoenix Racing | 51 | Chevy | DAY 39 | PHO 15 | LVS 35 | BRI 18 | CAL 9 | MAR 33 | TEX 13 | KAN 17 | RCH 28 | TAL 20 | DAR 21 | CLT 27 | DOV 24 | POC | MCH 30 | SON 3 | KEN 19 | DAY 35 | NHA 24 | IND 36 | POC 30 | GLN 31 | MCH 30 | BRI 28 | ATL 13 | RCH 28 | CHI 32 | NHA 35 | DOV 23 | TAL 39 | 25th | 735 | [84] | ||||||
| Furniture Row Racing | 78 | Chevy | CLT 21 | KAN 25 | MAR 15 | TEX 8 | PHO 8 | HOM 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | DAY 28 | PHO 27 | LVS 20 | BRI 4 | CAL 5 | MAR 37 | TEX 37 | KAN 15 | RCH 9 | TAL 30 | DAR 14 | CLT 3 | DOV 12 | POC 7 | MCH 35 | SON 4 | KEN 6 | DAY 6 | NHA 31* | IND 14 | POC 3 | GLN 9 | MCH 3 | BRI 31 | ATL 4 | RCH 2 | CHI 4 | NHA 13 | DOV 21 | KAN 21 | CLT 14 | TAL 18 | MAR 18 | TEX 17 | PHO 5 | HOM 21 | 10th | 2309 | [85] | |||
| 2014 | Stewart–Haas Racing | 41 | Chevy | DAY 21 | PHO 39 | LVS 26 | BRI 35 | CAL 3 | MAR 1 | TEX 39 | DAR 31 | RCH 23 | TAL 33 | KAN 29 | CLT 40 | DOV 18 | POC 3 | MCH 13 | SON 12 | KEN 12 | DAY 3* | NHA 17 | IND 28 | POC 13 | GLN 3 | MCH 31 | BRI 5 | ATL 13 | RCH 7 | CHI 8 | NHA 36 | DOV 18 | KAN 42 | CLT 11 | TAL 7 | MAR 36 | TEX 8 | PHO 7 | HOM 11 | 12th | 2263 | [86] |
| 2015 | DAY QL‡ | ATL | LVS | PHO 5 | CAL 3* | MAR 14 | TEX 14 | BRI 15 | RCH 1* | TAL 12 | KAN 8 | CLT 10 | DOV 31 | POC 5 | MCH 1 | SON 2 | DAY 5 | KEN 10 | NHA 10 | IND 8 | POC 37 | GLN 5 | MCH 20 | BRI 14 | DAR 6 | RCH 15 | CHI 3 | NHA 19 | DOV 17 | CLT 5 | KAN 6 | TAL 10 | MAR 34 | TEX 7 | PHO 7 | HOM 8 | 8th | 2333 | [87] | |||
| 2016 | DAY 10 | ATL 4 | LVS 9 | PHO 6 | CAL 30 | MAR 13 | TEX 9 | BRI 3 | RCH 10 | TAL 8 | KAN 3 | DOV 5 | CLT 6 | POC 1 | MCH 10 | SON 10 | DAY 23 | KEN 4 | NHA 22 | IND 16 | POC 10 | GLN 11 | BRI 38 | MCH 12 | DAR 34 | RCH 8 | CHI 13 | NHA 5 | DOV 15 | CLT 8 | KAN 13 | TAL 4 | MAR 22 | TEX 20 | PHO 5 | HOM 13 | 7th | 2296 | [88] | |||
| 2017 | Ford | DAY 1 | ATL 7 | LVS 30 | PHO 25 | CAL 24 | MAR 37 | TEX 10 | BRI 25 | RCH 8 | TAL 6 | KAN 19 | CLT 6 | DOV 37 | POC 4 | MCH 12 | SON 7 | DAY 28 | KEN 30 | NHA 8 | IND 29 | POC 13 | GLN 6 | MCH 11 | BRI 5 | DAR 3 | RCH 4 | CHI 19 | NHA 37 | DOV 20 | CLT 22 | TAL 25 | KAN 2 | MAR 22 | TEX 9 | PHO 21 | HOM 22 | 14th | 2217 | [89] | ||
| 2018 | DAY 26 | ATL 8 | LVS 35 | PHO 10 | CAL 14 | MAR 11 | TEX 7 | BRI 22 | RCH 11 | TAL 2 | DOV 5 | KAN 8 | CLT 8 | POC 19 | MCH 3 | SON 6 | CHI 17 | DAY 37 | KEN 6 | NHA 8* | POC 9 | GLN 9 | MCH 6 | BRI 1 | DAR 6 | IND 6 | LVS 21 | RCH 18 | ROV 5 | DOV 5 | TAL 14* | KAN 18 | MAR 6 | TEX 7 | PHO 32 | HOM 10 | 7th | 2350 | [90] | |||
| 2019 | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1 | Chevy | DAY 25 | ATL 3 | LVS 5 | PHO 7 | CAL 6 | MAR 12 | TEX 9 | BRI 2 | RCH 11 | TAL 6 | DOV 13 | KAN 7 | CLT 27 | POC 11 | MCH 2 | SON 13 | CHI 13 | DAY 10 | KEN 1 | NHA 18 | POC 27 | GLN 10 | MCH 23 | BRI 9 | DAR 7 | IND 30 | LVS 39 | RCH 18 | ROV 20 | DOV 9 | TAL 28 | KAN 4 | MAR 6 | TEX 9 | PHO 11 | HOM 21 | 13th | 2237 | [91] |
| 2020 | DAY 33 | LVS 25 | CAL 3 | PHO 6 | DAR 3 | DAR 15 | CLT 7 | CLT 5 | BRI 7 | ATL 6 | MAR 9 | HOM 17 | TAL 9 | POC 18 | POC 13 | IND 13 | KEN 5 | TEX 8 | KAN 9 | NHA 17 | MCH 10 | MCH 10 | DRC 14 | DOV 40 | DOV 13 | DAY 34 | DAR 8 | RCH 13 | BRI 15 | LVS 1 | TAL 32 | ROV 4 | KAN 38 | TEX 7 | MAR 5 | PHO 12 | 10th | 2287 | [92] | |||
| 2021 | DAY 22 | DRC 4 | HOM 8 | LVS 19 | PHO 15 | ATL 39 | BRD 16 | MAR 21 | RCH 13 | TAL 35 | KAN 15 | DAR 35 | DOV 13 | COA 27 | CLT 38 | SON 6 | NSH 8 | POC 6 | POC 20 | ROA 4 | ATL 1* | NHA 16 | GLN 13 | IRC 6 | MCH 4 | DAY 12 | DAR 6 | RCH 37 | BRI 19 | LVS 8 | TAL 4 | ROV 25 | TEX 16 | KAN 4 | MAR 7 | PHO 16 | 11th | 2297 | [93] | |||
| 2022 | 23XI Racing | 45 | Toyota | DAY 19 | CAL 8 | LVS 13 | PHO 5 | ATL 3 | COA 32 | RCH 35 | MAR 6 | BRD 32 | TAL 16 | DOV 31 | DAR 28 | KAN 1* | CLT 31 | GTW 3 | SON 18 | NSH 2 | ROA 23 | ATL 22 | NHA 10 | POC INQ¤ | IRC | MCH | RCH | GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | TAL | ROV | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO | 30th | 485 | [94] |
| † – Qualified but replaced byKenny Wallace. ·‡ – Qualified but replaced byRegan Smith. ·¤ – Qualified but replaced byTy Gibbs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Roush Racing | Ford | 26 | 41 |
| 2002 | 15 | 4 | ||
| 2003 | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2004 | 15 | 16 | ||
| 2005 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 2006 | Penske Racing South | Dodge | 13 | 38 |
| 2007 | 4 | 41 | ||
| 2008 | 43 | 2 | ||
| 2009 | Penske Championship Racing | 13 | 10 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 23 | ||
| 2011 | Penske Racing | 3 | 5 | |
| 2012 | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 28 | 39 |
| 2013 | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 11 | 28 |
| 2014 | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 8 | 21 |
| 2015 | QL† | |||
| 2016 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 2017 | Ford | 8 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 11 | 26 | ||
| 2019 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 12 | 25 |
| 2020 | 18 | 33 | ||
| 2021 | 20 | 22 | ||
| 2022 | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 17 | 19 |
| † – Qualified but replaced byRegan Smith | ||||
| NASCAR Nationwide Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | NNSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2006 | Penske Racing South | 39 | Dodge | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS | ATL | BRI | TEX 1* | NSH | PHO 4 | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT 2 | DOV 3 | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI 6* | NHA | MAR | GTW | IRP | GLN 1* | MCH 21 | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO | HOM | 39th | 1160 | [95] |
| 2007 | 12 | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS 4 | ATL | BRI | NSH | TEX 8 | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT 41 | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | NHA | DAY | CHI | GTW | IRP | CGV | 69th | 527 | [96] | ||||||||||||||
| 39 | GLN 3 | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO | HOM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Penske Racing | 22 | Dodge | DAY | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | TEX | TAL | NSH | RCH | DAR | DOV | IOW | CLT | CHI | MCH | ROA | DAY | KEN | NHA | NSH | IRP | IOW | GLN 1 | CGV | BRI | ATL | RCH | CHI | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | PHO | HOM | 97th | 01 | [97] | |
| 2012 | Phoenix Racing | 1 | Chevy | DAY 10 | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | TAL 6 | DAY 1 | NHA | CHI | IND 34 | 102nd | 01 | [98] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kyle Busch Motorsports | 54 | Toyota | TEX 30 | RCH 1 | DAR 8 | IOW 5 | CLT | DOV 4 | MCH 3 | ROA 8 | KEN 2 | IOW 17 | GLN | CGV | BRI | ATL | RCH 3 | CHI 28 | KEN | DOV | CLT | KAN | TEX | PHO | HOM | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Phoenix Racing | 1 | Chevy | DAY 35 | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | TEX | RCH | TAL 4 | DAR | CLT | DOV | IOW | MCH | ROA | KEN | DAY 4 | NHA | CHI | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ATL | RCH | CHI | KEN | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | PHO | HOM | 104th | 01 | [99] | ||
| NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2000 | Roush Racing | 99 | Ford | DAY 2 | HOM 9 | PHO 4 | MMR 2 | MAR 23 | PIR 11 | GTW 21 | MEM 13 | PPR 2 | EVG 5 | TEX 6 | KEN 29 | GLN 2 | MLW 1* | NHA 1 | NZH 14 | MCH 2 | IRP 6 | NSV 12 | CIC 19 | RCH 3* | DOV 1 | TEX 3 | CAL 1 | 2nd | 3596 | [100] |
| 2001 | DAY | HOM | MMR | MAR | GTW | DAR | PPR | DOV | TEX | MEM | MLW 5 | KAN | KEN | NHA | IRP | NSH | CIC | NZH | RCH | SBO | TEX | LVS | PHO | CAL | 79th | 155 | [101] | |||
| 2012 | Kyle Busch Motorsports | 18 | Toyota | DAY | MAR | CAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | KEN | IOW | CHI | POC | MCH 9 | BRI | TAL 7 | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 87th | 01 | [102] | ||||||
| Billy Ballew Motorsports | 51 | Chevy | ATL 10 | IOW | KEN | LVS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
(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 MaxwellMatt KensethGreg Biffle | 588 | 27DNF | 15DNF |
| 2008 | DP | 9 | Penske-Taylor Racing | Pontiac Riley DP |  Ryan Briscoe Hélio Castroneves | 689 | 3 | 3 |
(key)
| IndyCar Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
| 2014 | Andretti Autosport | Dallara DW12 | 26 | Honda | STP | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY 6 | DET | DET | TXS | HOU | HOU | POC | IOW | TOR | TOR | MDO | MIL | SNM | FON | 25th | 80 | [103] |
| Years | Teams | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums (Non-win)** | Top-Tens (Non-podium)*** | Indianapolis 500 wins | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Andretti Autosport | Dallara | Honda | 12 | 6 |
(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)
| International Race of Champions results | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pos. | Points | Ref |
| 2003 | Pontiac | DAY 2 | TAL 1* | CHI 3 | IND 4 | 1st | 69 | [104] |
| 2004 | DAY 2 | TEX 11 | RCH 3 | ATL 4 | 5th | 46 | [105] | |
| 2005 | DAY 9 | TEX 11 | RCH 2* | ATL 12 | 6th | 43 | [106] | |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | IROC XXVII Champion 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour Champion 1999 | Succeeded by |
| Achievements | ||
| Preceded by | NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Winner 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Budweiser Shootout Winner 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Daytona 500 Winner 2017 | Succeeded by |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded by | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year 2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 2014 | Succeeded by |
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