July 27, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Kurt Busch to miss Indy Cup race; Ty Gibbs to sub again

Kurt Busch has not been cleared by NASCAR to race this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and will miss his second straight Cup event.

The former Cup champion continues to recover from concussion-like symptoms following a violent wreck during qualifying at Pocono Raceway.

Ty Gibbs will once again fill in for Busch in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota.

“After undergoing further medical evaluation this week, I have not been cleared to race Indy at this time,” Busch said via Twitter. “I remain dedicated to focusing on my recovery and getting back on track and will continue to work closely with NASCAR’s medical team and my own team of doctors.

“I’m thankful to 23XI and my sponsors for supporting me and also putting my health first, and to Ty for stepping in to race the No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry TRD. I am proud of his debut and know he will represent the 45 well again this weekend.”

Gibbs, 19, finished 16th in his Cup debut at Pocono filling in for Busch on Sunday. He currently pilots the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“I’m happy to help out 23XI Racing this week at Indianapolis, but again, our thoughts are with Kurt and getting him healthy,” Gibbs said via Twitter. “He’s a good guy, and we all want him back soon.

“I like road course racing, and I think we’ll have a solid Monster Energy Toyota…I think the goals are the same as last week—just to complete the race and learn all we can. I want to thank Denny and MJ for the opportunity.”

Busch is in his 22nd full-time Cup season and his first with 23XI Racing. He dropped to 17th in the Cup standings after being sidelined at Pocono. The 44-year-old won at Kansas Speedway in May—the 34th victory of his career and ninth consecutive season with a win. Busch has advanced to the postseason for the past 10 years and currently sits 16th on the Playoff grid after missing last weekend’s race.

“Kurt’s health is of the utmost importance to the team, and we wish him all the best as he prepares for his return,” 23XI Racing said in a statement. “Kurt has been granted a medical waiver from NASCAR and remains eligible for the Playoffs.”