August 18, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Kurt Busch to miss the remainder of the regular season as he recovers from injury

Kurt Busch will sit out the next two NASCAR Cup races—this weekend at Watkins Glen and the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 27.

Busch, 44, has elected to put his health ahead of competition for the remainder of the regular Cup season while he recovers from a brain injury sustained at Pocono Raceway during qualifying on July 22.

The former Cup champion posted the following statement on Twitter Thursday afternoon:

“As much as I want to be back in the car, the time is still not right. Over the last few weeks, I have focused all my efforts on getting better. And in order to fully focus my recovery on trying to be back for the playoffs, I will not be competing in the next two races at Watkins Glen and Daytona.

“This decision was not an easy one, but the right one. I need to be racing at 100 percent. I owe that to everyone at 23XI, all of our partners, my fellow competitors, and the fans.”

Busch scored his 34th Cup win on May 15th at Kansas Speedway—his ninth consecutive winning season. The Las Vegas native graduated to Cup full-time in 2001 and scored his first Cup title four years later. In 22 seasons, he's accumulated 28 poles 161 top fives and 339 top 10s in 776 starts. Since NASCAR introduced a Playoff format, Busch has advanced to the postseason 14 times.

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

“It’s my goal to be back in the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD to start the playoffs,” Busch added. “I know Ty will continue to do a great job in my absence, and I appreciate the competitiveness he’s brought to the track.

“I continue to be incredibly grateful for all the well-wishes and support. It truly means a lot.”

Gibbs, 19, has kept the seat warm for Busch the last four weeks. He experienced an engine failure last Sunday at Richmond following a top-10 result the previous week at Michigan Speedway.

23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin expressed his concern for Busch last Saturday at RIchmond Raceway.

“It's concerning for sure,” Hamlin said. “You know, mostly concerned for his health. And not really for the race team. Just, you know, we want to give him all the time he needs and, you know, this is proof that he's doing right by his body and making sure he's back to 100 percent. 

“I think that other drivers maybe in the past probably maybe would have just kind of been able to get some tests passed and gone out there and race but he wants to be 100 percent. Because it's just, you know, no one race or season or whatever it might be as important as your overall health and long term.”