Stephanie Amador / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kurt Busch brought to tears during NASCAR Awards presentation

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated 12/3/23

The NASCAR Awards aired tonight on Peacock showing fans a great moment honoring Kurt Busch in his retirement. Kevin Harvick wasn’t the only one who called it quits this year. Busch ended his racing career after spending more than a year trying to recover from injuries sustained at Pocono in 2022.

Of course, Kurt Busch isn’t done with NASCAR. He’s still over at 23XI Racing helping that organization grow and perform up to standards. Busch has been a valuable asset to both Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace in the last two years.

As Kurt was being introduced to be called on stage, he couldn’t hold back the tears. 20 years in the highest level of the sport. A championship. Daytona 500 winner. Future Hall of Famer – what more can you say about him?

Get the tissues, folks.

You can tell how much this means to him. pic.twitter.com/omAwuAMVg8
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) December 4, 2023

In the course of his career, Kurt Busch reached the highest highs and the lowest lows in the sport. Busch scored 34 wins, and together with his brother Kyle, they are the winningest brothers in NASCAR history.

It was hard for fans and for Busch himself to see the last year unfold. A lot of people wanted to see the driver back behind the wheel one day, and the path to recovery was just too long and difficult.

Kurt Busch deserves all of the roses and recognition that he gets from NASCAR. Glad to see him honored at the ceremony.

Kurt Busch still working with 23XI Racing

The great thing about the 23XI Racing deal that Kurt Busch signed in 2021, it’s still going on. Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan have been more than happy to keep Busch around. Having a champion among your ranks can’t hurt.

Chief Fun Officer, Chief Vision Officer, whatever you want to call him – Kurt is keeping it real. He also is doing a lot to help the team succeed. By all accounts, he has been a valuable piece for the organization to keep around.

Of course, Kurt has time to do other things, too. He’s been around the world to watch races and attend fun events. He gets honored by NASCAR whenever he shows up. What more could he want in his retirement?

The more we see Kurt Busch, the better. Keeping icons like him around the sport for as long as they care to be is only good for NASCAR. Congratulations to Kurt on a Hall of Fame career.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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