Fast Facts Redux: Kurt Busch

credit: Debbie Ross for Skirts & Scuffs
2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch began his NASCAR career in 2000 after winning the Roush Racing Driver X competition in 1999. Here are the updated Fast Facts through the end of 2014 on the driver of the No. 41 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, originally published in Feb. 2011.
  • Kurt Thomas Busch was born Aug. 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, NV and attended Durango High School. He is the older brother of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, and their father, Tom, also competed in NASCAR-sanctioned events while the brothers were growing up.
  • He began racing go-karts at age 6, then competed in Dwarf and Legends cars on the west coast. In 1997, he competed in the Winter Heat Series at Tucson Raceway Park against drivers like Ron Hornaday Jr., Matt Crafton, Kevin Harvick, and Greg Biffle.
  • In 1999, Busch was the first winner of the “Roush Racing: Driver X” competition, which was informally known as the “Gong Show.” The win earned him a ride in the Craftsman (now Camping World) Truck Series in 2000; Busch won four races and finished second to Roush teammate Greg Biffle in season-ending points, also winning Rookie of the Year honors. He also began racing in the Cup Series toward the end of 2000.
  • Busch raced for Roush Racing from 2000 to 2005 – winning his only championship – then signed with Penske Racing South for the 2006 season. He drove the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge from 2006-2010, and the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Dodge in 2011. Busch also drove for Phoenix Racing (2012) and Furniture Row Racing (2012-2013) before landing at SHR.
  • Through the 2014 season, Busch had won 25 races, including 201 top 10s and 16 poles in 507 races.
  • Busch made his NHRA drag racing debut in the Super Gas division at the 2010 Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL. In 2011, Busch returned to the Gatornationals after earning his Pro Stock license in the off-season, racing the Shell Dodge Avenger for Allen Johnson and J&J Racing; Busch qualified for the event, but was ousted in the first round by 2014 Pro Stock champ Erica Enders-Stevens.
  • In 2014, Busch qualified for the Indianapolis 500, driving a fifth car for Andretti Autosport, and became the fourth driver to qualify for both the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, both races run on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Busch finished sixth at Indianapolis, earning the Rookie of the Year Award for the race, but had problems at Charlotte, exiting the race after 271 laps and finishing 40th.
  • Find out more about Busch at www.kurtbusch.com
Fast Facts Redux: Kurt Busch Fast Facts Redux: Kurt Busch Reviewed by Paula on Tuesday, June 09, 2015 Rating: 5