"There's nothing to be ashamed of": When Michael Andretti offered wisdom to Kurt Busch for his 'rookie' admission after Indy 500 debut

2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch debuted in the 2014 Indy 500 for the Memorial Day Double and posted a sixth-place finish for Andretti Autosport. The veteran driver joined the likes of other NASCAR drivers to run in the Indy 500 such as Robby Gordon, John Andretti, Bobby Allison, and Tony Stewart, the only driver to complete the 1100-mile Double Duty.

Busch was exhilarated about his Indy 500 performance as he defeated open-wheel prodigies like Will Power, Sage Karam, and Jacques Villeneuve. Despite a crash during a testing session on the preceding Monday shattering hopes of a promising result, he mastered the race after it took nearly 70 laps to get comfortable with the car.

Following his remarkable finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Busch said (via IndyStar):

"I'm more than pleased. It was an incredible journey to sniff the lead of the Indy 500 with that lead group. I'll tell you, the top five are incredible in this series on getting all they can out of their car and being able to hang on to their position."

Kurt Busch kicked off his run from 12th place but as the race etched the 30-lap mark, he was down in 20th. However, he moved to sixth place during the red flag issued after rival Townsend Bell's crash and didn't lose any track position after that. He told his IndyCar boss Michael Andretti that his car was capable but finished sixth because he, the 'rookie' driver drove it.

Andretti had a different take on the result as he countered the driver with praise:

"He [Kurt Busch] told me at the end, 'I think you had a car capable of better but you had a rookie driver.' I said, 'No, you did a good job. There's nothing to be ashamed of.'"

The same day, Busch flew to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 but couldn't complete his Cup Series run due to engine failure in his Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Chevy.

---

When Kurt Busch said he "definitely" wants a second Indy 500 attempt

Even though Kurt Busch couldn't gather a win or a top-five finish, his impressive debut Indy 500 stint was sufficient to earn him Rookie of the Year honors, marking a first for a NASCAR driver since Donnie Allison in 1970. However, after tasting the allure of open-wheel racing, the Cup Series veteran yearned for another shot.

During a conversation before the 2015 Cup Series season, Busch said he'd like to return to the Indy 500 (via IndyCar):

"Watching video and trying to develop as an IndyCar driver, I’m still not to that point. But with all of the rookie nuances, all of the newness and oddball experience you don’t know how to prepare for – now that all those are done and achieved the last thing to do is work on the race mechanics, making passes and running in the top-five with those guys."

"It’s definitely on the to-do list and I’m thankful to have Michael Andretti’s blessing to do it again and have Tony Stewart’s approval," Kurt Busch added.

However, Busch didn't make a second appearance as he redirected his focus on rebuilding his NASCAR career after a legal tussle involving his former girlfriend.