“It was wax on, wax off”: Kurt Busch reminisces ‘Mr Miyagi’ influence by ‘an old oracle’ after wrecking 3-4 races in a row

Former NASCAR driver Kurt Busch recently talked about when he worked for two months, wiping floors and cleaning machines at a shop in Vegas, to pay for an axle.

During a clip of Racers Roundtable with Danny Sullivan and Tony Stewart, Busch shared the story of ending up at a machines shop in Vegas.

"I wrecked, like, three, four races in a row. It was bad. And my dad sent me to this machine shop to pick up a new right rear axle. It was a pretty expensive piece. Well, a guy was like the old Oracle in Vegas," Busch said.

"I said, 'I'm here to pick up the axle.' He says, 'Well, you need to sweep my floors.' Okay? And then he's like, 'Now you need to clean the machines.' Man, I was just here to grab this axle. I had to report back to him every Friday for, like, two months to pay off that axle, the axle. And he said, 'Son, you keep putting yourself in position to wreck. Stop putting yourself in position to wreck.'"

Busch admitted to using the advice and started to make better choices on the track and when Sullivan referenced the Karate Kid's Mr Miyagi, he laughed and agreed.

"Oh, he did. He did. It was wax on, wax off," Kurt Busch said.

This week's Racers Roundtable will air on Wednesday at 10 pm ET on MAVTV and MAVTV GO.

"What I have strived for my whole career" - Kurt Busch on Race Of Champions return

Kurt Busch is set to return to racing for the first time since retiring early from NASCAR. He will compete in the Race of Champions on March 7 and 8 in Sydney, Australia. The 46-year-old retired from the NASCAR Cup Series after a big crash at Pocono in August 2022. He had 34 Cup wins, including the 2017 Daytona 500, in over 770 starts.

"Race car drivers always push the limits to be the best, and drive to win. That is what I have strived for my whole career, and to receive another invite from Race Of Champions is a chance to go up against the best of the best from around the world. What an honor," Busch said (via newsweek.com).

Busch will join the event for the third time at the 1km asphalt track around the Accor Stadium in Sydney. He first raced in the Race of Champions for Team USA in 2014 and again in 2017 with his brother, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.

In 2022, while racing full-time for 23XI Racing in the No. 45 Toyota, Kurt Busch was involved in a crash during qualifying and missed five races while recovering from a concussion. He later withdrew from the playoffs and announced his retirement in August 2023.