Kurt Busch sends hopeful message on 2025 return pending doctor approval

Kurt Busch expects a positive light reflecting on his return to NASCAR in 2025 for the first time since his crash at Pocono in 2022. He has since been in the recovery stage and is expecting to get a clean chit from his doctor to return to racing.

2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch suffered a horrendous crash over two years ago that sent him into medical care. He was suffering from concussions and confirmed that he won't return to racing anytime soon. At the time, it was his first year with 23XI Racing and it was on a positive note with one victory and multiple top 5 finishes.

Reflecting on his therapy, Busch revealed that he has managed to recover a lot through physical therapies and regular visits to his neurologist.

"I’m feeling much, much better since the summer wreck in 2022 and all of the different physical therapy, different neurologist visits," Busch said (via Racer.com).

"It was taxing for a while. Basically every other day it was a doctor visit somewhere and going to get hearing checked, eyes checked, balance checked. The vestibular movements were what was greatly affected. I still feel the lingering effects but it has calmed down, and it has been through all the physical therapy and all the great doctors who have helped me."

While he did not participate in any competitive races because of his sensitive condition, a return might be on the cards for Kurt Busch. He mentioned that he needs a clearance from his neurologist to get back into a car to race.

"Right now for 2025, I’m still endorsed with Monster Energy. I’m hopeful to get a light duty type of clearance to race with my neurologist, which would then open up some opportunity for me," he said.

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Kurt Busch might have to start with karting to pursue a return to racing: "We just have to keep it realistic"

Busch's concussion set his racing career back, and he reckons he might have to start from the bottom of the ladder. Kurt Busch mentioned that he would have to push his doctors to get approval for racing. Even after that, he explained, he might not be able to return directly to the NASCAR Cup Series and might have to go down a few levels and begin with karting or even racing schools.

"I still have to get through some more steps with the neurology. I still need to push my doctors to get that approval. And then too, you can’t just jump back in and go ride like a bull rider," Busch explained.

"If you get hurt, you don’t go jump back in and ride the biggest bull, right? You start with a little guy and work your way up. So go-karting, driving with friends, racing schools, using some of my brother’s race cars that are current. That would be the way to really step it back up and just see what 2025 can bring behind the wheel. We just have to keep it realistic and to keep it one step at a time."

Kurt Busch raced with multiple teams throughout his career, including Team Penske, Stewart-Haas Racing, and also Chip Ganassi. He won the championship in 2004 with Roush Racing, now RFK.