Kurt Busch sets the record straight on 'hate' comment about Martinsville Speedway after second Cup Series victory

Kurt Busch revisited a comment he made back in 2002. The NASCAR veteran had just won a race at Martinsville Speedway, marking his second career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.

But the way to victory lane wasn't easy. Busch started the race 36th. As he started gaining positions, he made contact with fellow racer Jeff Gordon, now vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. Thanks to the #97 team, Busch’s car got better following adjustments on pit road, and by lap 300, he was inside the top 10.

With 125 laps to go, Busch was third, looking for an edge over Ricky Craven and Johnny Benson Jr. After a thrilling battle, he grabbed the lead on lap 389 and held on to it. That was the only lap Busch led en route to the victory lane.

“Who hates this place more than me?” said Busch in a post-race interview.

Kurt Busch is retired now. As NASCAR approaches Martinsville Speedway for a triple header, RFK Racing and Busch uploaded a throwback moment of his win on Instagram. He was heard saying, “Who hates this place more than me?” in the video.

Recalling it, Busch, now 46, wrote in the comment section:

“"Who hates this place more than me?" Some of the stuff I said back then was a blur. lol. Martinsville is the most unique tracks on the nascar circuit. On that specific weekend, nascar, the track, and maybe headlined by legend Rusty Wallace... the inside groove was ground down in hopes of better racing. Everyone's setup changed. I remember saying in typical Busch language, "raise the trackbar 20 rounds" the team did and the car started to come alive with the rubber buildup.”

(Source: Kurt Busch/Instagram)

Busch retired in 2023 with 34 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series and a series championship that came in 2004. However, he returned behind the wheel in the 2025 Race of Champions held at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on March 7-8. Motorsports legend Travis Pastrana joined him to represent Team USA.

Kurt Busch drops snaps from recent trips following 2025 ROC appearance

With the 2025 ROC done and dusted, Kurt Busch was on vacation with his wife, Ashley, in Australia and Japan. The couple made their first stop at Qualia Resort in Whitsundays, Australia. After spending a couple of days there, Busch flew to Japan.

This is what he posted on X after reaching Japan:

During his stay in Japan, Busch and his wife did several fun activities, including watching the Cubs and Dodgers game at the Tokyo Dome and visiting the Fuji Motor Sports Museum in Oyama.

Kurt Busch is involved in a consultancy role with 23XI Racing, a Cup Series team that fields Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Riley Herbst. Next up for the drivers is the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway. Fans can watch the race on Fox Sports 1 from 3 pm ET onward or listen to radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.