NASCAR legend Kurt Busch ‘puts in the work’ ahead of his racing return at ROC 

Legendary NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was recently seen preparing for the 2025 Race of Champions set to be held in Sydney, Australia between March 7-8, in an Instagram post by Apex Motor Club.

Kurt Busch will be making this first competitive appearance since retiring from NASCAR following a serious concussion sustained during a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway in 2022. The Nevada native will be representing Team USA at this year’s ROC, where he will be partnering with freestyle motocross icon Travis Pastrana, who is also an 11-time X Games gold medalist and six-time Rally America champion.

The race will be held at Accor Stadium, where it will be the first time that an event like this will be held in the Southern Hemisphere. Other notable drivers who will be participating are Sebastian Vettel (4-time Formula 1 champion), Mick Schumacher (2020 F2 Champion), Jamie Whincup (7-time V8 Supercar Champion), and Sébastien Loeb (9-time World Rally Champion).

Kurt Busch was seen with Apex Motor Club AZ preparing for the ROC 2025 on Instagram in a post that read:

"Happy to have @kurtbusch putting in the work for ROC where he’ll be representing the US in Sydney, Australia. #apexmotorclubaz #membershiphasitsprivileges #findyourapex"

Kurt Busch was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the elder brother of 2-time Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch. The elder Busch sibling started his career in NASCAR in 2000 and made a name for himself, becoming the NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2004, where he became the inaugural champion of the controversial NASCAR playoff format.

Over his storied career, he secured 34 wins in the Cup Series including a victory at the prestigious “Great American Race” - the Daytona 500 in 2017. Apart from his NASCAR career, the 46-year-old has participated in the Indianapolis 500 and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

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“Honored” Kurt Busch shared heartfelt feelings on his racing return following breakthrough medical clearance

Kurt Busch addresses the media after announcing his retirement before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway - Source: Imagn

Kurt Busch shared his heartfelt emotions regarding his return to racing after receiving medical clearance to compete in the Race of Champions. This marked a significant moment for Busch, who had been sidelined for over two years following a severe crash during qualifying at Pocono Raceway in July 2022.

The incident led to lingering concussion effects that disrupted his aspirations for the 2023 season. Despite facing personal challenges, including a DWI incident in August 2024, Busch was optimistic about reentering the racing scene, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to represent Team USA.

"Race car drivers always push the limits to be the best, and drive to win,” Busch said in a statement. “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!" [via Race of Champions on X].

Reflecting on his career, Busch acknowledged the impact of his time in NASCAR and the support he received from fans, family, and teammates. He emphasized the honor of competing against top drivers worldwide and expressed appreciation for his journey in motorsports.