“We continued talking until 5:00 AM”: When Kurt Busch remembered the infancy of his romance with Ashley van Metre

Kurt Busch once opened up about his early days of romance with his ex-wife, a former polo player Ashley van Metre. The former NASCAR driver was featured in the New York Times, and Busch shared how the couple felt a spark for each other after reconnecting in 2014.

In the interview, Busch shared that he crossed paths with Metre in 2011 for the first time at a party at Metre's family farms in Middleburg, VA, and both moved on with a brief handshake. But things changed in 2014 when Ms. Metre attended the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500, a NASCAR Cup Series race in which Busch was competing.

Kurt Busch was a good friend of Ashley van Metre's sister and brother-in-law, and they invited him to a dinner party at their house after the race. After the dinner, the former couple sat on a couch and watched the comedy film "Step Brothers." After just 20 minutes into the movie, they began talking and lost track of time, and Metre's relative saw them talking and left them alone.

"They (relatives) felt the sparks fly between us. Ashley and I had begun talking about sports, competition, the commitment required for success, where we were in life, etc. I warned her that my racing schedule was tough. But we continued talking until 5 a.m." Kurt Busch stated.

Soon, both discovered they had several common interests and especially an intense passion for their respective dangerous sports. Busch added:

"I felt an instant connection, something I had never experienced before. We just kept talking and talking.”

Ashely van Metre mentioned she also felt the same way about Busch and said:

"When Kurt left, I felt like I had experienced love at first sight. I dated other guys over the years, but no relationship had that spark. He was open and not afraid to talk about anything, so caring and honest.”

Busch and van Metre tied the knot on January 7, 2017, in St. Barts, involving their closest relatives. The couple separated in 2022.

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The reason behind Kurt Busch's split up with Ashley van Metre

The couple was married for nearly five years but had their fallout two years ago. The couple filed a divorce in May 2022 in a Florida court, and Van Metre accused Kurt Busch of committing 'a tortious act' (via Fox 8).

According to E! News, Kurt Busch's ex-wife claimed that the former NASCAR Cup Series champion took all her access from the couple's joint bank account, including all the credit cards and other forms of support. Before taking this step, Busch "demanded she leave the family home by the first week in June, even though he has another home in which he can reside."

Later, the 2004 Cup Series champion asked for privacy during his divorce trial. He wrote on X (via Bob Pockrass).

"Upon inquiry by various press outlets today, I am heartbroken to confirm that my wife Ashley and I are working to dissolve our marriage. Divorce is a personal and private matter, and I hope our privacy will be respected."

The older brother of Kyle Busch, the 2015 Cup Series champion is now spotted around the 23XI Racing camp and performs several media roles in NASCAR nowadays.