Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR champion who stepped away from racing last season following a significant concussion, officially retired Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
Busch, 45, held back tears as he called it quits while sitting on the same stage where he celebrated one of his most memorable Cup Series victories -- the 2017 Daytona 500.
"My body is just having a battle with Father Time," Busch said, adding he has dealt with arthritis and gout while trying to recover from a rear-impact collision he says rattled his brain.
"I'm very happy, complacent," he said. "There's nothing I look back on and regret about having this opportunity at the top level of NASCAR."
“Just so thankful for Brad for all those pushes at the right time. Found each other here and there throughout the race, lost each other, and got back on it when it counted.”
The 1-2 finish was the first for RFK Racing since Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. claimed the top two spots for owner Jack Roush at Bristol in 2014.
Wallace claimed his playoff spot with a 12th-place finish because — thankfully, from his point of view — no winless driver below him in the standings was able to knock him out of the top 16 by winning.
“That was the most stressed, but also the most locked in I’ve ever been,” said Wallace, who entered the race with a 32-point edge over Ty Gibbs for the final playoff berth. “Knowing that this place is mostly out of your control, I just tried to focus on doing the things that I could do. Missing that wreck (a pileup in Turn 4 on Lap 95) was massive.
The Cup Series now goes to Darlington next Sunday, with races at Kansas and Bristol to make up the first round of the playoffs. The bottom four drivers in the standings after Bristol will be eliminated.
Busch won 34 races in 776 starts over 23 years in the Cup Series. He landed as a consultant for his old 23XI Racing and Toyota. He counseled Travis Pastrana at last year's Daytona 500 and has thrown his arms around anyone in the garage who needs advice.
"Racing at NASCAR's highest level requires every bit of focus, heart, stamina and determination," Busch said. "And I know right now I can't give what's required to compete at that level week in and week out."
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