MOORESVILLE, NC – Kurt Busch said Thursday he will miss the final two races of NASCAR’s regular season, taking it to six races where the 2004 champion was sidelined with concussion-like symptoms.
Busch wrote on Twitter that he will miss Sunday’s race on the road at Watkins Glen International and then the regular season final on August 27 at the Daytona International Speedway. Busch crashed on July 23 during qualifying at Pocono and hasn’t driven a Toyota #45 since.
Busch wrote on Twitter: “As much as I want to get back in the car, the time has not yet come. “This decision was not an easy one, but the right one.”
Ty Gibbs will continue to drive for Busch. Joe Gibbs’ 19-year-old grandson was featured on his Nations Cup debut as Busch’s replacement. He finished 16th at Pocono, 17th in Indianapolis and 10th in Michigan before engine problems resulted in a 36th finish Sunday at Richmond Raceway.
Busch is one of 15 different winners this season with two races to the bottom in a 16-driver knockout. If the playoff-eligible driver wins for the first time this season in any of the next two races, Busch will be eliminated from the points-based playoff competition.
