Kurt Busch is set to compete alongside Travis Pastrana for Team USA in the 2025 Race of Champions on March 7-8 at Sydney's Accor Stadium. This marks Busch's return to racing after receiving medical clearance following his 2022 concussion at Pocono that ended his full-time NASCAR Cup career.

The 2004 NASCAR Cup Champion has been actively preparing for his comeback, training at various facilities including the Radford Racing School in Arizona and Charlotte Motor Speedway's skid pad. He's been focusing on rally car training, particularly launches and all-wheel drive handling.

"It has been awesome these last couple of months, preparing for the Race of Champions," Busch said. "Once I was cleared to participate, it was like a cloud was lifted and blue skies opened up."

Busch and Pastrana, who previously competed together for Team USA in Miami, are combining their diverse motorsports backgrounds to create a formidable team. Pastrana brings his extensive action sports experience as a multi-time X Games gold medalist and former supercross champion, while Busch contributes his extensive asphalt racing expertise.

"With my asphalt experience and Travis's skills, we have every box checked," Busch explained. "We're going into this with our eyes ready and focused, not intimidated by the situation."

Having previously secured a second-place trophy in the Nations Cup, Busch aims to improve upon that result. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on personal performance rather than getting distracted by competitors: "You're going up against yourself, that car, and that track."

The event represents a perfect balance for Busch's return to racing, offering high-level competition in a more relaxed atmosphere compared to NASCAR's demanding schedule. The format will include practice sessions, race sessions, and media opportunities, allowing Busch to compete alongside international racing talent in Australia.

Related Articles

Previous Articles