Kurt Busch, a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, was taken into custody for suspected drunk driving. The 46-year-old was charged with careless and reckless driving in addition to speeding after his 2024 Lexus was observed moving at 63 mph in a 45 mph zone on Brawley School Road, according to court documents. The North Carolina native was apprehended due to what the court documents describe as “red glassy eyes” and “a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath.”
Kurt Busch had already been found guilty of similar crimes. He was stopped on suspicion of DWI in 2005 and faced charges of careless driving. After that, he was forced to complete 50 hours of community service.
Kurt Busch was traveling in a 45 mph zone at 63 mph.
The former 23XI Racing driver was pulled over, and after his blood alcohol content was found to be 0.17 percent—more than twice the legal limit—a North Carolina trooper who had been called in to support Kurt Busch’s traffic stop accused him of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. After being transported to the Iredell County Detention Center, Busch was freed at 2:36 a.m. on the understanding that he would appear in court on September 19.
How do you feel about it?
Kurt Busch issued a statement following the announcement of his arrest, saying, “I’m very disappointed in myself, and I apologize to my family, my racing family, and my fans.” I’ll cooperate with law enforcement to address the issue and with the county to make his area safer going forward. Driving for the Rousch Racing team, Busch won the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series. However, his career was cut short when he was charged with driving under the influence in Maricopa County, Arizona, in November of 2005. The damage was done even though he was merely given a citation for careless driving in that particular incident.
At 2:36 AM on Tuesday, Busch was released from the Iredell County Detention Center. This link is: t.co/d1s496Z3Pq
— August 14, 2024, Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley)
Despite not being for driving while intoxicated, Kurt Busch’s reputation was impacted by the citation. With two races left in the 2005 season, Rousch cut him from the squad and forced him to perform 50 hours of community service. The next season, Busch joined Penske Racing South and appeared to have turned around his career after winning the Bristol Motor Speedway event and being appointed an honorary deputy for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Kurt Busch went on to have brief spells with Furniture Row Motorsports and Phoenix Racing in an attempt to mend his reputation in the sport, but he was unable to win. Kurt Busch, on the other hand, was able to resurrect his career after joining Stewart-Haas Racing, where he would go on to win six races in his four years there. Busch, 46, has a 23-year career that includes 34 race victories in 776 starts. However, if he doesn’t exercise greater caution, he could end up being recognized solely for his misdeeds off track.
Kurt Busch has a track record of acting aggressively.
Kurt Busch, the former driver of 23XI Racing, hopes that this is the last time he is arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, even though it wasn’t his first time. Busch has been in hot water on more than one occasion, including the 2005 incident and his DWI charge in North Carolina. Jimmy Spencer has hit him in the face for attempting to intentionally destroy him in the past, while Kevin Harvick has referred to him as “an arrogant punk” due to his demeanor.
And if all of that wasn’t enough, Kurt Busch into afoul of NASCAR after he disregarded instructions after a crash. He was shouting obscenities at NASCAR officials over the vehicle radio after being called into the pits for a penalty, and he hurled a bottle that struck one of them. Because of his aggressive racing style, he has also drawn jeers from NASCAR fans. Officials from the sanctioning organization even went so far as to call his actions “unworthy of a champion.”
Kurt Busch should be aware that, aside from the fact that his racing career may have been prematurely ended by injuries received in a 2022 incident at Pocono Raceway, off-track headlines have the potential to overshadow his legacy. As a mentor to Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick for the 23XI Racing team, the 46-year-old hopes to set an example for the next generation of NASCAR stars and help them succeed on the racetrack.
