“It meant the world to me”: Kurt Busch reflects on the ‘perfect opportunity’ bestowed by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin

NASCAR veteran Kurt Busch recently expressed gratitude toward his former team, 23XI Racing, and its ownership group for keeping him closely connected to the sport. Although no longer behind the wheel, Busch contributes as a consultant and mentor, playing a valuable role in guiding the team and its drivers.

Busch enjoyed a remarkable 23-year career at NASCAR’s top level, securing 43 wins across the sport’s top three series. His 34 Cup Series victories include marquee wins like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and an IROC championship. Busch’s career-defining moment came in 2004 when he captured the Cup title driving the #97 Ford for Roush Racing, now Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.

In a recent post on X, the former Cup Series champion shared a brief note, thanking NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (co-owners of 23XI Racing) for giving him the opportunity that justified his 'two decades of experience' in the top level of American Stock Car Racing.

"Finishing my career with @23xiracing was the icing on the cake. Getting a call from @dennyhamlin@toyotaracing and MJ, asking me to come on board and start a new team meant the world to me. Perfect opportunity to give my two decades of experience to," Kurt Busch wrote on X.

Kurt Busch's career came to an abrupt end in 2022 after he sustained a concussion in a crash at Pocono Raceway while driving the #45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. His injury sidelined him, allowing Tyler Reddick to take over the seat in the #45 Toyota, where Reddick eventually secured the 2024 regular-season title.

In the most recent updates, Busch has been announced as an inductee into the annals of NASCAR, the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place next year, before the start of the NASCAR campaign.

“I was fingers crossed hoping that it would happen”: Kurt Busch's initial reaction to NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026 election

Two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch's brother, Kurt Busch, was surprised after his name was the last to be called as NASCAR announced the inductees for the 2026 Hall of Fame ceremony.

Following the announcement and watching the highlights of his career flash in front of him, the former 23XI Racing driver shared his thoughts on being cemented in the history of NASCAR.

“I had to go like into racer mode. I had to kind of stay focused on the emotions of it, but also you're listening to all of the statistics and all of the heroes that I looked up to and raced against and the ones that are on the ballot with me,” he said [20:28 onwards].

“Everyone's deserving, and I was fingers crossed hoping that it would happen. But either way, I would still be here to celebrate our past, our present, and our future,” Kurt Busch added.

Meanwhile, the Cup Series is scheduled to compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, a crown jewel event that Kurt Busch won 15 years ago in 2010. Catch the race live on Amazon Prime Video on May 25 at 6:00 PM Eastern.