Kurt Busch to take on a unique role at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, opens up about special track gift

Former NASCAR driver Kurt Busch has been named the Grand Marshall for this week’s Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Named Mobil 1 301, the 301-lap event will mark the 30th race of the season, and first race of the round of 12.

Busch won two races at New Hampshire back in 2004 for Roush Racing and another in 2008 for Penske Racing, now Team Penske. This time around, he will cheer for 23XI Racing, a team he called home for a whole year before announcing his retirement in August 2023.

On that note, Busch wrote on X that he had tried to donate his 2008 Loudon the Lobster trophy to the Boston Aquarium. That’s precisely why the track will gift him a replica of the live Lobster trophy this Sunday, September 21.

“Headed to @NMHS this weekend to cover grand marshal duties and to support @23XIracing,” Kurt Busch wrote. “In ‘08 I was able to capture the 1st ever Loudon the Lobster trophy. 🦞 The track is gifting me a replica, because I tried to donate mine to the Boston Aquarium. 😊”

Kurt Busch doesn’t race anymore, not even under a part-time schedule. However, he is still involved in racing activities like consulting and mentoring the 23XI Racing drivers, taking part in international racing events, and serving as the brand ambassador for Monster Energy.

Fans can watch Busch signalling the field to start their engines live on USA (2 pm ET) or listen to its exclusive radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Whoever wins the race will receive an automatic ticket to the next round, the Round of 8.

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“Never would have imagined this”- Kurt Busch reflects on his NASCAR Hall of Fame induction

Kurt Busch’s NASCAR career was all about humble beginnings, hard work, and countless sacrifices. He was neither born into a family of racers nor did he have the money to take him through the sport’s upper ranks. Initially, racing was just a hobby for the former NASCAR Cup Series champion.

So when Busch was told that he would be inducted into NASCAR’s prestigious Hall of Fame, he had a hard time swallowing the news.

“For me, as just a blue-collar kid out of Vegas, I never would have imagined this," Busch said in a release. "We were a family where it was just a hobby. It's like a hobby to race, you know. It was just fun to go to the track as father and son.”

“But this was a fun announcement, and can't wait to tell more stories to everyone on what this sport has meant to me and how I'll still be around,” Busch added.

Besides Busch, Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick were also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Class of 2026. Humpy Wheeler, who was best known as the General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, received the coveted Landmark Award (posthumously) for his contributions to the sport.