One on One: Kurt Busch

Great start this season by your. Your house briefing for the word we at the Daytona five. It is something that's on every bucket list you've been teased him for a really long time. But did all of the tight. Turned out what it. What you thought it would be. Now it has absolutely I don't even think it's really stopped yet and we've raced two races since. My phone I'm down at 233 tackles a thug and I did hit a high of 600 and when you line. And yes it's it's a magnificent. Win with the first deeds in the history in the value of Daytona. And the way that term. All of it is glorified as a championship and rivers. In. I have a nice comparison of the championship that year end from years ago. But this time around able to enjoy them much more until absorb it and feel it and yes it's like man that we won a championship to start the year. Element it is and I find it really is an accomplishment that stands out. But it's looking at your resonate looking ads you know an ups and downs you've had in your career. Have you had time to think about. What is left to accomplish and if so what is that. Others. Tips star number 600 coming out this fall at Darlington and that'll be fun with retro weekend. You know all the 600 starts and maybe that three or four big moments that weren't good. You know there's 596. Cool things. Taking your green flag and having opportunities to win. I feel blessed to have had this opportunity with great teams and here there's a couple years my rookie year was a disaster. I just wasn't figuring it out. And then I got teamed up with Jimmy fanning. Now my second year on the circuit then as they say the rest is history and so it's all about the people and the people you surround yourself with then. The enjoyment from it all it's been great to win to make graces it's been great to come close. On some big races. The last two years of my career then that the two most consistent. With top ten finishes and laps completed. And just the the foundation type of I season that you wanna have if you don't have the power to win races but to be owed delivering a consistent level so last two years have been fantastic on that front. Do you feel like that's a testament to the environment Stewart Haas brings TO or is that a testament to conduct the trials and tribulations you've been to and then it then. Maturity of a driver. You've reached out. I think it's a combination of everything and it's it's understanding now how to get the best out of a car when you don't how's the winning car instead of trying to stretch it to try to win. And then we he went through last year from Daytona all the way to the Bristol night race finishing on the lead lap every race. And it. It was a feeling of yes this is what we're supposed to be doing. Let's try to win more and then it was funny I had the lead at Bristol late in the race and push it too hard on the restart. And flat out Austin on that low grain that low groove gripped. The spray that they put down spun off to an. Wadded up in that or killed our lead lap finish strain that that's where I was inherent I wanted to push hard to win. Just overstepped the boundary of the car a little bit which is where I would be normally end is making sure we got thank good finish stuff. There's nude chase. Points structures that are given to us all the time you have to adapt to those. And in the last two years. Finished seventh at Phoenix and didn't advance finished fifth at Phoenix. Didn't advance. Were right there were at their knocking on the door every year. And so we know we need to do this year in and and apply that that way we can be part of the championship four and had a shot championship. You took the Harley. You've been a long time. Cops in this had to have been your idea. Our allies that he felt like I was told years old Washington the front door in and hang out to see all the players and turn to meet Joseph Maddon the manager. It's it truly was a lifetime experience and name in the red carpet with stressing out and practicing with the team. Taking batting practice fielding practice but the they started with they're they're big trainer guy. He was as soon as the little pep rally speech in front of all the guys and he occasionally gust champions and champions three champions let's bring on champion of the Daytona 500 and in other guys were in awe that the trophy was there in front of them and well Johnson I told the guys in the Q doesn't numbness or older group shot with a cool trophy. And it was great to share that with the Chicago Cubs and talk with players like Chris Bryant and Rizzo. So breast and then meeting some of the pitchers because the pitchers that are on their own schedule. For spring training that I car yet and Lackey Kyle Hendrix. It was great to meet with those guys and you know there are trying to work their schedule out come out here for a big Sunday race in Phoenix. Now you got to keep you mentioned just again you got to keep the uniform they gave you. Where is second ago a second ago in the shadow boxer a special kind of like memory box or maybe you'll you'll Wear it. While you watch he games at home. It's a critical piece is definitely a framed up it's got a couple of dirt and grass skins on access Leiden in the outfield that in. That the Jersey. It is a eight cool piece to frame up just like at our pursuit absolutely. I can't wait to see the finished product there you've also had some fun back in Vegas I saw where you hit at some concert she saw The Backstreet Boys Bruno Mars he certainly has been busy. I don't know though are you to kind of guy when you go to a concert that dances and sings along the kind of just a guy that that take everything in and discount watches. There was nationally and yet we are dancing along it's as I'm gonna go to a Bruno Mars. And be part of the atmosphere mean. It's neat to have these chances to go to these cool places and and live up. The atmosphere around our our race cities you know with Phoenix Vegas Daytona. You know Atlanta we have super cross their last year wasn't there this time around. There's always something going on around our venue and it's neat to just jump into the atmosphere that. It's not just racing there's life outside of your. You're from out west when we were back in Vegas last week in you actually went back to your high school. And they added you to their sports hall of fame. And I know you have you know a lot of great things you've accomplished in your career but what was that like to go back to kind of you're stomping grounds and be honored with something like that. It was very special and to see the students and it's to see some of the classmates that I went to school with that have become teachers. One of the that the the kids that. Was a basketball all star he's now a school principal. Hopelessness and sort of it was really neat on a twenty year. Reunion type trip. To go back and to have that the spirit day wrapped around being a drink the high school TrailBlazer. As was wearing your NASCAR gear. And to bring the trophy along that was an added element to where the kids got takes self fees with Harley Gerald trophy and I mean you I was impressed with the school spirit I was really taken back by it because didn't seem that strong when I was there. And you would hope that things develop into that or maybe I'm just older and I appreciated it more now. I'm what is really. A true walked to the puck to the past and to see what to out of school did for me. Am hopeful that that's school canoes same thing for the kids that are currently enrolled. You weren't you. Last for a driver to win a cup championship that happened back in 2004 with Ford. And obviously Stewart Haas racing switching to the blue oval what was your initial reaction and or excitement. Going back to being a Ford driver. I'd I don't know if I could of put it into the right words other than hell yes it absolutely not without a doubt this is the right direction ago and all the Ford people. You know new old everybody there really has a passion for. Racing hard. Well yeah marketing it's part of it. But collecting trophies is the most important part and being upfront and transparent. Is the best part that I've seen back with Ford again and understanding. Last week we have an alt later issue lie is that low it's because of the the temperature in the engine. Wool does Roush from it that hot it is Penske Europe that high so what was the issue of in in Vegas you know as a hot race last week when we are surprised that down we have these all manner issues that are based in right up front and there's a full on attack here in Phoenix. To rectify that problem so. I'd just I'd just like transparency in the go get them attitude at Ford and Nelson shoved under rug and we'll get it corrected. Building off that we've heard so much from. You know the crew chief site when he gets in talking about it on the actual crew side what it's like. For the transition from one manufacturer to another for driver what's that like. I understood new diagram that's slightly different as far as what they want. You to communicate with what they need to do for procedures. On such as a hot start cold start. Different tack communications. Meant it just a different piece Avery got to read digest and and and make sure that your following the right protocol something to bail me out I like delegates it's fun working with him because. His passion for motor sports is. His own peril he loves Daytona. He loves to build great engines and back when we won the championship years ago. I think he was the missing piece that we needed at Roush and we got it. Let's talk about a year now wife actually really quickly before we let you go you got married an off season. And when I lucky you with hurt it's not hear a different person but she seems to bring out the best in the so for you what would you say. She brings the relationship in terms of balance or maybe how to she complements. It's amazing since the day we met the ability to talk sports. With her being an athlete in her background in polo. And the infrastructure a tie you set at fifteen and work through. The mechanics of it all she sees that in the NASCAR side and she asks me really unique questions that I've. Didn't think to ask or to think about. Because of her perspective on it but I see your heart is so warm. And she loves it to be involved and tips to help out and whether it's after all find sessions she's got. Dinner made already. Or come out of full fields number waterboarding and between her checkers. It's really neat to share that experience to know that were there helping each other. Still what we want to it to to achieve the other stuff. Julie Mason. I'm very blessed to match her and it's been wonderful sense.