Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup champion, is set to make his return to competition at the 2025 Race of Champions (RoC), after announcing his retirement in August 2023. This marks his first appearance since 2022, and it will be his third time participating in the prestigious event. Busch will compete alongside stunt performer Travis Pastrana for Team USA at the event, which will be held at Sydney's Accor Stadium on March 7-8, 2025.
Busch's Return After Medical Leave
Busch's participation in the 2025 RoC follows a significant hiatus from racing. He had been sidelined due to a concussion sustained during a crash at Pocono Raceway in July 2022. This injury forced him to sit out the remainder of the 2022 season and the start of the 2023 campaign. After careful consideration, the 46-year-old made the difficult decision to retire from NASCAR, stating that there were "too many obstacles for me to overcome."
A Chance to Compete with the Best
Despite his retirement from NASCAR, Busch's passion for racing remains intact. His upcoming appearance at the Race of Champions will be his first since 2017, when he and his brother, Kyle Busch, finished second in the Nations’ Cup, losing to Team Germany. Reflecting on his career and return to the RoC,
Busch shared, "Race car drivers always push the limits to be the best and drive to win. That is what I have strived for my whole career, and to receive another invite from Race of Champions is a chance to go up against the best of the best from around the world. What an honor. Thank you RoC. Go Team USA."
Team USA's Hopes Rest on Busch and Pastrana
Busch will join four-time Rally America champion Travis Pastrana, who is also making his return to the RoC for the first time since 2011. Pastrana expressed his excitement about racing alongside Busch, praising his impressive past performances in the event. "There is no one that I’ve seen at past Race of Champions from America that’s been able to jump in the cars and perform like Kurt Busch," said Pastrana. He also noted that he had encouraged Busch to return to racing after his injury, emphasizing that having Busch on the team was crucial to winning for Team USA.
Pastrana added, "I would have loved to see another ultra-talented driver like Kyle Larson come to Race of Champions as well, but he has a NASCAR race the same weekend. I said if I’m going all the way to Australia, then it has to be with someone that can help me win it all for Team USA."
The 2025 Race of Champions: What to Expect
The 2025 Race of Champions is set to be a thrilling competition. The event will take place on a purpose-built 1km asphalt track around the Accor Stadium in Sydney. So far, 13 competitors have been announced, including four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, who will represent Germany alongside Mick Schumacher. Finnish F1 driver Valtteri Bottas will also compete for Finland.
The defending Nations' Cup champions, Petter and Oliver Solberg, will represent Norway, while French rally legend Sébastien Loeb, a four-time RoC winner, will also make an appearance. Additional drivers include seven-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson, Extreme E champion Molly Taylor, and two-time Dakar winner Toby Price. Supercar champions Will Brown and Jamie Whincup will compete for hosts Australia.
With such a diverse and talented field of drivers, the 2025 Race of Champions promises to be an exciting event that will showcase the very best in motorsport from around the world.