Kurt Busch making motorsports return alongside Travis Pastrana at Race of Champions

NASCAR legend Kurt Busch will make his motorsports return representing Team USA at the Race of Champions March 7-8 at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

This will be Busch’s third appearance at the Race of Champions, receiving the call-up from USA teammate and rally racing star Travis Pastrana.

He's really back! We are thrilled to share @KurtBusch will make his return to racing for Team USA at #ROCSydney on 7-8 March. 🇺🇸🇦🇺

The NASCAR great has been called up by USA team-mate @TravisPastrana for the all-star event, facing Vettel, Loeb, Bottas and many more aces. pic.twitter.com/yFOIIWNNkW

— Race Of Champions (@RaceOfChampions) January 13, 2025

“Race car drivers always push the limits to be the best, and drive to win,” Busch said in a statement. “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.”

Kurt Busch teaming with Travis Pastrana at Race of Champions

Busch, 46, retired from Cup Series competition in August 2023. Busch has not been behind the wheel of a racecar since suffering a concussion in a crash on July 23, 2022, at Pocono Raceway. Named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, Busch compiled 34 wins and 339 top 10s in 776 Cup starts from 2000-2022. He captured the 2004 Cup championship, the first season in which NASCAR’s champion was crowned through a playoff format.

Kurt Busch teamed up with the 2012 IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and two-time Cup champion/brother Kyle Busch in his previous appearances at the Race of Champions. Busch received medical clearance to compete in Sydney this year.

“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,” Pastrana said. “I’ve talked to Kurt a few times over the past months and pleaded with him to come out of retirement since his crash in NASCAR. 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.

“Hopefully Kurt can teach me how to drive on Tarmac. I’m so stoked that he has confirmed and we are going to do everything we can to win ROC Sydney for the USA.”

Busch and Pastrana will compete against some of the world’s best wheelmen, including four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel (Germany), seven-time Supercar champion Jamie Whincup (Australia) and nine-time FIA World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb (France).