NASCAR stars Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Crafton inducted into West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame

This week is special for many reasons. Including Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Matt Crafton receiving a massive honor. Sonoma Raceway week is underway, but these NASCAR stars and other motorsports icons had other plans. These drivers are now a part of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. A massive honor for all of the drivers involved.

Kurt Busch is a Las Vegas motorsports legend, along with his brother Kyle, of course. Then you have the California boys, Harvick and Crafton. Each of these drivers has won a NASCAR championship. In Crafton’s case, he has three championships in the Craftsman Truck Series.

The honor is one that these drivers seemed to appreciate. There was a little pomp and circumstance for those in attendance. Even the 23XI Racing guys, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, got dressed up for their teammate and friend.

Our favorite guys 🤗#ForwardTogether pic.twitter.com/2UJcHkaxYI

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) June 9, 2023

Here is Ron Hornaday inducting Kevin Harvick into the Hall of Fame. There is so much that Harvick has done for NASCAR. So many great moments, wins, close calls, and of course, he’ll always be a champion.

Coming back home and earning this major honor, has to feel great as The Closer puts the final chapters on his storied career.

What an honor… @RickCarelli and I were asked to induct @KevinHarvick into the West Coast Stock Car HOF lastnight here @RaceSonoma. Words can describe what Kevin means to me and how proud I am of him and everything he has accomplished. Congratulations Kevin! pic.twitter.com/ldNcBatTZM

— Ron Hornaday (@RonHornaday) June 9, 2023

What a way to kick off the Sonoma Raceway weekend. Crafton is on his off week, but he was still part of the stars that received the honor of being inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.

Kurt Busch hanging around, just in case

With how much work Kurt Busch has put into 23XI Racing, one has to think he’s hoping to return to the track. Even if he’s unable to race a full-time schedule, Busch clearly has that itch for racing. He wouldn’t dedicate so much time to his team and his teammates if he wasn’t planning something big.

Busch was injured last year during practice at Pocono. The rear end of his car hit the inside wall hard. Given the setup of the Next Gen car at the time, it was a stiff impact with little give for the driver involved. Since then, NASCAR has made changes to the rear clip.

However, it is hard to think that all the problems have been answered. Of course, you can’t prevent injury 100% in a sport like racing. It’s part of it. These drivers know that. But watching Noah Gragson sit out after taking a rear-end impact last week, that’s hard to swallow after a year of changes and safety updates. Bubba Wallace had a few answers for what happened last week.

Now Gragson is sitting out for at least this race. He has the off week to help recover. With all of the hope that Kurt Busch can one day come back, let’s hope we see these concussions come to an end in this Next Gen car.