NASCAR champion Kurt Busch touched down in Chicago for 48 hours of sports-filled enjoyable, and says he’s hoping that a return trip will be in the cards for this summer season for the upcoming NASCAR Chicago Street Race.
“I am pushing tough to be prepared for the Chicago Street Race,” Busch stated in an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago. “No matter whether I am in the auto or not I will nonetheless be right here, it really is gonna be an extraordinary occasion.”
The 44-year-old stepped away from racing complete-time right after becoming injured in a crash in July 2022. Busch has but to be cleared by physicians to resume racing, as he nonetheless dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion triggered by the crash.
Though returning to complete-time may perhaps not be in the cards, he’s operating tough to get back to one hundred% for the street race. The occasion is anything that Busch appears forward to, as he says it really is an unprecedented course for NASCAR.
“The newness, the uniqueness, and just the challenge of becoming on the street course, NASCAR’s in no way performed this just before,” he told NBC. “It’ll be enjoyable. The back straightaway locations on Lake Shore Drive … the scenic worth of just becoming about Buckingham Fountain and Grant Park, the city landscape. That is what tends to make this all the exclusive strong occasion that it really is going to be.”
Busch is in the Windy City this week living out the ultimate Chicago sports fan’s dream. In partnership with Toyota, he’s set to attend a quantity of sporting and promotional events, as properly as understand extra about preparations for the street race.
He’ll kick off his fast remain in the city by stopping by Harry Caray’s Toast on the River at Navy Pier tonight, just before watching the Chicago Bulls take on the Los Angeles Lakers at the United Center.
On Thursday, Busch will be at the Cubs’ season opener at Wrigley Field. Then it really is on to the Blackhawks game, exactly where he’ll participate in the “Shoot the Puck” promotion through the second intermission.
Busch has private connections to the city. He is at the moment a member of 23XI (pronounced “23-11”), a NASCAR group co-owned by Michael Jordan.
“This is beyond any of my wildest dreams, to race for the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time), proper. And to have that sense of duty and pride to preform for him. But he tends to make it super very simple, we just all race with each other as a group, just like any other group would,” he stated.
Having said that, these Chicago ties go considerably deeper.
“I am a Chicagoan, tiny do you guys know. My family members is from Chicago, and I appreciate this city.” he explained to us. “My dad’s from Schaumburg, mom’s from Arlington Heights. Really like the North Siders.”
Though on the topic of that specific Northern suburb, Busch also supplied his thoughts on the Bears’ possible move to Arlington Heights.
“That is gonna be enormous! Will it occur? I do not know. But I believe all Chicagoans will absorb the transform and newness, due to the fact everyone right here pulls with each other with pride.”
To understand extra about the upcoming NASCAR Chicago Street Race, see the site.
