Off the Track with Kurt Busch

03.05.2017

Interview with Kurt Busch by Liz Allison, LizAllison.com

The last few months for Kurt Busch, the 2004 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion, has been anything but ordinary.

In early January, the 38-year-old, Las Vegas native,  married professional  polo player, Ashley Van Metre, in a private ceremony in the Caribbean, celebrating in grand style at a reception at the Breakers in Palm Beach.

Just a month and a half later, Kurt Busch wins his first career Daytona 500, after missing the checkers for the Great American Race many times before finally winning NASCAR’s most coveted trophy.

I sat down with Kurt to talk about his early years in racing, the married life and life away from the track….

L: You were married in the off season,  Dale Jr. has talked about how marriage has changed him as a person and maybe even as a driver? Is that the case for you or not so much?

K: Well, I know it has as a person.  It’s wonderful to share life’s journey with someone you love and someone that loves you in the same fashion. She’s a competitor , she’s been competing with some of the best polo players so it’s neat to share stories of competition and support and just being helpful to one another. On the track, I have that helmet head thing…I put on the helmet and go for it.

L:  You grew up in racing, have been around it your whole life. When did you know racing was what you wanted to do?

K: My Mom pushed the little league thing early on. She thought racing was too dangerous. I didn’t start racing until I was 16. I started racing with my Dad. I learned how to build the cars and really understand the cars. It was a lot of fun! It wasn’t until I was 18 or 19, struggling in college, that I won my first late model race and I knew then that racing was what I wanted to pursue and it was 24/7 from that day on.

L: What lessons did you learn early on that are still with you today?

K: The respect of the car and knowing how to build it, the time that goes in to building the car with the whole team, respecting the whole effort.  You spend all that time building it so I learned early on not to abuse that privilege. It creates better racing results on average.

L: You won the Roush Gong Show Tryouts in early 2000. Was that your big break? You won it…you got the truck ride.

K: I would say.  There was the step of getting through late models and  to do well in the regional rankings.  I won a race in Sonoma, California on the Saturday before the Cup race that helped project my name out there, which helped me land the Tryout. It was a tryout against 5 others drivers and the winner got the truck ride with a Exide as the sponsor.

L: You were known as a hot head early on, was that fair or were you misunderstood?

K: No, it’s well documented…maybe glorified to the point of being a good target so to speak and if I could do anything over again it would be  understanding how the media side of it works and to be a bit more well rounded before taking the green flag for the Daytona 500.

L: Any regrets from that time?

K:  I stayed focused so much on the racing side of it. I felt that would overcome the things I wasn’t prepared for. Just think about it, I raced my first race in 1994, I mean my first race period, anything and everything  and then raced at the  NASCAR Winston Cup level  at Dover in 2000. Not having a family pedigree or history within the sport made it tough to learn everything because things  kept moving so fast. Definitely not prepared for the media side of it when I got to the big time.

L: How do you prepare for race weekend?

K: Workout regimen, nutrition, team meetings, watch racing videos from past races, review old racing notes, go over the weekend schedule, team meetings at the track.

L: What does your race day look like? Any traditions, rituals, superstitions?

K: Eating pasta the night before is good, eating protein like steak or chicken. The morning of is autograph sessions with fans, hospitality sessions with sponsors, and a lucky turkey sandwich…. if I have any superstition,  its eating a turkey sandwich to help  mellow me out before the big race.

L: What are your interests away from the track? I know you love baseball.

K: I was definitely going bananas last year when the Cubs were in the World Series.  I Love baseball, being outdoors, golfing, hunting,  supporting my wife with her polo and spending time with her team.

L: Do you ride?

K:  I putt around in 1st gear. I accidentally kicked it to second gear and went whoa whoa.  Its Unique having 1 horse power verses 700 horse power.

L: Who are you childhood hero’s?’

K:  My dad was a great racer at the local level,  the driver of the black #3, Dale Earnhardt and Davey Allison, we loved that Texaco Havoline #28.

L: If you could race in any era of racing, which era would it be?

K: I loved the 80’s. Dale Earnhardt, Davey ( Allison), Bobby Allison, Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliott.  Tons of great racers in the 80″s.

L: Your thoughts on transitioning to Ford?

K: The transition has been great, lots of familiar faces, great to have the blue oval on the hood and Yates engines under the hood. I have a unique friendship with Doug Yates , he’s old school. Great to be back.

L: Your thoughts on the new racing format?

K: It’s a great change for our sport. Have to be on your toes all the time.

L: 2017 MLB Champs?

K: Let’s just go for the repeat, the Chicago Cubs!