Kurt Busch’s Suspension Lifted By NASCAR

Photo © Henry Plumley via Flickr Commons

After the criminal charges against Kurt Busch were thrown out by Delaware’s attorney general office, it appears the saga, which has given the media so much to write about, has officially ended. Former girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, accused Busch of assaulting her at Dover International Speedway. A charge he refuted by claiming that she was a trained assassin — a statement that simply never gets old.

Now, Driscoll did win a protective order against the race car driver — resulting in his suspension — but there was not enough evidence to charge him on domestic assault. As a result, NASCAR reinstated Busch and waived the requirement that he needed to participate in every race to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“As we stated last week, the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges removed a significant impediment to Kurt Busch’s return to full status as a NASCAR member,” NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said in a press release. “We therefore have decided to move him to indefinite probation and waive the Chase requirement. He has fully complied with our reinstatement program during his suspension and the health care expert who conducted his evaluation recommended his immediate return.”

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However, even with his reinstatement, Busch still has to take part in NASCAR’s rehabilitation program and is also indefinitely on probation. Still, the infamous driver just wants to get back in the car and carries no ill feelings towards NASCAR for their action.

“I understand why NASCAR needed to take the action that it did,” Busch told ESPN. “This is a very serious issue… I’m appreciative of the process, of the road to recovery. To me, it’s a road map that they laid out that I am respecting. It’s created such a good foundation to utilize moving forward that I wish I would have done it sooner.

“And the hardest part about all of this has been sitting out watching the 41 car go around the racetrack, especially at the Daytona 500,” Busch stated. “Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks, and Las Vegas is my hometown track. It’s been torture sitting out of the car.”

Kurt Busch will race Sunday in the Camping World 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Anthony Falco