Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR champion who stepped away from racing last season following a significant concussion, officially retired Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
Busch, 45, held back tears as he called it quits while sitting on the same stage where he celebrated one of his most memorable Cup Series victories — the 2017 Daytona 500.
“My body is just having a battle with Father Time,” Busch said, adding he has dealt with arthritis and gout while trying to recover from a rear-impact collision he says rattled his brain.
“I’m very happy, complacent,” he said. “There’s nothing I look back on and regret about having this opportunity at the top level of NASCAR.”
