Kurt Busch reaches verdict on WRC’s future in – Sports News
Kurt Busch gave his verdict on the World Rally Championship (WRC) returning to the United States, with the previous NASCAR star nonetheless in motorsports regardless of his scary crash in 2022.
Busch, the older brother of NASCAR star Kyle Busch, has been on the mend after his crash at Pocono in 2022, saying his retirement from full-time Cup Series competitors in August 2023. That stated, the 46-year-old was medically cleared to return to racing, competing in the 2025 Race of Champions.
Along with competing in the Race of Champions, Busch was in the car with Oliver Solberg as they rode in the Rally Estonia winner’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car. After the driving force, the NASCAR Hall of Famer shared that being in the car with Solberg reminded him of his time on the Monza Rally Show in 2014.
Speaking with Motorsport.com, Busch shared his pleasure in regards to the potential of seeing WRC races in the United States. “It would be fantastic [to have the WRC in the USA],” he said, per the outlet.
“I think the newness of what NASCAR did with the Chicago Street Race and Formula 1, what they have done with Las Vegas and Miami is a hybrid street race, it brings it to city centers that wouldn’t normally be accustomed to it. Can rally do that? Absolutely, but you have to have the outlying areas for the stages to happen.”
For WRC to be succesful in the United States however, Busch believes that any race has to have the support of the local community for it to thrive. It must be noted that there are no races in the United States, with the WRC announcing its 2026 schedule on the same day as Busch’s visit.
“I think anything new right now is an adventure and when you have the proper support behind it from the series and the manufacturers that are involved [it can work] if you are quite close to big town like that [Chattanooga], that is when you have the other nightlife and the ability for people to park and to get to where they need to go,” he added.
That said, it was clear Busch enjoyed his outing with Solberg, as it reminded him of how different rally could be compared to what he is used to. “The car is like a ballet and what Oliver is doing with the car is what is the most difficult part for me to digest,” the former NASCAR star shared.
“I feel the car going sideways and I’m fine, but the jumps, the twists and the turns – the car is so nimble. Our NASCAR cars are so heavy and are buried into the track, but these rally cars are floating on top of the track.
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“Launching an all-wheel drive car and heading into some of the corners and switchbacks, it was like Oliver was a step ahead of where my body was digesting that corner to be. When you respect someone like that there is no fear whatsoever.”
Referencing his time as a NASCAR champion, Busch continued that the differences between those cars and the Toyota he rode in was almost night and day. “Our NASCAR discipline is very different,” the 46-year-old said.
“It is a lot about tire management and getting the grip level on the asphalt. This is all-wheel drive, lightweight, and go as fast as you can go while the tree branches are hitting the windshield. It is a whole different discipline, but it is fun to see it at the top level.”
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