In a sense, Kyle Busch’s top two priorities in 2015 are based on timing.
Even though he’s going into it with a “just another race” mindset, if everything goes well, Busch could win his first career Daytona 500 next Sunday.
And then for an encore, he’ll become a first-time father in May.
For now, the former takes precedence over the latter according to Busch when asked which would be bigger for him: Winning the 500 or his upcoming son’s birth.
But there’s a caveat to that: Once the 500 is over, then the birth of his child becomes the biggest thing that will happen in Busch’s life.
“Right now, the Daytona 500 would definitely be bigger, but (by) All-Star week in May, it’s probably definitely going to be the birth of my son,” Busch said during Thursday’s Daytona 500 media day. “Both, I just couldn’t imagine.”
MORE: The year of NASCAR babies or announcements continues; Kyle Busch is going to be a father
Busch’s wife Samantha is due to give birth to the couple’s first child – which a sonogram has confirmed to be a boy – by mid-May.
“I can’t imagine the feelings I would have, the feelings Samantha would have, the team, all of us would be able to share together,” Kyle Busch said. “It would be a special moment.”
MORE: Keselowski enthused about joining NASCAR’s baby boom
Kyle is preparing for his new role as a father, and expects to see a change in himself. He points to what fatherhood did to fellow competitor Kevin Harvick.
Harvick and wife DeLana had son Keelan in 2012. Two years later, Harvick earned his first career Sprint Cup championship.
“You certainly hope so,” Busch said of potentially changing himself. “I just think it all timed out so well for him (Harvick) obviously. Being with a new team – and I know exactly what he’s talking about how you go to work and you just wonder if this is what you want to do and you’re not happy doing it – and then you go to a new team and it’s like, ‘Holy cow.’ Everything changes and the world flips upside down.
“I had that same feeling when I went to Joe Gibbs Racing. When I was leaving Hendrick, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to leave or what to expect at the next place, but it all fell together so easy and it was awesome.
“I know exactly what (Harvick) was going with there, but then the birth of a son and all of that working out pretty well. It’s exciting for them and you can’t say life’s perfect because it never is. It looks like it is on the outside, but it never really is on the inside. Just read Samantha’s blog. It certainly worked out really well for them and it looks peachy right now.”
Follow @JerryBonkowski
