Kurt Busch will miss a fourth straight race as he recovers from injuries, and Ty Gibbs will replace him again this weekend in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.
Busch tweeted Wednesday afternoon that he is continuing to work toward returning to the driver’s seat but that he isn’t ready to race.
“I am making progress and pushing hard each day,” Busch wrote. “I am encouraged by my team of doctors, and we will continue to do everything it takes to get me to 100 percent to return to competition.”
Busch called this week “by far the hardest week emotionally because I do feel the progression of recovery, but racing requires an extreme physical and mental effort, and my body is not 100 percent able to sustain the intense race conditions.”
He said he pushed to get his heart rate and body in a race simulation environment this week, but “it’s clear I’m not ready to be back in the race car.”
Gibbs, an Xfinity Series regular, has substituted for Busch at 23XI Racing for the past three races, finishing 16th at Pocono, 17th at Indianapolis and 10th at Michigan.
Busch is recovering from “concussion-like symptoms” after a crash during qualifying prior to the Pocono race.
Busch has received a medical waiver from NASCAR and, assuming he returns, will be eligible for the Cup Series playoffs based on his win at Kansas.
Kurt’s patience and transparency is a massive relief. I’m so thankful he is making sure he will be 100% for a return. https://t.co/QXTOpYIPKY
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) August 10, 2022
My thoughts remain with Kurt and I wish him all the best as he continues to recover. He’s been a big help to me while I’m subbing and I hope to make him and the team proud this weekend in Richmond. https://t.co/rQ5O5KK7P0
— Ty Gibbs (@TyGibbs) August 10, 2022