Kurt’s back, and ditching the “Outlaw” thing it seems. Here’s an interesting interview he had discussing his reinstatement.
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Source: www.jayski.com
Kurt Busch discusses reinstatement: #41-Kurt Busch held a teleconference Wednesday afternoon:
KURT BUSCH: It means the world to me to be back in the car. It’s been a tough situation the last few months, and I’ve gone through this with confidence knowing that I know the truth and that I never did any of the things that I was accused of. It was a complete fabrication. But it’s unfortunate that my personal life crossed over and affected my business life, but I can’t wait to get to the track, to see my team, to shake their hands and say thanks for the support, and to go out there and make my first lap this weekend.
Q. I’m wondering during the last few weeks what you felt you were fighting for, and maybe the answer is all of the above, if you were fighting for your reputation, your innocence, or your career?
KURT BUSCH: Well, I understand why NASCAR needed to take the action that it did. This is a very serious issue. I mean, the way that NASCAR reacted, it was different than what we had been told all along. They were more focused on the criminal side, as were we, but the commissioner’s ruling was not necessarily what was the important factor here. The important factor is that what I was accused of was a complete fabrication, and I never wavered through this whole process because of the confidence in the truth, and I had the support from Gene Haas and everybody at SHR, and that’s where my focus has been. It’s been on the racing side of it, and I never lost that confidence and that drive, and so it’s a humbling experience, but it’s made me more focused and determined.
Q. Kurt, you talked about kind of regaining your reputation. Will you still keep “Outlaw” above the door to your car? Do you still kind of go with that outlaw persona? Does that have to change or is that still who you are?
KURT BUSCH: You know, my focus is the race car. My reputation has always been what I’ve done behind the wheel, and it’s moments that I hope to battle and put out on the track like I did with Ricky Craven in the closest finish in the history of NASCAR, it’s to focus on the wins at the tracks that I haven’t won on or to deliver for Gene Haas on the trophies that he signed me on for that he wants in his trophy room. My reputation will iron itself out in whichever way that it is, but my focus is the race car, and as I move forward, I’m putting my signature above the door of the car, and I’m proud to have my signature on the side of a car that Gene Haas has and to carry his name into victory lane.
Q. I’m curious if you can give any details about what NASCAR and the outside expert that they summoned to put you through the paces here required of you, and secondly, what’s been the hardest part about this whole thing for you?
KURT BUSCH: You know, I’m appreciative of the process, of the road to recovery. To me it’s a roadmap 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. Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks, and Las Vegas is my hometown track. It’s been torture sitting out of the car.
Q. What did you learn being out of the race car, because difficult times teach everybody something. As you sat out of the car and went through all of this for a very long time, what did you learn being out of the car? What did you learn during this time period? And will it be hard to race the way that you race with all attention on you as you move forward?
KURT BUSCH: You know what I learned, the best thing is or what I have been to deal with and what’s been the hardest is out of the race car. Being in that race car is a privilege, and it’s a feeling that you can’t describe when you go out there for practice each and every weekend. You drive down into the corner, the car sticks, you stand on the gas, and you drive out of the corner, it’s an experience that not a lot of people get to do, and I get a chance to race against the best in the world in NASCAR. Talking with Brian France and going through this road, he told me, he says, don’t change. Don’t be the person that’s different in the car, but be a different person outside of the car, and so Brian said, go be yourself in that car. That’s what we really love. We love Kurt Busch behind the wheel. Go out there, use that passion, go for those wins, and that’s my focus is to be humble through this whole process but let actions speak louder than words. (Chevy Racing)(3-11-2015)