Kurt Thomas Busch
(born August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a
professional American race car driver. He drives the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, he also races part time in the Nationwide Series in
the #12 Penske Truck Rental Dodge. He is the older brother of Kyle Busch, also a
professional driver, and the two have raced against one another on many
occasions. He has a trademark cow hide seat cover.
In 2004, Busch finished 8 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson to win the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series Championship in the first ever season using the "Chase for the
Cup" points format. At the time, he drove the #97 Sharpie/Irwin Industrial Tools
Ford for Roush Racing. Busch departed Roush at the end of 2005, moving to Penske
Racing and replacing the retiring Rusty Wallace in the No. 2 Miller Lite
sponsored Dodge Charger. With a 2006 win in the Busch Series Busch became one of
only 18 drivers with a win in all three of NASCAR's top divisions (Sprint Cup,
Nationwide, and Craftsman Truck Series).
Busch is a second-generation NASCAR driver his father Thomas also raced. He
was the runner-up finisher in the closest finish in NASCAR history at Darlington
Raceway on March 16, 2003. After an exciting and near-explosive two-lap
side-by-side battle with Ricky Craven around the tight and tricky 1.366-mile
track, Craven crossed the finish line only 0.002 seconds ahead of Busch in the
photo-finish.