Luxe Life Blog
Native son Kurt Busch predicts Sunday’s NASCAR winner: himself!
NASCAR champions and brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch.
Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com
“It’s a tough 400 miles, but it’s the best chance I’ve had in years for victory. I think we will do it, ” a relaxed yet very confident Kurt Busch told me last night. Kurt also said that it would be a “very good omen” if he won his inaugural charity drive: “If I win tonight, it will be a win on Sunday,” he predicted. Our hometown hero did win, so the stage is now set for Sunday out at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway!
I asked Kurt to clear up the growing number of stories this week about the increasing rivalry on and off the track with his younger brother Kyle. Reporters from Speed TV and NASCAR Sirius Radio interviewed me about it twice yesterday, saying the Vegas brothers have been “bumping” each other in recent race meets.
Kurt told me: “It all just makes for good stories. The two of us are very close. We are always together. The only rivalry is when we both go out on the track as professionals to win. It wouldn’t matter who it was: My job is to beat anybody who might stop us coming in first. Both of us try to be the very best at what we are supposed to do. We’re best brothers and always will be, but if it means one of us beating the other while racing, that’s how it is. But that doesn’t mean we’re the worst of enemies. At best, it’s just a sibling rivalry on the track, but off the track, we’re family!”
Growing up in England when I followed such great racecar drivers as Sir Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart, I always marveled at their incredible disciplines before race day. As a cub reporter, I remember Stirling telling me that British drivers abstained from sex and alcohol for at least a week before a big race. Here in Vegas this week, I’ve been somewhat surprised to see all the drivers partying at our nightclubs, and even the Busch brothers competing in electric kart racing.
“I guess we’re a new breed of racecar driver,” Kurt laughed. “Maybe the day before the big races, everybody becomes a good boy, but in the days between races, you have to let off a little steam. Remember NASCAR started out by fast-running moonshine, so there’s a little of that history still in everything we do!”
I asked him if he ever felt fear hurtling at 200 mph around the Vegas track. He told me: “The adrenaline takes over, so there is no fright. When you’re doing what you do best professionally, your mind only concentrates on the driving, so there’s no time to even think about fear. It doesn’t even exist for drivers. Your brain only tells you to win.
“Drivers don’t even ever talk about it because it doesn’t exist. You don’t even think about it. It doesn’t get into the equation for a professional. The only time ever there’s that kind of a feeling in the pit of the stomach is when a crash starts or you lose control of the car. Then the emotion kicks in, and the brain stops telling you to win. It tells you to save the situation, and the stomach helps keep you focused on exactly that! “
Now as promised, here is our exclusive photo gallery from last night’s inaugural Kurt Busch Foundation “Sprint for the Kids” fundraiser at Pole Position Raceway opposite the Palms. Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was on the track as eight NASCAR celebrities ran a one-hour endurance race in the electric karts at speeds up to 45 mph! (We posted the gallery this morning, as well, with very little reporting for all you early risers!)
About 250 people turned up for the excitement, and the first-time event raised more than $30,000 for Kurt’s foundation. After I uttered the most famous four words in motor racing -- “Gentlemen, start your engines!” -- the race was underway for NASCAR drivers Kurt and Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Sam Hornish Jr., David Stremme, Hermie Sadler, Kelly Bires and Justin Algaier.
Kurt was captain of the Get Real Water team, and he led his “crew” of Matt Jaskol, Kyle Johnson and Scott Rhoden to victory.
Kurt told me: “It was an amazing event. The racing was competitive, and I was happy to be a part of the winning team. I was really pleased how this turned out for the first time. It’s great that NASCAR racers and fans can give back to charity and put smiles on a lot of children’s faces.”
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