Kurt Busch will miss the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, and as a result, 23XI Racing has withdrawn its request for a playoff waiver for the No. 45.
Busch’s withdrawal means two playoff spots will be available this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
“As much as I wanted and hoped to be able to get back in the No. 45 car to make a playoff run with our team, it’s still not the right time,” Busch tweeted. “In addition to not being cleared to return to racing, I know that I am not ready to be back in the car.”
https://t.co/Lt5hg7Lyzg pic.twitter.com/aa7xy2dVoh
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) August 25, 2022
An exact timetable for Busch’s return was not disclosed.
Ty Gibbs will continue to fill in for Busch at the races during which he is unavailable.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.