Kurt Busch Agrees To NASCAR Reinstatement Terms
NASCAR driver Kurt Busch has signed an agreement to comply with all of the conditions set forth by the organization to reinstate him and allow him return to the track.
Vice President of Integrated Marketing Communications for NASCAR, David Higdon tells USA Today Sports that Busch signed the agreement late last week. Higdon would not reveal any of the details of the agreement saying that it was between the driver and the expert facilitator of the program.
Busch is a driver for the Stewart-Haas program, and was suspended on February 20, just two days before the Daytona 500 for a domestic violence ruling in the Kent County court. According to the Family Court commissioner, Busch committed an act of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll, on September 26 at the Dover International Speedway.
Busch lost both appeals to NASCAR to lift his suspension, causing him to miss two races so far – the Daytona 500, and Sunday’s race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
According to ESPN, NASCAR Commissioner David Jones found evidence that Busch placed his left hand on Driscoll’s neck, and his right hand on her face and chin, causing her head to forcefully hit the wall of his motorhome. Busch testified in his family court hearing that he was trying to get Driscoll to leave, when she entered his home uninvited. Busch and Driscoll had been broken up for about a week when the incident occurred.
Rusty Hardin who is the attorney that is representing Busch, confirmed that he accepted the terms set forth by NASCAR for his return but did not elaborate on the details. Stewart-Haas executive vice president Joe Custer said in a statement,
“NASCAR has laid out its expectations for Kurt, and while there is no timetable to meet those expectations, Kurt’s willingness to embrace the conditions set forth by NASCAR is a positive step that we support.”
This is not the first time that Busch’s name has been involved in some controversy. The NASCAR driver was fired from his previous racing sponsors, Rousch Fenway Racing with two races left in the season for an incident with the Maricopa County sheriffs deputies during a traffic stop. The Inquisitr also reported that Busch was suspended for one race in 2012 for verbal abuse of a media member in a post-race interview.
Busch is being temporarily replaced in the Stewart-Haas, number 41 racing car by Regan Smith. Smith has only participated in two races this season and both were to fill in for Busch. He finished in 16th place at the Daytona 500, and in 17th place at the Folds Of Honor Quick Trip 500. Smith will be racing for Busch again in Las Vegas this weekend.
[Photo courtesy of Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]
