When A NASCAR Champion Became The Underdog 

it’s crazy just how different of a person Kurt Busch was in 2012 compared to now

9:59 I love how Jimmy Spencer’s shocked face is still a meme on NASCAR social media.

He’s Darlington 2012 meltdown will always been iconic.

If he wasn’t an ultra talented driver and former champion, I’d argue that the Penske fallout in 2011 would have ended his career. Crazy that he was able to bounce back from this.

Kurt was an absolute headcase that year. He had a lot of personal issues. He also said, James Finch's motto was "checkers or wreckers" and he completely lived up to that motto. He flat wheeled that car in Sonoma, and he basically put Furniture Row on the map the next season, paving the way for Truex. Ended up being a pretty respectable driver and person towards the end of his career.

I miss the old Kurt It was never boring. But I do praise how far he has come and how much he's grown.

That Kurt Busch documentary you clipped in this is actually really good if y’all haven’t watched the whole thing. I think it’s called Kurt Busch:the outlaw. Great video Darian!!! Kurt was so likable from like 2015 to 2022 but no doubt he had a rough stretch for a good decade. Definitely matured a lot over the years. Future HOF no doubt.

12:55 also listen to Tony Stewart's interview after this race too. He was watching Kurt manhandle that car around Sonoma with the broken suspension parts and couldn't believe he kept it together

9:36 the moment an Iconic meltdown was made

Jimmy Spencer was having a ball with those Kurt Busch meltdowns on Race Hub back then.

I really do feel sorry after what happened in 22. I still think we would have seen him race for a few more years if it never happened :/

Kurt Busch racing for Phoenix Racing feels like when Kasey Kahne raced for Leavine Family Racing, and when Greg Biffle raced for NY Racing. It's a weird feeling to think about. Also to add on, Ryan Newman racing for Rick Ware Racing, and Bobby Labonte racing for JTG Daugherty Racing.

2012 was my first year watching nascar and I became a lifetime kurt busch fan because I supported him through the tough times

Ironic that Phoenix racing helped him rise from the ashes

I always preferred Kyle but I loved watching Kurt race

I never forget that day when Kurt completely lost it at Homestead was his low and rebuilding his racing from the ground up with Phoenix Racing and went on a renaissance later in his career including the Daytona 500 win. Who would had thought it was over after leaving Penske on bad terms. Future HOFer indeed.

I have similar anger issues but I honestly can’t blame him. Surrounded by incompetence in a sport where everybody has incredible crews and he is stuck with 6 idiots and a jackass. Kudos to him for making it 10 years. Let alone 20.

my fav driver of all time 💔

Kurt was my favorite fmdriver when i really started getting into nascar in 2014, after i learned of the issues hes had that just made me like him more since he had a complete turnaround

I know you’ve been mad, but have you ever been “Kurt Busch at Penske” mad

I couldn't stand kurt busch for the longest time. But those years with Finch and Furniture Row made me gain respect for him.

IS IT ONE TO GO YET?!?!?!???!?

Terry Labonte, anyone? He was also a champion but went to a underdog team years after his '84 championship.

Kurt was a fucking menace in this era right along with his brother😭

I watched Kurt Darlington Rage on TV infront of my parents when I was 6, my parents were not happy with Kurt and hated him for like 3 years. But I liked Kurt Busch, his rage is funny 😂

This hits home, being a die hard Kurt fan.

You gotta love Jimmy Spencer teasing him since they had a rivalry

3:20 Uh Oh

Thanks For Uploading

For me, my favourite Kurt Busch win was the 2017 Daytona 500. It truly marked his redemption from the low points in his career where he was going from one underfunded team to another and it especially made up for the year where he could have won before, 10 years earlier in 2007

I think the most important win has not on the track, but outside, Kurt seeing that raging guy is killing his career, and decide “ok i need to change my mindset” is such a powerful inspiration.

This is a really good Kurt Busch video keep up the contents man

Uncle Kurt 🥺🥺

I want you to compare his stats with Phoenix Racing to his stats with Furniture Row Racing. At the time both teams had similar reputations, but the results are so damn different it’s nutso.

Crazy to think How Much Kurt Changed after he Joined Furniture Row in 2013, he became a Lovable Underdog for the Rest of his Career

Makes you wonder if Jimmy Spencer would have hit him harder if it would have adjusted his attitude. Sterling thought so. "Just a bonehead move. I don't guess Spencer got him hard enough." - Sterling Marlin

12:12 ngl Marty seems like the type of person who’d lowkey kick anyone’s arse

i heard at the time that busch was going to do like stewart and buy into the team, but there was some issue. finch's cars had the ability to run up front, but he was using really old equpment. he was in it for fun (and probably to some extent a write off). he even said that in interviews.i actually went by the shop they had in spartanburg back maybe around this time. having been to other shops it wasn' as big as hendrick, or roush, but it was quite big. it was at least as big as what front row uses. building wise. and finch wasn't trying to run 3 full time teams and two part time teams out of it. just one cup full time team and a busch car a few races a year. heard later he bought that when him and purvis decided in 96 to run full time to see what might happen. up to that point he was running 8-10 busch races a year and 4-6 cup. he dreamed big. i think that team would have done much better with a full time sponsor that could pay the bills. remember even when he ran that indian gambling sponsor he put it on the car but they weren't always fully funded races. probably should have won 3-5 more races in cup than he did and probably if jimmy had decided to run full time busch one year there when he ran part time for him probably one drivers championship or an owners one if they'd run the car full time. back to kurt. i'm not sure what the hang up with finch was on the buying into the team unless he didn't want a partner at that point (though just a year or 2 later he'd sell it to the guy james buescher won his truck championship with). i think if kurt had stayed assuming he could pull some sponsorship together, he'd of turned that into what stewart haas became. guess we'll never know.

And then the entire NASCAR fandom rallied behind Kurt when he was falsely accused of stuff by an ex and railroaded by NASCAR

I don't know if Kurt Busch raging at Darlington is supposed to be hilarious or not. Either way I am laughing my ass off

The time with Phoenix Racing, the first time Busch was with a team that couldn't win races, it made him see things differently and made him appreciate the opportunities he was given afterwards. It was also a good motivator to keep his attitude in check

I hope he does one more race to retire on his terms

Imagine if FlightReacts was around in 2012 and reacted to Kurts Radio😭💀

I still fondly remember after Kurt left Phoenix Racing, at the fall Charlotte race that year they had a 🙂 on the hood of the 51. That gave me a good laugh

Well I do agree that Bob Pockrass and Marty Smith are annoying an ask the most ridiculous questions but damn Kurt went to far there. 3:28 Angry Roger Penske is kind of funny. 😅 17:21 this is the only reason that I think Kurt has way more passion than Kyle Busch ever has in his entire career. Kyle Busch is the type of guy to wipe his tears with Dollar Bills.

The Darkest Point of Kurt Busch's Career

He is my favorite driver. Always reminds me of Dale Earnhardt in Dales early days. Go Kiel

Go Kurt

9:59 Jimmy Spencer bro 😂😂😂😂

It still pisses me off that the gen 7 car ended his career, it just shows how close we are to losing all of the older drivers, Kurt, Kyle, Jimmie, Dale, and sooooo so much more... they were fun to watch. Today, my favorite driver, Kyle Busch, is still driving, but... his career is at a downfall... it's a pain watching my favorite drivers leave, fail, and / or get hurt...

This was a bad time in Kurt’s career no doubt.

Big Kurt Busch fan here. Was Roush fan for along time.

that man’s my hero

8:18 I miss Jimmy Spencer handing out crying towels and cigars

Roush Racing had no choice but to park Kurt for those final two races. Crown Royal was one of the biggest financial backers for the 97 car. Had the team kept Kurt in the car, it would have been a public relations nightmare for NASCAR -- a statement suggesting DUI was tolerable within their confines. As a business, from both Roush Racing's and NASCAR's respective standpoints, they have to showcase responsibility (no pun intended). A statement handled as such, professional, and mature unlike the reinstatements of both Kyle Larson and Noah Gragson.

May ur angels fly as fast as u drive Kurt. Best

9:25 Kurt wasn’t leading when he spun he was near the front tho

Man I hated Kurt growing up. And then I found myself in tears when he announced his retirement. Really miss him on track

I'm still trying to figure our why Marty Smith is the wrong guy to mess with lol

Where do I start with my pookie wookie bear? Kurt Busch is my love, my life, the light to my world and the stars in my sky. He is my sunshine, my only sunshine.

The post-race interaction between Kurt Busch and Bob Pockrass from Nationwide race at Dover was the first first time I've ever known about Bob Pockrass. Pretty sure, may be the same as some of you, just wondering.

Wether u should or shouldn’t I love Kurt and Kyle

Mental health is important guys.

Future upload: The Worst Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400.

Not really true that there would be no Kyle Busch without Kurt. He would have carved his own path without Kurt. Come on bro 😭

6:12 Fate- "Hold my beer. "

Ah yes my favorite Kurt quote: FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

What’s that documentary type thing you showed clips from I wanna watch it ?

How come he hasn't been on the podcast lately

The only driver to win races for both Dodge and Toyota.

Someone spent too much time soaking in leaded fuel. (used till 07)

Why aren’t you on the nascar weekly podcast? I was watched the last 2 and you weren’t on either?

Yeah it's cool and all but I already saw this video elsewhere

Now do the same thing for Kyle

Who else Misses Kurt Busch?

Marty Robbins

I wouldn’t swear at any of my teammates. Put me in. I will drive anywhere in anything. Kurt is like Kyle. A total tool. Glad he’s gone If I start 40 th and finish 35 th or even 39 th I would love it. Live the dream and love it. No matter what.

more f bombs that Scarface on a loop

Never knew it was that Sheriff im not a fan of BuSch but that was a snowjob that screwed him for years...

Hell I would just like to not only start but finish just saying. Without cussing.

His reactions to literally any sort of difficulty and utter disrespect for the pitcrew, owners, media, fans, EVERYONE just show what a spoiled little entitled princess he was. So glad to be rid of him from competitive driving.

I’m not really a NASCAR or racing guy in general. I watch the big races sometimes. Most of my knowledge comes from watching videos like these. Kurt Busch seems like a butthole. But NASCAR’s media and the guys that are TV “analysts” seem like they think they’re more important than the drivers.

Tis a shame he was forced into retirement.

Something just ain’t right with this guy ! 😮😊😅😢

Language Gs Kurt Busch,Sorry.Jaimy Little and Michelle Obama

I liked Kurt more when he was fighting with Jimmy Spencer!! Jimmy Spencer was a joke!!

Not any different then when Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty kept racing when they were old

A lot of that drama was also because of his stupid girlfriend that he had while with penske.

I still don’t like him regardless of how much he changed.

WhatiFRacing knew about his story! He's a big fan!

Goes out on top too. Won that race shortly before crashing and being concussed and retiring.