Kurt Busch 2019 season in review

Kurt Busch made the NASCAR Playoffs for the seventh straight season -- his first with Chip Ganassi Racing. Here are some of his highlights from the 2019 season where he snapped a 30-race winless streak and tied Jimmie Johnson atop a prestigious list.

The sibling rivalry was renewed early in the season at Bristol, as Kurt Busch battled Kyle for the win. Although Kurt finished runner-up to his younger brother, his sixth top 10 in the first eight races of the season had him off to an exceptional start with his new team.

Kurt’s revenge came in July at Kentucky after out-dueling Kyle in a last-turn drag race, ending Chip Ganassi’s 64-race winless streak and notching his 16th Cup Series season with at least one win -- tying Jimmie Johnson for most among active drivers. The margin of victory was just .076 seconds.

Winning his 31st career Cup Series race, Busch has now been to Victory Lane with nine different crew chiefs -- including current crew chief Matt McCall -- and four different teams -- tying Martin Truex Jr. for most by an active driver.

After qualifying fourth, Busch wheeled it at Darlington, leading 94 laps -- the most laps led in his career at the South Carolina track and most since Talladega in October of 2018. Consistently running inside the top 10 all night, Busch finished seventh.

Crashing out at Las Vegas and unable to make up points in the following races, Busch’s playoff run came to an end in the Round of 16. However, he finished the season 13th in the final Cup Series standings aided by three top 10s in the final five races -- the highest being a fourth-place finish at Kansas.

A first-year playoff appearance for the veteran and growing chemistry with teammate Kyle Larson paid off -- literally. In early November, team owner Chip Ganassi announced a multiyear extension of Busch’s contract with the No. 1 car and primary sponsor Monster Energy.