LAS VEGAS — A day before he is officially crowned NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series champion, Kyle Busch confirmed he will be having surgery Dec. 17.
The new Sprint Cup champion told reporters after Thursday’s Myers Brothers Luncheon that his next surgery will include removing the plate, screws and rod that were placed in his right leg and left foot after being injured in a frightening crash in the season-opening XFINITY Series race Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway.
He missed 11 Sprint Cup Series races before returning to the seat of his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota then winning five times on his way to earning his first series championship.
“I’m ecstatic for the opportunity to be cut open and have blood and guts all over the place again this offseason,” Busch joked to reporters about the back-to-back surgery schedule.
“No, but I am looking forward to the surgery. I’m looking forward to getting everything out and being able to go through the rehab to try to get back to somewhat normal and being able to not have pain every day and take the medication I have to take every day and all that.”
Busch was upbeat about the medical situation and had high expectations.
“For it being nine months and me feeling how I feel right now, I’m pretty confident I’ll be back to normal nine months after surgery. I still have pain today and every day; it still continues to get better.
“The doctors are pretty shocked at how well I feel right now with the stuff that’s still in the foot. The leg feels fine, it’s normal except on a 20-degree day – it’s got a weird feeling with the broken spot on the bone.”