Joe Gibbs Racing driver tests Late Model to prepare for return
NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday that he spoke with Kyle Busch, who is “making some really good progress” as he attempts to return from a Feb. 21 accident at Daytona International Speedway that broke his right leg and fractured his left foot.
“I talked to Kyle last week, and he talked about his plans in terms of getting in his Late Model, seeing how he felt,” O’Donnell said. “He’s going to continue to do that this week, and I think that’ll be kind of a telltale sign of when he feels like he can come back.”
Following the accident in the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race, Busch has missed the first 10 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Matt Crafton sat in for him in the Daytona 500, David Ragan picked up the next nine races and Erik Jones will fill the seat of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&M’s Red Nose Day Toyota Camry this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
With no assurances that Jones will be in the ride beyond Saturday’s SpongeBob SquarePants 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1), it opens the door for Busch to return in the coming weeks at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race or the Coca-Cola 600.
“The next step for us is really to hear from Joe Gibbs and the organization and let us know officially when Kyle’s coming back,” O’Donnell said. “Then from there we’ll have to make a determination.
“But on a good news front, it’s great to see Kyle making some really good progress. We need him back in the car. He’s a fan favorite so we’re looking forward to seeing him back on the track.”
Amid talk that he would compete in a race this weekend at Hickory Motor Speedway, in addition to testing his own Late Model, Busch tweeted the following:
I will NOT b racing this wked. When I return it will b 2 my M&M’s Toyota 4 JGR. OFFICIAL release will come from KBM or JGR.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) May 4, 2015