Kyle Busch remains keen to one day race in the Indianapolis 500.
The 37-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada was previously linked with a shot at running the 2017 edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” but the opportunity never came to be.
Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, was asked during Saturday’s media availability for the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway if competing in the Indy 500 was still of interest.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s certainly on my radar,” Busch said. “The year that I had it, sold and committed and sponsorship was there and everything like that, I got told no. And then I haven’t necessarily tried to sell sponsorship since, but there was a easy verbal yes commitment and things have changed obviously. Don’t have that these days.”
For this year, at least, Busch will look on from afar as former on-track competitor, seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, makes his maiden attempt in the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.
Johnson managed to make the Fast 12 after the first day of qualifying festivities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, and has a shot today to become the first rookie to sit on pole since Teo Fabi in 1983. Johnson has four Brickyard 400 wins at IMS during his time in NASCAR.
“Overall, excited to be able to watch and cheering for our old pal Jimmie Johnson to go out there and run well and do good,” said Busch, who witnessed older brother Kurt Busch finish sixth in his lone Indy 500 start in 2014.
“He’s always been fast at Indy in stock cars and everything else, so it’s no surprise to see him being up on the charts this time around and looking forward to seeing him go next Sunday.”
