KURT Busch has expressed his delight at seeing the number he won the NASCAR Cup Series championship with return on a full-time basis.
Busch won the 2004 title donning the #97 for Roush Racing.
Those digits have not appeared in the Cup Series since the 2018 Phoenix finale (Tanner Berryhill), but will be back next year with Shane van Gisbergen.
That’s in line with a number reshuffle at Trackhouse Racing, with rookie recruit Connor Zilisch slotting into the #88 and van Gisbergen shifting to his beloved #97 – which he used for 344 of his 511 Supercars Championship races.
“@svg97 – I remember meeting you in Chicago (2023) before you won your first race in your first Cup start,” Busch wrote via social media.
“I could sense that you would be great.
“I also asked where the origin of the #97 came from. You said family.
“I am so proud that the #97 is back in @nascar – make it great again!”
Van Gisbergen took five race wins in his first full Cup Series campaign – one each at Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma, Watkins Glen and Charlotte – to wind up 12th in the end-of-year standings.
The Undercut – It’s Finals Time!
Breaking down the latest in the world of Supercars – Gold Coast, Sandown and more!