Getty Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski chat during qualifying for the Bluegreen Vacations 500.
Two of the biggest stars in the NASCAR Cup Series have joined forces ahead of the race at Michigan International Speedway. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch and Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski teamed up to provide free tickets to the Cup Series race on Sunday, Aug. 22.
Busch provided the announcement on Friday, Aug. 20. He revealed that he had donated 100 tickets to Vet Tix, which would go to active military members, veterans, or families of those killed in action. Busch also revealed that Keselowski and his Checkered Flag Foundation had matched the donation, giving even more fans the opportunity to take in the 200-lap race.
I’d like to give a big thanks to @keselowski and the @BKCFF for matching my @VetTix donation to this weekend’s race at @MISpeedway! 200 military/vets will finally get to enjoy some great racing! Glad we could finally make this happen. Thanks, Brad!
According to the organization’s website, “Vet Tix is a national 501 (C)(3) which has provided more than 9 million event tickets to the military and first responder communities since 2008. The mission of Vet Tix is to give back to those who have served our nation as active-duty military, reserves, veterans, and first responders.”
Busch Has a Strong Relationship With Vet Tix
The race at Michigan will not be the first time that Busch provides free tickets to active or retired military members. He has done so several times since the 2019 season, his first with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Busch started the KB100 in 2019 and pledged to donate 100 tickets to every single Cup Series race through his partnership with Vet Tix. He made 4,000 tickets available during the 2019 season and set out to increase the number in 2020 by having other prominent figures match his donation. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Riley Herbst, Jimmie Johnson, and Alex Bowman all agreed to pitch in before COVID-19 made NASCAR hold races without fans in attendance.
With fans back in the grandstands, Busch can get back to providing tickets to active military members and veterans alike. With Keselowski helping him out, now even more fans can head to the track to watch one of the two remaining regular-season races.
The Two Former Champions Will Fight for Points at Michigan
GettyBrad Keselowski (bottom) races Kurt Busch (top) at Darlington.
While the recipients of the 200 donated tickets sit in the stands, Keselowski and Busch will fight for points on the two-mile oval in Michigan’s Irish Hills. Both men have secured spots in the playoffs after winning earlier in the season. Keselowski raced to Victory Lane in the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25 while Busch won at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 11.
Both drivers will need to continue stacking points to keep pace with their peers, especially with Kyle Larson having a projected 2,052 points at the start of the playoffs. For comparison, Keselowski and Buch have a projected 2,008 points, putting them at a distinct disadvantage during the Round of 16.
Busch has more success at Michigan than his peer, having made 40 starts for several different teams. He has locked up three wins — one with Roush Fenway Racing, one with Stewart-Haas Racing, and one with Team Penske. Busch also has seven top-five finishes, a list that includes second on June 10, 2019.
Keselowski, on the other hand, has made 23 starts at Michigan International Speedway but has yet to reach Victory Lane. He has seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10s. The driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford Mustang’s best outing was a runner-up behind Kevin Harvick on Aug. 8, 2020.
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