Kurt Busch won't race NASCAR full-time in 2023 as he remains sidelined by concussion

Kurt Busch announced Saturday in his hometown of Las Vegas that he will not race full-time in 2023 after suffering from concussion-like symptoms since this summer.

Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup champion and 2017 Daytona 500 winner, was injured during a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway in July and didn't get behind the wheel again this season.

The 44-year-old, who has been racing on the Cup circuit since 2001, was diagnosed with a concussion. The next month, he relinquished his spot in the 10-race playoff.

Busch wheeled the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. The team announced Tyler Reddick would take Busch's seat next season.

Busch announced the decision on Twitter in a statement that reads in part:

“... I know I’m not 100% in my ability to go out and race at the top level in the NASCAR Cup Series. These are the best of the best drivers, and lately, I haven’t felt my best.

“The doctors have come to the conclusion that it is best for me to ‘shut it down’ for this season. Even though I have made solid gains since I have been working with top specialists and the team at Toyota Performance Center, I’m still not 100% and I’m still not cleared to compete.

“As I continue to focus only health and work towards being cleared, I will be stepping away from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition in 2023.

The qualifying wreck sounded alarm bells within the NASCAR community that the new car – delayed a year in its debut because of the pandemic – didn't provide drivers the same protection during hard hits.

Alex Bowman suffered a concussion at Texas Motor Speedway in the Sept. 25 race and still hasn't returned to the car.

Drivers met with NASCAR last week about issues with the car. During crashes, drivers are absorbing more of the impact with the cars' more rigid design.

Busch's colorful career at the highest level of stock car racing has been littered by drama on and off the track, including a three-race suspension at the start of the 2015 season after a former girlfriend alleged he had been abusive and was granted a protective order. He was never charged.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kurt Busch won't race NASCAR full-time in 2023 because of concussion