Getty

Kurt Busch looks on prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 30, 2024, in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Kurt Busch didn’t hold back.

After Stephen A. Smith dismissed NASCAR drivers as non-athletes during a recent SiriusXM segment, the former Cup Series champion stepped in with a response that was just as direct — and far more personal.

Smith’s comments quickly made waves across the motorsports world. Busch made sure they didn’t go unanswered.

Kurt Busch Issues Personal Challenge to Stephen A. Smith

During his SiriusXM appearance, Smith argued that NASCAR drivers don’t meet his definition of athletes, saying:

“Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car! I’m being honest, it’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.”

‌

He doubled down further, adding:

“You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud. A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete.”

That stance didn’t sit well with Kurt Busch — and he responded with a challenge that cut straight to the core of the debate.

“Let’s go cupcake. I will personally drive you around a nascar track for 30mins or when you pass out on lap 30,” Busch wrote in response to Smith’s comments on social media.

It wasn’t just a rebuttal — it was a dare.

Why Busch’s Response Hits Hard

Busch’s reaction reflects a long-standing frustration within the garage when NASCAR is reduced to “just driving.”

At the Cup Series level, drivers endure extreme physical conditions that often go overlooked:

• Cockpit temperatures can exceed 100 degrees
• Drivers experience sustained G-forces through corners
• Races last for hours with little margin for error
• Hydration, endurance, and mental focus are critical throughout

It’s a different kind of athletic demand — but a demanding one all the same.

And Busch’s point was simple: you don’t truly understand it until you experience it.

A Debate NASCAR Knows All Too Well

Smith’s comments reignited a debate that has followed NASCAR for years — what actually defines an athlete?

From outside the sport, the perception often centers on the car.

From inside it, the focus is on the driver.

Busch’s response didn’t try to redefine the term. Instead, it challenged the assumption behind it.

Because in his view, if Smith had to endure even a fraction of what drivers experience, the conversation would likely change fast.

Busch Isn’t Alone in Pushing Back

Kurt Busch wasn’t the only one who took issue with Stephen A. Smith’s comments.

Across the NASCAR world, the reaction was swift — and pointed.

Front Row Motorsports also weighed in, mocking Smith’s take in a direct message that quickly made the rounds on social media.

“Stephen A., what’s going on, my man?” the message read. “We heard that ABSOLUTELY PREPOSTEROUS take of yours claiming NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes, and quite frankly, we were stunned. Stunned!”

The team didn’t stop there.

“So here’s what we’re gonna do; we’re inviting you to step out of that studio, come down here, and hop in for a ride-along with one of our three Cup Series drivers. Then you can tell the world how ‘not athletic’ it feels going 180 miles per hour, pulling G-forces, and fighting that wheel for three straight hours. We’ll be waiting.”

The response echoed Busch’s core point — that the reality of NASCAR isn’t something that can be understood from the outside looking in.

And as more voices continue to push back, Smith’s comments have clearly struck a nerve well beyond a single driver.

This Debate Isn’t Going Anywhere

This isn’t the first time NASCAR’s legitimacy as an athletic competition has been questioned — and it won’t be the last.

But moments like this keep the conversation alive.

And thanks to Busch’s response, this one just got a lot harder to ignore.