Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations
FORT WORTH, Texas – If there is one particular Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver that is pumped that Major League Baseball’s Opening Day falls during a rare off week, it is Kurt Busch.
Opening Day will feature all 30 teams in action today, beginning with Busch’s beloved Chicago Cubs visiting the Miami Marlins to kick off the day’s busy schedule.
Busch, the 2004 Cup Series champion who currently drives for Stewart-Haas Racing, is such an avid baseball fan that last year he completed the rare stadium cycle. Once he visited SunTrust Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves, last year in the venue’s inaugural season, he had officially watched a game in all 30 current major-league ballparks.
Along the way, he also had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch with the Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals, among others, and sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” at Wrigley Field.
During his visit to Texas Motor Speedway’s Media Day last month, Busch reminisced about checking Globe Life Park in Arlington – home of the Texas Rangers – off that stadium list. His first visit happened to come at quite the opportune time for a baseball fan – Game 5 of the 2011 World Series between the Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. The Rangers won that game, 4-2, before succumbing to the Cards in seven games.
In celebration of the Rangers playing host to the reigning World Series champion Houston Astros at Globe Life Park today at 2:35 p.m. CT (Hamels vs. Verlander), enjoy the video package on how Busch found himself in Bud Selig’s seats for that World Series game at Globe Life Park.
As Bob Uecker used to say in the 1980s Miller Lite commercial, “Looks like I’m in the front row.”
Busch hopes to be in the front row next week when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to Texas Motor Speedway April 6-8 for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. For more information, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.
