Winning the 2017 Daytona 500 and having a guaranteed playoff berth was not enough for Stewart-Haas Racing to keep a driver on the cusp of his 39th birthday. According to NBCSports, the team will not be picking up the option on Kurt Busch's contract, making him a free agent. Kurt had expressed confidence about his racing future back in June when he said,
"I don't have any worries. I know that I deliver for the team. Our performance level is one that shouldn't be in question, winning the Daytona 500 is special, but performing week in and week out, the deliverables that I bring sponsorship-wise that comes into play. [...] I don't feel any fear whatsoever. I actually feel very confident in the sponsorship that I bring, Ford Performance's involvement with Stewart-Haas and how I've blended in with this team. I feel great.''
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Stewart-Hass Racing did tweet, however, that they expect Busch to be back.
We don't comment on contract status, but we expect @KurtBusch back in our @MonsterEnergy / @Haas_Automation Ford in '18. Just sayin'.
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) August 1, 2017
It is possible for both reports to be true, as the team may not be picking up his option in order to give him a new contract to keep him with the team long term.
Busch, the 2004 Cup Series champion, joins Matt Kenseth as former champions without a contract moving forward.
The move could end a three year partnership with the team.