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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kurt Busch has agreed to follow NASCAR’s recommended guidelines to be eligible for eventual reinstatement.
The 2004 champion was indefinitely suspended Feb. 20 after a Delaware judge said he believed Busch likely committed an act of domestic violence against a former girlfriend and there was a “substantial likelihood” of him doing it again.
Busch lost two rounds of appeals for reinstatement before the season-opening Daytona 500 and has missed the first two races of the season. Regan Smith has replaced him in the No. 41 Chevrolet.
On Monday, NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said Busch has “agreed to our terms and conditions that must be met before he is eligible for consideration for reinstatement of his NASCAR license.”
Stewart-Haas Racing, which on Monday said Smith would again drive the No. 41 this weekend at Las Vegas, said there is no timetable for Busch to meet NASCAR’s guidelines.
“Kurt’s willingness to embrace the conditions set forth by NASCAR is a positive step that we support,” SHR said in a statement.
The specific guidelines have not been disclosed, but Higdon said an unidentified NASCAR consultant helped create them. Higdon added that Busch would need to meet the requirements “to the satisfaction of both NASCAR and the expert.
“The expert administering the reinstatement can come back with a recommendation of return, but Kurt still must satisfy NASCAR’s expectations, as well,” he said.
NASCAR tailors its reinstatement programs to each individual and the offense. AJ Allmendinger, for example, had to complete a program overseen by Dr. David Black, who runs NASCAR’s drug-testing unit. Alllmendinger was suspended for failing a random drug test and eventually reinstated.
Jeremy Clements, who was suspended in 2013 for an inappropriate comment, was reinstated after completing a NASCAR-authorized sensitivity training program. The program was administered by sports sociologist Richard Lapchick and his staff at the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.
Schumacher’s son to drive in Formula 4
FRANKFURT, Germany — Michael Schumacher’s 15-year-old son Mick has outgrown kart racing and is moving up to Formula 4, a series for young talents.
The young Schumacher has signed a contract with Van Amersfoort Racing to drive in the Formula 4.
“We have watched his skills in test driving and are looking forward to a successful season,” the Dutch team’s owner Frits van Amersfoort said on Monday.
The son of the most successful driver in Formula One history got his racing start in the same kart series as his famous father, who honed his skills on a circuit near the family’s home before moving on to Formula 3 and later Formula One glory.
Michael Schumacher suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident in December 2013. He was retired at the time of the accident. He is still recovering at his Swiss home after spending months in hospital.
With seven titles, Schumacher is the most successful Formula One driver in history and also holds many other records in the series. His brother Ralf was also a Formula One driver and is still involved with motor sport.
Mick Schumacher finished second in the world, European and German kart championships last season, racing as Mick Junior or under his mother’s maiden name to protect his privacy.