Despite having to look for a NASCAR team in 2018, Kurt Busch is having a great year.

Last November, Busch was at Wrigley Field during Game 7 and watched his beloved Cubs win their first World Series title since 1908. This January, Busch spent his NASCAR offseason getting married and the next month, Busch won his first Daytona 500. I’m not sure what he would say was his favorite but just experiencing one of those things would set somebody’s life, much less all three within three months.

But that wasn’t all for Kurt Busch. The driver of the #41 Monster Energy Ford took in a Cubs game as a belated birthday present. Busch’s birthday is actually on August 4 but it’s tough to celebrate your birthday during the NASCAR season. Busch is in Chicago for a two-day tire test at Chicagoland Speedway and had an opportunity to celebrate his birthday in Wrigley Field a couple weeks later.

Normally, going to Wrigley as a Cubs fan for your birthday would be a great enough night, Busch was in line for more. His wife Ashley surprised him with a Chicago Cubs World Series ring. I’m sure Kurt already knew this but if he didn’t, Ashley is definitely a keeper with that gift.

Busch recently received his Daytona 500 champion ring a couple weeks ago so Kurt is really having a special year both on and off the track.

As he enters the uncertainty of next year, Busch is currently looking for a ride. Stewart-Haas racing decided not to pick up a 2018 option on his contract but that just means he’s free to look around for a ride while owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas look for sponsorship for his car. Haas says that he’s “99.9 percent positive” that Busch will be back in the #41, the team didn’t want to screw Busch over by keeping him stuck with the team and then being forced to release him when it’s too late. When you have a free agency pool of Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and potentially Danica Patrick, the team did the right thing by helping Busch like this with the understanding that if they can bring him back, they will.

[Photo: @ChicagolndSpdwy]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @phillipbupp