NSCS: Kyle Busch To Miss Daytona 500 Due to Leg Injury; Matt Crafton to Fill In

Following a wreck during the NASCAR XFINITY race at Daytona International Speedway, Kyle Busch will miss the Daytona 500.

Joe Gibbs Racing released a statement around 9:30 p.m. EST, stating Busch’s injuries.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 54 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg in an accident during Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Additionally, Busch suffered a mid-foot fracture of his left foot in the accident.
Busch was transported to a local hospital for treatment immediately following the accident and is currently undergoing surgery on his right leg.

Joe Gibbs Racing then followed that statement up at 11:30 p.m. EST, stating that the surgery was successful on Busch’s right leg.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), underwent successful surgery tonight to repair a compound fracture to his lower right leg suffered earlier today during the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch is resting comfortable and will remain hospitalized for observation.

There will be no additional updates tonight.

The amount of time that Busch will be out of the car has yet to be determined.

Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Matt Crafton will serve as the interim driver for Sunday’s 57th Daytona 500. Crafton is a two-time Camping World Truck Series Champion and the Daytona 500 will mark his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut. Crafton attempted to qualify for the Brickyard 400, but would fail to qualify. He also ran the final Sprint Cup Series practice in place of Paul Menard last year at Las Vegas.

JGR added, “An interim driver has not been determined for the following race March 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, or for any future races.”

Team owner Joe Gibbs is scheduled to address the media at Daytona International Speedway at 9:20 a.m. EST.

With nine laps to go when Kyle Busch would give Erik Jones a shot, resulting in Jones coming down across the field. Busch would then bounce off of another car before sliding through the infield grass and making heavy contact with a non-SAFER barrier wall. Busch was awake and alert as he was loaded into the ambulance before being taken to the infield care center, followed by the Halifax Medical Center.