Long: Kurt Busch’s growth among his greatest achievements in Hall of Fame career

LAS VEGAS — Once known as the Outlaw, Kurt Busch morphed into a mentor and statesman in as dramatic a change by an individual in NASCAR over the past 20 years. 

Busch, the last active Cup competitor to race against Dale Earnhardt, announced Saturday that he will not compete the rest of this season and will cede his No. 45 seat to Tyler Reddick next year, as he continues to recover from a concussion he suffered this summer.

While the 44-year-old Busch seeks to race again, Saturday’s announcement closes the chapter of his full-time career in a sport that has tortured him at times but also will honor him with induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame some day. 

Busch won the 2004 Cup title, 34 series races and scored victories with five different organizations — well worthy of enshrinement in the Hall. Among his wins are the 2017 Daytona 500 and the 2010 Coca-Cola 600. 

On Saturday, Busch called himself a “blue-collar kid” who had success early in NASCAR and “wasn’t quite prepared for the big stardom and the corporate side of it and the professional side of it. It was kind of learn as you go.”

Busch arrived during NASCAR’s most popular era in the last 25 years. Cameras were everywhere. Mistakes, gaffes and conflicts were captured and replayed repeatedly. Busch was among those who often provided moments that live forever on YouTube.

A series of public missteps led Roush Fenway Racing to fire him late in the 2005 season and Penske Racing to do the same thing after the 2011 season. 

A driver known as much for his volatility as trips to Victory Lane was relegated to the lowest end of the sport after he lost his ride with car owner Roger Penske’s team.

There were questions about if Busch had a future in the sport, if his talent