NASCAR: Busch brothers to team up for RoC

Kurt and Kyle Busch will be teammates next month in the Race of Champions held in Miami.

Kurt Busch, the 2004 premier series champion, was previously announced to compete in the event that features drivers from various motorsports backgrounds and pits them head-to-head in identical equipment. Kyle Busch, the 2015 champion, announced he would be joining his brother through a video posted on his social media pages Monday morning. It will be his first time competing in the Race of Champions.

The brothers will make up "Team USA NASCAR." The event will be held January 21-22 at the home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins, Marlins Park.

"Since day one, it's always been about going faster than the other guy," Busch said in the video. "From go karts to late models to stock cars, winning is the common language. Winning fuels me. I live for checkered flags and championship trophies.

"I live like I race. I give everything I have to everything that I do. I have 170 NASCAR wins. I win championships at every level. I've kissed the bricks at Indy and raised the Cup at Homestead. They say to be the best, you have to beat the best. See you in Miami."

Kyle Busch is the sixth American driver to be announced for the event, joining Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Scott Speed, and Travis Pastrana.

"I'm so thankful to have been included in the 2017 Race Of Champions," said Busch in a Race of Champions release. "You look at the list of drivers and their backgrounds and it's pretty impressive.

"I love to race anything I can, so I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of several different types of vehicles and racing against some of the best from around the world. I have every intention of making my country and the NASCAR community proud."

Said Race of Champions president Fredrik Johnsson: "We are delighted to welcome Kyle Bush to the Race of Champions for the first time. Kyle has competed at the top of NASCAR for many years and he has taken so many victories, reaping the rewards to become Sprint Cup Series champion in 2015. He nearly repeated the feat this year, only just missing out after the last safety car to regular ROC competitor Jimmie Johnson.

"Now we look forward to seeing how Kyle gets on in our unique contest inside Miami's Marlins Park in January. It's fantastic that Kyle and Kurt have agreed to join forces for Team USA NASCAR in the ROC Nations Cup too. It will be fascinating to see how they get on against the other American racers from IndyCar and RallyX, plus some of the best drivers from all over the world. Now we hope to see plenty of NASCAR fans in the Miami crowds ready to cheer Kyle and Kurt on."