Another page turned Thursday for NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, who is one step closer to picking up the broken pieces of his racing career and getting back behind the wheel.
It now is up to Busch and NASCAR to write the next act of this soap opera. If, or more likely when, stockcar racing's overlords decide the time is right, Busch will be reinstated.
For now we know:
— Busch will not face criminal charges in an domestic violence incident in which he made inappropriate physical contact with former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.
— Busch has agreed to NASCAR's reinstatement terms. Steps are under way in meeting those terms.
— Stewart-Haas Racing, which employs Busch to drive its No. 41 Chevrolet, will continue to let Regan Smith drive in races. It appears to be standing by Busch, at least to support him through the reinstatement process.
MORE: Weekend preview for Las Vegas races | Latest driver rankings | Kobalt 400 odds
Busch is under indefinite suspension from NASCAR as the sport tries to reconcile its problems with a former champion of its signature series. It will take more than a note from the doctor and an apple for the teacher to get Busch back in racing's good graces.
As it should be. Long the Peck's bad boy of NASCAR, Busch has been in and out of trouble with the sport. He has a history of suspension and run-ins that cost him rides and sponsorships with other teams.
At least as of Thursday he no longer faces the threat of arrest in Delaware. It was the weekend of Sprint Cup's Dover race last September that Busch and Driscoll became involved in an alleged altercation that led to a police investigation. According to Driscoll, Busch put a hand on Driscoll's throat and hit her head into a wall in his motorhome. Busch denied that account.
Last month, a Delaware judge ordered Busch to stay away from Driscoll. NASCAR followed with its suspension, which came days ahead of the Daytona 500.
MORE: Jimmie Johnson again Cup favorite | Brett Moffitt's success story | Martin Truex Jr. rising
Domestic violence, it's called, and sports have seen far too much of it for anyone's taste. If Ray Rice is the NFL's worst-case scenario, Busch fills that description for NASCAR.
Under terms of an agreement he signed last week, Busch must follow NASCAR orders to have his suspension lifted. The mandates were not made public, but what NASCAR called an "outside expert" will monitor progress and make recommendations.
"These are the terms and conditions that must be met before he is eligible for consideration for reinstatement," NASCAR exec David Higdon told USA TODAY Sports. "He must meet the requirements to the satisfaction of both (the outside expert) and us."
SHR is on board.
"We understand Kurt Busch has begun the process for reinstatement as a NASCAR member," Stewart-Haas executive vice president Joe Custer said. "NASCAR has laid out its expectations for Kurt, and while there is no timetable to meet those expectations, Kurt's willingness to embrace the conditions set forth by NASCAR is a positive step that we support."
For now, Busch's fate is in his own hands.