Jeff Gluck

USA TODAY Sports

CHARLOTTE — The 2016 schedule for defending NASCAR champion Kyle Busch is coming into focus. He plans to run a full Sprint Cup Series schedule for the first time since 2014, about 15 to 18 Xfinity Series races and no Camping World Truck Series races as of now.

And notably, Busch is skipping all of the restrictor-plate races in the lower series after getting badly injured during one of them last season.

“No restrictor-plate races,” he said Tuesday. “I’m out of that stuff.”

Gluck: NASCAR adds drama to lower series but should proceed with caution

Why?

“My wife won’t let me,” Busch said with a grin. “And (team owner) Joe (Gibbs). Joe and Samantha made that decision. I was thinking about it, but they were like, ‘No.’”

Busch won the Sprint Cup Series championship last season despite suffering a broken left foot and right leg during the season-opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. He missed the first 11 Cup races of the season but then rallied to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff and ultimately won the title.

He needed another surgery in December — this time to remove the metal plate in his foot and metal rod in his leg. It was successful, and Busch said he’s already back to 85% strength.

Busch spent his downtime tracking seven-month-old son Brexton around the house and watching Making A Murderer on Netflix, although he wasn't doing much lying around. The 30-year-old was on his feet two days after the surgery and has been doing intensive physical therapy in the time since.

Slow recovery from surgery doesn't dim Denny Hamlin's outlook

“I feel like I’ll actually be 100% by Daytona,” he said. “I have full range of motion, full weight bearing. The only thing I’m not doing yet is going for a run.”

Follow Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck

PHOTOS: Behind the wheel with Kyle Busch