Born on 5 July 1989, Bushell began his racing career in karting in 2004. His entry into the sport followed his father stepping aside from competition after winning a British Endurance Karting title. Bushell's early years in karting were primarily spent at the club level, supplemented by occasional entries into national events.
Bushell transitioned to circuit racing in 2011, entering five rounds of the UK Ford Fiesta Championship. He secured his first podium in the category during the final round held at Brands Hatch.
In 2012, he entered the Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom as a privateer under his own Mike Bushell Racing (MBR) banner. Initial results were hampered by limited circuit racing experience and a lack of technical knowledge regarding car setup. However, a move to Westbourne Motorsport for the season finale at Brands Hatch saw Bushell claim second place and the fastest lap following a wet-weather battle for the lead against Stefan Hodgetts.
Bushell continued with Westbourne Motorsport for the start of the 2013 Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom season, taking his first series pole position at the opening round. This performance led to his selection for the KX Academy programme and a move to Scuderia Vittoria. This partnership lasted only three races due to poor results and differences of opinion. Bushell subsequently joined Team Pyro for the final round, returning to the podium and outscoring the eventual 2013 champion within the same team during that event.
In 2013, Bushell also made his debut in the British Touring Car Championship. He drove a Chevrolet Cruze NGTC for IP Tech Race Engineering at Knockhill, filling the seat vacated by Andy Neate.
Remaining with Team Pyro for 2014, Bushell campaigned the new Renault Clio Mk IV. He took his first series victory at Thruxton and recorded four wins over the course of the year. Following a season-long title contest with Josh Cook, Bushell clinched the Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom championship.
Bushell graduated to a full-time BTCC seat in 2015 with AmD Tuning. His preparations were restricted by a heart illness in February, and he operated with a limited budget. His season was further complicated by a heavy accident at Thruxton, which resulted in a dislocated hip and a significant repair bill. His best result of the year was a 10th-place finish at Snetterton.
Budgetary constraints prevented Bushell from retaining his BTCC seat in 2016, leading to a return to the Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom with Team Pyro. He returned to the BTCC for a second full campaign in 2018, where he proved more successful than his previous attempt by scoring 59 points.
In 2019, Bushell initially left his team to allow Jack Goff to continue in the series. However, he later returned to the championship to replace Sam Tordoff, driving a Honda Civic Type R for Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance. He reached an agreement to return to Team HARD for the 2020 season.
The 2015 season was defined by a major crash at the Thruxton circuit. The accident caused Bushell to suffer a dislocated hip and necessitated extensive repairs to his car. The financial impact of the damage significantly affected his budget for the following racing season, contributing to his temporary departure from the BTCC.
Outside of his professional racing career, Bushell is a programmer. He undertook the solo development of a video game title, ARENA 3D, which was scheduled for release on the Steam Store in 2017.
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