NASCAR and its groups don’t retire numbers; they reserve them. Within the wake of the demise of Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing has elected to take away the No. 8 from the observe in the meanwhile, with the hopes that it is going to be ready for an additional Busch down the road.
“Richard Childress Racing has elected to droop use of the No. 8 and can run the No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and past,” the staff mentioned in a press release. “Kyle Busch was instrumental within the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has turn out to be synonymous with Kyle and an necessary image for his followers and the NASCAR business. Nobody can carry it ahead to the extent that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and prepared for Brexton Busch when he is able to go NASCAR racing.”
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Brexton Busch, Kyle’s 11-year-old son, has been racing on numerous circuits since 2020. He’s throughout numerous states.
Kyle Busch after struggling on the Normal Motors Charlotte Technical Middle in Harmony, N.C. A precise reason behind demise has not but been revealed.
Kyle Busch is congratulated by his son, Brexton Busch, after successful the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia.
(Jonathan Bachman through Getty Photos)
Only a few days earlier than his demise, throughout all of NASCAR’s three nationwide collection, and hinted at Brexton’s potential. “All data are made to be damaged, proper?” Busch mentioned. “So perhaps it’ll stick round for an extended, very long time. Perhaps any individual on the market in the future will break it. Perhaps I’m coaching that younger man that’s going to interrupt it, my son Brexton.”
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Whereas he drove the No. 8 within the closing three-plus years of his profession, Busch is greatest recognized for driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. The No. 8 has had numerous drivers over time, most notably Dale Earnhardt Jr. within the early 2000s. Earnhardt Jr. left the quantity behind when he moved from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports.
NASCAR controls all vehicles’ numbers, however assigns them to its numerous groups to make use of and license as they see match.
1 / 4-century in the past, Richard Childress Racing confronted an analogous tragic state of affairs when Childress’ driver Dale Earnhardt died on the ultimate lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Childress opted to carry onto the three, placing then-rookie Kevin Harvick into the automotive and re-branding it with the No. 29. Harvick would go on to have a Corridor of Fame profession, whereas the three would stay off the observe till Childress introduced it again for his grandson, Austin Dillon, to run beginning in 2014. Dillon continues to run the three to at the present time.
Austin Hill will substitute Busch, starting Sunday within the Coca-Cola 600.
