Richard Childress Racing announced on Friday that it will no longer use the No. 8 featured on the late Kyle Busch’s car
“Richard Childress Racing has elected to suspend use of the No. 8 and will run the No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and beyond,” the team said in a statement posted to social media.
“Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry. No one can carry it forward to the level that he did.”
Busch died suddenly on Thursday from an undisclosed illness after becoming unresponsive during a test session on the team’s simlulator, according to the Associated Press.
RCR O’Reilly Series Driver Austin Hill will fill in for Busch in the Coca-Cola 600 in the No. 33 car, but the No. 8 could return one day.
“The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing,” the team said, referring to Busch’s 11-year-old son, who is already a Junior Late Model racer and the 2025 winner of the prestigious Tulsa Shootout Jr. Sprint Championship.
