Richard Childress Racing Reserves No. 8 Car for Brexton Busch

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has decided to temporarily retire the No. 8 Cup Series car following the sudden passing of Kyle Busch. The team will hold onto the number until Busch’s 11-year-old son, Brexton, is ready to race. Beginning this Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600, the team will compete with the No. 33 car in the Cup Series. This change comes after the unexpected death of the 41-year-old Busch last Thursday. The cause of death remains undisclosed.

Austin Hill will step in as Busch’s replacement at the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Coca-Cola 600, renowned as NASCAR’s longest event of the season. Busch, a champion driver, left behind a strong legacy in the field.

“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,” RCR stated.

“No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”

Brexton has already shown promise in racing, winning the Tulsa Shootout Jr. Sprint Championship and securing his first Golden Driller last year. He began his racing career in 2020, at 5 years old, at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, North Carolina. A month later, he claimed victory at Mountain Creek Speedway. By 2024, Brexton had won 48 races and achieved 126 top-10 finishes, including 107 top-5 finishes, in various race car styles.

In NASCAR’s past, RCR responded to tragedy by changing their car numbers. After Dale Earnhardt’s fatal incident at Daytona 500 in 2001, the team switched from the iconic black No. 3 to a white No. 29. The No. 3 made a return in 2014 when Richard Childress’ grandson, Austin Dillon, joined as the driver.