Kyle Busch's team suspends use of No 8 car until his son is 'ready to go NASCAR racing'
Kyle Busch's team suspends use of No 8 car until his son is 'ready to go NASCAR racing'
Andrew Gamble Fri, May 22, 2026 at 8:09 PM UTC
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Kyle Busch's son Brexton is a developing prospect as a young driver at junior levels (Image: GETTY)
Richard Childress Racing will suspend the use of No. 8 as a touching tribute to Kyle Busch - and the number is "reserved and ready" for his son Brexton, once he tries his hand at NASCAR.
On Thursday, Busch died at 41, leaving behind his wife, Samantha, and two children, with whom he regularly celebrated his NASCAR success. A two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and future Hall of Famer, Busch won in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series just last week, before stating: "You never know when the last one (win) is."
Busch is widely regarded as one of the best drivers in the history of the sport, dominating in all three of the divisions of NASCAR while ranking ninth all-time on the overall wins list. He often admitted he was desperate to celebrate a Cup Series win with his son, Brexton.
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Following the shocking news, Richard Childress Racing took to social media to confirm that the No. 8 car will be suspended and kept warm for Brexton. It is a touching gesture that highlighs how respected Busch was within the building.
"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 statement read. "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.
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Buscdrove the No. 8 during his tenure with Richard Childress Racing from 2023 (Image: GETTY)
"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."
The decision comes after the team had originally opted to put Austin Hill behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet, when news of Busch's illness first emerged. The statement read: "Kyle Busch's health is our upmost priority and he and his family have the full resources of RCR behind them. Kyle is an integral part of our organization and we wish him a safe and speedy recovery. His No. 8 Chevrolet will be ready and waiting for him.
"We're thankful to Austin Hill for stepping in to drive the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend. Please keep Kyle and the Busch family in your prayers, and help us respect the family's privacy at this time."
Following the news, Hill will wear No. 33 when he races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, all thoughts are with Busch's family, including Brexton - who has emerged as a talented racer.
Last year, Brexton won the Tulsa Shootout Jr. Sprint Championship to earn his first career Golden Driller. In 2024, he won 48 races, earned 126 top-10s and 107 top-5's in multiple styles of racecars.
Brexton is slated to become the next generation of Busch drivers as he's already competing on dirt against Kyle Larson's son, Owen, and even against his own dad. Now, he will have a ride waiting for him whenever he is ready to step up to NASCAR.
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Source: “AOL Sports”
