RCR Renumbers Busch Car: ‘The No. 8 Is Reserved And Ready For Brexton’

Richard Childress Racing won’t race the No. 8 again. At least not until Kyle Busch’s son, Brexton, wants to use it. The two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch, 41, died suddenly Thursday, and RCR will renumber the No. 8 car to the No. 33. “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 said in a statement. “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 Busch, 11, is an aspiring NASCAR driver, and Kyle had hoped to race against him in NASCAR’s truck series when he became eligible to return to some tracks at age 16. When RCR driver Dale Earnhardt died in 2001, RCR suspended its use of the No. 3 car until Childress’ grandson, Austin Dillon, began using it in his career, including his first Cup season in 2014. NASCAR assigns numbers on an annual basis, but NASCAR typically allows organizations to ask for a number even if they do not intend to use it under special circumstances. NASCAR’s current rules state that a Cup driver must be 18 years old. Austin Hill will drive the No. 33 Cup car this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 33 is what RCR has used for its part-time Cup car in recent seasons.