Kyle Busch’s No. 8 NASCAR car retired by Richard Childress Racing after death of driver originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kyle Busch’s death sent shockwaves through the motorsports world.
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The 41-year-old passed away Thursday after being hospitalized with an undisclosed “severe illness.” He leaves behind his wife, Samantha, his son, Brexton, as well as legions of race fans.
Following his death, numerous drivers, organizations, and teams paid tribute to Busch, the all-time winningest driver across NASCAR’s three national series. On Friday, his employer, Richard Childress Racing, gave him a significant honor by placing his car number in the rafters — at least until his son is old enough to drive it.
Here’s what you need to know.
MORE: Kyle Busch dies at 41
Richard Childress Racing suspends use of Kyle Busch’s No. 8 car
On Friday, RCR announced that it was retiring Busch’s No. 8 car. The company elected to put the vehicle out of commission out of respect for the two-time Cup Series champion, who joined RCR ranks in 2023 after a 15-year stint with Joe Gibbs Racing. His car will be outfitted in the No. 33 number going forward.
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“Richard Childress Racing has elected to suspend use of the No. 8 and will run the No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and beyond,” RCR said in a statement. “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 indicated that Busch’s No. 8 is reserved for Busch’s son, Brexton, in the event that he becomes a Cup Series driver.
Busch won three Cup Series races during his RCR tenure — all of which came in 2023. He wasn’t able to replicate the success of his time with JGR, missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025. With two top-10 finishes in his final three points-paying races, Busch appeared on the cusp of a resurgence when he was hospitalized with the undisclosed illness believed to have contributed to his death.
RCR has experienced the loss of an active Cup Series driver before. Following Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s death at the 2001 Daytona 500, the team gave his ride to Busch Series driver Kevin Harvick. Childress inverted Earnhardt’s iconic black-and-red paint scheme and changed the car number from 3 to 29.
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In just his third Cup Series start, Harvick edged Jeff Gordon in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history to reach Victory Lane at Atlanta. During his celebratory burnout, fans raised three fingers in honor of Earnhardt, “The Intimidator.”
Harvick went on to finish in the top-10 in points, claiming Rookie of the Year honors for his efforts.
MORE:What we know about the ‘severe illness’ that led to Kyle Busch’s death
Who will drive Kyle Busch’s car for Richard Childress Racing?
RCR called up O’Reilly Series star Austin Hill to fill in for Busch when it announced Thursday afternoon that he had been hospitalized with a severe illness. A 23-time winner across NASCAR’s second and third tiers, Hill, 32, was the 2020 Truck Series and 2023 Xfinity Series regular-season champion. His most recent victory came in the United Rentals 300 at Daytona in February.
Spire Motorsports tapped 20-year-old Corey Day to take over for Busch in the No. 7 car during Friday’s Truck Series race at Charlotte.
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