By Luis Torres, Staff Writer/Photographer
The untimely passing of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has stun the motorsports community and some of the early impacts have begun.
Richard Childress Racing announced Friday that it will discontinue using the No. 8 in its Cup car with immediate effect. Instead, they’ll operate the No. 33, which has been used for its part-time entry since 2022, going forward.
Austin Hill will pilot the car that was once Busch’s for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6:00 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime).
The move is similar to the time RCR discontinued the No. 3 after Dale Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500 and opted to run the No. 29, driven by Kevin Harvick from 2001-2013. It wouldn’t be until 2014 when the team rechristened the No. 3 in the sport’s premiere division when Austin Dillon moved up full-time.
In an issued statement from the team, the No. 8 will be reserved for Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton Busch when he’s ready to compete in NASCAR.
“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.
“The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”
In the four seasons Busch drove for RCR, he scored three victories, all in his first season in 2023. Those victories took place at Fontana, Talladega and Gateway.
Hill has been driving for the team since 2022, primarily in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he’s scored 15 wins.
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