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Richard Childress Racing Sideline’s Kyle Busch’s No. 8, Saving It For Brexton Busch

by racerx55 May 22, 2026 0 comments

Story by Matthew Thomerson/TheFourthTurn.com

CONCORD, NC – Richard Childress Racing (RCR) announced on Friday that is has elected to suspend the use of Kyle Busch’s No. 8 so that his 11-year-old son Brexton can one day bring it back to competition.  

Busch’s car will now rebrand to feature a No. 33, which has a longstanding history with the RCR organization.

“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. 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.”

Busch, who raced for RCR in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2023, passed away tragically on Thursday at the age of 41. With 1,313 NASCAR national series starts, Busch looked to pass on his knowledge to his son Brexton. Busch was ingrained in all things regarding his son’s racing, and could be seen on pit road, the spotters’ stand, or in the stands coaching the next generation of Busch racers. From Florence Motor Speedway to Millbridge, Kyle was a staple at the racetrack. Now, Brexton will potentially have an opportunity to race his father’s number in NASCAR competition. 

Austin Hill, who drives the No. 21 Chevrolet full-time for RCR in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, will drive the rebranded No. 33 Chevrolet in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hill has 17 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with his best finish coming at the Chicago Street Course last year, when he finished ninth. It is unclear who will be in the car for the remainder of the season.

Busch’s passing comes as a shock to the NASCAR and motorsports communities as a whole, as Busch was renowned as one of the greats of his era. Busch acquired many nicknames over his career, such as ‘Rowdy’ and ‘Wild Thing,’ attributed to his aggressive driving nature and embellished personality.

He achieved monumental success on the racetrack, collecting 63 NASCAR Cup Series wins, which places him ninth all-time, and two NASCAR Cup Series championships. He also won a NASCAR O’Reilly Series title in 2009. Across all three national series, he achieved 234 total wins, including his final win at Dover Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last Friday. 

Along with RCR, Busch drove for Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, where his longtime pairing with M&Ms in the No. 18 car made him one of the most recognizable figures on the track. 

Added to his success on the racetrack, Busch owned and operated Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Late Model level. From 2010 to 2023, the organization collected 100 wins and several driver and owner titles in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Many active NASCAR drivers went through the KBM pipeline, leaving a lasting impact.  

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com