RCR won't run Kyle Busch's No. 8 anymore, will hold car for his son, Brexton

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The No. 8 car now belongs to Brexton Busch now. He just has to grow into it.Richard Childress Racing announced Friday, May 22 that it is suspending use of the number Kyle Busch made famous, driving for the team in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2023. RCR will instead switch to the No. 33 Chevrolet starting this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600.The door on the No. 8 will stay closed until Busch's son Brexton, 11, is ready to take it over. Busch shared two children with wife Samantha: son Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix.“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,” the team said. “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.”Kyle Busch’s son already knows how to win on the track. He has over 150 victories across Outlaw Karts, Micro Sprints, Bandolero Bandits National Championship, going 23 for 33 with 28 podiums. He won the Golden Driller at the prestigious Tulsa Shootout in the JR Sprint division. He made his Legends car debut at Charlotte Moto Speedway’s Summer Shootout and won in his fifth start.This year, he stepped up to full-size stock cars, racing the JR Late Model division at Madera Speedway in California for Wilson Motorsports.Kyle Busch died Thursday, May 21 at the age of 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness. No cause of death has been released. Busch was coughing up blood when emergency responders were called to a General Motors facility in Concord, N.C., the day before the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion died, according to the 911 call obtained by USA TODAY.He won 63 Cup Series races and 234 total across NASCAR’s three national series. Busch spent the final three seasons at Richard Childress Racing after 15 years at Joe Gibbs Racing, where he won the Cup championships in 2015 and 2019. His 63 Cup victories rank ninth on the series' all-time win list.Three days before his death, Busch posted a birthday tribute on Instagram to Brexton, who turned 11 on May 18. “You’re the best kid on and off the track, you amaze us every day,” he wrote. “Keep doing what you’re doing and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish.Austin Hill will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing at Charlotte this weekend in what would have been Busch’s scheduled start in Sunday’s Coca Cola 600.The No. 8 will wait.