Kyle Busch’s sudden and tragic death means that no one will drive the No. 8 car at the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend. And no one will drive it again, that is, until his son is ready to start his NASCAR career.
Richard Childress Racing (RCR), the team that Busch drove for, announced on Friday that it would reserve the No. 8 for whenever the late superstar’s 11-year-old son, Brexton, is ready to get behind the wheel.
“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 wrote on social media. “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.
RCR says it will use No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend and for the foreseeable future.
Brexton began racing at the age of 5 and has already won over 100 races, TMZ Sports reports.
Busch was found unresponsive while testing a Chevy racing simulator only a day before. He is survived by his wife, Samantha, his 11-year-old son, Brexton, and his 4-year-old daughter, Lennix.