The sudden loss of one of NASCAR’s best drivers has led many fans to ask whether NASCAR should retire iconic car numbers after the death of legendary drivers.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR fans across the world are reeling following two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch’s sudden death. The death has fans wondering how the sport will remember such a legend.
Busch died Thursday after being hospitalized with what his family described as a “severe illness,” according to statements released by NASCAR, the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing.
On Friday, RCR announced it will suspend using the No. 8, starting at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The organization will move forward with the No. 33 in its place.
Kyle Busch was instrumental in the creation of RCR’s stylized No. 8, and over the years it became synonymous with his legacy, his fans, and the sport of NASCAR itself. It marks a rare move by the organization as number retirements are uncommon in NASCAR.
Out of respect for everything Busch meant to Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR, the No. 8 will remain reserved for Brexton Busch should he choose to pursue a NASCAR career in the future.
Brexton, who turned 11 just days before his father’s death, began racing in 2020.
NASCAR does not usually retire numbers
Unlike many stick-and-ball sports leagues, NASCAR has historically not officially retired car numbers league-wide. NASCAR numbers are typically connected to race teams and owners rather than individual drivers or the league as a whole.
According to NASCAR Reference, “technically, no NASCAR number is officially retired.” The site notes that even the famed No. 3 associated with Dale Earnhardt Sr. was never formally retired after Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500. Instead, Richard Childress Racing voluntarily parked the number in the Cup Series from 2001 through 2013 before reintroducing it with Austin Dillon.
In 2020, Forbes explained that NASCAR has historically resisted retiring numbers partly because the available number pool is relatively small. Cup Series teams draw from numbers 0 through 99, plus some double-zero variations, and officials have generally wanted to preserve flexibility for future teams and sponsors.
What were Kyle Busch’s numbers?
Busch legacy surrounds two numbers:
- No. 18, which Busch drove for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2008 through 2022
- No. 8, which he drove for Richard Childress Racing beginning in 2023
Busch drove the No. 18 Toyota to Cup Series championships in 2015 and again in 2019.
Busch’s legacy in NASCAR
Busch won 63 Cup Series races, ranking ninth on the all-time wins list, while recording a record number of victories across NASCAR’s top three national series.