Richard Childress Racing Retires Kyle Busch’s No. 8, Switches to No. 33 for Remainder of 2026 Season
Austin Hill will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet for the rest of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Richard Childress Racing retired the No. 8 and reserved it for Busch's son.
yardbarker.comRichard Childress Racing will field the No. 33 Chevrolet for the remainder of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season after the death of Kyle Busch. Austin Hill is expected to drive the car through the end of the year.
Richard Childress confirmed the plan while speaking to reporters at Michigan International Speedway. "Right now we’re looking at the rest of the season," Childress said, according to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. The team announced it would retire the No.
8 car and switch to the No. 33. It is reserving the No. 8 for Busch’s son, Brexton, should he reach NASCAR’s highest level. Busch died from complications related to severe pneumonia and sepsis. He joined Richard Childress Racing in 2023 and drove for the organization for four seasons.
His final victory came during his first season with the team. Busch retired with 63 Cup Series wins and championships in 2015 and 2019. "Richard Childress Racing appreciates the outpouring of love and support," the team said in a statement.
RCR, NASCAR and the Busch family issued a joint statement: "Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. " Austin Hill is a longtime Xfinity Series standout and one of Chevrolet’s top developmental drivers. Teammate Austin Dillon said he is ready to compete with Hill.
"I know one thing, I’m excited for Austin Hill because I think he’s a dog," Dillon said. "I’m ready to go to war with him and go out there, as my teammate, and battle with him. " Hill is set to carry the No.
