NASCAR Will “Honor” RCR’s Wishes For Kyle Busch’s Former Number
What’s Happening? NASCAR’s Mike Forde explained how NASCAR will honor Richard Childress Racing’s plans to hold the No. 8 for Kyle…
NASCAR fans are asking how Richard Childress Racing will fill out the schedule for its No. 33 team following the tragic passing of NASCAR veteran Kyle Busch.
What’s Happening? NASCAR’s Mike Forde explained how NASCAR will honor Richard Childress Racing’s plans to hold the No. 8 for Kyle…
Following the tragic passing of NASCAR legend Kyle Busch from an abrupt illness, Richard Childress Racing was tasked with one of the hardest decisions in NASCAR: finding a substitute for one of the greatest ever to do it.
This is unfortunately not the first time RCR has been in this position, having to find a substitute following Dale Earnhardt’s passing in 2001.
Prior to Busch’s passing, RCR had already tabbed Austin Hill to drive the then No. 8 car, before changing the entry to the No. 33 for the remainder of the 2026 season.
While Hill followed up Charlotte with starts in Nashville and Michigan, the team is left with a decision to make for the final 22 races of the Cup Series season, so how can RCR balance out the rest of the year for its No. 33 entry?
What’s Happening? Richard Childress Racing will halt use of the No. 8 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the wake…
Last week, most fans figured that RCR would find a way to split the ride between their two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers, and perhaps some outsiders.
This would be far from the first time that multiple drivers have shared a chartered car, with Kaulig Racing, Rick Ware Racing, and TriStar Motorsports having done so in the past.
This could favor both drivers working in part-time Cup Series starts, something they had already planned on doing, while also allowing them to each have weekends in which they have to focus on the OAP and Cup Series, as opposed to having that fall on one driver’s plate.
What’s Happening? One of the best parts of any NASCAR season is the part-time, un-chartered, or “open” cars that make starts…
Of course, splitting a ride does leave the No. 8 team without the consistency of a single driver.
Through the three races since Busch’s passing, RCR has already opted for Austin Hill as the driver of the No. 33, something that could continue throughout the season, as Hill is the veteran of the team’s two OAP Series drivers.
While Hill may not have the best track record at the sport’s highest level, he once again would bring a stable name to the team, something that might go a long way given the two dramatic shifts the team has already seen since its early-season crew chief swap and Busch’s passing.
Even though fans have saluted Hill for having to take over the spot in a difficult situation, there are questions about using Hill compared to his younger OAP Series teammate.
While Hill could be a year-long option, fans have pointed out that Jesse Love should be the long-term face of Richard Childress Racing.
The 2025 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion was one of the biggest questions entering this season, as it is no secret that he wants a ride at the sport’s highest level.
Given the drastic differences between the OAP car and the NASCAR Next Gen Car, Love taking over as many races as possible in the No. 33 would be a great step towards bringing him to the next level in 2027.
Still, as of right now, RCR has yet to add Love to the list of drivers for the No. 33. While this could be a decision by Love, given the weight of the circumstance, fans in the online NASCAR community have found it odd that RCR is not handing (or at least has yet to) the reins to their top prospect.
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