Kyle Busch never got to race in the Indianapolis 500. He tried twice to make it happen, but it fell apart both times. On Sunday, the sport he loved will honor him there anyway.
Dale Coyne Racing will run its No. 18 car in the 110th Indianapolis 500 with the same number font that Busch used during his years at Joe Gibbs Racing. It is a subtle but unmistakable nod to the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who died Thursday at 41 after complications from pneumonia progressed into sepsis.
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Fox Sports broadcaster and veteran IndyCar driver Townsend Bell came up with the idea, according to Sports Business Journal reporter Adam Stern. Fox Sports and Joe Gibbs Racing helped make it happen, the team said.
The No. 18 was synonymous with Busch for his years at JGR, where he won his first Cup Series championship in 2015. He later moved to Richard Childress Racing, where he drove the No. 8 until his death.
Busch had long wanted to compete at Indianapolis. He said in a recent “Actions Detrimental” podcast with Denny Hamlin that he had deals in place on two separate occasions, only to see both fall through. The Indy 500 remained one of the few things in racing he never got to check off.
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The Dale Coyne tribute is one of several planned across this Memorial Day weekend. Indianapolis Motor Speedway will light the pylon on lap 18 in Busch’s honor Sunday. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing will suspend the use of the No. 8, running the No. 33 instead. They said they would reserve the No. 8 until Busch’s 11-year-old son Brexton is ready to go NASCAR racing.
The No. 8 has also been painted on the infield grass at Charlotte entering turn 1.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Busch will be honored during Indy 500 with No. 18 car
