Kyle Busch's No. 18 car won't be used 'unless another Busch' drives it

Kyle Busch’s iconic No. 18 Toyota will return to NASCAR this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, but only in Ty Gibbs’ hands—driving the car with the colorful M&M’s scheme tied to Busch’s years at Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota will feature a mosaic of photos from Busch’s career. The No. 18 hasn’t appeared in the NASCAR Cup Series since the 2022 season finale in Phoenix, when Busch’s last run with JGR ended before he moved to Richard Childress Racing. Heather Gibbs said the No. 18 won’t be used in the team’s rotation “unless another Busch” drives it, framing the number as sacred. Busch won 56 Cup wins with the No. 18 across 15 seasons at JGR, including major victories.