No.8 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Kyle Busch for Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway. (Credit: Richard Childress Racing Instagram)
High-speed, adrenaline-filled, and exciting are a few words used to describe the American motorsport, NASCAR. Driving and racing a NASCAR car is a dream of many young and budding drivers. Hence, when drivers get the opportunity to drive and race these magnificent machines, they feel privileged. But one privilege they do not get is the chance to choose their racing number.
Unlike in the majority of sports worldwide, where players and participants have the opportunity to pick their numbers which would identify them, NASCAR does not allow drivers to pick their desired numbers. Instead, NASCAR lets the teams choose the desired numbers, which are then assigned to their respective cars.
Hence, when a driver joins a particular team, he has to race with the number which the team has assigned to their car. For example, when Kyle Busch left the Joe Gibbs Racing team at the end of the 2022 season, he was not able to carry on with the No. 18 with which he won the 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Championships.
In contrast to other racing series where drivers can establish a brand identity around their racing number, such as Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula 1 world champion who has centered his brand on the number 44. This rule hinders drivers from cultivating a brand tied to their racing numbers if they switch teams.
FAQ's on How Do NASCAR Drivers Get Car Numbers?
A. No, NASCAR drivers cannot choose their desired numbers.
A. NASCAR permits teams to choose numbers which they assign to their respective cars.
A. No, even if a driver has won the championship, the driver cannot carry forward the number if he switches teams.
A. Due to this rule drivers are unable to build a brand around their assigned numbers.
A. The teams are able to build legacy around their cars.
