NASCAR News: Dale Earnhardt Jr suggests shock name to replace Kyle Busch at RCR

NASCAR is still coming to terms with the tragic and untimely death of the great Kyle Busch, but life goes on in this greatest of sports.

When the two-time Cup Series champion died from pneumonia and sepsis at the age of just 41 on May 21, it left a huge hole in the heart of not just NASCAR but his Richard Childress Racing team.

The team immediately made the decision to retire his No. 8 car for now, reserving it in the hope that his 11-year-old son Brexton will be able to use it one day.

Austin Hill is now racing for the rest of the 2026 Cup Series season, in the No. 33 Chevrolet, but as for 2027 and beyond - that is very much a question mark.

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Dale Jr says Noah Gragson is a possible for RCR seat

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr, speaking on his Dale Jr Download podcast, gave his take on the topic this week. And he came up with a surprise name - Noah Gragson - also believing it could be a chip which then sees Josh Berry replace Gragson at Front Row. We do now know that Berry is heading out of Wood Brothers as Jesse Love moves in for 2027.

Dale Jr said: "I don't know what happens to Josh Berry. In the Cup Series, you know the silly season's not all that silly any more. And there's not a ton of options.

"Man I thought if you won a Cup race, you were at least guaranteed a career. You could milk that single win like, no disrespect but a lot of guys did in the 80s and 90s and so forth. It's just not that way any more. There's not a lot of turnover, there's not a lot of churn.

"The 33 is open, there's not a guarantee that it's an Austin Hill. I don't think this is real and I don't know that this is even being contemplated. But Noah Gragson to the 33, because of the Bass Pro Shop connection.

"If that relationship is still as strong today, with Bass Pro Shop and Noah, way back when the 19 was open Bass Pro Shop was like 'hey what about Noah?' And JGR was like 'No'.

Lack of opportunities will mean a Berry surprise

"But I don't that RCR wants this, that would open up the 4 where there's a potential that Josh [Berry] goes there.

"There's no real opportunity. Come on guys, what other cars and opportunities are gonna be available and open on the Cup side. I think whatever Josh ends up doing it's going to be a surprise because I don't think any of us have a good idea of something that makes sense. Maybe he ends up racing back in the O'Reilly Series."