Sunday's Indy 500 is set to feature multiple nods to NASCAR legend Kyle Busch following his tragic death this week.
Sunday is labeled 'the greatest day in racing', but the world of motorsport is still mourning one of the very best to ever get behind the wheel of a race car.
After being hospitalized with severe illness, Busch was announced dead at the age of 41 on Thursday, just days after taking his final NASCAR victory in the Truck Series at Dover.
The Busch family later confirmed he had suffered from severe pneumonia that developed into sepsis.
READ MORE: Indy 500: Start times, schedule, TV channel, and free live stream as NASCAR driver features
Indy 500 tributes to Kyle Busch
As NASCAR gears up for the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, there have already been some touching tributes to Busch, but it's happening away from North Carolina, too.
IndyCar star Romain Grosjean will run Busch's iconic stylized No. 18 on his car on Sunday in the Indy 500. The idea came from FOX Sports broadcaster Townsend Bell, with Joe Gibbs Racing and Dale Coyne Racing helping bring it to life.
Busch drove the No. 18 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing between 2008 and 2022, winning 56 races in NASCAR's elite division and two championships in 2015 and 2019.
Romain Grosjean will carry Kyle Busch’s No. 18 in the Indy 500. pic.twitter.com/i2GJQfbLWz
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 24, 2026
That won't be the only Busch tribute this weekend, either.
Chip Ganassi Racing has also changed its pit signs for its No. 8 car to the stylized 8 used by Busch at Richard Childress Racing, including this season.
The Indy 500 starts at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday and will be broadcast live on FOX.
READ MORE: Indy 500: Start times, schedule, TV channel, and free live stream as NASCAR driver features
