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23XI Racing had been hoping for their stars to align all year, and when they finally did at Kansas Speedway, a certain Kyle Petty and family also showed appreciation for it.After 23XI Racing's co-owner Denny Hamlin poached Kurt Busch from Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2022 season, the duo were on the lookout for a number for Busch. Hamlin knew he wanted the No.45 to represent Busch and the second 23XI Racing car. Moreover, Michael Jordan, a basketball legend and co-owner of the team, returned to the NBA with the No.45, making it all the more special for the team.
The number originally belonged to the Petty family when Adam Petty, Kyle Petty's son, ran it during his lone Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000. He tragically died in a crash a month and a half later at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The governing body's appreciation for the Petty family meant the number was not used after the tragic incident except for one tribute in 2008. Since the Petty family had made peace with Adam's sad demise, they allowed Busch to use the number.
Three days after the twenty-second anniversary of Adam Petty's demise, the Las Vegas, Nevada native drove the No.45 Toyota Camry TRD to a victory in Kansas. Kyle Petty watched the race and elaborated on his feelings, saying:
“When Kurt was running [Kyle Larson] down, I’m in Kiawah, South Carolina, and you could have heard me in Kansas City. I was pulling for Kurt Busch. I was screaming. I probably looked like Tom Cruise on Oprah Winfrey’s couch.”
As Busch passed Kyle Larson to take his first victory of the season, Petty was delighted by what the 43-year-old driver said immediately after the race. The racing legend said:
“If you go back and watch his post-race interview with [FS1's] Jamie Little when he got out the car, he mentions just the number. He mentions it numerous times. I know in his mind it’s his team, it’s a new team, it’s a team that was built specifically for him. It’s not that 23XI won, it’s that Kurt Busch won with his team. I have to say for me that a little bit of me smiled every time because I’m like, ‘that’s right it’s the 45. It should have been there a long time ago under different circumstances but you got it there, man.’”
Kurt Busch on the significance of the No. 45 to Kyle Petty and his family
Kurt Busch spoke about how the number came to be on the second Toyota Camry TRD at 23XI Racing in a post-race interview and said:
"They were registering the number 45 for years and MJ wanted this number on the second car and we asked the Petty family for their blessing and Kyle Petty said 'Yep if its you Kurt, I wanna let it ride'"
Watch the complete interview below:
23XI Racing will be looking forward to many such results in the future, which will help them turn their season around.
