DISH 45: The History of the 45 Car in NASCAR
When is a number more than a number? When you’re an athlete. Whether it’s a basketball jersey bearing No. 23 or an entire baseball team donning No. 42, many of the the numbers that athletes wear are adorned with symbolism and history.
That’s especially true in NASCAR, where cameras are primarily fixed on the cars instead of the drivers. In honor of DISH’s 45th anniversary, we’re taking a deep-dive on the 45 car, a number that has a rich history in NASCAR, as well as connections to iconic athletes from other sports. Click here for more DISH 45 Blogs and be sure to tune-in to the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2:30pm ET, live on FOX.
The Early Years of the 45 Car
The first big name to be associated with the No. 45 car was Eddie Pagan, a member of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame who won four races in the No. 45 during the late 1950s. NASCAR’s first-ever “Triple Crown” winner Lonnie “LeeRoy” Yarbough drove the 45 car a total of 33 times in 1964 and 1971-72, winning two races. But for many years, the driver most closely associated with the 45 car was Bill Seifert. Making 200 Cup starts in the 45 car from 1966 to 1972, Seifert had…wait for it…45 top 10 finishes while behind the wheel of #45.
The Petty Family Takes the Wheel
For modern-day NASCAR fans, the 45 car is tightly associated with the “Kings” of racing, the Petty Family. While family patriarch Lee Petty primarily drove the 42 car, and his son Richard Petty made 43 arguably the most iconic number in motorsports, Adam Petty – the first fourth-generation athlete in American professional sports – took up the family trade in the 45 car. Tragically, Adam’s promising career was cut short when he died at the age of 19 in a practice run on May 12, 2000. Following the death of his son, Kyle Petty (formerly in the 44 car) took over the number as a tribute, and would continue to race in the 45 car for the remainder of his driving career.
Current Era: Be Like Mike
Although Michael Jordan will always be remembered for his unprecedented NBA career, he’s quickly making in-roads in the world of NASCAR. After founding 23XI Racing alongside Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk ahead of the 2021 season, Jordan’s team added Kurt Busch to its roster in 2022. Busch selected number 45 as a nod to the jersey Jordan wore upon his return to the NBA in 1994. Unfortunately, Busch was forced to retire that season due to a history of concussions, leaving 23XI teammate Bubba Wallace to race in the 45 car for the 2022 playoffs, which included a win at Kansas. The following year, new 23XI driver Tyler Reddick took over the 45 car, and he’s won multiple races in the No. 45, including victories at COTA, Kansas, and Homestead, as well as finishing in the Championship 4 in the 2025 season. Riddick will continue to race in the 45 car during the 2026 NASCAR season.
Complete History of the 45 Car
According to The NASCAR Historian, the No. 45 car has started 866 NASCAR races, with 87 different drivers behind the wheel. The 45 car has eight wins, eight poles, 58 top five finishes, and 147 top 10s.
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