Songfacts®:

• Riley Green wrote this cut about his grandfather's battle with Alzheimer's. Despite having the disease, the singer's grandad could still remember the names and car numbers of his favorite NASCAR drivers.
  
  "Growing up near the Talladega Superspeedway, I used to go over to my Granddaddy's house as a kid and watch the races," Green explained in a press release. "He knew every driver's name, number and sponsor, and so as the racing season kicks into full gear, it seemed like the perfect time to debut this song."
• Since Green debuted the song in his concerts, the song's touching subject matter has resonated with a number of fans. He recalled to Taste of Country how a couple of women came up to him after his show at Eddie's Attic in Atlanta in tears as they shared how their family members had been affected by Alzheimer's.
  
  "The song is about the fact that somebody, although they might not be all there, there's certain things that they latch on to that they just don't forget. That's something that's hopeful in a situation like that for a lot of people," Green said.
• Riley Green took some creative liberties on "Numbers on the Cars." It was Riley Green's grandpa, Grandaddy Lyndon, who partially inspired the song, but it was actually his grandfather's brother, Uncle Jess, who had Alzheimer's in real life. However, Granddaddy Lyndon was the one who knew all the numbers on the cars.
• Granddaddy Lyndon passed away in 2018, but he did get to hear the song. Green got to play it for him and family at the Grand Ole Opry.