Richard Childress Racing facts for kids
 |
|
| Owner(s) | Richard Childress |
|---|---|
| Base | Welcome, North Carolina |
| Series | NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series |
| Race drivers | Cup Series: 3. Austin Dillon 8. Kyle Busch 33. Austin Hill, Jesse Love (part-time) Xfinity Series: 2. Jesse Love 3. Austin Dillon (part-time) 21. Austin Hill 33. Kasey Kahne (part-time) |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
| Opened | 1969 |
| Career | |
| Debut | Cup Series: 1969 Talladega 500 (Talladega) Xfinity Series 1995 Sundrop 400 (Hickory) Camping World Truck Series: 1995 Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic (Phoenix) |
| Latest race | Cup Series: 2020 FanShield 500 (Phoenix) Xfinity Series: 2014 Pocono Mountains 150 (Pocono) |
| Races competed | Total: 2,753 Cup Series: 1,656 Xfinity Series: 820 Camping World Truck Series: 220 ARCA Racing Series: 57 |
| Drivers' Championships | Total: 14 Cup Series: 6 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 Xfinity Series: 5 2001, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2019 Camping World Truck Series: 2 1995, 2011 ARCA Racing Series: 1 2011 |
| Race victories | Total: 259 Cup Series: 117 Xfinity Series: 101 Camping World Truck Series: 31 ARCA Racing Series: 10 |
| Pole positions | Total: 194 Cup Series: 57 Xfinity Series: 88 Camping World Truck Series: 39 ARCA Racing Series: 10 |
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is a professional stock car racing team in America. They compete in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina. It is owned and run by Richard Childress.
In the Cup Series, RCR currently races three Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 cars. These are the No. 3 for Austin Dillon, the No. 8 for Kyle Busch, and the No. 33 for different drivers part-time. In the Xfinity Series, they have four Chevrolet Camaro teams. These include the No. 2 for Jesse Love, the No. 3 part-time for Austin Dillon, the No. 21 for Austin Hill, and the No. 33 part-time for Kasey Kahne. RCR has had a car qualify for every Cup race since 1972. This is the longest active streak in NASCAR. The team is also famous for always using the number 3 on its main race car.
RCR works with other teams through technical alliances. In the Cup Series, they partner with Kaulig Racing. In the Xfinity Series, they have alliances with Big Machine Racing and Jordan Anderson Racing. Both Kaulig Racing and Big Machine Racing have shops on the RCR campus. RCR also works with Beard Motorsports, but these are not technical alliances.
RCR has won the NASCAR Cup Series championship six times, all with driver Dale Earnhardt. They have also won the Daytona 500 three times. These wins were with Earnhardt in 1998, Kevin Harvick in 2007, and Austin Dillon in 2018. Many famous drivers have raced for RCR, including Jeff Burton, Mike Skinner, Ricky Rudd, Neil Bonnett, Ryan Newman, and Clint Bowyer.
Contents
NASCAR Cup Series Racing
RCR has a long history in the NASCAR Cup Series. They have achieved many wins and championships over the years.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Racing
Car No. 2 History
RCR started racing the No. 2 car in the Nationwide Series in 1999.
- Kevin Harvick (1999–2001)
Kevin Harvick was the first driver of the No. 2 AC Delco Chevy. He won three races and was named Rookie of the Year in 1999. In 2001, he won the Busch Series championship while also racing full-time in the Winston Cup.
- Johnny Sauter (2002) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (2003–2004)
In 2002, rookie Johnny Sauter won at Chicagoland. The next year, Ron Hornaday Jr. drove the car, winning one race and finishing third in points. He won again in 2004.
- Clint Bowyer (2005–2008)
Clint Bowyer took over in 2005, winning two races and finishing second in points. In 2006, he finished third in points with a win at Dover. Longtime sponsor AC Delco left after 2006, and BB&T became the sponsor in 2007. In 2008, Bowyer won the Nationwide Series title.
- Development Drivers (2009)
In 2009, the No. 2 team raced part-time with Sean Caisse and Austin Dillon. The team closed down after that year.
- Elliott Sadler (2012)
In late 2011, Kevin Harvick sold his KHI team. The Nationwide Series team and equipment moved to RCR. Driver Elliott Sadler and sponsor OneMain Financial also joined RCR. Sadler continued his success, finishing second in the 2012 championship with four wins. He later moved to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2013.
- Brian Scott (2013–2015)
In 2013, Brian Scott became the driver of the No. 2 car. He brought sponsorship from Shore Lodge and Whitetail Club. Scott had much better results, finishing seventh in points. He nearly won at Richmond, leading many laps before finishing second. Scott and Nelson Piquet Jr. had arguments on and off the track. Scott returned in 2014, improving his performance with more poles and top finishes. He ended the year fourth in the championship. In 2015, Scott continued with the No. 2 Camaro before moving to Richard Petty Motorsports.
- Multiple Drivers (2016–2017)
In 2016, the No. 2 car was driven by various drivers, including Austin Dillon and Paul Menard, with sponsorship from Rheem and Menards. Dillon won two races. Sam Hornish Jr. and Michael McDowell also won races in the No. 2 car that year. In 2017, Dillon and Menard continued to drive the car, but neither won a race.
- Matt Tifft (2018)
On October 5, 2017, it was announced that Matt Tifft would drive the No. 2 car in 2018 and compete for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
- Tyler Reddick (2019)
Tyler Reddick, the defending Xfinity Series champion, joined the team in 2019. He won his second championship, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back titles with different teams.
- Myatt Snider (2021)
On December 10, 2020, Myatt Snider was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 2 car. Snider earned his first career win at the Contender Boats 250.
- Sheldon Creed (2022–2023)
On September 14, 2021, Sheldon Creed was announced as the full-time driver for 2022, replacing Snider. In 2022, Creed finished second at the September Darlington race. In 2023, Creed made the playoffs despite not winning a race. He announced on October 11 that he would not return to RCR in 2024.
- Jesse Love (2024–Present)
On October 25, 2023, it was announced that Jesse Love would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2024. Love got his first career win at Talladega on April 20, 2024. He also won at Daytona to start the 2025 season. He won at Rockingham two months later, but was disqualified after the race.
Car No. 3 History
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2002, 2010)
The No. 3 car was first raced by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the Busch Series. It won two championships with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 1998 and 1999. The No. 3 car joined RCR in 2002 at Daytona, driven by Earnhardt Jr. He won that Daytona race. The car returned for one race in 2010 at Daytona, driven again by Earnhardt Jr. He won the race, which was his first win in 87 Nationwide Series starts.
- Austin Dillon (2012–2013)
In 2012, the team became full-time with Richard Childress's grandson, Austin Dillon, as the driver. He had sponsorships from AdvoCare, Bass Pro Shops, and American Ethanol. Dillon stayed in the championship hunt, winning both Kentucky races and earning Rookie of the Year. Dillon returned in 2013 and won the championship without a victory, which was a first for the team. Austin moved to the Cup Series in 2014.
- Ty Dillon (2014–2017)
For 2014, Austin's younger brother, Ty Dillon, took over the No. 3 car. He had sponsorships from Yuengling, Bass Pro Shops, and WESCO. Dillon won his first career race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He earned three poles and finished fifth in points. He finished third in points in 2015 and fifth in 2016, even though he didn't win a race in those years.
- Multiple Drivers (2017–2018)
In 2017, Ty Dillon raced in 27 events while also competing in the Cup Series. Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brian Scott also drove the No. 3. In 2018, Ty shared the No. 3 with his brother Austin, Jeb Burton, Shane Lee, and Brendan Gaughan.
- Part-time (2022–2023, 2025)
The No. 3 car returned for one race in 2022, driven by Jeffrey Earnhardt. He finished second. On January 25, 2023, RCR announced Ty Dillon would drive the No. 3 car part-time with Ferris sponsorship. On May 19, 2025, RCR announced Austin Dillon would drive the No. 3 car for the BetMGM 300 with Boot Barn sponsorship.
Car No. 21 History
- Mike Dillon (2000)
The No. 21 car first appeared in 2000. Rockwell Automation was the sponsor, and Richard Childress's son-in-law, Mike Dillon, was the driver. Dillon had two top-10 finishes.
- Multiple Drivers (2001)
In 2001, Mike Dillon was injured. Mike Skinner and Jeff Purvis took over. Purvis won at Pikes Peak. Later, Robby Gordon drove the car for the rest of the season.
- Jeff Green and Jay Sauter (2002)
In 2002, Jeff Green won two races in the car. Jay Sauter also drove, with a best finish of fourth.
- Kevin Harvick and Others (2003–2007)
In 2003, the team aimed to win the Busch Series Owner's Championship with The Hershey Company's PayDay as sponsor. Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick drove 19 races, winning three times. RCR became the first team to win an owner's title with two different drivers. Harvick continued as the main driver, with Clint Bowyer in 2004 and Brandon Miller in 2005. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups sponsored the car. Jeff Burton also drove the car in 2005. In 2006, Harvick and Burton shared the car with United States Coast Guard sponsorship. Burton won at Atlanta, and Harvick won three more races. In 2007, AutoZone became the sponsor. Harvick drove with development driver Timothy Peters, who was later replaced by Tim McCreadie.
- Multiple Drivers (2008, 2010)
In 2008, Bobby Labonte was set to drive the No. 21 car. However, the team temporarily closed due to financial issues. It returned later in the year with Austin Dillon making his debut. In 2010, RCR hired John Wes Townley with Zaxby's as sponsor. Townley was pulled from the car after a practice crash at Phoenix, following an incident off-track. Clint Bowyer and Scott Riggs took over. Later, Morgan Shepherd drove the car. RCR eventually closed the No. 21 team after the season.
- Part-time (2011–2013)
In 2011, RCR briefly restarted the Nationwide program with development driver Tim George Jr. and Applebee's sponsorship. In 2012, Joey Coulter drove the car in two races. In 2013, Dakoda Armstrong, Brendan Gaughan, and Kevin Harvick drove the car, with Harvick finishing fifth at Indianapolis.
- Daniel Hemric (2017–2018)
.jpg)
The No. 21 car was brought back for Daniel Hemric, who drove full-time in 2017 and 2018. Hemric was a strong competitor but did not win a race before moving to the Cup Series in 2019.
- Part-time (2019)
RCR reduced to one full-time team in 2019. The No. 21 ran a limited schedule with Kaz Grala and Joe Graf Jr..
- Multiple Drivers (2020)
In 2020, the No. 21 became a full-time car again. It was shared by Myatt Snider, Anthony Alfredo, Kaz Grala, and Earl Bamber.
- Austin Hill (2022–Present)
On October 29, 2021, RCR announced they would have two full-time cars in 2022, with Austin Hill driving the No. 21. Hill won the season opener at Daytona and another race at Atlanta. He finished sixth in points and won the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award. Hill started the 2023 season by winning his second straight Daytona opener. He also won at Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Pocono. In 2024, Hill made history by winning his third straight Daytona opener. He also won at Atlanta and Atlanta again. During the playoffs, he won at Homestead to make the Championship 4. Hill started the 2025 season with a tough race at Daytona. A week later, he won at Atlanta. Hill also won at Martinsville and Talladega.
Car No. 29 History
- Part-time (2002–2006)
The No. 29 car first appeared in 2002. Kevin Harvick drove four races with different sponsors. Jim Sauter also made his final career start at the Milwaukee Mile. In 2003, Johnny Sauter drove the car. In 2004, several drivers, including Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, Ricky Craven, Brandon Miller, and Kevin Harvick, raced the No. 29. The car returned in 2005 for a special promotion with Reese's. Kevin Harvick won the race at Bristol Motor Speedway in this car. Later, Mayflower Transit sponsored Jeff Burton. In 2006, Holiday Inn sponsored the No. 29 for ten races with Burton as the driver. Burton finished in the top ten seven times, including a win at Dover.
- Multiple Drivers (2007–2009)
In 2007, the No. 29 became a full-time car. Richard Childress aimed to win the owners' championship without a full-time driver. Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer shared the No. 29 with Holiday Inn sponsorship. Burton won five times, and Wimmer had strong finishes. RCR won its second Busch Series owners' championship this way.
Holiday Inn extended its sponsorship in 2007. Scott Wimmer drove 23 races, and Burton filled the rest. Wimmer won at Nashville. In 2009, Jeff Burton was joined by Clint Bowyer and Stephen Leicht. Bowyer won the team's only two races that year. After 2009, RCR closed the team when Holiday Inn stopped its sponsorship.
Car No. 33 History
- Multiple Drivers (2012–2015)
In 2012, the No. 33 car was transferred to RCR to compete for the owner's championship. 2011 champion Tony Stewart drove the car at the season opener at Daytona. Kevin Harvick raced in 13 events, winning at Richmond and Texas. Brendan Gaughan and Paul Menard also drove. Max Papis raced at Road America. The No. 33 car returned in 2013, mainly driven by Harvick and Ty Dillon. Tony Stewart won the season opener at Daytona. Harvick won the second and last race for the No. 33 team that season at Atlanta. Other drivers like Dakoda Armstrong, Paul Menard, Max Papis, Matt Crafton, and Ryan Gifford also drove the car. In 2014, Menard won at Michigan. Rookie Cale Conley also drove several races.
For 2015, Austin Dillon, Menard, and Brandon Jones shared the car. Menard won in August at Road America.
- Brandon Jones (2016–2017)
In 2016, Brandon Jones raced full-time and competed for Rookie of the Year. He finished 10th in points with 13 top-10 finishes. In 2017, his performance declined, and he finished 16th in points. On November 17, 2017, RCR announced they would reduce to three teams in 2018, closing the No. 33 and No. 62 teams.
- Part-time (2024–2025)
On May 20, 2024, RCR announced that the No. 33 would race for Kyle Busch at Charlotte, where he finished sixth. On January 24, 2025, RCR announced that Kasey Kahne would return to NASCAR after seven years, driving the No. 33 at Rockingham in April 2025.
Car No. 62 History
- Brendan Gaughan (2014–2017)
In 2014, Brendan Gaughan moved from the Truck Series to the Nationwide Series, bringing his family-owned South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa sponsorship and the No. 62. Gaughan won his first career Nationwide race at Road America in June. He won his second race of the season at Kentucky in September. Gaughan finished eighth in points with seven top-10 finishes. Gaughan and South Point returned in 2015. He had a best finish of second at California. Gaughan continued in 2016, finishing second at Road America. Brendan Gaughan and South Point returned for the 2017 season. On November 17, 2017, RCR announced they would reduce to three teams in 2018, closing the No. 33 and No. 62 teams.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Racing
Truck No. 2 History
- Multiple Drivers (2012)
In 2012, RCR took over the No. 2 truck from KHI. The truck was shared by Tim George Jr., Brendan Gaughan, and Kevin Harvick. Harvick won at the spring Martinsville race. George Jr. later moved to another team.
- Part-time (2014)
Austin Dillon raced the No. 2 truck at Eldora in 2014 with American Ethanol sponsorship.
Truck No. 3 History
- Mike Skinner (1995–1996)
In the early years of the Truck Series, RCR had the No. 3 Goodwrench Chevy truck. Mike Skinner drove the truck in 1995. He won the series' first race at Phoenix International Raceway. He went on to win eight races and the series' first championship. Skinner won eight more races in 1996 and finished third in points.
- Jay Sauter (1997–1999)
After Skinner moved to the Cup Series, Jay Sauter became the driver. He won four times and finished in the top 10 in points for three years. He was the last driver to win for RCR in the NASCAR Truck Series until 2010. After 1999, Childress moved the team to the NASCAR Busch Series.
- Austin Dillon (2009–2011)
The truck team returned in 2009 with Richard Childress's grandson, Austin Dillon, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado at Iowa Speedway. In 2010, Dillon drove the No. 3 truck full-time, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. He won two races and was named Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Dillon won two more races and the championship.
- Ty Dillon (2012–2013)
After Austin moved to the Nationwide Series, his brother Ty Dillon took over the No. 3 truck in 2012. Ty won his first race at Atlanta and finished fourth in the standings. In 2013, Dillon won the 100th NASCAR victory for a No. 3 car at the WinStar World Casino 350K.
- Part-time (2014)
Ty Dillon returned to the No. 3 truck for the dirt race at Eldora in 2014. After that, Austin Dillon won with the No. 3 at Pocono.
Truck No. 8 History
- Part-time (1999)
In 1999, RCR raced the No. 8 truck part-time. Mike Dillon drove at Watkins Glen and Milwaukee. Jim Sauter drove the No. 8 at Michigan, finishing 10th.
Truck No. 22 History
- Tim George Jr. (2009–2010)
RCR's second truck entry debuted in 2009 with Tim George Jr. driving the No. 22 truck part-time.
- Joey Coulter (2011–2012)
In 2011, Joey Coulter became the driver of the No. 22 truck. Coulter was consistent and won Rookie of the Year. He got his first win at the Pocono Mountains 125 at Pocono Raceway in 2012.
Truck No. 31 History
- Part-time (1995)
In 1995, RCR raced the No. 31 truck part-time. Bill Cooper drove at Sonoma. Dave Marcis drove the No. 31 at the season finale at Phoenix, finishing seventh.
Truck No. 33 History
- Part-time (1997)
In 1997, RCR raced the No. 33 truck part-time for Mike Dillon at Phoenix. He finished 26th.
Truck No. 39 History
- Part-time (2013)
In 2013, RCR bought the No. 39 owner points to race for Austin Dillon in the first-ever Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway. Dillon led most of the race and won. The truck, trophy, and a piece of the dirt track are now on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The No. 39 owner points were later sold back to RSS Racing.
Truck No. 62 History
- Brendan Gaughan (2013)
In 2013, Truck Series veteran Brendan Gaughan drove the No. 62 truck full-time. Gaughan had 10 top-5 finishes and 13 top-10 finishes, ending the season seventh in points. Gaughan and the No. 62 team moved to the Nationwide Series in 2014.
Driver Development Programs
RCR has a strong program to help young drivers grow. This program has helped many NASCAR stars, including 2014 Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress's grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon. Other notable drivers who came through this program include Johnny Sauter, Mike Skinner, Clint Bowyer, Timothy Peters, John Wes Townley, Joey Coulter, and Ryan Gifford.
K&N Pro Series and ARCA Racing Series
RCR had a No. 31 car in the ARCA Racing Series in 2006 and 2007, with drivers like Burney Lamar, Timothy Peters, Alex Yontz, and Tim McCreadie. In 2008, Austin Dillon raced in the Camping World East Series and won his first race. He also raced in one ARCA Racing Series event. In 2009, Austin and his brother Ty Dillon raced in the East Series. Ryan Gifford also competed. Austin raced in three ARCA events. Ty Dillon raced in the K&N East Series in 2010, winning one race. He also won two ARCA races in the No. 41 Chevrolet. The team also had the No. 31 Chevy full-time in ARCA for Tim George Jr.. In 2011, Ty Dillon won the ARCA championship with seven wins and seven poles. George Jr. also won a race.
Team Sponsors
RCR has worked with many sponsors over the years. From 1988 to 2007, Goodwrench GM Certified Service was a main sponsor. Starting in 2001, Cingular Wireless sponsored RCR. This led to a sponsorship discussion when Cingular merged with AT&T. Also starting in 2001, The Hershey Company became an RCR sponsor, featuring candy brands like Reese's Fast Break, Hershey's Kissables, Ice Breakers candy, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Big Cup.
Partnerships and Collaborations
.jpg)
ECR Engines
ECR Engines is the engine department for Richard Childress Racing. It is located at the RCR campus in Welcome, North Carolina. The company builds Chevrolet engines for RCR and other teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and ARCA Racing Series. They also made engines for Cadillac DPi-V.R cars in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from 2017-2022. Current ECR clients include Beard Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, Trackhouse Racing, Our Motorsports, Jordan Anderson Racing, and Big Machine Racing Team.
ECR Engines was formed in May 2007 as a partnership between Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Richard Childress Racing. They worked together to build engines for Chevrolet NASCAR teams. The partnership changed when Earnhardt Ganassi Racing was formed in 2008. ECR Engines is now fully owned by RCR since 2016. ECR Engines has won eight straight IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Engine Manufacturers Championships from 2012-2018. They also have five overall wins at the Rolex 24 At Daytona from 2014, and 2017-2020.
Technical Alliances
RCR also has technical alliances with several teams. These include Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series, and Kaulig Racing, Our Motorsports, Jordan Anderson Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, and Big Machine Racing Team in the Xfinity Series. Through these partnerships, RCR provides engines, equipment, and technical support. RCR's first alliance started in 1997 as RAD (Richard, Andy, and Dale) Racing engines. This program was shared with DEI and Andy Petree Racing. The alliance ended in 2004. RCR previously had successful alliances with other teams like Furniture Row Racing and JTG Daugherty Racing. In 2021, RCR and Hendrick Motorsports started a joint project. They focus on engine research and development for Chevrolet engines. This effort is called HCD (Hendrick Childress Development).
More to Explore
See also
In Spanish: Richard Childress Racing para niños
