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 Xfinity Series: 2. Jesse Love (R) 21. Austin Hill |
| Sponsors | Cup Series: 3. Bass Pro Shops, BREZTRI AEROSPHERE, BetMGM, Morgan & Morgan, Get Bioethanol, Dow (Ducks Unlimited), Boot Barn, SENIX Tools, Toys for Tots 8. Zone Nicotine Pouches, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, BetMGM, FICO, Mark III Employee Benefits, Rebel Bourbon, Lucas Oil, Morgan & Morgan, Global Industrial, Lenovo, 3Chi Xfinity Series: 2. Whelen (NLEOMF, NFFF), C4 Energy, Samsara 21. Bennett Family of Companies, Global Industrial, Nuthin Fancy Collection, Dow, United Rentals |
| 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: 2,713 Cup Series: 1,635 Xfinity Series: 801 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: 255 Cup Series: 117 Xfinity Series: 97 Camping World Truck Series: 31 ARCA Racing Series: 10 |
| Pole positions | Total: 192 Cup Series: 57 Xfinity Series: 86 Camping World Truck Series: 39 ARCA Racing Series: 10 |
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is a professional stock car racing team in America. It competes in the top NASCAR series, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is located in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned by Richard Childress.
In the Cup Series, RCR currently has two Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 teams. These are the No. 3 car for Austin Dillon and the No. 8 car for Kyle Busch. In the Xfinity Series, they have two Chevrolet Camaro teams: the No. 2 for Jesse Love and the No. 21 for Austin Hill. RCR has had a car in every Cup race since 1972, which is the longest active streak. The team is also famous for always using the number 3 on its main race car.
RCR works with other teams too. They have partnerships with Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series. In the Xfinity Series, they work with Big Machine Racing and Jordan Anderson Racing. They also have agreements with Beard Motorsports.
RCR has won the NASCAR Cup Series championship six times, all with the legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. They have also won the Daytona 500 three times: with Earnhardt in 1998, Kevin Harvick in 2007, and Austin Dillon in 2018. Many famous drivers have raced for RCR, like Jeff Burton, Mike Skinner, and Clint Bowyer.
Contents
NASCAR Xfinity Series Teams
Car No. 2 History
RCR started racing the No. 2 car in the Nationwide Series (now Xfinity Series) in 1999.
- Kevin Harvick (1999–2001)
Kevin Harvick was the first driver of the No. 2 AC Delco-sponsored 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 driver Johnny Sauter won a race and finished 14th in points. The next year, Ron Hornaday Jr. drove the car, winning one race and finishing third in points. He won another race in 2004.
- Clint Bowyer (2005–2008)
In 2005, Clint Bowyer took over, winning two races and finishing second in points. In 2006, he finished third in points with one win. After 2006, longtime sponsor AC Delco left. For 2007, BB&T became the sponsor. Bowyer raced full-time in 2008, winning at Bristol and earning the 2008 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 2011, Kevin Harvick sold his racing organization, and the Nationwide Series team joined RCR. Driver Elliott Sadler and sponsor OneMain Financial moved to RCR. Sadler continued his success, winning four races and finishing second in the championship in 2012. He later moved to another team.
- Brian Scott (2013–2015)
In 2013, Brian Scott became the driver of the No. 2 car. He had better results, finishing seventh in points. His best race was at Richmond, where he led many laps and finished second.
Scott returned in 2014 and continued to improve. He earned several pole positions and finished fourth in the championship. In 2015, Scott raced the No. 2 Camaro again before leaving for the Cup Series.
- Multiple Drivers (2016–2017)
In 2016, different drivers raced the No. 2 car, including Austin Dillon and Paul Menard. They had sponsors like Rheem and Menards. Dillon won two races, and Sam Hornish Jr. and Michael McDowell each won one race. The team finished sixth in owner points. In 2017, Dillon and Menard continued to drive the No. 2, but they did not win any races.
- Matt Tifft (2018)
In 2017, it was announced that Matt Tifft would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2018 and compete for the Xfinity Series Championship.
- Tyler Reddick (2019)
The 2018 Xfinity Series champion, Tyler Reddick, joined RCR for 2019. He won his second championship, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back titles with different teams.
- Myatt Snider (2021)
In 2020, it was announced that Myatt Snider would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2021. Snider earned his first career win at the Contender Boats 250.
- Sheldon Creed (2022–2023)
In 2021, Sheldon Creed was announced as the full-time driver for 2022. In 2022, Creed finished second at the September Darlington race. In 2023, Creed made the playoffs but did not win a race. He announced he would not return to RCR in 2024.
- Jesse Love (2024)
In 2023, it was announced that Jesse Love would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2024. Love scored his first career win at Talladega in April.
Car No. 3 History
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2002, 2010)
The No. 3 car first raced for RCR in 2002 at Daytona, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.. He won that race. The No. 3 car returned in 2010 at Daytona with a special paint scheme like his father's. Earnhardt Jr. won the race, his first Xfinity Series win in a long time.
- Austin Dillon (2012–2013)
In 2012, the team became full-time with Richard Childress's grandson, Austin Dillon, as the driver. Dillon stayed in the championship hunt all season, winning both Kentucky races and earning Rookie of the Year. In 2013, Dillon won the championship even though he didn't win any races, which was a first for the series. Austin then moved up to the Cup Series in 2014.
- Ty Dillon (2014–2017)
For 2014, Austin's younger brother, Ty Dillon, took over the No. 3 car. Dillon won his first career race at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished fifth in points in 2014 and had career-best finishes of third in 2015 and fifth in 2016, without winning a race in those years.
- Multiple Drivers (2017–2018)
In 2017, Ty Dillon shared the No. 3 with Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brian Scott. In 2018, Ty and Austin Dillon, along with Jeb Burton and Shane Lee, drove the No. 3. Brendan Gaughan also drove the No. 3 in 2018.
- Part-time (2022–2023)
The No. 3 car returned for one race in 2022, driven by Jeffrey Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt's grandson. He finished second, his best career result. In 2023, RCR announced that Ty Dillon would drive the No. 3 car part-time.
Car No. 21 History
- Mike Dillon (2000)
The No. 21 car first appeared in 2000 with Rockwell Automation as the sponsor. Richard Childress's son-in-law, Mike Dillon, was the driver. He had two top-10 finishes that year.
- Multiple Drivers (2001)
In 2001, Mike Dillon was injured. Mike Skinner and Jeff Purvis (who won a race) took over. Later, Robby Gordon finished the season as the driver.
- Jeff Green and Jay Sauter (2002)
In 2002, Jeff Green and Jay Sauter drove the car. Green won two races, and Sauter had a best finish of fourth.
- Kevin Harvick and Others (2003–2007)
In 2003, Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick drove 19 races, winning three times. RCR won the owner's championship with two different drivers (Harvick and Johnny Sauter). Harvick continued to be the main driver, sharing the car with Clint Bowyer in 2004 and Brandon Miller in 2005. Jeff Burton also drove the car in 2005. In 2006, Harvick and Burton split driving duties, with Harvick winning three more races and Burton winning one. In 2007, AutoZone became the sponsor, and Harvick shared the car with Timothy Peters and Tim McCreadie.
- Multiple Drivers (2008, 2010)
In 2008, Bobby Labonte was scheduled to drive the No. 21 car. However, the team temporarily shut down due to financial issues. It returned later that year to debut Austin Dillon. In 2010, John Wes Townley was the driver with Zaxby's as the sponsor. Townley was later replaced after an incident. Clint Bowyer and Scott Riggs also drove the car. The team eventually closed down after 2010.
- Part-time (2011–2013)
In 2011, RCR briefly brought back the No. 21 for a few races with driver Tim George Jr.. 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 returned full-time for Daniel Hemric 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)
In 2019, RCR had only one full-time team, and 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)
In 2021, RCR announced they would have two full-time cars again in 2022, with Austin Hill driving the No. 21. Hill started the 2022 season with a win at Daytona and another win at Atlanta. He finished sixth in points and won the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award.
Hill began 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 his second race in a row at Atlanta. Later in the year, Hill won his third race of the season at Atlanta. During the playoffs, he won at Homestead to make the Championship 4.
Car No. 29 History
The No. 29 car first appeared in 2002. Kevin Harvick drove it in four races with different sponsors. Jim Sauter also made his last career start in this car. In 2003, Johnny Sauter drove the car at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In 2004, several drivers, including Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart, raced the No. 29.
In 2005, the No. 29 car was part of a special promotion at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick won the race in the No. 29 car, with Jeff Burton finishing second in the No. 21 car. Later, Mayflower Transit sponsored Burton in the No. 29.
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 car became full-time. Richard Childress aimed to win the owner's championship without a full-time driver. Burton and Scott Wimmer shared the car. Burton won five times, and Wimmer had strong finishes. RCR won its second owner's championship this way.
Holiday Inn continued its sponsorship in 2008. Scott Wimmer drove 23 races, and Burton drove the rest. Wimmer won at Nashville. Wimmer left the team after 2008.
In 2009, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, and Stephen Leicht shared the No. 29 car. Bowyer won the team's only two races that year. After 2009, RCR closed down the No. 29 team because Holiday Inn stopped its sponsorship.
Car No. 33 History
- Multiple Drivers (2012–2015)
In 2012, the No. 33 car joined RCR to compete for the owner's championship. Tony Stewart drove it at Daytona, and Kevin Harvick raced in 13 events, winning at Richmond and Texas. Brendan Gaughan, Paul Menard, and Max Papis also drove the car.
The No. 33 car returned in 2013, mainly driven by Harvick and Ty Dillon. Tony Stewart won the season opener at Daytona. Harvick also won at Atlanta. Other drivers like Dakoda Armstrong, Matt Crafton, and Ryan Gifford also raced the car.
In 2014, Menard returned for a few races and won at Michigan. Rookie Cale Conley also drove several races.
For 2015, Austin Dillon, Menard, and Brandon Jones shared the car. Menard won at Road America in his home state of Wisconsin.
- Brandon Jones (2016–2017)
In 2016, Brandon Jones raced full-time for Rookie of the Year. He finished 10th in points with 13 top-10 finishes. In 2017, his performance dropped, and he finished 16th in points. In 2017, RCR announced they would reduce to three teams in 2018, closing the No. 33 and No. 62 teams.
- Part-time (2024)
In 2024, RCR entered the No. 33 car for Kyle Busch at Charlotte.
Car No. 62 History
- Brendan Gaughan (2014–2017)
In 2014, Brendan Gaughan moved from the Truck Series to the Nationwide Series, bringing his family's sponsor, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, and his longtime number 62. Gaughan won his first career Nationwide race at Road America in June. He won a second race at Kentucky in September. Gaughan finished eighth in points that year.
Gaughan and South Point returned for 2015. He had a best finish of second at California. Gaughan continued to race in 2016, earning 16 top-10 finishes, including a second-place at Road America.
Brendan Gaughan and South Point returned for the 2017 season. However, RCR announced they would reduce to three teams in 2018, closing the No. 33 and No. 62 teams.
NASCAR Truck Series Teams
Truck No. 2 History
- Multiple Drivers (2012)
In 2012, RCR took over the No. 2 truck. Tim George Jr. raced in 12 events, Brendan Gaughan in 7 races, and Kevin Harvick in three races. Harvick won at Martinsville.
- Part Time (2014)
Austin Dillon drove the No. 2 truck at Eldora in 2014.
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 and went on to win eight races, earning the first series championship. Skinner won eight more races in 1996.
- 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 every year. He was the last driver to win for RCR in the Truck Series until Austin Dillon won in 2010. After 1999, RCR moved its truck program 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. In 2010, Dillon drove the No. 3 truck full-time. He won five pole positions, two races (Iowa and Vegas), and had 15 top-10 finishes. He also won the 2010 Rookie of the Year award. In 2011, Dillon won two more races and the Truck Series 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.
- 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 had the No. 8 truck for Mike Dillon at Watkins Glen and Milwaukee. Jim Sauter also drove the No. 8 at Michigan, finishing 10th.
Truck No. 22 History
- Tim George Jr. (2009–2010)
RCR's second truck team started 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 very consistent and had the fewest crashes among all rookies, winning Rookie of the Year. In 2012, Coulter got his first win at Pocono Raceway.
Truck No. 31 History
- Part Time (1995)
In 1995, RCR had the No. 31 truck part-time for Bill Cooper 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 had the No. 33 truck part-time for Mike Dillon at Phoenix.
Truck No. 39 History
- Part Time (2013)
In 2013, RCR bought the No. 39 owner points to race the truck for Austin Dillon in the first-ever dirt race at Eldora Speedway. Dillon led most of the race and won. The truck and trophy are now on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
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 Program
RCR has a strong program to help young drivers become NASCAR stars. This program has helped many drivers, including 2014 Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress's grandsons, Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon. Other famous drivers who came through this program include Johnny Sauter, Mike Skinner, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Coulter.
K&N Pro Series and ARCA Racing Series
In 2006, RCR had a No. 31 car in the ARCA Racing Series. In 2007, it ran in six races and had three top-10 finishes.
In 2008, Austin Dillon raced full-time in the Camping World East Series. He won his first race and finished second in points. Austin also raced in one ARCA event.
The No. 3 car raced in five East Series races in 2009, with Austin and his brother Ty Dillon driving. Ryan Gifford also raced in the East Series. Austin raced in three ARCA races, finishing second twice.
Ty Dillon raced in eight K&N East Series races in 2010, winning one. Dillon also raced in three ARCA races, winning two. The team also had the No. 31 Chevy full-time in ARCA for Tim George Jr.. Dillon raced full-time in the ARCA Series in 2011 and won the championship with seven wins and seven pole positions. George Jr. also improved and 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. Also in 2001, The Hershey Company became a sponsor with its candy brands like Reese's Fast Break and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Partnerships and Affiliations
.jpg)
ECR Engines
ECR Engines is the engine-building part of Richard Childress Racing. They build Chevrolet engines for RCR and other teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and ARCA Racing Series. They also built engines for Cadillac race cars in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from 2017-2022.
ECR Engines was formed in 2007 as a partnership between Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Richard Childress Racing to build engines for Chevrolet NASCAR teams. In 2016, ECR Engines became fully owned by RCR.
ECR Engines has won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Engine Manufacturers Championship eight times in a row from 2012-2018. They also won the Rolex 24 At Daytona five times.
Technical Alliances
RCR also has technical alliances with several teams. This means RCR provides engines, equipment, and technical support to these teams. In the Cup Series, they work with Kaulig Racing. In the Xfinity Series, they work with Kaulig Racing, Our Motorsports, Jordan Anderson Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, and Big Machine Racing Team.
RCR's first alliance started in 1997. RCR also had successful alliances with teams like Furniture Row Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports in the past.
In 2021, RCR and Hendrick Motorsports started a joint project to develop Chevrolet engines together. This effort is called HCD (Hendrick Childress Development).
See also
In Spanish: Richard Childress Racing para niños
