Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing was founded in 1969 by former driver Richard Childress, who made his debut in the NASCAR top series at the 1969 Talladega 500, a race overshadowed by boycotts. After 285 Cup starts without a victory, Childress decided in 1981 to step out of the driver’s seat and devote himself entirely to his role as team owner. To this day, the organization is headquartered in Welcome, North Carolina, near Lexington and Winston-Salem, where Childress built his life’s work over decades.

The number 3 is a chapter unto itself, inseparably linked to RCR for decades. Since 1972, the team has continuously qualified at least one car for every Cup race, the longest active streak of its kind in the entire paddock. On the 52-acre company grounds in Welcome, 15 buildings now stand, including engine manufacturer ECR Engines and the approximately 4,400 square-meter RCR Museum with an attached team store, which offers fans a glimpse into the team’s long history.

The most successful phase in the team’s history is inseparably linked to Dale Earnhardt, who joined RCR full-time in 1984 and became the defining figure of the team in the black Chevrolet bearing the number 3. Together, Childress and Earnhardt secured six NASCAR Cup championships—1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994—and crowned this dominance with the long-awaited victory at the 1998 Daytona 500. These years made RCR one of the defining forces in American motorsports during the 1980s and 1990s.

Today, the organization continues to be led by Richard Childress as chairman and CEO, supported by team president Mike Verlander and chief operating officer Mike Dillon, who oversee daily operations and race execution. In the Cup Series, RCR currently fields Austin Dillon in the storied number 3 car and Austin Hill in the number 33, while Kyle Busch and Jesse Love round out the organization’s driver lineup across series, with Love competing in the developmental O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

For the 2026 season, the focus at RCR is on whether the mix of experienced names like Kyle Busch and rising talents like Jesse Love can provide new momentum, while Austin Dillon and Austin Hill are to ensure continuity in the Cup Series. With its deeply rooted history, the legendary legacy of number 3, and a broad-based development program, Richard Childress Racing remains a team that embodies tradition and ambition in equal measure.