History of Richard Childress Racing in Timeline

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is a prominent American stock car racing team participating in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Based in Welcome, North Carolina, the team is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress. RCR has a long and successful history in NASCAR, achieving multiple championships and race wins across various series. The organization is a major player in stock car racing, fielding multiple entries and employing numerous drivers, crew members, and support staff.

1972: RCR Cup Race Qualifying Streak Begins

In 1972, RCR began a streak of successfully qualifying at least one car for every Cup race, marking the longest active streak in NASCAR. The team also became known for its longstanding use of the number 3 on its primary race car.

1989: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Runs No. 3 Car

In 1989, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. initially ran the No. 3 car in the then-Busch Series.

1989: Sunoco's Sponsorship of Billy Hagan's Race Team Begins

In 1989, Sunoco began sponsoring Billy Hagan's race team, featuring drivers Sterling Marlin and Terry Labonte. Unocal 76 was the fuel supplier at the time.

1992: Sunoco Sponsorship of Billy Hagan's Race Team Ends

In 1992, Sunoco's sponsorship of Billy Hagan's race team came to an end. The team had featured drivers Sterling Marlin and Terry Labonte during the sponsorship period.

1997: RCR's First Alliance Model: RAD Racing Engines

In 1997, Richard Childress Racing (RCR) initiated its first alliance model known as RAD (Richard, Andy, and Dale) Racing engines. This program shared aerodynamics with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) and Andy Petree Racing.

1998: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Championship

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back championships.

1998: Dale Earnhardt Wins Daytona 500

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500 driving for RCR.

1999: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Championship

In 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back championships.

1999: RCR Fields Entry in Nationwide Series

In 1999, RCR began fielding an entry in the Nationwide Series at the fall North Carolina Speedway race, transitioning the entire team from the Craftsman Truck Series. Kevin Harvick became the first driver of the No. 2 AC Delco-sponsored Chevy.

2000: No. 21 Car Debuts

In 2000, the No. 21 debuted with Rockwell Automation as the sponsor and Mike Dillon as the driver. Dillon posted two Top 10 finishes and finished 23rd in points that year.

2001: Dillon Injured, Skinner and Gordon Take Over Driving Duties

In 2001, Dillon was injured at Bristol Motor Speedway and sidelined for the rest of the season. Mike Skinner initially replaced him, but after Skinner's injury, Jeff Purvis briefly took over and won at Pikes Peak, before Skinner returned. After Skinner's release, Robby Gordon assumed driving duties for the remainder of the 2001 season.

2001: Kevin Harvick Wins Busch Series Championship

In 2001, Kevin Harvick won the Busch Series Championship while simultaneously running full-time in the Winston Cup.

2002: Johnny Sauter Wins at Chicagoland

In 2002, rookie driver Johnny Sauter won at Chicagoland and finished 14th in points for RCR.

2002: Debut of the No. 29 Car with Harvick

In 2002, the No. 29 car made its first appearance, with Kevin Harvick running four races sponsored by GM Goodwrench, Action Racing Collectibles, Sonic, and Sylvania. Jim Sauter also made his final career start at the Milwaukee Mile.

2002: RCR Debuts No. 3 Car

In 2002, the No. 3 made its debut as part of the RCR stable at the EAS/GNC Live Well 300 at Daytona, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with sponsorships from Oreo and Nilla. Earnhardt won the Daytona race.

2003: Johnny Sauter Drives No. 29 at Homestead with PayDay Sponsorship

In 2003, Johnny Sauter drove the No. 29 car at Homestead-Miami Speedway, sponsored by PayDay. This was a thank you from Richard Childress for Sauter's help in winning the 2003 owners' championship for the 21 team.

2003: RCR Pursues Busch Series Owner's Championship with Harvick and Sauter

In 2003, Richard Childress Racing, sponsored by The Hershey Company's PayDay brand, aimed for the Busch Series Owner's Championship. Kevin Harvick drove 19 races, achieving three wins and consistent Top 10 finishes. Johnny Sauter completed the schedule, and RCR became the first team to win an owner's title with two different drivers in 2003.

2004: Harvick Anchors RCR with Bowyer Co-Driving

In 2004, Kevin Harvick served as the anchor driver for RCR in the Busch Series, with Clint Bowyer taking on the co-driving duties, continuing RCR's pursuit of success in the series.

2004: Multiple Drivers Participate in the No. 29

In 2004, the No. 29 car saw participation from several drivers including Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, Ricky Craven, Brandon Miller and Kevin Harvick.

2004: Conclusion of RAD Racing Engines

In 2004, the RAD Racing engines alliance concluded midway through the year when Andy Petree shut down his team.

2004: Nextel Enters NASCAR, Cingular and Alltel Grandfathered In

In 2004, when Nextel entered NASCAR, Cingular and Alltel were grandfathered in as sponsors. The drivers wore white Nextel Cup Series logos on their fire suits.

2005: Clint Bowyer Joins RCR in No. 2 Car

In 2005, Clint Bowyer took the wheel of the No. 2 car, headed up by crew chief Gil Martin, winning at Nashville Speedway and Memphis Motorsports Park, finishing second in points.

2005: Harvick Anchors RCR with Miller Co-Driving, Burton drives at Bristol

In 2005, Kevin Harvick served as the anchor driver for RCR in the Busch Series, with Brandon Miller taking on the co-driving duties and sponsorship from Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Jeff Burton also drove the car at Bristol in 2005.

2005: Harvick Wins at Bristol in Reese's Promotion

In 2005, the No. 29 car returned at Bristol Motor Speedway as part of a promotion for Reese's Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lovers Cups. Kevin Harvick won the race in the No. 29 car while Jeff Burton finished second in the No. 21 during the 2005 season.

2005: Ron Hornaday Jr. Departure

Ron Hornaday Jr. was not re-signed for 2005.

March 17, 2006: Holiday Inn Announces Sponsorship of the No. 29 Car

On March 17, 2006, Holiday Inn announced its sponsorship of the No. 29 car for ten races, with Jeff Burton returning as the driver. The new car made its 2006 debut at Richmond.

2006: Clint Bowyer Returns to No. 2 Car, AC Delco Sponsorship Ends

In 2006, Clint Bowyer returned to the No. 2 car with Dan Deeringhoff as crew chief. Bowyer finished 3rd in points with a win a Dover. 2006 was the final year for longtime sponsor AC Delco. GM Goodwrench also withdrew from the Cup Series after 2006.

2006: Harvick and Burton Split Driving Duties with Coast Guard Sponsorship

In 2006, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton shared driving duties for RCR in the Busch Series, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard. Burton secured a win at Atlanta, and Harvick added three more wins, establishing a significant lead in the points standings with five races remaining in the 2006 season.

March 16, 2007: AT&T Files Lawsuit Against NASCAR

On March 16, 2007, AT&T filed a lawsuit against NASCAR after NASCAR refused to allow AT&T to advertise the AT&T Mobility brand on the No. 31 car. This followed their merger with Cingular Wireless, with NASCAR citing the Sprint Nextel contract as the reason for the refusal.

2007: Sunoco Infuriated by Shell Oil Logos

Following the 2007 Daytona 500, Sunoco was infuriated by the presence of Shell Oil logos on Kevin Harvick's winning No. 29 car and team uniforms. Sunoco believed its exclusive rights to provide fuel to NASCAR also gave them exclusive marketing rights to gasoline. The 29 team altered its paint scheme the following week with smaller Shell decals and a larger emphasis on co-sponsor Pennzoil.

2007: Harvick and Peters Drive with AutoZone Sponsorship

In 2007, AutoZone replaced the Coast Guard as the sponsor, and Kevin Harvick drove along with development driver Timothy Peters. Timothy Peters was later replaced by Tim McCreadie, multiple dirt late model series champion, during the 2007 season.

2007: BB&T Sponsors Clint Bowyer

In 2007, BB&T became the sponsor with Clint Bowyer running 21 races in the No. 2. Kenny Wallace drove one race at Gateway International Raceway, sponsored by Jimmy John's.

2007: Kevin Harvick Wins Daytona 500

In 2007, Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500 while driving for RCR.

2007: No. 29 Goes Full-Time, Wins Owner's Championship

In 2007, the No. 29 car went full-time with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer sharing driving duties, sponsored by Holiday Inn. Burton won five times, including the finale at Homestead. RCR secured its second Busch Series owners' championship without a full-time driver in 2007.

2007: Holiday Inn Extends Sponsorship, Wimmer and Burton to Drive

Near the end of 2007, Holiday Inn signed a multi-year extension to sponsor the No. 29 car, with Scott Wimmer signing on for 23 races and Jeff Burton filling out the rest. The new deal also brought on branding from Holiday Inn Express, which included commercials featuring Burton.

May 2008: RCR Shuts Down Temporarily, Austin Dillon Debuts

In May 2008, RCR temporarily shut down due to financial difficulties but returned at the Emerson Radio 250. The team used this race to debut Austin Dillon, the son of Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress, marking a significant moment for the family and the team in 2008.

2008: AT&T Mobility Sponsorship Ends

At the end of 2008, the settlement made between AT&T and NASCAR allowed AT&T Mobility to sponsor the No. 31 car until this time.

2008: Clint Bowyer Wins Nationwide Series Title

In 2008, Clint Bowyer returned full-time, scoring 18 Top 10s in the first 21 races including a win at Bristol, and ultimately winning the 2008 Nationwide Series title.

2008: Wimmer and Burton Drive No. 29

In 2008, Wimmer had a pole at Bristol and 13 top 10s, including a win at Nashville. Burton had two poles, but also had two DNFs and went winless in 13 starts. Wimmer left the team following the 2008 season.

2009: Driver Competition and Team Shutdown

In 2009, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, and Stephen Leicht shared the No. 29 car, competing to have their name on the car based on wins. Bowyer secured two wins, while Burton had consistent top 10s. Burton also made his 300th career Nationwide Series start at Charlotte. After 2009, RCR shut down the team after Holiday Inn withdrew its sponsorship.

2009: No. 2 Team Runs Partial Schedule and Shuts Down

In 2009, the No. 2 team ran a partial schedule with Sean Caisse and Austin Dillon sharing the ride. The team shut down after 2009.

2010: Driver Changes and Sponsorship Adjustments for RCR's No. 21 Car

In 2010, John Wes Townley was hired as the driver for RCR's No. 21 car, sponsored by Zaxby's. After a practice crash and an arrest for underage alcohol possession, Townley was replaced by Clint Bowyer and Scott Riggs. Zaxby's reduced their sponsorship to 21 races, and Morgan Shepherd drove for several weeks. RCR and Shepherd formed Shepherd Racing Ventures, but at the end of 2010, RCR shut down the No. 21 team, transferring the owner points to Shepherd.

2010: Earnhardt Jr. Wins Subway Jalapeño 250

In 2010, the No. 3 car returned for one race at the Subway Jalapeño 250 at Daytona, driven by Earnhardt Jr. with a sponsorship from Wrangler. Earnhardt won the race.

2011: RCR Restarts Nationwide Program Briefly with Tim George Jr.

In 2011, RCR briefly restarted its Nationwide program, running a few races with development driver Tim George Jr. and sponsorship from Applebee's.

2011: Transfer of No. 33 Car to RCR

In 2011, the No. 33 car was transferred to RCR to run for the owner's championship.

2011: RCR Acquires KHI's Nationwide Series Team

In late 2011, Kevin Harvick sold off his KHI organization, with the Nationwide Series team and equipment going to Childress' stable. KHI's 2 car, driver Elliott Sadler, and sponsor OneMain Financial moved over to RCR.

2012: Austin Dillon Drives No. 3 Car Full-Time

In 2012, Austin Dillon drove the No. 3 car full-time with Danny Stockman as crew chief, sponsored by AdvoCare, Bass Pro Shops, and American Ethanol. Dillon claimed Rookie of the Year and finished third in points.

2012: Elliott Sadler Finishes Second in Championship

In 2012, Elliott Sadler continued on the success from KHI, finishing second in the drivers championship for the second year in a row to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2012: Drivers and Sponsorships for No. 33 Car

In 2012, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan, Menard, and Max Papis drove the No. 33 car, sponsored by Nabisco's Oreo and Ritz brands, South Point, Pinnacle Foods, Hunt Brothers Pizza, AdvancePierre Foods, Menards, and Rheem. Harvick was the only driver to secure wins, at Richmond and Texas during the 2012 season.

2012: No. 21 Runs at Charlotte and Homestead with Coulter

In 2012, the No. 21 car ran at Charlotte and Homestead with Joey Coulter driving.

2013: Austin Dillon Wins Championship

In 2013, Austin Dillon returned, sponsored by AdvoCare. The No. 3 team scored five consecutive poles and seven total on the year. Dillon won the championship without a victory.

2013: Brian Scott Drives No. 2 Car

In 2013, Brian Scott took the wheel of the No. 2, bringing sponsorship from Shore Lodge and Whitetail Club. Scott finished seventh in points. At Richmond in September, Scott won the pole and led 229 laps, finishing second after being passed by Brad Keselowski.

2013: Armstrong, Gaughan, and Harvick Drive No. 21, Best Finish Fifth at Indianapolis

In 2013, Dakoda Armstrong, Brendan Gaughan, and Kevin Harvick drove the No. 21 car, with their best finish being fifth at Indianapolis.

2013: Stewart, Harvick and Dillon Drive No. 33

In 2013, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and Ty Dillon mainly drove the No. 33 car, Stewart won the season opener at Daytona, and Harvick secured a win at Atlanta. Other drivers including Dakoda Armstrong, Paul Menard, Max Papis, Matt Crafton, and Ryan Gifford also participated during the 2013 season.

2013: Sadler moves to Joe Gibbs Racing

In 2013, after turning down an extension offered by Childress to continue in the second tier series, Elliott Sadler and sponsor OneMain Financial moved to Joe Gibbs Racing, which included a start in the Cup Series.

2014: Austin Dillon Moves to Cup Series

In 2014, Austin Dillon moved up to the Cup Series.

2014: Brian Scott returns to RCR

In 2014, Brian Scott returned to RCR, and included several starts in the No. 33 Cup car. Brian Scott had a career best fourth place in the championship standings.

2014: Menard Wins at Michigan

In 2014, Paul Menard returned to drive the No. 33 car for a few races, scoring a win at Michigan. Rookie Cale Conley also drove several races with sponsorship from OKUMA and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America during the 2014 season.

2014: Ty Dillon Takes Over No. 3 Car

In 2014, Ty Dillon took over the No. 3 car with sponsorships from Yuengling, Bass Pro Shops, and WESCO. Dillon earned a pole at Las Vegas and won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finishing fifth in points and earning a Rookie of the Year nomination.

2015: Dillon, Menard, and Jones Share No. 33 Ride

In 2015, Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, and Brandon Jones shared the No. 33 ride, sponsored by Rheem and Menards. Menard secured a win in August at Road America by using pit strategy and holding off Ryan Blaney in the 2015 season.

2015: Mike Hillman Jr. Becomes Crew Chief

In 2015, Mike Hillman Jr. replaced Phil Gould as crew chief for Brian Scott in the No. 2 Camaro. Scott left the team at the end of the season.

2015: Ty Dillon Finishes 3rd in Points

In 2015, Ty Dillon followed up his previous performance with a career-best 3rd place in points.

2016: Jones Runs Full-Time in No. 33

In 2016, Brandon Jones ran full-time in the No. 33 car, competing for Rookie of the Year, sponsored by Menards and Nexteer Automotive. He finished 10th in points with 13 top tens.

2016: Ty Dillon Finishes 5th in Points

In 2016, Ty Dillon finished 5th place in points.

2016: Multiple Drivers Field No. 2 Car

In 2016, a variety of drivers drove the No. 2 car including Austin Dillon and Paul Menard. Sam Hornish Jr. won the spring Iowa race, while Michael McDowell won at Road America. The No. 2 team finished 6th in owners points.

October 5, 2017: Matt Tifft to Drive No. 2 Car in 2018

On October 5, 2017, it was announced that Matt Tifft would be the driver of the No. 2 car in 2018 and compete for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.

November 17, 2017: RCR Downsizes to Three Teams

On November 17, 2017, it was announced that RCR would downsize to three teams in 2018, shutting down the 33 and 62 teams after the 2017 season.

2017: Jones Regresses in No. 33

In 2017, Brandon Jones regressed, missing the chase and scoring only 3 top tens, finishing 16th in points, driving No. 33.

2017: Hemric Drives Full-Time in No. 21

In 2017, Daniel Hemric drove the No. 21 car full-time for RCR in the Xfinity Series.

2017: Dillon and Menard Continue to Run No. 2 Camaro

In 2017, Dillon and Menard continued to run the No. 2 Camaro. The best finish for the No. 2 car was 2nd in the Lilly Diabetes 250 with Menard behind the wheel.

2017: Ty Dillon Runs Partial Schedule

In 2017, Ty Dillon ran 27 of the 33 races alongside his rookie Cup Series campaign. Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brian Scott also drove in the No. 3's schedule.

2018: Austin Dillon Wins Daytona 500

In 2018, Austin Dillon won the Daytona 500, driving for RCR.

2018: Hemric Continues Driving Full-Time in No. 21

In 2018, Daniel Hemric continued to drive the No. 21 car full-time for RCR, consistently performing well but without securing a race win.

2018: Matt Tifft to Drive No. 2 Car

In 2018, Matt Tifft was announced as the driver of the No. 2 car and competed for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.

2018: RCR Shuts Down No. 33 and 62 teams

In 2018, RCR shut down the 33 and 62 teams after the 2017 season as part of a downsizing effort.

2018: Multiple Drivers Share No. 3 Car

In 2018, Ty and Austin Dillon shared the No. 3 car with Jeb Burton, Shane Lee, and Brendan Gaughan.

2018: Tyler Reddick Wins Xfinity Series Championship with JR Motorsports

In 2018, Tyler Reddick won his first Xfinity Series Championship, driving for JR Motorsports.

2019: Hemric Moves Up to Cup Series

Daniel Hemric moved up to the Cup Series for the 2019 season after driving full-time in the No. 21 for RCR in 2017 and 2018.

2019: Tyler Reddick Wins Second Championship

In 2019, Tyler Reddick was signed to RCR and won his second consecutive championship. He was the first champion to win back-to-back championships while driving for different teams.

December 10, 2020: Myatt Snider to Drive No. 2 Car Full-Time

On December 10, 2020, it was announced that Myatt Snider would drive the No. 2 car full-time and Snider picked up his first career win in the Contender Boats 250.

2020: No. 21 Returns to Full-Time Competition

In 2020, the No. 21 car returned to full-time competition, shared by multiple drivers including Myatt Snider, Anthony Alfredo, Kaz Grala, and Earl Bamber.

September 14, 2021: Sheldon Creed to Drive No. 2 Car Full-Time in 2022

On September 14, 2021, it was announced that Sheldon Creed would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2022, replacing Myatt Snider.

October 29, 2021: RCR Announces Two Full-Time Cars for 2022

On October 29, 2021, RCR announced that they would field two full-time cars again in 2022, with Austin Hill driving their second car.

2021: Joint Venture with Hendrick Motorsports

In 2021, RCR and Hendrick Motorsports formalized a joint venture focusing on engine R&D and establishing a common Chevrolet engine specification. The effort was led by Jeff Andrews of Hendrick Motorsports and Richie Gilmore of RCR and was referred to as HCD (Hendrick Childress Development).

January 21, 2022: RCR Reveals Hill's Car Number as No. 21

On January 21, 2022, RCR revealed on their website that Austin Hill's car number would be the No. 21. He began the season with a win at Daytona and ended the season as the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year.

April 12, 2022: Jeff Stankiewicz Suspended

On April 12, 2022, crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz was suspended for four races after the No. 2 car lost a ballast during the 2022 Call 811 Before You Dig 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

2022: Jeffrey Earnhardt Drives No. 3 Car

In 2022, the No. 3 car returned for one race, driven by Jeffrey Earnhardt, who finished in a career-best second place.

January 25, 2023: Ty Dillon to Drive No. 3 Car Part-Time

On January 25, 2023, RCR announced that Ty Dillon will drive the No. 3 car part-time in 2023 with sponsorship from Ferris.

October 25, 2023: Jesse Love to Drive No. 2 Car Full-Time in 2024

On October 25, 2023, RCR revealed that Jesse Love would drive the No. 2 car full-time in 2024, replacing Sheldon Creed.

2023: Hill Wins Second Straight Daytona Season Opener

In 2023, Austin Hill began the season by winning his second straight season opener at Daytona. He also scored wins at Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Pocono during the 2023 season.

2023: Sheldon Creed Makes Playoffs

In 2023, Sheldon Creed started the season with a DNF at Daytona, made the playoffs, and crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz was suspended for the Bristol playoff race after the car was found to have two loose lug nuts following the Kansas race.

2024: Hill Wins Third Straight Daytona Season Opener, Faces Fine and Point Deduction

In 2024, Austin Hill won his third straight season opener at Daytona. He secured a win at Atlanta using fuel strategy. At Charlotte, an incident led to a crash and retaliation, resulting in a US$25,000 fine and a 25-point deduction for Hill. Later in 2024, Hill won his third race of the season at Atlanta and also won at Homestead to make the Championship 4.

2024: Jesse Love's First Career Win

In 2024, Jesse Love started the season with a 20th place finish at Daytona and scored his first career win at Talladega on April 20.

2024: Sheldon Creed Departure Announcement

On October 11, 2023, Sheldon Creed announced that he will not return to RCR in 2024.

May 19, 2025: Austin Dillon to drive the No. 3 car for the BetMGM 300

On May 19, 2025, RCR announced Austin Dillon will drive the No. 3 car for the BetMGM 300 with sponsorship coming from Boot Barn.

2025: Hill Rebounds from Daytona DNF with Atlanta Win

Austin Hill started the 2025 season with a 33rd place DNF at Daytona, but rebounded with a win at Atlanta a week later. Hill also scored wins at Martinsville and Talladega during the 2025 season.

2025: Jesse Love Wins Daytona, Disqualified at Rockingham

In 2025, Jesse Love started the season with a win at Daytona. Two months later, he won at Rockingham, but was disqualified after failing post-race inspection, resulting in Sammy Smith being declared the winner.