Veteran NASCAR team owner Richard Childress is upset about the hefty $3 million loss his Richard Childress Racing team experienced during 2024. A large portion of this financial setback stems from events surrounding his grandson, Austin Dillon whose controversial move to win at Richmond Raceway saw him penalized and his playoff spot revoked.

Richard Childress Racing, long-time NASCAR participants since its inception in 1969, is known for its impressive run within the sport, including multiple championships with celebrated driver Dale Earnhardt.

Childress’s team, which has been grappling with declining performance in recent years, only managed a single win during the 2024 season. However, it was clouded by controversy. Austin Dillon entered the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2014, capturing a win at the Daytona 500 in 2018, but subsequently facing challenges with consistency, having only three Cup victories to his name as of 2024.

The controversy began during the 2024 Cook Out 400 at Richmond, where Dillon, in a bid to win, crashed into race leaders Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap. This move, which allowed Dillon to cross the finish line first, led NASCAR to hand down a hefty penalty.

Dillon suffered a deduction of 25 driver and owner points, accompanied by disqualification from the playoffs, although the victory was not stripped from him. Despite the win, the repercussions were financially taxing, costing RCR around $2.5 million in potential postseason bonuses due to his playoff ineligibility.

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Further compounding RCR’s financial issues was an incident at Martinsville. Chevrolet instructed both Dillon and teammate Ross Chastain to obstruct competitors to benefit fellow Chevy driver William Byron in his playoff struggle. These actions violated NASCAR’s race integrity rules, resulting in a $200,000 fine to Childress’s team.

Richard Childress voiced his frustrations on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, where he shared the emotional and financial impact of the controversies. He explained:

“The whole thing, that deal [Martinsville], and Richmond cost us over $3 million… It isn’t always about the money but … it’s real money. But those two things, and I’ll never get over Richmond…

“Of all the things that’s happened in our career, the Richmond race I’ll never get over that one. Because I’ve seen it happen so many times, so many times I’ve seen those things happen.

“And the same two guys [Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin] involved in it is the same two culprits, but it came down to who had the most power who could get in NASCAR’s ear the hardest and they came down on us the hardest. It just disappoints me.”

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The team ended the 2024 season with visibly underperforming cars, marking a winless season for driver Kyle Busch for the first time in 20 years. However, plans to recoup and improve are underway. Austin Dillon’s car, No. 3, will feature major sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops and Winchester for 17 races in the 2025 Cup season.

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