In NASCAR’s long and prestigious history, there is perhaps no team owner who has been as influential as Richard Childress. From giving the community the sport’s finest partnership with Dale Earnhardt for six Cup Series championships to winning the Daytona 500 with Kevin Harvick in 2007 and Austin Dillon in 2018, RCR is a name that is as synonymous with motorsport glory as some other great legacies like that of the Petty family. But just like all the greats, Richard Childress Racing has also endured a tumultuous journey to the top.

And as we head into the 2024 season, it seems as if the team’s glory days are far behind them. Although that could all change after Kyle Busch showed great form at the Clash to finish second, there is one regret that still looms over the decorated Cup Series owner.

Richard Childress reveals what could have been during Kevin Harvick’s RCR reign

During NASCAR’s golden era, Dale Earnhardt quickly stole the hearts of the entire community through his meteoric rise in the Cup Series. Eventually, this unstoppable success landed him at Richard Childress’ door, and the rest is history. Apart from the championships, the biggest moment that came from RCR’s glory days was when ‘The Intimidator’ finally secured the elusive Daytona 500 win in 1998. Unfortunately, however, this trajectory would face a major downward shift after the tragic death of Earnhardt Sr. in 2001.

But it wasn’t all over for Richard Childress Racing’s hopes of a championship then. After all, the man replacing Earnhardt was no stranger to such pressure. Kevin Harvick went on to bring 23 Cup trophies to RCR’s garage over his stint, but ultimately, the championship was just too far away. While RCR and Harvick were a formidable force, they seemed to fall short of Jimmie Johnson’s unstoppable success throughout the 2010s. Eventually, Harvick’s time with RCR was over, and the title was still a stone’s throw away.

“The Jimmie Johnson years,” Childress reflected on Harvick’s stint as he spoke to NBC Sports, “Kevin Harvick was right there. If I had one thing that I regret about Harvick, (it) was not winning the championship with him. I felt we were so close so many times. Jimmie, a lot of times had it wrapped up, but we were always third or fourth right in there.” Even when Johnson wasn’t winning, Harvick narrowly missed out on the title when he finished third during Tony Stewart’s third title win in 2011.

So naturally, it was only a matter of time before Richard Childress spilled the beans on the elusive championship that could have been. After all, Kevin Harvick was perhaps one of the few prime candidates to stop Jimmie Johnson’s dominance. But while reflecting on what could have been will bring nothing but sorrow to the minds of RCR supporters, the 78-year-old is not one to give up so easily.

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RCR and Co. still have unfinished business in the Cup Series

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When Harvick departed from Richard Childress Racing, many believed there would not come another time that the team could surpass its former glory. But Kyle Busch in 2022 changed that prospect for many fans and insiders in the community alike. Austin Dillon, the grandson of Childress, revealed back then that he had convinced Busch to join the team by expressing “We’re survivors and we’re fighters at RCR.”

But through all this pressure, what keeps Richard Childress from passing on the torch? He shared with NBC, “I think chasing that elusive championship. … I can leave tomorrow and it’d be over. I don’t need to do what I’m doing, but I feel responsible for every employee I have here, and I don’t want to walk away from them unless I know they’re going to be taken care of…and I still want to win that elusive championship.”

Even though SiriusXM’s Pistol Pete has ranked Richard Childress Racing down 8th on the 2024 preseason organization power rankings, the team leader’s optimism despite the setbacks speaks volumes of the perseverance that RCR can go through to turn things around. With a lot riding on the table, can Kyle Busch not only mimic Earnhardt Sr and finally win the elusive Daytona 500 with RCR but also the title?

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