There was a time when Richard Childress Racing used to be the powerhouse team in NASCAR. It all stemmed from the friendship between Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt, and this partnership would go on to script history. Under Childress’s ownership, Earnhardt captured six of his seven Cup championships (1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994) driving the No. 3 Chevrolet and amassed the bulk of his 76 career wins with RCR.

That era also saw RCR emerge as a marquee Chevrolet partner. But ever since Kevin Harvick departed from Stewart-Haas Racing to win the championship, they’ve lost their luster. The entire organization never really recovered after Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona in 2001, and being unable to attract or retain talented drivers has sort of become the norm.

In recent seasons, that mediocrity has persisted. From a single Cup victory in 2024 to just three in 2023 and four in 2022. In 2022, RCR notched four Cup wins, three by Tyler Reddick and one by Austin Dillon, matching its 2013 win total and combining to lead 527 laps, its strongest showing since Kevin Harvick’s 2013 season (269 laps led). This brief resurgence contrasted with later years, as RCR struggled to replicate that form amid driver changes and rising competition. And with the emergence of fellow Chevy teams like Trackhouse Racing and Spire Motorsports, it looks as if RCR has fallen down the pecking order.

Richard Childress himself conceded after the 2024 season, “I felt like we let Kyle down some last year by not winning a race. There’s things we’ve changed a lot to try to win.” These comments reflect an organization aware of its slide yet grappling with how to reverse course amid escalating resource requirements and technological complexity. Despite longstanding legacy assets, shop infrastructure in Welcome, experienced personnel, and Chevrolet factory support, fan frustration has mounted. A recent Reddit discussion lamented that RCR, once a clear No. 2 Chevy team behind Hendrick, now trails newer operations like Trackhouse and even smaller entries like Spire more often, raising questions about investment, talent attraction, and organizational direction.

One fan observed, “RCR was absolutely a top-tier team with Dale Earnhardt. The problem is they fell behind once Earnhardt died and never really caught up for more than a couple of seasons with Harvick, Burton, and Bowyer. Once Dillon came in and Harvick left, they fell off a cliff.” This perspective captures the narrative many hold. Despite flashes of competitiveness, RCR’s Cup program has lacked sustained recovery since the early 2000s. Next thing you know, the Reddit thread gets flooded with fans decoding the reason behind RCR’s downfall.

Is RCR no longer a Chevy powerhouse team?

“Richard Childress stopped investing into the team a long time ago. They don’t attract talent and are isolated in Welcome, NC. They’re just stagnant.” Although teams like Trackhouse Racing have an alliance with RCR, for some reason they are producing better results. Two of their three drivers are already in the playoffs, whereas Kyle Busch is looking to repeat 2024’s script. That massive overhaul within the RCR executive level was supposed to take them forward, but clearly that hasn’t paid off.

“Similar to Stewart Haas. take away 2 drivers from their history, and have they really accomplished much in their entire existence?” Stewart-Haas Racing found major success with Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, but outside those two pillars, results have been uneven. Likewise, RCR’s peaks correlate closely with the Earnhardt Sr. and Harvick eras. After those drivers departed or passed on, RCR has lacked a second cornerstone performer to sustain momentum. Statistical trends show limited race wins outside standout drivers. Since Harvick’s exit in 2013, only sporadic victories by Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch have punctuated otherwise winless seasons.

“RCR is in the sport to grab cash from sponsors that’s all they live off a legacy that died 24 years ago.” RCR’s branding heavily leverages the Earnhardt legacy, a powerful draw for sponsors historically. However, modern sponsorship decisions increasingly hinge on on-track performance metrics, media exposure, and tech partnerships. While RCR secures deals based on heritage, prolonged lack of wins and playoff contention can diminish sponsor ROI, making partnerships harder to maintain or expand. Had it not been for Earnhardt’s legacy, it is hard to imagine if RCR would still be considered a top-tier NASCAR organization.

Then came the nepotism arguments, questioning Austin Dillon’s spot within the team driving the #3 Chevy. While family legacy isn’t something new in NASCAR, apart from a few crown jewel wins, Dillon hasn’t led the team’s program to championship level. Meanwhile, fans are also not sold on Kyle Busch’s contract extension, citing that he is only at RCR for the money. “AD keeping that seat as long as he has should tell you all you need to know. Apparently Richard views the team as an ad agency that also races; there’s no real desire to compete there, I think KFB is just there for the money anymore,” a fan concluded.

With no wins in sight and Spire and THR making progress on the racetrack, RCR could fall further down the pecking order. And while they can rely on the stardom of Kyle Busch for now, they need to start delivering on the racetrack.