Starting as a modest driver, Richard Childress traded in the steering wheel for something far bigger: team ownership. And with the formation of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), he hit gold. It was with Dale Earnhardt that RCR truly soared, collecting six of The Intimidator’s seven championships. He forever etched the black No. 3 into NASCAR legend. Over the decades, RCR became a family name (both figuratively and literally) with Childress grooming the next generation of racers, which included Austin and Ty Dillon.

Naturally, fans assumed the legacy would continue in-house, passed down like a treasured heirloom. But in a surprising twist, the youngest Childress heir has been charting a course that’s turning heads and ruffling feathers. Because when the family business is this iconic, taking a detour doesn’t go unnoticed.

The Dillon split at Richard Childress Racing

When your last name is Dillon and your grandfather is Richard Childress, the path to a NASCAR career might seem all but paved. That was the case for Austin and Ty Dillon, sons of former driver and longtime RCR executive Mike Dillon. Well, Mike Dillon himself drove for RCR for a large part of his career, although he didn’t earn much success there.

Speaking of the current generation, the elder of the two, Austin, like his father, slid into the No. 3 Cup car full-time in 2014 and hasn’t looked back. His run with Richard Childress Racing has been steady, if not always spectacular, and he’s become the face of the family-owned team. Nothing’s wrong here! With a Daytona 500 and a Coca-Cola 600 win to his name, Austin has done well for himself and is still going strong.

Ty Dillon, the younger of the two, looked like he was following the same script. After a few part-time Cup appearances in 2014 and 2015, also in RCR-affiliated equipment, it felt like only a matter of time before he’d join his brother in the main garage. The Richard Childress legacy intact! But that call never quite came. Ty instead found himself with teams like Germain Racing, Petty GMS, and now, in 2025, he’s with Kaulig Racing. Agreed, they are all still Chevrolet-backed and RCR-aligned, but unmistakably a separate path.

“Honestly, it wasn’t that I left to do my own thing. Sometimes in life, there’s no more doors open. And you gotta create your own doors. It’s not like I left to try and figure it out on my own. I wouldn’t change the fact that I had to gout and fight for what I wanted. I think it has made me a better person, made me have more gratitude and appreciation for what I have,” Ty said in an interview with Steven Taranto, explaining his path away from his family roots.

And recently, that quiet separation hasn’t gone unnoticed. A simple observation, Ty being the only one of Richard Childress’ grandsons not driving for RCR, has sparked a wave of online conversation. Some fans are applauding Ty for forging his own path. Others are questioning why the grandson of the team’s founder isn’t in one of the best cars his family can offer.

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Fans weigh in on Ty Dillon’s absence from Richard Childress Racing

Some argue Ty’s decision (or lack of invitation) to not drive directly for RCR may have been for the best. “He’s doing better with Kaulig anyway,” one fan wrote. And the stats back it up. Ty has quietly posted more top-20s (6) in the first half of 2025 than he did all season in 2023 for Spire Motorsports (last full-time season). While not championship material yet, his performance (an average finish of 23.123 this season) has improved at Kaulig. This is something fans are happy about.

Then there’s the nepotism narrative. “He doesn’t want to be associated with nepotism,” one Reddit user pointed out. With both brothers on track, the optics would be rough, especially for a legacy team like RCR that’s trying to stay competitive in the post-Harvick, post-Earnhardt era. At a time when Kyle Busch is struggling in the #8 car, fielding two brothers would ignite backlash from the fans who still aren’t over with Austin driving Earnhardt’s #3 Chevy.

But not everyone is convinced Ty was the one doing the distancing. “Gotta pick a favorite grandson when there’s only one spot to give,” one fan quipped. Of the two brothers, Austin has had a better NASCAR career than Ty. Take a look at this year’s stats too. Austin is ranked 27th. Ty is 31st. The former also has 3 top-10s compared to zero by the latter. Austin’s average finish is better than Ty too. Considering that the other spot in RCR currently belongs to none other than Kyle Busch, Richard Childress clearly made the call for competitiveness.

Another added, “Because Childress isn’t an idiot… he knows they need a high-value driver to lead.” RCR isn’t the powerhouse team it was in NASCAR after the demise of the Intimidator. They had their stint with Kevin Harvick, and then Tyler Reddick, and now, Busch is the face of the team. RCR needs a competitive driver who fights for race wins and the title. Something both Austin and Ty lack at the moment, so the veteran team owner has played it smart by keeping Austin in RCR, whereas Ty drives for Kaulig, which has an alliance with Childress’ organization.

Perhaps the conclusion of the 2026 season will provide the fans with a better lens on how RCR decides to move ahead in the Cup Series.