In the vast landscape of professional racing, Austin Dillon stands as a unique figure, a blend of traditional grit and modern leadership. As a professional race car driver for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), the team founded by his grandfather, Richard Childress. Dillon does not just stand behind the wheel but has also been preparing to take the reins of the entire organization and assist his brother.
Dillon’s journey extends beyond the asphalt. He is the general manager of the Carolina Cowboys, a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) team co-owned by RCR. This role is a proving ground for Dillon, a chance to demonstrate his leadership and business acumen to his grandfather. He embraces the challenge, drawing inspiration from the toughness of the cowboys he works with.
This grit was on full display at Richmond when he clinched a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, revealing afterward that he had been driving for weeks with a broken rib. As he said, “I would have complained about my rib before, now the Cowboys would be like, “Yeah, that’s nothing.” Dillon credited his time with the Carolina Cowboys for giving him the mental fortitude to push through the pain while gaining strategic assistance from the crew chief, Richard Boswell.
Boswell began a new chapter in his career last year when he joined RCR. With a history of guiding some of NASCAR’s biggest names, he was brought on to lead the legendary No. 3 team and its driver, Austin Dillon. This season, the partnership quickly proved its immense potential.
Austin Dillon’s playbook for life on and off the track
Austin Dillon’s victory at the 2025 Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway was more than a trip to Victory Lane; it was a powerful statement for a team in transition. Driving the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet for RCR, Dillon was dominant, leading 107 laps on his way to his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series win. The victory was also a historic one, as he became the first repeat winner of the event in 15 years.
This on-track success is a direct reflection of significant strategic shifts happening behind the scenes. What Richard Childress once established in 1969 as a small idea has now turned into a championship dynasty; the team now operates under a new dynamic.
Childress’s grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon, have taken on increasingly active roles in decision-making, leading to a more complex environment for the family-run operation. During the post-race press conference, Austin highlighted the feeling of being able to work with his family, saying, “It’s pretty surreal, really, to be able to work with your family and work on, you know, the Carolina Cowboys for example.”
Further, after Dillon’s win, the No. 3 team secured a multi-year sponsorship with Titan Risk Solutions and formed a strategic technology partnership with R3, a move that underscores RCR’s commitment to innovation and long-term competitiveness. Austin Dillon, widely considered the heir to lead RCR when his grandfather eventually steps down, has acknowledged the challenges of this evolving structure.
He says his growing involvement in both management and competition often leads to “contentious” and “frustrated exchanges” with his grandfather. “We get into arguments to the point of frustration. It’s very hard when he’s your grandfather to have an argument with him because you don’t want to argue about it. There’s certain directions we have to go to move this boat forward, right?”
Despite these challenges, Dillon understands the need to navigate the relationship carefully, saying, “But I enjoy a lot of it, man, but you have to compartmentalize everything. You have to compartmentalize the family part. You have to compartmentalize getting to the racetrack and the ups and downs of it.”
Austin Dillon clears his image from being a villain to a hero
At the 2024 Richmond race, Dillon secured the win but was stripped of his playoff berth due to an aggressive final lap where he punted competitors Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. That win felt empty, but it served as a crucial lesson.
In 2025, Dillon delivered a commanding repeat performance. While his racing lines were nearly identical to the previous year, one key difference made all the difference: he raced clean. With rivals like Alex Bowman and Cup champion Ryan Blaney charging hard, Dillon could have easily resorted to the same aggressive tactics. Instead, he maintained his composure and kept his closest challengers at bay without a single misstep, proving he had learned his lesson and didn’t need to resort to nefarious actions to win.
Despite the clean victory, critics were quick to label Dillon a nepo baby because of his being the grandchild of Richard Childress, claiming his success was a result of his family’s legacy. Crew chief Richard Boswell, who was with Dillon on the track, immediately defended his driver’s merit. “Anybody who says he doesn’t deserve to be at this level, look at the 30 or 40 laps he raced side by side with Ryan Blaney,” Boswell stated, adding, “He won a Cup championship. He raced door-to-door with a Cup champion and beat him at the end.”
While this is true about what Richard Boswell said regarding Austin Dillon’s on-track talent, it is just one part of their successful partnership. Over the year, the competitors formed a brotherly bond where both feel understood without having to use the rhythm of communication. Above all else, it is the lifeblood of success in the high-stakes world of professional racing.
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