Richard Childress is known as an owner who has always stood by his team. One of the big reasons behind his successful leadership throughout his long career spanning more than five decades was his support and willingness to stand by his drivers, even if the opposition was NASCAR itself. And in recent times, he has been feeling this to be true, with newer reasons, but he’s not standing alone.
The 79-year-old owner of Richard Childress Racing has been an owner-driver since 1969, and he shifted solely to ownership after 1981, focusing on tough, blue-collar racing. That toughness echoed in 1986 at North Wilkesboro, where Dale Sr. wrecked Darrell Waltrip late, earning a penalty, but Childress backed him fully, saying NASCAR overreacted to aggressive driving. And now, decades later, Childress recently called his team “blue-collar,” urging NASCAR to “take a deep dive” into rulings he sees as unfair. Yet tensions simmer, pulling Dale Jr. into the fray over perceived biases.
Dale Jr. backs Childress against NASCAR bias claims
Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped up to defend Richard Childress, arguing the team owner’s frustration with NASCAR stems from old patterns, not new vendettas. On his Dale Jr Download podcast, he said, “There were times in the 80s and 90s where there was a little bit of that, where Dad would get penalized for rough driving, and boy, you know, Richard would be like, ‘You know, NASCAR’s wrong. They screwed us.’”
This ties in with Childress’s history of loyal support, such as in 1995 when Dale Sr. faced fines for bumping Terry Labonte at Bristol, and Childress publicly challenged the call as overreach. Dale Jr. sees this as consistent, not paranoia, amid recent hits to RCR. Childress needs support after a 2024 Richmond penalty stripped Austin Hill of points for rough driving, fueling his belief that NASCAR ‘targets’ his squad.
Dale Jr. noted, “It seems like ever since then, Richard feels like that they’re out to get them. And I don’t think that that’s real.” This substantiates Hill’s 2025 Indianapolis wreck on Aric Almirola, ruled intentional, leading to a suspension and no playoff points at Watkins Glen despite a top-5 finish. Childress’ charter disputes add layers, but Dale Jr. calls it amplified frustration from that Richmond handling.
Dale Jr. also went on to praise Childress’ hands-on role in the team, saying, “He’s there. He’s in it. It’s his life.” This echoes a 1987 story where Childress rebuilt cars overnight after Dale Sr.’s Talladega crash, refusing to back down. Childress’ comments on charters and penalties show ongoing clashes, but Dale Jr. views it as passion, not conspiracy, urging fans to see the loyalty that built RCR’s 117 Cup wins.
And Richard Childress’ early years weren’t the only vintage highlights Dale Jr. digs up—he often drops trivia that wows listeners, like in this case, he recently shared a gem from NASCAR’s early days.
Dale Jr. drops vintage NASCAR stat
Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a quirky fact on social media. “Random stat: the 1969 Firecracker 400 at Daytona (160 laps) had only 2 cautions. Both totaling 27 laps! Caution one, a single car crash was 14 laps long. While caution 2 involving 5 cars was 13 laps long.” This highlights how races were dragged under yellows back then, with no quick cleanups like today. The event, won by LeeRoy Yarbrough, saw just those flags, per official records.
Random stat: the 1969 Firecracker 400 at Daytona (160 laps) had only 2 cautions. Both totaling 27 laps! Caution one, a single car crash was 14 laps long. While caution 2 involving 5 cars was 13 laps long.
Also, I like looking at these old race programs at the ads for local…
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) August 14, 2025
Junior added, “A grandstand ticket to the 1971 Daytona 500 would cost you anywhere from $6 to $30. An infield pass was $5.” Adjusted for inflation, that’s $45 to $225 today, showing how affordable early NASCAR was. Dale Jr. loves old programs for ads and checking modern sites via Google Maps.
These nuggets remind fans of NASCAR’s evolution from dirt roots to high-tech spectacles. Dale Jr.’s knowledge keeps the sport’s history alive for new generations.
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