Richard Childress Racing is getting out of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, a series it dominated as recently as four years ago. Team owner Richard Childress said this week at Iowa Speedway that RCR would run two teams in the Camping World Truck Series for Childress’ grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon. “I want to give the grandsons an opportunity to run,” Childress said. “We’ve got Ty and Austin, and they’re not going to be ready for Nationwide. We could’ve kept chasing Nationwide; we had sponsorship we could’ve kept going with. We didn’t have enough sponsorship to run two teams, and running one, it didn’t really make sense.” Childress started the season with John Wes Townley in the #21 Nationwide car, but sidelined Townley after the young driver had problems on the track. The car ran more races with other drivers, but now Morgan Shepherd is fielding the #21 for RCR. Townley has since been released, Childress confirmed. “I guess he’s been released,” Childress said. “I know he’s been released from his contract to be able to drive for someone else.” Childress said the new Nationwide Series cars the team built will be used by Kevin Harvick Inc. in a deal between the two teams.(NNS Racing)(7-31-2010)
UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing is looking at possible expansion to four teams in the Sprint Cup Series in 2011 and is in the process of finalizing a deal to run next year’s Nationwide Series program through Kevin Harvick Inc. Team owner Richard Childress said an announcement on the deal with KHI should be made soon. The plan is for RCR to supply engines to KHI for the Nationwide program and for RCR to field two teams in the Truck Series where Childress’ grandson, Austin Dillon, drives the No. 3. RCR Cup drivers Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick would run KHI cars when in the Nationwide Series.(ESPN.com)(8-1-2010)
