As NASCAR is making its return to Bowman Gray Stadium after 54 years, Richard Childress reflected on the significance of the venue in his life. In a recent interview with WXII 12 news, Childress reminisced about his childhood days at Bowman Gray, where he started by selling peanuts.
Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing and Richard Childress Vineyards in North Carolina, attributes his success to his roots at the Madhouse, as the stadium is fondly called.
“Yeah going back in history, I was probably nine or ten, I can’t even remember, I was a kid,” Childress recalled. “My middle brother and we went over one night. And my stepdad took us to a race, and we just fell in love watching them and seeing these kids selling peanuts and popcorn. So we asked them if we could come back next week.” (0:53-1:12)
Childress went on to talk about how his NASCAR journey began at Bowman Gray Stadium, stating,
“I do quite a bit of public speaking, and I always like to start out by saying, ‘Only in America, Only in America could a kid with a $20 race car and with a dream be here today at the WXII. That’s the story.” (2:45-3:04)
NASCAR is set to return to Bowman Gray Stadium for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray this weekend, marking the season opener for the Cup Series. The anticipation for the event is high, especially for Richard Childress.
How did Richard Childress start Richard Childress Racing?
Richard Childress established Richard Childress Racing in 1969 when he was a driver, using the money he earned from his NASCAR debut at Talladega. This marked the beginning of a team that would go on to achieve great success.
In 1981, Childress brought on board Dale Earnhardt, a move that would define RCR’s history. Together with Earnhardt, RCR won multiple races and solidified their status as a dominant force in NASCAR.
The late 1980s and early 1990s were the golden years for RCR, where they clinched six Cup Series championships in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. RCR later entered the Xfinity Series and secured five owner’s titles in 2001, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2019.
However, in recent years, Richard Childress Racing has faced challenges and has not captured a Cup Series championship for three years. Currently, the team fields two full-time cars (Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon) and one part-time car in the Cup Series.
Edited by Neelabhra Roy
