Dover did what Dover always does — chewing up the field and spitting out drama. The 2025 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 had it all: a rain delay that felt like it would never end, overtime chaos (twice!), and a Monster Mile that lived up to its name by testing every ounce of patience and strategy in the garage. In the end, it was Denny Hamlin who powered through for his fourth win of the season, inching ever closer to 60 career Cup victories.
But while fans were glued to the action on track, something just as fiery was brewing behind the scenes. It was tucked away from the cameras and the crowd. Let’s just say that after Dover, Richard Childress didn’t just make headlines, he made promises. And now, one of his crew chiefs is letting us in.
Richard Childress faces 2025 adversity with grit.
“You know Richard Childress has been a part of this sport for way longer than any of us, right?” RCR crew chief Richard Boswell kicked off the conversation on the SiriusXM podcast. And he isn’t wrong. Richard Childress’s name is synonymous with NASCAR greatness. Starting as a determined driver with six top-5 and seventy-six top-10 finishes. However, Childress found true legendary status as a team owner. Pairing with Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s and 1990s, Childress’s Richard Childress Racing (RCR) became a powerhouse. They captured six Cup Series championships, three Daytona 500 victories, and over 200 race wins across NASCAR’s top divisions.
But if we fast-forward to today, the 2025 season hasn’t been doing any justice to the Richard Childress legacy. And after the 2025 Dover race, Childress’s frustration came through both publicly and privately. His radio transmission on the cooldown lap after Kyle Busch finished 11th was blunt. “Gotta get some race cars. We are in trouble. Period.” The message wasn’t just reserved for one car, though. Both Kyle Busch’s and Austin Dillon’s teams heard similar calls for improvement.
Later, as revealed by Boswell, it wasn’t frustration or an in-the-moment rant. Richard Childress meant every word of what he said. “He pulled us into his office yesterday and said, ‘Hey, I said what I said, I meant it, and I know you guys feel the same way, but I’m here to tell you that I’m not going to say those things and then not put my money where my mouth is.’” This public candor is classic Childress. It’s direct, passionate, and demanding accountability from his organization.
Richard Boswell on the message Richard Childress gave to his teams post-Dover:
“I said what I said, I meant it […] I’m not gonna say those things and not put my money where my mouth is. So what do we need?”
More from the @RCRracing crew chief → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/9lkXLfLbSZ
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 24, 2025
The 2025 season has seen RCR grappling with inconsistency. Star signing Kyle Busch, despite flashes of speed and a pair of top-5s on road courses, remains 39 points outside playoff contention. As for Austin Dillon, he stands even further down the standings. In response, Childress has made notable competition department changes and made clear to his team that he’s invested in solutions, not just criticism.
As RCR fights to turn their slump around, Childress’s legendary resolve is inspiring the crew to double down in their pursuit of victory. “I want to win just as bad as anybody, right? And I dedicate my time away from my family to do that,” he’s been quoted. And that honesty has refocused the effort within the team. The hope is that this hallmark intensity and direct leadership will help RCR rediscover its competitive edge as the playoff cut line approaches.
A wake-up call for a legendary team
The 2025 Dover race was a pivotal moment for Richard Childress Racing, but not for positive reasons. Both of its drivers, Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon, have been slipping from solid playoff contention. This downfall from contender to potential playoff absence signals a challenging season, not just for drivers, but for the whole organization.
Recently, Kyle Busch openly admitted that the biggest weakness for Richard Childress Racing in 2025 lies not in a lack of effort, but in a persistent speed deficit. “I tell you, it is not due to a lack of effort. Engineers are trying to figure it out. The balance of the race cars has been pretty good this year, it’s just the lack of speed,” he recently said on the Pat McAfee show.
Despite these challenges, Busch’s belief in the team’s ability to turn things around persists, as does the urgency to close the speed gap before the critical late-season stretch. This honest assessment comes amid mounting pressure within RCR, following a string of disappointing results and outspoken criticism from the team owner.
With Childress laying down the gauntlet and veterans like Busch speaking candidly, the message is clear. There’s no more room for excuses. RCR’s next few races could define their 2025 season. Whether they rise or crumble under pressure, one thing’s certain: the fire has been lit. Now it’s up to the team to answer the call.
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