Ahead of the 2026 Cup Series season, Richard Childress Racing is undergoing key organizational changes. The team has brought forward new names for the leadership positions. The most prominent name among these is Mike Dillon, the son-in-law of Richard Childress and the father of NASCAR drivers Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon. So far, after retiring from all three national series, Mike has been handling management roles in the RCR camp. And now, as RCR tries to modernize its operations for 2026, Mike just got a promotion from his father-in-law.
Richard Childress promotes son-in-law as direct successor
Ahead of the 2026 season, Mike Dillon will start serving as the Chief Operating Officer for Richard Childress Racing. Childress has been running the team for a long time in NASCAR. Since their debut in NASCAR in 1969, the team has cemented itself as one of the top outfits in NASCAR. They were seven-time champions with Dale Earnhardt during the pre-2000s era in the NASCAR Cup Series.
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The decision to promote Mike Dillon as the COO seems to be an important step in Childress’ strategy. Earlier, Richard Childress expressed interest in selling his stake in the team to potential investors. It was an indication of the fact that Childress is ready to move on and transfer his ownership of the team. And what better candidate could he choose than his own son-in-law?
According to his official statement, “RCR has assembled a talented team of professionals to help lead our race team into the future. Mike Dillon has already begun assembling top talent for RCR and has a track record of success when working with the competition side of our race team.”
Mike Dillon has been a key member of Richard Childress Racing since his early days in NASCAR. Earlier, he used to be one of their drivers in the Cup Series. His injuries forced him to step away from the team and take the role of the spotter for the No. 33 car driven by Clint Bowyer.
TALLADEGA, AL – OCTOBER 01: Austin Dillon 3 Richard Childress Racing Bass Prog Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet watches pit road action with his father Mike during qualifying for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Playoff YellaWood 500 on October 01, 2022 at Talladega SuperSpeedway in Talladega, AL Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: OCT 01 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff YellaWood 500 Icon2210019157500
Dillon was promoted to the role of General Manager, in which he served until the end of the 2025 season. Childress’ decision to make him COO marks him as the direct successor to Richard Childress. After expressing interest in selling the team, Childress would want to keep things under control.
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In this scenario, it is better that a member of his family takes over and becomes the CEO once he is too old for the job. It is a meticulous decision that has clearly defined the hierarchy in the team. Other than Mike Dillon, there are also other changes in the organizational structure of the team.
John Klausmeier will be the technical director of the team, using his 20 years of motorsports experience and his ability to win championships as a crew chief to handle the technical departments. He will directly report to the COO, Mike Dillon.
Andy Street is another big name to serve in a leadership position from 2026. Street is going to be the performance director at RCR. He will serve as the crew chief for their part-time entry, the No. 33 car.
But among other things, this promotion for Mike does raise an obvious question.
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Is Richard Childress Racing becoming an example of NASCAR’s nepotism?
Richard Childress Racing has been working with the Dillons for a long time. Austin Dillon‘s entry onto the team was questioned by many back then, especially comparing him to the likes of teammate Kyle Busch. Denny Hamlin had famously said, “First of all, he got his ride because of his name.” For the past two years, Austin Dillon’s NASCAR career has been lukewarm to say the least.
But does it affect Richard Childress’ plans for them? Absolutely not, “I would like for it (Richard Childress Racing) to be running 60 years from now,” is Richard Childress’ vision for the team.
And in this case, it is clear that the chain of command is going to pass on to the Dillon family once Richard Childress bids adieu to the team. The problem is that Austin Dillon has hardly performed up to the mark. Since his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series, he has not claimed a Top-10 in the Cup Series standings even once.
Kyle Busch L and Austin Dillon wait on pit row during .qualifying for the 2023 Daytona 500 on February 15, 2022 in Daytona, Florida. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY DAY2023021506 EDWINxLOCKE
It makes the fans question the validity of his contract. It doesn’t seem fair, especially when we compare his stats to teammate Kyle Busch. In his first year with RCR, Busch claimed three victories in the regular season. Dillon, on the other hand, remained winless.
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It is true that Austin Dillon has won races in both 2024 and 2025, but he has not been on par with Kyle Busch. The latter is, in fact, facing performance issues after being one of the top drivers in NASCAR for the past two decades.
There’s no doubt that Childress would leave no stone unturned in order to ensure the success and future of his grandsons in NASCAR. But what do you think, should he give another driver a shot at the No. 3 driving seat?
The post Richard Childress Hands Son-in-Law Major RCR Power Amidst Bold Organizational Leadership Shift appeared first on EssentiallySports.
