Richard Childress Racing has undergone significant change over the last year but it has been positive overall. Kyle Busch, the former driver of Joe Gibbs Racing, joined the organization to drive the No. 8 car starting in 2023.
Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick left Richard Childress Racing for 23XI Racing after Busch replaced him in the entry. Since that point, it has been up and down as the driver of the No. 8 car has three wins and a series-best average finishing position while Austin Dillon sits 29th in the point standings.
Dillon only has four top-10 finishes and was slammed with a big penalty at the NASCAR R&D Center; however, this is not about overall performance as Richard Childress Racing has been linked to a major driver outside of the United States of America.
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Richard Childress Racing linked to this popular driver for a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2023
Richard Childress Racing used to be a three to four-car operation. They had a lineup of three full-time drivers while a fourth, part-time car was used to field drivers in select races. This ended in 2017 after Paul Menard left the NASCAR team.
The organization downsized to two full-time drivers with Dillon and Ryan Newman for the 2018 season before there was another change. Newman left with Busch, Reddick, and Tyler Reddick having their turns in the No. 8 car.
Since Richard Childress Racing’s downsizing after the 2017 season, a part-time entry has only been driven five times overall. The latest was Austin Hill in the No. 33 car at Michigan International Speedway in August 2022 but there appears to be another race could be coming soon.
Auto Action’s Andrew Clarke revealed the news that another driver from Supercars, the same series as Chicago Street Course winner Shane van Gisbergen, will join the NASCAR Cup Series for their debut. Who is this driver and what did Clarke have to say?
“Brace yourself, America. Another Australian Supercar driver is on his way to teach your NASCAR drivers how it is done. Brodie Kostecki looks certain to run a Chevrolet during the combined NASCAR and IndyCar weekend on the Indianapolis Road Course on 13 August.”
Andrew Clarke reveals the new driver possibly running for Richard Childress Racing
Gisbergen pulled off the impossible at the Chicago Street Course by winning in his Cup Series debut and Brodie Kostecki appears to be the next man up. Kostecki, 25, is a championship contender in Supercars as he sits higher in the point standings than Gisbergen.
The 25-year-old driver was not mentioned as a hired driver to a specific NASCAR team; however, he has been linked to Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing for a possible NASCAR Xfinity Series event.
Kostecki’s team, Erebus Motorsport, has a close relationship with Richard Childress Racing. In fact, Kostecki was present at World Wide Technology Raceway as a guest of the NASCAR team when Busch won his third race of the 2023 season.
One might suggest Trackhouse Racing as an option but the organization has no more planned races with the No. 91 car for the rest of the 2023 season, according to team owner Justin Marks after the Chicago Street Course. This is important as Kostecki’s deal was believed to come together before Gisbergen’s victory.
Unless it is a team completely out of the blue, it appears that Richard Childress Racing could be the organization that Kostecki makes his Cup Series debut with at the Indianapolis Road Course next month.
If the NASCAR organization is serious about fielding a third car, who else could be a possible fit? Continue reading to find out three ideal drivers to pilot the No. 33 car for a race or two in 2023 or beyond!
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3 ideal drivers for Richard Childress Racing if they want to run more races with a third car
Richard Childress Racing has not run a third car very often over the last five years; however, it doesn’t mean the NASCAR team is completely against the idea. So, who would be a good fit to run the No. 33 car for a race or two?
Austin Hill is one of the ideal candidates if Richard Childress Racing is looking to go in-house for a potential start. Hill, 29, is running a partial schedule with Beard Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series while being a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver with Richard Childress Racing.
The 29-year-old driver has three victories and sits second in the point standings during the 2023 season. Hill’s performances indicate he is getting closer to a possible move to the Cup Series and the organization could help give him more experience in quality equipment.
Sheldon Creed is another in-house name that would make sense for the long-term goals of Richard Childress Racing. Creed, 25, currently drives the No. 2 car for the organization’s Xfinity Series program alongside Hill.
The 25-year-old driver hasn’t won in the Xfinity Series but has shown slight improvement over his rookie season. Creed is still far away from making the jump to the Cup Series but if the NASCAR team is serious about his future, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a start here or there.
Lewis Hamilton is a major out-of-the-box idea but the Formula 1 champion has expressed interest in trying out NASCAR in the future. Hamilton, 38, wouldn’t try out NASCAR until his Formula 1 days are over so this would give Richard Childress Racing time to prepare a pursuit.
The 38-year-old driver would be a huge grab for the organization as there would definitely be other items interested in his services. Hamilton is the unlikeliest driver on the list but it doesn’t mean it is impossible down the line.
Richard Childress Racing doesn’t run a third car as much as 23XI Racing or Trackhouse Racing; however, that can change very quickly. If everything is true about Kostecki’s Cup Series debut, the NASCAR team might be preparing for its third entry to make a debut during the 2023 season.