Denny Hamlin Defends Richard Childress After Dover Race Comments

Dover, Delaware

Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), expressed frustration with his team after their performance at Dover. Following the race, Childress spoke candidly to his drivers, Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch, stating that their finishes of 11th and 15th were below expectations. With the season nearing its conclusion, the question remains whether it is too late to improve.

Childress told his team they need to find more speed. Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing and a competitor, weighed in on Childress’ comments. “He’s not in charge of engineering them,” Hamlin said on his radio show. “I think he’s challenging his employees to come up with some different answers. He knows the parts and pieces are the same, but they’ve got to put them together better.”

Hamlin highlighted the uncertainty surrounding RCR’s struggles, asking if the problems lie with the cars, setups, engines, or crew chiefs. “Well, it could be simulation, it could be tons of things,” he speculated. “Maybe they’re getting different answers in the tire department than others. I’m not close enough to the situation to really know, but I speculate he’s challenging everyone to find a better solution.”

As both a driver and team owner, Hamlin valued Childress’ straightforwardness. “I can tell you this, as a driver, you like that,” he said. He appreciated knowing that Childress holds his team accountable. “If I know that I’m going to a gun fight with a knife, I want my owner to have my back.”

However, Hamlin also acknowledged a potential downside. “The negative could be that now you’re spotlighting everyone making those decisions; they could feel pressure,” he noted. “If you can’t stand the pressure, get out of the kitchen. But I think the positives outweigh it. You’re showing the drivers you’re not happy with their equipment, which could lead to necessary discussions.”

With the season winding down, RCR faces crucial choices about their future and performance.