How many Daytona 500 wins does Richard Childress Racing have? Breaking down the NASCAR team’s success

Being one of the oldest and most successful NASCAR Cup Series teams, Richard Childress Racing has three Daytona 500 wins under its belt. The prestigious event has taken place 66 times as of 2024, and RCR came out victorious in 1998, 2007, and 2018.

Late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt claimed the first-ever Daytona 500 victory for RCR in 1998. Nine years later in 2007, Kevin Harvick repeated the feat. Finally, in 2018, Austin Dillon clinched RCR's third Daytona 500 victory.

In today's article, we are going to delve deeper into Richard Childress Racing's success at the Daytona 500:

1998 Daytona 500

Dale Earnhardt was driving for Richard Childress Racing's #3 GM Goodwrench Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo entry at the time, and qualified in fourth place for the race. As the race started, he had to wait for 93 laps before he could snatch the lead.

Dale Earnhardt victorious, holding trophy and getting kisses from wife Teresa and daughter Taylor after winning the 1998 Daytona 500 - Source: Getty

Once Earnhardt was in the lead, there was no looking back. Eventually, the seven-time Cup Series champion led 107 laps and crossed the Checkered Flag to register RCR's first Daytona 500 win. Earnhardt came home ahead of pole-sitter Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing and Jeremy Mayfield of Penske-Kranefuss Racing.

2007 Daytona 500

Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing won the 2007 Daytona 500 in the #29 Pennzoil Chevrolet Monte Carlo entry. Harvick had a disastrous qualifying session and qualified in 34th place. However, he made a brilliant recovery throughout the race and ended up on top.

Nascar Nextel Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (29) celebrates after winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway - Source: Imagn

Harvick beat Mark Martin of Ginn Racing by 0.02 seconds to register RCR's second Daytona 500 win. His teammate at RCR, Jeff Burton, finished the race in third place.

2018 Daytona 500

Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon claimed RCR's third and final Daytona 500 win in 2018. He was driving the #3 Dow Chemical Company Chevrolet Camaro. Prior to the race, Dillon had an underwhelming qualifying session where he qualified in 14th place.

Austin Dillon (3) celebrates in victory lane after winning the 2018 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway - Source: Imagn

Once the race started, Dillon struggled to get into the top 10 of Stage 1. In Stage 2, he was in ninth place, and finally, he held off Bubba Wallace of Richard Petty Motorsports and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing to claim the 2018 Daytona 500 win.

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Current scenario at Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing was established in 1969 and has its base in Lexington, North Carolina. Richard Childress is the owner of the esteemed team, and the team currently has four drivers in the two NASCAR national series.

Coming into 2025, RCR is set to field cars in the Cup Series and Xfinity Series and will participate in the prestigious Daytona 500. Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon will drive for RCR in the Cup Series full-time and Will Brown under part-time obligation.

While Austin Hill and Jesse Love will drive in the Xfinity Series full-time and former Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne will drive on a part-time basis.