Austin Dillon in doldrums: No Top-15s, lap leads elude RCR driver after first quarter of NASCAR regular season

Richard Childress Racing's seasoned driver Austin Dillon has been in an alarming slump in the ongoing 2024 Cup Series campaign, prompting drastic changes.

A Richard Childress Racing prospect through and through, Austin Dillon was touted to be the next big thing for the legendary NASCAR team in his early days. Having won both the Truck and Xfinity Series Championships within a span of three seasons, Dillon was quickly promoted to the Cup Series in 2014, and handed the wheels of the iconic No. 3 driven by seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt.

Now in his 11th full-time season, Dillon, by and large, has failed to live up to the standards he once set for himself. With four wins in 10+ seasons, the North Carolina native's career graph hit new lows in 2023 where he could only deliver a 29th-place finish in the Cup Series standings.

With much left to be desired, Austin Dillon's start to the 2024 campaign has been less than impressive. With a quarter of the season now behind him, Dillon finds himself 28th in the Cup Series standings with merely 90 points to his name.

Furthermore, the soon-to-be 34-year-old driver has zero Top-15 finishes to his name, with his best result being 16th-place in Las Vegas in March. Dillon has registered an uninspiring average finish of 25.71 and hasn't led a single lap in seven races this season.

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Crew chief change inside Richard Childress Racing as Austin Dillon reunites with familiar face

After a string of disappointing results, the RCR management has made a major shuffle within the No. 3 team. Justin Alexander, a former crew chief for Austin Dillon, has been paired back with the 33-year-old driver following the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.

Alexander had previously worked with Dillon from 2017 to 2018 and then from 2020 to 2022. Notably, the former Xfinity Series champion recorded all four of his Cup victories, including the 2018 Daytona 500 win, while working alongside Justin Alexander.

Alexander was promoted to the team's competition director at the end of the 2022 campaign, whereas Keith Rodden was appointed as Dillon's brand-new crew chief. However, following the latter's recent run of form, RCR has arranged a return for Alexander, while also appointing Joel Keller as the team's new lead engineer.

Reflecting on the personnel change, Andy Petree, RCR's EVP, stated in an official release:

“The organizational changes were made to help Richard Childress Racing’s overall NASCAR Cup Series program as we prepare for the rest of the season. Justin Alexander and Austin Dillon share a unique chemistry that has proven effective in the past."

As the season moves forward, it remains to be seen whether the crew chief change would bring desirable results for Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing.