"It won't affect us in any way": When Richard Childress downplayed Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's departure

NASAR team owner Richard Childress dismissed Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's (EGR) departure from ECR Engines on his team Richard Childress Racing (RCR) over a decade ago.

RCR's department, ECR Engines builds Chevrolet engines for some NASCAR teams. The company was started in 2007 when Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) and RCR teamed up. However, after DEI and Chip Ganassi Racing merged into EGR, the team announced that it would switch to Hendrick Motorsports for engine support in 2012.

RCR owner, Childress responded to the change at the time and said (via USA Today):

"'We'll replace (EGR) with different work. It won't affect us in any way. We're planning a lot of new stuff for next year."

"It's as good as it ever was. We've still got a very strong company. We're going to have a strong engine shop. Still got a lot of good customers. We'll be fine," he added.

RCR now fully owns ECR, which won 8 straight IMSA Engine Manufacturers Championships after 2012. However, only one of the six cars using ECR engines made it to the Chase for the Cup in 2012.

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"Like a roller-coaster ride" - Richard Childress on owning a NASCAR team

The 2012 season had been difficult for Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Kevin Harvick made the Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series but had only one win and finished eighth in the points' standings. Other RCR drivers Jeff Burton and Paul Menard ended the season at 19th and 16th place, respectively.

RCR had also been affected by Clint Bowyer’s departure in 2011. There was also a possibility of Harvick, who replaced Dale Earnhardt in 2001, leaving the team after 2013.

"If you get behind, sometimes you go down a wrong path. I've been in this sport long enough to know it's like a roller-coaster ride. Boy, you sure like when that thing stalls out on the top. It makes life a lot easier," Richard Childress said (via USA Today).

Harvick joined Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Harrison Burton's father, Jeff Burton also retired from full-time racing and left (RCR) in 2014. The 21-time Cup Series winner decided to step away because of sponsorship problems.

"The economic times … have been tough for everybody and have had a huge toll on what Richard’s had to do. The man can only do so much. He doesn’t have a money tree growing in the backyard. I believe in my heart … that Richard will have a driver in place that can be competitive and win races; (will) have full sponsorship in place and can move forward," Burton said (via NASCAR).

Ryan Newman later replaced Burton in the No. 31 Chevrolet at RCR in 2014.