Richard Childress’ grandson and teammate Kyle Busch aren’t aligned on the ‘changing’ track for their next race

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) teammates Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch have opposing views on racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway as a part of its current superspeedway package. As can be understood by their latest interview with Speedweek, Dillon, the grandson of team owner Richard Childress, is in favor of the changes, while Busch, despite having been successful on superspeedways in the past, is frustrated by its unpredictable nature.

Busch has competed at Atlanta 30 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, taking two wins, 10 top-five finishes, and 15 top-10s. However, he dislikes superspeedway-style racing, which he believes relies more on pack racing, drafting, and luck rather than a car’s handling and driver skill. Unlike traditional intermediate tracks, where execution and strategy play a bigger role, Atlanta now demands constant lane choices to avoid crashes. Tire wear and fuel runs make handling unpredictable, increasing the risk of multi-car wrecks and limiting driver control.

"Atlanta is kind of a crapshoot race in general with it now being a superspeedway race," Busch told Speedway Media. "It takes a lot of speed, but also a car that handles well to be successful there. You have to pick the right line at the right time to get yourself where you can log some laps, especially in the middle stage of the race, and not get caught up in a crash when cars start to handle differently, and mistakes are made."

Dillon, on the other hand, sees Atlanta as a track where strategy can make a difference. With 16 Cup Series starts, he has completed 90% of the laps and holds a best finish of sixth. Unlike Busch, he is optimistic about RCR’s superspeedway cars and engines, believing that success comes down to a well-executed plan.

He acknowledged that the track continues to change, particularly after another winter, but expects the cold weather to maintain grip. He stressed upon the importance of committing to a strategy to avoid getting stuck in the middle of the pack, where trouble often strikes.

"I enjoy racing at Atlanta," Dillon told Speedway Media. "It’s interesting with the drafting-style racing there now. Coming up with a game plan is going to be key. You’ve got to be committed to strategy and stick to that strategy. When you don’t have a game plan that you can fully commit to, you can get stuck in the middle and that usually doesn’t turn out well."

Busch sees Atlanta as a race controlled by outside factors. On the other hand, Dillon believes discipline and planning are more important while racing on a superspeedway.

---

Richard Childress Followed Bill France’s Advice to Bring Back NASCAR’s Iconic No. 3

About 11 years ago, Richard Childress revealed that he always intended to bring the No. 3 car back to the NASCAR Cup Series. However, he was waiting for the right moment and the right driver. The number became legendary under Dale Earnhardt, who won six of his seven Cup Series championships with RCR. Following Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001, the No. 3 car was retired from Cup competition until 2014.

Childress ultimately chose his grandson, Austin Dillon, to drive the No. 3 when he returned it to the track. Explaining his decision, Richard Childress said (via autoweek.com),

“I always planned to bring it back, but it had to be at the right time and with the right person. It had to be an Earnhardt or somebody from my family.”

Before his passing, former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. had advised Richard Childress to bring the number back. France warned that if Childress waited too long, someone else might claim it. Childress recalled the conversation, stating,

“A few years before we lost him, [the late] Bill France Jr. said to me, ‘You know, Richard, you’ve got to bring that number back someday. If somebody challenges us on it and wants it, you might lose it.’ I told him I knew that, but I was waiting for the right time and the right person. Well, that time is now, and Austin is that person.”

Dillon made his Cup Series debut in the No. 3 Chevrolet in 2014, earning the pole for the Daytona 500. He later won the Daytona 500 in 2018, exactly 20 years after Earnhardt’s win in the same race. Since then, Dillon has won four Cup Series races in the No. 3 car, including the 2017 Coca-Cola 600.