“That time is now and he is that person” - When Richard Childress was sure about the "right" candidate for inheriting Dale Earnhardt’s NASCAR legacy

In December 2013, Richard Childress announced that his grandson Austin Dillon would take over Dale Earnhardt's iconic #3 RCR Chevrolet for the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series season. After Earnhardt rejected Childress' idea to retire the #3 in 2000, the latter chose his grandson, to take over the number. The number was kept in reserve by NASCAR for RCR for the years in between.

Richard Childress wanted an Earnhardt or someone from his family to pilot the car, but none of the latter's family joined RCR for a full-time season. Dale Jr. made only a handful of starts in the #3 RCR Chevy. This all led to Childress explaining in December 2013 that Austin Dillon was the "right" person to embark on his rookie season with Earnhardt's number. Richard Childress said (via Autoweek),

“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. A few years before we lost him (NASCAR president) 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 Dillon is that person,” .

Earnhardt, after a noteworthy career of six Cup Series championships and 67 race wins with RCR, thought of retiring from the sport, according to Childress. The two were once discussing this when the question about continuing the iconic #3 surfaced.

While Childress was looking to release the number, Dale Earnhardt said he wanted his boss to not retire it, but to rather keep it running and claim championships. The former agreed and retained the number for over a decade after Senior's tragic passing at the 2001 Daytona 500.

Dillon would earn his first Daytona 500 victory 20 years after Dale Sr.'s maiden Daytona 500 triumph in 1988.

---

When Richard Childress' grandson made his feelings known after securing his career-first win with Dale Sr.'s #3

Dillon began his rookie campaign at the Daytona International Speedway. The North Carolina native clinched the pole at the season opener and finished ninth. However, it was at the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 that Dillon tasted his maiden Cup Series victory.

However, victory didn't come easy for Richard Childress' grandson as he faced tough competition from Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time Cup Series title winner who was the reigning champion in 2017. The battle came down to who would ace the fuel-saving in the race.

Both took their last pitstop on Lap 330. However, Johnson's car ran out of fuel on Lap 398, giving Dillon the leeway to take charge and win the race. Even though Dillon ran dry momentarily before crossing the checkered flag, the momentum was sufficient to cross the line. Dillon said via Autoweek,

"It was timed perfectly. We beat Jimmie because he took off really hard on the last restart, harder than I did. He got away from me on that launch, but I think that’s what cost him the race. My crew chief (Justin Alexander) told me to save fuel right from the start, so I did. It’s so great, winning at Charlotte, my home track, a place I really love. It hasn’t sunk in yet,"

Richard Childress' grandson won his most recent race in the #3 Chevy at the Richmond Raceway this past season.