Editor’s Note: Today’s Richard Childress Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season, ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.
RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Engine: Earnhardt Childress Racing Engines Driver-crew chief pairings: No. 3 Austin Dillon-Keith Rodden; No. 8 Kyle Busch-Randall Burnett Team outlook: Richard Childress Racing scored three wins courtesy of Kyle Busch and the No. 8 team in 2023, marking the first time since 2010-11 that RCR won three or more races in consecutive seasons. This season will be the second with Busch and Dillon as teammates at the storied organization, eyeing more trophies ahead in 2024.
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 CHEVROLETExperience: 10 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series 2023 stats: 29th in final standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 7 top 10s 2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 130-1 Outlook: Dillon’s first campaign with crew chief Keith Rodden marked an unfortunate career-worst year, resulting in his lowest points finish and emphasized by a 100-point penalty in the spring that weighed down his overall results. But Dillon -- winner of the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 and 2018 Daytona 500 -- has proven he can contend for wins in big races with a capable car.
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEVROLET
Experience: 19 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series 2023 stats: 14th in final standings; 3 wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s, 1 pole 2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 12-1 Outlook: Busch made the transition to RCR from Joe Gibbs Racing appear nearly seamless, winning in his second race with the company, but the team’s performance petered off in the second half of 2023, ultimately resulting in his lowest points finish since his rookie year in 2005. After a three-win run last year, the two-time Cup champ eyes more high-level consistency in Year 2 at RCR.
BOUNCE-BACK CANDIDATE: Despite a downtrodden 2023 season, there is plenty of reason to believe Dillon will return to the top half of the field in 2024 with eyes set on the postseason. With a teammate like Busch to lean upon and his own wins and a near-decade of experience in his pocket, Dillon should be expected to rebound with a far more productive campaign in the months to come.
MORE: Top 10 bounce-back candidates for 2024
NASCAR.com 2024 team previews schedule Jan. 15: Legacy Motor Club Jan. 16: Spire Motorsports Jan. 17: Kaulig Racing Jan. 18: Wood Brothers Racing Jan. 22: Rick Ware Racing Jan. 23: Richard Childress Racing Jan. 24: Stewart-Haas Racing Jan. 25: Front Row Motorsports Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing Jan. 29: Trackhouse Racing Jan. 30: RFK Racing Feb. 6: 23XI Racing Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing Feb. 8: Hendrick Motorsports Feb. 9: Team Penske