Best Of Times For RCR
Not since the glory days
of Dale Earnhardt has Richard Childress Racing been considered one of
NASCAR’s top dogs.
But with two drivers sitting atop the current Sprint Cup standings, and a
third not that far back in 12th place, these are the best of times for RCR in
a long, long time.
Now, with Tuesday’s news that General Mills will sponsor a new fourth Cup
team next season – with Bobby Labonte expected to be behind the wheel – team
owner Richard Childress has his organization positioned once again to revisit
the glory days of the 1980s and ’90s.
 When
Earnhardt died in 2001, in a sense so did RCR. Because while Childress owned
the organization, it was unquestionably Earnhardt who drove it.
Childress was amenable with that arrangement. After all, Earnhardt brought
him championships, untold wealth and a confident swagger that resonated
throughout the entire organization.
Between 1984 (when Earnhardt joined RCR) and 1995, the duo won 59 races, six
championships and cemented RCR as the premier organization in NASCAR.
Though Childress and Earnhardt relinquished that title to Rick Hendrick and
Jeff Gordon in the mid-’90s, RCR was working its way back into championship
form when Earnhardt’s life was tragically cut short.
With Earnhardt suddenly gone, Childress and his entire racing operation
became skeletons of their former selves. Childress increasingly stayed away
from the race track and from the day to day operations, not wanting to face
the heartbreak, leaving it to his workers to run things.
Meanwhile, the rest of the organization was left without direction.
At one point, RCR appeared destined to go the same route as Petty
Enterprises: a once-proud and successful organization merely going through
the motions, living off its past reputation rather than building a new and
better legacy.
Two things happened that helped get the wayward organization back on track.
 First
was Jeff Burton’s decision to leave Roush Racing in August, 2004 to join RCR.
Burton brought a calming, sensible voice of reason to the organization,
quickly making him the defacto leader of sorts.
A year later at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick, dejected by the
organization’s inability to win, told me that that he had had it, that he was
ready to leave RCR before his contract expired the following year. He blasted
Childress for not being around more, for not being more hands-on.
Harvick’s threat, along with some straight-forward prodding from Burton, woke
up Childress. The next week, he was atop the pit box, calling a race just as
he did during the Earnhardt days.
For the most part, this is where Childress has remained ever since – on top
of the box. Sure, he’ll miss a race or two every now and then to go on one of
his hunting safaris, but there’s no question Childress is calling the shots
these days.
Maybe it took this long for Childress to finally end the grieving over the
loss of his best friend. Maybe while he was celebrating championships he
allowed everyone else to catch up and pass him, and it’s taken him this long
to catch back up. Maybe it’s both of these things.
Whatever the case, after a lengthy hiatus, RCR is back. Burton is first in
the standings, Harvick is right behind in second and Clint Bowyer is 12th.
And with Labonte likely on board for 2009 in the soon-to-be rechristened No.
33 General Mills Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet, RCR is ready to take
that last big step: to be back on top the way it was with Earnhardt.
Click here to read the rest of the story at
www.sports.yahoo.com |
|
|
