35-year-old Austin Dillon is currently in the middle of his twelfth Cup Series season with Richard Childress Racing. One can argue and find many supporters for the contention that he has come this far only because his grandfather owns the team he drives for. Regardless of that, Dillon is at an age and career situation where he must plan his future, and he has.
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He said on a recent episode of Door, Bumper, Clear, “Truthfully, it’s the trajectory of where we are at as a company and where I am at. I feel like I can still get it done. Do a good job in the car and bring something to the organization. When I feel like I can’t bring something as a driver to the organization, then yeah, I’d love to help in any other capacity.”
.@austindillon3 on his driving timeline and continuing the legacy of @RCRracing. pic.twitter.com/b3m00X7pSH
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) May 14, 2025
Dillon has a year left on his current contract. It remains to be seen if Richard Childress values his performances on the track enough to renew the papers. However, it is an encouraging sign that the driver is open to moving to other roles as well. Childress is 79 years old and, self-admittedly, has already begun planning his team’s succession.
He hoped last year that someone from the family would be talented enough to keep the ship steaming ahead. This could possibly be his beloved grandson. Dillon continued, “I feel like I know how to put good teams together and work together with others. I think, one day, I’d like to continue the legacy that we have at RCR in any way possible.”
Notably, Childress’s son-in-law and Austin’s father, Mike, is already in the top management in the role of an executive vice president. The benefactor will approach the coming years with high precision. If anybody knows how hard it is to successfully manage such a massive operation with all its politics and ugly sides, it is him.
He said in an interview last year, “That’s the reason I’ve tried to keep the family involved to understand the challenges that goes on running an operation like this. It’s one of the most… a race team was one of the most challenging things you could do because we have so many mechanical parts and pieces to it. You have sponsorship that goes with it. You have employees.”
Austin might be capable of filling these rather large shoes. But for now, his focus will be on adding a sixth Cup Series win to his resume. He has secured three top 10 finishes in the opening twelve races of the ongoing season.
