Growing up inside a racing household can open doors, but those advantages only matter when the next generation feels the pull of the sport. Plenty of drivers’ children are currently carving that path early. However, the story went differently for Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon, who never needed their grandfather, Richard Childress, to nudge them toward racing.
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If anything, Childress initially tried to guide his grandsons in the opposite direction. He hoped they might latch onto golf, soccer, football, or anything that kept them away from the family business of speed and steel. But raised around race shops and pit lanes, the boys eventually chose their own road.
That decision came after years of resisting the gravitational pull of NASCAR, before curiosity won out and they began in small cars, gradually climbing toward the sport’s highest stage. Childress recalled the turning point with clarity.
“Well, they were raised in the sport because I was a driver and the car owner, and I was afraid it was going to happen. I tried to get them involved in golf and soccer and football and everything else, but one day Ty Dillon called me, and he said, ‘Pop pop, you said if we ever want to race, give you a call,’ the most expensive call I think I’ve ever had… He was 13, and Austin was 15.”
That phone call set everything in motion. Childress loaded them up and headed to Charlotte, where he bought a pair of Bandolero cars to ease them into competition. The first outing delivered little encouragement, as neither showed immediate promise.
When they returned for a second attempt, the switch finally flipped. Both adapted quickly, finding speed and control, and from that point forward, they looked comfortable in nearly everything they drove.
Today, Ty Dillon drives the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, continuing to build his résumé at the Cup level. Austin Dillon, meanwhile, has remained tied to his grandfather’s organization since 2014, making a steady career that includes six Cup Series wins across 15 seasons. Their on-track paths differ, yet both remain woven into the fabric of Richard Childress Racing.
Beyond driving, both brothers sit in a position to eventually inherit leadership responsibilities. As sons of RCR Executive Vice President Mike Dillon and grandsons of the team owner, Childress, the transition from cockpit to corner office feels like a natural evolution rather than a stretch. That possibility already occupies Austin’s thoughts.
During an appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr. Download this August, Austin explained that his attachment to the organization, paired with his brother’s backing, could help lead the team forward when the time comes. His preparation extends beyond NASCAR as well.
Austin currently serves as General Manager of the Carolina Cowboys in the Professional Bull Riders Team Series. Both he and Childress believe the leadership instincts, business judgment, and operational discipline required to run a NASCAR powerhouse translate into professional bull riding.
