Richard Childress Recalls Meeting Donald Trump As One of the Biggest Honors of His Life

Richard Childress has had a number of memorable moments in his life, including the six NASCAR Cup championships with Dale Earnhardt, the births of his kids and then his grandsons.

But introducing former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, a few months before Trump was elected President for a second time, is also right up there with the other high points of Childress’ life, he said on a recent episode of Lights Out with Johnny Roberts.

Childress revealed that Trump is a longtime NASCAR fan and would attend several races in the 1990s to cheer on his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt.

After not seeing Trump for several years, Childress saw him again last May (2024), when Trump attended the Coca-Cola 600 during campaigning for re-election. What made the reunion even more interesting is that Trump sat next to Childress on his team’s pit box for much of the race, just like Trump used to sit next to Childress on the pit box during many of Earnhardt’s races.

“It really was (a cool situation),” Childress told Roberts. “I knew President Trump way before he was President Trump, in the ’90s. He was an Earnhardt fan and he’d come down to Daytona each year, it was ’93, ’94, ’95, that era, and we’d hang out together and he’d sit on the box up there with me and then he’d go into the France’s (Bill France Jr.) suite after the first caution or something.

“He is a real deal. I’m so honored. One of the biggest honors of my life as his assistant Nicole called (Childress’ assistant) and said, ‘President Trump wants to know if Richard’s coming to Charlotte for a (campaign) rally. And I said, yes, and they wanted me to speak.

“The next day, they called back and said ‘President Trump wants to know if Richard would be interested in introducing me (to the crowd to start the rally)?’ I’ve done some pretty cool things in my life, but to introduce the past president and the president-to-be was one of the biggest honors I’ve had in my life other than my family being born.”

Childress introduced Trump not long after the assassination attempt

Childress introducing Trump at the campaign rally came just over a week after there was an assassination attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Childress took to the podium with pride, announcing, “At this time, I’d like to introduce my friend, and a friend to every one of you in here tonight. He loves you, all of you. He is one of the bravest, most courageous men I have ever met in my life. And on November the 7th, we all have to get out and vote, and vote for my friend, President Donald Trump.”