Austin Dillon, currently in his twelfth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, has managed to bag just five wins to date. While his on-track success has been few and far between, he holds a potential ace up his sleeve — his lineage. As the son of RCR’s Executive Vice President, Mike Dillon, and the grandson of team owner Richard Childress, a future in team management could easily be on the cards.
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Yet, instead of following in his father’s footsteps just yet, Dillon appears keen to stick to the driver’s seat and see how far he can push the envelope.
Mike Dillon, too, had his time behind the wheel. He ran three races in the Craftsman Truck Series, competed in 154 events in the Xfinity Series, and made a single appearance in the Cup Series.
That lone Cup start came in 1998 at Fontana, where he piloted the #31 car as a stand-in for Mike Skinner. However, the outing failed to make waves, as he crossed the finish line 11 laps down to finish the race in P35 position.
Another Cup Series appearance for Mike Dillon came in 1997 when he was called to step in during the Southern 500 after Dale Earnhardt experienced dizziness mid-race.
Dillon took the wheel to drive his #3 car as a relief driver. However, his driving career came to a halt in 2001 due to an injury that forced him to hang up his helmet for good.
In contrast, Austin Dillon continues to steer the #3 car for RCR, keeping his focus on the track rather than the boardroom. While the path to a management role remains wide open, he isn’t rushing to walk down it.
Addressing the subject, he explained, “When I have exhausted all efforts and the success hasn’t come with it and the right person is there to pick up the weight and I can successfully help the company in a better way at RCR. When that time comes, I’ll be ready for it, and I’ll try and make us as competitive as I can, always.”
His most recent win came at Richmond Raceway in 2024, where he stirred the pot with some controversial late-race moves that led to the wrecking of both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. As a result, NASCAR handed down a penalty, allowing him to keep the win but barring him from playoff contention.
While he continues to chase a lasting legacy in the Cup Series, the door to a management role at RCR remains wide open whenever he chooses to walk through it.
Moreover, Richard Childress has made no secret of his long-term vision. He previously confirmed his intent to keep the racing operation under the family umbrella. Unless a third-party investor steps in down the line, Childress made it clear — he wants to keep RCR a family-run enterprise.
