What to make of Richard Childress Racing entering the 2026 season. It is unfortunate that the most notable thing this team has done in recent history is having the namesake being dragged in private messages of NASCAR’s executive leadership. On-track, it has not been a pretty sight to behold. Sure, they have found victory lane every season in the Gen7 era, but neither fulltime entry has been overly competitive since 2023. The sad part is that no turnaround seems likely. The 2026 Season Preview for Richard Childress Racing certainly feels bleak.
#3 – Austin Dillon
Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
2025 Points Finish: 15
2026 Announced Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, BetMGM, Dow, Breztri, Bioethanol, Titan Risk Solutions, Boot Barn
Surprisingly, Austin Dillon has been the main source of winning from the RCR camp over the past 2 seasons. Claiming back-to-back Richmond wins, Dillon has managed to pull out a win each season, unlike it teammate. However, that is where the good feelings end. 2025 was identical to his rough 2024. If not for the win-and-in, Dillon would have faced down another poor points finish.
2026 Expectations
Unless something drastically changes at Richard Childress Racing, expectations should remain low for Austin Dillon. If anything, a repeat of his stat line from the past two seasons would suffice: 1 Top-5s, 5 Top-10s, and an average finish above 20. The only beacon of hope this team has is firmly established in Virginia. Richmond Raceway has been the one track where the 3 team figure it out. Something clicks that turns them into the glory days of the 3 car.
No Win and In
While some would point to Shane van Gisbergen as the driver with the most to lose with win-and-in gone, that indication should go to Austin Dillon. In the Gen7 era, Dillon has won a single race in 3 of the 4 seasons. Had it not been for his actions that led to 2024 win, Dillon would have qualified for the playoffs via all those wins. With it strictly being points, there is little thought of Austin Dillon being a factor for The Chase.
#8 – Kyle Busch
Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Crew Chief: Jim Pohlman
2025 Points Finish: 21
2026 Announced Sponsors: Cheddar’s, Lucas Oil, zone, BetMGM, Morgan & Morgan, Rebel Bourbon
If there was a visual representation of the word inconsistency, it would the RCR 8 team. Kyle Busch’s tenure with RCR got off to an electric start. Winning 3 races in the regular season of 2023 looked to be the start of a beautiful relationship. Since then though, it has been a massive struggle for Busch. Part of it is Rowdy’s inability to grasp the Gen7 car as he had the prior generations of Cup cars. Something is amiss between Busch and the car, which usually rears its head when Busch wrecks trying to push the car too far. If that is not happening, then the pit crew is having a slow stop or the strategy buries the 8 deep in the field. Most race weeks, one or the other is happening (and sometimes both).
2026 Expectations
Kyle Busch should be capable of making The Chase. Although he is on the tail-end of his career, his driving abilities and veteran mindset would imply he can race his way into The Chase. However, the dark cloud that is his team’s constant mistakes lingers. At this point, it would be a surprise rather than an expectation to see Busch in The Chase. While he lurks around the Top-16 in points the past couple of regular seasons, that might not be enough this year. Could this be the year Busch does not hit double digit Top-10s? Last year, it took him until Phoenix to get to 10.
Silly Season Market
Despite his tenure with Richard Childress Racing going less than ideally, Kyle Busch looks to be the hottest name on the silly season market. While Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman are on expiring contracts, Busch seems the most likely to depart from his current team. Surely wanting to go to a contender, the discussion will be whether a top team will give Busch a ride. How much of his recent struggles are on the 8 team or himself? At this point in his career, it would be surprising to see any of the big 3 teams go after Busch. With them possibly eliminated, the most logical destination would be Spire Motorsports. However, silly season usually throws some curveballs into the mix.
Catch up on the previous 2026 Season Previews
Hendrick Motorsports; Joe Gibbs Racing; Team Penske; Trackhouse Racing; 23XI Racing; RFK Racing; Spire Motorsports; Legacy Motor Club; Front Row Motorsports