Richard Childress found himself facing a difficult decision after the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt. As the face of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), Earnhardt had helped the team achieve a historic run, including seven Cup Series titles.
The loss of such a key figure left Childress contemplating whether to continue in NASCAR at all. The bond he and Earnhardt had built went far beyond the typical owner-driver relationship, and it was this deep connection that ultimately encouraged Childress to persevere through the adversity.
Childress honored a promise he had made to Earnhardt before his death. Following the fatal crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, RCR faced a major crisis. The loss of their star driver could have led to the team’s collapse and potential exit from stock car racing. However, Childress drew strength from a memory of a conversation he had with Earnhardt.
Reflecting on a camping trip where Earnhardt’s horse had flipped and Childress was injured, the two shared a moment by the campfire. Childress told Earnhardt that if something ever happened to him, he wanted Earnhardt to continue racing.
During Episode 62 of the *Happy Hour* podcast, Childress recalled how this promise kept him from quitting. The very next week after the Daytona crash, RCR returned to the track at North Carolina Speedway with Kevin Harvick stepping in to drive the iconic #3 Chevrolet. It was Harvick’s first full-time Cup Series race, and Childress feels grateful for making that decision.
The team was far from an ideal environment for any young driver to begin their NASCAR career, especially in the wake of Earnhardt’s death. But Harvick rose to the challenge, stepping into the immense pressure of driving Earnhardt’s car. 
Harvick proved to be the right choice, as he secured a victory at Atlanta in just his third Cup Series start and went on to win the Busch Series (now Xfinity) championship that year. His success helped guide RCR into the next chapter of its racing legacy, continuing Earnhardt’s influence on the team.
