"I had to fight my way through life": Richard Childress details difficult upbringing after father's passing

Before he became one of NASCAR's most successful team owners, Richard Childress was just a boy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who lost his father at five. He recently recalled his story - not one of privilege, but of grit.

In an interview with John Roberts, the man behind RCR Racing, looked back on the childhood that shaped him.

"It was tough. My dad died, when I was six years old. I always said, 'I become a man at that time'. I'd to fight my way through life. Hadn’t stopped yet. But it was tough, coming up as a kid and we're fortunate as a family. We loved each other. We got everything we wanted, we needed as far as food," he said (2:08 onwards)

From that moment on, survival became second nature. Richard Childress described a household where love was abundant but resources were limited. He'd work in school cafeterias to cover his lunches, and that was only part of the hustle.

He swept floors and took any job he could find, including long nights at gas stations, while dreaming about racing as he sold peanuts at Bowman Gray Stadium. Watching the likes of Junior Johnson dominate, Childress didn't just fall in love with the sport; he saw it as a way out.

Richard Childress pits during the Mason-Dixon 500 in 1978. Source: Getty

But those early years weren't without danger. Childress was briefly involved in the local liquor-running scene - a world he quickly realized wasn't worth the risk. And yet, he doesn't call those days 'bad'.

"I wouldn't call them bad times. I'd call them struggles and challenges in life. I've been fortunate to have a good family to help me through it and even today with our family. We're a family operation. RCR is. And we all work hard to try to keep this thing rolling." (2:41 onwards)

His breakthrough came at Talladega in 1969 when NASCAR faced a drivers’ strike over tire safety. With regulars boycotting the event, series founder Bill France Sr. needed replacement drivers. Childress stepped in - pocketing $7,500 for the race and proving he could hang with the pros. That one moment became the turning point. From selling concessions in the stands to climbing into the driver's seat, Richard Childress had arrived.

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How Richard Childress built RCR from the ground up

Kevin Harvick (L), with Richard Childress after the 2011 Coca-Cola 600. Source: Getty

Richard Childress used that Talladega paycheck to lay the foundation for what would become Richard Childress Racing. Officially formed in 1971, RCR didn't start with investors or big-time sponsors. He became an independent racer in the No. 96 first and then the No. 3 in 1976 as a tribute to his hero, Junior Johnson.

While he never won a Cup Series race as a driver, he put together a respectable record: six top-5s, seventy-six top-10s, and a fifth-place finish in 1975. But the truth was, Childress knew his best shot at greatness wasn't behind the wheel, it was behind the pit wall. That opportunity came in 1981.

Dale Earnhardt, fresh off a championship, parted ways with Rod Osterlund after a team sale. R.J. Reynolds representatives suggested Childress consider stepping aside and putting Earnhardt in his car. He did just that, handing over the keys to the No. 3 and stepping into the role of owner.

Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt after his 4th NASCAR Cup win in 1990. Source: Getty

After a brief break with Earnhardt in 1982–83 when Ricky Rudd took over and earned RCR its first win, Dale Sr. returned in 1984. The rest is history as they forged a dynasty, winning six titles between 1986 and 1994, in the iconic No. 3.

Today, RCR is a multi-car operation still owned and run by the same family that once scraped by to afford lunch. The team has continued to evolve, fielding entries in both the Cup and Xfinity Series and chasing the next championship.