Richard Childress, the 78-year-old owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), has a history of not backing down from confrontations. Back in 2011, he scuffled with Kyle Busch after a Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. Childress humorously brought up this conflict during Busch’s announcement of his move to RCR in 2023, even presenting the driver with a watch.
Richard Childress had a message for Ricky Stenhouse Jr when we talked to him today prior to the Helping A Hero Patriot Award Dinner. He says if Ricky touches @KyleBusch's 8 car at Charlotte, he will whoop Ricky's A$$ personally. He also wishes he had stayed to fight Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Q2GHKfVqWE
— Chris Weaver (@chris8video) May 21, 2024
After the brawl at North Wilkesboro, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made a threat against Kyle Busch. He vowed to wreck Busch’s No. 8 car at Charlotte. In response, Richard Childress had a strong message for Stenhouse: “If Ricky touches @KyleBusch’s 8 car at Charlotte, he will whoop Ricky’s A** personally.” Childress also expressed regret that he hadn’t stayed to fight on Sunday.
The “Hold My Watch” Incident: Richard Childress vs. Kyle Busch
When Kyle Busch arrived at Kansas Speedway, his impressive track record spoke volumes: over 40 Xfinity Series wins, 20 Cup Series wins, and 20 truck wins. His determination to add more victories was palpable as he drove his No. 18 Toyota. Despite his efforts, Busch finished sixth in the race.
During the cool-down lap, Busch pulled up alongside Joey Coulter, who was driving the No. 22 RCR Chevy, and bumped Coulter’s truck. Richard Childress, the team owner of RCR, interpreted this move as a sign of disrespect towards his driver. At 65 years old, Childress decided to address the situation directly. He approached Busch in the garage area, removed his watch—a gesture signaling that things were about to get serious—and confronted him.
In a surprising and dramatic turn of events, Childress put Busch in a headlock and delivered a series of punches, leaving a lasting impression both on Busch and the racing community. NASCAR fined Childress $150,000 for his actions Childress was also placed on probation for the remainder of the year.
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