Fox_NASCAR_Guy's Blog

Day 2 Photos

Day 1 Photos

The Return of the No. 3?

A familiar sight greeted journalists Monday night while touring the Richard Childress Racing shop in Welcome North Carolina as part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Among a display of cars currently raced by RCR was a late car machin with the No. 3 on the side. The No. 3 was synonymous with the late legendary Dale Earnhardt Senior. Together Childress and Earnhardt won six NASCAR championships. But after Earnhardt lost his life during the 2001 Daytona 500, Childress indicated that the famous number would perhaps never race again.

But Childress has allowed his grandson Austin Dillon to run the number after the young man told him he wanted to run the number. Childress himself originally campaigned the No. 3 when he raced.

The late model dirt car with on display Monday night with Dillion’s name on it confirms that Childress has allowed his grandson to use the number. There are indications that Childress may allow his grandson to keep the number as he moves up through the stock car ranks and perhaps someday into NASCAR’s top tier series.