Austin Dillon, grandson of championship-winning team owner Richard Childress, will make his Nationwide Series debut Sept. 5 at Richmond International Raceway. The 18-year-old is competing for a championship in NASCAR's Camping World Series East Series and sits third in the point standingsexternal link. His progression and victory earlier this year, however, prompted Richard Childress Racing to give Dillon a shot at making a Nationwide Series race. In the 2009 season, he expects to run a partial Nationwide Series slate along with a partial schedule of Camping World Series events. As of right now, Dillon said he plans to run the RCR #21 or 33, but later his permanent number could be the storied #3, the number piloted by the late Dale Earnhardt and the number that has created an immortal fan following since the legendary driver's death in 2001.
Wow... lots of stuff going on at Richmond..... Hey, Stephen, can I come with you, lol. Oh well.... I'll be going to Dover just for the Cup race.
At any rate, I think Childress would hear a lot of flack from the fans if he let his grandson drive the #3 in the Cup series someday. I know that used to be his number before Earnhardt's, but Dale is what made the number a legend in the sport. I know the fans would love to see an Earnhardt use it.
