Earnhardt-Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series (Start Your Engines!)

ECR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR), is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former drivers Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kelley Earnhardt.

Car No. 3 history
Richard Childress (1968–1981)

RCR debuted at the 1969 Talladega 500 as a 1968 Chevrolet numbered 13. Childress himself drove the car, finishing 23rd after suffering axle problems. In 1972, the team came back to run fourteen races with Childress driving again, but didn't go full-time until 1976 when he would begin using the No. 3. Childress earned 11 Top 10 finishes and finished 11th in points that year. Over the next few years, he posted many Top 10s and twice was among the highest Top 10 points earners, but he never was in serious contention to win the championship. In 1981, he decided to end his career before the season ended, and handed his No. 3 ride to the defending Winston Cup champion, Dale Earnhardt, who brought his Wrangler sponsorship with him.

Ricky Rudd (1982–1983)

After posting six Top 10’s, Earnhardt left to drive for Bud Moore, and Ricky Rudd took his place for the 1982 season, with Piedmont Airlines becoming the sponsor. Rudd drove the car for both 1982 and 1983 finishing ninth in points both years, and winning twice in the latter. But after the season was over, Rudd was replaced by Earnhardt, with Wrangler back as sponsor (in perhaps an odd twist of fate, Rudd moved to Earnhardt's old ride, the No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Wrangler-sponsored Ford Thunderbird, which actually kept its sponsorship despite Earnhardt leaving.

Dale Earnhardt (1984–2003)

This time, Earnhardt was back for good, winning championships over the next two decades, with crew chiefs Kirk Shelmerdine and Andy Petree, and Goodwrench replacing Wrangler as the primary sponsor after 1987. Goodwrench executives originally wanted the car to be bright blue and white, but Childress convinced the company to run a mainly-black scheme, which would later become iconic.

Kevin Harvick (2004-2013)

Austin Dillon (2014-present)

Car No. 8 history
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2009-2019)

Jeffrey Earnhardt (2020-present)

Car No. 30 history
Kevin Harvick (2001-2003)

Johnny Sauter (2004)

Dave Blaney (2005-2008)

Clint Bowyer (2009-2011)

Matt Kenseth (2012-2019)

Daniel Hemric (2020-present)

Car No. 31 history
Beginnings (1988–1990)

For over a decade, car No. 31 was Childress's R&D car. It debuted in 1988 at North Carolina Speedway, as No. 22 and Rodney Combs driving, finishing dead last. The car wasn't seen again until 1991.

Neil Bonnett (1991-1996)

Mike Skinner (1997–2001)

Robby Gordon (2001-2004)

Jeff Burton (2005-2014)

Ty Dillon (2015-present)

Car No. 33 history
Jeffrey Earnhardt (2012-2019)

Tyler Reddick (2020-present)

Car No. 98 history
Austin Dillon made his Cup Series debut at Kansas in October 2011, with sponsorship from Camping World on the No. 98 Chevrolet. The car was fielded in association with music executive Mike Curb and promoted the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration. The entry was allowed because of NASCAR's policy that allows teams to field a seventh car if it is fielded for a rookie in seven or less races.