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“We are in trouble”: Richard Childress frustrated with Kyle Busch after Dover disappointment

Richard Childress has had enough after watching his team put in another disappointing performance. The RCR owner was on the No. 8 team radio venting his frustration after Kyle Busch’s 11th place finish at Dover International Speedway.

In the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, Busch showed early speed but couldn’t deliver the result he and the team needed, continuing a trend for RCR as the 2025 season hits the halfway mark.

Busch started 10th and was decent early, moving to 8th by the end of Stage 1. But the momentum didn’t last. He fell back in Stage 2 to 12th and finished 11th and that’s his third straight finish outside the top 10. It was a tough result for the two-time Cup champion especially after top 10s at Chicago and Sonoma had kept his playoff hopes alive.

On the cooldown lap the mood turned tense. Childress’s voice came over the radio, sharp and to the point: “Gotta get some race cars. We are in trouble. Period.”

Richard Childress Team under pressure

That’s the bottom line for Richard Childress Racing. Busch hasn’t won since his three win debut season with the team in 2023. He missed the playoffs in 2024 and with 20 races gone in 2025 he’s still winless.
The frustration is starting to boil over. And apparently not just for Busch but also for Childress himself who’s made it clear the whole operation is falling short of expectations.

It’s not just the 8 car either. Teammate Austin Dillon is also winless this season and RCR as a whole has yet to show up as a playoff team in 2025.

Childress’s radio comments sum up the bigger issues inside the team and if results don’t come soon the pressure will only get worse. For Kyle Busch who is under contract through 2026 the second half of the season may determine if RCR can get back on track or if Childress’s warning becomes permanent.