Richard Childress Racing announced their NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver lineup on Wednesday afternoon, with that being Carson Brown in the No. 2, and Chandler Smith in the No. 21.
Smith comes into the organization as almost a developmental veteran, being at every manufacturer almost multiple times over the last handful of years, while Brown is RCR’s development driver in his first year serving that role.
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Richard Childress Racing and Whelen for believing in me,” said Brown. “This is something I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember, and I know how rare and special it is to be in this position. What an absolute honor to drive for Richard Childress, and to be able to represent Whelen, an American-made brand that has invested so much into motorsports over the years. I don’t take a single part of it for granted. I’m going to give everything I have and do whatever it takes to outwork, outlearn, and prepare myself every week. My goal is to work as hard as I can, continue to improve and give RCR and Whelen everything I have every time we go to the racetrack. I’m really proud to be part of this program.”
“Whelen is proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Richard Childress Racing and to welcome Carson to the No. 2 Chevrolet,” said Peter Tiezzi, general manager of motorsports for Whelen Engineering. “Carson has demonstrated tremendous potential as a young driver, and we’re excited to support his continued development. Just as important, we believe he will be a great ambassador for Whelen and the causes that are so important to our company. We look forward to working with Carson, RCR and our partners to build on the impact this program has made both on and off the racetrack.”
For Smith, he takes over for Austin Hill who drove the No. 21 for a number of years.
“I’m really thankful for this opportunity and for the people who have believed in me and helped me get to this point,” said Smith. “First and foremost, I want to give all the glory to God. He’s opened a lot of doors for me throughout my career, and I know none of this happens without Him. I’m also thankful for my family and everybody who has stood behind me through the ups and downs. To get this opportunity with Richard Childress Racing means a lot to me. RCR has such a great history of taking young drivers and giving them the tools to go out there and be successful, and I’m excited to be part of that. I’m really thankful to Richard and everyone at RCR for believing in me, and having 1-800-PACK-RAT come along with us for this next chapter makes it even more special. They’ve already been a great partner at RCR, and I think we can do some impactful things with this program, both on and off the racetrack. I’m looking forward to getting to work.”