| Team Dillon Racing was created as a driver and crew development program for Richard Childress Racing using multiple car and track types, including Legends, UMP Modified, Late Model, and NASCAR Grand National Series, (East and West) on dirt and asphalt.
Drivers experience different circumstances that expand their learning curve in handling, throttle, and car control. These experiences help train drivers to have better instincts and reactions at upper levels of this sport. Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer are both current examples of drivers who have benefited from this type of experience.
After Mike Dillon attended his first dirt Late Model race, at Volusia County Speedway in Florida, he believed he had found the next challenge for his teenage boys, Austin and Ty. Austin and Ty had been racing Bandelero and Legends cars for a couple seasons, and Mike felt that the dirt experience would help them expand in different types of racing to give them a better balanced education in their driving development.
Shortly thereafter, Mike contacted Dale and Shane McDowell, who owned and operated a dirt driving school at North Georgia Speedway. Mike enrolled Austin in the McDowell's school and he adapted so quickly that the Dillons purchased their own Late Model car. The McDowells began to mentor Austin in his initial endeavors in dirt Late Model racing. Their efforts pleased Mike, his wife Tina, and his father-in-law Richard Childress and prompted them to invite the McDowells to join Team Dillon Racing, where Shane continues today as Team Manager and Shop Foreman.
OWNERSHIP:
Mike Dillon, owner of Team Dillon Racing, is Director of Competition at RCR Racing and a former NASCAR (Cup, Busch, and Truck) Driver himself who has a unique understanding of what a young driver needs to succeed and what a racing business must have in terms of personnel and equipment to excel. Under Dillon's direction, RCR won the Nascar Busch Championship in 2006,two of its Nascar Nextel Cup Teams were contenders in 2006 Chase for the Cup and three teams were contenders in the 2007 Chase for the Cup. |
