Richard Childress Racing announces major shakeup for 2025 NASCAR season

Richard Childress Racing’s competition department has undergone a shakeup ahead of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Among the changes announced Wednesday: Richard Boswell appointed crew chief for the No. 3 team and Austin Dillon, Keith Rodden promoted from interim competition director to vice president of competition and John Klausmeier joining RCR as technical director from Stewart-Haas Racing. In addition, Randall Burnett will continue as crew chief for the No. 8 team and Kyle Busch.

NEWS: Richard Childress Racing makes several key competition leadership appointments ahead of the 2025 NASCAR season.

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— RCR (@RCRracing) November 20, 2024

“Keith Rodden has stepped up in the interim competition director role this past season and has shown an eagerness to help improve and fine-tune all aspects of RCR,” Richard Childress said in a statement. “That enthusiasm and loyalty earned him the title of vice president of competition. I know he will do a great job serving our competition executives. John Klausmeier and Richard Boswell have both been great winners in the garage and I know their experience and skills will contribute to RCR’s overall success.

“I feel confident that all of our crew chiefs will do a great job leading their respective teams and we will give our partners, employees and fans plenty to be excited about in 2025. I’d like to acknowledge and thank Justin Alexander for his contribution to RCR. He and Austin Dillon won five Cup races together and we wish him the best.”

Richard Childress Racing hoping for more success in 2025

RCR had a tough 2024, with both Busch and Dillon failing to make the playoffs. Dillon did win at Richmond but was denied playoff eligibility for intentionally wrecking Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap to win the race. Dillon went through two crew chiefs, with Rodden replaced by Alexander in April.

Enter Boswell, who most recently served as Chase Briscoe’s crew chief with SHR. Boswell and Briscoe earned a victory at Darlington this season, clinching a playoff spot.

“I have tremendous respect for Richard Childress, Austin Dillon and all of the hardworking people at Richard Childress Racing and I am honored to have the opportunity to help contribute to the on-track success of the legendary No. 3 Chevrolet,” Boswell said. “My dad used to race with Dale Earnhardt, so he was always a huge fan, and the No. 3 was the car we all grew up cheering for in my household, so this truly feels like a full-circle moment.”

Busch, meanwhile, went winless for the first time in his two-decade Hall of Fame career. The two-time Cup Series champion will take a career-long 57-race win drought into the 2025 season.