RCR now has complete ownership of ECR engine production
Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies is now a complete subsidiary of Richard Childress Racing.
RCR announced the deal Friday. The team combined its racing engine efforts with Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007 to form a sole engine supplier for both teams. The move isn’t entirely surprising as Teresa Earnhardt, the widow of Dale Earnhardt and the CEO of DEI, has moved away from racing. The ECR name will not change as part of the agreement.
DEI morphed multiple times during after the engine partnership. The team merged with Ginn Racing in 2007 and eventually with Chip Ganassi in 2008 to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. left DEI after the 2007 season and joined Hendrick Motorsports.
EGR became Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014 when Ganassi said he had purchased Earnhardt’s stake in the team.
RCR fields ECR engines in its cars in the Sprint Cup Series and Xfinity Series. The engine shop also produces engines other teams can lease or purchase in the Xfinity Series, Truck Series and other circuits, including sports cars. RCR, which fields cars for Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman, currently has technical alliances with Germain Racing, JTG-Daugherty Racing and Circle-Sport Leavine Family Racing in the Cup Series.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
