NASCAR’s RCR Sparkling On And Off The Track

In the annals of NASCAR racing, the exploits of Richard Childress Racing have led to the uncorking of more than their fair share of sparkling wine in celebratory spray as they savor yet another trip up victory lane following the taking of the checkered flag on the track.

In the case of Richard Childress, he’s also done his fair share of bottling some fine sparkling wines. The owner of this championship race team is also the proprietor of Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina. His wines are known for their checkered flag motif on the bottle.

A winner of six NASCAR Cup titles with the legendary Dale Earnhardt driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, the Childress Vineyards have earned more than 750 medals in competition, proving that whether it be at the wheel or working in the winery, victory is always within the grasp – and the grapes – of Team Childress

A Racing Legend

As an independent driver on the NASCAR circuit, Childress earned 76 top-10 finishes in 285 races. He climbed out of the driver’s seat in the 1981 season and handed the steering wheel of his race car to Earnhardt.

Earnhardt would go on to become one the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, winning 67 races and those aforementioned six season titles, establishing RCR among the powerhouse NASCAR teams.
All the while, Childress had his eyes fixated on living out another dream. Racing in Watkins Glen, New York and Sonoma, California, Childress developed both a fondness and an appreciation for wine.
“It came many years ago,” Childress explained to WBTV. “I’ve always loved wine, even before wine was cool.

“We started racing in Watkins Glen, which is a big wine country. We started racing in Sonoma, California. There were some small vineyards around the racetrack near Ontario [in the Cucamonga Valley AVA]. We used to leave the racetrack and go out there and taste some wine. I just always enjoyed the atmosphere out there.

“I just got to know people and said, ‘Man if I ever get the dollars, someday I’d love to open a vineyard.’”
The dream became reality in 2003. That’s when ground was broken for Childress Vineyards, and the 35,000 square-foot winery opened for business in 2004.

“I had looked at purchasing wineries and vineyards in California and New York, up in the Finger Lakes area,” Childress told winespectator.com. “I decided North Carolina, because it’s home and North Carolina has a pretty rich history with winemaking, before Prohibition, so I wanted to do it back here where I could enjoy it and help the economy.”

Today, Childress Vineyards features in excess of 70 acres of vineyards, along with 15 varieties of European Vitis vinifera cultivars. These are created from two vineyards sites – Richard’s Hampton Road Estate in Davidson County and Vineyard Crossing at the winery site.

At one time, North Carolina was the prime winemaking locale in the USA. The Sixth Federal Census, taken just prior to the onset of Prohibition in 1920, showed the Tar Heel state to be America’s leading wine producer. In recent years, the state is making a strong comeback within the industry. The number of wineries in North Carolina has grown from 21 in 2000 to more than 100 today.

The combination of humid climate, long growing season and gravely, red clay soil are all key natural features of Childress Vineyards. It helps to produce a broad range of over 30 wines that appeal to both the introductory palate as well as the seasoned taster.

Taking A Similar Approach

Childress has sought to achieve greatness in winemaking, in the same manner, he’s found dominance on the racetrack – by demanding excellence and by surrounding himself with quality people.

It comes down to people,” Childress said. “You’ve gotta have good people. We got a great winemaker Mark Friszolowski.” The treasurer of the North Carolina Winegrower’s Association and the Vice Chair of the North Carolina Grape Council, Friszolowski’s wines have been twice named among the 50 Best Wines of the World.

“It’s just like racing,” Childress explained. “You’ve gotta have great people running your engine shops, your race cars, your engineering. It all comes down to people and that’s the biggest similarity you have.”