Solid move here by NASCAR, Austin Dillon and RCR.

PublishedSeptember 13, 2025 7:38 AM EDT•UpdatedSeptember 13, 2025 7:38 AM EDT

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As the country still reels from the murder of Charlie Kirk, we’ve reached the part of the process where sports teams and figures begin to pay their respects. 

And while all eyes are on college football and the NFL, one NASCAR team is honoring Kirk this weekend at Bristol in perhaps the most poignant way of all. 

All Cup and Xfinity drivers for Richard Childress Racing will have a special Charlie Kirk decal on their cars for both races, simply saying “In Memory of Charlie Kirk (1993-2025).” 

Austin Dillon speaks about Charlie Kirk 

Solid move here by NASCAR, but really RCR. It’s also not surprising, given the fact that Richard Childress is A) a good dude, and B) a huge Donald Trump guy. 

Trump has been to a handful of races over the past 18 months, and he’s spent a ton of that time with Childress and his drivers, including his grandson, Austin Dillon. 

Dillon, by the way, spoke about Kirk on Friday. To my knowledge, this is the first time an athlete has been asked about the assassination since it happened earlier this week. 

“It makes me want to get into the bible more and learn more about Jesus and try to spread the Word whenever I can,” he said. 

Look, I didn’t want to do a ton of Charlie Kirk today. Frankly, I’m tired. It’s been a week. It’s a college football Saturday, and we need it in this country now more than ever. Lord, give us all the college football today!

But, this is still a huge topic as we head into this weekend. Obviously. One of the biggest, most beloved activists of maybe my lifetime was murdered in cold blood, and literally everyone saw it. I don’t recall an assassination like this playing out in the current social media era we’re in right now, so it’s going to resonate with a lot of new, young people. 

I’m one of them. And yes, it’s been a tough week. Don’t love the tenor in this country right now. Don’t love the vibe, at all. It’s why I don’t really feel like writing about it anymore. 

But, when NASCAR dudes do the right thing, and say the right things, I will gladly write about that. Good on RCR. Good on Austin Dillon. I would expect something similar from the crowd in Bristol on Saturday night. You’ll be shocked by this, but most of them were/are really big Charlie Kirk fans. 

Who knew there would be crossover there!

Anyway, let’s go have a big college football Saturday. Relax. Eat. Drink. Be merry. And then let’s watch a playoff elimination race at Bristol later tonight. 

Sound like a plan? Good.

Break!