Big Machine Racing Team will have an enhanced partnership with Richard Childress Racing when it returns to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022, the team announced Oct. 7.
The organization had previously been known to be returning in 2022 with its full-time driver from 2021, Jade Buford.
RCR will provide Big Machine with chassis and engineering support as well as other components. The team will also continue running ECR engines.
The one-car team will relocate to RCR’s campus in Welcome, N.C., as part of the changes.
“To be able to join Richard Childress and the iconic RCR means we just put a turbocharger on our Big Machine Racing program,” team owner Scott Borchetta said in a release. “As a racer and fan, I’ve always looked up to Richard, all of his accomplishments and his organization. He’s a winner in the truest sense and I look forward to the day that we can share our first victory together.”
“Scott Borchetta and everyone at Big Machine Racing have built a great program, and we look forward to not only continuing our relationship in 2022 but to enhancing it with additional technical and engineering support,” RCR chairman and CEO Richard Childress added. “Our team partnership model is proven, and we know that this partnership will be beneficial for Big Machine Racing, RCR, ECR, and Chevrolet.”
In his rookie season, Buford is currently 23rd in the championship standings with a top 10, ninth at Michigan International Speedway. He’s started all but one event, the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, as he was not yet approved to run superspeedways; Danny Bohn piloted the car there.
Buford earned his career-best finish of eighth in the 2020 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
“An alliance with an organization like RCR will give us a huge advantage in improving our racing program and add another level of consistency that will help us achieve better results across the entire season,” Buford said. “With support and access to RCR’s resources, we will have a much better playbook going into every race.”
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.
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