Mike Verlander has been promoted to president of Richard Childress Racing, the team announced Feb. 13.
Verlander, who previously served as COO, will now oversee all day-to-day operations of RCR Enterprises, including its NASCAR race team, RCR Manufacturing Solutions, RCR Graphics, ECR Engines and Childress Technologies.
Before joining RCR, Verlander had served in executive leadership roles at both Kyle Busch Motorsports as president and Stewart-Haas Racing as evp.
Verlander assumes the position from Torrey Galida, who served as president of RCR since 2014, and will now take on the role of vice chairman at the organization. He will also serve as an advisor to both Childress and Verlander through the end of 2025 and will retain his seat on the board of directors for RCR.
“I am extremely thankful to Richard and Judy for this opportunity to lead RCR as we continue to expand our operations within the motorsports industry and beyond,” Verlander said in a team release. “Having Torrey close by as an advisor while I make this transition is invaluable. I’m ready to build up on the great things achieved by Torrey and the whole leadership team. Great days are coming for our employees, partners, fans and all stakeholders.”
“Torrey has been a tremendous asset to RCR in his role as president,” team owner Richard Childress added. “He has been a strong leader and helped us navigate many changes and challenges over recent years. I am proud of the work that he has done and the direction he has led the organization. He will continue to contribute to our future.
“Mike has also done a great job this past year in his role as chief operating officer as he has learned all aspects of our organization. He has a clear vision for our future and will foster a culture that inspires our entire team. I look forward to seeing our continued growth under his leadership.”
“I have been honored to play a role in RCR’s success during my tenure as president,” Galida said. “I can’t thank Richard and Judy, and the entire organization, enough for the past 14 years and I feel lucky to have been part of this team. I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career where I can focus on key strategic operations within the RCR organization and continue to make an impact.”
RCR fields full-time NASCAR Cup Series cars for Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch, plus full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series entries for Jesse Love and Austin Hill.
