Carson Brown, Chandler Smith Join Richard Childress Racing Lineup for 2027

Richard Childress Racing announced Wednesday that Carson Brown and Chandler Smith will join the team's NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time lineup for the 2027 season.

Brown will drive the team's No. 2 Chevrolet, with Whelen Engineering serving as the anchor sponsor of the entry. Chandler Smith will drive the 1-800-PACK-RAT No. 21 Chevrolet.

Brown made his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Iowa Speedway with a 15th place finish earlier this month. This year, the 18-year-old from North Carolina has earned a pair of ASA STARS National Tour victories, his first ARCA Menards Series win at Phoenix Raceway and a CARS Tour West victory at Evergreen Speedway.

Last year, Brown also won in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, taking the checkered flag at VIRginia International Raceway.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Richard Childress Racing and Whelen for believing in me,” said Brown. “This is something I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember, and I know how rare and special it is to be in this position. What an absolute honor to drive for Richard Childress, and to be able to represent Whelen, an American-made brand that has invested so much into motorsports over the years.

"I don’t take a single part of it for granted. I’m going to give everything I have and do whatever it takes to outwork, outlearn, and prepare myself every week. My goal is to work as hard as I can, continue to improve and give RCR and Whelen everything I have every time we go to the racetrack. I’m really proud to be part of this program.”

Smith is a three-time O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race winner. He also has nine career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victories, including two wins so far this season. In 2021, Smith won the 54th Annual Snowball Derby.

“I’m really thankful for this opportunity and for the people who have believed in me and helped me get to this point,” said Smith. “First and foremost, I want to give all the glory to God. He’s opened a lot of doors for me throughout my career, and I know none of this happens without Him. I’m also thankful for my family and everybody who has stood behind me through the ups and downs. To get this opportunity with Richard Childress Racing means a lot to me.

"RCR has such a great history of taking young drivers and giving them the tools to go out there and be successful, and I’m excited to be part of that. I’m really thankful to Richard and everyone at RCR for believing in me, and having 1-800-PACK-RAT come along with us for this next chapter makes it even more special. They’ve already been a great partner at RCR, and I think we can do some impactful things with this program, both on and off the racetrack. I’m looking forward to getting to work.”

Currently, both the No. 2 and No. 21 are in playoff contention for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series with drivers Jesse Love and Austin Hill. Hill has two wins this season, while Love sits fourth in points after claiming last season's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship.

-Photo credit: Chris Clark Photography