Back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, Aric Almirola and Austin Hill were battling for fourth at lap 91 of 100. Almirola got Hill loose on turn 3, sending No. 21 sideways towards the wall. After correcting his car, Hill quickly caught up with Almirola at the next turn and contacted his No. 19’s right-rear quarter panel. Almirola couldn’t control and went head-on into the unprotected portion of the outside wall. At that point, the NASCAR officials issued a five-lap penalty to Hill for reckless driving, and he finished in 34th spot. However, on Tuesday, he was given a 1-race suspension and had to forfeit 21 further, and the eligibility to collect playoff points until the postseason.

Richard Childress was already heated. A similar accident back at the Circuit of The Americas in March didn’t help them when Austin Cindric hit his grandson Ty Dillon’s No. 10. But there came another incident. Returning to the track after missing the August 2 race at Iowa Speedway, Hill wasn’t looking for any trouble at Watkins Glen International. But with 9 laps to go in the final stage, Hill was on the verge of running into the wall. He turned his car to save himself, but unintentionally hooked Cup driver Michael McDowell’s rear.

The No. 11 spun and bounced off the wall and slid to the other side for another hit from No. 21. Hill survived and continued at the third position, even reaching second before caution. The accident, however, took down drivers Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Ryan Sieg, William Sawalich, Dean Thompson, and others. Childress, for one, would not be happy with whatever NASCAR has to say. The falling out between RCR and NASCAR is nothing new, but the rulings are only exacerbating the disagreements. Before it reaches a breaking point, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has something to say.

During a conversation on his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. discussed the fiery nature of Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) approach. “Austin and them feel like they got did wrong. Austin Hill did not come to Glen with his tail between his legs in remorse. RCR didn’t. Richard don’t They’re of the mind, ‘You’re f*cking us over, man. And y’all took our points. And you put us in this position. We’re coming back swinging. That’s their attitude. Honestly, I’m battling this internally because that’s always been their attitude.

“RCR’s always been the scuffler, the aggressive, sort of, ‘Don’t f—-g push us, we’ll push back twice.’ They don’t put up with sh*t. Now, Richard’s been more vocal. I wish I wouldn’t see it, because the NASCAR world is better when Richard and NASCAR are friendly. I don’t love the NASCAR world where the Richard’s like ‘f*ck NASCAR’ or Richard’s mad at NASCAR. He was mad at them after Indy, right? They got him walking to the garage. I don’t love that visual ’cause I grew up in RCR’s family. Dad drove for ’em.

“Richard is still like family. Austin, we all talk, we stay in contact, we always will because we’re bonded. So, it’s tough for me because I want them to succeed and I want them to be appreciated and respected. And so, this has been a tough little stretch in terms of kinds how they handle things. I don’t know what the end result is here. (…) There were times in the eighties and nineties when there was a little bit of that, where Dad would get penalized for rough driving and Richard would be like, ‘NASCAR’s wrong, they screwed us.’

“So, what I’m seeing is nothing new, but it’s really aggravated because of that Richmond result and how that was handled; they didn’t love. I think ever since then, they’re out to get them. And I don’t think that’s real. It’s a bunch of things adding up.”

Recalling a culture of pushing back hard dates back decades for RCR. Childress is certainly known to back his drivers over anyone. However, the continued rulings against their drivers have left RCR with a feeling of betrayal. Of course, that intentional March incident where Cindric only received a 50-point penalty and a fine of $50,000 aggravated the difference in opinions. Hill, for an unintentional accident, received a 5-lap penalty, a race suspension, and a ruling for no longer gaining playoff points.

While the tough mentality helped define the team’s grit and reputation, it has now contributed to today’s strained relationship with NASCAR officials.

Yet, what makes the situation more complex now is the heightened scrutiny and stakes under modern NASCAR’s Next Gen car era. Wins have become more difficult to secure, putting more emotional weight on every call and incident. Recent penalties like Austin Dillon’s setbacks and incidents involving other RCR drivers have only added to the pressure cooker atmosphere.

For Dale Jr., speaking out was not just about calling attention to the divisions but about appealing to the shared history and future of the sport. A public battle between NASCAR and one of its most iconic teams threatens to overshadow the on-track product, and Earnhardt’s plea for cooler heads is a reminder of what’s at stake beyond the immediate conflicts.

Tensions between Richard Childress and NASCAR are quite high. And Hill’s move at Watkins Glen only added to the controversy. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflected on the incident with a different viewpoint.

Dale Jr. reflected on Austin Hill’s controversial move at Watkins Glen

Regarding Austin Hill’s recent on-track incident, Dale Earnhardt Jr. emphasized the complexity and intensity behind racing maneuvers like these. Hill’s collision at Watkins Glen, which triggered a significant multi-car wreck, is at the center of heated debate. Earnhardt made clear that “this is not the same thing that happened at Indy,” which many believed was intentional.

While Hill’s driving was aggressive, taking down multiple drivers, Earnhardt stressed Hill’s relentless nature, pointing out, “Austin Hill… I don’t believe is the kind of guy that gives up… he’s not gonna back down. He’s not gonna cut the break.”

However, for the McDowell collision at Watkins Glen, Hill told the CW Network, “As soon as I saw that he was getting tight to the grass, I should have lifted. That one was definitely on me…Destroyed a lot of race cars, really unfortunate.” At the same time, many look at the Indianapolis accident with skeptical eyes, but Hill has maintained that the contact was unintentional. 

After that race, he told his team, “I couldn’t hang onto it. I did not try to right-rear him. He had me out of control and I drove back to the left to keep it off the wall. I’m not sure what the hell he thought just running me over in 3 though!”

In a broader context, while RCR is known for it, there is a thin line between competitive and reckless driving. For RCR, right now, latter is becoming a frequent case. The high stakes in the Next Gen car era intensify pressure on drivers. For Earnhardt and many insiders, the conversation continues to be about balancing competitive fire with respect and safety on the track.