NASCAR legend impressed after Kostecki hot lap
Supercars
24 Nov
Richard Childress believes Brodie Kostecki "could make it anywhere"
Childress went for a hot lap in Adelaide with Kostecki on Thursday
RCR boss wants more of Kostecki in 2024 after this year's NASCAR debut
NASCAR legend Richard Childress believes Supercars championship leader Brodie Kostecki “could make it anywhere” after riding shotgun with the Erebus Motorsport driver.
Famed team owner Childress is in Australia with Erebus at the VAILO Adelaide 500, and went for a hot lap in the #99 Coca-Cola Chevrolet Camaro on Thursday.
Childress’ eponymous team, Richard Childress Racing, has won the NASCAR Cup Series championship six times, all with driver Dale Earnhardt, as well as the Daytona 500 three times.
RCR also ran a wildcard entry for Kostecki at the Indianapolis Road Course earlier this year, with the team linking up with Erebus.
Childress, himself a former racer, liked what he saw from not only the Gen3 Camaro, but from Kostecki.
“The lap was great,” Childress told Supercars.com.
“I was amazed at how they punish the transaxle so hard. The track was a little slick, but it was fun.
“But I felt comfortable with Brodie driving, I knew he knew what he was doing. I told Brodie I wouldn’t ride with anyone else.
“Back when I drove, it was totally different to what it’s like today. These are more high-tech cars. Just like the car we’re racing in America today, it’s a high-tech car just like this.
"That’s the reason we worked a relationship with Barry [Ryan], it’s a good relationship, we’re learning from each other."
Kostecki has made waves in 2023, winning six races and claiming eight pole positions en route to a 131-point lead heading into the final round.
The Perth-born driver finished 22nd in the Indy Cup race, having battled with technical problems in the lead-up to the race — something Childress believes masked Kostecki’s raw pace.
Regardless, given Kostecki’s performance this year and his application with RCR ahead of his Cup debut, Childress wants him back for more in 2024, saying the sky’s the limit for the Supercars title contender.
“We didn’t do the best job for Brodie, our team at RCR let him down, we had a problem before practice,” Childress said.
“He didn’t get much practice, but he still did really well and even qualified 11th. He’d have been top five if he got practice.
“Hopefully we get him back over there in ’24, he did a really good job. Brodie could make it anywhere he wants.
“He’s got the talent, he puts the hard work into everything he does, he loves driving race cars.
“He’ll be successful everywhere he goes."
