Richard Childress Racing (RCR) announced on Wednesday that Carson Brown and Chandler Smith would join the team’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program for 2027.
Carson Brown, a development driver for Richard Childress Racing, will run his rookie campaign in NASCAR’s second-tier series next season, taking over the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro from defending NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Jesse Love, who is moving to the NASCAR Cup Series.
“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.”
Whelen Engineering is maintaining its commitment to RCR and its O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program in 2027, by serving as the anchor sponsor of the No. 2 Chevrvolet, like it has done for several years, with several drivers, including Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, and now, Carson Brown.
“Whelen is proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Richard Childress Racing and to welcome Carson to the No. 2 Chevrolet,” said Peter Tiezzi, general manager of motorsports for Whelen Engineering. “Carson has demonstrated tremendous potential as a young driver, and we’re excited to support his continued development. Just as important, we believe he will be a great ambassador for Whelen and the causes that are so important to our company. We look forward to working with Carson, RCR and our partners to build on the impact this program has made both on and off the racetrack.”
Brown has established himself as one to watch amongst upcoming drivers, with success in the ASA STARS National Tour, zMAX CARS Tour, and the ARCA Menards Series. Earlier this month, at Iowa Speedway, Brown made his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut for Jordan Anderson Racing, finishing inside the top-15.
“Carson has continued to impress us with what he can do behind the wheel, but just as importantly, he has the character and work ethic we look for in a driver representing RCR,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He has earned this opportunity through his performance and the way he approaches his development. Whelen has been a tremendous partner for RCR, and we’re excited to have Carson represent the company and help us continue the work we’ve done together in support of important causes and highlight the industry-defining safety solutions that Whelen proudly builds, designs and manufactures in America”
Chandler Smith will jump from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, where he’s spent the last two seasons with Front Row Motorsports, to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program in 2027, driving the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing.
“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.”
1-800-PACK-RAT, which joined Richard Childress Racing at the beginning of this year, will expand its presence with the team and the No. 21, stepping up as the anchor primary partner of the entry. Both Smith and 1-800-PACK-RAT have inked multi-year deals with RCR.
“What excites us most about expanding this partnership is everything we can build around it,” said Mark Kuhns, Chief Executive Officer for 1-800-PACK-RAT. “With RCR, Chandler and the No. 21, we have an exciting platform to introduce even more fans to 1-800-PACK-RAT and create memorable experiences throughout the season. We’re excited for 2027, and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”
Smith is a nine-time winner in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and a three-time winner in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, having spent time competing in both divisions throughout his career, which has been a bit of a rollercoaster between NASCAR’s second and third-tier series.
“Chandler has earned this opportunity,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He has shown throughout his career that he knows how to win, he knows how to compete and he understands what it takes to be successful at this level. We’ve watched him develop, and we believe he has all the tools to be a great fit at RCR. The No. 21 has a lot of history with our organization, and we’re excited to put Chandler in that car and give him the opportunity to continue building his career with us.”
The 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign will begin at Daytona on Saturday, February 20.
