In November, NRATV debuted an exciting new brand—NRA Sports—and with it, a new series. The show, “Legends & Icons,” explores what it was like for some of the most legendary athletes of our time to compete in the biggest and most iconic sports venues, and gives these legends a platform to share their memories and experiences in their own words.
The season premiere of “Legends & Icons” features a name that’s very familiar to racing fans. Richard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR). He also sits on the NRA Board of Directors.
From 1969 to 1981, Childress competed in the Sprint Cup Series and racked up six top five finishes and 76 top 10 finishes in 285 starts. His grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon have picked up the Childress mantle and currently race on the RCR team.
In this episode, all three Childresses share their thoughts on racing at the storied Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. Richard recalls racing there for the first time in 1969—when there were just 15,000 seats in the grandstand and drivers raced on an asphalt track. Now, of course, the NASCAR short track is America’s fourth-largest sports venue and seats up to 162,000 fans.
“As a car owner, I’ve had cars to finish 1-2-3—won the race and finished second and third,” notes Richard. “And we’ve also, as a car owner, loaded three of ‘em on the rollback and took them home. So it can go either way, it’s feast or famine at Bristol.”
Austin, Richard’s oldest grandson, talks about the significance of Bristol. “All of the history that’s taking place here and to be a part of it is special,” he says.
Youngest grandson Ty concurs, recalling the uniqueness of the speedway. “What makes Bristol so special is this is the last great colosseum, and you can tell by when you first walk into this place—you look up and you’re surrounded by fans, the track is so banked and you’re right on top of the action.
Richard sums up his feelings about the track in three words: “It’s Bristol, baby.”
You can watch the premiere of “Legends & Icons” above or on NRATV. The network broadcasts in live streaming HD 24 hours a day, and all episodes can also be viewed on demand 24/7. Tune in for live news updates and interviews at the top of each hour, a live show with Colion Noir and programming that includes two dozen shows. NRATV can be watched online at NRATV.com, through the Apple TV app, on Roku, and through Amazon Fire TV and Google Chromecast.
