Ken Schrader bluntly shuts down Richard Childress’ ‘blue collar team’ remark after Austin Hill-Aric Almirola clash

Ken Schrader didn't hold back when Richard Childress’ comment about his Xfinity team being a "blue collar team" came up during a conversation about Austin Hill’s clash with Aric Almirola at Indianapolis. The remark was delivered in a video posted by Dirty Mo Media on X.

In the clip, Kenny Wallace was discussing how Richard Childress might react to questions about NASCAR officials penalizing his team. Wallace jokingly said that if they were drinking with Childress, he’d probably claim that NASCAR,

“Does not like us because we’re a blue collar team.”

That’s when Ken Schrader stepped in sharply, cutting through the sentiment. He said,

“I don’t see that, and it’s definitely not a blue collar team in the Xfinity Series.”

The comment from Ken Schrader came on the heels of a heated incident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Austin Hill — driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for RCR — made contact with Aric Almirola with just nine laps to go. After Almirola had gotten Hill loose heading into Turn 3, Hill lost control briefly, then veered back down the track and clipped Almirola’s right rear, sending him hard into the outside wall.

The hit destroyed Almirola’s car and ended his race. He later called it “definitely intentional,” accusing Hill of retaliating after their on-track scuffle. Hill, over the radio, denied it was deliberate, saying he was trying to save his car and just couldn’t hold on.

NASCAR officials sided with Almirola, issuing Hill a five-lap penalty for reckless driving. That dropped Hill to 34th, five laps down. Almirola was credited with 35th, after being evaluated and released by medical staff.

---

“There’s nothing fun about being up in that tower,” says Ken Schrader about the race director’s job

Ken Schrader also recently offered insight into the challenges race directors face in calling cautions during high-speed crashes. This came after Cody Ware’s crash at the Chicago Street Course during the Grant Park 165, where many questioned why there was a delay in issuing the caution flag.

Cody Ware, driver of the #51 Arby's New Angus Cheesesteak Ford, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course on July 05, 2025 - Qualifying - Source: Getty

Ware had hit the barrier at almost 100 mph in Turn 6, but race control took more than 30 seconds to respond. While many criticized the delay, Ken Schrader explained why it's not as simple as it seems. Speaking in a YouTube conversation with Kenny Wallace, Schrader said that being up in the tower is one of the hardest jobs in the sport. Spotting everything in real time, especially the severity of a crash, can be very difficult from that vantage point.

“Did the right thing. Unless there's a guy (Cody Ware) sitting there, in a wrecked car, that needs help. It's a really tough business. Being up in that tower, oh my gosh. There are a lot of jobs that I think are pretty cool. A lot of fun in this sport. There's nothing fun about being up in that tower.”

According to Schrader, unless there’s an obvious indication that a driver is in danger, race control may wait to see if the driver can continue. In Ware’s case, people expected him to reverse and rejoin the race, but that didn’t happen. Schrader’s point was clear — the job of a race director isn’t reacting instantly to everything, but making judgment calls under pressure.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Pratham K Sharma