NASCAR team owner Richard Childress fired gunshots at three masked men who allegedly attempted to break into his North Carolina home, according to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.
Childress, 72, and his wife were upstairs in their Reedy Creek home when they were alerted by the sound of glass breaking downstairs at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The NASCAR Hall of Famer grabbed his handgun, went downstairs and fired shots at three men, who appeared to be armed and whose faces were mostly covered, according to police.
It was unknown if Childress‘ shots struck any of the assailants, who promptly fled the scene and remain at large.
Childress will not face charges for firing his weapon, as the North Carolina Castle Doctrine allows individuals to defend themselves against home invasions.
Per the police statement, Childress told the sheriff that “the only reason he and his wife were here today was because of God and the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms).”
Childress offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, per the Winston-Salem Journal.
Childress is the owner of Richard Childress Racing out of Welcome, N.C., which fields two teams in NASCAR’s top division, the Monster Energy Cup Series, and three in the Xfinity Series. That includes Childress’ famed No. 3, driven for nearly two decades by late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. Childress’ grandson, Austin Dillon, has driven the No. 3 since 2014.
