WELCOME — Austin Dillon answered one last question, then those boots had to scoot.
"Grandma's on the bull!" someone shouted, diverting Dillon's attention from a gaggle of journalists and referring to a mechanical ride a few feet away and, to be clear, not to Dang It, the beast fenced in safely across the Richard Childress Racing parking lot.
"Oh my gosh," Dillon said, seeing his grandmother Judy Childress in the saddle.
"What are you doing?" he called to her.
"Might be our new rider right there," he said. "Where's my grandpa?"
Without a doubt, the Childress family is fully invested in its newest venture. Richard Childress, the NASCAR race team owner and vineyard owner, will be the operator of one of eight franchises in a new Professional Bull Riders league.
Dillon, a grandson of Judy and Richard Childress, will be the Carolina Cowboys' general manager. And bull riding legend Jerome Davis of Archdale will help build the team and coach it.
Here's what you need to know about the Cowboys, who will compete in front of Triad fans in late summer in Winston-Salem, and what those involved are saying.
About the PBR Team Series
What
Five-on-five bull riding games.
Schedule
Three-day homestands in most cases. Each of the eight franchises will host one weekend. A neutral site, Cheyenne, Wyo., will welcome the season opener. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will host the PBR Team Series Finals.
When
The Cheyenne event is July 25-26. The series continues on all four August weekends, on three in September and twice in October before the Las Vegas finals Nov. 4-6.
Cowboy Days
Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem will host the league Sept. 9-11. Tickets are not on sale yet but will start at $20.
• "When we take home that big gold buckle that says 'world champions for the PRB Team.' That's how we're going to measure it. We're getting in it to win; we're not getting in it just to be here. I'm counting on Jerome and all of our team to try to put together a really good, solid effort." – Childress.
• "It's the fan metrics: How many showed up and bought tickets for the events and how many tuned in to either our coverage on Pluto TV or on CBS and CBS Sports Network. We have extensive CBS coverage on this, and it's all live. When we get the ratings back, we'll find out if the fans liked it or didn't like it." – Sean Gleason, Professional Bull Riders commissioner and chief executive officer.
On drafting riders
• "We have a great coach in Jerome, so he and I have been going over draft strategies, looking at different riders, studying. Jerome's going out to the combine (this week), and we'll be getting notes on different different guys." – Dillon.
• "Bulls are going to spin left or right, to make it simple. And different guys have better ride percentages into their hand or away from their hands. So right off the top, we're trying to get somebody that can ride both ways. ... After that, we're probably going to be picking through the guys that maybe ride bulls really good into their hand, and then we match bulls up with them. At the end of the day, we want some guys that are cowboy-tough. Richard, deep down in his heart, he's a cowboy. I told him we want to get some guys and sure-enough cowboys on this team that are going to step up to the plate when we ask them to. "– Davis.
The sport in North Carolina
• "The North Carolina high school association has a lot of kids in it. My little nephew goes to junior rodeos and rides steers, and they're way into the night most of the time riding because there are so many kids doing it. NASCAR and bull riding, putting it together, I think this will be a great mix." – Davis.
Home for Childress
• "We moved around a lot but Waughtown Street, Sprague Street, that whole area. Out close to Five Points. But mostly Waughtown area." – Childress, on growing up in Winston-Salem.
A driver's future
• "I'm a huge sports fan. And if I could do anything other than race cars, it would be manage some sports team. Racing and bull riding go hand in hand in a lot of ways. These boys are definitely crazier than I am. I enjoy being around them and watching what they love to do." – Dillon.
• "If it ever comes to the opportunity to manage RCR, you know I'd love it. The only thing I know is crossing these railroad tracks right here in Welcome, North Carolina, and coming down to the race shop." – Dillon.
PHOTOS: Richard Childress Racing announces the formation of Professional Bull Riders team, Carolina Cowboys
Professional Bull Riders (from left) Daylon Swearingen, Ezekiel Mitchell and Cooper Davis talk with NASCAR driver Austin Dillon during an event announcing the Carolina Cowboys team at Richard Childress Racing in Welcome.