however, at the tail end of the 1986 season, richmond was feeling noticeably ill, following the season, he checked into a clinic and discovered that he had aids, and which at the time, was a little understood disease, despite his illness, richmond worked to regain his strength and in 1987, he returned in midseason and subsequently won two races at pocono and riverside. however, his health started deteriorating and so did his results, richmond would race in six more events before being told not to race by nascar.