Richard Childress Racing
Event Preview: Phoenix International Raceway
Race: Fresh Fit 500
Location: Phoenix International Raceway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
RCR at PIR … Team owner Richard Childress has three victories, tying him with Robert Yates for third on the all-time car owner victories list at the Avondale, Ariz.,-based facility. In 76 races at Phoenix, RCR has earned three wins, including Kevin Harvick’s sweep of both races at PIR in 2006. Prior to that, Dale Earnhardt won the Checker 500 on Nov. 4, 1990. Additionally, the Welcome, N.C.-based organization boasts 14 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes.
RCR Daytona 500 Rewind … In last Monday’s Daytona 500, RCR drivers led a total of three times for a combined 26 laps before posting three top-10 finishes. Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Paul Menard finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively, while RCR’s fourth entry of Elliott Sadler finished 27th after experiencing issues with the fuel pressure on his No. 33 Chevrolet.
Get to the Points … RCR’s three full time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank fifth (Jeff Burton), sixth (Paul Menard) and seventh (Kevin Harvick) in the championship point standings leading into this weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.
RCR on Twitter … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick and @RCR31JeffBurton.
Catch the Action … Live coverage of the 312 miler from Phoenix International Raceway will be televised on FOX Sunday, March 4, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and will also be broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the second race on the 2012 Sprint Cup Series tour will be televised on SPEED Saturday, March 3, beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Paul Menard
No. 27 Tarkett/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Tarkett/Menards Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 328 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Fresh Fit 500. This Chevrolet Impala was utilized by the No. 27 team three times in 2011, most recently at Phoenix International Raceway in November 2011 where Menard started 11th and finished ninth. This chassis was also raced last season at Darlington Raceway in May, where the Eau Claire, Wis., native finished 22nd and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March where he finished 12th.
Phoenix Tidbits … In his 10 previous starts at the one-mile raceway, Menard completed 99.6 percent of his laps (3,173 of 3,187). He owns an average starting position of 19.8 and an average finishing position of 23rd, with his best finish of ninth coming in the November 2011 event. His best start at the Avondale, Ariz. track came in April 2009 when the Eau Claire, Wis., native rolled off from the seventh position.
About Tarkett …Founded in 1886, Tarkett is aworldwide leader in the flooring industry. They manufacture and sell laminate and sheet vinyl floors for the home in over 100 countries worldwide, as well as provide a broad range of products for commercial use. Many of their integrated flooring solutions are part of numerous prestigious architectural references. Tarkett is a leading provider of innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surfaces. For more information, please visit www.tarkettna.com.
Race Rewind … Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet from the 13th position in the 2011 Fresh Fit 500, finishing 17th in the 312-lap event.
In the Rearview Mirror: Daytona 500 … Menard and the PEAK/Menards team overcame fire and rain to claim a sixth-place finish in the 54th running of the Daytona 500. The No. 27 team started from the 37th position after being collected in a multi-car accident on lap eight of Thursday’s Duel 150 qualifying race.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Were you surprised at how good the racing was in the fall at Phoenix International Raceway with the new surface and configuration?
“We tested there and as the two-day test went on we picked up three seconds, everybody did as the track weathered in. Everybody was worried because it had one groove when we tested. I think the track did a really good job along with Goodyear to rubber-in the track by having some guys go out there and run the Petty School cars on the actual compound tire that we (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams) were going to race. It opened up the groove a lot. The race was actually really good. We had a second groove to run and at times, even a third groove. It’s going to get better as we continue to go back.”
How different is the new configuration and surface?
“I’ve described it to people as feeling like a video game because it was like everything was perfect. The way the transitions were and the way it looked. There wasn’t a speck of dust on the place and no skid marks anywhere when we unloaded for the test. It was almost surreal at how neat the track was. Turns one and two still have the same character, as do turns three and four. The biggest difference is the dogleg in the back. It’s a huge elevation change. There’s a lot sharper and little bit longer corner and then another elevation change on exit. The back half of the race track is the biggest difference. We drive turns one, two, there and four the same as before.”
What did you think about that dogleg? After a while the guys started shooting a straight line.
“We saw that it didn’t work out that well a couple times in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race, but we figured it out and made it work pretty good in the Sprint Cup Series race. I think we almost had to. The way the track is designed in the dogleg, it’s really fast. We’re probably 150 mph through there, but it’s really narrow. It’s kind of a weird feeling going in there because you dip, there’s a really sharp apex and then you exit. You don’t want to be on the outside of that, that’s why everyone was going to the inside.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 365 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This former No. 33 racer competed in three races in NASCAR’s senior division last season, placing finishes of 17th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, 22nd at Richmond International Raceway in September and 10th at Phoenix International Raceway in November.
Triple Winner in ’06 …The RCR driver dominated and claimed victory in both Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix in 2006. In addition, the Bakersfield, Calif., native owns one NASCAR Nationwide Series win, which came in April 2006.
Desert Details … In 18 Sprint Cup Series starts at the Avondale, Ariz., facility, Harvick has earned two wins (back-to-back victories in 2006), four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He has completed 99.6 percent (5,664 of 5,686) of the contested laps at PIR and led 317 of those laps.
Loopy in Phoenix … Harvick owns some impressive loop statistics at PIR. According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, the 18-time Sprint Cup Series race winner boasts the following figures: fourth in fastest driver early in the run, sixth in most laps led (317), sixth in average running position (12.09), seventh in green-flag passes (565), seventh in laps running in the top 15 (3,157), seventh in green-flag speed, ninth in fastest driver on restarts, ninth in fastest laps run (167) and ninth best Driver Rating of 94.8.
And, Now a Word From Our Sponsor … Rheem will adorn the No. 29 Chevrolet for the first of 10 races, beginning this weekend. Rheem is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta and U.S. operations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Indiana, Minnesota and North Carolina. In its 86th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Rheem, Raypak, Ruud and Richmond have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing.
Welcome Watts Water Technologies and Corrugados … Watts Water Technologies and Corrugados will serve as Rheem’s partners on the RCR entry for Sunday’s race. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. is a world leader in the manufacture of innovative products to control the efficiency, safety and quality of water within residential, commercial and institutional applications. The company’s expertise in a wide variety of water technologies enables it to be a comprehensive supplier to the water industry. Watts Water’s various brand products center around four key application areas, referred to as our strategic business platforms: Commercial & Residential Flow, Water Reuse & Drainage, HVAC & Gas, and Water Quality. Corrugados, a division of Orange County Container Group LLC, is a leading integrated paperboard and paper-based packaging manufacturer operating within the U.S. and Northern Mexico. The Company is a primary producer of recycled containerboard and medium, low and high graphics corrugated containers, folding carton containers and point-of-purchase displays. In addition, OCCG has extensive R&D capabilities for advanced paper coating technologies for its clients. The Company also operates its own recycling centers in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and meets the requirements established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) and is ISO 14001 certified.
Double Down … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet, Harvick will compete in Saturday’s Basha’s Supermarkets 200 Nationwide Series event, driving RCR’s No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has 18 Nationwide Series starts at the one-mile desert oval that includes one victory (Apr. 2006), 14 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. The 200-lap event will air live on ESPN2 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Daytona Rewind … Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team avoided being collected in several multiple-car incidents, a two-hour red-flag period and minor front-end damage after contact with the commitment cone on lap two to score a seventh-place finish in the 54th running of the Daytona 500.
Meet the Press … Harvick will field questions from the gathered media inside the infield media center on Friday, Mar. 2 from 10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
With all the hype around Daytona, is Phoenix the real start of the regular season?
“To carry that momentum from Daytona to Phoenix is going to be exciting for all of us. I know that I look forward to going there just for the fact that I grew up racing there, and I enjoy the race track.”
There’s quite a bit of hype difference between the first and second week of our sport unlike other sports.
“Well, when you lead off the season with your biggest race, the Daytona 500, there’s really no other race on the schedule that can match the hype and anticipation of that particular race. It is really the first official week of what it’s going to be like on the weekly grind as we go to Phoenix this year.”
The track went through a re-pave last year. Did it surprise you that, unlike other tracks, the new surface was racy?
“The new surface was definitely racy. They did a great job prepping for the race. With the shorter tracks, the grip is greater but it’s a different environment than what you experience on the mile-and-a-half tracks. It was a great race. They spent a lot time laying the track out, taking their strength and weaknesses and thinking about the fans as to what they can see from their seats. It all played out really well and I hope to have another good race this weekend.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Wheaties Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Wheaties Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 382 from
the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend. This is a brand new No. 31 Chevrolet
Impala that will turn its first laps during opening practice on Friday.
Career Phoenix Stats … Sunday’s event marks Burton’s 26th start at the “The Desert Jewel” and 621st -career Sprint Cup Series entry. He has amassed two wins, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and led 215 laps at the one-mile oval.
Getting Loopy in the Desert … Burton has garnered some impressive NASCAR Loop Data statistics at Phoenix International Raceway. He leads all active drivers with 704 green-flag passes and is fifth in quality passes (passing a car running in the top 15 under green-flag conditions) with 357 passes.
No Stranger to Victory Lane … Burton has scored two victories at the one-mile desert oval, bringing home back-to-back trophies from Phoenix International Raceway in 2000 and 2001 and leading more than 100 laps in both events.
Breakfast of Champions … The iconic Wheaties franchise returns to the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. This is the first of six races in which Wheaties will proudly be the primary sponsor of the No. 31 Chevrolet. Wheaties is also serving as an associate sponsor of the No. 31 for all races during the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season. For more information, please visit www.wheaties.com or follow Wheaties on Twitter @Wheaties_FUEL and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Wheaties.
Eat Your Wheaties … On Sunday, March 4, General Mills will provide Wheaties, Wheaties FUEL, milk, coffee and juice to all working media in attendance at the Phoenix International Raceway media center from 8 – 9 a.m.
Calling all Burton Fans … Burton will be making three public appearances this weekend in the Phoenix, Ariz. area. He will be signing autographs on Friday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bashas’ grocery store on 5115 N. Dysart Road in Litchfield Park, Ariz., and the Bashas’ campground store in the Phoenix International Raceway turn-two campground area on Saturday, March 3 at 10:30 a.m. Burton also plans to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Chevy stage in the PIR display area on Sunday, March 4at 9:25 a.m.
Rewind to Last Week … In front of a Monday night primetime audience on FOX, Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team survived one of the most bizarre races in not only Daytona International Speedway history, but NASCAR history and posted a solid fifth-place finish in the 54th running of the Daytona 500.
Points Racing … With his strong top-five finish in the Daytona 500, Burton sits fifth in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, just seven markers behind the leader.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
Phoenix International Raceway has a new surface and you guys put on a great race there last November. Do you expect another great event?
“I think when we go to Phoenix International Raceway, no one really has an idea what to expect. The track changes so much from day-to-day. We were really fast there and ran well, but didn’t qualify that great. I think we were second-fastest in practice and the track slowed down a half-second from what we ran in practice. We ended up qualifying 14th, ran in the front all day and had a legitimate shot to win the race. We adapted pretty quick and were fast at the test sessions out there before the race also.”
How did Phoenix International Raceway race with new asphalt compared to other tracks which got new asphalt?
“Once the track got rubber-d up, it was ok. Once the race got going, it was fine, but there was no grip at the start of the race. Getting the race started was hard though. The track would change so much. Once we got a lot of cars on track to lay that rubber down, it would rubber up and stay consistent.”
You finished in fourth-place last November, talk about that day.
“It was a good day. We ran well and competed all weekend. We were fast all weekend. It was just a really solid day. We had good pit stops, probably one of our better days all year for the pit crew. It was a good day all the way around.”
Talk about how much you are looking forward to going back to Phoenix International Raceway.
“It’s been a really good track for me. Knock on wood, every time I go there we run well and haven been in position to win the race. We even won it several times. It’s just been a good track. When we go there, I’m very comfortable and feel like we know what it takes to win.”
Brendan Gaughan
No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s South Point Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot Chassis No. 351 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala is a proven contender in Sprint Cup Series competition, as Gaughan’s RCR teammate Kevin Harvick made a trip to Victory Lane with it in May 2011 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Harvick also drove this former No. 29 racer to a seventh-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September, a 10th-place finish at Dover International Speedway in October and a 19th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in November.
Return Trip to Sprint Cup … The Fresh Fit 500 will mark Gaughan’s 38th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his first since the 2010 Daytona 500. The Las Vegas native raced full-time in NASCAR’s top series during the 2004 season, posting one top-five and four top -10 finishes. Phoenix marks the first of four Sprint Cup Series starts with RCR for 2012, Gaughan will also race the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speeedway and Auto Club Speedway events during the month of March.
Phoenix Details… Gaughan’s experience runs deep at the one-mile track in the desert, spanning 14 years and four series for a total of 19 starts (two Sprint Cup Series, four Nationwide Series, nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and four NASCAR K&N Pro Series West).
Top of the Box … Leading the charge for the No. 33 Chevrolet team is veteran crew chief and longtime RCR employee Gil Martin. The Nashville, Tenn. native has been at RCR since 2000 and has served as crew chief for Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Kerry Earnhardt and Robby Gordon. He is one of a select few crew chiefs to win races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. In addition, Austin Dillon’s No. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series pit crew will pit the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at PIR.
A South Point Gambling Man … South Point Hotel & Casino will serve as Gaughan’s primary sponsor for the No. 33 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway. Located in the heart of the premiere southwest Las Vegas valley, minutes away from the famous Las Vegas Strip, South Point Hotel & Casino amenities include a 16-screen century theatre movie complex, 64-lane bowling center and a handful of restaurants that cater to all appetites and tastes. The casino features a large selection of table games and the latest slot and video poker machines. The distinctive hotel features spacious rooms and suites with 42-inch LED televisions, Point Plush mattresses and wireless fidelity throughout. A unique feature to this property is its Equestrian Center, which is the finest horse facility in the country. South Point also has a fabulous 400-seat showroom that features headliner entertainment and dancing to live bands on weekends.
What’s in Store for 2012 … In addition to the four scheduled Sprint Cup Series races in the No. 33 South Point Chevrolet, Gaughan will compete in 10 Nationwide Series races and eight Camping World Truck Series races for RCR in 2012.
Race Rewind for the 33 … Elliott Sadler and the No. 33 General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet team avoided numerous on-track incidents in the 2012 season opening Daytona 500 earlier this week, including a two-hour delay due to a jet dryer fire, but an issue with the fuel system early in the event ultimately resulted in a 27th-place finish.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
After running full time in the Sprint Cup Series in 2004, what does this four race Sprint Cup Series opportunity with Richard Childress Racing mean to you?
“The opportunity to run four races for Richard Childress in the Sprint Cup Series is truly amazing. RCR has top-notch equipment and teamed me with a winning crew chief in Gil Martin. Everyone deserves a second chance and I am ecstatic that my second chance in the Sprint Cup Series is in the No. 33 Chevrolet with RCR.”
You raced at Phoenix International Raceway in the Truck Series race last spring but not since the track has been repaved. What are your expectations with the new configuration?
“After talking with some of my RCR teammates, they told me that the track hasn’t changed all that much, they just made the track a little “racier” off of turn 2. The Chevrolet Impala I’m driving had a win last year so I’m really looking forward to going to Phoenix in equipment the caliber I have never had a chance to drive in my career.”
Race: Bashas’ Supermarkets 200
Location: Phoenix International Raceway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race Notes:
RCR in the NNS … In 768 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts over the course of the last 14 years, Richard Childress Racing has earned 56 wins, 252 top-five finishes, 414 top-10 finishes and 33 pole awards, with an average starting position of 12.8 and a 13th-place average finishing position among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver’s points championships in 2001 and 2006 with Kevin Harvick and in 2008 with Clint Bowyer, along with the owner’s title in 2003 with Johnny Sauter and Harvick and in 2007 with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer.
Welcome Back … Following a one-year hiatus, RCR returns full time to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012 after announcing a merger with Kevin Harvick Inc., last season. In addition to RCR’s 56 NNS victories, KHI earned 41 victories as an organization from 2004 through 2011. The weekend will mark RCR’s first Nationwide Series race at Phoenix since the track was repaved last summer.
The Starting Line-up … Elliott Sadler (No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 AdvoCare/American Ethanol/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete full time for RCR in the Nationwide Series this season while Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan, Paul Menard and Max Papis will share driving duties in the No. 33 Menards/South Point Hotel & Casino/Hunt Brothers/Armour/Fast Fixin’s/One Main Financial/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet. Harvick is driving the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Phoenix this weekend.
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Phoenix International Raceway … In 35 previous Nationwide Series appearances at Phoenix International Raceway, RCR has two wins at the one-mile track, with Bowyer bringing the organization to the Winner’s Circle in April 2007 and Harvick doing so in April 2006.
By the Numbers … RCR has started Nationwide Series races at Phoenix International Raceway from the pole position with two different drivers -Bowyer in November 2007 and Harvick in November 2003. The organization has 16 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes at the track.
Averages … RCR boasts an average starting position of 14.4 and an average finishing position of 12.7 among all NNS races the organization has contested at Phoenix International Raceway. RCR drivers have completed 98.3 percent of the laps attempted at the one-mile track (6,892 of 7,013 laps), with 406 laps led.
Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages – @RCR2ESadler, @RCR3ADillon and @RCR33NNS, RCR’s NCWTS driver Twitter pages – @Elliott_Sadler, @AustinDillon3 and @KevinHarvick, and the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/ElliottSadlerOfficial, facebook.com/adillon3 and facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick.
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, March 3 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Elliott Sadler
No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s OneMain Financial Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet team will unload Chassis No. 101 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. This chassis was brought over from the merger with Kevin Harvick Inc., and was utilized in two races last season. Sadler earned the pole at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2011 and scored a ninth-place finish and followed with a sixth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway to conclude the 2011 season.
Back to the Desert … Sadler has made six starts in the Nationwide Series at the one-mile Arizona track, with one top-five finish and a 97.5 percent lap completion record. His top finish came in 2005 when he was scored in the second position. Sadler also brings experience from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 18 starts at Phoenix, earning one top-10 finish in 2010.
Last Time By … Sadler returns to Phoenix seeking one thing: retribution. The last time the driver competed at the one-mile track, his dreams of a Nationwide Series championship were dashed as a late-race incident knocked the driver out of contention for the title in the second-to-last race of the season. He was credited with a 27th-place finish. Prior to the repave of the track, Sadler earned a 12th-place finish in the February 2011 event at Phoenix.
Going the Extra Mile … The driver of the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet is no stranger to success at one-mile tracks. In Sadler’s Nationwide Series career, three of his five wins were scored at tracks one mile in length. His first came at Nazareth Speedway in 1998, which was his first-career Nationwide Series victory, Gateway International Raceway in 1997 and Rockingham Speedway in 1998.
Last Week … Sadler joined his new team at RCR at the famed Daytona International Speedway for the 2012 Nationwide Series season opener. Starting from the second row, the Emporia, Va., driver maneuvered the 2.5-mile track and narrowly avoided trouble to lead eight laps and brought home a third-place finish.
To the Point … Coming off the third-place finish at Daytona, Sadler heads into Phoenix as the leader of the Nationwide Series championship driver point standings, leading second-place driver Cole Whitt by two points.
One Site, OneMain Racing … Last week, the No. 2 team relaunched OneMainRacing.com for the new season. The site contains all the latest news, photos and access to the RCR team on the track and in the shop.
All A-twitter … The spot above a driver’s window is the last thing a driver sees after he tells his family goodbye and straps into the racecar to go compete in the sport he loves. For Sadler, he has always utilized this spot for things that he holds dear to him: a ribbon for Autism Awareness in support of his niece, a pink Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon in support of his mother and an American flag in support of the troops and the country that he loves. This season, Sadler is paying homage to his fans. Voted the 2011 Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver, Sadler has placed his twitter handle (@Elliott_Sadler) in place of his name to show support to his fans and twitter followers for the season.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES:
You competed on the newly-paved Phoenix track last fall. What were your thoughts on the new track?
“The groove opened up a lot more than people first anticipated. It will probably open up a lot more as we head back to Phoenix this week. It is still a “track position” race, and you have to be good on pit road, but you can definitely make passes there. Because of the neat configuration is in the backstretch, you can really go down on the apron and get away from people. It’s unique to Phoenix, and you don’t get that kind of racing at any other track. It’s a cool race track, and it was one of my favorites before the repave. As it ages, and gets some hot Phoenix summers, it will be back to the “normal” Phoenix race track.
What are the biggest changes from the “old” Phoenix to the “new” Phoenix? How do you adapt to those changes?
“It’s a lot smoother. You can get in the gas a lot sooner. At the old track, it got a little tighter in the middle, and a little freer as you ran, but the new track got a lot tighter. From new tires to as you ran through a fuel run, it really got tight. As a driver, you have to focus on the back-end of the run. I just had to be loose and out of control on the beginning of the run. That’s the biggest difference. You had to figure out just how loose your car had to be at the beginning to be good at the end of those runs.”
What are you looking to do to improve your finish at the “new” Phoenix?
“I didn’t run as well there as I wanted to in the fall. We were running okay when we were wrecked. That is one weekend on my calendar that I have highlighted on my schedule to get with Luke Lambert, my crew chief, to talk about his ideas coming from the Sprint Cup Series side, and I will bring my notes from the Nationwide side from last season, and we will put together a package to run well at Phoenix.”
Last season you used the apron to pass at Phoenix and were involved in an accident that knocked you out of the race. Will you do it differently this year?
“I thought that I did it the right way. Two guys were running side-by-side, and they got into each other and slowed down. I saw guys do it the whole race, so I did use the apron to pass and actually cleared the two cars, but one guy got into the back of my car. If I had to do it all over again, I would still do it the same move. I don’t feel like I was too aggressive, and I don’t feel like I ran those guys up the track. I actually feel like I did it the cleanest possible way that I could. We saw it in the Sprint Cup Series race that Sunday, people were passing each other on the apron the day after I was wrecked. I promise you, you are going to see it again this spring at Phoenix. I honestly think you might see people use the apron for qualifying.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 93 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. This former Kevin Harvick Inc., chassis was utilized by the No. 33 team on 12 different occasions last year, earning a pair of third-place finishes (Harvick at Auto Club Speedway in March and Paul Menard at Texas Motor Speedway in April), along with a pair of fourth-place finishes with Bowyer driving (TMS in November and Homestead-Miami Speedway in November). The Danny Stockman-led No. 3 AdvoCare team completely refurbished this Chevrolet Impala during the off season.
Dillon at Phoenix … Dillon has four total starts at Phoenix International Raceway, spread out among the Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In April 2009 he made his lone Nationwide Series start at the track, where he finished 34th after starting 35th. He has a pair of top-10 finishes in the Camping World Truck Series at Phoenix, finishing fifth after starting second in 2011 and posting a seventh-place finish after earning the pole in 2010. In addition, he raced in the K&N Pro Series West race at the track in 2009, finishing 15th after starting 17th.
Night of Champions … Dillon is scheduled to attend Phoenix International Raceway’s Night of Champions Charity Event at Frank and Albert’s, Arizona Biltmore Resort on Thursday, March 1. All proceeds benefit the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and The MVP Foundation. Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt and the 2012 Daytona 500 Champion are among the honorees at the event. Tickets to the Night of Champions can be purchased by visiting www.themvpfoundation.org.
One Week Ago … Dillon survived numerous multi-car incidents at Daytona International Speedway to earn a fifth-place finish in his first career superspeedway race in the Nationwide Series. He advanced from the 12th position to the fifth position on the final lap of the race as he dodged a multi-car incident that broke out as the field raced to the checkered flag.
Get to the Points … With his fifth-place finish at Daytona, Dillon is currently third in the Nationwide Series championship point standings, trailing his RCR teammate, Elliott Sadler, by just three points.
Use It. The Pros Do … Dillon utilizes AdvoCare products during the week before work out sessions, at the race track and whenever he needs a boost. AdvoCare offers nutrition, weight loss, energy and sports performance products of the highest quality developed through comprehensive research and backed by a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. Dillon’s favorite product is Spark energy drink, while Rehydrate and Post Workout Recovery have become a part of his daily workout routine.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at PIR’s Budweiser ROLL-BAR on Saturday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time. The Budweiser ROLL-BAR is located behind the Bobby Allison Grandstands on the west side of the track, and features the best in live entertainment with appearances by NASCAR’s top personalities throughout every NASCAR weekend. Tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR can be purchased over the phone at 866-408-RACE (7223).
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
It must be exciting to be third in points?
“It’s good that we can go to Phoenix International Raceway and not feel like we are behind. It stinks trying to dig out of a hole – I know because we have had to do that, even last season when we won the Camping World Truck Series Championship we had to play catch-up at the beginning of the season. The last two years at Daytona we have dug ourselves into a hole. Last year we were running up front, got wrecked and ended up 26th. We had to dig out of a hole for the points championship. It’s nice coming out of Daytona for a change up at the front. It’s really nice.”
Do you think that the recent track repave will serve as a great equalizer for race teams?
“Yes, I think that the recent repave will level the playing field. You saw it last year with Sam Hornish. I feel like I got a touch of information from the NASCAR-sanctioned test that was held last summer. I didn’t get to run the race last year after the repave but I can lean on RCR crew chief Ernie Cope and the other guys that ran all last year. I’ll be using Elliott Sadler for information, too. We just have to take it one race at a time.”
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
“I kind of like flat tracks. New Hampshire Motor Speedway boded well for me the last two years in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and Phoenix International Raceway has, too, so I think we can win. I really do. I think our No. 3 team is fast enough to go out and win races all year. We’ll be learning all year too though because we are a little bit behind on experience at some of these race tracks, especially at road courses and places I haven’t been. I have no notes on some of these race tracks so it means I will be taking notes and learning all year and we will see how we end up once we get to Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 99 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable, a former racer from the Kevin Harvick Inc. organization that was completely refurbished in the RCR Nationwide Series shop during the off season.
Phoenix Tidbits … Harvick has competed in 18 Nationwide Series events at the Avondale, Ariz., facility and boasts one win (April 2006) 14 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. He has completed 98.3 percent (3,541 of 3,604) of the contested laps at PIR, led 216 of those laps and holds an impressive average finish position of 7.1.
Loopy in Phoenix … Since the inception of NASCAR’s loop data statistics in 2006, Harvick has competed in 14 Nationwide Series races at PIR and has posted some pretty impressive figures during this time: second in fastest driver early in a run, second in laps run in the top 15 (2,500 of 2,818), third in fastest laps run (166), fourth in fastest driver on restarts, fourth in green-flag speed, fourth in average running position (5.258), fifth in fastest driver late in a run, sixth in most laps led (156), sixth best Driver Rating (116.6) and eighth in green-flag passes with 245.
Double Down … In addition to competing in this weekend’s Basha’s Supermarkets 200, Harvick will participate in Sunday’s Fresh Fit 500 race, driving RCR’s No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet. The second race on the 2012 Sprint Cup Series schedule will air live on FOX, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
2012 Schedule … In addition to competing for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series championship, Harvick is slated to compete in 14 Nationwide Series races this season, driving RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet with crew chief Ernie Cope. Tracks on Harvick’s schedule include Bristol Motor Speedway in both March and August, Texas Motor Speedway in both April and November, Richmond International Raceway in both April and September, Talladega Superspeedway in May, Charlotte Motor Speedway in both May and October, Kentucky Speedway in June, Daytona International Speedway in July, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, Atlanta Motor Speedway in September and Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. The Cope-led team is competing fulltime in NASCAR’s junior division, vying for the 2012 Nationwide Series owner’s title.
Meet the Press … Harvick will field questions from the gathered media inside the infield media center on Friday, March 2 from 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. local time.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Now that you had a chance to compete on the old surface, how is it different from the old configuration?
“The entrance into Turn 1 reminded me of the old configuration. The center and the exit were a lot different just because of the banking. The back straightaway was the biggest difference just for the fact that it had a lot of banking and a pretty sharp turn going into Turn 3. As the weekend went on, I think everybody got braver with using the apron but Turns 3 and 4 reminded me of the old race track the most.”
What will you expect in the Nationwide race based on your experience in last season’s Sprint Cup Series race?
“The first couple of laps were a little hairy getting through the dogleg because there was stuff on the tires and everybody was loose going through there. So, if everyone gives a little extra room, getting through there won’t be that bad. It does beat the cars up pretty bad and knocks the splitter up and bends the side skirts. As a driver, you don’t really see that stuff until after the race so we’ll need to take care of the car and race smart so we can be up front at the end.”
