Richard Childress Racing Event Preview:
Chicagoland Speedway
Race: STP 300
Location: Chicagoland Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Notes
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Chicagoland Speedway … In 21 previous Nationwide Series appearances at Chicagoland Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has three wins at the 1.5-mile track, with Kevin Harvick in 2007 and 2005 and Johnny Sauter in 2002. RCR drivers have completed 94.6 percent of the laps attempted at the track (3,976 of 4,203 laps), with 228 laps led.
The Season So Far … Through the 17 races contested this season, RCR has acquired three wins in the Nationwide Series, with Elliott Sadler at Phoenix International Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway and Austin Dillon at Kentucky Speedway. RCR has earned seven pole awards in 2012, with Sadler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Iowa Speedway, Paul Menard at Texas Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick at Richmond International Raceway and Austin Dillon at Michigan International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. The organization has 24 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes and has led 920 laps in 2012.
RCR in the NNS … In 817 Nationwide Series starts over the course of the last 15 years, Richard Childress Racing has earned 59 wins, 274 top-five finishes, 452 top-10 finishes and 39 pole awards, with an average starting position of 12.5 and an average finishing position of 12.7 among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver points championships in 2001 and 2006 with Harvick and in 2008 with Clint Bowyer. The Welcome, N.C.-based team earned the owner’s title in 2003 with Johnny Sauter and Harvick and again in 2007 with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer.
To the Point … RCR’s two full-time Nationwide Series entries rank first (Sadler) and second (Dillon) in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings heading into the STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. The No. 2 team sits second in the owner point standings while the No. 3 team ranks third. The No. 33 team sits fifth in the owner championship point standings.
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 Nationwide Series driver Twitter pages – @Elliott_Sadler, @AustinDillon3 and @Brendan62 the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/RCRracing, facebook.com/ElliottSadlerOfficial and facebook.com/adillon3.
Live on ESPN … Flag-to-flag coverage of the STP 300 is scheduled to be televised on ESPN beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, July 22 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio beginning at 2:45 p.m.
Elliott Sadler No. 2 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway… Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will unload Chassis No. 104 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable this weekend. This is the sixth weekend the team utilized this chassis this season with the best results coming at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March with a pole award and third place finish. Sadler also raced this chassis at Texas Motor Speedway (12th), Darlington Raceway (24th), Dover International Speedway (seventh) and Michigan International Speedway (11th).
Windy City Racing … In his Nationwide Series career, Sadler has made five starts at Chicagoland Speedway with one top-10 finish and 32 laps led, and a best finish of sixth in 2011. Sadler also brings experience from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the 1.5-mile track with 10 starts and one top-10 finish.
Last Time By … In 2011, Sadler competed for the win in the July event at Chicagoland Speedway, leading 29 laps. Tire issues late in the race, however, knocked the team out of contention and relegated Sadler to an 11th-place finish.
Welcome, Hunt Brothers Pizza … The No. 2 Chevrolet will sport the green and red colors of Hunt Brothers Pizza this weekend at Chicagoland for the organization’s first primary sponsorship this season with the team and Sadler. With more than 6,000 locations in 28 states, Hunt Brothers® Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry. Perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers regular, thin crust, and breakfast pizzas with All Toppings No Extra Charge®, plus the Hunt Brothers® Wings in Southern Style and Hot ‘n Spicy flavors. Family owned and operated for over 40 years and headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., the company provides all of the food products, marketing programs, equipment and training for convenience stores to operate their own turnkey pizza program. For additional information, please visit www.huntbrotherspizza.com
Made for Me… And Elliott Sadler … Known for their made-to-order pizza, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers a variety of pizza toppings. Sadler’s favorite? He goes for the classic large pepperoni pizza. Earlier this season, Hunt Brothers Pizza presented Sadler with an official HBP pizza oven to keep on his motorhome so he can have fresh Hunt Brothers Pizza at any track.
Just The Stats … According to NASCAR’s 2012 Loop Data Season-to-Date statistics, Sadler leads the Nationwide Series in Average Running Position (7.437), Average Mid-Race Position (6.9), Quality Passes (796), Laps in the Top 15 (2894)and Percentage of Laps in the Top 15 (95.9).After 17 events in the Nationwide Series season, Sadler has earned two wins, two pole awards, six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes with 139 laps led.
To the Point … Sadler leads the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, leading by three points over RCR teammate Austin Dillon.
Race Rewind: New Hampshire … Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team notched a top-10 finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend. Starting from the seventh position, the team battled a tight-handling condition for much of the 200-lap event, falling as low as 15th before Sadler battled back to a seventh-place finish, marking the team’s 13th top-10 finish of the 2012 season.
All About the Dash 4 Cash … Sadler qualified for the second Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash event of the season at Chicagoland Speedway after finishing as one of the top-three finishing Nationwide Series regulars at New Hamsphire Speedway, in addition to last week’s winner Austin Dillon. Sadler is qualified for this weekend’s Dash 4 Cash bonus at Chicagoland Speedway and will win an additional $100,000 bonus courtesy of Nationwide Insurance if he finishes ahead of the other qualified drivers of Dillon, Stenhouse Jr., and Sam Hornish Jr. in the STP 300. The winner of the Dash 4 Cash bonus this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway will automatically qualify for the next event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The three-highest finishing drivers that receive Nationwide Series championship driver points at Chicagoland will also qualify for the Indianapolis bonus. Those same rules are in effect for the final Dash 4 Cash event at Iowa Speedway. Nationwide Insurance will award an additional $600,000 to the prize if the same driver captures each Dash 4 Cash bonus and wins the final race at Iowa in August, bringing the total prize money to $1 million dollars. Fans have the opportunity to win their own cash bonus by entering the Nationwide Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/dash4cash. Last season, Sadler scored a Dash 4 Cash victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning $100,000 for himself and $100,000 for a lucky fan, Joe Thornton.
Seeing Pink … For the remainder of the season, Sadler will have a little more color to his outfit on race days. The Emporia, Va., native will sport pink driving shoes, showing support for Breast Cancer Awareness. Sadler’s mother, Bell, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and is now a survivor. Fans have the opportunity to bid on his race-worn pink shoes throughout the season, benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For more information, visit www.sadlerfoundation.org.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Chicagoland Speedway?
“I really look forward to the event at Chicagoland Speedway. It is a great area, and the fans are really passionate about the racing there. We seem to run well there. Last season, we were gunning for the win before we had right-front tire problems. Our Hunt Brothers Pizza team is working hard on our intermediate-track set-up, and I’m looking forward to competing for that Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash bonus again this weekend.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 102 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. This is the same Chevrolet Dillon drove to his career-first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory after starting on the pole and leading 192 of 200 laps at Kentucky Speedway on June 29. He also raced this Chevrolet to a sixth-place finish at Dover International Speedway in June, a fifth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in May, a fifth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April and a seventh-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
Winner, Winner … Though Dillon has yet to make a Nationwide Series start at Chicagoland Speedway, the 22-year old driver earned a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at the 1.5-mile track in September 2011. After beating the field off of pit road following a caution period 13 laps shy of the race’s finish, Dillon crossed the finish line in the No. 3 Chevrolet nearly five seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick. At the time, Dillon described the win as one of the “biggest of his career” because he won against a field stacked with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars. Dillon also competed in the Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in August 2010, finishing ninth.
The Season So Far … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Season-to-Date Statistics, Dillon has completed 99.21 percent of Laps on the Lead Lap, leading all competitors. He has completed 92.9 percent of his Laps in the Top 15, ranking him second and has an Average Running Position of 8.707 in the season’s 17 contested Nationwide Series races, also ranking him second among all drivers. The Nationwide Series rookie is ranked third in the Fastest Laps Run category with 216 laps so far this season, maintains a Driver Rating of 104.0, ranking him fourth, is the fourth-Fastest Driver Late in a Run and has the fourth-fastest Speed in Traffic. He has 229 Laps Led this season, ranking him fifth, has the sixth-fastest Green Flag Speed, is sixth-Fastest on Restarts, is the sixth-fastest Driver Early in a Run and ranks ninth in Quality Passes with 698.
Get to the Points … Dillon is second in the 2012 Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing RCR teammate Elliott Sadler by three points. Dillon currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Cole Whitt.
Spark your Engines … Dillon and his team will sport the colors of award-winning premier health and wellness company AdvoCare on the No. 3 Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. 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 trains with AdvoCare products throughout the week and is a distributor as well. For more information about Dillon’s favorite products, including Spark, Rehydrate, meal replacement bars and Post-Workout Recovery, visit .
Show Me the Money … Dillon bested the on-track performances of Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Elliott Sadler and Michael Annett to lay claim to the Nationwide Insurance $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend. In addition to earning $100,000, Dillon is qualified for this weekend’s Dash 4 Cash bonus at Chicagoland Speedway and will win an additional $100,000 bonus courtesy of Nationwide Insurance if he finishes ahead of the other qualified drivers (Stenhouse, Sadler and Sam Hornish, Jr.) in the STP 300. Fans have the opportunity to win their own cash bonus by entering the Nationwide Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/dash4cash.
Celebrate Good Times … Dillon celebrated his Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash bonus and third-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with his race team at Badin Lake in New London, N.C. on Sunday afternoon.
Need for Speed … Dillon spent the week leading into Chicagoland racing his Team Dillon Racing No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet dirt late model at Wytheville Speedway in Virginia.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver autograph session at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday at 3 p.m. Central Time.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Recap … Dillon drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet to a third-place finish in the F.W. Webb 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon, marking the team’s 10th top-five finish of the 2012 season.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Do you think you can parlay the success you’ve had at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend?
“We have some confidence heading into this race weekend because we earned a win at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last year. We learned some things last year at Chicagoland Speedway with two-tire versus four-tire during pit stops. Elliott Sadler was really fast in the Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway last year, and I’m excited to take our car there and use a similar setup to what he had and go out there and race.”
What makes Chicagoland Speedway unique?
“Chicagoland Speedway is getting pretty rough. The track is building a lot of character and as racers, that’s what you really want to see. It gives you a chance to work on the cars and try and make them turn better than the other drivers around you. It’s very fast. I remember going to Chicagoland Speedway for my first time there in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and we had to run wide-open. The Nationwide Series cars will be close to wide-open. We’ll be out there fighting grip and it will be a fun race.”
Brendan Gaughan
No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Rheem/Menards Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot Chassis No. 103 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. Built new for competition in 2012, Gaughan has driven this entry three times earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway and Darlington Raceway earning a fifth, 10th and 26th-place finish, respectively.
Familiar Face … The Las Vegas native returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet as the Nationwide Series travels to Chicagoland Speedway. The STP 300 marks Gaughan’s fourth of 10 scheduled Nationwide Series appearances during the 2012 season for RCR. So far this season, he has collected one top-five and two top-10 finishes to date.
Racing in Chi-Town … Sunday’s 300-mile race marks Gaughan’s 75th career Nationwide Series start and third Nationwide Series appearance at the Jolliet, Ill.-based facility. During his two previous series starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Gaughan has completed 402 of 403 (99.8 percent) of the laps contested and has been credited for leading one lap. He holds an average starting position of 30th and average finishing position of 14.5.
In the Loop … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Gaughan maintains an Average Running Position of the 16.445 at Chicagoland Speedway and has made a total of 103 Green Flag Passes. The 36-year-old driver has completed 109 (72.7 percent) of the laps contested running within the Top 15.
To the Points … The No. 33 RCR Chevrolet team sits fifth in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, 50 points behind the No. 18 team in the lead. The No. 33 team has earned two pole awards, eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes between six different drivers (Ty Dillon, Gaughan, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Max Papis and Tony Stewart) thus far this season.
Double Duty … In addition to competing in the Nationwide Series event at Chicagoland Speedway, Gaughan will also drive the No. 2 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Silverado for RCR during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Saturday evening. The race is scheduled to air live on SPEED at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Gotta Have a Rheem … Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) 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, and is a primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
In the Rearview Mirror: New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Harvick and the No. 33 Barber Foods team finished second after battling handling issues and lapped traffic during the Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last Saturday afternoon.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on driving the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway?
“I’m really excited to run the Rheem/Menards Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Having the chance to represent such a great company, the Menards associates and the Menards family is such an amazing opportunity and will be a lot of fun for me. I’m even happier to just be back in the car. The whole part-time deal this year has been an odd experience to deal with when you’ve spent your whole life racing for a living. I’m really excited just to be back at a racetrack.”
Race: American Ethanol 225
Location: Chicagoland Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Notes
RCR at Chicagoland Speedway … Richard Childress Racing has three previous NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the Joliet, Ill.-based facility, earning one victory with Austin Dillon in 2011 and two top-10 finishes. RCR boasts a sixth-place average starting position combined with a 7.3 average finishing position at the 1.5-mile track. Collectively, the Welcome, N.C.-based race team has completed 100 percent of the contested laps at Chicagoland Speedway and led 23 circuits.
RCR’s Camping World Truck Series History … In 235 Camping World Truck Series starts, RCR has earned 25 wins, 87 top-five finishes, 147 top-10 finishes and 32 pole awards, along with the inaugural series championship in 1995 with Mike Skinner and again with Austin Dillon in 2011. The organization has an average starting position of 9.7 and an average finishing position of 10.2.
Truck Line-up … Brendan Gaughan will pilot the No. 2 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The No. 2 team will join Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team along with Joey Coulter and the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team for Saturday night’s 150-lap event.
Season in Review … Through the first eight races of the season, RCR’s Camping World Truck Series entries have acquired one victory at Martinsville Speedway with Kevin Harvick behind the wheel and notched four pole awards, with Harvick at Martinsville Speedway and Dover International Speedway, George Jr. at Kansas Speedway and Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, and has led 396 laps in 2012.
To the Points … With nine 2012 Camping World Truck Series races in the books, Dillon is third, in the driver championship point standings, 14 markers behind the leader, and Coulter sits in the eighth position, 50 points outside the top spot. RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet team is ninth in the owner championship point standings utilizing three different drivers (Harvick, Gaughan and Tim George Jr.).
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 Camping World Truck Series team Twitter pages – @RCR3TDillon, @RCR22JCoulter and @RCR2CWTS. RCR’s NCWTS driver personal Twitter pages – @tydillon, @JoeyCoulter and @Brendan62.
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of this weekend’s American Ethanol 225 is scheduled to be televised live on Saturday, July 21, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on SPEED and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio.
Brendan Gaughan No. 2 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot Chassis No. 061 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable. Built new for competition in 2012, Gaughan drove this entry at Texas Motor Speedway in June and brought home a fourth-place finish after starting sixth.
Back in Action … Gaughan returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 2 RCR Chevrolet this Saturday evening for the American Ethanol 225, his fourth of eight scheduled appearances in the 2012 season. Thus far this season, the Las Vegas native has collected one top-five and one top-10 finish, maintaining an average starting position of 9.3 and a 12th-place average finishing position.
Windy City Racing … Saturday night’s Camping World Truck Series race marks Gaughan’s second series career start at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval. The 36-year-old driver’s lone series start came during the 2011 season where he started from the 17th position before finishing 14th. Gaughan has also collected track time at the 1.5-mile facility in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, with three additional starts between the two series.
Going for a Loop … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Gaughan maintains a 17th-place average starting position and an average finishing position of 14th in the Camping World Truck Series at Chicagoland Speedway. He has made 59 green-flag passes while running within the top 15 for 109 laps.
To the Points … The No. 2 RCR Chevrolet team sits ninth in the Camping World Truck Series owner championship point standings, 62 points behind the No. 17 team. The No. 2 team has earned three pole awards, one victory, three top-five and three top-10 finishes between three different drivers (Gaughan, Tim George Jr. and Kevin Harvick) thus far this season.
South Point Hotel & Casino … South Point Hotel & Casino will serve as Gaughan’s primary sponsor for the No. 2 Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. 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.
In the Rearview Mirror: Iowa Speedway … George and the No. 2 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group team finished 15th at Iowa Speedway after battling handling conditions on the Chevrolet for the majority of the American Ethanol 200 last Saturday evening.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on driving the No. 2 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway?
“Chicagoland Speedway is a track that I have had done well with throughout the years, I even had a top ten in the Sprint Cup Series back in the day. It’s a 1.5-mile track that I really like racing on in the (Camping World) Truck Series. It has a wide groove to move around in and I love racing at night. Gere Kennon (crew chief) and the entire No. 2 team have been giving me great Chevrolets every time I climb into one of the RCR trucks, and I plan on taking advantage of these great opportunities.”
Ty Dillon No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 019from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable in Saturday’s American Ethanol 225. Dillon earned the pole award with this chassis at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and finished 10th. He also drove this Chevrolet to a seventh-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in June after starting third. This chassis was utilized by Dillon’s older brother, Austin, in four events in 2011.
Windy City Details … This week’s 150-lap race marks Dillon’s second appearance at the Joliet, Ill.-based facility. Although the RCR driver has yet to compete at the 1.5-mile track in the Camping World Truck Series, he earned the pole award and made a trip to Victory Lane in his lone ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start at Chicagoland Speedway, leading for 16 circuits.
Memory Lane … A year ago when Dillon made his first start at Chicagoland Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series, the 20-year-old driver missed practice due to his high school graduation and didn’t turn any laps on the racing surface until qualifying. Earning a fifth-place starting position, Dillon maintained his running position in the top 10 for a majority of the event. With 16 laps remaining in the 100-lap event, Dillon took the lead earning his third victory en route to the 2011 ARCA Racing Series driver championship title.
Points Racing … After a seventh-place showing at Iowa Speedway last weekend, Dillon is third in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 14 points behind leader Timothy Peters.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Update … Dillon leads the 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings by 57 points ahead of driver Cale Gale.
Season to Date … Dillon has earned impressive stats with nine races complete on the 2012 Camping World Truck Series schedule. According to NASCAR’s Season-to-Date Loop Data Statistics, the Welcome, N.C., native is ranked second in the Fastest Driver Early in a Run category and is fourth in the following areas: Average Running Position (8.706), Driver Rating (99.2), Fastest on Restarts, Laps Run in the Top-15 (1,297), and Percentage of Laps Run on Lead Lap (96.92 percent). Dillon has also made 252 Quality Passes ranking him eighth amongst his competitors.
Dinner and an Autograph … Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team are scheduled to sign autographs at Bass Pro Shops located at 709 Janes Ave. in Bolingbrook, Ill., on July 19 beginning at 6 p.m. Central Time. Fans will have the opportunity to not only receive an autograph from the team, have a chance to win dinner with Dillon and the No. 3 pit crew. A gold “3” will be located on one autograph card and the recipient will be invited to join the team for dinner.
Iowa Speedway Recap … The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet started from the 15th position last weekend at Iowa Speedway. After reporting a right-front tire shake, Dillon was called to pit road for service. As he was rejoining competition, a caution flag slowed the field placing Dillon a lap down to the leader. Restarting from the 32nd position with 60 laps remaining in the 200-lap event, the Welcome, N.C., native began his trek through the field and was awarded his lap back by receiving the “Lucky Dog” award. Dillon was able to climb to the seventh position before the checkered flag was displayed to the drivers.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
You’ve never actually practiced at Chicagoland Speedway. What are your thoughts heading into this race weekend?
“Last year, I was graduating high school during the ARCA Racing Series practice sessions. Scott Wimmer stepped in and helped the guys get the car dialed in for me to qualify. I learned a lot during the race, and I tested an ARCA car there at the beginning of last season. I treat this track like I do any other track that I haven’t raced on; I’ll learn everything I can during practice and work hard to compete up front.”
Last weekend at Iowa Speedway marked your eighth consecutive top-10 finish. How do you turn those top-10 finishes into victories?
“We just have to keep our eyes focused on the prize. Marcus (Richmond, crew chief) and the guys have worked really hard putting together fast Bass Pro Shop Chevrolets for me each week. We’re almost there and if we keep digging, we’ll get a win here very soon.”
Joey Coulter
No. 22 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Joey Coulter will pilot chassis No. 024 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable in Saturday night’s American Ethanol 225. This chassis was last utilized by Coulter at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May where he finished seventh, and again at Texas Motor Speedway when the RCR driver started 11th and brought home a third-place finish.
Coulter in the Windy City … Coulter will be making his second appearance in the Camping World Truck Series at the 1.5-mile facility. His first start at the Joliet, Ill. – based speedway resulted in a 12th-place finish. He has two additional starts at Chicagoland Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, finishing sixth in 2009 and collecting an eighth-place finish in 2010.
Last Time in Chicagoland … In Coulter’s Camping World Truck Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway last season, he collected a 12th-place result after starting from the 11th position. After beginning the 150-lap event with a loose-handling condition, crew chief Harold Holly called Coulter to pit road for chassis adjustments. Those changes didn’t alleviate the ill-handling condition but rather resulted in a tight-handling condition for the remainder of the race. Despite battling the changing conditions of the No. 22 Chevrolet, Coulter was able to pass more competitors and cross the line in the 12th position.
Nine Races In … Approaching the halfway point of the 2012 Truck Series season schedule, Coulter leads all drivers in the Fastest Early in a Run category according to NASCAR’s Season-to-Date Loop Data Statistics. Additionally, he is ranked first in Fastest Speed in Traffic and third in Quality Passes with 316 passes.
Get to the Points … After collecting his third consecutive top-10 finish of the season at Iowa Speedway; Coulter is currently eighth in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 61 points behind leader Timothy Peters.
Rewind: Iowa Speedway … Taking the green flag from the 12th position, Coulter battled a tight-handling condition on his American Ethanol Chevrolet. Throughout the course of multiple caution periods the Holly-led team made multiple track bar and chassis adjustments. Coulter and his entire crew rallied around the mantra “never give up” and the 22-year-old wheeled his Chevrolet through the field taking the checkered flag in the eighth position to score their fifth top-10 finish of the season.
JOEY COULTER QUOTE:
What are your thoughts heading to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend?
“I’m excited to be going back to a track where I had some success running in the ARCA Racing Series. Last year’s (Camping World) Truck (Series) race at Chicagoland (Speedway) didn’t end as well as I would have liked, but I learned a lot. Now that I have experience at the track in this series, I think the No. 22 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet will be strong this weekend.”
