RCR Post Race Report
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kentucky 201 at Kentucky Speedway
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kentucky 201
Kentucky Speedway
September 21, 2012
Race Highlights:
Richard Childress Racing teammates finished third (Ty Dillon), fourth (Joey Coulter) and 18th (Tim George Jr.).
Dillon is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point leader by four markers; Coulter ranks fifth in the standings.
The No. 3 Chevrolet team is the Camping World Truck Series owner championship point leader, with the No. 22 team fourth in the standings and the No. 2 team 10th.
Dillon leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings ahead of Cale Gale.
According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Coulter earned the third-highest Driver Rating (136.5), and Dillon earned a rating of 116.2 ranking him fourth amongst the competitors.
Coulter led for 39 laps during the Kentucky 201.
RCR drivers made a total of 77 Green Flag Passes during the 134-lap event with Dillon earning 39 passes, Coulter with 27 and George with 11 passes.
George tied for second in the Closers category, gaining one position in the final 10 percent (14 laps) of the race.
Coulter scored the highest Average Running Position of 2.813, and Dillon ranked third with a 5.254.
Coulter was ranked the Fastest Driver Early in a Run, while Dillon was the fourth-quickest.
Combined, RCR teammates Dillon and Coulter scored the Fastest Laps Run for 41 circuits at the 1.5-mile track.
Dillon and Coulter spent 100 percent of the event in the top 15 ranking them first amongst the rest of the field.
Coulter was the Fastest on Restarts and Dillon was fourth in the category.
James Buescher took the checkered flag at Kentucky Speedway and was followed to the line by Parker Kligerman, Dillon, Coulter and Brian Scott.
The next scheduled Camping World Truck Series race is the Smith’s 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 29. The 17th race of the 2012 season is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on Motor Racing Network beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Tim George Jr. Battles to 18th-Place Finish After Early-Race Incident at Kentucky Speedway
Tim George Jr. and the No. 2 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet team worked back from an early-race incident to finish inside the top 20 Friday night at Kentucky Speedway. Starting from the 17th position, George was shuffled in traffic and settled into the 21st spot. On lap 21, George tried to avoid an incident in front of him but received damage on the right-front of the No. 2 Chevrolet. Unable to fix the Applebee’s machine on pit road, the RCR crew pushed the truck into the garage to fix the front fender and the leaking fluid. The quick work by the team put the No. 2 Chevrolet back on track on lap 34, with George scored in the 29th position. Crew chief Gere Kennon coached George to methodically work his way around the 1.5-mile track, moving into the top 20 by lap 84. The New York City native maneuvered through traffic in the damaged No. 2 truck to take the checkered flag in the 18th-position.
Start – 17 Finish – 18 Laps Led – 0 Owner’s Points – 10
TIM GEORGE JR. QUOTE: “This was an unfortunate night for the No. 2 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet team. We couldn’t avoid being involved in the incident, but the crew worked hard to get us back on track. I know that we all wanted to put together a better night for Applebee’s and Richard Childress, especially on his birthday.”
Ty Dillon Captures Third Consecutive Top-Three Finish at Kentucky Speedway
After competing in the top 15 for the entirety of the Kentucky 201 at Kentucky Speedway, Ty Dillon drove the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet to his third consecutive top-three finish at the 1.5-mile speedway. Dillon started the black and orange Chevrolet from the third position and slipped to the eighth spot shortly after the initial green flag. Multiple caution periods in the early stages of the 134-lap event prevented the 20-year-old driver from advancing in the running order. Throughout the course of the Kentucky 201, Dillon battled handling issues that shifted from loose on entry to tight on exit. Crew chief Marcus Richmond called for routine two and four-tire pit stops with chassis adjustments to combat the handling issues Dillon was facing. The Richmond-led team was called to pit road for their final stop of the night on lap 79, servicing the Welcome, N.C., native with four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Restarting from the sixth position on lap 84, Dillon began his trek through the field and moved into the third position by lap 94. Dillon took over the second position with 15 laps remaining in the event, but the tight-handling condition plagued the RCR machine in the final stages of the race relegating them to a third-place finish. Dillon continues to lead the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings by four points.
Start – 3 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 0 Points – 1
TY DILLON QUOTE:
“I’m really excited about this third-place finish tonight at Kentucky (Speedway). Marcus Richmond (crew chief) and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team put together a fast truck and worked hard all day. We’re really working hard to keep this momentum going throughout the rest of the season. I think we hit the curve at the right time, and I know we can continue to put up a good battle for the championship.”
Joey Coulter Finishes Fourth at Kentucky Speedway
Joey Coulter drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 22 Chevrolet Silverado to a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky 201 after leading 39 laps while battling a tight-handling condition at Kentucky Speedway Friday night. After qualifying in the pole position, the Miami Springs, Fla., native led the first 17 laps of the event before coming to pit road for fuel and a chassis adjustment to combat the tight-handling condition Coulter was battling during the early portion of the 134-lap affair. Back on track, the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year maintained a position within the top five before regaining the lead on lap 60. Coulter remained out front until the team’s final yellow-flag pit stop on lap 81 for four tires, fuel and an additional chassis adjustment. While most teams opted to take two tires or fuel only, Coulter lost the lead on pit road and restarted the race from the fifth position on lap 84. The 22-year-old driver spent the closing laps running in the top five, ultimately crossing the finish line in the fourth position. The top-five finish moves Coulter up to fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 46 markers behind the leader.
Start – 1 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 39 Points – 5
JOEY COULTER QUOTE:
“I had a great truck tonight. I really thought we had the Chevrolet Silverado to win, but during that last run it cooled down a bunch and we just got too tight. Everyone at RCR is doing a great job for us and I can’t thank them enough.”
