Richard Childress Racing Event Preview:
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race: Charlotte 500
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
Richard Childress Racing at Charlotte … In 128 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing teams have earned six points-paying victories. Four wins were claimed by Dale Earnhardt, while Jeff Burton added to that total with a win in the October 2008 race and, most recently, Kevin Harvick took home the trophy in one of NASCAR’s marquee events – the Coca-Cola 600 – in May 2011. Harvick also recorded an impressive win in the 2007 Sprint All-Star Race to go along with Earnhardt’s three victories in the annual all-star showcase, giving RCR 10 total Sprint Cup Series checkered flags at CMS. Additionally, RCR boasts 20 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track with seven different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Burton, Earnhardt, Harvick, Ricky Rudd and Mike Skinner. Richard Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed two of those top-10 finishes from 1978-1979. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has led a combined 1,112 laps at the Charlotte facility.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,255 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 100 wins, 433 top-five finishes, 905 top-10 finishes and 42 pole awards, with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8 among all races contested. RCR has earned six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt (1986, ’87, ’90,’91, ’93, ’94), 14 total championships (five NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.
The Collective RCR … Throughout the season’s first 30 races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series entries have notched six top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. RCR teams have completed 26,427 of 26,867 total laps (98.4 percent) with drivers Burton, Austin Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Harvick, Paul Menard and Elliott Sadler. The group has led a combined 299 laps.
Get to the Points … Following the Good Sam Road Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Harvick, who represents RCR in the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, is ranked 10th, 49 points out of the top spot. Menard currently sits 16th in the driver championship point standings, while Burton is ranked 19th.
Childress and Helton Co-Chair Awards Dinner … Richard Childress and NASCAR President Mike Helton will serve as co-chairs for the Oct. 9 Dining in the Dark Visionary Awards Dinner benefiting the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Charlotte. The urgent message of the Foundation Fighting Blindness is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected with retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher Syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
RCRStore.com Reopens with Fresh Look and Prizes … RCRrelaunched its online merchandise website last week with an updated look and user-friendly shopping. To celebrate the kickoff, fans can visit the site and register for a number of prizes, including Austin Dillon’s autographed No. 3 AdvoCare baseball hat from his recent visit to Victory Lane at Kentucky Speedway. In addition to being entered for the opportunity to win Dillon’s hat, die-casts and T-shirts, those who place an order will receive an additional 15 percent off their purchase. The limited-time promotion will run until midnight Sunday, Oct. 14.
UNOH Holds Recruitment Day at RCR … The University of Northwestern Ohio will host its bi-annual high school recruitment day at RCR’s facilities this Wednesday. With more than 600 high school students from throughout the state of North Carolina, UNOH will give them an overview of their motorsports program, while the students will tour the RCR shop and museum. Students will also hear from panel members from RCR including VP of Competition Mike Dillon, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Ty Dillon and UNOH graduate and RCR employee Adam Mestemacher.
Interactive RCR …To keep up-to-date with the latest news 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. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com.
Catch the Action … ABC’s live coverage of the Charlotte 500 begins Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Qualifying for the 31st points-paying event of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season will be broadcast live on ESPN2 Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. ET.
Paul Menard
No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 351 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Charlotte 500. This Chevrolet was last raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September, where Menard started 18th and finished eighth. This chassis was also utilized in numerous test sessions this year and was raced last season at Texas Motor Speedway (April – started 19th/finished fifth), Kansas Speedway (June – started ninth/finished 19th) and Dover International Speedway (October – started third/ finished 16th).
By the Numbers at CMS … In his 10 previous starts at the Concord, N.C.-based facility, Menard has completed 94.7 percent of his laps (3,318 of 3,502). He has an average starting position of 22.8 and an average finishing position of 23.7. Menard made his best Sprint Cup Series start of fifth at the 1.5-mile speedway during the October 2010 event and claimed his best finish of eighth in May of that same year.
By the Numbers in 2012 … With 30 points-paying events of the 2012 season complete, Menard sits 16th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings on the merit of seven top-10 and 17 top-15 finishes. In his sophomore season with RCR, Menard has an average starting position of 16.1, an average finishing position of 15.6, maintains an Average Running Position of 17.141 and has completed 99.7 percent of his laps (8,393 of 8,419), the fourth-best of all drivers.
Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3 … Menard and the No. 27 team are scheduled to test at Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 9 – 10. They will utilize chassis No. 402 from the RCR stable, a newly-built 2013 Chevrolet. The Eau Claire, Wis., native will answer questions from members of the press during a NASCAR media availability following the Tuesday session.
Race Rewind … Menard started the No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet from the seventh position in the 2011 Sprint Cup Series fall race under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and finished 17th despite getting caught laps down to the leader with ill-timed caution periods falling immediately after green-flag pit stops.
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In the Rearview Mirror: Talladega Superspeedway … Menard and the No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards team were relegated to a 28th-place finish in Sunday’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 after getting caught up in the “Big One” on the final lap of the race at Talladega Superspeedway.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Is Charlotte Motor Speedway starting to get racy like Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“The Charlotte (Motor Speedway) surface is still in really good shape. It has a lot of grip and the tire compound we use there is still hard. The groove does open up and you can run all over the place now. Last year we saw guys qualify against the wall. It all depends on how your car is handling, but you can move around a lot.”
You finished 15th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. Can you remember how you performed and what you can do to make it even better this time?
“We’ve hit on a lot of things since then. The Coca-Cola 600 seems like a long time ago and there’s been a lot of development in the race car. We’ll pretty much look at what we did at Charlotte (Motor Speedway) in May and throw it out the window because the cars are totally different right now.”
How do you feel about the No. 27 team’s 1.5 program?
“We feel pretty good about our 1.5-mile program. We’ve had some of our best runs at 1.5-mile race tracks and Charlotte (Motor Speedway) has been a good track for us.”
With Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Chevrolet team in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, how can you help him as his Richard Childress Racing teammate?
“We don’t really change the way we’ve worked together all year. We share information like always. It’s not like we’re testing anything for them and they’re not trying anything out of the box, either. We just go about our business the same way as we have.”
What is unique about Charlotte Motor Speedway? How do you make a fast lap there?
“Turns one and two (at Charlotte Motor Speedway) are different from turns three and four. The angles are different and the banking feels different. You have to be able to get back on the gas early and hard when you exit the turns in order to get around there fast. There’s a lot of grip and the tires are usually hard, so the key is getting the car to point off of the corners and get on the throttle hard.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Shee
This Week’s Jimmy John’s Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No.404 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Charlotte 500. Built new for competition in 2012, this Chevrolet will make its first competitive laps this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Statistically Speaking … This weekend’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway marks Harvick’s 425th career start in the Sprint Cup Series and 24th at the 1.5-mile track. Since 2001, the 36-year-old driver has collected one win (2011 Coca-Cola 600), two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The Bakersfield, Calif., native maintains an average starting position of 19.3 coupled with an average finishing position of 18.1. Harvick has completed 7,953 of 8,184 (97.2 percent) of the laps contested and is credited with six laps led.
Getting Loopy in CLT … Since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006, Harvick has made 15 Sprint Cup Series starts at the Concord, N.C.-based facility. The RCR driver has advanced an average of 1.7 spots during the last 10 percent of laps ranking him second in the Closers category. Harvick has also completed 1,153 Green Flag Passes positioning him sixth amongst all competitors.
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup … Following the fourth Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Talladega Superspeedway, Harvick sits 10th in the standings, 49 markers behind the leader.
Find a Jimmy John’s … Jimmy John’s, known for fresh, quality products and freaky fast service, has several Concord and Charlotte, N.C. location, including store less than one mile from CMS at 8532 Pit Stop Ct. Visit www.jimmyjohns.com to view the Jimmy John’s menu, find your nearest location, order online or download the Jimmy John’s mobile application for Freaky Fast delivery.
You’re Invited to Happy’s Birthday Bash … Harvick will celebrate his 37th birthday when Budweiser presents Happy’s Birthday Bash at The Fox Theater in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 1. Country music star Craig Morgan will headline the charity event benefiting the Kevin Harvick Foundation with a special guest appearance by Bridgette Tatum. Tickets to the event are on sale now and can be purchased at www.vallitix.com, by phone at 1-888-825-5484, The Bakersfield Fox Theater Box office or any Vallitix outlet.
Win Happy’s Chevy … One lucky winner will help children in need and take home Harvick’s 2012 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS Coupe. The vehicle includes gray leather interior, 21-inch black painted wheels, six-speed manual transmission, V8 engine, rear parking assist and much more. Proceeds will be used to further the mission of the Kevin Harvick Foundation through programs such as Kevin’s Krew, Chase Your Dreams Scholarships and the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund. For more information or to purchase a ticket for only $29, visit .
Double Duty … In addition to competing in the Charlotte 500 Saturday evening, Harvick will also drive RCR’s No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 Friday night. The race is scheduled to air live on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The Last Time By … Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet team avoided trouble in the 2011 Charlotte 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and brought home a sixth-place finish to maintain the second position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings.
In the Rearview Mirror: Talladega Superspeedway … Harvick drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 29 Chevrolet to an 11th-place finish in the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 after being involved in a final-lap incident at Talladega Superspeedway.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway? “Charlotte (Motor Speedway) is a track where we haven’t excelled performance-wise in the past. We won the May race there last season, but overall I just never had a great feel for that track. There is nothing wrong with the surface or the shape of the track; we just haven’t gotten the consistent results we would have liked there.”
Compare the difference of racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in fall to the spring.
“The main difference is the temperature change. Once night falls during the October race, Charlotte (Motor Speedway) becomes completely different than what we practice on during the day. You can bet on the fact that the track will be really fast as the temperature drops and we’ll gain a lot of grip.”
You’ve made it known before that Charlotte Motor Speedway isn’t one of your favorite tracks. What is it that you don’t like about the track?
“It has nothing to do with the facility or the people or anything like that. Charlotte (Motor Speedway) is just a place that’s been tough for me to totally understand the feel that I need in the car to make it go fast and be competitive. We’ve continued to make improvements in our performance each time we go back and have collected some decent finishes, including our 2011 Coca-Cola 600 win.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s No. 31 Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 359 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet has been utilized twice during the 2012 NSCS season at Bristol Motor Speedway in March where Burton piloted the RCR machine to a top-10 finish (sixth-place) and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where a broken brake rotor late in the race relegating the team to a 32nd-place finish.
Career Charlotte Stats … This weekend’s event marks Burton’s 38th start at the 1.5-mile facility and his 649th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. Burton notched his last Sprint Cup Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2008. Throughout the years, he has amassed three wins, eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes at the track, leading 435 laps.
No Stranger to Victory Lane … Burton has made six previous visits to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Victory Lane across Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. He owns two Coca-Cola 600 race trophies from wins in 1999 and 2001, the 2008 Charlotte 500 race trophy, hardware from three Nationwide Series victories (2000, 2002 and 2007) and one Nationwide Series pole award (2001).
Getting Loopy in “the heart of NASCAR” … Burton has garnered impressive NASCAR Loop Data statistics at Charlotte Motor Speedway since its inception in 2006. Of all drivers entering the 500-mile event, he has the fifth-most Green Flag Passes (1,166) with 546 coming while running in the top 15 (Quality Passes). Burton has spent 2,888 Laps in the Top 15, which ranks him 10th amongst his competitors. He also has the 10th-best Average Running Position (15.363) and an 84.4 Driver Rating at the Concord, N.C.-based facility.
Dirty Jobs … Television show host and personality Mike Rowe will attend the Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 13 and join winners of the Caterpillar “Your Company Name on the No. 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Car” promotion. Rowe, best known for his roles as creator, host and executive producer of Discovery Channel’s Emmy® nominated series “Dirty Jobs,” will be at several activities surrounding Saturday night’s 500-mile event at the Concord, N.C.-based facility. Rowe will congratulate winners from Phillips & Jordan in Knoxville, Tenn. and All Mini Machine Services in Delta, British Columbia whose company logos will be displayed on the No. 31 Caterpillar Sprint Cup Series car. To help highlight the efforts of Rowe’s foundation, Caterpillar is also adding the mikeroweWORKS logo to the car.
Race Rewind: Talladega Superspeedway … Burton survived a multi-car accident on the final turn of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 and piloted a battered No. 31 DriveCAT.com Chevrolet to a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Talladega Superspeedway.
Points Racing … After 30 points-paying events of the 36-race Sprint Cup Series season, Burton has scored 748 points and sits in the 19th position in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings. The veteran RCR driver has two top-five and six top-10 finishes, has spent 2,789 laps running in the top 15 and made 3,050 green-flag passes thus far this season.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
Has Charlotte Motor Speedway become racier since the repave in 2005?
“The October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year was so fast that it became a one-groove race track. The temperatures were so cold and the tires made so much grip that you couldn’t run anywhere except for the bottom groove. That, to me, was a real surprise and we didn’t see it in either of the May races. Sometimes you go to Charlotte and have tons of grip and sometimes you don’t. To me, it hasn’t become as racy as it was before the repave. It is getting closer, but it still hasn’t come back yet.”
How did the No. 31 team finish in the Sprint Showdown and Coca-Cola 600 in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Charlotte Motor Speedway is a place where we have gone and run well in the past, but at this year’s Sprint Showdown and Coca-Cola 600 we just didn’t perform well. I get really frustrated when we don’t run well at Charlotte. I love that race track and normally run well there. It is somewhere we need to run well every time we go there.”
How do you get better at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Over the last two weeks, we’ve done an extreme amount of testing and feel like we understand a lot more about why we haven’t run well at places like Charlotte Motor Speedway. We’ll see if all that works.”
Race: Dollar General 300
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Notes:
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Charlotte Motor Speedway … In 49 previous starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has visited Victory Lane on two occasions, most recently with Jeff Burton in 2007 and also with Jeff Green in 2002. The organization has started from the pole position four times and has 13 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes. RCR entries have completed 94 percent of laps attempted, with 445 laps led.
The Season So Far … In the 28 races contested this season, RCR has earned seven wins in the Nationwide Series, with Elliott Sadler at Phoenix International Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Iowa Speedway, Austin Dillon at both Kentucky Speedway events and Kevin Harvick at Richmond International Raceway. RCR has earned nine pole awards in 2012, with Sadler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and both Iowa Speedway events, Paul Menard at Texas Motor Speedway, Harvick at Richmond International Raceway and Dillon at Michigan International Speedway and both Kentucky Speedway races. The organization has 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes and has led 1,709 laps in 2012.
RCR in the NNS … In 850 Nationwide Series starts over the course of the last 15 years, RCR has earned 63 wins, 290 top-five finishes, 476 top-10 finishes and 41 pole awards, with an average starting position of 12.3 and an average finishing position of 12.5 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 Burton and Scott Wimmer.
To the Point … RCR’s two full-time Nationwide Series entries rank first (Sadler) and third (Dillon) in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings heading into this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 2 team sits second in the owner point standings while the No. 3 team ranks fourth. The No. 33 team sits fifth in the owner championship point standings.
Vote for Team RCR … Dillon and Sadler are in the running for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award. Fans can vote online at nascar.com/nnsmpd through November 16. Two lucky fans and their guests will win an all-expense paid trip to the 2012 Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series awards banquet on Nov. 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel by registering for the MPD vote sweepstakes after placing their vote on NASCAR.com.
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 @KevinHarvick, the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/RCRracing, facebook.com/ElliottSadlerOfficial, facebook.com/austindillon3 and facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick.
Live on ESPN … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Dollar General 300 is scheduled to be televised on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Oct. 12 and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Elliott Sadler No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s OneMain Financial Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will unload Chassis No. 117 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable this weekend. This Chevrolet has been utilized in two previous races this season, with Sadler racing it to a 15th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July after he was black-flagged as the leader and a fifth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway in September.
The Tar Heel State … Sadler will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway with 11 Nationwide Series starts under his belt. He has earned three top-five and four top-10 finishes, with his best showing of second in 2005. He has 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, including one top-five and three top-10 finishes and 192 laps led. Sadler also made one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010 with a fifth-place finish.
Pink Out … This weekend the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will sport a special pink paint scheme to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month. In addition to the pink driving shoes Sadler wears each week and the pink ribbon above the door of the No. 2 Chevrolet, the team has several special pink items for the weekend. Sadler will wear pink ribbon driving gloves and a pink firesuit throughout the month of October. The crew members will also wear pink helmets and use a pink jack.
Raising Money and Awareness … Sadler and OneMain Financial have partnered to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. From Oct. 11-21, the pink OneMain Financial firesuit that Sadler will wear at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway will be up for auction. For more information, please visit www.onemainracing.com.
Close to the Heart … Breast Cancer Awareness is a cause near to Sadler’s heart since his mom, Bell, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2007 and is now a survivor. Front tire carrier Ethan Marquardt is also a strong advocate for awareness as his mother, Jan, is a four-time survivor of breast cancer.
Last Time By … Under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2011, Sadler drove his pink Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish at the 1.5-mile track. The top-five finish also earned Sadler $100,000 bonus for the Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash promotion.
Just The Stats … According to NASCAR’s 2012 Loop Data Season-to-Date statistics, Sadler leads the Nationwide Series in Average Mid-Race Position (6.4), Average Finishing Position(7.2),Average Running Position(7.1), Quality Passes(1,103), Percentage of Quality Passes (73.6),Laps in the Top 15(4,803)and Percentage of laps in the Top 15(95.5). After 28 events in the Nationwide Series season, Sadler has earned four wins, three pole awards, 13 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes with 347 laps led.
To the Point … Sadler sits atop the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, nine points ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Race Rewind: Dover International Speedway … Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team fought back from problems on pit road to bring home a fourth-place finish at the Monster Mile in the OneMain Financial 200.
Alert the Media … Sadler will field questions from the media on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time in the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center. Sadler will also serve as ESPN’s In-Race Reporter during the Dollar General 300, with front-tire carrier J.D. Holcomb wearing the over-the-wall camera.
Meet Sadler … Fans have two opportunities to meet Sadler this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Emporia, Va., native will join other drivers on Friday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. ET for the Nationwide Series autograph session. Directly after the autograph session, he will sign at the Realtree merchandise hauler on Friday on behalf of Hunt Brothers Pizza.
Re-election … Sadler, winner of the 2011 Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award, is eligible this year for re-election to the title. Fans may vote once per day now through Nov. 16 on www.bitly.com/ESMPD.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“The October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway always means so much to me and my family. It is definitely my mom’s favorite race because of all the survivors that come out, and she just loves the pink paint scheme. This year the trophy is pink, so it would be a storybook ending to be able to share that with her. It’s awesome to have a sponsor like OneMain Financial help us show support to a cause that means so much to me with us running the pink paint scheme this weekend. I love being able to have all of the families and friends come out to the race since it is so close to all of the race shops, and I know this OneMain Financial team is ready to get back to Victory Lane.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 118 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in the Dollar General 300. Dillon drove this Chevrolet to a third-place finish after starting second at Chicagoland Speedway in September.
Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Dillon made his first Nationwide Series start at CMS in the History 300 in May, where he qualified second and posted an 11th-place finish after battling a loose-handling condition on his No. 3 Chevrolet. Dillon also has two starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning his best finish of seventh in the May 2011 event.
The Season So Far … According to NASCAR’s Season-to-Date Loop Data Statistics, Dillon has completed 96.30 percent of Laps on the Lead Lap, ranking him second among all competitors. The Nationwide Series rookie has completed 91.1 percent of his Laps in the Top 15, ranking him second and has an Average Running Position of 8.504 in the season’s 28 contested Nationwide Series races, ranking him second. He is ranked third in the Fastest Laps Run category with 410 laps so far this season, maintains a Driver Rating of 105.2, ranking him third, has the fourth-fastest Speed in Traffic, is the fourth-Fastest Driver Late in a Run and has 414 Laps Led this season, ranking him fourth. He has the fifth-fastest Green Flag Speed, is fifth-Fastest on Restarts, ranks fifth in Quality Passes with 959 and is the sixth-fastest Driver Early in a Run.
Get to the Points … Dillon ranks third in the 2012 Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing current point leader and RCR teammate Elliott Sadler by 25 points. The Welcome, N.C., driver currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Cole Whitt.
Welcome, Bass Pro Shops … Dillon and his team will sport the colors of the nation’s No. 1 outdoor retailer, Bass Pro Shops, on the No. 3 Chevrolet this weekend. A long-time motorsports supporter, Bass Pro Shops was the primary partner on Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado in the Camping World Truck Series when he earned the rookie of the year honors (2010) and driver’s championship (2011). The outdoor retailer currently has 58 stores throughout the United States and Canada visited by over 110 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America and a restaurant division with 26 locations. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog, call 1-800-BASS PRO.
Vote for Austin … Dillon is in the running for the 2012 Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award. Fans can vote online at nascar.com/nnsmpd through Nov. 16. Two lucky fans and their guests will win an all-expense paid trip to the 2012 Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series awards banquet on Nov. 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel by registering for the MPD vote sweepstakes after placing their vote on NASCAR.com.
Off Weekend Fun … The Nationwide Series regulars broke a 17-week consecutive stretch of races the first weekend of October and Dillon spent the time in familiar territory, behind the seat of his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet dirt late model. Dillon drove the Team Dillon Racing entry to a 17th-place finish after an early-race spin at Natural Bridge Speedway in Virginia. During the Nationwide Series off weekend, Dillon also attended the Carolina Panthers game with his brother, Ty Dillon, on Sunday.
Double Duty … In addition to Saturday’s Dollar General 300 Nationwide Series race, Dillon and his younger brother Ty are scheduled to race in the World of Outlaws Dirt Late Model event at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Fans can get $5 off admission to the Late Model Showdown when you present a 24 oz premium coffee cup from Circle K when purchasing a ticket.
Dover International Speedway Recap … Dillon posted a 10th-place finish after running within the top three for a majority of the OneMain Financial 200 at Dover International Speedway. Dillon qualified 10th for the 200-lap event and was scored in the third position for a restart with approximately 20 laps remaining but the driver in the car in front of him spun his tires when the green flag was displayed, causing Dillon to lose track position and fall to 12th in the running order before driving up to 10th for the race’s finish.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
You’re racing at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday. Does dirt racing help you in your NASCAR career?
“I think it just keeps you sharp anytime you can get into a race car. When you look at some of the guys who are really good, like Tony Stewart, they are in a race car all of the time. I think it’s an advantage for my brother and I to race dirt late models and we try to keep in it so that we can stay sharp at all times. The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway is a fun, fast track and has some of the best racing around. We practiced there last week and I think the track is the best it’s ever been. The staff at the Dirt Track has done a phenomenal job of keeping up with it and its pretty smooth and fast.”
Do you think you’re still in contention for the Nationwide Series championship?
“I think we’ve had one of the fastest cars each and every week for the last four or five weeks so if we can keep this streak going we’re sitting fine in terms of this championship. If we gain five points for each of the last five races we’ll be there at the end. Our main goal from the beginning of the year was to win Rookie of the Year and to have a shot at the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. I think we’ve put ourselves in position where we are going to have a shot I hope, and if we do that it will be a successful season, especially in our rookie year. If we can take home a championship it will be above and beyond the goals we set for ourselves for our first year. I’m very happy with our guys. Our crew is working so well together right now, and the cool thing is that we are going to some of these tracks for the second and third time and having a little bit of a notebook to look back on. I think I’ve developed a lot as a driver and the crew has developed a lot as a team, so I’m looking forward to what’s ahead for us.”
What’s it mean to you to race at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“It’s so close to home that I truly consider it one of ‘my home tracks’. The party would start early if we won at Charlotte Motor Speedway because it’s right up the road from my home in Lexington, N.C. We didn’t have the greatest handling car the last time we went there but the good thing is the temperature is going to be a little bit cooler so there is going to be more grip on the track, and I think that suits me a little bit better than some of the hot, slick tracks that we go to. I’m looking forward to getting to Charlotte Motor Speedway and adjusting on the racecar to try and have something for the race. It’s been raining here in Lexington quite a bit recently so hopefully the weather will be great. Race cars like to run fast in cool weather so I’m looking forward to the race weekend.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Rheem/Menards Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 112 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in the Dollar General 300. Harvick drove this No. 33 Chevrolet to a pair of third-place finishes at Kentucky Speedway in June and Atlanta Motor Speedway in August.
Welcome Back … The two-time Nationwide Series champion will return to the driver’s seat of the No. 33 Chevrolet for his 12th of 13 scheduled appearances in the Nationwide Series this season. The 200-lap event marks Harvick’s 288th-career Nationwide Series start and 22nd appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In his first 11 Nationwide Series races with RCR in 2012, Harvick has earned one win at Richmond International Raceway in Sept., one pole award at RIR in April, seven top-five and eight top-10 finishes.
Racing in the Queen City … Harvick will make his 22nd Nationwide Series appearance at the Concord, N.C.-based facility Friday night. In his 21 previous starts at the track, the Bakersfield, Calif., native captured three pole awards (Spring 2001, Spring and Fall 2003), three top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Harvick maintains a 12.2 average starting position, 12th-place average finishing position, has completed 4,153 of 4,178 (99.4 percent) of the laps contested and is credited with 252 laps led.
In the Loop … Since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006, Harvick has competed in 13 Nationwide Series events at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In those 13 starts, the RCR driver has completed 597 Green Flag Passes while spending 1,682 Laps in the Top 15, ranking him second and third respectively in each category. Harvick is credited with 117 Laps Led placing him fourth amongst his competitors and has posted the fifth-most Fastest Laps Run (85) at the 1.5-mile facility.
To the Points … The No. 33 RCR Chevrolet team sits fifth in the Nationwide Series owner’s championship point standings, 73 points behind the No. 18 team. The No. 33 team has earned one win (Richmond International Raceway in Sept. with Harvick), 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes between six different drivers (Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Harvick, Paul Menard, Max Papis and Tony Stewart) thus far this season.
About 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.
Double Duty … In addition to competing in the Dollar General 300 Friday evening, Harvick will also drive RCR’s No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charlotte 500 Saturday night. The race is scheduled to air live on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
In the Rearview Mirror: Dover International Speedway … Menard drove the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet to a second-place finish in the Nationwide Series OneMain Financial 200 at Dover International Speedway.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on returning to Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Nationwide Series?
“It’s always fun to get back into the Nationwide car with the No. 33 guys, especially at Charlotte (Motor Speedway). I seem to run well there, and our intermediate-rack program has been pretty good this season. I’m hoping things will go our way and we can put the Rheem/Menards Chevrolet in Victory Lane.”
