Richard Childress Racing Event Preview:
Kansas Speedway
Race: Kansas 400
Location: Kansas Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
Richard Childress Racing in the Sunflower State … In 41 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, RCR has three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. RCR’s best finish at Kansas was second in 2007 with Clint Bowyer. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds a 21.7 average starting position, a 16.1 average finishing position, has completed 10,659 of the 10,796 contested laps (98.7 percent) and has collectively led for 130 laps around the 1.5-mile race track.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,258 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 31 races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series entries have notched six top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. RCR teams have completed 27,415 of 27,872 total laps (98.36 percent) with drivers Jeff Burton, Austin Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Elliott Sadler. The group has led a combined 299 laps.
Get to the Points … Following the Charlotte 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick, who represents RCR in the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, is ranked 10th, 56 points out of the top spot. Menard currently sits 16th in the driver championship point standings, while Burton is ranked 19th.
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 … ESPN’s live coverage of the Kansas 400 begins Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Qualifying for the 32nd points-paying event of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season will be broadcast live on ESPN2 Friday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. ET.
Paul Menard
No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 351 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Kansas 400. 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 Kansas … In his seven career Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Menard has finished each of his contested races and completed 99.7 percent of his laps (1,812 of 1,817), leading for 11 circuits. He has an average starting position of 12.1 and an average finishing position of 20.1. Menard made his best start of second and logged his best finish of eighth in his October 2008 appearance. The Eau Claire, Wis., native also holds four top-10 finishes in six NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, claiming the pole position in his first visit to the 1.5-mile oval (October 2004), and made one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in July 2003.
By the Numbers in 2012 … With 31 points-paying events of the 2012 season completed, 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 16.4, a 16th-place average finishing position, maintains an Average Running Position of 17.567 and has completed 99.6 percent of his laps (8,721 of 8,754), the fourth-best of all drivers.
Racing Close to Home … The No. 27 team engineer Grant Hutchens grew up in Omaha, Neb., approximately three hours north from the Kansas City, Kan.-based race track.
Double Duty Weekend … In addition to his driving duties with RCR’s No. 27 team, Menard will drive the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet in Saturday’s 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Kansas City, Kan.-based facility The race will air live on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Race Rewind … Menard started RCR’s No. 27 Schrock/Menards Chevrolet from the sixth position in the 2011 Kansas 400, and finished 12th despite battling a loose-handling condition for the majority of the 272-lap event.
About CertainTeed … CertainTeed Corporation is a leading North American manufacturer of building materials including roofing, vinyl and fiber cement siding, trim, fence, railing, decking, foundations, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and pipe products. Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, CertainTeed has approximately 7,000 employees and 70 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. CertainTeed is a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the top 100 industrial companies in the world. Saint-Gobain’s North American companies operate nearly 200 manufacturing facilities in industries as diverse as industrial ceramics and containers, reinforcements and flat glass, abrasives and building materials. For more information, please visit www.certainteed.com.
In the Rearview Mirror: Charlotte Motor Speedway … Menard and the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards team lost ground early in the 501-mile Sprint Cup Series race under the lights of Charlotte Motor Speedway when damage sustained during a restart relegated them to a 27th-place finish.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Kansas Speedway was recently repaved. What are the challenges that you face when you go to a track that has a new surface?
“We tested at Kansas Speedway after the repave and the groove was starting to come in already. The racing will probably be single-groove when we go back there, but I think the middle groove will somewhat come in. The biggest challenge there is going to be getting on pit road. The transition from the banking to the apron is very abrupt and it’s going to be hard on the splitter.”
How badly did Kansas Speedway need to be repaved?
“It’s hard to say (how badly Kansas Speedway needed to be repaved). From a driver’s standpoint, we like old, worn out race tracks. From a track operations standpoint, I think they were having some issues with the track surface coming apart and some seepage issues, so they probably thought it was necessary.”
Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway are often compared to each other as sister tracks. What are your thoughts?
“There’s really no comparison now. Kansas (Speedway) has just been repaved and Chicagoland (Speedway) is quite an older race track, so there are not many similarities now.”
Will all the notes be thrown out the window as teams travel back to Kansas Speedway?
“Yes, it’s a totally different race track than when we were there this spring. We’ll be starting from square one.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No.378 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Kansas 400. The No. 29 team utilized this car twice during the 2011 season at Chicagoland Speedway in September (started 30th, finished second) and Kansas Speedway in October (started 14th, finished sixth). Harvick drove this Chevrolet in 2012 to a sixth-place finish at Kansas Speedway in April, a 10th-place result at Michigan International Speedway in June, and most recently a fifth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September.
Stating the Stats … Sunday’s 267-lap affair will mark Harvick’s 426th career Sprint Cup Series start and 14th appearance at the 1.5-mile facility. During the Bakersfield, Calif., native’s first 13 showings, he has collected one top-five and six top-10 finishes. Harvick holds an average starting position of 20.7 coupled with an average finishing position of 13th, has completed 3,309 of 3,419 (96.8 percent) of the laps contested and is credited with 83 laps led.
Going for a Loop in the Midwest … Harvick has nine starts at the Kansas City, Kan.-based facility since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006. The 36-year-old driver leads the field in Green Flag Passes (721). Harvick ranks sixth amongst all competitors in Speed in Traffic (161.300 mph), is the seventh-Fastest Driver Late in a Run (160.770 mph), holds the seventh-best Driver Rating (92.1) and has completed 1,591 Laps in the Top 15, positioning him seventh in the Loop Data category.
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup … Following the fifth Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick remains 10th in the standings, 56 markers behind the leader.
Heading to the Hall … NASCAR Hall of Fame attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a special fan question-and-answer session with Harvick on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 4:25 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame can be purchased by calling 877-231-2010 or at www.NASCARHall.com.
Meet the Driver … Kansas Speedway race fans will have the opportunity to join RCR driver Kevin Harvick for a fan question-and-answer session at The Finish Line Fan Hospitality area on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 10-10:15 a.m. ET (9 – 9:15 a.m. Central Time). Tickets for The Finish Line Hospitality are on sale now by calling the Kansas Speedway ticket office at 866.460.7223 or online at www.kansasspeedway.com.
Supporting a Tar Heel … On Monday, Oct. 15, Harvick presented University of North Carolina Chapel Hill student wrestler, Nick Heilmann, with the inaugural UNC Kevin Harvick Foundation Athletic Scholarship. The scholarship presentation marked the first stage of the foundation’s three-year commitment for an annual, full-ride scholarship to UNC for one need-based student athlete.
Honoring a Fallen Solider … The No. 29 Budweiser team will wear a special memorial bracelet in honor of fallen soldier, Army Specialist Chris Horton this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Horton, a sniper in the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oklahoma National Guard, was killed during a tour of duty in Afghanistan on Sept. 9, 2011. His wife Jane shares his killed-in-action bracelet with others to remind people of her late husband and all of the soldiers who have lost their lives while serving our country.
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 .
The Last Time By … After struggling with the car’s handling for most of the day, Harvick and the No. 29 team made changes on their final pit stop and raced their way back toward the front of the field to score a sixth-place finish in 2011 400-mile event at Kansas Speedway.
In the Rearview Mirror: Charlotte Motor Speedway … Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s team collected a 16th-place finish under the lights of Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night after battling handling issues.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts going into the weekend at Kansas Speedway considering the track has been repaved since the spring race?
“I’m not a big fan of repaving anywhere, to be honest, and I enjoyed racing on the old surface at Kansas (Speedway). However, I understand they had some issues with the track that made repaving necessary, so obviously it’s what they had to do it. Paul (Menard) and the No. 27 team went out there for the Goodyear tire test in August, so we have some data to go off of entering the weekend that should help us. The guys that took part in the test had good things to say about the track, so we’ll see what we’ve got to work with when we get there on Wednesday.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s No. 31 Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 393 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 31 Chevrolet has been utilized four times during the 2012 NSCS season at Auto Club Speedway in March (started-19th, finished-22nd), Darlington Raceway in May (started-10th, finished-18th), Michigan International Speedway in August (started-32nd, finished-19th) and Atlanta Motor Speedway in September (started-26th, finished-12th).
Career Kansas Stats … The Kansas 400 marks Burton’s 14th start at the 1.5-mile facility and 650th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. Burton has one top-five (2006) and two top-10 finishes (2006 and 2008) at the track, leading seven laps.
Featured Cat Dealers … NMC CAT and Foley Equipment will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
As one of the longest operating Caterpillar dealerships, NMC CAT has served customers with equipment and service solutions since 1938. Today, with more than 640 employees and a multi-state reach – which includes a recently expanded Material Handling territory in North and South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and western Minnesota – the company remains customer-focused by providing a comprehensive line of product sales, parts, rental and services vital to the construction, power generation, material handling, on-highway truck, agribusiness and railroad industries. Branch locations in Nebraska are located in Columbus, Doniphan, Grand Island, Lincoln, Norfolk, Omaha, North Platte and Scottsbluff. Iowa and Utah facilities are located in Council Bluffs, Mason City, Des Moines, and Salt Lake City. An additional branch location in Sioux City, Iowa, will be opening soon. NMC continually forges new solutions to meet the changing needs of its customers.”
From 19 locations in 14 cities, Foley Equipment serves 104 of 105 counties in Kansas and 40 counties in western Missouri, including the Kansas City metropolitan area. Foley specializes in new and used CAT equipment and has full parts and service capabilities. Foley Rental carries a huge assortment of quality allied machines to fit customer equipment needs. Foley Power Solutions provides power packages for a wide variety of applications and specializes in the design, engineering and fabrication of state-of-the-art engine packages in a vast range of power ratings. For more information, visit www.foleyeq.com.”
Race Rewind: Charlotte Motor Speedway … A multi-car accident on a lap-16 restart collected Burton’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet and spoiled a solid effort from the Richard Childress Racing team under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Points Racing … After the 31st points-paying event of the 36-race Sprint Cup Series season, Burton has scored 764 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 3,135 green-flag passes thus far this season.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
What do you expect after Kansas Speedway repaved the track surface?
“I talked to a lot of people who already tested at Kansas Speedway and got a lot of different opinions. I expect a one-groove race track. I know track officials are working hard to put rubber on the track with test sessions and Richard Petty Driving Experience cars. I just don’t know what the impact of all that will be.”
Why do you think track officials repaved the racing surface at Kansas Speedway?
“From a racing standpoint, I don’t think it needed to be repaved. I think the track was preventing structural issues from taking place. Track officials usually don’t want to repave, but they have to or else they will have major problems during the race.”
Do you see any similarities between Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway?
“They look a lot alike from a fan’s point of view, but that’s about it. We were actually at Chicagoland Speedway a few weeks ago and coming out of the tunnel when I said to someone that if they added a bunch of stores, restaurants and shops at Chicagoland, it could be Kansas Speedway. The tracks are totally different though. Each track has its own personality.”
Race: Kansas Lottery 300
Location: Kansas Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Notes:
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Kansas Speedway … In 22 previous NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win
The Season So Far … In the 29 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 Harvick at Richmond International Raceway. RCR has earned 10 pole awards in 2012, with Sadler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, both events at Iowa Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, 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 42 top-five and 69 top-10 finishes and has led 1,739 laps in 2012.
RCR in the NNS … In 853 Nationwide Series starts over the course of the last 15 years, RCR has earned 63 wins, 292 top-five finishes, 479 top-10 finishes and 42 pole awards, with an average starting position of 12.2 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 Kansas 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 and @AustinDillon3 and the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/RCRracing, facebook.com/ElliottSadlerOfficial, facebook.com/austindillon3 and facebook.com/PMenard27.
Live on ESPN … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Kansas Lottery 300 is scheduled to be televised on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, Oct. 20, and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Elliott Sadler No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s OneMain Financial Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will unload Chassis No. 115 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable this weekend. Sadler’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Ty Dillon drove this Chevrolet to a third-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and a seventh-place finish at Richmond International Raceway in September.
Heading into the Heartland … Sadler heads to Kansas Speedway with two Nationwide Series starts in his career including a top-five finish last season. The Emporia, Va., native also has 10 starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the 1.5-mile track with one top-five and three top-10 finishes, acquiring a best finish of fourth in 2004.
Think Pink … Throughout the month of October, the OneMain Financial team will wear pink to support 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, 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 wore at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will wear this weekend at 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 … In 2011, Sadler drove a solid race at Kansas Speedway to bring home a third-place finish at the 1.5-mile track.
Just The Stats … According to NASCAR’s 2012 Loop Data Season-to-Date statistics, Sadler leads the Nationwide Series in Average Mid-Race Position (6.3), Average Finishing Position (7.1),Average Running Position (7.0), Quality Passes (1,133), Percentage of Quality Passes (73.9), Laps in the Top 15 (5,003)and Percentage of laps in the Top 15 (95.7). After 29 events in the Nationwide Series season, Sadler has earned four wins, four pole awards, 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes with 362 laps led.
To the Point … Sadler remains on top of the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, 13 points ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Race Rewind: Charlotte Motor Speedway … Under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway sporting a special pink paint scheme to support Breast Cancer Awareness, Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team recovered from problems on pit road to bring home a third-place finish.
Meet Sadler … Fans have the opportunity to meet Sadler at the OneMain Financial branch on Friday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. Central Time) at 12114 W. 87th St. Pkwy, Lenexa, KS 66215.
Set Your DVR … Sadler will join the cast of Trackside as co-host on the show on Friday night from Kansas Speedway. The program airs Friday on SPEED at 7 p.m. ET.
Re-election … Sadler, winner of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award, is eligible this year for re-election to the title. Fans may vote once per day now through November 16 on www.bitly.com/ESMPD.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Kansas Speedway?
“This is definitely the wildcard left on our schedule. No one really knows what to expect after Kansas Speedway was repaved, so the practice sessions on Thursday and Friday are very important. The OneMain Financial team has been strong on 1.5-mile tracks this season, so we feel good about our setup for this weekend. With four races left this season, our team is as focused as ever, and we want more wins before the season is over.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Kansas 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 victory at Kentucky Speedway in July and September after starting on the pole. He also raced this Chevrolet to a sixth-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway in July, 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.
Dillon at Kansas Speedway … Although Dillon has not competed at Kansas Speedway in the Nationwide Series, he made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at the track in 2011, posting a 26th-place finish in an entry fielded by Mike Curb. He has two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, finishing 12th in June 2011 and sixth in May 2010. In addition, he has one Camping World Truck Series pole award at the track (June 2011).
The Season So Far … According to NASCAR’s Season-to-Date Loop Data Statistics, Dillon has completed 96.21 percent of Laps on the Lead Lap, ranking him second among all competitors. The Nationwide Series rookie has completed 91.4 percent of his Laps in the Top 15, ranking him second and has an Average Running Position of 8.479 in the season’s 29 contested Nationwide Series races, ranking him second. He is ranked third in the Fastest Laps Run category with 412 laps so far this season, maintains a Driver Rating of 105.1, 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 990 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 29 points. The Welcome, N.C., driver currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Cole Whitt.
Spark your Engines … Dillon and the RCR team will sport the colors of award-winning premier health and wellness company AdvoCare on the No. 3 Chevrolet at Kansas 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 .
Vote for Austin … Dillon is 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.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Recap … Despite battling a tight-handling condition and a pit road penalty, Dillon posted a sixth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, marking the RCR driver’s best NASCAR Nationwide Series finish in two attempts at the 1.5-mile track.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your expectations for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway this weekend?
“This will be the first time the Nationwide Series has competed at Kansas Speedway following the repave and I cannot wait. I think it will really even out the playing field because all teams are going there not knowing exactly what to expect. The No. 3 AdvoCare team has performed very well on 1.5-mile tracks in the past and I expect that this weekend will be no different. Our goal is to gain maximum points, and the way you do that is by winning races. I’m excited to go to Kansas Speedway and I definitely have high expectations.”
Paul Menard
No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Rheem/Menards Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 107 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. This No. 33 Chevrolet was utilized by Menard at Chicagoland Speedway in September where he drove it to a fifth-place finish. Menard also drove this Chevrolet to a pair of eighth-place finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in June and at Michigan International Speedway in August, along with a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April after earning the pole.
By the Numbers at Kansas … In six Nationwide Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Menard has earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes, completing 96.4 percent of his laps (1,161 of 1,204). He holds a 10th-place average starting position coupled with an average finishing position of 13.7 and claimed his best finish of fourth in his last visit to the 1.5-mile race track (October 2011). The Eau Claire, Wis., native started from the pole position in his first career Nationwide Series start at the Kansas City facility in October 2004.
Final 2012 Nationwide Series Start for Menard … This weekend marks Menard’s seventh and final scheduled start in the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet for RCR in the 2012 Nationwide Series. He holds three top-five and six top-10 finishes in 2012, earning one pole award (Texas Motor Speedway, April) and leading for 137 laps. Menard has an average starting position of 6.2 and an average finishing position of 5.5.
Race Rewind: Kansas Speedway … Menard qualified in the fourth position for the 2011 Kansas Lottery 300 and competed among the top 10 for the majority of the 200-lap event en route to a fourth-place result.
To the Points … The No. 33 RCR Chevrolet team sits fifth in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, 70 points behind the No. 18 team. The No. 33 team has earned one win (Richmond International Raceway in September with Kevin Harvick), 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes, and has led 970 laps with six different drivers (Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Harvick, Menard, Max Papis and Tony Stewart) thus far this season.
In the Rearview Mirror: Charlotte Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet to a runner-up finish in the Nationwide Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Friday night.
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.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
What are the challenges a driver faces driving both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars?
“The cars want different things. There are things you can do with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car that you can’t do with a NASCAR Nationwide Series car, and vice versa. It sounds kind of dumb, but you have to remember which car you’re in and what adjustments the team has made to make it better.”
During the race, are you aware of the three or four guys that are running for the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship? Do you cut them some slack?
“I race them the same way I race any driver. You race them how they race you. If they get close to your door in the corner, you do it back to them. If they respect how much room they’re giving you, then you give them the respect back. The ball is in their court. We don’t have anything to lose, so if they feel it necessary to race hard, then we’ll race hard.”
