Talladega Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and Notes
Race: Aaron’s 499
Date: May 5, 2013
Location: Talladega Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing Leads at Talladega … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and leads team owners for the most all-time victories at the storied Alabama-based race track with 12 wins, including three of the last six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. Dale Earnhardt visited Victory Lane nine times, while Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer swept the 2010 events at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Bowyer added to the Welcome, N.C.-based organization’s total by claiming RCR’s 100th Sprint Cup Series win when NASCAR’s senior series visited the facility in October 2011. In 140 starts, RCR has four pole awards, 37 top-five, 59 top-10 finishes and has led 1,804 laps of competition.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,300 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 102 wins, 42 pole awards, 437 top-five finishes and 918 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8. RCR has earned 14 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90,’91, ’93 and ’94, five NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series. RCR Richmond Rewind … In the Sprint Cup Series event at Richmond International Raceway last weekend, Harvick notched RCR’s first points-paying Sprint Cup Series victory in the Richmond 400. Burton scored his first top-five finish of the season (fifth) while Paul Menard finished 13th.
The Collective RCR … Throughout the season’s first nine races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series entries have earned one win with Harvick at Richmond International Raceway (April), notched two top-five and eight top-10 finishes and completed 8,913 of 9,170 total laps (97 percent) with drivers Burton, Austin Dillon, Harvick and Menard. RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers are ninth (tie between Menard and Harvick) and 19th (Burton) in the driver championship point standings.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton and driver Twitter page @KevinHarvick. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27, www.facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick and www.facebook.com/OfficialJeffBurton.
Catch the Action … FOX’s live coverage of the Aaron’s 499 begins Sunday, May 5 at 12 p.m. Central Time/ 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio.
Paul Menard
No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 406 at Talladega Superspeedway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS was previously tested this season at Daytona International Speedway in January.
Talladega by the Numbers… Menard has 13 starts at Talladega Superspeedway. His best start of fifth took place in 2008 and 2011, and best finish of second came in 2008. The Wisconsin native has completed 2,053 of 2,472 laps attempted (83.1 percent) at the 2.66-mile track, leading 28 of them.
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 6,000 employees and 65 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 employs approximately 19,000 people in North America and approximately 109,000 people in 64 countries world-wide. Saint-Gobain’s North American companies operate 130 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.
Consistency is Key … Menard is the only driver to have completed 100 percent of laps attempted (2,990) in 2013 Sprint Cup Series competition.
Race Rewind … Starting 17th, Menard was running third when a late-race, multi-car accident took him out of contention and relegated the team to a 17th- place finish in last year’s 500-mile event.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Menard’s Thoughts on Racing at Talladega Superspeedway:
“Going into Talladega (Superspeedway) there is always an unknown factor. We need to make sure we stay out of trouble and bring home the CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet SS in one piece at the end. With the Gen-6 car it’s going to be hard to make moves and passes at Talladega. We’re going to have to be a little more creative with strategy and how we work the race. I’m going to have to be more patient, because you can’t just pull out and pass with the new car like you used to be able to do. Our goal this weekend is to continue to complete laps and be consistent. If we can do that and be there at the end, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS Event
Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 334 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Aaron’s 499. This is the same Chevrolet that teammate Austin Dillon drove to a 31st-place finish during the Daytona 500 this season.
Superspeedway Stats … Since 2001, Harvick has made 24 appearances at the Alabama-based facility. In those 24 starts, the RCR veteran driver has collected one win (April 2006), one pole award (May 2005) six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Harvick has led 155 laps at the 2.66-mile track while completing 97.8 percent (4,446 of 4,548) of the laps contested.
New BUD 360° App … Budweiser is giving consumers a whole new look at what it’s like to hit speeds of 190 mph in the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS with the interactive BUD 360° app. The King of Beers’ innovative new app utilizes surround video technology to provide users with a 360-degree look inside Harvick’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride as the driver completes several laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway. While Harvick controls the wheel, the consumer controls the view, allowing them to experience the sensation of speed in never-before-seen angles. The app is available for free in the Apple App Store for both iPhone and iPad users. The Budweiser Racing 360° video also is accessible on desktop computers at www.budweiser.com.
Media Availability … Harvick will be available to members of the media at Noon Central Time on Friday, May 3 in the deadline room of the Talladega Superspeedway infield media center.
Sprint Unlimited Q&A … Harvick will participate in a fan question-and-answer session Sunday, May 5 from 9:20-9:35 a.m. CT at the Sprint Unlimited Experience at Talladega Superspeedway.
2012 Race Rewind … Harvick and the No. 29 team came home with a 25th-place finish in the 2012 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway after being involved in a late-race, multi-car incident.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
What are your thoughts heading into the race at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend?
“I like restrictor-plate racing, but our luck hasn’t been that great lately on that style track. Last season, we thought we were going to have a chance to win coming to the checkers during the second races of the season at Daytona (International Speedway) and Talladega (Superspeedway), but we wound up coming in on a wrecker. We just haven’t gotten the finishes we thought we would at those tracks, even though we’ve had good runs. We’re coming off a win at Richmond (International Raceway), so I’m hoping we can carry that momentum into the race this weekend.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 337 this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. This is a brand new No. 31 Chevrolet that will see its first on-track action during Friday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session.
Career Talladega Stats … The Aaron’s 499 marks Burton’s 38th start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway and 665th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. He has earned five top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, along with 153 laps led at the historic track.
Featured Cat Dealers … Thompson Tractor Company Inc. and Puckett Machinery Company will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
Thompson Tractor Company, Inc. is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala, and was founded in 1957 by Hall Thompson. Thompson Tractor Company, Inc. is comprised of four main divisions (Thompson Tractor Co., Thompson Power Systems, Thompson Lift Truck Co., and the Thompson Cat Rental Store), and has operations in Alabama, Georgia and Northwest Florida. Thompson is the exclusive full-line Caterpillar dealer for Alabama and Northwest Florida. For more information visit our website: www.thompsontractor.com.
Puckett Machinery Company is the Caterpillar heavy equipment, rental services and engine dealer for central and southern Mississippi. Puckett Machinery has six full-service heavy equipment facilities conveniently located throughout the southern half of Mississippi – in Jackson, Gulfport, Natchez, Meridian, Hattiesburg, and Brookhaven. They also have five Puckett Rents Cat Rental Store facilities in Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Madison, and Meridian, Mississippi which provide quality rental equipment, Cat Compact Construction Equipment, and a wide range of contractor supplies. There are also two Puckett Power Systems locations in Jackson and Gulfport serving the engine and generator needs of central and southern Mississippi. Puckett Machinery is fully and completely committed to providing higher quality products, more choices, greater expertise, finer support and,
ultimately, better overall solutions.
Race Fever … Burton will take part in a question-and-answer session at the 2013 Race Fever event held on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. Central Time. The 28th annual event benefits the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and is held at the SPEED Channel Dome in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. For additional and ticket information, call (256) 761-3571 or visit www.racefever.org.
Sprint Fan Vote. Vote Now, Vote Often … Fans have the opportunity to vote Burton into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 18 with the Sprint Fan Vote. The Sprint Fan Vote was launched in 2004 as a way to bring one more deserving driver into the Sprint All-Star Race to compete for the $1 million payout. There are three ways you can vote for Burton.
Mobile Handsets
Use the NASCAR Mobile ‘2013 application
Votes from the application count double (x2)
www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote
Voting on handsets is unlimited
Online
NASCAR.COM
http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote
Voting is unlimited
The Sprint Experience
Voting stations will be set up in the Sprint Experience mobile display each race weekend
Race Rewind 2012 … Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Racing team dealt with adversity at a number of points during the 2012 Aaron’s 499, but capitalized on good fortune toward the end of the race and left Talladega Superspeedway with a 10th-place finish.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
Will the race this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway be like the Daytona 500?
“It will be interesting to see what is going to happen at Talladega (Superspeedway). The Daytona 500 was very much a single-file race and there is a good chance that drivers will be more aggressive at Talladega. That was the calmest Daytona 500 I’ve ever been a part of and I don’t anticipate seeing that at Talladega. Eventually, I think drivers will start pushing the issue a little bit more and try to make stuff happen. Single-file racing is boring in the car and boring to watch, so I think drivers will mix it up more this weekend.”
What’s the main difference in Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway?
“Talladega (Superspeedway) feels bigger and wider. It feels much longer than just the .16 mile difference that it is from Daytona. The corners are a lot wider. You don’t get quite the sensation leaving the straightaway and going into the corner with the banking. The one oddity is the bottom groove through the tri-oval is a different banking than the rest of the race track. When the track starts to lose grip, I feel like we are going to start seeing some incidents there because of the banking difference.”
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series News and Notes
Race: Aaron’s 3112
Date: May 4, 2013
Location: Talladega Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Talladega Superspeedway … In 26 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned five top-five and nine top-10 finishes, but remains winless at the 2.66-mile restrictor-plate track. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has three pole awards with Johnny Sauter in 2002, Clint Bowyer in 2004 and Elliott Sadler in 2012.
RCR in the NNS … In 888 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts through the last 15 years, Richard Childress Racing has earned 65 wins, 303 top-five finishes, 501 top-10 finishes and 42 pole awards with an average starting position of 12.1 and an average finishing position of 12.4 among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver points championships in 2001 and 2006 with Harvick, and in 2008 with 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.
The Season So Far … In the seven races contested this season, RCR has earned one win in the Nationwide Series, with Tony Stewart at Daytona International Speedway, along with six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. The organization has led 151 laps in 2013.
Get to the Points … Brian Scott is ranked third in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing point leader Sam Hornish, Jr. by 23 points, while Austin Dillon is seventh, 37 points out of the lead. In the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, the No. 33 Chevrolet team ranks fourth, while the No. 2 team ranks fifth and the No. 3 team ranks 10th.
Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages – @RCR2BScott, @RCR3ADillon and @RCR33NNS, RCR’s NNS driver Twitter pages – @BScottRacing, @AustinDillon3 and @TyDillon and the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/BScottRacing, facebook.com/austindillon3 and facebook.com/TyDillonMotorsports
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Aaron’s 312 will be televised on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, May 4 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.
Brian Scott
No. 2 Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet Camaro
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Armour Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 122 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in Saturday afternoon’s Aaron’s 312. This chassis was utilized in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where Scott led five laps and earned a sixth-place finish.
Alabama History … The 25-year old Chevrolet driver has three previous Nationwide Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, where he has one top-10 finish to his credit. Additionally, he has two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts with one top-10 finish and eight laps led.
Point Out the Points … After seven races in the 2013 season, Scott is currently third in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings just 23 markers out of first.
Best Career Start … After the first seven Nationwide Series events of 2013, Scott is experiencing the strongest start of the season in his career. The Boise, Idaho native boasts five top-10 finishes, eight laps led, an average finishing spot of ninth and is currently tied third in the series driver point standings.
Chatting with Chevy … Scott and his RCR teammates Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon will participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy Display in the Talladega midway at 1:45 p.m. Central Time on Friday.
Enjoy the Tastes of Victory … Armour® and Hungry-Man® are giving fans an opportunity to enjoy the tastes of victory and win a custom designed 2013 Chevrolet Camaro featuring Armour®/Hungry-Man® paint scheme. Now through Sept. 16, fans can enter for a chance to win one of 33 monthly prizes including: die-cast cars, gift cards/certificates, Armour apparel gift packs and more. At the end of the seven-month promotion, five finalists will be selected at random to receive an all-expense-paid, four-day, three-night trip for two to Charlotte, N.C. in October. The five finalists will have a chance to win the grand prize, a custom designed 2013 Chevrolet Camaro. Fans 18 years of age and older, within the continental United States, can enter the promotion once a month at www.thetastestofvictory.com, or by completing the official entry form found at participating retailers that carry Armour® and Hungry-Man® products. For official rules visit, www.thetastesofvictory.com.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTES:
What’s the biggest obstacle about superspeedway racing?
“I wish I could decide more when and where wrecks are going to happen, but it’s always a surprise when they do and they happen at really random times. It’s so hard to miss them when the do, other than the fact that you’re running in a pack all close together. I hope that everybody keeps their cool and we make it to the end of the race before things get wild and I hope we’re in front of it.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 128 in the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. This is a new Chevrolet Camaro that will be utilized for the first time under race conditions this weekend.
Dillon at Talladega Superspeedway … In Dillon’s lone Nationwide Series appearance at Talladega Superspeedway in 2012, he started fifth and earned a 17th-place finish after accruing damage during a multi-car incident in the closing laps of the race. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has two starts at Talladega Superspeedway in the Camping World Truck Series, earning his best finish of seventh in the October 2011 event, coupled with an eighth-place result in the October 2010 race.
Spark your Engines! Dillon and the RCR team will sport the colors of the newest flavor of AdvoCare Spark® this weekend on the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro. An energy drink mix and the most popular product from AdvoCare, this new flavor of Spark was voted on by AdvoCare Distributors throughout the nation. Three new flavors were introduced at AdvoCare’s biannual conference Success School in February, but only one is staying. Be sure to tune in this weekend to find out which flavor won!AdvoCare is an award-winning premier health and wellness company, offering 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 also an AdvoCare Independent Distributor. For more information about Dillon’s favorite products, including Spark, Rehydrate, AdvoBars and Post-Workout Recovery, visit .
AdvoCare Supporting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma … If Dillon wins this weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, AdvoCare will make a $5,000 donation to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. The health and wellness company will pledge $2,000 to CIPT for a top-five finish and $1,000 for a top-10 finish. So far this season, the No. 3 team has raised $6,000 towards the cause. The Childress Institute invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children in the U.S. and AdvoCare’s generous donations are aimed at helping to raise awareness for pediatric trauma, the No. 1 killer of children in America. You can help save the lives of injured children by making a contribution to the Childress Institute in two ways: donate $33 in honor of Dillon via his website, or text WIN to 80077 to make a $10 donation.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to take part in a Question and Answer session on the Team Chevrolet Stage at Talladega Superspeedway at 1:45 p.m. Central Time with teammates Brian Scott and Ty Dillon.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
When you are running at Talladega Superspeedway are you thinking ‘I’ve got to be here by lap X’ or are you just trying to make it and then go when its time to go?
“I don’t know what to think at these superspeedways, truthfully. I haven’t been in a ton of these races, but I think I’ve been in a little bit of every situation and it’s really who you’re around and whether they make a mistake or not. I guess placing yourself in the right situation and getting lucky is a big part of speedway racing. I think we are going to go to Talladega Superspeedway and race, try to lead laps and have a little fun because you never know when it can end at Talladega. You can be out of the race, or in Victory Lane.”
Ty Dillon
No. 33 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s WESCO Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 123 from the Richard Childress Racing stable in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series event. This RCR-prepared Chevrolet was driven to Victory Lane in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway by Tony Stewart.
‘Dega Nuggets … Saturday’s 117-lap affair marks Dillon’s first appearance at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Although the Welcome, N.C., native hasn’t made any competitive laps in the No. 33 entry at the 2.66-mile track, he has one start at the facility in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning one pole award and a fourth-place finish with 25 laps led. He also has one start in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, where he earned the race win after starting on the pole and leading for 50 laps.
Welcome Back! … WESCO returns to RCR as the primary sponsor of Dillon’s No. 33 Chevrolet for six events throughout the year; including Dover International Speedway (June), Bristol Motor Speedway (August), Texas Motor Speedway (November) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (November).
What is WESCO? … WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a publicly traded Fortune 500 holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (“MRO”) and original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) product, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistic services. 2012 annual sales were approximately $6.6 billion. The Company employs approximately 8,900 people, maintains relationships with over 18,000 suppliers, and serves over 65,000 active customers worldwide. Customers include commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers and utilities. WESCO operates eight fully automated distribution centers and approximately 475 full-service branches in North America and international markets, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations.
Nationwide in 2013 … Dillon will share the No. 33 entry with an all-star driver line-up in 2013 under the RCR banner. The 21-year old driver is slated for nine Nationwide Series events over the course of the 33-week schedule. In addition to the races with WESCO, Dillon will pilot the Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.
Meet the Driver … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Question-and-Answer session with fellow RCR teammates Austin Dillon and Brian Scott on Friday, May 3 at the Team Chevy Stage at Talladega Superspeedway. The trio will take questions from the audience beginning at 1:45 p.m. Central Time.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
You’ve had some success at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Does this make you more comfortable heading into this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series event?
“Absolutely, Talladega (Superspeedway) is a lot of fun to race. It’s one of those places where anything can happen, and you still have a shot at winning. Luckily, I’ve started from the pole position in both of my previous starts at the track. But, with the draft, you can fall back and cruise for awhile then drive right up to the front. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the No. 33 WESCO Chevrolet this weekend, especially at Talladega (Superspeedway).”
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