Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500
Phoenix International Raceway
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and NotesRace: Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500
Location: Phoenix International Raceway
Ty Dillon
No. 33 Charter Communications Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
NOTES:
This Week’s No. 33 Charter Communications Chevrolet SS at Phoenix International Raceway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 460 for this weekend’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. This Chevrolet SS made its debut earlier this season at Auto Club Speedway where Brian Scott drove it to a 16th-place finish.
Dillon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at PIR … Dillon will be making his second-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his first at the one-mile raceway. The NASCAR Nationwide Series regular finished 10th earlier this season in the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 at PIR and in two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, Dillon has one top-five finish.
Welcome Charter … The No. 33 Circle Sport Racing Chevrolet SS will feature Charter Communications on the hood this weekend. Charter is the leading broadband communications provider and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter will also join the No. 62 Richard Childress Racing entry of Brendan Gaughan in Saturday afternoon’s Nationwide Series race. Charter was also featured on the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Three Series, One Year … The 22-year-old, Welcome, N.C.-native has competed in all three of NASCAR’s top series this year. One of only 11 drivers to accomplish the feat this season, the Nationwide Series regular raced in the second annual Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway in July and made his Sprint Cup Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway on August 31.
On the Pit Box … Dillon will work with crew chief Nick Harrison this weekend for the 312-mile race. Harrison, who grew up in Columbia, Tenn., has worked with several drivers this season, including Brian Scott, Paul Menard, Matt Crafton, Austin Dillon and Cale Conley. The 32-year-old crew chief has amassed two victories already this season; Paul Menard in the Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway and Austin Dillon in the Camping World Truck Series at Pocono Raceway.
Dillon and Harrison … The duo worked together in Dillon’s Sprint Cup Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season where he finished 25th. In 2013, Harrison was atop the pit box for two Nationwide Series races with Dillon behind the wheel earning a 12th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway and a 14th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Team Chevy stage located in the Midway on Sunday, November 9 at 9:15 a.m. MT.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What did you learn in your first Sprint Cup Series start at AMS that you can apply to this race?
“Well first, the competition is that much stiffer. There is little to no room for error, even in a 500-mile race. Second, these cars carry a lot of speed and getting seat time and learning the race track during the practice sessions is critical. I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded with experienced guys like Nick Harrison and the crew. I’m really excited to have Charter Communications on board for this race.”
How will you balance your time this weekend racing in two races?
“It was a lot of work in Atlanta, but I think it only helped us both as a race team and me as a driver. I was able to get more seat time, something we talk about a lot. A place like Phoenix International Raceway seat time is critical because you need to get the balance of your car right and learn every corner of the race track. Hydration will be key with the dry weather and higher temperatures, but I’m confident we’ll perform well in both the Nationwide Series race for RCR and the Sprint Cup Series race for Circle Sport Racing.”
