Event: New Hampshire 301
Date: Sunday, July 19, 2015
Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.
Richard Childress Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Richard Childress has four victories as a team owner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Robby Gordon (2001), Kevin Harvick (2006) and Clint Bowyer (2007 and 2010). In 106 starts at the 1.058-mile oval, Childress also has two pole awards, 16 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes with 10 different drivers including Dave Blaney, Jeff Burton, Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Green, Gordon, Harvick, Ryan Newman, Steve Park and Mike Skinner.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,566 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 466 top-five finishes and 995 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 15.9. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR XFINITY 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.The Collective RCR …Throughout the season’s first 18 races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series teams have collectively notched six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes with drivers Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman and Paul Menard. RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 13th (Menard), 14th (Newman) and 21st (Dillon) in the driver championship point standings.RCR Kentucky Rewind … Last weekend, RCR teammates Menard, Newman and Dillon finished 15th, 20th and 25th, respectively, in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.
Did You Know … Life threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries, and many more are treated in the emergency room. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S. Visit SaveInjuredKids.org or find them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
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 – @RCR3ADillon, @RCR27PMenard, @RCR31RNewman, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @RyanJNewman. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – facebook.com/austindillon3 , facebook.com/PaulMenard27 facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The New Hampshire 301 will be televised live Sunday, July 19 beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 475 in the New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Dillon earned a 27th-place finish at Richmond International Raceway in April and a 15th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway, both in 2015 using this Richard Childress Racing-prepared chassis. In 2014, Dillon raced this Chevrolet SS to a 21st-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in November, an eighth-place finish at Kansas Speedway in October, a 15th-place finish at Pocono Raceway in August, and a 30th-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in June.
Dillon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … In two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dillon earned an 11th-place finish in September 2014 and a 14th-place finish in July 2014. The 2013 NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion has made three XFINITY Series starts at the track, earning two third-place finishes (2013 and 2012) among one lap led. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion has three previous starts at the Loudon, N.H.-based facility in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of second in 2011. In two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East division starts at the track, both in 2008, Dillon has two top-five finishes and one pole award.
Welcome, Dow … Returning primary sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet SS, Dow enters its second season with RCR and driver Austin Dillon. Together, both teams embrace the power of science, technology and safety as RCR tests Dow products under the most strenuous conditions. Dow also drives innovation to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems, bringing a broad range of sustainable products and solutions to customers in nearly 180 countries with more than 6,000 products manufactured across the globe. See our YouTube video “Dawn to Dusk” to see how Dow products touch the lives of everyone…from dawn to dusk (youtube.com/watch?v=XSspiG8DkOs). More information about Dow can be found at dow.com.
Get to the Points … Dillon ranks 21st in the championship point standings leading into the New Hampshire 301.
In the Rear View … Dillon earned a 25th-place finish in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway last weekend when the Sprint Cup Series debuted a new aero package for the first time to the 1.5-mile track.
Double Duty … In addition to this weekend’s Sprint Cup Series race, watch Dillon in the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet in the XFINITY Series on Saturday, July 18 at 4 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network. The 2013 Series’ champion won the most recent XFINITY Series race he entered at Daytona International Speedway on July 4.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
You’ve run well at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the past. Is it safe to say you like running there?
“Yeah, I have a lot of experience at New Hampshire. We improved a lot at the end of the last couple of races there, but we didn’t run so well through the middle and beginning stages of the races. I’d like to get our track position a little better and see if we can be faster overall. I’m looking forward to getting there. I think we’ll have a fast car. It’s been fun running with Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) so far, and I think we’ll be able to run well at New Hampshire.”
Paul Menard, No. 27 Richmond / Menards Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Chassis No. 485 will make a comeback this weekend after being utilized earlier this season at Richmond International Raceway (Start: 15 / Finish: 15) and Phoenix International Raceway (Start: 21 / Finish: 14).
Magic Mile Stats … Menard has 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.058-mile track which include four top-10 and eight top-15 starts. He also has six top-20 finishes and has completed 99.2 percent of laps in competition. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native has also earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes in seven NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Rookie Stripe … Justin Alexander has impressive stats in his first year as a full-time Sprint Cup Series crew chief. In 21 races with Menard, Alexander has led the team to one top-five, 12 top-15 and 16 top-20 starts. He’s also collected 17 top-20, 14 top-15 and three top-five finishes. Alexander is also the first three-time winner of the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race award this season.
About Richmond … Richmond®, a member of the Rheem family of quality brands, is committed to offering exceptional value and performance with a complete line of water heating products for residential environments. Known as, “the water heater experts,” Richmond is the go-to brand for value-conscious buyers. Innovations including “Fast Recovery” technology for peak-time water use and EverKleen™ Self-Cleaning tanks make choosing Richmond products easy. Richmond water heating products are available in Menards® stores throughout the Midwest. For more information, visit richmondwaterheaters.com.
Where Do You Stand … Menard sits 13th in the Sprint Cup Series driver point standings, just 28 points away from 10th. The No. 27 currently holds the 14th position in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Grid with only eight races left before the chase begins in September.
Last Time in Loudon … The No. 27 team started 23rd in last year’s fall race at the Loudon, N.H.-based facility. Menard maintained a position in the top 25 but fought a lack of grip in the right rear and needed help getting in and off the corners throughout the event. In the closing laps, Menard was caught in a late-race incident and was forced to pit road for tires, fuel and repairs. After the restart, he was able to gain nine spots in just 30 laps to finish 15th.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a hard track to get a hold of. What are your thoughts heading into this weekend?
“It’s a fun track. You can run on what’s kind of like an apron. The bottom groove is flat so it’s like having an apron. The fast groove is a little more up so it’s like having high banking so you can change your position around a little bit. Everybody runs the same speed and it’s extremely hard to pass. Literally, you might have five guys in practice that excel but the rest of the field is running the same speed which makes track position extremely important. It’s definitely a cool track.”
Ryan Newman, No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 462 on Sunday at the Magic Mile. This Chevrolet SS was utilized earlier this season at Richmond International Raceway (Start: 23/Finish: 11) and Phoenix International Raceway (Start: 5/Finish: 3).
Newman at the Magic Mile … Newman will make his 495th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series competes at the 1.058-mile oval where he owns three victories; the 2002 and 2005 fall events and the 2011 spring race. The “Rocket Man” also owns seven pole awards. In total, he owns seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. Also, he has led 722 laps in competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 8.7 and average finish of 13.8. Plus he ranks sixth in most points earned in the last 10 races at Loudon.
Engineered to Amaze … Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. is the nation’s second largest retail home mortgage lender. The company closed $140 billion of mortgage volume across all 50 states in 2013-2014. Quicken Loans generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Primary Mortgage Origination” in the United States by J.D. Power for the past five consecutive years, 2010 – 2014, and highest in customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers in 2014.
Quicken Loans was named among the top-30 companies on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the last 12 consecutive years, ranking No. 12 in 2015. It has been recognized as one of Computerworld magazine’s ‘100 Best Places to Work in IT’ the past ten years, ranking No. 1 in 2014, 2013, 2007, 2006 and 2005. The company moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010, and now more than 10,000 of its nearly 12,000 team members work in the city’s urban core. For more information about Quicken Loans, please visit QuickenLoans.com, on Twitter at @QLnews, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/QuickenLoans.
Get to the Points … Newman ranks 14th in the championship point standings and 15th in the Chase Grid with just eight races remaining before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship begins.
Last Time Around at NHMS … After starting ninth and racing in the top 10 for the majority of the race, the team experienced a close call on lap 187 when several cars made contact on the restart. The No. 31 sustained damage to the front nose. The chance to fix it came on lap 222 and Newman remained focused despite restarting 22nd with 75 laps to go. The Richard Childress Racing driver raced up to 13th but got shuffled in traffic during the final two restarts and when the checkered flag waved in overtime, the Quicken Loans team settled for an 18th-place finish.
Double Duty … Newman will race the 7ny Mike Curb entry in Saturday’s Whelen Modified Tour event at NHMS. Partners on board with Newman are WIX Filters, Menards and Aggressive Hydraulics.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to getting around New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
“The key to Loudon is just hitting your marks and being really smooth. Usually at some point it incorporates saving some fuel but for the most part, it’s just two drag strips and a hairpin turn. Getting the car to turn in the middle is important but you have to get in and off as hard. It’s just like any other track, but it’s more biased to entry and exit speed.”
What is the hardest part about the track?
“The hardest part about the track is it’s so flat. You have to be so sensitive to the tires sliding. There is nothing to catch you like banking or extra grip. It’s very sensitive when it comes to that. Plus, it’s fairly bumpy, especially getting into Turn 3.”
Are you looking forward to double duty?
“Running the Whelen Modified Tour up there is really cool. It is their version of our Daytona 500. It’s a lot of fun to go up there and race with those guys. They are really respectable drivers who don’t mind me coming in and racing with them. They also put on a great show.”
Event: Lakes Region 200
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2015
Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.
Richard Childress Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … In 32 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Welcome, N.C. organization has one victory with Kevin Harvick (2007), 11 top-five finishes, 18 top-10 finishes and led 842 laps. RCR averages a starting position of 9.8 and a finishing position of 11.5 at the 1.058-mile oval speedway.
Kentucky Speedway Recap … In the Kentucky 300, Paul Menard finished sixth and was the highest finishing Richard Childress Racing driver. Brendan Gaughan, Ty Dillon and Brian Scott posted, ninth, 15th and 19th place finishes, respectively.
The Points … As the Series departs Kentucky, Ty Dillon remains third in the driver point standings, Brian Scott, seventh and Brendan Gaughan, ninth. The No. 33 RCR team remains third in the owner point standings.
Did You Know … Life threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries, and many more are treated in the emergency room. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S. Visit SaveInjuredKids.org or find them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
Social Media … To stay on track with the latest news and information and to view exclusive, behind the scenes content visit RCR’s Twitter account – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR XFINITY Series team Twitter accounts – @RCR2BScott, @RCR3TDillon, @RCR33NNS and @RCR62BGaughan. RCR’s XFINITY Series driver twitter accounts – @bscottracing, @tydillon, @austindillon3 and @Brendan62. For additional photos, news and video log on to rcrracing.com.
Catch the Action … Coverage for the XFINITY Series Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will begin with both practice sessions on Friday, July 17 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time and 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Qualifying will also be showcased live on NBC Sports Network on Saturday, July 18, at 11:15 a.m. ET and race coverage will begin at 4:00 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcasted live on PRN and SiriusXM channel 90.
Brian Scott, No. 2 Star Market / Velveeta Shells & Cheese Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Star Market / Kraft Velveeta Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 141 in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Lakes Region 200. This chassis from the Richard Childress Racing stable has an average starting position of 3.7 and an average finishing position of 10.3. Scott collected back-to-back pole positions last year at Chicagoland Speedway with this chassis and Scott recently raced No. 141 at Iowa Speedway where he finished fourth.
Loudon Statistics … In four XFINITY Series starts at the one-mile paved speedway, Scott has an average starting position of 10.8 and an average finish of 13.2. Last season, Scott qualified fifth and finished seventh. Scott has one top-five and two top-10 finishes, with 1015 of 1019 laps completed (99.6 percent). In addition to his XFINTIY Series starts, Scott has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts with two top-10 finish, three laps led and 598 of 600 laps completed (97.3 percent).
2015 at A Glance … After 16 XFINITY Series races this season, Scott has captured two top-five, 10 top-10 finishes, sits seventh in the driver point standings and has led 131 laps with an average starting position of 5.6 and an average finish of 14.5. According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Scott currently leads the XFINITY Series drivers with the highest average starting position of 5.6.
Star Market and Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese … This weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the No. 2 XFINITY Series team welcomes back their partner, Albertsons. Albertsons and the Safeway family of stores, the second-largest supermarket chain in North America, has partnered with RCR, Scott and the No. 2 XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2015. RCR also welcomes Albertsons’ supporting partners Kraft, Reser’s Fine Foods and Sanderson Farms. Albertsons Safeway stores operate under store banners Albertsons, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Markets, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Amigos, Jewel-Osco, Tom Thumb, Randalls, VONS, Pavilions, Carrs and Safeway. With more than 2,200 stores, 250,000 employees and 27 distribution centers across 34 states, Albertsons rich legacy in the grocery business synchronizes with the roots of NASCAR and RCR. Additional information on “Your favorite local supermarket™” and Brian Scott can be found online.
Last Time in New Hampshire … Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet team started the Sta-Green 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the fifth position. Once the initial green flag waved over the Magic Mile, Scott would remain a top-10 contender the entire 200 laps. After getting caught up in a multi-car wreck on lap 106, Scott only dropped two positions from his starting position and earned an impressive seventh place result in his damaged Chevrolet Camaro.
Kentucky Race Rewind … Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet started in the ninth position for the Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Rain cancelled the NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying session and the race lineup was set per the NASCAR rulebook by practice speeds. On the lap 73 caution, the Shore Lodge Chevrolet team came to pit road after developing a hesitation and elected to change the carburetor. Falling one lap to the leader, the team restarted on lap 77 in the 27th position. The Shore Lodge team fell victim to another lap to the leader with green-flag pit stops. When the caution waved on lap 162, the team took the wave around and was once again one lap short to the leader. Scott visited pit road with five laps to go to assure the team was good on fuel to the end resulting in a 19th-place finish, two laps down.
Meet Scott … Scott is scheduled to appear at Star Market (699 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Mass. on Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 p.m. On Friday, Scott is scheduled to visit Shaw’s Supermarket (20 D’amante Drive, Concord, N.H.) at 6:00 p.m. on behalf of Kraft Velveeta.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
What is the mindset going into short-track racing?
“Unfortunately, with a couple of bad finishes early-on this season, the situation that this No. 2 team is in, is that we have to be aggressive. We are coming out of the gates; we are going for victories at every track. We are not really laying back and protecting points or anything like that. We are going all out and going to have some fun. We are going to race really aggressively and hard and get as good finishes as we can.”
Ty Dillon, No. 3 Wrangler Workwear / UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Wrangler Workwear / UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 146 for this weekend’s Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was most recently raced at Bristol Motor Speedway where Austin Dillon drove to a 16th-place finish. Paul Menard piloted chassis No. 146 to Victory Lane in June, 2014 at Michigan International Speedway.
Dillon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Dillon made his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last summer where he finished 12th in the No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro.
VF Imagewear Partners with No. 3 Team … VF Imagewear, Inc., a leading manufacturer of workwear apparel and a division of VF Corporation, the world’s largest apparel company, returns for the second consecutive season as primary sponsor for Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 XFINITY Series program and driver Ty Dillon. VF Imagewear’s brands, including Red Kap, Bulwark, Horace Small and Wrangler Workwear, will be featured as primary sponsors for select XFINITY Series races in 2015.
About Wrangler Workwear … Wrangler Workwear is the latest workwear innovation from Red Kap, the official workwear provider of RCR and ECR Engines employees. Made with a durable canvas material, Wrangler Workwear is built to outlast the demands of work and the corrosion of laundering. For more information visit wranglerworkwear.com.
About UniFirst … UniFirst Corporation is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, as well as the delivery of facility service programs. UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products and outfits more than 1.5 million workers each business day. For more information, visit www.unifirst.com.
Points Update … Dillon is currently third in the XFINITY Series driver point standings, trailing second place by only 10 points. To date, Dillon has three top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes.
SiriusXM Fantasy Football Draft … On Wednesday, July 15, Dillon is scheduled to participate in SiriusXM’s sixth annual Celebrity Fantasy Football Draft in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The event features a variety of celebrities and SiriusXM personalities together on stage to draft their fantasy football teams for the 2015 season, and all the fun and entertaining verbal sparring that goes along with the proceedings. Personalities participating in this year’s draft will include NBC and Pro Football Focus analyst Cris Collinsworth, actor/comedian Rob Riggle, former NBA player and coach Vinny Del Negro, former U.S. Soccer star Brandi Chastain, Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus, actor John O’Hurley, and others. The event is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. ET, will take place in front of a live audience and will air nationwide on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius channel 210, XM channel 87).
Race Rewind … Last Friday night at Kentucky Speedway, Dillon drove the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro to a 15th-place finish. Dillon started second after qualifying was rained out and led the first 15 laps of competition. He radioed to crew chief Nick Harrison the car was losing speed in the middle of the corners because it was too tight-handling. He remained inside the top 10 until an unscheduled pit stop late in the race, which put Dillon in 15th place, where he crossed the finish line.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at Bass Pro Shops in Hooksett, New Hampshire on Friday, July 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
You made your XFINITY Series debut at New Hampshire last season. What will it be like this time around?
“I grew up a short-track racer and I love racing those types of race tracks, except New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a unique short track. It’s pretty flat and has a degree of technical difficulty. This weekend it will be important to communicate with our crew chief, Nick Harrison, and car chief, Mike Scearce to get the balance right. I’ll be looking to improve on our 12th-place finish from last season.”
Austin Dillon, No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quote:
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 145 in the Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet was previously driven by Ty Dillon to two pole awards (Kentucky Speedway and Kansas Speedway) and a victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year. This chassis has an average starting position of 7.7 and an average finishing position of 8.1.
Dillon at Loudon … The Welcome, N.C., native has made three NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the one-mile track, collecting two top-five finishes. Dillon holds an average starting position and average finishing position of 10.3 with one lap led.
Performance Counts . . . RCR and Rheem understand that winning is the result of a commitment to unparalleled achievement and continuous improvement. Rheem, a global leader in heating, cooling and water heating products is dedicated to keeping families and businesses comfortable through reliable, energy efficient products and systems customized to any lifestyle and budget. As at RCR, Rheem invests in talented professionals, advanced technology, R&D and world-class facilities that deliver Victory Lane performance. Rheem is . . . The New Degree of Comfort.
33 by the Numbers … So far this season, the No. 33 team has accumulated impressive stats with Dillon, Paul Menard and Brandon Jones. In 16 races, the RCR team has garnered three wins, five pole awards, nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes with 412 laps led.
Race Rewind: Kentucky Speedway … Menard and the No. 33 Richmond / Menards Chevrolet team earned a sixth-place result at Kentucky Speedway last weekend. After inclement weather cancelled qualifying, the No. 33 group lined up fifth for the 200-lap event and battled changing track conditions throughout the race. The Stockman-led crew visited pit road during caution periods for a combination of adjustments to alleviate the handling issues Menard was facing and ultimately crossed the finish line in the sixth position.
Getting Loopy in 2015 … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Dillon holds some notable stats so far in the 2015 season. The 25-year-old driver ranks first in the following categories: driver rating, drivers fastest late in a run, fastest laps run (261), fastest driver on restarts, green-flag speed and speed by quarter. Dillon is second amongst his competitors in drivers fastest early in a run, laps led (397), average running position, speed in traffic and mile leaders (586).
Season in Review … So far this season, Dillon has been entered in 12 XFINITY Series events, collecting three victories, nine top-five finishes, 10 top-10 finishes and five pole awards. Dillon has led a total of 406 laps with an average starting position of 4.2 coupled with an average finishing position of 7.3.
Looking Ahead … Following this weekend’s 200-lap event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Paul Menard returns to the driver’s seat for the July 25 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
Over the course of a weekend, how much does New Hampshire Motor Speedway change with all the different series that run there?
“A lot of rubber gets laid down there throughout the weekend, rubber that you’re not used to running on the K&N cars and the late models. New Hampshire has always been a fun place to race especially if you have a good handling car, you can definitely make up a lot of ground.
Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quote:
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 149 on Saturday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet has been utilized on two previous occasions this season, Auto Club Speedway in March and Bristol Motor Speedway in April. Chassis No. 149 averages a starting position of 8.0 and finishing position of 5.5.
Gaughan’s Loudon Stats … In three NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the one-mile speedway, Gaughan has earned one top-10 finish and averages a starting position of 21.7 and finishing position of 15.7. The Las Vegas native also has seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, accumulating two top-five and three top-10 finishes and averaging a starting position of 11.6 and finishing position of 15.9.
Last Visit to New Hampshire … Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet qualified 11th for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Sta-Green 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. During the first caution, Gaughan visited pit road to repair right-side damage he received after brushing the wall, restarting him in the 28th position. The Las Vegas native used the remainder of the 200-lap event to make up track position. The No. 62 Chevrolet crossed the finish line in 16th place.
South Point Hotel & Casino by the numbers … Located in the heart of the new Las Vegas South Strip, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa features 160,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and exhibit hall space, a 4,600 seat equestrian center, over 2,100 guestrooms, a 400 seat Showroom, a 200 seat sports book, 64 bowling lanes, 12 restaurants and a 16 screen movie theater. Find out more information at southpointcasino.com.
Home Track for Shane Wilson … Crew chief Shane Wilson, originally from Vermont, returns to north to what he considers his home-track. His relationship with Gaughan began in 2000 when he took over the position of crew chief and general manager of Orleans Racing in Las Vegas. Wilson joined Richard Childress Racing in December 2005 and has worked as crew chief for drivers including, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and now back again with Brendan Gaughan.
In the Rearview Mirror: Kentucky Speedway … The field for Friday night’s Kentucky 300 was set by the one-and-only practice session at Kentucky Speedway. Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet took the green flag in the third position. The now 40-year-old driver began reporting tight-handling conditions after only 14 laps. During a pit stop on the lap 73 caution, an air gun malfunction resulted in only two tight lug nuts on the right front tire and caused the team to make a second pit stop to tighten the remaining lug nuts and restarted the Chevrolet in 16th position. The Las Vegas native used the remainder of the race to make up the track position and ultimately finished in the ninth position.
To the Points … Gaughan remains ninth in the driver point standings, as the Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
“I enjoy coming visiting New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is our crew chief Shane Wilson’s home track, so we always want to run well for him in front of his home crowd. I am going to do the best I can to give him and the boys a good finish in Loudon. I like New Hampshire because it is fun, driver-style track. You have to have a good setup because the track is so flat and is really demanding when it comes to getting grip.”
