Event: AAA Texas 500
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2015
Venue: Texas Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Texas Motor Speedway … In 87 starts at Texas Motor Speedway dating back to 1997, RCR has recorded one win (Jeff Burton, April 2007), eight top-five and 30 top-10 finishes with drivers Burton, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Green, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman. Prior to Texas Motor Speedway’s inaugural season in 1997, Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, earned a pair of top-10 finishes at the now defunct Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. RCR NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams boast an average starting position of 19.7, an average finishing position of 16.7 and have completed 28,188 of the 29,130 contested laps (96.8 percent) with 140 laps led at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth-based race track.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,617 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 468 top-five finishes and 1,004 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.0. 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 33 contested races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series entries have collectively notched seven top-five and 23 top-10 finishes with drivers Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman and Paul Menard. Newman and Menard rank 10th and 15th, respectively, in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, while Dillon ranks 21st in the standings.
RCR Martinsville Rewind … RCR teammates Menard, Newman and Dillon finished seventh, 14th and 18th, respectively, in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville 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 and facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The AAA Texas 500 will be televised live Sunday, November 8 beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow Packaging H-E-B Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Dow Packaging H-E-B Chevrolet SS at Texas Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 512 in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the same Chevrolet SS that Dillon raced to a seventh-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and a 25th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.
Dillon at Texas Motor Speedway … Dillon has five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts to his credit at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing 20th in his most recent appearance in April 2015, 21st in both the April and November 2014 events and earning finishes of 33rd and 22nd in 2013. In six XFINITY Series starts, Dillon has not finished worse than seventh at the 1.5-mile track, acquiring his best finish of third in April 2013. In four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Texas, Dillon has earned two top-five finishes, one pole award and has led 76 laps, acquiring a third-place average starting position and a 14th-place average finish position.
Lets Talk, Dow … Primary sponsor of the No.3 Chevrolet SS, Dow enters is in the midst of 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 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSspiG8DkOs). More information about Dow can be found at dow.com.
Welcome, H-E-B … Ever have a craving for warmed nuts, but are too far from that street vendor in Central Park. Texas grocer H-E-B® recently introduced its new H-E-B® City Street Nuts™ product line that can be heated in the package to emulate the flavor and aroma of hot nuts sold by street vendors. These first-to-market, microwave-safe bags for heating snack nuts at home or office are available in four different flavors, Roasted Nut Blend with Sea Salt, Roasted & Seasoned Pecans with Sea Salt, Pumpkin Spiced Pecans and Candied Pecans. This is a whole new way to enjoy a variety of nuts and was the result of a collaboration between H-E-B® and Dow. Utilizing a strong network of industry partners combined with its own packaging specialists, Dow helps customers accelerate innovative packaging designs and get new products, like City Street Nuts, to market faster.
Get to the Points … Dillon ranks 21st in the championship point standings leading into the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
In the Rear View … In the Sprint Cup Series’ most recent appearance at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2015, Dillon started 14th and battled changing track conditions and a temperamental chassis throughout the course of the 334-lap event. The Dow Chevrolet’s balance alternated from tight to loose throughout the race and was remedied through routine pit stops, with Dillon finishing 20th.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to greet race fans at the American Ethanol BioFuels Trailer in the Texas Motor Speedway Midway at 9:05 a.m. CT on Sunday. The session is limited.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Texas Motor Speedway?
“Texas Motor Speedway has always had a lot of speed. The character of the track is changing a little bit more with age and acquiring bumps, but I love that. These are the types of tracks that we always seem to run well at. I’ll be running the NASCAR XFINITY Series car at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, too. I think we’ve been overlaying a lot of things with the Cup car, and that’s helped a lot. I’m looking forward to getting to Texas.”
Paul Menard, No. 27 Schrock / Menards Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Schrock / Menards Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … The No. 27 Richard Childress Racing team chose chassis No. 527 for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500. This is a brand new Chevrolet SS that will make its first laps on track during Friday’s practice session starting at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Texas Stats … Menard has 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track located in Fort Worth, Texas. He has one top-five and three top-10 finishes with three laps led in competition. The RCR driver also has three top-five and four top-10 starts with 95.1 percent of laps completed.
About Schrock … Beautiful on the Outside. Smart on the Inside® … Schrock is a manufacturer of fine kitchen and bath cabinetry, offering on-trend styling and creative organization solutions for the entire home. Schrock’s legacy of expertly crafted quality and service is backed by MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., the No. 1 cabinet manufacturer in North America. For more information, visit schrockatmenards.com.
Rookie Stripe … Alexander has impressive stats in his first year as a full-time Sprint Cup Series crew chief. In 37 races with Menard, Alexander has led the team to one top-five, 17 top-15 and 24 top-20 starts. He’s also collected 26 top-20, 21 top-15 and three top-five finishes. Alexander is a four-time winner of the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race award this season. He’s also led Menard to his first-career berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
#MenardNation … The No. 27 Chevy team is currently 15th on the Chase grid, just 16 points out of 14th, after finishing 15th at Martinsville Speedway.
Meet Menard … Come out to the Team Chevy stage, located in the Texas Motor Speedway fan midway, at 3:30 p.m. Central Time on Friday for a Q&A with Menard.
Last Time in Texas … When the Sprint Cup Series last visited Texas Motor Speedway in April, Menard started eighth and finished 41st after a mechanical issue sent the team to the garage early. Menard had a fast Chevrolet, racing within the top 10 for a majority of the race, and all the way up to fourth before a mechanical issue on lap 220 ended the team’s night early.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
What do you think about racing at Texas Motor Speedway?
“Texas is one of my favorite tracks because the pace drops off. We had a really fast Chevy there in the spring. Seems like anytime the tires wear out the pace falls off and the racing is a lot better. You can move around since there are multiple grooves, you know like five grooves or so there. You can really search out what your car wants. It’s an older surface which makes for great racing. Obviously we have really fast qualifying times then the pace really slows down during the race. The tires wear out which makes the car slide around and you’re always looking for grip, moving around and changing your line.”
Ryan Newman, No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS at Texas Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 526 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. This Chevrolet raced earlier this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway (St: 10/ Fin: 15) and Chicagoland Speedway (St: 6/ Fin: 4).
The Newman Two Step … Newman will make his 510th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series returns to the Fort Worth, Texas venue. He is also looking to capture his second-career victory at the 1.5-mile quad-oval when he makes his 25th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at TMS. His win came in the spring of 2003 making him the youngest Texas winner at 25 years, 3 months and 22 days. The Rocket Man also won the pole for both Sprint Cup Series events in 2005 to complete the sweep. In total, he owns three top-five and five top-10 finishes. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 15.8 and average finish of 18.6.
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.
Cut to the Chase … Newman enters the 34th event on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule 10th in the Chase Grid, just 20 markers out of ninth, after a seventh-place finish Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
Meet Newman … Fans of Newman’s are encouraged to stop by the Team Chevy stage, located in the Texas Motor Speedway fan midway, on Sunday at 9:40 a.m. Central Time for a Q&A session.
Texas Flashback … Earlier this season, Newman and the No. 31 Cat Chevrolet SS team started seventh and raced just outside the top 10 before an issue on pit road placed the team in 23rd position. The team went on to rally to a 12th-place result.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What does it take to get a good result at Texas Motor Speedway?
“Speed, lot’s of speed. It’s all about raw power and downforce. It’s a great track because you get to move around. You have to have good straightaway speed there.”
What is the hardest part of the track for you to figure out?
“Usually one of the hardest parts of Texas is getting the car to ride good over the bumps. You don’t want to give up your splitter height after the bumps, but you want to stay off the splitter over the bumps”
What makes it so different in comparison to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks in the Chase?
“I think Texas Motor Speedway is actually the most similar to Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Chase. I think that is actually a good test before you get to the finale. Overall it’s the same tire as Homestead and it’s a track that wears off and has the same driving characteristics so I think even though it’s its own unique track, it is the best test before you get to Homestead.”
Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2015
Venue: Texas Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Texas Motor Speedway … In 59 Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, RCR has captured five victories with driver Kevin Harvick (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2012). The Welcome, N.C., organization has completed 10,862 laps of the 11,565 (93.9 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated two pole awards, 18 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes, led 842 laps and averages a starting position of 11.0 and finishing position of 11.8.
Kansas Review …Ty Dillon finished fourth and was the highest finishing Richard Childress Racing driver in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Brendan Gaughan finished 10th, Austin Dillon, 16th and Brian Scott, 23rd.
The Points … With three races remaining in the 2015 season, all three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 10 of the driver point standings as the Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Ty Dillon is currently fourth, Brendan Gaughan, eighth and Brian Scott, ninth. The No. 33 RCR team is fourth 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 of this weekend’s XFINITY O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, November 7, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
Brian Scott, No. 2 Albertsons / Sanderson Farms Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Albertsons / Sanderson Farms Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 148 in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway. This chassis from the Richard Childress Racing stable has an average starting position of eighth and an average finishing position of 10.8 and was last raced at Kansas Speedway.
Scott at Texas … Scott will be making his 12th career XFINITY Series start this weekend in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. In Scott’s visit to the Fort Worth last fall, he qualified fourth and finished sixth; his career best showing. In 11 previous starts, Scott has captured four top-10 finishes with an average start of 11.3 and an average finish of 15.9. Scott has completed 2055 of 2205 laps (93.2 percent), with 28 laps led at the 1.5-mile speedway.
Three to go … After 30 XFINITY Series races this season; Scott has captured five top-five, 16 top-10 finishes, sits 10th in the driver point standings and has led 251 laps with an average starting position of 6.5 and an average finish of 13.6. According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Scott currently leads the XFINITY Series drivers with the highest average starting position of 6.5.
Albertsons on Board … Albertsons is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. The retailer operates stores across 33 states and the District of Columbia under 18 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market and Carrs.
Kansas Race Rewind … Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet team qualified for the XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway in 11th place. In the opening laps of the 300-mile race, the RCR No. 2 team fought loose-handling conditions. The 27-year-old spent the majority of the final 140 laps inside the top five battling for the lead with a combination of two-and-four tire pit stops. Unfortunately, under the caution period with less than four laps remaining, the No. 2 machine ran out of fuel and had to make another visit to pit road in order to cross the finish line, ultimately being scored in the 23rd position at race’s end.
Last Fall at Texas Motor Speedway … Scott and the No. 2 Country Bob’s Chevrolet Camaro team collected their 28th top-10 qualifying position of the season at Texas Motor Speedway starting in the fourth position for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. The team fought tight conditions for the majority of the 200-lap event but continued to maintain a position inside the top-10. Over the four caution flags at the 1.5-mile speedway, the Country Bob’s pit crew made adjustments to better the Chevy Camaro’s handling. Scott brought the Country Bob’s Chevrolet home in sixth place.
Meet Brian Scott … Scott is scheduled to sign autographs at Albertsons Grocery Store on North Beach Street in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Central Time.
Double Duty … In addition to competing at Texas Motor Speedway in the XFINITY Series this weekend, Scott is scheduled to drive the No. 33 Shore Lodge Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, November, 8. The AAA Texas 500 is live on NBC, on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
How has being in the Sprint Cup car helped you this year?
“It’s been good. It has definitely helped out our efforts on the XFINITY side. I enjoy being in the Sprint Cup car. I learn a lot every time I am in one. We’ve shown speed at times, but it’s still been hard to put a whole race together with a team I am not with week in, and week out. It’s been fun and I’m definitely looking forward to Texas after our strong run at Kansas Speedway.”
You had a top-10 finish in Texas in the spring race. Do you feel good about that track?
“Yeah, I feel good about every track with my No. 2 Shore Lodge team in the XFINITY Series. We’ve been really fast and have qualified really well. We’ve been leading laps and really have had some fast Chevrolet’s. We are working hard to break into Victory Lane.”
Ty Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 160 for this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet has been a 1.5-mile ringer this season, collecting two wins (Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway), two pole awards, four top-five and six top-10 finishes. It was most recently raced at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October where Dillon finished sixth.
Dillon in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Texas Motor Speedway … In four XFINITY Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, Dillon averages a starting position of 18th and an average finish of 12th with one top-10 finish. Dillon recorded a victory at TMS in 2013 when he drove the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado to his third career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory.
Dillon on 1.5-mile speedways … In 10 XFINITY Series starts this season on 1.5-mile tracks, Dillon has an average starting spot of 9.2 and an average finishing position of 7.1. His best finish on a 1.5-mile speedway came at Kentucky Speedway where he finished second.
Bass Pro Shops continues partnership with RCR … Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 94 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. For more information, and to shop online, visit basspro.com.
Kansas Speedway Race Rewind … Last time out, Dillon drove the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Big Cedar Lodge Chevrolet Camaro to a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway. Dillon had a top-five qualifying effort earlier that afternoon and raced inside the top 10 for the entire 200-lap race. In the end he crossed the finish line fourth for the team’s 10th top-five and 22nd top-10 finish of the season.
Points Update … Dillon remains fourth in the XFINITY Series driver point standings, trailing the leader by 36 points. Second place through fourth place are separated by just nine points.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is schedule to sign autographs at the Fanatics superstore on Saturday, November 7 beginning at 10 a.m. Central Time.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
Three races remain, what is your team’s mindset?
“Go out and win and settle for nothing less. We’ve been close to getting to Victory Lane and now is the time to do it. We’re not completely out of this championship hunt yet, but we have our work cut out for us. Our 1.5-mile program has been pretty solid this season, so hopefully we can improve on that.”
Austin Dillon, No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 167 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway. Dillon drove this Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet to Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October after starting from the pole position.
Lone Star State Stats … The Welcome, N.C., native has six previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, collecting four top-five and six top-10 finishes. Dillon is credited with an average starting position of 3.7 and average finishing position of 5.2 with 17 laps led. In his six starts at the Fort Worth, Texas-based track, Dillon has earned a top-five starting position and finished within the top-seven of the running order.
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 Team by the Numbers … So far this season, the No. 33 team has accumulated some impressive stats with Dillon, Paul Menard and Brandon Jones behind the wheel. In 30 races, the RCR team has garnered five wins, six pole awards, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes with 514 laps led.
Race Rewind: Kansas … Dillon started from the ninth position and struggled with a loose-handling condition during the beginning half of the event. Routine pit stops during caution periods allowed the Danny Stockman-led team to fine tune the handling of the Ruud Chevrolet with track bar, wedge and air pressure adjustments and, as the laps drew to a close, handling switched from loose to tight. Dillon took the final green flag from the eighth position but fell back on the restart as he scrambled for fuel pickup in the final laps of the race, which extended four laps past its advertised distance. He ultimately secured a 16th-place finish.
Spring in Texas … Dillon qualified the No. 33 Ruud Chevrolet Camaro third for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. The RCR driver remained a fixture in the top 10 of the running order for the first portion of the race despite battling a lack of grip. Dillon was called to pit road on lap 111 under green flag conditions for four tires, fuel and a round of chassis adjustments. The pit strategy allowed Dillon to remain on the racing surface when a caution flag slowed the field on lap 127, placing the Ruud team second in the running order. The Welcome, N.C., native continued to battle lack of grip in the closing laps of the race and crossed the finish line in the fifth position.
Getting Loopy in 2015 … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Dillon holds some notable stats in the 2015 season. The 25-year-old driver ranks first in the following categories: drivers fastest late in a run, fastest driver on restarts and green-flag speed. Dillon is second amongst his competitors in drivers fastest early in a run and third in fastest laps run (347 laps) and mile leaders. He also ranks fourth in laps led (474 laps).
Season in Review … So far this season, Dillon has been entered in 17 XFINITY Series events, collecting four victories, 11 top-five finishes, 14 top-10 finishes and six pole awards. Dillon has led a total of 474 laps with an average starting position of 4.7 coupled with an average finishing position of 7.2.
Looking Ahead … Following this weekend’s 200-lap event at Texas Motor Speedway, Dillon is scheduled to compete in the No. 33 Chevrolet for the remaining two XFINITY Series races this season.
Double Duty … In addition to Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway, watch Dillon in the No. 3 Dow Packaging H-E-B Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500, which airs live on NBC Sunday, November 8 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
You’ve run well at Texas Motor Speedway in the past. Does that give you confidence going back there this weekend?
“Yeah, I really like racing at Texas. I can’t wait to get there. It races a little bit like Las Vegas Motor Speedway in how you carry a ton of speed. Turns three and four are pretty similar. We won at Vegas earlier in the year, so I think we’ll run well this weekend.”
Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 150 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at Kansas Speedway in October where Gaughan started at the back of the field due to an unapproved adjustment after qualifying and finished 10th.
Texas Nuggets … In seven NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Gaughan has completed 1,345 of 1,405 (95.7 percent) of the laps he has competed. The Las Vegas native is credited with a 15.3 average starting position and a 21.6 average finishing position having led three laps in spring of 2015. In 19 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts Gaughan has completed 2,817 of 3,004 (93.8 percent) of the laps he has competed leading 207 laps. Gaughan has proven success at Texas Motor Speedway with four back-to-back wins in 2002 and 2003 sweeping both spring and fall events in the lone star state. Current crew chief Shane Wilson was also paired with Gaughan during the stint, leading him to earn four consecutive wins.
Did you know? … South Point Hotel & Casino is home to the largest indoor covered equestrian center in the US, boasting 1,200 indoor climate controlled stalls.For more information, visit Southpointcasino.com.
In the Rearview Mirror: Kansas …. Gaughan started the 267-lap race at the back of the field after unapproved adjustments post qualifying. After a short amount of time on track, Gaughan precisely moved through the field to 16th after 21 laps. During the first run, Gaughan reported loose conditions with the South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet. The Shane Wilson-led team made adjustments under future cautions and after pit stops cycled Gaughan restarted in the eighth position and continued to remain inside the top – 10. Gaughan’s Chevrolet ultimately took the checkered flag in 10th.
Season in a Loop … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Gaughan ranks seventh in Quality Passes with 974 passes so far this season. He also ranks ninth in Driver Rating with an 87.9. Gaughan has spent 80 percent of his contested laps competing in the top 15 of the running order in the first 30 events this year.
To the Points … With three races remaining this season, Gaughan is currently eighth in the driver point standings, climbing one spot over teammate Brian Scott as the XFINITY Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
You’ve had success at Texas Motor Speedway in the past, what are your thoughts heading there this weekend?
“I love Texas. I mean come on, I’m in the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. We were awesome there in the spring. My family has a ranch about 20 minutes from the track, so I love going there. I have a lot of friends who still live in the area. You know the Gaughan family likes to claim that we are cowboys. We own bucking horses and bucking bulls, so that’s definitely a place we want to do well at.”
