Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Richmond International Raceway … Richard Childress has nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories as a car owner at Richmond International Raceway – five with Dale Earnhardt, three with Kevin Harvick and one with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 154 starts at the Richmond, Va.-based track, RCR drivers have claimed 36 top-five and 67 top-10 finishes. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds a 17.4 average starting position, a 15th-place average finishing position, has completed 58,487 of the 61,522 contested laps (95.1 percent) and collectively led 3,252 laps.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,654 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 470 top-five finishes and 1,011 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16th. 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 … RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 11th (Dillon), 16th (Newman) and 21st (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Play Safe Sports … The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma believes kids should learn how to play safer sports. Youth football players will be able to learn safe blocking and tackling techniques, position fundamentals and life skills from former NFL players at two Kids & Pros clinics. The FREE sessions are set for Davie County on April 30 and Davidson County on May 1, both in North Carolina. Register now at http://kidsandpros.com/.
Catch the Action … The Richmond 400 will be televised live Sunday, April 24 beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This Week’s AAA Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 547 in the Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway. This is a new Chevrolet SS that will be utilized for the first time this weekend.
Dillon at Richmond International Raceway …. In four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon’s best finish at the track to-date is 20th in September 2014, while his best starting position is 12th in September 2015. He has made seven NASCAR XFINITY Series appearances at the track, earning four top-10 finishes and leading 14 laps.
Keeping you on the Road … AAA and the RCR No. 3 team know the importance of getting drivers back on the road quickly. AAA is a leader in keeping drivers on the road with the Nation’s fastest roadside response times and trained teams at Car Care Centers around the country, ensuring your car runs smoothly and efficiently. The company is proud to be working with Dillon and his No. 3 car for the first time this year. They’re inviting fans at Richmond to see Austin, Richard Childress and the No. 3 AAA car up close at the Track Takeover on Sunday before the race. Learn more about the company at AAA.com.
Meet Dillon …The fan-favorite Track Takeover at Richmond International Raceway is back for the third year and AAA is taking the wheel. This event is FREE and open to all Richmond 400 ticket holders. From 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday you can walk the track, sign the start/finish line, enjoy special Q&A’s with the No. 3 pit crew (9:45 a.m. on the Frontstretch Stage), Dillon (10 a.m.) and Richard Childress (10:20 a.m.) and check out interactive and educational displays.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What do you think about racing at Richmond International Raceway?
“Richmond International Raceway is a tough place. It’s really been one of my toughest tracks – a thorn in my side – I guess you could say. The tire fall off there is incredible and it can snap from one direction of the racecar to the other. Trying to stay focused the entire race is hard because you go through a lot of different changes with the racecar and the biggest thing is just trying to keep up with adjustments, keep up with the track changes, keep up with the rubber that is getting laid down. However, I think our cars are better this year so I am looking forward to going to Richmond.”
This Week’s Duracell / Menards Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Chassis No. 548 will make its debut this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
Richmond Stats … Menard’s best start of seventh came in September 2010 and best finish of fifth in September 2013 at the 0.75-mile track. He has one top-10 finish and has completed 98.3 percent of laps with four laps led in competition.
About Duracell … Part of the Procter & Gamble Company [NYSE:PG], Duracell has been powering people around the world for more than 40 years. Duracell’s products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Duracell also innovates in lighting, renewable power and wireless charging technologies to help consumers live life without limits. Visit www.duracell.com for more information, follow them on Twitter.com/Duracell, and on Facebook.com/Duracell.
Meet Menard … Come to the Team Chevy Stage at 2:45 p.m. ET on Friday, April 22 for a Q&A and chance to meet Menard. The stage is located near RIR’s midway under an enclosed structure.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on your season so far?
“Definitely the positive is that we’ve shown speed. All three of our RCR cars are running well at times, so we’ve just got to harness that and get some better finishes out of it. We made some gains in the off season for sure. The cars are as fun to drive as they ever have been in my experience with this low-downforce package and soft tires. We’re looking ahead to good things.”
How is the race this weekend at Richmond International Raceway going to change now that it’s in the heat of the afternoon on Sunday?
“The biggest thing I expect to happen is that the track is going to widen out more. Anytime you race at night, it’s obviously hotter at the start of the race then it cools off throughout the night so you just migrate to that bottom lane. I think under the sunlight, that groove will just widen out more and it’ll be a lot of fun for us to race around on.”
What are your thoughts on Richard Childress Racing’s speed on the short tracks?
“For us, the No. 27 team, and probably even the No. 31 team, we’ve been stronger on short tracks at both Phoenix (International Raceway) and Martinsville (Speedway). We didn’t get to show our speed at Phoenix because we melted a bead early on, but I felt like it was a really good weekend for us. Martinsville was obviously a great weekend for all of RCR. So I feel like our short-track program has really stepped up. We’ve got some different cars and ideas with our cars and it seems to be paying off. Historically, I’ve always been stronger at intermediate tracks and we haven’t shown that strength this year like we have on the short tracks. I’m looking forward to Richmond and all the short track races, we’ve just got to work on our intermediate setup now.”
This Week’s Grainger Chevrolet SS at Richmond International Raceway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 549 in Sunday’s 400-mile event. This is a brand new car and will hit the track with Newman and the No. 31 team for the first time on Friday during first practice and qualifying.
Career Stats at Richmond … Newman will make his 521st NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the Series competes on Sunday. In 28 Sprint Cup Series events at RIR, Newman visited victory lane at the fall event in 2003. The “Rocket Man” also owns one pole award from the fall of 2004. In total, he owns six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. In the last 10 events at the 0.75-mile facility, Newman ranks fifth in most points earned.
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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to success at Richmond International Raceway?
“The key is having a car that has good forward drive during a long run, and there are no guarantees that it will happen. I’ve seen cars there that were really good on a short run and that’s how they finished the race and they won. The usual key is a long run, but it all depends on how the race unfolds.”
What is the hardest thing or place to figure out about Richmond?
“It just seems like having a good, secure entry into Turn 3 is important and getting off Turn 2 and Turn 4. It’s such a unique track because it is so opposite end to end. You have a big sweeping Turn 1, and then Turns 2 and 3 are so much tighter in comparison.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway… In 74 Series starts at the 0.75-mile speedway, RCR has captured six victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2012) and Clint Bowyer (2007). The Welcome, N.C., organization has completed 17,907 laps of the 18,526 (96.7 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated five pole awards, 22 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes, led 1,756 laps and averages a starting position of 10.7 and finishing position of 12.3.
Bristol Review … Austin Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in fourth, Ty Dillon seventh, Brandon Jones 11th and Brendan Gaughan 16th, respectively, in the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The Points … All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 10 of the driver point standings as the Series heads to Richmond International Raceway for the eighth event of the season. Brandon Jones is currently fifth, Ty Dillon is sixth and Brendan Gaughan is seventh. The No. 2 RCR team is second in the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Richmond 250 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, April 23, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX Sports 1. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Ruud Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 177 in the Richmond 250 at Richmond International Raceway. This is the same chassis Dillon drove to Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in March.
Richmond Details … In seven previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon has earned four top-10 finishes. The RCR driver holds an average starting position of 9.4 coupled with an average finishing position of 15th.
Ruud Returns … Like RCR, Ruud is a pioneer in reliable performance. In 1889, Edwin Ruud invented the first automatic gas water heater and since then, the Ruud brand has grown into one of North America’s largest and most respected makers of quality heating, cooling and water heating products for residential and light commercial use. The Ruud reputation for engineering excellence, reliability, strength and top performance has been consistently recognized by leading consumer publications as a brand that can be trusted to deliver efficient, reliable performance day in and day out. Today, the proud performance histories of Ruud and RCR come together to serve as the cornerstones of future championship performance of two great brands, Austin Dillon and the No. 2 RCR-Ruud XFINITY Series team.
No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With seven XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has one victory, five top-five and seven top-10 finishes with six laps led to their credit. Dillon returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 2 Chevrolet next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
Richmond International Raceway is a short track but it seems like it has more of an intermediate-track type of feel. Can you describe the racing there? Does it feel like a short track to you?
“It’s probably one of the biggest short tracks we go to because the restarts are so intense and you can really mess up a guy getting into the corner there if you duck under him and put him into a bad spot. It’s a place where you have to be aggressive and then have a car that holds on late because that guy that you were aggressive to at the beginning, will come back and get you later in the run. A fast car makes everything easier for sure, and if you’ve got that you don’t have to worry much about Richmond. It’s a place that brings the competition really tight together.”
This Week’s No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro at Richmond International Raceway … Dillon will pilot chassis No. 157 for this weekend’s Richmond 250. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway where Dillon finished 13th and sixth, respectively.
Dillon at Richmond International Raceway … In six NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 0.75-mile oval, Dillon has recorded four top-10 finishes. Dillon finished eighth at RIR last fall in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro.
No. 3 team Season-to-Date … Through seven races in 2016, Dillon has recorded one top-five finish, four top-10 finishes and won the pole at Daytona International Speedway. He currently ranks sixth in the XFINITY Series driver championship point standings.
#Dash4Cash … Last week, Dillon finished second in Heat No. 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway, qualifying for XFINITY’s $100,000 Dash4Cash bonus. Dillon ultimately finished seventh, but will try again this weekend for the six-figure payout. The 24-year-old driver won the Dash4Cash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2014.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What does it take to win at Richmond?
“Richmond may be one of the most challenging short tracks on the NASCAR circuit mainly because the two ends of the race track are very different. It takes every minute of practice to get our car’s balance to where we need it to be. The racing is always great because of the high-speeds and difficulty it takes to pass. You really need to be on your game during the race and be able to communicate well with your crew chief to make the right adjustments.”
You’ve had a busy week visiting Missouri for the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf Tournament. How was that?
“Man, that place is absolutely beautiful. Johnny (Morris, Bass Pro Shops Founder) has really done a nice job with that golf course and it’s cool to see the PGA Champions Tour visit once a year. Austin (Dillon) and I are lucky enough to be able to make a trip out there every year to play golf, hang out with some celebrities and enjoy the beautiful scenery.”
This Week’s Chevrolet Military Discount Camaro at Richmond International Raceway … Brandon Jones will pilot Chassis No. 156 this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was driven by Jones at Phoenix International Raceway in March where he started eighth and finished 11th.
Richmond Nuggets … Jones has yet to make any competitive laps in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway, but he has three starts at the 0.75-mile track in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The 19-year-old driver earned his best finish of ninth at RIR in 2014.
Chevrolet Military Discount … Now through the end of May, Chevrolet will expand their military discount programs for all 21 million U.S. military veterans and their spouses, in honor of National Military Appreciation Month. Today, GM is hiring and helping the latest generation of veterans as they return home. As a national partner of Hiring Our Heroes, GM joined other military-friendly employers to help the campaign find jobs for more than 500,000 veterans since 2012. The discount can be combined with Chevrolet’s most current incentives. For more information, visit chevrolet.com/military-discounts.
Rearview Mirror: Bristol … After qualifying ninth, Jones competed in the first of two heat races for the Dash4Cash event. The RCR driver finished fifth in the heat race, lining him up on the inside line for the main event. Jones raced within the top 15 of the running order for the entire 200-lap race and pitted under caution periods for four tires, fuel and minor chassis adjustments. Despite battling two and three-wide for position, Jones earned an 11th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
What have you learned from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races that you can use to your advantage this weekend at Richmond International Raceway?
“It’s hard to transition from the smaller motor in the K&N Pro Series East car to the bigger motor and additional horsepower that we run in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. There’s a bit of a difference in the aero packages as well. It really helps that I’ve run laps at Richmond before, even in a different series. That in itself is an advantage. I think we’ll already be a step ahead of where we would be if I hadn’t run a few races here. I won’t need to use the first practice to learn the track. I already have a good understanding of the line and can really focus on the balance of the car.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 166 this Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was previously raced at Phoenix International Raceway where Gaughan qualified 11th and finished 13th.
Richmond Stats … In eight NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Gaughan has completed 1,992 laps of the 2,002 (99.5 percent) laps that he has competed. The Las Vegas native has earned one top-10 finish and averages a starting position of 14.5 and finishing position of 17.2 Last spring, Gaughan started 16th and finished 11th at RIR.
Did You Know? … The South Point Hotel and Casino operates approximately 2,163 rooms, 80,000 square feet of gaming area and 160,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, making them the largest of any hotel in Las Vegas that is not on the Strip. For more information, visit southpointcasino.com.
Meet Gaughan … The No. 62 driver is scheduled to sign autographs and participate in a Q&A session Saturday, April 23, at the XFINITY Zone display in the Fan Midway beginning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on short track racing at Richmond International Raceway?
“Richmond can be summed up in two words: ‘I suck.’ But, with this new Chase format in the NASCAR XFINITY Series I am going to Richmond with a totally different attitude. I will not care about a single point, and I’m going to drive the heck out of the South Point Chevy. It will be different from anything I have ever done. The whole Harry Hog / Tom Cruise thing from Days of Thunder, I am going Tom Cruise this year and will drive the hell out of it and let Shane (Wilson, crew chief) tell me I did it wrong afterward. Every year, I do it wrong trying it the way everyone tells me. So, I’m going my way this time.”
Why do you think you struggle at Richmond International Raceway?
“I have no clue why I have struggled at Richmond in the past. I am great at Irwindale (Speedway). I was great at the Old Monroe (Speedway) in Seattle. I have been to places that are supposed to be just like Richmond, but I’m just not very good there. I really wish I knew what ‘it’ was. Everyone says it’s part mental like Martinsville Speedway. I would say that about Martinsville as a joke but with Richmond, I mean it.”
