Four All-Star Wins for RCR … Richard Childress Racing has won four NASCAR Sprint All-Star races, most recently in 2007 with Kevin Harvick. Dale Earnhardt won the event in 1987, which included the legendary “Pass in the Grass.” Earnhardt also went on to claim the checkered flag in
1990 and 1993.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,666 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 471 top-five finishes and 1,014 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 … RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 10th (Dillon), 18th (Newman) and 22nd (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Help Reduce Injuries from ATV Accidents … Did you know the number of all-terrain vehicle injuries increases drastically during spring and summer? The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma launched an ATV safety video featuring NASCAR drivers Ty and Austin Dillon. The video provides simple tips for kids and parents to reduce injuries from ATV accidents. Watch now or download safety tips at https://saveinjuredkids.org/atv/.
Catch the Action … Dillon and Menard are scheduled to compete in the Sprint Showdown on Friday, May 20, 2016 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is scheduled to be televised live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90. Newman is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is scheduled to be televised live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 520 in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dillon’s teammate Ryan Newman raced this Chevrolet SS to a ninth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in April and a 13th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
Dillon in the Sprint Showdown …. Friday night’s non-points exhibition race, which serves as a qualifying event for Saturday’s All-Star race, will mark Dillon’s third appearance in the Sprint Showdown. The winner from each of the two, 20-lap shootouts will earn a starting berth in Saturday’s All-Star race, as will the winner of the final, 10-lap segment. In addition, you can vote Dillon into the Sprint All-Star Race by visiting NASCAR.com/sprintfanvote.
Dow Delivers Solutions at the Intersection of Science and Markets … Working closely with their customers, Dow delivers products and solutions that create value and competitive advantage while positively impacting the world we live in. Collectively, Dow’s efforts have lasting results, creating higher performance for their customers and reshaping the world around us to build a better future for everyone.
Cast Your Vote … Fans have the opportunity to vote Dillon into the Sprint All-Star Race with the Sprint Fan Vote. You can vote for Dillon online at http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote. Voting is unlimited. Fans can also vote on their mobile devices by using the NASCAR Mobile application. Votes from the application and Facebook / Twitter count twice.
Testing 1, 2, 3 … Dillon and the No. 3 team are scheduled to participate in a Goodyear Tire Test at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday, May 17 in preparation for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the 2.0-mile oval on June 12. Dillon is scheduled to make a trip to the infield media center for media availability during the lunch break.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What would it mean to be part of the All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“We definitely want to take advantage of our opportunity here and win a race to be solidified into the All-Star race. I’d say our team would be feeling pretty good at that point. This would be my first All-Star race I’ve been able to compete in.”
Would you rather race in or be voted in by the fans?
“If I had to choose, I’d rather race in so you know you earned it. At the same time, that fan vote goes a long way. I have some great fans, and I know they’ll support me and vote for me. NASCAR has an awesome fan base. It’s cool that the fans get to pick their favorite driver to race in the All-Star race.”
This Week’s Knauf / Menards Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Chassis No. 526 was chosen for Friday night’s Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Menard wheeled this car to a 15th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. This Chevrolet SS was previously raced by Menard’s teammate Ryan Newman in the second-half of 2015 at Chicagoland Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
About Knauf … Knauf Insulation is the fastest growing, and one of the largest insulation manufacturers in the world. Knauf was founded in the USA over 30 years ago. Everything they sell in the USA is made in the USA. Add insulation to your home and purchase Guardian by Knauf Insulation at your local Menards store.
Knauf Insulation recycles the equivalent of more than 2,000,000 glass bottles each day, transforming them into insulation.
Once recycled, one single bottle yields about 3,500 miles of fiber, about the same length as seven Daytona 500 races.
Adding insulation to your home is a quick project that can save you up to 30% on your heating and cooling bills.
Knauf Insulation’s certified formaldehyde-free products are more interior friendly than older, more traditional insulation products.
Vote for Menard … Fans have the opportunity to vote Menard into the Sprint All-Star Race with the Sprint Fan Vote. You can vote online at http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote. Voting is unlimited. Fans can also vote on their mobile devices by using the NASCAR Mobile application. Votes from the application and Facebook / Twitter count twice.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
What is the balance on Friday between wanting to win a segment of the Sprint Showdown and transferring to the Sprint All-Star Race and trying to learn for the Coca-Cola 600?
“There is a balance because we don’t get many opportunities to test, especially in a race format with cars around. We will probably try something different than what might be normal. Whatever we put in would be something that we think could potentially be better during the Coke 600, but needs validation. So basically it could either be great or just average!”
This Week’s Caterpillar / Grainger Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway …
Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 527 in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This car raced earlier this season at Bristol Motor Speedway with driver Paul Menard and the No. 27 team. Menard started 14th and finished 15th.
Age of Smart Iron … Caterpillar has spent over 90 years committed to innovation and technology that helps customers succeed. What was important then is even more important now, in an age when advancements come faster and more frequently than ever before. An age where connectivity drives productivity and industry evolves. This is the Age of Smart Iron. Watch this video. For more information about Caterpillar, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media
About Caterpillar … For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.011 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three product segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.
About W.W. Grainger, Inc…. When you’re looking for ways to do more with less, you need easy access to dependable products that help keep your facility functioning. Look for the Grainger Choice badge to identify products-from safety, lighting and pumps to material handling, fasteners, parts and more-that deliver the quality, value and selection you demand. Grainger exclusive brands and products carrying the Grainger Choice designation are continually evaluated for their dependability and durability to help ensure their performance. For more info visit: grainger/choice.
They’re Back Again! And You Can Win!… Grainger is proud to be back on the No. 31 Chevrolet for the fifth time this season and first time co-partnering with Caterpillar. If you love racing, you won’t want to miss the chance to be a part of the action. Enter for a chance to win a behind-the-scenes- VIP racing experience of a lifetime. It’s taking place in July in Daytona Beach, Fla. Visit grainger.com/race to enter to win!
Meet Newman … On Saturday, Newman is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session with PRN at 2:25 p.m. in the CMS Fan Zone stage located in the track’s midway.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to success at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“It’s all about getting your car really good on both ends of the track. I think the bump in Turns 3 and 4 has gotten a little bit worse so it’s important to get your car to ride over that bump well and come down the front straightaway because it is longer than the back straightaway. We’ve seen in the past that it’s been either bottom dominant or top dominant. We’ve also seen it where it was top and bottom dominant so the tire Goodyear brings is really going to be pivotal as to how good the racing is and how well we can pass.”
What are your thoughts on the new All-Star format?
“The format is what it is. I won it with an entirely different format and obviously I have lost racing with other formats in place. It’s all about who can play the game better. I do like it when they kind of keep it simple but we’ll just have to see. Maybe it will play to our favor.”
