Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Charlotte Motor Speedway … In 151 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing teams have earned seven points-paying victories (four wins with Dale Earnhardt, one with Jeff Burton and two with Kevin Harvick) and four All-Star race victories (three with Earnhardt and one with Harvick), giving RCR 11 total Sprint Cup Series checkered flags at the Concord, N.C.-based track. RCR boasts 21 top-five and 48 top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed two of those top-10 finishes from 1978 to 1979. The Welcome, N.C. organization has led a combined 1,149 laps at the Charlotte facility.
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.
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Catch the Action … The Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled to be televised live on FOX beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
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This Week’s Cheerios Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 548 in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dillon’s teammate Paul Menard raced this Chevrolet SS to a 22nd-place finish at Richmond International Raceway in April.
Winner, Winner … In four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is seventh in October 2015. The sophomore Sprint Cup Series competitor also has three Sprint Showdown starts to his credit, with a best finish of sixth in 2015. Dillon earned back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year and is a three-time pole winner at the track. In three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dillon has two top-10 finishes.
A Family Tradition … Dillon grew up watching races at Charlotte Motor Speedway from his grandfather’s condo, which overlooks the racetrack.
#CheerThe3 … Dillon continues a long-standing Richard Childress Racing tradition this weekend by carrying General Mills’ Cheerios brand on the No. 3 Chevrolet. General Mills has been an active sponsor in motorsports for more than 15 years, working with drivers including Austin and Ty Dillon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson. Both Dillon brothers made their Daytona 500 debut with General Mills, with Austin in the Honey Nut Cheerios Chevrolet in 2013 and Ty in the Cheerios Chevrolet in 2015. In 2016, Cheerios is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The cereal debuted as “Cheerioats” in 1941. Cheerios has been a family favorite of the Dillon and Childress families for years. Its wholesome goodness is perfect for toddlers to adults and everyone in between. Made from whole grain oats, and without artificial flavors or colors, they’re naturally low in fat and cholesterol free. These wholesome little “o’s” have only one gram of sugar!
NASCAR: An American Salute … Dillon and the No. 3 Cheerios team will participate in 600 Miles of Remembrance on Memorial Day Weekend. Dillon’s name will be replaced on his race car windshield header with the name of a fallen military service member for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 3 team will feature Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter, who was killed in action in Balad, Iraq on December 11, 2007. There is a Crossfit “Heroes” workout named after Badger that Dillon and several RCR team members have completed in Carter’s honor.
Meet Dillon … If you’re in the Charlotte area, you have several chances to meet Dillon this week in advance of the Coca-Cola 600. Dillon, crew chief Slugger Labbe and the No. 3 pit crew are scheduled to greet race fans at the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, N.C. on Wednesday, May 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at Walmart (5825 Thunder Road, NW, Concord, NC 28027) from 5-6 p.m. Eastern Time on behalf of Coca-Cola, also on Wednesday. On Thursday, May 26, Dillon is scheduled to join his brother, Ty Dillon, and grandfather, Richard Childress, for an autograph session at Bass Pro Shops in Concord, N.C. from 10-11 a.m. Eastern Time. On Friday, May 27, Dillon is scheduled to appear at Sam’s Club (2421 Supercenter Dr. N.E., Kannapolis, NC 28025) at 12 Noon on behalf of Cheerios. On Sunday, May 29, Dillon is scheduled to visit the NASCAR Fanatics Trackside Superstore at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the schedule. What do you do to endure a 600-mile race?
“It’s a long race. You constantly have to keep your focus and keep your mind on the race. One mistake puts you a lap down, but you know you have time to get it back. I love Charlotte. It’s one of my favorite race tracks. I’ve been able to win the last two NASCAR XFINITY Series races there. Hopefully, we can come home with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win there before too long.”
The race will start in the daytime and end at night. What do you have to do to make sure your car handles well in the changing track conditions?
“It’s tough. You have to be able to start the race with your balance good enough during the sunlight and daytime. When the sun sets, that’s when you really have to start adjusting on your car and make it faster. You’ll gain a lot of grip throughout the race. You can see guys that weren’t that great when the race started but as the nighttime rolls in, they gain speed and destroy the field. We’ll look at our notes from the last couple of years and start the race based off those.”
This Week’s Knauf / Menards Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway … For this weekend’s 600-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, crew chief Justin Alexander selected chassis No. 550. This is a brand new Chevrolet SS and will make its first laps on track during Thursday’s practice and qualifying sessions.
Paul at Charlotte … Menard has 18 Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native has three top-10 starts and two top-10 finishes. His best start of fifth came in October 2010 and finish of eighth in May 2010 and 2014.
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600 Miles of Remembrance … Menard and the No. 27 Knauf / Menards team will help honor fallen service members this weekend during the Coca-Cola 600. Menard’s name will be replaced on his race car windshield with the name of fallen military service member, U.S. Army Specialist (SPC) Zachary Lee Shannon. RCR employee Keith Lindgren knew Shannon, who died on March 13, 2013 while serving in Afghanistan. Posthumous he was awarded the Bronze Star with a V for Valor and the Purple Heart.
Meet Menard … Come out to the Team Chevy Stage on Sunday, May 29 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for a question-and-answer session with Menard. The stage is located in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s midway area in front of the track.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
What do you take away from the Sprint Showdown last weekend to use for Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“We definitely worked on some stuff during the Showdown for this weekend. We don’t normally get the opportunity to test anymore, so there are some things we wanted to at least try. The things that worked will be used this week, and we know some things that we need to go back on.”
They say this is one of the more temperature-sensitive race tracks. How does handling of the car change over the course of 600 miles?
“It definitely changes with temperature as the sun goes down. It’s supposed to be hot this weekend, so it will probably be a larger swing than normal when the sun goes down. It’s usually just kind of slippery at the start of the race and everybody is fighting for position, it will be even tougher with a hot race track. Then as the sun goes down, people go a lap down and different strategies start to come into play. The racing tames down and becomes more single-groove because of the higher speeds at night. During the daylight it’s normally multi-groove and at night it trends back down to that bottom, single-lane groove.”
Do you feel the extra miles at Charlotte?
“No, not really. I think it’s a lot harder on the fans than it is the drivers because it’s an extra 70 laps or something like that. It actually goes by pretty quick for us behind the wheel.”
This Week’s Whelen Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 547 in the series longest event of the season, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This is a brand new car and will hit the track for the first time during Thursday’s practice and qualifying sessions.
Career Stats at Charlotte … The Coca-Cola 600 marks Newman’s 525th Cup start and 30th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the 1.5-mile oval. In total at CMS, Newman has recorded runner-up finishes two times (fall, 2003; Coke 600, 2009) along with nine pole awards, four top-five, 11 top-10 finishes. The “Rocketman” has led 277 laps in competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 8.6 and average finish of 18.0. When calculating points earned in the last five events at Charlotte, Newman ranks seventh in most points accumulated.
Welcome Aboard … RCR welcomes Whelen to the No. 31 family of primary partners for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. Whelen is a privately owned company that has experienced positive growth for over 60 years. The development of the first aviation light helped launch Whelen into the automotive safety lighting industry. Whelen currently provides safety lighting for Police, Fire, EMS, and DOT professionals as well as many other industries. The production volumes seen in the automotive sector have allowed Whelen to invest in the latest automated assembly equipment in order to compete worldwide. Last year Whelen purchased over 44 million LEDs for use in their extensive family of products. In the 1970s Whelen introduced the Outdoor Warning Siren, totally electronic and capable of not just warning tones, but also high-powered voice messages. The Mass Notification Division has saved lives around the world. Whelen products are proudly designed, manufactured, and assembled in the U.S.A. For more information, visit whelen.com
600 Miles of Remembrance … For the second consecutive year, Newman’s No. 31 Chevrolet will pay tribute this Memorial Day Weekend to a member of the military who bravely served and died defending our country. The team’s windshield header normally reserved for “Ryan Newman” will instead honor Marine Staff Sergeant Jason C. Ramseyer. Born in West Palm Beach, FL on October 21, 1977, SSgt Ramseyer grew up in Lenoir, N.C. He joined the Marine Corp in June 1996 and was assigned to 3/8 Mortars. After four years, he transferred to Quantico, Va., where he was the instructor at the Marine Corps Officer Basic School. He trained Marines in mortar gunnery and was also a martial arts instructor where he was a 2nd-degree black belt. He later moved to Hawaii to join 3/3 Americas Battalion and was handpicked to command the Battalion’s Commanders Security Detachment for Iraq. Throughout his career in the USMC, SSgt Ramseyer was deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. On April 20, 2006, SSgt Ramseyer was killed in action in Haditha, Iraq. Attending the race on behalf of SSgt Jason C. Ramseyer will be his widow, two daughters, his parents and in-laws.
Meet Ryan … Newman is scheduled to stop by the Coca-Cola Stage at Speed Street in downtown Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday at 6 p.m. for a Question and Answer session.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:
What is the most challenging part of the Coca-Cola 600?
“Keeping your head in the game for 400 laps. It’s a really long time. A lot of things can happen. I think staying on the lead lap is a challenge. It all comes down to keeping your mind into the game. It’s not easy and it’s a race that I really want to win. I’ve come close but it still eludes me. I hope to change that this weekend with my 31 team.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway … In 74 Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured four victories with drivers Jeff Green (2002), Jeff Burton (2007) and Austin Dillon (2015). The Welcome, N.C., organization has completed 13,915 laps of the 14,783 (94.1 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated eight pole awards, 21 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes, led 721 laps and averages a starting position of 10.7 and finishing position of 12.9.
Dover Review … Ty Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in fifth, Brendan Gaughan 15th, Brandon Jones 25th and Paul Menard 29th, respectively, in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 at Dover International 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 home to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 11th event of the season. Ty Dillon is currently third, Brendan Gaughan is sixth and Brandon Jones is seventh. The No. 2 RCR team is fifth in the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently tied for second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, May 28, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX Sports 1. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 167 in the Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This was the same chassis Dillon drove to Victory Lane last fall at the Concord, N.C.-based track after starting from the pole position. Since then, the Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet has garnered three additional top-10 finishes with Dillon behind the wheel.
Hometown Stats … In six previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dillon has earned two victories, three top-five and four top-10 finishes. The RCR driver has earned three pole awards and holds an average starting position of 1.8 coupled with an average finishing position of 5.8. Dillon earned back-to-back pole awards and went on to win both of the events at the 1.5-mile speedway last season.
Heart of Comfort … Established to unite Rheem employees across North America in support of urgent humanitarian relief around the world, Heart of Comfort is embraced by all members of the Rheem family. Through participation in ongoing local and national fundraising campaigns, volunteer opportunities and charitable events, the Heart of Comfort program offers employees and customers the opportunity to bring comfort to those in need, support worthy causes and impact the world. To date, Rheem’s Heart of Comfort campaigns have helps more than 70 organizations across the world. For more information, visit Rheem.com/heartofcomfort.
No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 10 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has one victory, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes with 13 laps led to their credit. Paul Menard is scheduled to drive the No. 2 Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway for the June 4 event.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What do you like best about racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Charlotte’s always been good for me. We swept both (NASCAR) XFINITY Series races there last year. It was a blast. It’s always fun to race in front of your hometown crowd. A lot of family and friends come out to watch. Victory Lane was crazy with all my family and friends that were there to celebrate with the No. 2 Rheem team. I personally like Charlotte a lot on long green flag runs. It’s a fast-paced track and a lot of fun to drive. Hopefully we can put some steam to her and see what we can do this weekend.”
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 157 for this weekend’s Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at Richmond International Raceway where Dillon finished second and won the #Dash4Cash.
Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the XFINITY Series … In three NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 1.5-miles speedway, Dillon has four top-10 finishes. In two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Dillon has one pole award, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Charlotte Motor Speedway is also where Dillon claims his “racing career all began,” racing Legend’s cars, asphalt modified cars and across the street at The Dirt Track in Late Models for Team Dillon Racing.
No. 3 Team Season-to-Date … Through 10 races this season, Dillon and the No. 3 team currently sit third in the XFINITY Series driver point standings. Dillon has finished inside the top five three times this season, including a #Dash4Cash victory at Richmond International Raceway, six top-10 finishes and one pole award (Daytona International Speedway). Dillon has an average start of 5.1 and an average finish of 9.4.
Meet Ty Dillon … Fans of Dillon will have unique opportunities to meet the driver of the No. 3 car this week around the Concord, N.C. area. On Thursday morning, Dillon, along with older brother Austin and grandfather/team owner, Richard Childress, are scheduled to visit the Bass Pro Shops in Concord to sign autographs beginning at 10 a.m. On Saturday, May 28 and 10 a.m. in the Fan Midway, Dillon is scheduled to visit the Team Chevy Display at Charlotte Motor Speedway to participate in a question-and-answer session.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
What will it take for you to win this weekend?
“You know, I’ve had some success here, and my team has had some success here this season. Nick (Harrison, crew chief) won this race last season with my brother, Austin. They were dominate and really built a fast race car for this track; for all 1.5-mile tracks. As always, it starts with a strong qualifying run, no mistakes throughout the race and good communication with your team. I enjoy racing on intermediate race tracks. It should be fun in front of the home crowd.”
This Week’s Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Brandon Jones will pilot chassis No. 156 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was driven by Jones at Phoenix International Raceway and Richmond International Raceway, where he finished 11th and 15th, respectively.
Charlotte Nuggets … Jones will make his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, but he has made two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the 1.5-mile track. Jones finished 13th in his NCWTS debut at Charlotte in 2015, and last weekend started 14th and finished 11th.
Meet Brandon Jones … Jones is scheduled to appear at the Circle K and Kangaroo Speed Street Autograph Zone in Uptown Charlotte Friday, May 27 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
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Rearview Mirror: Dover … The Monster Mile was not too kind to Jones and the No. 33 team, as contact with another car early in the race made for a long day. Jones qualified in the 14th spot and started seventh in the second XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash heat race. After a fifth-place finish in the second heat race, Jones lined up 10th for the 120-lap main event. Racing hard inside the top 10, the No. 33 Chevrolet suffered damage to the left front after contact with another car in Turn 3. Jones brought the car to the attention of the crew, but with no caution thrown fell multiple laps down. Despite the damage and running laps down, Jones was running lap times comparable to the leaders. When the checkered flag flew, Jones was in the 25th spot, four laps down, and as a result slipped to seventh in the XFINITY Series standings.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
How will having the experience of running last weekend’s Truck Series race help your efforts this week?
“I think running the truck race during the day last Saturday will prove to be pretty beneficial to our efforts in the XFINITY Series race this weekend. We ended up starting the truck race right around the same time that we’ll take the green flag for the XFINITY Series race this on Saturday. Likewise, it was a great opportunity for me to learn how the preferred line moved throughout the race, and also to work with crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. on our overall race strategy.”
This Week’s Pit Stops For Hope Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot Chassis No. 162 this weekend in the Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet was last utilized in competition at Phoenix International Raceway. Chassis No. 162 has an average starting position of 11.3 and an average finishing position of 14.3.
Gaughan’s Stats at Charlotte … In eight NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at CMS, Gaughan has completed 1,538 of 1,573 (97.8 percent) laps that he has competed. Gaughan has led seven laps, accumulated one top-five finish and averages a starting position of 21.6 and a finishing position of 15.8. Gaughan also has eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway. In those eight starts, the 40-year-old driver has earned three top-five and four top-10 finishes. He holds an average starting position of 20.6 and an average finishing position of 13.2.
Pit Stops For Hope … Pit Stops For Hope (PS4H) is an organization comprised of NASCAR Pit Crews dedicated to the betterment of Americas youth. PS4H believes that no child should go hungry and education has the biggest impact on poverty. PS4H partners with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina and The Salvation Army to support youth programs in the region.
#GoFast … During the race week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, PS4H aims to bring awareness to child hunger through the #GoFast Challenge. The challenge asks participants to either fast for a 24-hour period or donate $24 to PS4H. During summer months when children are out of school, they often go hungry without the support of the public school system. PS4H aims to raise awareness and support with the #GoFast Challenge. All proceeds will benefit summer youth programs to help combat the hunger faced by local youth.
Meet Brendan Gaughan … Fans of Gaughan will have the opportunity to meet the driver of the No. 62 Friday, May 27, beginning at 1 p.m. Local Time at Scott’s Collectibles located at 934 Cloverleaf Plaza in Kannapolis, N.C. The autograph session will feature a unique Pit Stops For Hope hero card, as well as a chance to donate to the organization.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
Is Charlotte Motor Speedway the most temperature sensitive 1.5-mile track we go to?
“I remember the old Charlotte Motor Speedway, we used to pray for that money cloud. The shade would make a half-second difference in lap times. Charlotte is almost back to that it seems. If you can catch the right track temperature, you can gain up to one-half second on a lap.”
Has the character come back to Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Yes, Charlotte (Motor Speedway) has some bumps but not the big ones that it used to have. But, it definitely has some tunnel bumps and a couple bumps getting into Turn 1. The track is gaining its character back after the resurface seven or eight years ago. I believe we are starting to see better racing because of it.”
