Richard Childress Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In 61 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has posted two pole awards (Kevin Harvick in 2003 and Jeff Burton in 2006), three wins (Dale Earnhardt in 1995, Harvick in 2003 and Paul Menard in 2011), 11 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. RCR Chevrolets have also been atop the leaderboard for a total of 268 laps and with the exception of one, each entry has been running at the finish of every event at the Brickyard, dating back to the inaugural race in 1994.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,685 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 47 pole awards,105 wins, 472 top-five finishes and 1,020 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 12th (Newman), 13th (Dillon) and 23rd (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
In America with James Earl Jones … PBS recently featured the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, as well as the pediatric trauma survivor stories of Meredith and Weezie. Life threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children die each year from serious injuries, and many more are treated in the emergency room. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. Learn more about our mission and see the girls’ stories at http://bit.ly/29AGyJ6.
Catch the Action … The Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard is scheduled to be televised live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Indy Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
This Week’s Dow Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 555 in the Crown Royal Presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard. This is a new Chevrolet SS that will be utilized for the first time this weekend.
Dillon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In three previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series attempts at the Brickyard, Dillon’s best finish at the track in the Sprint Cup Series is 10th. He also has two NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at IMS, with a best finish of fifth in 2012. Dillon grew up attending races at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway track with his grandfather, car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and participated in Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003.
All About Performance … For the fourth consecutive year, Austin Dillon will be teaming up with Mycogen Seeds for the Crown Royal Presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard. Mycogen Seeds is one of America’s fastest-growing seed companies, offering leading genetics for farmers in corn, soybeans, silage corn, sunflowers and canola. The national seed company of Dow AgroSciences LLC, Mycogen Seeds maintains a robust global research and development program to bring growers high-performance genetics with the latest trait technologies. Mycogen Seeds never settles when it comes to helping growers do better acre after acre. For more information about Mycogen® brand products, visit Mycogen.com.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in an autograph session on the Team Chevy stage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 24 at 11:25 a.m.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Bring me through the first time that you went through Turn 1 at speed? There’s a 90-degree turn so all you are doing is looking at a concrete wall …
“Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just an intimidating place. The first time you’re there you don’t really know what the heck you’re doing there. You finally get comfortable with the whole deal. It can be tough. It’s a place that’s tricky, for sure. Track position is pretty important, obviously, so qualifying is one of the coolest days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, too.”
How long did it take you to get comfortable with Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“I think by year two I got pretty comfortable. I got pretty fast there and I’ve been working pretty hard. It’s always a work in progress.”
A lot of drivers say that they have more trouble in Turns 1 and 2 than they do in Turns 3 and 4 even though on paper they are the same corners. Do you sense that?
“I do. I feel like Turn 1 is a little tighter than Turns 3 and 4 for some reason. The wall just comes up quicker off of Turn 1.”
This Week’s Valvoline / Menards Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Brand new chassis No. 556 will make its debut this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the No. 27 Valvoline / Menards Chevrolet team.
Kissed The Bricks … Indianapolis Motor Speedway will always be a special place for Menard as he will return to the site of his first-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory this weekend. The Wisconsin native made history in 2011, becoming the first driver to earn his first-career Sprint Cup Series win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400. After growing up watching his father’s IndyCar teams race at the storied 2.5-mile speedway, the win proved to be extra special to Menard and his family after having a presence at the track for more than 35 years.
Brickyard Stats … Menard’s first Sprint Cup Series victory came at this prestigious event in 2011. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native has eight additional Sprint Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with an average starting position of 22.8 and an average finish of 19.9. The Richard Childress Racing driver has completed 96.8 percent of laps around the historical track. In addition, Menard has four NASCAR XFINITY Series starts amassing one top-five and four top-10 finishes.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a special place for you. You got a win there in 2011 that you waited practically your whole life for. You’re running double duty as well, so what are your thoughts heading into this weekend?
“It’s just always exciting to get to Indy with the history of the track and my family’s history there. It’s just a special place. You get goosebumps every time you drive through that Turn 1 and 2 tunnel. The race is kind of up and down. You can have good days and bad days. Obviously we had a really good day a couple years ago and we’ll try to replicate that this weekend. Just being at Indy is a pretty special thing.”
Why does everybody always talk about the heat at Indy? Especially if the temperature isn’t even that high outside.
“Last year we were basically cooking in the cars with that high-drag package and no air movement in the car. That was pretty brutal. The cars are sealed off and the track is extremely smooth, probably the smoothest track we go to, which makes it run the cars low. There’s not much movement in the car so everything is sealed off really well and it just builds up heat.”
This Week’s Grainger Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will pilot brand new car No. 557 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. All three Richard Childress Racing teams will field new Chevrolets for the Crown Royal Presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400.
Newman at the Brickyard … Newman will make his 532nd NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series competes at the 2.5-mile speedway this weekend. He scored the victory in 2013 at this prestigious event after starting from the pole and leading 45 of the 160 laps scheduled. In total, the “Rocket Man” owns two top-five and three top-10 finishes in 15 starts. The South Bend, Ind., native has led 59 laps in competition and has an average start of 9.5 and average finish of 16.8.
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Media Availability … Newman will be accessible to the media in attendance at IMS on Friday at 12:15 p.m. Eastern Time in the media center.
See Newman … On Sunday, the No. 31 driver is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session at the Team Chevy display at 12:25 p.m. located in the infield midway.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What makes Indianapolis Motor Speedway so unique?
“It’s the Brickyard. It’s the history of motorsports in America. It’s that yard of bricks. It’s a special place when you think about everyone who’s been there associated with F1, IndyCars, motorcycles and NASCAR. It’s unique because of the four corners, the long straightaways and the flatness. To me, it’s just unique in so many ways. It’s a fun place to drive and yet, it’s quite a challenge at the same time.”
What is the key to success at Indy?
“The key to success at Indy is actually two things and that’s downforce and horsepower. The rest of it is all about fine tuning those things.”
What is the hardest thing or place on the track to figure out?
“For me, it’s the last mile. It’s the fourth corner. You can hit three of them and then you have to hit the last one. The workload is twice as much at Indianapolis as it is at any other track to get the ideal lap. You have to hit all four corners right and each corner has an entry, middle and exit. Your workload is twice as much and the expectations are just as high.”
What was it like to win Indy?
“It was one of the greatest moments of my racing career to win the Brickyard and to have my family there. It was something to win it the way we did just a week after I got fired. We won the pole and the race. It was a storybook ending to an unpublished novel.”
Loudon Review … Austin Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in fifth, Brendan Gaughan ninth, Brandon Jones 11th and Ty Dillon 33rd, respectively, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Dash4Cash … This weekend’s XFINITY Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marks the final Dash4Cash event of the 2016 season. Prior to the start of the race, drivers will compete in two heat races to determine the 40-car lineup for the main event. The two highest finishing XFINITY Series regulars from each heat race will qualify for that event’s Dash4Cash award, a $100,000 bonus.
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 Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 18th event of the season. Ty Dillon is currently third, Brendan Gaughan is fifth and Brandon Jones is eighth. The No. 2 RCR team is third in the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently third in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, July 23, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on Indy Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 183 in the Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet made its debut at Kentucky Speedway two weeks ago, scoring a second-place finish.
Indy Nuggets … In four previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Menard has earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes. The RCR driver holds an average starting position of 8.2, coupled with an average finishing position of sixth.
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No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 17 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has one victory, 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, with 24 laps led to their credit. Sam Hornish Jr is scheduled to drive the No. 2 Chevrolet next weekend at Iowa Speedway.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Indy has an extra special meaning for you. What’s it like going back there?
“Indy has a special meaning to me for sure. It’s the greatest race track in the world. It’s the one I circle every year, even before I won there. I spent a lot of time there as a kid watching IndyCar races. I was at the inaugural Brickyard 400. At one point I could name every Indy 500 winner from 1911 through probably the mid-90’s. I’ve forgotten most of them now but could still probably name quite a few. I was and still am a big history geek. I love history, especially at Indianapolis. I’m looking forward to another shot at a win this weekend with Danny (Stockman, crew chief) and the Richmond/Menards team. It should be fun.”
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 182 for this weekend’s Lilly Diabetes 250. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was raced at Pocono Raceway on June 4 and Kentucky Speedway on July 8, where Dillon finished third and seventh, respectively.
Dillon in the XFINITY Series Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In three starts at the historic 2.5-mile speedway, Dillon has recorded two top-five finishes and one top-10 finish. Dillon won the 2014 Lilly Diabetes 250 after taking the lead on a late restart; his first-career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory.
Nidec on Board … Nidec, established in 1973 has become one of the world’s leading motor manufacturers. Nidec focuses its business around the motto “everything that spins and moves.” The Nidec philosophy of innovation has remained unchanged since the founding of the company and with a worldwide sales network, Nidec strives to be the world’s best motor company supplier.
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Points Update … After 17 races, Dillon is currently third in the XFINITY Series driver point standings, with five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs for fans as part of “Chevy Day” on Friday, July 22 beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET at the Team Chevy Stage located in the midway. Dillon will also do a question-and-answer session at the Team Chevy Stage on Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 a.m. ET
TY DILLON QUOTE:
What was it like kissing the bricks?
“It was one of the best moments of my racing career. One that I’ll never forget. I think the best part of that afternoon was having my family with me to enjoy the moment. They were all so excited and happy for our team. It was a great day all around; we won the race, the Dash4Cash bonus and we had a heck of a race car.”
This Week’s Jeld-Wen / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Brandon Jones will pilot chassis No. 179 this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro is making its first start for the No. 33 team this season.
Meet Brandon Jones … Jones will appear at the XFINITY Zone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 23 starting at 1:45 p.m. ET for a Q&A and autographs.
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Rearview Mirror: New Hampshire … Making his XFINITY Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Jones brought the No. 33 Cometic Gasket Chevrolet Camaro home in the 11th spot. Starting 13th, Jones and crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. adjusted on the handling of the car throughout the entire race. Jones was able to avoid trouble ahead of him late in the going, earning his 12th finish of 11th or better when the checkered flag flew at the end of the day.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
What do you anticipate in the 20-lap Dash 4 Cash heat races this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“I’m not sure how it’s going to go. I have never raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before, and I’ve never even been there as a spectator. It will be a little bit of an eye-opener, but I’m excited to get to race there for sure. It will be cool to experience all of the history of that iconic racetrack. We’ll just take it one lap at a time and try have a solid day. The biggest thing will be staying out of trouble. Hopefully, if we can do that, we can sneak in the top 10 with the Jeld-Wen/Menards Chevrolet. That is our goal for the weekend. We’ll use the 20-lap heat race as an extra practice session for the 60-lap main event.”
How will you prepare for your first trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“To prepare for Indianapolis, I will go back and watch previous races and look at old notes. I have a race weekend prep list I go through each week just to get used to the track before I get on it for practice. The biggest thing for me is going to be running as many laps as possible. We’ll get out there and practice as much as we can leading up to the race.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 180 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet was first utilized at Michigan International Speedway this season. This will be the second start for the chassis.
Gaughan’s Brickyard Stats … Gaughan is scheduled to make his third NASCAR XFINITY Series start at the 2.5-mile speedway this weekend in the Lilly Diabetes 250. Gaughan has an average starting position of 10.5 and an average finishing position of 16.0. He has completed 199 of 200 (95.5 percent) of the laps he has attempted at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Points Update … After 17 races, Gaughan is currently fifth in the XFINITY Series driver point standings with two top-five and eight top-10 finishes.
Meet Gaughan … The No. 62 driver is scheduled to appear at the at the Team Chevy Stage located in the midway beginning at 4:15 p.m. Friday, July 22, for a question and answer session.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at Indianapolis?
“I don’t care what type of racing it is, it doesn’t matter if its unicycle racing but if it’s at the Brickyard, I want to do it. Indianapolis (Motor Speedway) is the mecca of racing. I can’t tell you how excited I am to return with RCR equipment and ECR Engines. The team and I are really looking forward to getting on track at Indy and competing for the $100,000 Dash4Cash bonus. With the heat race format, hopefully it will be an interesting sight. It is so weird that it shortens the main event to only 60 laps with the Dash4Cash format however, the shortened main event could make for more aggressive racing.”
