Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 158 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing boasts nine wins – seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton – three pole awards, 33 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has led 3,669 laps at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,694 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 472 top-five finishes and 1,022 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 11th (Newman), 13th (Dillon) and 22nd (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Catch the Action … The Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race is scheduled to be televised live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 550 in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Dillon’s teammate Paul Menard raced this Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and Pocono Raceway in June.
Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway … In five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon posted his best finish of 10th in April 2015 after starting 12th, which is also his best starting position at the track. His best NASCAR XFINITY Series finish in six starts is third in August 2014. He has two starts at BMS in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, finishing 17th in 2010 and 23rd in 2011.
Year 3 on the No. 3 … Returning primary sponsor of the No.3 Chevrolet SS, Dow is in its third 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 product families manufactured across the globe. More information about Dow can be found at dow.com.
Dillon and Dow to Participate in Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project … Dillon and members of the No. 3 team plan to join The Dow Chemical Company in Memphis, Tennessee on Monday to participate in a Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have donated their time and voices annually to help Habitat for Humanity improve and build homes in the United States and around the world. Their work helps raise awareness for the critical need for decent and affordable housing. Dillon and members of the No. 3 team will join longtime Habitat volunteers, including Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, in partnering with Habitat to build 19 new homes in an area of Uptown Memphis called Bearwater Park. The project also includes 10 beautification projects, including minor repairs, painting and landscaping, as well as six aging in place projects around Shelby County to enhance accessibility and mobility for seniors. Dow’s partnership with Habitat is an important part of its Global Citizenship effort and focuses on finding creative ways to leverage its people, innovations, and products to have a positive impact on housing around the world. For 34 years, Dow has supported the construction or renovation of more than 50,000 homes to help build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Playin’ Hoops for Kids … Austin and Ty Dillon are hosting a 3-on-3 Celebrity Basketball Tournament presented by The Dow Chemical Company to benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma at Wake Forest University’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The 16-team, double-elimination tournament will start at 4 p.m. General admission and parking at LJVM for the event are free. For more information and tournament updates please visit saveinjuredkids.org/basketball/.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
The spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway is a day race, and now you are preparing for a night race there. Is there much of a difference with how you race at Bristol Motor Speedway from night to day? I am assuming there is not much of a difference?
“I’ve had a lot more success in the night race, for some reason, as compared to the day race. I felt like we had a shot to win one night race. We were running fourth and ran out of fuel. It’s a little bit different handling-wise. You really get up there by that high line and roll. I enjoy that. We’ll get there and have some fun, and hopefully come home with a really good Bristol run.”
This Week’s Knauf / Menards Chevrolet SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Chassis No. 555 was selected for this weekend’s 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Chevrolet SS was previously raced by Menard’s teammate Austin Dillon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he started 12th and finished 9th.
Bristol Stats … Menard has one top-five and six top-10 Sprint Cup Series finishes to his credit at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile. He has an average start of 19.1 and finish of 17.2 with 104 laps lead in competition. In the last six NSCS races at the 0.533-mile track, Menard ranks seventh in most points earned.
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Meet Menard … Come by the Team Chevy stage at 3:45 p.m. ET on Saturday in the Midway for a Q&A with Menard.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Did you really feel anything different at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring with the new low-downforce aero package?
“Not really. Just when you lift, the car doesn’t slow down as well so it’s a little bit harder on brakes. That’s kind of the trend we’ve seen this year at short tracks. You get a lot more brake heat because the car doesn’t decelerate on its own with the low drag. So that will be a factor this weekend with trying to keep the tires cool and preventing them from building up and getting tight throughout the run. I’m looking forward to it. The Bristol night race is always a lot of fun.”
Newman at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile … Newman will make his 535th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the Series returns to Bristol’s bullring. In 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Bristol Motor Speedway, Newman owns three pole awards including the spring races in 2003 and 2004 as well as the fall event in 2011. He has earned two top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. His best result of second place came on August 28, 2004. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 11.1 and average finish of 16.0. He’s led a total of 112 laps in competition. And in the XFINITY Series, he owns one pole (fall 2006) and a 2005 victory in the fall race. In the last six Cup races at Bristol, Newman ranks fifth in most points earned.
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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to getting around Bristol Motor Speedway?
“It’s just following the demands of the 500 laps like not beating your car up and being able to hold some kind of track position. It doesn’t take much to get lapped there. Having one bad run can change your entire day whereas a place like Michigan, one bad run just puts you farther back, but you are probably not going to get lapped.”
What is the hardest part of the track to figure out?
“I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out. It’s just hard to be a little bit better than everyone else because it seems like the times are so tight there that it doesn’t take much to set yourself above everybody else.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 80 Series starts at the half-mile bullring, RCR has captured seven victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005), Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008) and Elliott Sadler (2012). RCR has accumulated five pole awards, 29 top-five finishes, 48 top-10 finishes, led 1,776 laps and averages a starting position of 9.4 and finishing position of 11.3. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 20,291 laps of the 21,059 (96.4 percent) that they have competed.
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 Bristol Motor Speedway for the 22nd event of the season. Ty Dillon is currently third, Brendan Gaughan is sixth and Brandon Jones is eighth. The No. 2 RCR team is second 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 Bristol 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Friday, Aug. 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 167 at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Bristol 300. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet has been utilized on three occasions so far this year and earned top-10 finishes at each event. Most recently, Dillon drove No. 167 to a second-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
The Last Great Colosseum Nuggets … In six previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has recorded three top-five finishes. He holds an average starting position of 4.3, coupled with an average finishing position of 8.3.
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No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 21 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has one victory, one pole award, 13 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes, with 30 laps led to their credit.Michael McDowell will make his first start with the No. 2 Rheem team next weekend at Road America for the final road course event of the year.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How high can you get up ever since they ground the top lane up against the SAFER barrier and what happens when you do cross that line?
“When you do cross it you lose all of the grip because of those crumbs up there. When you get into those marbles it’s over. You can get as high as you want until contact so we get pretty high usually.”
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/NRA Museum Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 168 for this weekend’s Bristol 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro has been raced three times in 2016, including a seventh-place finish earlier this year at BMS.
Dillon in the XFINITY Series at Bristol Motor Speedway … In six NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has six top-10 and three top-five finishes. Dillon has finished inside the top seven in all six of his starts at BMS. He drove the No. 3 Red Kap/Kohls.com Chevrolet Camaro earlier this season to a seventh-place finish.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the Bass Pro Shops in Bristol, Tenn. on Wednesday, Aug. 17 beginning at 6 p.m. Dillon will also sign autographs with teammate Brendan Gaughan at the UNOH display in the Fan Midway on Friday, Aug. 19 beginning at 2 p.m.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What does it mean to you to have made 100 starts in the XFINITY Series?
“It’s a great accomplishment and it means a lot to me knowing that I’ve been blessed to be able to race this much in my career. I’m only 24 years old and to think that I’ve made 100 starts already in the XFINITY Series is something that I’m proud of. I love this series. I love the competition each weekend. I love that this is the series that ‘Names Are Made Here.’ I’m thankful to my grandfather (Richard Childress) for giving me this opportunity and I hope this is just one of many milestones in my career.”
What are some of your fondest memories of your first 100 starts in the XFINITY Series?
“Well, obviously I’ve got to put winning at Indianapolis (Motor Speedway) up there as No. 1. It was just such a special moment for me in my racing career winning at such a historic race track. I think back to a race here at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2014, where on the last restart we went from like 14th to sixth and scrapped out a top-10 finish. Some of my favorite memories, though, have been with the guys on my team. I love spending time with them and they all work extremely hard each weekend to get our car ready for the race. I can’t thank them enough for all the extra effort they put into these cars. It’s why our NXS program at RCR is one of the best in the business.”
This Week’s Nexteer Automotive Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Brandon Jones will pilot chassis No. 164 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was driven by Jones at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished sixth and ninth, respectively.
Bristol Nuggets … Jones has two career NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the ‘World’s Fastest Half Mile,’ finishing 13th and 11th. Jones also has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and three NASCAR K&N East Series starts at Bristol, with an average finish of 15.0 across all three series.
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Meet the Driver … Jones is scheduled to sign autographs at Food City Race Night starting at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 18. He will also make an appearance at the Bristol Club starting at 1:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 19.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
Do you enjoy short-track racing at night, since that is what most drivers started out doing?
“Bristol is a blast. It’s a track that I have run a lot in the Camping World Truck Series and K&N East Series, so it should be a good opportunity for us to have a good day. We ran there earlier this year during the day, but now we’ll be there racing at night. I love going there at night. You get to see a lot of sparks flying and guys bouncing off the walls. It’s going to be a fun one in the Nexteer Automotive Chevrolet.”
How do you feel about the changes to the racing surface at Bristol? Can you race around other drivers without just knocking them out of the way?
“You go back and watch some of the older races and you definitely see everyone getting knocked out of the way and pushed for position. That was really the only way you could do it. Now a lot of guys fight for that top lane, but you can make a lot of ground up in the middle groove and get a good run off the corners. I feel like when your car is really good, you can make some passes. It’s a real blast. I really enjoy racing at Bristol.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 162 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, qualifying 17th and finishing ninth. In six previous starts, this Camaro averages a starting position of 13.8 and a finishing position of 11.5.
Statistically Speaking … In 10 previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Gaughan has completed 2,633 laps of the 2,756 (95.5 percent) that he has competed. The Las Vegas native has earned four top-10 finishes, during the past three XFINITY Series seasons with RCR. In March 2009, Gaughan started from the pole position. The 41-year-old driver also has eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the Last Great Colosseum, earning three top-five finishes.
Did You Know? … In the first 21 events of the XFINITY Series season, Gaughan and the No. 62 RCR Chevrolet average a starting position of 13.2 and a finishing position of 11.2. The team has accumulated two top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Gaughan is currently ranked third in quality passes according to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics with 702 quality passes.
Meet the Driver … Gaughan is scheduled to sign autographs at Food City Race Night starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. The No. 62 driver is scheduled for a live broadcast appearance on ‘The Morning Drive’ SiriusXM channel 90 with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone located at the Waffle House on Hwy 11 in East Piney Flats, Tenn., beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19. Gaughan will also sign autographs with teammate Ty Dillon at the UNOH display in the Fan Midway Friday, Aug. 19 beginning at 2 p.m.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
Bristol, under the lights, any difference from night to day?
“No, I don’t think so. Bristol is Bristol. Fortunately the groove widens. It doesn’t matter the time of day, I think the night race is cooler. It is a visually awesome event, especially for the fans. The sparks and exhaust flames combined with three-wide racing under the lights, what’s not to love about The Colosseum.”
You like the high line, how high can you go at Bristol?
“I wish they hadn’t ground the top. It would have given us an extra lane. It is worse than most race tracks when you get out of the groove. It lacks even more grip than normal, but if you watch the race we can get all the way to the wall in the dead middle. We just have to slowly put the rubber down up there. With the tire that Goodyear brings the rubber builds up thick and heavy, and then you have to come back down. It takes a lot of brain power to know when to move and what groove will work for maximum grip. It is still great though, you can run bottom to top.”
