Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Kansas Speedway … In 68 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win, visiting victory lane in 2013 with Kevin Harvick, among five top-five and 21 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, North Carolina-based organization holds an average starting position of 19.4, an average finishing position of 15.8, has completed 17,568 of the 18,018 contested laps (97.5 percent) and has collectively led for 288 laps around the 1.5-mile race track.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,718 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 474 top-five finishes and 1,026 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 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 … Dillon clinched a spot in the Round of 12 and ranks ninth on the Chase Grid heading into the sixth race of the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Newman ranks 18th and Menard ranks 25th in the driver championship point standings.
Wonder what researchers think about football? … Dr. Elizabeth Davenport from UT Southwestern Medical Center shares her story from working with youth football players and their families on the iTAKL head impact study for several years http://bit.ly/2e9qhLY. Thanks to pilot and continued funding by the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, the study is monitoring how kids’ brains are affected by contact sports.
Catch the Action … The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled to be televised live on NBC beginning at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Coating Materials Chevrolet SS at Kansas Speedway … Dillon has made six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, securing his best finish of sixth in May 2016
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#TheChase … Entering the second race of the Round of 12 in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Dillon sits just outside of the cutoff line for the Round of 8 by a slim, three point margin. Dillon earned a 32nd-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway following a lap-258 accident that forced him to retire from the Charlotte Motor Speedway race early. He now sets his sights on Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished sixth and third, respectively, in the spring.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What do you think of when you go to a race like Kansas Speedway as a Chase Contender?
“What we think of is ‘what has made us faster in the past?’ and ‘what can we do to be faster?’ I look at everything I can as a driver, from the lines in the track to the history of the track – what typically happens, who is good there? We’re just going to do our best and try to not leave anything behind. This opportunity is so great. It doesn’t happen often.”
Paul Menard and the No. 27 FVP / Menards Chevrolet SS at Kansas Speedway … With 5,715 miles completed at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Menard has one top-five and five top-10 finishes. His best start of second came in October 2010 and finish of third in October 2012.
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Ring in Fall with Menards … Celebrate the start of the fall season in style by building a fire pit with American-made materials from Menards. The home improvement giant has all of the blocks and pavers you need to complete an outdoor fire pit or any other block project you may have. From fire pits to benches, you can create something that the whole family will enjoy this fall. For more do-it-yourself ideas, visit the Project Center at menards.com.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
What are your thoughts as we head into this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway?
“Kansas has been a really good track for us since the repave the last couple of years and even before that, actually. We had a really good day going in the spring and started 11th for the race but had a right-front tire issue that ended our day early. I’m feeling anxious to get back there and try to improve on what we’ve done in the past. The track is losing grip but our cars keep getting faster. I’m not sure the track is going to change a whole lot this time around other than it probably lost some grip over the hot summer months. Hopefully that’s the case, the track is widening out, which is a good thing.”
Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Kansas Speedway … Newman will make his 543rd NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series embarks on its 31st event of the season. In 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Kansas, Newman visited victory lane in the fall of 2003. In total, he owns three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The South Bend, Ind., native holds an average starting position of 13.4 and average finish of 16.8. He has led 128 laps in competition. In the last five events at the 1.5-mile speedway, Newman ranks fourth in most points earned.
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … NMC and Foley are the featured Cat dealers for the Hollywood Casino 400.
As one of the longest operating Caterpillar dealerships, NMC has proudly served customers with equipment and service solutions since 1938. Our team works hard each day to build long-lasting relationships with our customers – and we strive to be the first choice for the equipment and services they need for the many industries we serve, including construction, power generation, material handling, on-highway truck, agriculture and railroad.
After more than 75 years since the first NMC location opened for business, there is still a can-do spirit leading the way. There is a continuing focus to help our customers succeed and a determination to create new opportunities for today as well as for the next 75 years.
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Rescue Ranch Fall Fun Days presented by WIX Filters … Every Saturday in October, Rescue Ranch will be hosting the Fall Fun Days presented by WIX Filters. It’s the perfect way to spend the afternoon with family by navigating through the corn maze, ride the hay rides through hay art and play games. For details visit: rescueranch.com.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
How much does Kansas Speedway change from the spring race to the fall event?
“A lot of it depends on the weather and I think it will be the biggest decision factor on determining what the racing is going to be like. I think it’s going to be good to have another hot summer to help age it. I think as time goes on the racing is going to get better and better.”
What does it take to run well?
“The track is super smooth and super fast. It takes a lot of power and you spend a lot of time pretty much wide open. With that said, it will take a well-balanced car.”
What have you learned as a team about this year that will help you next season in an effort to get back into the Chase?
“I think if you look at the tires issues we had early on … we blew a tire in Phoenix, Atlanta and Bristol, I mean that’s about 75 points right there that we lost. Had the tire issues not happen, I think our position in the Chase would be different. Granted, those other guys that we raced against had issues too but, we as a team needed to be a little bit better across the board and that includes me, too. In the end, we collectively need to put everything together in the last few races to do the best job we can to possibly win a race. I feel like we can’t win the war now, but we can definitely win the battle. It’s up to us to go out there and do the best we can especially now that the pressure of the Chase is off of us.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Kansas Speedway … In 36 Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured one victory with Kevin Harvick in 2006. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has accumulated one pole award, 13 top-five finishes, 19 top-10 finishes, led 274 laps and averages a starting position of 10.5 and finishing position of 12.3. RCR has completed 6,890 laps of the 7,246 (95.1 percent) that they have competed.
Charlotte Review … Ty Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in 11th, Brendan Gaughan 13th, Austin Dillon 14th and Brandon Jones 16th, respectively, at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#OneGoal … With the regular season of competition complete, the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase continues this weekend with the Round of 8 at Kansas Speedway. Brendan Gaughan is currently seeded fourth on the Chase grid. Ty Dillon and Brandon Jones were eliminated from the Chase after the first round and sit ninth and 12th, respectively in the point standings. The second round of eliminations will take place following the race at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Points … The No. 2 RCR team is fifth 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 weekend’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, Oct. 15, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 2 Ruud Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway … In three previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Dillon has recorded one pole award, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He holds an average starting position of 4.0, coupled with an average finishing position of 8.0.
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No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 29 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has three victories, three pole awards, 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, with 115 laps led to their credit. Austin Dillon is scheduled to pilot the No. 2 Chevrolet for the remaining races in 2016.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
From above, Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway look very similar. How similar do they drive?
“They actually drive a lot different. Kansas is a lot smoother than Chicago. Chicago also has a lot less grip. I think Kansas will get to that point, but right now they’re a lot different. They’re both fast tracks and fun to drive, but I think they have enough differences that you approach them differently. The No. 2 team had a good run at Chicagoland, so I think we’ll have a good Chevrolet this weekend at Kansas.”
Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway …
Ty Dillon is scheduled to make his third-career NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Kansas Speedway this weekend in the Kansas Lottery 300. Dillon has two previous starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, both top-five finishes. He won the pole award in 2014. Dillon also made one start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway in May 2015 and has two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
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Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs and meet with XFINITY customers on Thursday, Oct. 13 beginning at 6 p.m. CT. The XFINITY Store is located at 18701 E. 39th Street, Independence, Missouri.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
After being eliminated from the first round of the Chase, how do you go about the remainder of the season?
“We were very fortunate this season and we felt like we were one of the best teams in the garage. We felt that we could have made it to Homestead and been on the podium winning the championship, but unfortunately it just didn’t play out that way. We got behind the eight ball with the wreck at Kentucky (Speedway) and not capitalizing on racing well at Charlotte (Motor Speedway). It’s heartbreaking. I wanted to win this championship so bad. But we’ve still got four races remaining and we’re going to give it our all from here on out. We also have one of our teammates, Brendan Gaughan, still in the Chase and one of our alliance teams, the No. 11 team, still alive. We need to be doing everything we can to help them win the championship.”
Brandon Jones and the No. 33 Eljer / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway … Jones will be making his first start at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series during Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300. While this will be Jones’ first Kansas start in the NXS, the driver of the No. 33 Eljer / Menards Chevrolet has an average finish of 12.0 on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
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Meet the Driver … The XFINITY Series rookie is scheduled to appear at the Chevrolet Stage on Saturday, Oct. 15, starting at 10:15 a.m. CT for a fan question-and-answer session.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
You will be making your first XFINITY Series start at Kansas Speedway this weekend, but what do you know about what it takes to go fast around there?
“Kansas Speedway was my first 1.5-mile race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last year. I was a little over my head that weekend. It was the first time I had experienced a track like that, with the aerodynamics coming into play so much. I ended up busting my butt and wrecking pretty early in that race. I did take away a lot from that experience, though. We were running pretty fast, but we were also too free as well. With more experience, I now have a much better understanding of how we need the car to handle when working on our setup at these types of tracks. I am looking forward to getting back there with the Eljer/Menards Chevrolet to see what we can do.”
Kansas Speedway seems to be a track where some drivers just get it and others don’t. What is it about that track that makes it different than other 1.5-mile tracks?
“It just sneaks up on you. You’ll be going along and think the car is going to hold the corner with all the throttle you’re giving it, and all of a sudden it just kicks loose or it gets way too tight. However the car is handling, it just seems to amplify the situation at Kansas Speedway and you don’t really have time to react.”
How does your approach to the rest of the season change now that you are not in Chase contention?
“I am disappointed we didn’t advance to this round of the XFINITY Series Chase, but am proud we were a part of the inaugural Chase group. We’ll just have to play everything by ear. You have to race smart around those drivers that did advance, because you don’t want to ruin their day. At the same time, we can still advance ourselves a little bit. We’re still going to go race the same way we’ve been racing all year and try and grab a win in these final four events.”
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway … In four NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Gaughan has completed 794 of 804 (98.8 percent) laps that he has competed. He has recorded two top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile oval since joining Richard Childress Racing in the XFINITY Series. The Las Vegas native also has nine starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and earned two top-five and six top-10 finishes.
Chasing #OneGoal … Gaughan is currently seeded fourth in the XFINITY Series Chase standings and moved on to the Round of 8 after the first set of eliminations last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 62 team is the lone Camaro from the RCR stable still competing in the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase.
At the South Point … This week, The Showroom will feature the iconic soul band Tower of Power, Oct. 14 – 16. Tower of Power has toured for more than 40 years in the United States, Japan and Europe beginning in 1968. The 10-member band specializing in soul/jazz music continues to excite fans of all ages with their timeless music. Next week Oct. 21 – 23, South Point Hotel and Casino will host stand-up comedian, writer, producer and actor Norm MacDonald. MacDonald is best known for his stand-up career and his TV/Film career spanning the better part of 20 years.
Loop Data in 2016 … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Gaughan averages a 12.8 starting position and a 10.7 finishing position so far this season. The 41-year-old driver has made 869 quality passes, and is ranked fourth in the category. He is also ranked third in the closers category.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What is your mindset moving forward to the Round of 8 in the XFINITY Series Chase?
“We will take what we have learned in our 1.5-mile program and get off to a good start. It’s important to start strong in the Round of 8. If we start strong, we can keep the monkey off our back, so to speak. At Kentucky Speedway we had a great start to the Chase, finishing sixth. If we can repeat a performance like that, then we can keep the worry in the rearview mirror. We won’t try to change our mindset, we will do what we have to do. We will remain calm and smooth. The team will keep moving forward to the next goal, the Championship 4.”
Kansas Speedway is a once-a-year track in the XFINITY Series, has the surface changed much?
“Kansas Speedway is starting to widen out a little bit more each time we race there. Kansas used to be a wide track, fun to run from the wall to the apron. It is slowly working its way back to the fun multi-groove track that drivers love. Last year we had at least a two wide groove, it wasn’t so narrow like it was the first couple of races after the repave.”
