Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Homestead-Miami Speedway is one of the few race tracks where team owner Richard Childress has yet to earn a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Richard Childress Racing entries have finished second on four occasions: 2003 (Kevin Harvick), 2008 (Harvick), 2009 (Jeff Burton) and 2014 (Ryan Newman). In 54 starts, RCR has earned 10 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile, progressively-banked oval with drivers Dave Blaney, Clint Bowyer, Burton, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Green, Harvick, Newman, Paul Menard and Mike Skinner. Kentucky Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway are the other tracks on the current Sprint Cup Series schedule where RCR is still on the hunt for hardware.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,733 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 474 top-five finishes and 1,030 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 ranks 14th in the Chase standings, while Newman ranks 18th and Menard ranks 25th in the driver championship point standings.
Share #OurGoldenHour story … Weezie was hit by a car when she was 11-years-old but EMS quickly got her to a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center for her head injury, hip and facial fractures. Thanks to the special care she received, she has recovered with her feisty personality and is an advocate for other injured kids with Austin Dillon. Share Weezie’s story https://saveinjuredkids.org/goldenhour/. Do you have an #OurGoldenHour story?
Catch the Action … The Homestead-Miami 400 is scheduled to be televised live on NBC beginning at 2:30 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-Dow Corning Chevrolet SS at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Dillon has two previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, securing his best finish of 14th and a best starting position of 10th in November 2015.
Homestead-Miami Memories … The Welcome, North Carolina driver has plenty of positive memories at the 1.5-mile, intermediate-style track. In 2013, he clinched the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship at HMS by finishing 12th in the Series’ season finale. He also clinched the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title at the track in 2011.
A New Element for Growth … Dow Corning, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, shares 73 years of history with Dow, as Dow Corning was created in 1943 as a joint venture between Dow and Corning Incorporated. A global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning provides solutions to meet the needs of today’s consumers in virtually every major industry, improving the lives of people around the world. Now together Dow and Dow Corning bring exciting possibilities for innovation to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Question and Answer session at the Coca-Cola Experiential Display in the Homestead-Miami Speedway Fan Midway area on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. Eastern.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“I feel like that place is probably one of the coolest tracks we have. I wish we could cookie cutter it at a couple of other tracks because it really is an awesome racetrack to run on. We tested there a couple of weeks ago and had a very solid test. As a group we are looking forward to getting back there.”
How would you summarize your season?
“I think we have had a great season. We accomplished a lot. We made the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time in my career. We’ve run great in the Chase, with the exception of some bad luck and some parts failures. We just barely missed moving on at Talladega. We certainly have room to improve. I would give us a solid grade right now. I don’t know if I could characterize our 2016 season until we leave Homestead, but we are passing class I feel like.”
About Richmond … Richmond®, a member of the Rheem family of quality brands, is committed to offering exceptional value and performance with a complete line of water heating products for residential environments. Known as, “the water heater experts,” Richmond is the go-to brand for value-conscious buyers. Innovations including “Fast Recovery” technology for peak-time water use and EverKleen™ Self-Cleaning tanks make choosing Richmond products easy. Richmond water heating products are available in Menards® stores throughout the Midwest. For more information, visit www.richmondwaterheaters.com.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
A lot of drivers say Homestead-Miami Speedway is the perfect racetrack. Do you agree?
“Yes. I think it’s an underrated racetrack, for sure. When you think about all of the great racetracks that we run on every year, Homestead-Miami doesn’t really come to mind because it’s at the end of the season. There’s so much hype about the end of the year and the Chase that you lose sight of the track we’re actually racing at. It’s a great racetrack. It’s a true oval. The way the sun hits the racetrack in Turns 3 and 4, it makes them a lot slipperier than Turns 1 and 2.”
At what part of the weekend do you start to experiment with the different racing grooves?
“In qualifying, you see a lot of drivers in different lanes. Some are right around the bottom where others are in the middle or right up at the wall. It’s an evolution. You may go out in qualifying and use the middle lane but change lap-after-lap during the race. You’re always searching around.”
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … Kelly Tractor Co., will be the featured Cat dealer on the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend in the season finale.
Since 1933, Kelly Tractor Co., has provided rentals, leasing, sales, and servicing of all types of construction and industrial equipment to the following markets: highway and bridge building, water and sewer, land development, housing, aggregate quarries, agriculture, warehousing, seaports, marinas, and more. Kelly Tractor Co. and its affiliates employ more than 450 people in South Florida and 322 of them provide parts and service support. The company is headquartered in Miami, with branch locations in Davie, West Palm Beach, Clewiston, FT Myers, Orlando, and Mulberry.
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.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to success at Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“The key to Homestead is really maintaining momentum. It’s a unique track and it is so important to keep your car rolling because the banking progresses as you go through the corners. When you pick up the throttle it is more rewarding at that track than any other track because you can keep building speed as you exit. Having a car that’s good on entry because it is fairly flat, you are able to run up to the wall and it seems as if that’s one of the most important things. The race there doesn’t necessarily finish up at the wall but being good at the wall to get yourself up in good position to finish the race in the middle of the track or even the bottom is really important.”
You finished second there two years ago. How much would you like to be a spoiler to the Championship 4 and get the win and into Victory Lane?
“It would definitely be something that this Caterpillar team would like to accomplish. It would definitely be the highlight to our season to win the championship race even though we are not in contention this year for the championship. Winning is what we are here to do and I hope we can end our season with a ‘W’.”
Phoenix Review … Austin Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in second, Ty Dillon seventh, Brandon Jones 18th and Brendan Gaughan 35th, respectively, at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Points … Brendan Gaughan was eliminated from Chase contention this past weekend at Phoenix International Raceway and is scored eighth in the point standings. Ty Dillon and Brandon Jones were eliminated after the first round and sit 10th and 11th, respectively in the point standings. 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 Homestead 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, Nov. 19, beginning at 3:30 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 Watts / Rheem Chevrolet Camaro at Homestead-Miami Speedway … In three previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Dillon has recorded two top-five finishes. He holds an average starting position of 5.7, coupled with an average finishing position of 6.3 with 82 laps led.
Welcome Watts … Founded in 1874 by Joseph Watts, Watts Regulator Company, as they were originally known, made its reputation by “Setting the Standard in Valve Technology.” During its early days, Watts manufactured pressure reducing valves to regulate steam and relief valves to ensure safe operation of water heaters and boilers. Today, Watts is part of the Watts Water Technologies family with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. Watts designs, manufactures and sells an extensive line of flow control products for the water quality, residential plumbing & heating, commercial and OEM markets. For more information, visit Watts.com.
Rheem Technology Makes Living Smart and Easy … Download the Rheem App, a mobile-friendly tool to learn about home comfort systems offered by Rheem. The app also includes information about Rheem’s EcoNet system, a smart technology that gives homeowners the ability to control their air and water systems remotely through a free mobile app, saving energy and money on monthly utility bills. Rheem Econet connects your homes heating, cooling and water heating products to your home’s Wi-Fi so homeowners can be in control whenever and wherever they go. With Rheem Econet, consumers can save on average 100 dollars a year by using the smart controls feature on the EcoNet app. line. Live a greener life and save up to 30 percent on energy bills; now that’s an unbeatable combination. Rheem also recommends using the Vacation Mode feature available on the Rheem EcoNet system when leaving home for an extended time. The Vacation Mode setting can use 25 percent less energy. Check out all the cool technology and efficient new Rheem heating, cooling and water heating products at Rheem.com.
No. 2 Team by the Numbers … The No. 2 team heads into the final race of the 2016 season with three victories, three pole awards, 17 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes, with 115 laps led to their credit. Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, Sam Hornish Jr., Michael McDowell and Ben Kennedy all shared seat time behind the wheel of the No. 2 Chevrolet this season.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Is the outside lane the preferred lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway? How close is the edge to where you have the grip to get into the outside wall?
“Well, at the test I was at a few weeks ago with the (No.) 3 Cup team, we were running as close to the wall as we could. It’s important to get up there right against it and have that little extra grip that it gives you. We’ll try and stay up around the wall for as much of the XFINITY Series race as we can.”
Talk about your season in the XFINITY Series.
“We’ve had a good year. The Rheem team never gave up and always brought the best of the best to the racetrack. We got ourselves a couple of wins and led laps. I think my favorite win this year was at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s always a cool place to win. It’s helpful to run the XFINITY race before Sunday’s Cup race. I think I learned something at every track we ran double duty that I could use on Sunday. I’m proud of Justin (Alexander, crew chief) and the boys. It was a good season.”
Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet in the XFINITY Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Ty Dillon is scheduled to make his fourth career NASCAR XFINITY Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway. In three previous starts, Dillon has two top-10 finishes. In four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Dillon has two top-10 finishes.
Double Duty … Dillon is also scheduled to drive the No. 95 Advil Chevrolet SS for Circle Sport/Leavine Family Racing this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dillon pulled double-duty last season at Homestead, recording a seventh-place finish in the XFINITY Series finale and a 23rd-place finish in the NSCS.
Meet Ty Dillon … Fans will have several opportunities to meet Dillon. First, he is scheduled to sign autographs at the Bass Pro Shops in Miami, Florida on Thursday, Nov. 17 beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Dillon will also visit the Walmart Supercenter, 35501 S Dixie Highway, Florida City, Florida, on Friday, Nov. 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET to sign autographs on behalf of Advil.
Wrapping up 2016 … This weekend’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway marks the conclusion of the 2016 NASCAR season, Dillon’s third full-time season in the XFINITY Series. Through 32 races, Dillon has eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. He won the pole at Daytona International Speedway in February.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
Homestead-Miami Speedway seems like a difficult track to end the season on. What makes it challenging?
“Homestead is really a unique track and difficult to compare to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks on the circuit. It’s fast. It’s uniquely shaped. It’s ever-changing. We’ll spend a majority of our practice time trying to get the balance correct for the race. I remember last year, we kissed the wall in qualifying. You’ll see a few guys coming out of Turn 4 that may be a little over aggressive and may get a stripe on the right side of the car. It’s sometimes not always the easiest to get around.”
Assess your 2016 season.
“You know, we’re proud that we made the inaugural Chase playoff system in the XFINITY Series, but we weren’t happy about not advancing to the second round. We got caught up in a tough situation at Kentucky Speedway in the first race of the Chase, and we weren’t able to recover. It was disappointing because I felt our team deserved to be there in the Round of 8 and compete for the chance to be on the stage in Homestead. I’m proud of our effort all season long and can’t thank everyone enough for making our cars fast every single race weekend. I’m looking forward to what we can do next year.”
Brandon Jones and the No. 33 Rain-X / Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Jones will be making his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. He has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track in South Florida.
Rearview Mirror: Rookie Season … Jones’ first season in the XFINITY Series has been an overall success. Through the first 32 races of the season, the 19-year-old driver qualified for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase, recorded 12 top-10 finishes, led 36 laps, completed 99.1 percent of the laps attempted and has finished every race.
About ITW Global Brands … ITW Global Brands specializes in servicing the auto aftermarket, selling car care products under the Rain-X, Black Magic, Gumout, Blue Coral, NOS, Slime, Permatex, Fast Orange, Genuine Innovations, and Fix A Flat brands. These brands compete in the wiper blade, appearance, tire repair and performance product segments of the aftermarket. For the last 40 years, Rain-X has provided drivers with products to help them outsmart the elements.
About Advance Auto Parts … Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America, serves both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of April 23, 2016 Advance operated 5,086 stores and 125 Worldpac branches and serves approximately 1,300 independently owned Carquest branded stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Advance employs approximately 74,000 Team Members. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found on the Company’s website at AdvanceAutoParts.com.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
You will be making your first XFINITY Series start at Homestead this weekend, but have experience in the NCWTS. What does it take to get around there with the progressive banking?
“Homestead-Miami Speedway is a different mile-and-a-half, that’s for sure. We struggled there some last year in the Truck Series, but there were a lot of factors that went into that. I am confident this year will be much better with RCR and the Rain-X / Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro. Homestead is just a completely different racetrack. It doesn’t have a tri-oval and isn’t D-shaped. It is almost like Dover, just bigger. That makes it a little bit different when you’re out there racing side-by-side, but that is what makes it fun to go to.”
Are you able to use the same set-ups in the car that were used at other mile-and-a-half tracks such as Kansas Speedway or Texas Motor Speedway?
“We are able to use something similar, but it won’t be the exact same since Homestead is such a unique mile-and-a-half track. I know the entire No. 33 crew will work hard at giving me the best Rain-X / Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet they can to finish the season out on a strong note.”
After Homestead we’re officially in the off-season. Do you have any big plans?
“We just recently got a town home in the Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully we’ll get to take some time and head down there after Homestead, maybe take a boat ride down to the Bahamas or something to hang out and unwind from the season. I love to fish, but I haven’t ever been deep sea fishing, so that is something I’m looking forward to doing.”
Round of 8 Chase Recap … With a 35th -place finish this past weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, Gaughan’s bid for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase ended after a late-race incident on Saturday. He is currently eighth in the point standings. Gaughan and the No. 62 team earned two top-10 and four top-15 finishes through the first two rounds of the Chase.
Career Milestone … Gaughan’s entry at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday will mark his 450th start in NASCAR’s three top national touring series. The Las Vegas native’s career spans 19 years amongst the NASCAR Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series, culminating in 10 victories, 66 top-five finishes, 142 top-10 finishes and 1,212 laps led.
This Week at the South Point … South Point Hotel & Casino will host the Las Vegas National Horse Show Nov. 15 – 20, in the South Point Equestrian Arena. The seventh annual Holiday Craft & Gift Festival will take place Nov. 19 and 20, in the South Point Casino Event Center. The festival features 40,000 sq. feet of Christmas shopping with over 200 exhibitors. For more information, visit southpointcasino.com.
2016 by the Numbers … With 32 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, Gaughan has four top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, with 36 laps led to his credit. According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Gaughan ranks fourth in the Closers category with an average finish of 12.2. The 41-year-old driver also ranks fifth in Quality Passes, with 906 on the season.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
Homestead-Miami is a wide 1.5-mile racetrack. Do you enjoy racing at HMS?
“Even with the 2003 (Camping World Truck Series) championship run and the way it ended, I still love Homestead. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half, it is a straight oval with two decreasing radius corners. It is a very wide track that is a lot of fun when you have an aggressive spotter that really knows you and how you like to race. The slide job is fun to pull off, with the bottom dive and move to the top. I haven’t seen the bottom of the track very often, but I do know where my nook is up top. I always look forward to racing there.”
