Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Daytona International Speedway … Dating back to 1976, Richard Childress Racing has won 11 poles and collected five points-paying victories at the most-storied race track on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit. RCR owns two Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007), three Coke Zero 400 trophies (Earnhardt – 1990, 1993 and Harvick – 2010) and 14 qualifying races, including 10-consecutive victories with Earnhardt (1990 – 1999). In addition, RCR has earned the Advance Auto Parts Clash a total of eight times, with drivers Harvick (2009, 2010, 2013) and Earnhardt (1986, ’88, ’91, ’93, and ’95).
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,736 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 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 Monster Energy NASCAR 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.
Time to Duel … The Can-Am Duels at Daytona feature two 150-mile races from which the majority of the final starting grid for the Daytona 500 will be set. Menard starts 11th in the first Duel after qualifying 21st on Sunday. By virtue of qualifying 10th and 26th, respectively, in last Sunday’s qualifying session, Newman and Dillon will start fifth and 13th in the second of the two qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 23.
Discover and Share … Thanks to the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Richard Childress and his family, the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S., including sending five athletic trainers to NYU Langone Medical Center’s Concussion Conference for free on Feb. 24. Learn more about our work at SaveInjuredKids.org.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @RyanJNewman. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3, www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The 59th running of the Daytona 500 will be televised live Sunday, Feb. 26 beginning at 2 p.m. EST on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The Can-Am Duels at Daytona, two 150-mile qualifying races will take the green flag Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. EST and will be broadcast live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
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This Week’s Dow Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … In seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon has acquired one top-five and five top-10 finishes. The Welcome, North Carolina, driver, who grew up attending races at Daytona International Speedway with his family, has eight starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series with one win, six top-five and six top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Pole Winner … Dillon earned his career-first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole award with a lap of 196.019 mph (45.914 seconds) in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500. It marked the fourth time the No. 3 has won the pole for the Daytona 500, and its 67th Cup Series pole, overall. Dillon also started on the front row for the July 2015 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.
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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to greet race fans at the NASCAR Trackside Superstore on Thursday, February 23 at 2:30 p.m. EST. The Trackside Superstore footprint is located outside Daytona International Speedway’s center injector. Dillon is also scheduled to participate in a Q&A at the Team Chevy stage on Thursday, February 23 from 3-3:15 p.m. EST.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Your car owner has two Daytona 500 trophies. What is it going to take for you to get him lucky number three?
“Just being smart, keeping ourselves in a good position the entire race. Speed is going to be key when we get there and working with our teammates. We’ve got to be smart about how we work with our teammates to keep ourselves up front.”
In the past, each manufacturer used to really work together in the draft. Do you think that is still the case? Or do the cars really draft with anyone, despite their manufacturer?
“I see that there are different guys that I can link up to. I don’t know what rhyme or reason to it anymore. I do notice bumps when you are around certain guys. We will try and figure that out on practice day and also in the Duels you will be able to figure out some guys that you want to be around in the race for the 500.”
Paul Menard and the No. 27 PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant / Menards Chevrolet SS at Daytona International Speedway … Menard has 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona International Speedway. His best start of first came in July 2008 and his best finish of sixth came in the 2012 Daytona 500. The Wisconsin native has completed 3,105 of 3,346 laps attempted at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, leading 67 of them.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
You are no stranger to winning big races. How do you stay focused during your time in Daytona?
“It’s a long time to be in Daytona for sure. The schedule this year is a little more condensed, which is nice. There are a lot of long days, especially for the crew members. For the driver’s, we go back and forth between media obligations, motorhome, practice, all that stuff. It’s a lot harder on the crew members than it is for us, but one aspect that is kind of nice is to have all that time because you can go shopping. I can go shopping for my motorhome, whether that’s getting a new toothbrush or whatever, and you have a little time to go do that then still get back in time for practice. It is a long week for sure.”
What does it take to be successful at restrictor plate tracks?
“There is a time to go and there is a time to be patient and kind of balancing that. There are some guys that you see crash more often than others that are probably just too aggressive all the time. Then there are guys that just don’t get those good finishes because they are probably too passive. There is a balancing act there.”
What have you and crew chief Matt Borland done in the off season to build a strong relationship?
“Every time I talk to Matt I’m more impressed. He is extremely smart, practical and an extremely hard worker. He had a lot of ideas that he wants to implement throughout the year. We spent a lot of time in the off season kind of figuring out how each other thinks. I’m looking forward to getting going with him.”
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Daytona International Speedway … Ryan Newman will make his 548th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start in the sport’s season opener. Newman is the proud owner of a Harley J. Earl trophy by winning the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in 2008. In total, the South Bend, Ind. native has 30 starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, earning four top-five and seven top-10 finishes. His average start is 20.7 and finish is 20.1. He’s led 103 laps in competition.
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Featured Caterpillar Dealer … Ring Power is the featured Cat dealer for the Daytona 500.
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Meet Newman … On Sunday, Newman is scheduled to participate in a fan question and answer session at the Team Chevy stage located in the DIS midway starting at 10:20 a.m. EST. At 10:45 a.m. EST, he is scheduled to stop by the Alert Florida stage in the Fan Zone courtesy of Coca-Cola for a fan Q&A.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What makes you excited to go to Daytona and start a new season?
“Just the opportunity to win another Daytona 500 crown, be a champion and start the season off right for our team and our organization. We fought pretty hard for the last three years and quite honestly don’t have a whole lot to show for it, but we are still fighting. The next race is the Daytona 500 and it’s the biggest race of the season, maybe aside from Homestead.”
What does it mean to you to be called a Daytona 500 champion?
“It’s an honor to be called a Daytona 500 champion. I never thought about it until after it happened and people put it in perspective for me and said ‘hey, you win Daytona, you win the Brickyard, those races you become a champion’ any other race you are just a race winner. It just carries a little bit of extra glory I guess you could say. It doesn’t change the way the cash gets deposited into the bank. It doesn’t change the appearance of the trophy, but the glory and the honor that goes along with that race win is really special.”
Do you think the racing at Daytona is going to be different from the tweaks NASCAR has made to the aero package or do you see the racing being different at the 1.5-mile tracks?
“I think the 1.5-mile tracks are going to be a bigger change. Mostly because of the aero package, engine wise everything is pretty much the same. They have changed the restrictor plates, made them smaller for our restrictor plate tracks, so that is going to slow it down a little bit, but we have made more power in the off-season and since the last restrictor plate race, so that kind of off sets it. We just want to make sure the cars stay on the ground, make it safe for the drivers and the fans and put on a good show.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Daytona International Speedway…
In 77 Series starts at the 2.5-mile track, RCR has captured six victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2002 and 2010), Kevin Harvick (2007), Clint Bowyer (2009), Tony Stewart (2013) and Austin Dillon (2015). The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 8,481 laps of the 8,602 (98.6 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated four pole awards, 31 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes, led 619 laps and averages a starting position of 10.5 and finishing position of 11.7.
RCR in the XFINITY Series … In 1,345 XFINITY Series starts dating back to 1995, RCR has earned 65 pole awards, 78 wins, 415 top-five and 758 top-10 finishes with an 11th-place average starting position and an 11.8 average finishing position. RCR has earned four driver’s championships; two with Kevin Harvick in 2001 and 2006, Clint Bowyer in 2008 and Austin Dillon in 2013. The organization has also earned five owners’ championships doing so in 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
2016 Driver Line-Up … RCR will field five full-time XFINITY Series entries for the 2017 season. Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and Ben Kennedy will share seat time in the No. 2 Chevrolet with crew chief Justin Alexander. Matt Swiderski will crew chief the No. 3 Chevrolet team with Ty Dillon piloting a majority of the races. New to the full-time driver line up this year, Daniel Hemric will pilot the No. 21 Chevrolet with veteran crew chief Danny Stockman. Brandon Jones returns as the driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet with longtime RCR crew chief Nick Harrison at the helm. Brendan Gaughan also returns to the driver’s seat at RCR with Shane Wilson leading the No. 62 Chevrolet team for the fifth-consecutive season.
Did You Know … Life-threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries, and many more are treated in the emergency room. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S. Visit SaveInjuredKids.org or find them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
Catch the Action …
Coverage of this weekend’s XFINITY Powershares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live Saturday, Feb. 25, beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST on FS1. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … In eight previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon has earned one victory (2015), six top-five finishes and two pole awards. The Richard Childress Racing driver holds an average starting position of 8.4 coupled with an average finishing position of 9.1.
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Welcome Aboard! … Dillon, the 2013 XFINITY Series Champion and 2012 Rookie of the Year, returns to regular XFINITY Series competition this season. This season, he’ll continue to share driving duties with fellow Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teammate Paul Menard. In addition, Ben Kennedy will join the RCR lineup for nine races thanks to a commitment from Rheem, Menards and RCR to help continue the tradition of developing talent and growing the sport.
Experience on Top of the Box … Veteran NASCAR crew chief Justin Alexander returns in 2017 to work with a multi-driver lineup that includes Dillon, Menard and Kennedy. Together, Dillon and Alexander won the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Do you feel you can test the waters when you run NASCAR XFINITY Series races as far as the format and stages go?
“It’s going to be big. I think that’s the cool part about the new format. You have NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and NASCAR XFINITY Series races leading up to Sunday. You’ll be able to see some strategy play out, and we’ll definitely be using that platform to get better at RCR. Any time you can use, when a format change happens, you can draw from all the series it’s going to be good. I think it’s going to be good for the fans, too. They need to tune in and watch the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona so they can learn more.”
Just as you have in past seasons, you are going to run the NASCAR XFINITY Series a lot this season. How difficult is it to transition from the Chevy SS in the Cup Series to the Chevy Camaro in XFINITY?
“The transition has closed up. We have done a lot, as far as NASCAR, making these cars very similar. We are all on bump stops now, both series. The travel is the biggest difference, the ride height rules, but as far as the bodies, the downforce, there are only small, subtle differences. So, you are really going to be able to use those two more to your advantage.”
This Week’s Bass Pro Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Ty Dillon will make his first of 27 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts of the season this weekend at Daytona. Entering his first full-time season of racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Dillon will compete in all XFINITY Series races that will run in companion with the Cup Series.
Past History … This will be Dillon’s eighth start at Daytona International Speedway in the XFINITY Series. He has scored two top-10 finishes at the track, with his best finish of third coming in 2015. Dillon has two Daytona 500 starts and three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the 2.5-mile track.
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Meet Dillon … Fans will have several opportunities to meet Dillon around the race track this weekend. On Thursday afternoon, Dillon will be at the Fanatics tent in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Midway playing basketball with fans at 2:30 p.m. EST. On race day morning, Dillon will make two appearances in the Fan Midway. He will be at the GEICO display at 10:40 a.m. EST greeting fans and at the Chevrolet display at 11 a.m. EST answering fans’ questions.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on getting the 2017 season underway?
“I am excited to the get this year started. It’s going to be a busy year running in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series most weekends, but I am ready to go. There is a lot to look forward to this year for myself and my teams, and I could not think of a better place to get going than at Daytona International Speedway.”
How will running nearly a full-time XFINITY Series schedule benefit you?
“Being a rookie in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, any extra seat time that I can get before the race on Sunday will be helpful. You can do as much preparation beforehand and spend time in the simulator, but nothing will be as beneficial as running a race at that track the day before. We have been able to build a really strong XFINITY Series program with our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet over the past few years, so I know that I will be able to gain a lot of knowledge running in the car.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway … Hemric will be making his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut at Daytona International Speedway. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has 49 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, with 15 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes. Hemric has made two NCWTS starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, earning an eighth-place finish in 2016.
Meet the Driver … Hemric will visit the Team Chevy stage on Friday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. EST to answer fan questions. The 2017 XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year contender will also make an appearance at the XFINITY Zone on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m. EST to answer fan questions and sign autographs.
Going Social … Hemric will join fellow RCR XFINITY Series driver Brandon Jones for a takeover of the RCR Instagram account during Thursday night’s Duels at Daytona. Follow along at instagram.com/rcrracing as Hemric and Jones provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona 500 qualifying races.
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DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
What does it mean to have a partner like Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff on the No. 21 Chevrolet for the first race of your XFINITY Series career?
“I am looking forward to having Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff on the car at Daytona and throughout the year. They have a successful history in NASCAR and we hope to continue that during the 2017 XFINITY Series season. It means a lot that Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff has the confidence in our team to get the job done on and off the racetrack.”
What was it like when you found out you would be racing full-time for RCR and would be piloting the No. 21, a number which has been successful both for RCR and yourself?
“It was honestly surreal. You couldn’t help but laugh when you looked at how things come full circle. To be a part of RCR was a very exciting moment for me and my family, but to be able to use the No. 21 was the icing on the cake. Luckily, I was able to have a lot of success with that number growing up. One of the biggest wins of my career came in the No. 21, the Legends Car Million at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hopefully, we can repeat and have similar success this year.”
Brandon Jones and the No. 33 Nexteer Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway…
Jones will be competing at Daytona International Speedway for his third time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend. The 20-year-old driver finished seventh at the 2.5-mile tack last February.
Kicking Off the Sophomore Season…
Jones is entering his sophomore season in the XFINITY Series after a stout rookie year, in which he recorded 17 top-11 finishes and qualified for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase before finishing 10th in the point standings. Jones also recorded the third most completed laps in the series last year.
Meet Brandon Jones…
Fans can meet Jones on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m. EST at the Team Chevy display. Jones will participate in a Q&A and sign autographs before competing in the Powershares QQQ 300.
Social Takeover… Jones will partner with fellow RCR XFINITY Series driver Daniel Hemric for a takeover of the RCR Instagram account during Thursday night’s Duels at Daytona. Follow along at instagram.com/rcrracing as Jones and Hemric provide a behind-the-scenes look at all that goes on during the Daytona 500 qualifying races.
Welcome Back, Nexteer…
Jones counts on Nexteer’s steering technology to deliver precise, high-performance under intense conditions. Mere seconds can mean the difference between winning and losing, so Richard Childress Racing chooses Nexteer – renowned for exceptional handling, performance and safety. Nexteer provides electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steering columns, driveline systems, advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) and autonomous technologies to global manufactures. Nexteer Automotive, a Leader in Intuitive Motion Control. Visit nexteer.com for more information.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
You’re entering your sophomore season in the XFINITY Series. How does last year’s season and the experience you gained play into your preparation for this year?
“Last season we made a lot of headway as a team and organization, and I look forward to continuing that improvement this season. We made the Chase last year, which was one of our goals, but this year we need to be in contention to win the championship going into Homestead-Miami Speedway. Having been to all these tracks at least once now, I’m ready to grab a couple wins and have that championship run.”
You had a great top-10 finish last February at Daytona. Knowing that restrictor-plate races can be tricky to prepare for, how have you been training for this upcoming weekend?
“During this off-season I’ve worked a lot on training, both mentally and physically. I’ve been spending a lot of time on the simulator with the team, going through the changes we can make at-track during a normal practice day and trying out different setups so that helps. I’ve also been following a fitness program to keep my health and nutrition up throughout the year. It’s a long season and I want to be as prepared as possible.”
Statistically Speaking Daytona International Speedway … In 10 starts at Daytona International Speedway Brendan Gaughan has completed 96.1 percent (1,071 of 1,115) of the laps he has attempted. The Las Vegas native is credited with one top-five and three top-10 finishes, 13 laps led, an 18.8 average starting position and a 19.4 average finishing position. Gaughan returns to Daytona to kick off the 2017 season following a career-best fifth-place finish in July 2016.
At the South Point … TheSouth Point Hotel & Casino will host the 41st annual Las Vegas Silver Dollar Circuit quarter horse show and western gift expo Feb. 24 – March 1 in the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center. For more information about the event, please visit southpointcasino.com.
Double Duty … Gaughan successfully qualified for the Daytona 500 in the No. 75 Chevrolet SS with Beard Motorsports. The entry features a former Richard Childress Racing manufactured chassis and ECR engines. Gaughan was the quickest of six non-charter teams and drivers attempting to make the Great American Race. He previously entered the Daytona 500 in 2004, where he finished in 19th-place.
Meet the Driver … Gaughan is scheduled to participate in question-and-answer sessions on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Daytona Infield Stage at 4:15 p.m. EST and Friday, Feb. 24, at the Team Chevy Stage in the Fan Midway beginning at 11:20 a.m. EST. On Sunday, Feb. 26, the 41-year-old driver will sign autographs and participate in a question-and-answer session at the XFINITY Fanzone Display in the Fan Midway beginning at 11:15 a.m. EST.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
How will this year be different considering the new point’s and rules changes in 2017?
“NASCAR is always in a state of flux, it’s just like last year when we introduced the Chase in the XFINITY Series. I said let’s wait and see, and this year is no different. I agree on a lot of the moves. I think it’s cool and very interesting that we can gain so many points. It will be a volatile points battle under the new rules, and it should be entertaining.”
What does arriving in Daytona mean to you as you kick off your 20th season in NASCAR?
“I am at the age where I get very introspective at times. It is very cool coming to Daytona (International Speedway) considering all of the different versions and grandstands that I have seen in my career. All of the improvements show how far this sport has come and how strong it is. The new motorsports stadium still has me in awe, I remember my first time in Daytona and it still gets to me. I love racing here, and anyone who comes through that tunnel knows how truly great it is.”
