Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Richmond International Raceway … Richard Childress has nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories as a car owner at Richmond International Raceway – five with Dale Earnhardt, three with Kevin Harvick and one with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 163 starts at the Richmond, Va.-based track, RCR drivers have claimed 36 top-five and 68 top-10 finishes. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,813 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,107 wins, 484 top-five finishes and 1,047 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.1. 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.
Support the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma … Sign up for the Childress Vineyards/RCR/ECR 5K presented by Performance Springs, Inc. benefiting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma on Sept. 16 at 5 pm at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, N.C. The race includes a grape stomp and complimentary glass of wine afterward. You can Race and Stomp for $35 or Stomp and Support while relaxing in the pavilion at the winery for only $20.00. Register now and help Save Injured Kids at https://saveinjuredkids.org/5k/.
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 Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway is scheduled to be televised live on Saturday, September 9 on NBC Sports Network beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s DOWFROST™ Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … In seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon’s best finish at the track to-date is 13th in September 2016. He also earned his best starting position of eighth in that edition of the race.
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AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Since you have a win and you’re locked into the Playoffs, are you going to try and stay away from those guys trying to get the final Playoff spots, or is it inevitable?
“No, we’ve got to do what we can to get bonus points for the playoffs. We will be up in there trying to get one of our better runs at Richmond. We’ve gotten better and better as we have gone through the years there. Looking forward to the Richmond race.”
What makes Richmond International Raceway so fun for drivers?
“Well, the fall off on the tires I think is what is so interesting. You can go from having a really good run to a bad run in 20 laps. The difference on tires is that great. It is a place that fall-off matters. You really have to baby the car, talk to the car and keep up with adjustments as the rubber and temperature changes.”
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at Richmond Raceway … Menard has made 21 MENCS starts at the 0.75-mile Richmond Raceway since his first event in 2007. During that time, Menard has recorded one top-five and one top-10 finish, led four laps, has an average start of 24.9 and has an average finish of 24.4. He has completed 96.8 percent of the laps he has attempted.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
With this new package, what did you pick up from the race at Richmond earlier this year that you can apply to this weekend’s event?
“There’s not much we learned earlier this year that we can apply this time around at Richmond. We were OK there in the spring race. The cars have evolved quite a bit since then – different chassis, different clips, things like that. We’ll just try to make the right decisions to get us close to where we were before but also moving forward and improving with the evolution of the sport.”
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Richmond Raceway … Ryan Newman will make his 557th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start in the final race of the regular 2017 season. In 31 MENCS events at Richmond International Raceway, Newman visited victory lane at the fall event in 2003. The “Rocket Man” also owns one pole award from the fall of 2004. In total, he owns six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Newman ranks seventh in most championship points earned over the last 10 events at Richmond.
Winner, Winner … Newman punched his ticket to the MENCS playoffs with a victory at Phoenix Raceway on March 19th in the No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet. The win equates to the driver’s 18th-career Cup Series victory and RCR’s 106th.
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … Carter Machinery is the featured Cat dealer this weekend.
Based in Salem, Va., Carter Machinery will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richmond International Raceway’s weekend event. Established in 1952, Carter Machinery has a clear vision: enable every customer to achieve their highest level of success. They demonstrate this commitment every day through the support of people and equipment working in diverse industries ranging from construction and mining to trucking and power generation. Their network of 21 locations across Virginia and southern West Virginia is staffed by over 1,100 unrelenting, top-notch professionals. As a result, they’ve grown to be one of the leading Caterpillar dealers in the U.S. More information is available at cartermachinery.com.
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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
How does it feel to be locked into the Playoffs versus having to race your way in like the last few years?
“For the first time in six, seven years, I’m locked in with a win. This Caterpillar team doesn’t have to go into Richmond grinding it out for our first win to get in or lock in on points. Getting that win changed our year, but it didn’t change how we fight as a team. The Phoenix win gave us a lot of hope for the sake of our chances were good that we were locked in. At that point, there were no guarantees, but it was still huge for us, not only for this year but for the fact that the last three years we were close several times, especially Homestead in 2014, but to get that first victory for myself, for Luke, for Richard, for Caterpillar, Grainger, for everybody, that was huge for us.
How are you approaching the Playoffs with Richmond being the last race in the so-called regular season?
“We really have focused on races like Michigan, Bristol, Darlington and Richmond getting top-five, top-10 finishes to prepare for the final 10 races. This team plans to fight going into the Playoffs. We didn’t want to be riding along thinking this is easy … it’s going to be a cake walk. We’ve seen some teams do that. But for guys like us, we want to pounce in Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover. The way we approach a championship has works for us. Hopefully we can finish one spot better than what we did in 2014.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway … In 87 Series starts at the 0.75-mile raceway, RCR has captured six victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2012) and Clint Bowyer (2007). The Welcome, North Carolina organization has accumulated seven pole awards, 26 top-five finishes, 48 top-10 finishes, led 1,894 laps and averages a starting position of 11.0 and finishing position of 12.5. RCR has completed 20,747 laps of the 21,392 (97.0 percent) that they have competed.
Darlington Review …Ty Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in seventh, Austin Dillon 10th, Brendan Gaughan 13th, Daniel Hemric 18th and Brandon Jones 23rd, respectively, at Darlington Raceway.
The Points …All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 20 of the driver point standings as the series heads to Richmond International Raceway for the 25th event of the season. Daniel Hemric is currently fifth, Brendan Gaughan is 11th and Brandon Jones is 16th. The No. 2 RCR team is currently eighth in the owner point standings, with the No. 3 RCR team right behind in ninth. Daniel Hemric is currently second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live on Friday, Sept. 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Richmond International Raceway … Menard has made 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 0.75-mile Richmond Raceway since his first event in 2004. During that time, Menard has recorded three top-five and five top-10 finishes, led 160 laps, has an average start of 16.3 and has an average finish of 16.2. This will be Menard’s first NXS start at Richmond Raceway since 2011, when he finished second.
That’s a Wrap … This weekend’s race will be Menard’s seventh and final NXS start in the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet. So far this season, Menard has recorded two top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Do you prefer racing at night or during the day at Richmond Raceway?
“I always think short tracks and night racing make the best combination. I definitely enjoy the Richmond night race more than the Richmond day race. It just adds a little extra level of excitement.”
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Ty Dillon will make his tenth start at Richmond Raceway this weekend in the No. 3 Rheem Chevrolet. In his nine previous starts, Dillon has scored six top-10 finishes, with his best finish of second place coming in 2016. Also in 2016, he earned his best starting position when he took the green flag in the second position. Dillon has completed all but one lap of all nine races that he’s competed in at Richmond. He will race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race for the second time at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night.
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Meet Dillon … Fans will have an opportunity to meet Dillon on Saturday afternoon in Richmond when he appears at the Team Chevy stage in the fan midway. Dillon will be answering questions and signing autographs for fans at 5:00 p.m. ET.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
Richmond typically turns into a wild affair because it’s under the lights and the last race before the Playoffs for the Cup Series. What are expecting as we head to the short track?
“We were really fast in the spring at Richmond in both the Cup and XFINITY Series. I’m really looking forward to heading back there to have another shot at Victory Lane. Racing under the lights gets people amped up on its own, but it gets even crazier when everyone have so much on the line. Most people are in a must-win situation to make the Playoffs. We’re looking to have a good run and capitalize on the speed that we had there back in April on Friday night and Saturday. The only goal on both nights is to win.”
Meet the Driver … Fans will have two opportunities to meet Hemric on Friday, Sept. 8 at Richmond Raceway. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender will be at the Team Chevy stage for a Q&A session in the Fan Zone starting at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by the XFINITY Series autograph session on Friday, Sept. 8, starting at 1:45 p.m. ET in the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater.
Locked In … With his finish at Darlington Raceway last weekend, Hemric has locked himself into the XFINITY Series Playoffs, which kicks off at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 23.
Rearview Mirror: Darlington … Hemric’s first trip to this historic Darlington Raceway resulted in an 18th-place finish. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender qualified the throwback No. 21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet in the third position and earned points in Stage 1 and 2 by running inside the top 10. However, Hemric lost track position in the final stage when restarting on the bottom lane for the final four restarts of the event.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
Earlier this year you sat on the pole and finished third at Richmond in your first XFINITY Series start there. What is it about that track that allowed you to take to it so quickly?
“I fell in love with Richmond during my first start there earlier this year. Tire fall off is huge, and it takes me back to some of the slickest short tracks I raced on growing up. As a driver, it’s always fun to tap back in to some of those roots, and you have to be so self-disciplined to make speed over the course of a long run, which is always challenging. We had good speed last time we were there and came up two spots short, but we have used that as motivation to improve and build a stronger race team for our return to Richmond this coming weekend as we get closer to the Playoffs.”
You locked yourself into the XFINITY Series Playoffs last weekend, what does that do for you and the team over the final two races of the regular season?
“Being able to lock ourselves into that Playoff spot at Darlington was a big deal for this Blue Gate Bank team. That was one of the goals we set forth at the beginning of the year, so it was nice to check that box. It allows us to race almost without any pressure for two weeks, try some things we’ve been thinking about before the Playoffs begin and really show the competition how we plan to race once the Playoffs do get underway at Kentucky in a few weeks. Making the Playoffs was one of the goals we had going into the year, now we can focus on the ultimate goal of making it to the final four in Homestead and competing for this championship.”
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Meet Brandon Jones … Fans will have multiple chances to meet Jones at Richmond Raceway. He will be available for a fan Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage beginning at 1 p.m. local time on Friday, September 8. Jones will also take part in the XFINITY Series Autograph session at the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater starting at 1:45 p.m. local time on Friday as well.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
Everyone says Richmond Raceway is one of the more technical tracks we visit. This time we’ll be doing some short track racing at night. How does the day compare to the night at Richmond?
“To me, Richmond Raceway is one of the toughest tracks we have on the schedule. It’s a very flat, very technical short track. There’s a lot of things I feel that I could improve on at Richmond, so I’ll be studying hard to prepare for this weekend, whether it’s reviewing past races or having some time in our simulator. I’ll take a look back to see where my strengths were and where my weaknesses were in the spring and we’ll develop a plan from there. With the day versus night aspect, it’ll be hard to set our No. 33 Phone Skope Chevy up this weekend. We’ll be trying to set up our car for night time for when we race, but our practice session will be early Friday morning. It’s a tough track to balance, but I’m confident that our No. 33 team can handle it.”
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Meet Gaughan … Gaughan will be available for a Q&A session on Friday, September 8 at the Team Chevy stage located in Richmond Raceway’s Fan Zone beginning at 12:45 p.m. local time. He will also take part in the XFINITY Series autograph session starting at 1:45 p.m. at the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater on Friday afternoon.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
We’ve got Richmond Raceway under the lights this weekend. What are your thoughts on some nighttime short track racing?
“I’ve tried everything with Richmond. I even tried to be Tim Richmond last time! I tried to channel my inner Tim Richmond and it still just doesn’t work. Everyone else loves Richmond, fans, drivers, everyone. I just haven’t had the best times there. Even my good races there, bad things happen. For some reason, that’s been my Achilles’ heel in my career. I’ve tried going in there loving it. I’ve tried going in there with different attitudes, with all sorts of theories, and nothing has gotten us what we need to get over that hump. It’s a great short track and fans get a great race out of it. It’s a night race this time, and I love night racing there. It’s a purist form of racing, and I love that. But for some reason, Richmond Raceway and I are just not simpatico.”
