Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Kansas Speedway … In 74 Monster Energy NASCAR 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 22 top-10 finishes.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,831 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards, 107 wins, 486 top-five finishes and 1,049 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.
Vegas Strong with the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma … This week emergency responders from around the world will gather in Las Vegas for the annual EMS World Expo to learn the best ways to save the lives of injured people around the world. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Scholarship provides funding for an EMT or paramedic to receive full access to the Expo, including all continuing education and $1,500 of travel expenses. Visit https://saveinjuredkids.org/blog/ to see how EMS providers help save injured kids in emergencies, during disaster relief and every day of the week.
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 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway is scheduled to be televised live on Sunday, October 22 on NBC Sports Network beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s No. 3 Dow Chevrolet SS at Kansas Speedway … Dillon has made eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October 2016.
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AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What do you feel when you are in the seat at Kansas Speedway?
“Man, I love Kansas Speedway. I had a really good run there two years ago and we cut a right-front tire. I’ve also had a couple of sixth-place finishes there last year. It’s fun. You can ride up by the fence or right on the bottom. Everybody kind of moves around there quite a bit, it’s a fun, fast track.”
Can you believe how much development has boomed around that track?
“It is amazing. I love going there because it’s really nice out and around the track. You can get out and have a little fun. It’s just a beautiful area.”
This Week’s No. 27 Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … Menard has made 17 MENCS starts at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway since his first start in 2007. During that time Menard has recorded one top-five and five top-10 finishes, led 24 laps, has an average start of 13.4 and an average finish of 18.8. He has completed 95.3 percent of the laps he has attempted.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Your race at Kansas ended early in May, but was there anything you could take from that event and apply to Sunday’s race?
“Everybody ran by the fence in the spring race at Kansas. There has been a big gap in races between these two events, so the cars have evolved a lot over the season. The top groove was the preferred line from final practice all the way through the race. I knocked the fender in running the top groove and cut a tire. That ended our night early. We’ve got to work on making the high groove work for us this weekend with the Richmond / Menards Chevrolet.”
With Kansas Speedway being repaved five years ago and the top groove coming in, has it become one of the more competitive mile-and-a-half tracks now?
“Kansas is one of the best mile-and-a-half tracks in the sport right now. It has aged quicker than we thought. It still has a lot of grip for qualifying and you have to qualify at the bottom of the track. Goodyear has done a good job with the tire to make it fall off and it allows you to move around and run different grooves. I don’t see that changing in this weekend’s event.”
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … NMC is the featured Cat dealer for this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway.
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 almost 80 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 80 years.
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Chevrolet Corn Maze … Back by popular demand is the nine-acre Chevrolet corn maze at Rescue Ranch in Statesville, North Carolina. It is open Friday and Saturday night’s in October. Families can weave their way through a custom designed corn maze featuring a Chevy Silverado and a Corvette. For more information, 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 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.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Kansas Speedway … In 40 NASCAR XFINITY 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 two pole awards, 13 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, led 286 laps and averages a starting position of 10.6 and finishing position of 12.8. RCR has completed 7,669 laps of the 8,046 (95.3 percent) that they have competed.
#OneGoal … After the first elimination race of the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Daniel Hemric remains in contention for the championship and is currently seeded fourth in the playoff standings. Brendan Gaughan was eliminated after missing the final transfer spot by one point after finishing 11th.
The Points … The No. 3 RCR team is 10th in the owner point standings, with the No. 2 RCR team close behind in 12th. Brendan Gaughan is currently ninth and Brandon Jones is 17th in driver point standings. Daniel Hemric is currently second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, Oct. 21, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway … In four NASCAR XFNITY Series Starts at Kansas Speedway, Austin Dillon has acquired one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He’s also earned one pole award at the track (2013).
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AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your expectations for this weekend’s NASCAR XFNITY Series race at Kansas Speedway?
“I feel confident heading into Kansas Speedway. I’ve always enjoyed running there, and I would really like to get a win for RCR in the XFINITY Series before the end of the year. Kansas is as good a place as any to try and get that done. It is a fun track because you have plenty of options to run high up by the fence or all the way down in the bottom groove. You can really move around and find the best groove.”
This Week’s No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway …Ty Dillon will make his fourth start at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend. With three previous starts under his belt, Dillon has scored two top-5 finishes, his highest of fourth place coming in 2015. He earned the pole position starting spot at the 1.5-mile track in 2014. In his two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the track, Dillon has scored two top-10 finishes. He also won the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race at Kansas. This weekend, Ty will also make his third Kansas Speedway start in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series.
Your adventure starts here … Bass Pro Shops was founded in 1972 by avid young angler Johnny Morris on eight-square-feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. Today, the leading national retailer of outdoor gear and apparel has more than 100 retail and marine center locations across North America. Each location is heavily customized to reflect the character of the region. In addition to giant aquariums teeming with live fish and extensive wildlife mounts and dioramas, many locations feature unique restaurants and ocean-themed bowling alleys.
Meet Dillon … Fans will have the opportunity to meet Dillon on Thursday evening when he visits the Bass Pro Shops location in Olathe, Kansas. He will be signing autographs beginning at 7 p.m. local time.
Reliving the past … Dillon’s motorsports career hit the fast lane after winning the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship in 2011. Since then, he’s gone on to win in both the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series. This season marks Dillon’s first year competing full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. On Friday night, Dillon will have the opportunity to relive his past as joins the on-air talent in the FOX Sports booth for Friday night’s ARCA Racing Series finale as the 2017 champion is crowned.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts as we head to Kansas for the only XFINITY Series race there this season?
“Kansas is definitely an interesting track to visit. We go there twice each year in the NASCAR Cup Series but only once in the XFINITY Series. The groove has definitely gotten wider since the repave a few years back, but I don’t think that there’s been significant change to the grip level. I’ve done pretty well there in the past in the XFINITY Series, and earlier this year I got a top-15 finish in the Cup Series. Running double duty and getting the extra seat time is always helpful, and we’ve worked hard this year to develop our intermediate-track package this year at RCR. The improvements have shown, and I think that our Bass Pro Shops Chevy team will have a good weekend in Kansas.”
Meet the Driver … Fans will have two opportunities to meet the XFINITY Series Playoff contender this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Hemric is scheduled to take part in the XFINITY Series autograph session on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. local time. He will then join RCR teammates Brandon Jones and Brendan Gaughan at the Team Chevy Stage for a question-and-answer session starting at 10 a.m. local time.
Rearview Mirror: Charlotte … Hemric earned his 15th top-five of the 2017 season in front of his hometown crowd at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 21 Anderson’s Maple Syrup Chevrolet Camaro, Hemric earned points in both Stage 1 and 2, finishing the night in the seventh position and advancing to the Round of 8 in the XFINITY Series Playoffs.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
Is there anything you can take from Charlotte Motor Speedway and apply to this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway?
“Each track has its own nuances that make them unique and their own beast. You are more on the throttle earlier in the run at Kansas compared to Charlotte, but over the years the track has given up grip. As a fan that has watched XFINITY races over the years at Kansas, the racetrack always tends to widen out. I never experienced that in the Truck Series, so I am curious to get there for the first time in an XFINITY Series car, venture around and see how that changes in the seat. There are small things that we can take away from our mile-and-a-half program at Charlotte and apply to Kansas. You have to know what those little differences are to be able to put them into your package to know if it is going to help.”
High Performance … This weekend Casey’s General Stores is partnering with American Ethanol to highlight E15’s performance. Today, the best NASCAR drivers in the world have raced over 10 million miles on Sunoco Green E15, helping reduce the sport’s impact on the environment while increasing performance with cleaner, cooler burning ethanol. This success doesn’t stop at the track; this homegrown biofuel gives American drivers an unrivaled performance option at the pump because ethanol provides the highest octane while burning cleaner and cooler. You too can make the best fuel choice for your engine. Find you nearest Casey’s pump at GetEthanol.com.
Meet Jones … Jones is scheduled to take part in the NASCAR XFINITY Series autograph session beginning at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 21 located at Kansas Speedway’s infield fan zone. Jones will also be joining RCR teammates Daniel Hemric and Brendan Gaughan at the Team Chevy display starting at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 21.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
You’ve raced at Kansas Speedway a couple of times now. What makes that track different than the other 1.5-mile tracks we visit?
“Kansas Speedway is special to me since it’s where I made my first 1.5-mile start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series a couple of years ago. It’s unique as far as intermediate tracks go because it makes the aerodynamics of the car come into play a lot. You’ll be out there and think your car is going to hold the corner fine with the throttle you’re putting into it, but then it will change and either snap loose or tighten up extremely quickly. It can be a challenge. The track seems to amplify how your car is handling and you just have to try to find enough time to react to it. We had a nice run there last season when I finished eighth in the XFINITY Series race. I’m confident we can take our top-15 momentum from Charlotte and turn it into a top-10 finish with our No. 33 American Ethanol Chevrolet this weekend.”
City Lights Shine … Front and center on the No. 62 Chevrolet’s hood this weekend will be City Lights Shine, Gaughan’s whiskey moonshine company he recently started with former NASCAR official, Mike Dolan. City Lights Shine, the first and only legal distillery in Las Vegas, is available at the South Point, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and most SMI tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Learn more by visiting Facebook.com/CityLightsShine or following the company on Twitter via @CityLightsShine.
XFINITY Series Playoffs Update … Gaughan missed advancing to the next round of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs by one point after the series’ race at Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this month. Gaughan, who fell back to 26th at the start of the race due to a bad set of tires, staged an impressive comeback at the 1.5-mile track, finishing 11th. Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet will continue to fight for wins before the 2017 season wraps up at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
DriversForVegas.com … Gaughan has come together with his fellow Las Vegas-native drivers to launch DriversForVegas.com. The site is selling #VegasStrong shirts and decals to raise money for the victims of the recent Route 91 Harvest festival tragedy. All profits raised will be donated to the Support Las Vegas campaign benefiting the Direct Impact fund with Zappos matching up to $1,000,000.
Meet Gaughan … Fans can meet Gaughan at the NASCAR XFINITY Series autograph session located at the infield fan zone, beginning at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 21. Gaughan is also scheduled to appear at the Team Chevy display with his RCR teammates Brandon Jones and Daniel Hemric beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 21.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
With Kansas Speedway being a 1.5-mile track, will notes from Charlotte Motor Speedway carry over at all?
“Notes from Charlotte Motor Speedway may carry over a little bit. Kansas Speedway did a remodel a couple of years ago. Now it’s more like Kentucky Speedway, and you’ll take more notes from that track. Kansas is one of those intermediate tracks I’ve always been successful at in my career, so that’s really good for me. It’s starting to widen out again and becoming more of the multi-groove race track drivers loved.”
