Richard Childress Racing at Daytona International Speedway … Dating back to 1976, Richard Childress Racing has won 11 poles and collected six points-paying victories at the most-storied race track on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit. RCR owns three Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007, Austin Dillon – 2018), 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 2,874 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,108 wins, 487 top-five finishes and 1,055 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.2. 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.
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 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live Saturday, July 7 beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This Week’s American Ethanol e15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… Dillon returns to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the first time since winning the 60th running of the Daytona 500 in February. In 10 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon has acquired one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes and was the 2014 Daytona 500 polesitter. The Welcome, North Carolina, driver, who grew up attending races at Daytona International Speedway with his family, has 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, seven top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Supporting Our Veterans … The best NASCAR drivers in the world have raced over 11 million flawless miles on Sunoco Green e15, helping reduce the sport’s impact on the environment with cleaner, cooler burning ethanol. But American Ethanol’s success doesn’t stop at the track; this homegrown biofuel gives American drivers a more environmentally friendly option at the pump because ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent compared to conventional gasoline. And just like the American spirit that embodies NASCAR, the ethanol industry puts the American worker first. Veterans make up 19 percent of the industry’s workforce, while E15 supports American jobs and displaces foreign oil. American grown. American Made. Powering NASCAR. Visit http://getbiofuel.com/ and https://americanethanolracing.com/ for more information.
Questions, Please … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a NACAR Media Availability in the Daytona International Speedway Infield Media Center at Noon on Thursday, July 5.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled participate in a Q&A at the Team Chevy Stage in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Midway on Saturday, July 7 at 4 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Does Daytona change much from February to July? Is Daytona becoming more dependent on handling since the repave a few years ago?
“Handling is always pretty key. I feel like the biggest issue sometimes with Daytona during the July 4th race is just having a car that is capable of being able to move around. If you can move, switch lanes and be comfortable switching lanes then you can be aggressive and being aggressive usually pays off at the speedway races.”
What is the key to Daytona?
“Fast cars and putting yourself in the right position. It’s a game. We don’t do these superspeedway races every weekend, but it’s definitely a game of chess. We try to put ourselves in the right position. You have to have the right mindset going into the race, because sometimes you get into incidents that are not due to anything you did on the track.”
This Week’s No. 31 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway … Ryan Newman will make his 602nd Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start when the Series returns to Daytona International Speedway. 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 33 starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, earning five top-five and nine top-10 finishes. His average start is 20.3 and finish is 19.3. He’s led 103 laps in competition.
Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day … Newman, an avid outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman and conservationist will have Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s on board the No. 31 Camaro ZL1 for select races in 2018. Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
During the off-weekend, Newman and his family visited the Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort in the Ozarks. It’s owned by Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.
Meet Newman … On Saturday, Newman is scheduled to sign autographs at 2 p.m. ET at the Bass Pro Shops in Daytona Beach, Florida. It’s located on 1880 W. Checkered Flag Blvd. across from Daytona International Speedway. Newman is also scheduled to participate in a Q & A at the Florida Hospital display in the Daytona International Speedway fan midway area at 4:15 p.m. ET.
Safety First – Free Bike Helmets and Fittings for Kids! … Ryan Newman will be making an appearance at the Florida Hospital Bike Helmet Fitting from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET on Friday. The event will take place at the Florida Hospital Fit Park at ONE DAYTONA from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Helmets will be available in youth sizes on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring your child to be properly fitted for their complimentary bike helmet, meet No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver Ryan Newman, and receive fun giveaways courtesy of Florida Hospital, Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, Bass Pro Shops, and Surface Sunscreen!
RYAN NEWMAN QUOT ES:
What is it about when returning to Daytona for 400 miles?
“Daytona, regardless of when we race, is always about luck, keeping yourself in the game, don’t slide through your pit box during a green-flag pit stop. It’s also about putting yourself in the right group of cars. Strategy when it comes to pit road, when it comes down to your pit window, who you pit with, fuel cycles and things like that. There’s lots of little things that you get at other tracks kind of stand out more at Daytona.
Currently the No. 31 team is outside the cut line, what does your team need to do in the next 10 races to secure your spot in the Playoffs?
“As a team, as an organization we need to do everything better. We are now heading back to a racetrack where Austin won the Daytona 500. That’s nice. That’s good for the organization but we have to deliver. We have an opportunity each and every week to get the 31 Camaro ZL1 back to Victory Lane. We need to keep focusing in on that.”
Do you feel that it’s a must-win situation to make the Playoffs at this point?
“I don’t think it is a must-win, but a win sure takes a lot of things out of the equation.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway … In 90 Series starts at the 2.5-mile speedway, 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, N.C., organization has completed 9,829 laps of the 10,171 (96.6 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated seven pole awards, 33 top-five and 49 top-10 finishes, led 687 laps and averages a starting position of 10.9 and finishing position of 12.9.
Chicagoland Review …Daniel Hemric was the highest-finishing RCR driver when he placed fifth in the Chicagoland 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Matt Tifft finished 16th and Jeb Burton placed 34th.
The Points … Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft currently sit second and ninth, respectively, in the Xfinity Series driver point standings. The No. 3 RCR team is currently 14th in the series owner point standings.
Social Media … To keep up with the latest updates from RCR’s Xfinity Series teams, follow @RCRracing and @RCRNXS on Twitter. Updates can also be found via RCR’s Facebook Page and Instagram (@RCRracing).
Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on Friday, July 6, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s No. 2 KC Motorgroup Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway … Matt Tifft is looking to earn his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway this weekend. Tifft finished 19th in the season opener at Daytona after collecting some damage in the “Big One.” His best finish of 11th in the Xfinity Series at the superspeedway came in February 2017. Tifft also has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start and one ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards start at the 2.5-mile track as well.
About KC Motorgroup … KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) is an international motorsport services group established in 2007 by Dr. Paul Ip. The group, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, has operations reaching across Europe and the Asia Pacific region. KCMG operates closely with many partner companies and racing organizations around the world to provide unrivalled Motorsport Services, Equipment, Team Management and quality distributorship in the Automotive Industry. 2013 saw KCMG become the first Chinese outfit ever to race at the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours in its 90-year history and participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Hong Kong-based team later on took an historic LMP2 victory at Le Mans and was Vice Champion in FIA WEC in 2015. With years in the motorsport industry, KCMG has been involved in a wide range of Formula, GT and Le Mans prototype endurance racing series across the globe. For more information please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.hk.
NASCAR Salutes … As part of NASCAR Salutes, the Xfinity Series will honor active military bases and units at Daytona International Speedway. Tifft and the No. 2 team will proudly honor the Navy Recruiting District in Jacksonville, Florida with their name on Tifft’s windshield header this weekend.
Meet Tifft … Fans can meet Tifft when he takes part in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy display at 1 p.m. local time in the Daytona International Speedway midway on Friday, July 6. Tifft will also be back out at the midway for another Q&A session at the Florida Hospital display at 5:40 p.m. local time on Friday.
MATT TIFFT QUOTES:
We head back to Daytona International Speedway this weekend, where we’ll see the return of drafting and restrictor plates. How different is the racing we’ll see this weekend compared to what we’ve seen at tracks where we ran the new package like Pocono and Michigan?
“It’s fairly different still in that we don’t have the drag ducts on our cars this weekend. I think that’s the biggest difference between the two. If we were at Michigan and had our Daytona package on there, I think you’d see more of a Daytona-style of racing take place. The drag ducts definitely affect the air pressure as far as where we’re able to pass people and how our runs are built. I think for Daytona, we’ll be back to the traditional style of pack racing. With the drag ducts, I feel that you can control a little bit more of your destiny, but those are tracks where we need to handle a little bit better than Daytona.”
After you’re done racing at Daytona, does it feel like you’ve been taking an SAT test all day? How mentally challenging is that track?
“Daytona is mentally draining. It is exhausting. If you’re in the pack, you’re playing offense the whole time, and if you’re in the front you’re playing defense. You’re constantly checking the mirror and seeing where people are. I’m sure my spotter (Billy O’Dea) is exhausted after those days too. I know he loves it, but it’s tough. You want to try to control as much as you can, but one mistake and some bad track position can make it hard to have any control. I haven’t had the best luck at Daytona lately, so hopefully this is a good race to turn it around at.”
This Week’s No. 3 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway … Shane Lee will be making his debut NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway this weekend. Lee has two previous ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, in which he collected a third-place finish in February 2017.
About Childress Vineyards … Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, North Carolina. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards has been producing award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro. Information about Childress Vineyards can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/childresswines/, on Twitter at @ChildressWines and on Instagram at Instagram.com/childresswines.
NASCAR Salutes … As part of NASCAR Salutes, the Xfinity Series will honor active military bases and units at Daytona International Speedway. Lee and the No. 3 team will proudly honor the Army Recruiting Battalion out of Jacksonville, Florida with their name on Lee’s windshield header this weekend.
Meet Lee … Fans can meet Lee when he takes part in the Xfinity Series autograph session, alongside his RCR teammate Daniel Hemric, beginning at 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday, July 6 at Daytona’s Infield Fan Zone.
SHANE LEE QUOTE:
With two ARCA Racing Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, how are you feeling heading into your NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the superspeedway? Do you like this kind of racing?
“I enjoy this style of racing. It’s definitely takes a lot of mental focus when deciding what line to be in and being ready for whatever can happen, which often happens with no warning. But overall, I like it. I feel good heading into this weekend too. I’ve had some success at Daytona in the ARCA series, so I’ll have some experience here to lean on. We also ran well as a team at Talladega earlier this year and showed some solid speed out there. We were contending for the win at the end but on the final restart had a fuel issue that knocked us back to 15th. I’m looking forward to another shot at a restrictor plate race with RCR this weekend. They’re always fast at those types of tracks, so I’m ready to get out there.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway … Hemric will be making his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway during this weekend’s 250-mile race. The driver of the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet qualified on the pole for the 2018 season-opener at Daytona.
Rearview Mirror: Chicagoland … Hemric earned his eighth top-five finish of the 2018 season with a fifth-place finish Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. Starting from the 10th position, Hemric earned points in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and remained inside the top 10 for the remainder of the event. By coming to pit road earlier than many of the leaders for the final stop of the day, Hemric was able to move inside the top five, where he finished when the checkered flag flew.
This Week at the South Point Hotel & Casino … The EMO Western States Championship Quarter House Show and Western Gift Show is taking place at the South Point Hotel & Casino Equestrian Center July 4 – 8. The event is free to the public.
Meet the Driver … Fans have multiple opportunities to meet Hemric Friday at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet is scheduled to be at the Team Chevy display in the Fan Zone starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. He is also scheduled to take part in the Xfinity Series autograph session in the Infield Fan Zone starting at 4:30 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Salutes … To celebrate the NASCAR Salutes program, Hemric’s No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet will honor the 10th Mountain Division on the windshield. The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based out of Fort Drum, New York.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
You have not had the best results at Daytona despite having fast Chevrolets over the two seasons. You are obviously hoping to improve on that this weekend. What is the biggest difference racing during the day in February versus at night in July?
“Handling comes into play so much at Daytona, I would say that is the biggest difference. When we go to Daytona and race during the daytime, the handling is so big, and you have to figure out how to get your car turning off the exit of Turn 2 and off the exit of Turn 4. When you don’t have that handling, you have to start peddling the throttle. As the racetrack cools down, handling gets better for everyone throughout the field and you see the speeds come up. When the speeds come up, we all get more and more careless and aggressive with our moves because we all feel like Superman. We have to manage those expectations and know how to make speed. We’ve had the speed in this No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet, we’ve sat on the pole at both superspeedway races this year. When we get in the race we’ve done a better job of getting our handling to stay with us longer but haven’t had things go the right direction or I’ve put myself in bad spots that end up getting us taken out and we lose our shot to win. I keep telling everybody that if we keep going back to this style of racing eventually the luck has to turn around. I look at it as an opportunity going back there this weekend.”
