Richard Childress Racing at Dover International Speedway … RCR has earned four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Dover International Speedway, most recently in September 2006 when Jeff Burton drove the No. 31 Chevrolet to Victory Lane. Three additional victories came with Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel, including both events at the Monster Mile in 1989 as well as the spring race in 1993. RCR has also earned one pole award, 24 top-five and 56 top-10 finishes in 169 combined starts at the high-banked, one-mile oval. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1980.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,905 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,108 wins, 488 top-five finishes and 1,063 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 Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway will be televised live Sunday, October 7 beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Dover International Speedway … Dillon has 10 previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts to his credit at Dover International Speedway, earning his best finish of eighth in October 2016 and best start of ninth in June 2017. In eight previous NASCAR Xfinity Series appearances at the track, Dillon’s best finish is fourth in May 2015, and he is the June 2013 Xfinity Series pole sitter at the Monster Mile. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fourth in the May 2011 event. He also finished ninth at the track in a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race.
Drivin’ Like Dillon … Dillon will appear on the AAA Stage Sunday morning at Dover International Speedway to present Robert Walker of Elkton, MD with a 2018 Camaro ZL1. Walker is the winner of the AAA “Drivin’ Like Dillon” sweepstakes that was launched on Sunday, May 6th at the AAA 400 Drive for Autism. Thousands of fans entered for a chance to win a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a VIP weekend at Dover International Speedway, along with a host of AAA products & services including a free membership. For over 100 years AAA has been the name that millions of Members trust with the vehicles they rely on. From auto loans and roadside assistance to repair and maintenance, AAA is the ultimate automotive solution at every stage of car ownership. Learn more about the company at AAA.com/AllRoadsLeadToAAA
The #NASCARPlayoffs … Dillon’s 2018 NASCAR Playoffs run was ended on Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval with a mid-race incident that took the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet Camaro Zl1 out of contention and relegated the team to a 39th-place finish. Dillon did not advance to the Round of 12 despite solid finishes in the first two NASCAR Playoff races (11th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and sixth at Richmond Raceway) and now ranks 14th in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Talk about racing at Dover International Speedway. The place looks like a gigantic Bristol Motor Speedway. Does it race that way?
“It is a little crazier the way the rubber lays down on the track and the way you can get up really high at certain times in that race. The bottom is obviously always the preferred groove there, but the top does come in pretty early in the race. I have always enjoyed Dover.”
Describe the feeling of going down into the turns at Dover International Speedway …
“I will tell you… you don’t catch your breath. It is one of those places you get finished qualifying and you are still… you know what you want to tell your crew chief, but you can’t say it because you don’t have your breath yet. I always have to say ‘hold on’ and I catch my breath and then say ‘okay, I’m too loose here or too tight and it’s more like (in a breathy tone) I’m too loose we’ve got to do something’ and then you work on the car a little bit more and get your bravery up and go again.”
This Week’s Waste Masters/22 in 22 Challenge at Dover International Speedway … Ryan Newman will make his 614th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start when he competes on the concrete high-banks at the Monster Mile. In 33 Cup Series events, Newman has three victories to his credit including a Dover sweep in 2003 and a win in the fall of 2004. The “Rocket Man” also owns three pole awards. In total, he owns seven top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. Also, he has led 849 laps in competition. The South Bend, Indiana native has an average start of 10.4 and average finish of 14.2.
Partnership for a Cause … Richard Childress Racing and Waste Masters are once again joining forces for the second-straight year at Dover International Speedway. A leading provider of environmental solutions, trash removal, dumpsters, recycling service and equipment in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, Waste Masters will serve as the primary sponsor on Ryan Newman’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at the Monster Mile on October 7.
Also included on the quarter panels of the No. 31 will be the 22 in 22 Challenge. Steve Masterson, president and CEO of Waste Masters, who is also an Air Force veteran, hopes to highlight the Challenge and raise awareness about the U.S. military suicide crisis. All funds raised through the Challenge will be donated to Stop Soldier Suicide (stopsoldiersuicide.org), the nation’s first veteran-founded-and-led 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to preventing military suicide. For more information, to join or donate, visit the 22 in 22 Challenge (22in22.info).
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What’s been the quickest thing you’ve picked up at Dover International Speedway?
“Dover is just a lot of fun. The way the transition is of getting down into the corners and then climbing the hill up the straightaway makes it a lot of fun to drive. The concrete doesn’t typically change a whole lot. Typically, when you get your car right there, it stays that way.”
What is the hardest thing to learn at Dover International Speedway?
“More recently, it’s harder to pass now than it’s ever been at Dover.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover International Speedway … In 90 Series starts at the one-mile concrete oval, RCR has captured three victories with drivers Jeff Burton (2006) and Clint Bowyer (2006 and 2009). The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has accumulated five pole awards, 21 top-five finishes, 48 top-10 finishes, led 732 laps and averages a starting position of 10.9 and finishing position of 13.4. RCR has completed 16,696 laps of the 17,703 (94.3 percent) that they have competed.
Charlotte Review … Matt Tifft was the highest RCR finisher placing sixth in the debut Roval race at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend, with Daniel Hemric finishing close behind in 10th. Brendan Gaughan finished 17th in the Drive for the Cure 200.
Round of 12 Concludes … This weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway marks the first elimination race in the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Four drivers will be eliminated from championship contention following Saturday’s race and only eight drivers will move on to the next round.
The Points … Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft currently sit second and fifth, respectively, in the Xfinity Series driver point standings. The No. 3 RCR team is currently 10th 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 Bar Harbor 200 at Dover International Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, October 6, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Fanatics / Surface Sunscreen Chevrolet Camaro at Dover International Speedway … Matt Tifft returns to one of his favorite tracks this weekend, Dover International Speedway, with the No. 2 Fanatics / Surface Sunscreen Chevrolet Camaro and looks to continue his team’s momentum into the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Tifft has never finished outside the top 10 in the Xfinity Series at the “Monster Mile,” with his best result of sixth coming in September 2017. Tifft also has one NASCAR Camping World Truck start and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at the speedway.
About Surface Sunscreen … Inspired by Motocross, Offroad and BMX, with roots deep in surfing, Surface Sun Systems was created with one mission, to provide high quality sun-care products to the athletes and fans of action sports. Located in the heart of Southern California, Surface wanted products that were designed for what they were are all about, living all day outside in the dirt, sand and water. The passion Surface has for action sports is hard to duplicate, and they put that passion to work with their rider developed and tested line of sun-care products, which allow all of us to enjoy our lifestyle without worrying about the damaging effects of the sun. Learn more at surfacecorp.com.
Stock Up on Surface … Tifft uses Surface Sunscreen to protect himself throughout the race weekend from harmful sun rays. Fans can do the same by picking up their own bottle of Surface Sunscreen, which is available at any Fanatics location at all tracks that NASCAR visits during the 2018 season.
Meet Tifft … Fans at the track this weekend have multiple chances to meet Tifft. Tifft is scheduled to participate in the Xfinity Series autograph session with his RCR teammates Shane Lee and Daniel Hemric, beginning at 10 a.m. local time at the Delaware Office of Highway Safety display on Saturday, October 6. Later that day, Tifft will be out at the Xfinity Zone beginning at 1:40 p.m. local time for a Q&A session and to sign autographs.
MATT TIFFT QUOTE:
Dover International Speedway has become very tricky and abrasive over the years. What are some of the challenges you face headed there for the final race of the Round of 12?
“Well, Dover is my favorite race track so I’m really looking forward to this weekend and have high hopes for it. It’s a really fun track, but it is really tricky just in the fact that we are on concrete. That makes it almost like we’re racing on a dirt track with how much the rubber varies during the race. During the pace laps of our race, the tires are picking up all the rubber that’s out on the track, which makes the track surface extremely loose when we take the green flag. That’s what it does during any caution laps as well. Then throughout a run, the track gets extremely tight. It’s really important to manage that and manage it well in order to run up front. I’m not sure we did as good of a job on that as we could of during the spring race, which is why I spun during the opening laps of that event. We came back strong though. We had a stout Camaro all weekend, we just needed to fire off a little bit better. Knowing that now and knowing what I need at the start of the race will be huge. At a place like Dover, I need to be able to adapt to the changing conditions and give good feedback during practice to offset where we need to be at the drop of the green flag. It’s going to be a big race for the Xfinity Series. Stage points mean everything to get into that second round, so we are going to push hard all day long.”
This Week’s Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro at Dover International Speedway … Shane Lee will be making his debut start at Dover International Speedway this weekend in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Lee most recently finished ninth with the No. 3 RCR team at Richmond Raceway two weeks ago.
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.
Meet Lee … Fans can meet Lee on Saturday, October 6, when he participates in the Xfinity Series autograph session beginning at 10 a.m. local time in front of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety display in the track midway.
SHANE LEE QUOTE:
You’ll be making your debut at the “Monster Mile” this weekend. What have you done to prepare for Dover International Speedway?
“I’ll definitely be spending time on the simulators with Nick (Harrison, crew chief) and reviewing old races to help prepare for this weekend. The track almost has a bigger, faster Bristol look to it. I ran Bristol with the No. 3 team earlier this year. We ran in the top 10 all day, but a tire going flat sent us to pit road and put us back to 14th for the finish. Hopefully, we will perform similar to that at Dover this weekend but get the finish we deserve with it this time around. It’s going to be a wild race, especially with the Playoff drivers looking to make it into the next round, but I really enjoy these high-banked tracks. I would rather go race on them every weekend then a flat track. I feel like you can run these places harder and that suits my driving style.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro at Dover International Speedway … Hermic will be making his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the ‘Monster Mile’ during this weekend’s 200-mile event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native finished third at Dover earlier this year. He has an average start of 8.0 and an average finish of 6.7 in three starts.
Rearview Mirror: Charlotte Roval … As the hometown favorite, Hemric had one of the strongest cars in the field during the inaugural race weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. The No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet was quick in the weekend’s practice sessions, qualified second, led four laps and earned the win in Stage 1. Hemric was going for the lead late in the race when he slid through the frontstretch chicane, which led to a stop-and-go penalty on the track. This set Hemric back to 17th with only a handful of laps remaining. He fought his way back to 10th by the time the checkered flag flew.
This Week at the South Point … Fans visiting the South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet have the opportunity to see stand-up comedian, actor and singer Robert Klein at The Showroom on October 5-7. Tickets and more information at southpointcasino.com.
Meet the Driver … Fans have the opportunity to see Hemric at the Xfinity Series autograph session on Saturday, Oct. 6, starting at 10 a.m. local time. The autograph session will take place at the Delaware Office of Highway Safety Display in the fan midway.
Getting Loopy … According to NASCAR’s season-to-date Loop Data, Hemric leads all Xfinity Series drivers in average running position (7.811) and laps in the top 15 (92.5 percent, 4,384 laps), he is also second-highest in percentage of laps run on the lead lap (95.41 percent, 4,572 of 4,737 laps) and quality passes (1,074).
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
You are second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs standings heading into the cut-off race for Round 1. How comfortable are you heading into Dover this weekend knowing there is a significant point gap between you and the last transfer spot?
“Dover is a place that I feel like we had a lot of speed the last time we were there. Every time we’ve been there with this No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet team we’ve had speed. Sitting where we are sitting in the points gives us a little bit of confidence to go there and still be aggressive and attack the track. You have to be aggressive and attack, but you still have to respect it. If we can treat it the way we have in the past and work on the balance of our car in practice we should have a good shot to contend for the win when it all shakes out on Saturday.”
Dover is known as the ‘Monster Mile.’ What is it about that one-mile track that is so challenging?
“Dover is the type of place that makes you feel the man inside yourself. You have to attack that place and get up on the edge of what you’re comfortable with and make it work in order to have speed – and do that for a long time. For whatever reason, concrete racing surfaces have fit my style and have fit the approach my crew chief Danny Stockman and I have when we set up a race car. Dover is a place that allows us to put all of that into full effect. We had a really strong race car there in the spring and I have had it circled on my calendar ever since we left because I really felt like we missed out on an opportunity to win the race. I am excited for the challenge of the Monster and hopefully we can tame it.”
