Richard Childress Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway … In 152 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and three pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory on March 11, 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Hampton, Ga.-based track under the RCR banner. Additionally, RCR boasts 29 top-five and 59 top-10 finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and RCR-prepared Chevrolets have led 2,955 laps at the ultra-fast, 1.54-mile oval. Richard Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, recorded his best finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, ninth, in the Atlanta Journal 500 on Nov. 2, 1980.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series … RCR has recorded three wins, two by Jeff Burton (2006 and 2007) and one by Kevin Harvick (2013) in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Harvick scored a dominating victory, leading 132 of 195 laps (67.7 percent) and his average running position was 2.85. The organization has racked up 13 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes over a span of 52 starts.
Introducing the Next Gen … NASCAR’s Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which officially debuted in 2022, is a collaboration of the brightest engineering minds in racing. With technology at the forefront, Richard Childress Racing has played a unique and critical role in helping to bring this new on-track identity to life, working closely with OEMs, other teams and NASCAR to build and test the initial prototype.
Catch Saturday’s Action … The Nalley Cars 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, March 19 at 5 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Follow Sunday’s Action in Atlanta … The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be televised live on Sunday, March 20 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway … In 10 NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is sixth in March 2021. He finished 12th in his most recent appearance to the track in July 2021. He has earned top-10 finishes in each of his three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track and four NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track.
Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.
Bass Pro Shops … 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.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Atlanta Motor Speedway is an intermediate track designed to race like a superspeedway. How do you think the Next Gen car will race there?
“I have no clue on this one. I watched a couple laps of the test that they had, and I’ve heard people say that we’re going to be wide open and speedway racing on a mile and a half, and it’s gripped up. We’ll just have to see what that really is like. I just hope it’s not a train race because Atlanta Motor Speedway has been a great track in the past with the old, worn-out asphalt. Our best races have come from places that have ancient asphalt that tears up tires. It can be a great race or it could be a race where we just try to make it through it. I’m assuming with it being speedway-style and handling is up, there’s going to be some aggressive driving and some blocks made, and there’s potential to wipe out a bunch of cars. We’ll just see how it works out.”
You’ve been in the NASCAR Cup Series fulltime since 2014. When you think about your evolution as a driver, how much would you say you’ve grown?
“I definitely feel like I’ve gotten more experienced in the NASCAR Cup Series over the years. I’ve been doing this for a while now. I’ve grown as a human in general from the time I came into this sport until now. I think the experience pays off in certain situations. I feel pretty good where I’m at right now. I don’t think I would go back in time if I could. It would be nice if I would have known some of the unknowns during my early years. Experience wise, I wouldn’t trade a minute of what I’ve gained. I’m still willing to go run it 200 mph into the corner, flip into a catchfence, and go race the next weekend. I haven’t lost any of the drive and I’m enjoying where I’m at. I think I’ve got some good years ahead of me with the experience I’ve gained over all of these years, and with all the changes to these cars. I’ve seen a lot of different things, such as different guys leaving the sport and coming into the sport. Overall, I love where I’m at.”
This Week’s 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will make his fourth start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. His first start at the Georgia track came in 2020 for Richard Childress Racing. Most recently, Reddick finished sixth in the Fall race at Atlanta last season after starting from the seventh position. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Reddick made two starts at Atlanta with a best finish of fifth in 2019. In the NASCAR Truck Series, he also made two starts at the track with a best finish of fifth coming in 2015.
Movin’ On Up … Last weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Reddick and the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet team grabbed their first top-five finish of the season. Reddick finished third and battled for the win at the end of the race. In four races so far this season, Reddick had one top five and two top 10s and has led 90 laps. Each week, his results get better. Reddick also jumped to the No. 1 spot in the NASCAR Power Rankings after his performance last week.
3CHI Blazes the Trail for Another Industry First … 3CHI and Richard Childress Racing created another first with their partnership for the 2022 NASCAR season. 3CHI began with roots as a CBD producer and quickly became a pioneer in science-based hemp and cannabis innovation. The company was the first to commercially develop and market Delta 8 THC, and today, 3CHI is an industry leader with unsurpassed product quality and purity as verified by top independent labs and benchmark organizations. 3CHI products are sold in a majority of the United States, and the company produces and markets a variety of gummies, tinctures, lotions, edibles and vape products. All 3CHI products meet federal requirements for full legal compliance, with a commitment to promoting responsible adult use. See 3CHI.com for more information.
TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
You earned a third-place finish at Phoenix Raceway last weekend, coming up just a little bit short of winning. How has that motivated you heading into a new race weekend?
“It may not have been the win that we are working toward, but it was a really great day at Phoenix Raceway, and It was a lot of fun. It was a great feeling to claw back from the earlier hiccup in that race. Everyone on this No. 8 team just never gives up, never stops grinding. One miscue took us from second to 12th and we were able to rally back to the front because of how good our pit crew was and how fast our car was. That’s a nod to my team and the guys at the shop. To be battling for the win like that is even more motivation. We have continued to learn from every race and implement that to the next one. These cars are challenging to drive and it’s hard to know how hard you can push it sometimes, but it’s been a challenge that we’ve faced head on, and the results are showing it. The motivation has always been there. It just gets greater and greater each week, especially when you’re battling for a win. No one really knows what to expect this weekend so practice and qualifying will be crucial but I’m ready and excited for it.”
With the new Next Gen car and the new configuration at Atlanta Motor Speedway, how do you think the race on Sunday will play out?
“It’s a headscratcher for me. My understanding is that it’s going to be a completely new experience, not just from the old Atlanta but just the style of racing that we’ve ever had across any of the speedways before. It’s going to have the banking to hold you in the corners like a speedway, but you don’t have long straightaways. Especially at Atlanta, the corners have always been long there, carrying a lot of speed at that racetrack even as the old surface aged. I truly don’t know what it means. I don’t know if it’s going to feel and drive just like the old 550 package did, I don’t know if it will be a race like that. I don’t know if it’s going to be a true, straight up superspeedway race either. For us and where we’re at compared to the Fords and Toyotas, I’m really hoping it isn’t a superspeedway-type style of race even though we are operating with that horsepower package because we definitely can’t lock up as well, push as well, as the Toyotas and Fords can. Even at a place like Daytona, me and my teammate Austin Dillon were trying to do what the Fords were, and we about crashed four or five times. So, at a place like Atlanta, that will be even more challenging so it could be a very interesting race for us. I don’t know how it’s going to play out, but practice is 50 minutes, and it will really show us what the race will look like.”
This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Creed will be making his first Atlanta Motor Speedway start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend. In three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Atlanta, Creed’s best finish was fifth in 2021. The Alpine, Calif., native has two top-10 finishes in four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts this season and is 14th in the Series’ driver standings.
About Whelen … Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
SHELDON CREED QUOTE:
What are you anticipating the race at Atlanta on Saturday to look like?
“I’m really excited to get down to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. The track has been repaved and redesigned so it will be brand new for everyone. I don’t think anyone really knows what to expect. I think our Whelen Chevrolet will be fast and I’m really confident we can bounce back after a tough weekend at Phoenix. Hopefully we can start putting together a string of solid finishes beginning this weekend in Atlanta.”
This Week’s Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Hill will be making his first Atlanta Motor Speedway start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday afternoon. In six NASCAR Truck Series starts at Atlanta, Hill has finished second twice and has earned three top-10 finishes. He is currently 11th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ driver standings and has clinched a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs with his victory in the season-opening event at Daytona.
Georgia on The Mind … Bennett Transportation and Logistics is based in nearby McDonough – about 15 minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hill, who is from Winston, is also a native of the Peach State.
About Bennett Family of Companies … McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 12 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. The company will use race experiences to recruit and retain hundreds of truck drivers for their organization in 2022. For more information, visit www.Drive4Bennett.com.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
What are you expecting the racing to be like this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“I’ve done some simulator time with Chevy and it looks like you’re wide-open on this new Atlanta configuration. The one thing I’d compare it to would be like running Trucks at Michigan. When we ran Trucks at Michigan you were wide-open but aero was a big thing and keeping clean air was huge. With Atlanta being a hometown race for me I want to go win it.”
This is a big race for your primary sponsor, Bennett Transportation and Logistics, which is located in nearby McDonough.
“Bennett Transportation and Logistics is located 15 minutes down the road from Atlanta Motor Speedway. There’s going to be a lot of guests at the track this weekend and I want to do well for them. I think this is a huge deal for those folks so to be able to go out there and run up front all day is important. I can’t wait to see all the guests that they have at the track. I think it’s going to be a cool weekend.”
