Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 181 NASCAR Cup Series starts on the pavement at Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has scored nine wins, seven by Dale Earnhardt (both races in 1985 and 1987, plus victories in 1988, 1994 and 1999) plus Kevin Harvick (2005) and Jeff Burton (2008). The organization has also racked up 35 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes.
Back in the Playoffs … Richard Childress Racing enters Bristol Motor Speedway with three victories in NASCAR’s elite NASCAR Cup Series during the 2022 season. The Welcome, N.C., based company has two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time since 2017 (Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman).
NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway … RCR has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series victories at Bristol led by four wins by Kevin Harvick (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005). Other drivers who have posted Bristol wins for the Welcome, N.C., based organization include Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008), Elliott Sadler (2012), Austin Dillon (2016) and Tyler Reddick (2019). The team has racked up 37 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes at the Tennessee short track.
Introducing the Carolina Cowboys … Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the PBR Team Series, an elite new league featuring the world’s top bull riders in games that began in July 2022. The team is operated by Richard Childress Racing with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager.
Catch the Action … The NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Friday, September 16, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Follow Sunday’s Action at Bristol … The NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, September 17 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race 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 Bristol Motor Speedway … In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a career-best fourth-place finish in August 2016. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile track with a win in 2016. He has also made three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway. This weekend’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race is the cutoff race for the Round of 16 in the NASCAR Playoffs, and Dillon enters the race below the cutoff line in 14th, just two points shy of advancing to the Round of 12.
Winner, Winner … Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface in 2021. He won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.
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:
What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?
“Anything can happen at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a short track and you can get caught up in things fast. Our goal as a team is to be consistent and to try and win and advance into the next round of the NASCAR Playoffs.”
You’re below the cutline, but within striking distance. Do you feel like you can battle your way into the next round?
“Yeah, for sure. Bristol is going to be wild and anything can happen. We’ve given ourselves a good shot. Nobody knows what to expect when we get there, but it’s a long race. If you’re there at the end of the day, you’ve got a good shot to make it.”
This Week’s Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start on pavement at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday evening. His best finish at the .533-mile speedway is fourth-place in 2020. Reddick had five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and Bristol, grabbing a win in 2019 and racking up four top-10 finishes. He claimed one top-10 finish and won one pole position in two Truck Series starts at Bristol. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet scored a second-place finish earlier this season on dirt at Bristol, one of nine top-fives he has racked up during the 2022 season.
NASCAR Playoff Outlook … Last weekend at Kansas Speedway, Reddick won his second pole position this season, third of his Cup Series career and first on an oval. He enters the Round 1 cutoff race at Bristol 11th in the Playoff standings, two points above the cutline.
The Flying Croissants Are Back! … Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the primary for Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen … Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of scratch-made meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, Homemade Chicken Pot Pie and Fall-off-the-Plate Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 170 restaurants in 28 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
When Tyler Wins, You Win Tenders! … When Reddick crosses the finish line first in the Cup Series and grabs the checkered flag, all NASCAR fans will win a FREE No. 8 Special Chicken Tender Platter at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen the Monday following the race with the purchase of an adult entree. Offer is valid for dine-in only. See cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full details.
Infield Takeover with Tyler at Bristol! … Tyler Reddick will be participating in an infield takeover on Friday afternoon, September 16, at Bristol Motor Speedway from 2-3 p.m. ET, so don’t be surprised if Reddick visits your campsite.
TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
This will be the first time the Next Gen car will be on the concrete surface at Bristol. What are your thoughts entering this weekend?
“Every race in this round is very important for us. We have some really good tracks in this playoff run. Bristol has always been a good track but it is a bit of an unknown with this car. When I look at the trend of this car at the smaller tracks, you know, Bristol has always been an exciting place but I am certainly concerned with what the racing will look like. It may not be as crazy as some expect. There’s a lot of grip, we don’t have to peddle the car at all. We were actually working on Bristol a little bit on Saturday at Kansas. At first I was surprised, like wow, this is a lot of grip. It feels like you’re off the gas pedal as much as you would be on a mile-and-a-half. I think the speeds are going to be high enough there that I just don’t think someone is going to be able to move someone out of the way there. You’re pretty much going to have to go in there and hope you hit the guy because if you don’t, you’re going to go flying up into the wall and crash. It could be chaotic and if things stack up you could have some action but I don’t think it’s going to be the type of race where people are moving each other out the way because I don’t think you’re going to be able to get there.”
This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Sheldon Creed will head to Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career. Creed has made three starts at the track during his time in the NASCAR Truck Series. In those three starts, he tallied a best finish of sixth in 2019 and in 2021, he started from the pole. He led 189 laps in 2021, too.
Playoff Goals … This weekend marks the last race before the start of the Playoffs, which means this is Creed’s last chance to make it into the 12-driver post-season field. He is in a close battle with Landon Cassill and Ryan Sieg. Creed is currently 32 points below the cutline, in 13th. His only way to make the Playoff field is with a win.
Whelen Celebrates 70 Years … From a small garage workshop in Connecticut in 1952 to a worldwide leader in emergency warning equipment today, Whelen Engineering continues to push the boundaries of innovation. As we mark our 70th anniversary, we’re proud to continue our founder’s mission of making it safer for those who serve and protect. Whelen has been manufacturing in America for 70 years—we never left, and we’re here to stay.
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:
You are in a close battle for the final Playoff position. Does that change your approach to the race?
“I mean, points racing is never fun. We’re just going to go out there and do our best, like this team always does. We’re going to show up with the best Whelen Chevrolet we can and treat it like we’re going to the Championship 4. We just need be on our A game and stay focused on the ultimate goal at Bristol, winning. We need to go out and practice well and qualify in a good spot to get max stage points and give ourselves a shot to win at the end. I’ve been doing a lot of research with my team, working hard on strategy and preparation for the race. We were looking at where Myatt Snider ran last year at Bristol and previous years with RCR because they’ve been pretty decent there. I’ve been doing my homework with Josh Wise this week, working in the simulator and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got this weekend.”
This Week’s Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Austin Hill will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night in the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. Hill has made six starts at the Tennessee track during his time in the NASCAR Truck Series. In those six starts, he has a best finish of 10th from 2019. Hill is currently locked into the Playoffs, which start next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for the Xfinity Series. With his two wins, nine top fives and 15 top-10 finishes, Hill is currently sixth in the Playoff standings.
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.
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week … This week is an important time to pay respect and thank all the professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in undertaking one of our economy’s most demanding jobs. They ensure that things are delivered securely, safely and on time. Bennett and RCR thank all truck drivers and honor them this week. Check out the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway with a special message to truck drivers.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
You’re making your debut at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend in the Xfinity Series. Are you looking forward to the race and will you race differently knowing there are guys battling for the final Playoff spot?
“Well, I wouldn’t say that I’d race any different. We’re still out there competing for points and wins, just like everyone else, but I’m not going to wreck anyone or try to get myself in a position around those guys battling for that spot. I want to be there to help my teammate, Sheldon Creed, because he’s one of those guys. Obviously, we want him in the Playoffs, competing with us so if I can help him out, I will. Other than that, I’m focused on practicing well and getting a good starting position. Since I’ve never been to Bristol in an Xfinity car and the track is so unique. It’s definitely going to be a wild race and our team is ready. We’ve been studying and working hard in the simulator so I’m looking forward to it.”
