Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway… In 145 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has eight wins, all by Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt claimed the checkered flag in 1986 (spring), both races in 1987, 1989 (fall), another sweep in 1990 plus spring events in 1993 and 1994. RCR drivers have 26 top-five and 48 top-10 finishes at the historic South Carolina speedway.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at The Lady in Black… Richard Childress Racing is looking to find Victory Lane for the first time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington Raceway. Austin Hill owns back-to-back second-place finishes in his two most recent starts at the track. The Welcome, N.C. based team has 14 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes.
Catch Saturday’s Action… The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 will be televised live on Saturday, August 31, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Watch Sunday’s Show… The Southern 500 will be televised live on Sunday, September 1 beginning at 6 p.m. ET on USA. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington Raceway… Austin Dillon has made 16 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best second-place finish in September 2020 when he missed Victory Lane by a narrow margin over Kevin Harvick. Dillon has completed 98 percent of the laps competed in the NASCAR Cup Series at the historic venue. Dillon also had a fourth-place finish in 2017. Dillon has made four appearances at The Lady in Black in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010.
Welcome Toys for Tots… Toys for Tots, a 77-year National charitable Program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, provides year-round joy, comfort, and hope to economically disadvantaged children across the Nation through the gift of a new toy or book. Providing toys, books, and other gifts to disadvantaged children offers recognition, confidence, and a positive memory for a lifetime. Such experiences help children become responsible citizens and caring members of their community. Since 1947, the Program has evolved and grown exponentially, delivering hope and Christmas magic to over 301 million children in need. The Marine Toys for Tots Program also provides support year-round to families experiencing challenges and exceptional circumstances, thus fulfilling the hopes and dreams of millions of disadvantaged children beyond the holidays. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.
Toys for Tots 97:3 Program… The 97:3 Program to Support Ratio means that 97 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to support the Toys for Tots mission of providing gifts for economically disadvantaged children, with not a single donated dollar going toward salaries or labor costs. Donate online to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation at www.toysfortots.org/donate/.
Meet Dillon… On Saturday, August 31 at 4 p.m. ET, the Coca-Cola Racing driver is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Coca-Cola at Walmart (251 Andover Place, Darlington, SC 29532).
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on Darlington Raceway?
“Darlington Raceway is one of my favorite tracks and I love racing there. It’s a racer’s track, and the history there is so special. It’s one of the hardest races to win. I have finished second there in the past, so we want to improve on that. We need to qualify well on Saturday because track position is extremely important, and a good pit stall can make a difference in the race. The track gets slick and wears tires quite a bit. The key to Darlington Raceway is trying to race the track and not the competition. It would be nice to knock another Crown Jewel off. I’ve got two of them and another one would be pretty special to take the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet to Victory Lane Sunday night.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro at Darlington Raceway… Kyle Busch will make his 26th NASCAR Cup Series start at Darlington Raceway. The Las Vegas native scored his first victory at the historic track in 2008, which came in just his fourth start at the egg-shaped speedway. During that win, Busch led a race-high 169 of 367 laps and crossed the finish line over three seconds ahead of second-place Carl Edwards. Entering this weekend’s event, Busch has recorded six top-five and 14 top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway. He ranks third overall among current drivers in laps led at Darlington (899).
Did You Know? Busch is the youngest NASCAR Cup Series race winner in the 74-year history of Darlington Raceway. Busch was 23 years, 0 months, and 8 days old when he captured the checkered flag at the South Carolina speedway in 2008.
Points Update… Busch currently holds the 16th position in the Cup Series regular season driver point standings, 106 points below the Playoff cutline. Entering the final race of NASCAR’s regular season, Busch must win on Sunday to qualify for the Playoffs.
About Morgan & Morgan… As America’s largest injury law firm, Morgan & Morgan has recovered more than $15 billion for over 300,000 clients. Throughout the United States, our attorneys fulfill our “For The People” commitment in over 50 practice areas, including national mass torts and class actions, labor and employment, civil rights, and product liability, among many others. We co-counsel with hundreds of other law firms, who refer thousands of cases to us. Our firm has taken on some of the biggest corporations across the globe, including BP, Facebook, Google, Monsanto, and Lockheed Martin, and recovered billions in complex national litigation, including $1.8 billion in the Porter Ranch Gas Leak case in 2021. Learn more at www.forthepeople.com.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
Do you think you can win at Darlington Raceway this weekend?
“We certainly want to. We ran good there the first time I ran with these RCR guys early last year, but we struggled mightily earlier this year. We’ll just have to go with hopefully a really good package that works and get our job done.”
What were your first impressions about racing at Darlington Raceway as an Xfinity Series rookie in 2003?
“I would say my first impressions of Darlington in 2003 were just how narrow the track was for how fast you were going around there and the lack of grip. It was pretty intimidating for an 18-year old to go into a place like that and run right up next to the wall but make sure you take care of your right side and not hit the wall hard enough to have damage.”
Is Darlington Raceway a track where you benefit from running either a Truck or Xfinity Series car before the Cup race?
“I do think that Darlington is a track that you can benefit from running the Trucks or the Xfinity race because you can get that extra seat time. You can feel out to where the wall is, the grip level, and just being able to anticipate how things will change throughout a run or the race and how to stay on top of it.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Darlington Raceway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Darlington Raceway, driving the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet to an eighth-place result earlier this season. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader posted the respectable finish after practice and qualifying were rained out, forcing his first laps at the track “Too Tough to Tame” to be during the race.
Whelen Everyday Champion… The Whelen Everyday Champion program celebrates community heroes and allows Whelen the opportunity to show their respect and deep gratitude for the acts of those who work tirelessly to make their communities better and safer places to live. Each year, Whelen honors one individual or team who exemplifies bravery, selflessness, and dedication by inducting them into the Whelen Hall of Champions at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. Nominate your Everyday Champion before September 6 at www.whelen.com/evc/.
About Whelen Engineering… 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.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
Returning to Darlington Raceway for the second and final time in 2024, what is the outlook?
“Our No. 2 Whelen team should be good going back to Darlington Raceway for a second time. I thought we were pretty good earlier this season, but we’ve gotten our car even better since then. Our sim work has been solid leading into this weekend. Overall, Darlington is a place I enjoy going to though. Running the top fits my driving style and Danny (Stockman, crew chief) has had success there throughout his career as well. It’s a place that we can compete for a win.”
With practice and qualifying being rained out in the spring, do you think that extra time this weekend will help?
“I don’t see why not. Our car is going to be pretty close when we unload, but it will still be good for me to have reps behind the wheel and see which way our car is going to trend. We are going to Darlington with a little different package than we had earlier this season, so I think that should help us tune in for the long run. Qualifying will be important for track position, and I think I can get a good starting spot for our team.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Darlington Raceway… Austin Hill has made six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington Raceway, earning a top-10 result in each event. In the last two races at the historic South Carolina track (fall 2023, spring 2024), the Winston, Georgia native has driven the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet to consecutive second-place results. Hill has also competed in three NASCAR Truck Series races at Darlington, posting a best finish of third in 2020.
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 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.
Meet Hill… On Saturday, August 31 at 12:35 p.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Darlington Raceway. Stop by to get your No. 21 gear and have Hill sign the items purchased.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
What makes Darlington Raceway so difficult?
“Darlington Raceway is a tough place to get around. Tire wear is a big issue there and we always see a good amount of tire fall off. You have to make the decision of how hard you are going to push at the beginning of a run or how much you are willing to fall off at the end of a run. It’s always a game of chess to position yourself around other guys who may have made the same decision as you. How hard are they pushing right now compared to me. You want to stay under the limit of the tire and not overstep the right front or right rear to burn it off too early. I personally love to race on any tracks that have an old, worn-out surface where you see a lot of tire fall off. You see a lot of strategies play out differently. It’s a very unique racetrack that no other racetrack can mimic.”
Would you rather be better in Turns 1 and 2 or Turns 3 and 4?
“In racing, your car is never going to be 100% perfect. Drivers will always complain about something, whether the car is too tight, too loose, or doing something that we don’t like. For me, when I go into Darlington weekend, I focus on how my car is driving in Turns 3 and 4. I hope I can just get through Turns 1 and 2 but be really strong on the other end. Everyone gets through Turns 1 and 2 fairly decent. You can move your line around to make up speed. But in Turns 3 and 4, you have to turn really well and have drive on exit with how tight the overall corner is. When you see guys who win races at Darlington, I feel like they are really strong in Turns 3 and 4.”
