Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway… In 191 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, RCR has seven victories, including five by Dale Earnhardt (1985-fall, 1987-spring, 1988-spring, 1991-spring, and 1995-fall). Ricky Rudd won the fall race at Martinsville in 1983, which was RCR’s first Cup Series win on an oval. Kevin Harvick won the 2011 spring race at Martinsville, his first victory at the .526-mile paved speedway. The team owns 31 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes entering Sunday afternoon’s race.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Martinsville… RCR has one NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Martinsville Speedway. Kevin Harvick captured the 2006 event in dominating fashion, leading 149 of 250 laps. Clint Bowyer, Harvick’s teammate, finished a close second, crossing the finish line .271 seconds behind. Harvick and Bowyer combined to lead 207 of the event’s 250 laps enroute to a 1-2 finish. In 15 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, the Welcome, N.C., based team has one win, one pole, five top-five and seven top-10 finishes.
Did You Know? Martinsville Speedway is the closest track that hosts a NASCAR Cup Series points race to Richard Childress Racing. The track is just 55 miles from the team’s Welcome, N.C., headquarters.
Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, November 2, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Follow Sunday’s Action at Martinsville Speedway… The NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, November 3, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway… In 21 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Dillon boasts three top-five finishes. He earned his best finish of third in April 2022 at the half-mile short track after starting from the 23rd position. Dillon has made five appearances at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Truck Series, earning his best finish of third in October 2011.
About 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 united with 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/.
Meet Dillon… On Sunday, November 3 at 11:30 a.m. ET, Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at the NASCAR Experience Stage in the Fan Zone at Martinsville Speedway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at Martinsville Speedway this weekend?
“I am looking forward to racing at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. There has always been something special about going there for me. It’s a fun track. Martinsville has been good to our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet team over the years. With the new left-side tire compound, the car has changed quite a bit since last year, so the team is working hard to make sure we are prepared to take on the challenge. Martinsville is the smallest points track we race on so being aggressive will be key for 500 laps when the time calls for it. This time of year is my favorite to be in Virginia because of the great weather and of course, the famous hotdogs in Martinsville. There will be a lot of excitement for the fans in this race.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 39th NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet has two victories at the .526-mile oval (2016-spring and 2017-fall). His victory in 2016 came in dominating fashion. Busch led 352 of 500 laps and boasted an average running position in the race of 1.49, becoming the first driver to score a NASCAR national series sweep at Martinsville (he won the Truck Series race the day prior to his Cup victory). In 2017, Busch claimed his second Martinsville victory in NASCAR Overtime when he held off Martin Truex Jr. The Las Vegas, Nev., native has 17 top-five finishes and has two pole positions (2014 and 2018). He ranks third among active drivers with 1,429 laps led in Cup competition at Martinsville.
Did You Know? Entering this weekend’s race, Busch has been running at the finish in 37 consecutive Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway. He has 21 top-10 finishes at the Virginia short track, averaging a top-10 finish in 55.26 percent of those events.
About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
How important was it to participate in the recent tire test at Martinsville Speedway? Are you pleased with the tire compound chosen for this race?
“Anytime you’re able to get added track time, it is definitely beneficial. Track time is limited this day and age with not much practice and no open tests for everyone. I think we learned a few things at the test that will hopefully help us at the race. I feel like the tire compounds that were chosen are going to be better than what we had before.”
How rewarding would it be for you to put together a strong run at Martinsville Speedway?
“It would certainly be nice to get back on track with a good short track package and find some success at Martinsville Speedway again. I feel like my notes and laps at the recent test from Martinsville should help our team pay dividends to a strong run.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Martinsville Speedway, earning a ninth-place result earlier this season while piloting the No. 2 Chevrolet.
Last Chance to Advance… With one race remaining in the Round of 8, Love enters Martinsville Speedway in the sixth position in the Playoff driver championship point standings, 35 points below the fourth-place cutline.
Returning for More in 2025… Earlier this week, RCR and Whelen announced a continuation of their partnership in 2025. The global leader in the emergency warning industry for over 70 years will remain the anchor sponsor for Love and the No. 2 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
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 QUOTE:
With one race remaining in the Round of 8, what are your thoughts heading to Martinsville Speedway?
“I’m not sure if I thought we would run this good during the Playoffs after our summer stretch, but that’s a testament to the hard work that Danny Stockman and everyone at Richard Childress Racing has put in. We’ve had a great Round of 8 so far and still find ourselves 35 points below the cutline. It shows how good you have to be to make the Championship 4. We still have a shot to advance though, so our full focus has been on winning the race at Martinsville Speedway this Saturday. We already have two guys (Austin Hill and AJ Allmendinger) from Welcome, N.C. running for the championship and the No. 2 team is hoping to make it three.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway… Austin Hill has made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, posting one top-five and two top-10 finishes in 2022 while driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. The Winston, Georgia native also has 11 NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Ridgeway, Virginia facility, earning one top-five (second in 2021) and three top-10 finishes.
Moving On to the Champ 4… With last week’s dominating win at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the 30-year-old captured Stage 1, Stage 2, and the race victory, Hill has advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time in his career.
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, November 2 at 1:35 p.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Martinsville Speedway. Stop by to meet the Championship 4 driver before taking to the paperclip-shaped oval.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
With already being locked into the Championship 4, what is the outlook for this weekend at Martinsville Speedway?
“Not having to worry about Martinsville Speedway this weekend is a fun and new place to be for myself. To not have the pressure and stress that a lot of other drivers are going to have. Martinsville is a place that anything can happen even if you are up front and leading laps. A 20- or 30-point lead can go away in a flash. That is the biggest take away from our win last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. We still want to go win a clock this weekend, but our focus this week has definitely been on racing for a championship at Phoenix Raceway.”
