Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 155 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing boasts nine wins – seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton – three pole awards, 33 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has led 3,665 laps at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,651 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 470 top-five finishes and 1,010 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16th. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint 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.
The Collective RCR … RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 10th (Dillon), 19th (Newman) and 21st (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Run with Us … Will you be in North Carolina for the Charlotte races in May? Sign up now for the RCR/ECR 5K presented by Performance Springs, Inc. benefiting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma on May 21 at 8:30 a.m. at RCR Headquarters in Welcome, N.C. RCR and ECR Engines employees are passionate about their health and running, and want you to join us to help Save Injured Kids. Register now at saveinjuredkids.org/5k/.
Catch the Action … The Food City 500 will be televised live Saturday, April 17 beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops / Ranger Boats Chevrolet SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 526 in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dillon’s teammate Paul Menard drove this RCR-prepared Chevrolet to a 15th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway … In four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon posted his best finish of 10th in April 2015 after starting 12th, which is also his best starting position at the track. His best NASCAR XFINITY Series finish in six starts is third in August 2014. He has two starts at BMS in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, finishing 17th in 2010 and 23rd in 2011.
#BroVsBro … Dillon and his younger brother, Ty, will both race Bass Pro-branded entries this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking the first time the brothers will sport the iconic Bass Pro Shops logo on the hood of their Sprint Cup Series Chevrolets in the same race during their careers. Austin’s No. 3 Chevrolet SS features Ranger Boats for the first time of his racing career. Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation’s premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish ‘n play, waterfowl utility and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
Meet The Dillons … Meet Austin and Ty Dillon at the Bass Pro Shops display located in the Bristol Motor Speedway Midway area on Sunday at 9:20 a.m. Eastern Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What’s the difference between racing at Bristol during the day and racing Bristol at night?
“At night, the handling of the car is a lot better. During the day, you slide around a lot more than you do at night. I think you can use the bottom of the track a little bit more during the day because the top doesn’t stay as dominate for as long. Either way, you have to be patient and stay out of wrecks and in the race. You have to keep yourself going to be there at the end. We ran third there last year on the final restart and ended up running out of fuel. We fought through the entire race and put ourselves in a good position for the end of the race.”
This Week’s Tarkett / Menards Chevrolet SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … For this weekend’s 500-lap event at Bristol Motor Speedway, Menard will pilot chassis No. 527. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet SS saw the race track once in 2015 at Texas Motor Speedway in November where Menard started 20th and finished 13th.
Menard in Bristol … The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native has one top-five and six top-10 finishes in 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”. He has led 100 laps and completed 99.7 percent of laps in competition.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
How mentally draining is Bristol Motor Speedway?
“In the last couple of years, we’ve seen the outside line right by the wall is the place to go. You kind of get into a rhythm when you run up by the fence at Bristol. You lift early and accelerate lightly to get your momentum built up. If your car is working on the bottom then you can dive bomb it and make the slide jobs work. It’s got a little bit more room than Martinsville (Speedway), but not much.”
Is it frustrating as a driver when the outside line is the place to be but you’ve got to make a pass from the bottom line?
“You’ll see guys try to work the bottom line for a few laps and if you don’t succeed then you just have to get back in line. Once your tires are cooled down then you can make another run at it. It gets frustrating but there’s more room to work there than Martinsville. Everyone is basically working that outside groove, so it’s kind of the opposite of Martinsville because everyone is fighting for that outside lane.”
This Week’s WIX Filters Chevrolet SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 520 in Sunday’s 500-lap event. This is the second time this season the car will be in action for Newman and the 31 team. Last month at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Newman started 21st and finished 13th.
Newman at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile … Newman will make his 520th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the Series returns to Bristol’s bullring. In 28 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Bristol Motor Speedway, Newman owns three pole awards including the spring races in 2003 and 2004 as well as the fall event in 2011. He has earned two top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. His best result of second place came on August 28, 2004. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 10.9 and average finish of 16.2. He’s led a total of 112 laps in competition. And in the XFINITY Series, he owns one pole (fall 2006) and a 2005 victory in the fall race.
WIX Filters … WIXFilters provides technical support for both RCR and ECR Engines by supplying air and oil filters as well as providing research and development support. RCR’s relationship with WIX Filters started back in the late 1960s and in 2011 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the No. 1 filter in motorsports began its association with Ryan Newman.
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See Newman … On Sunday, he is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session at the Team Chevy display at 10:00 a.m. located in the Bristol midway.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to success at Bristol?
“The key is just having a good smooth rolling car because you have to get through the center of the corners. It is kind of like Martinsville Speedway but a whole lot faster. You have got to get in the corner. You have to get off the corner but you have to also roll the center. Plus, you have to stay out of people’s problems basically whether it’s caused by road rage or a simple short-track superspeedway accident that seem to happen there from time to time. You just never know. You have to be on your toes the entire day and that’s probably one of the biggest challenges at Bristol.”
What is the hardest thing or place to figure out about Bristol?
“Sometimes it’s track position. Sometimes it’s just easy to pass and sometimes it’s not. It’s really a fun track since they’ve changed it because you can end up running next to the wall and then running at the bottom for a few laps. It’s all about seeing if you are better at the bottom than most and getting by a few guys while they are trying to get by you on the high side. It’s a different Bristol from what we grew up with but it’s still a fun Bristol.”
What was the first impression of Bristol before you ever took a lap there?
“It was special but it wasn’t the most intimidating short track for me. My home track, Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Ind., was a half-mile, true 30 degrees of banking. We did it in 14-and-a-half seconds in a midget. To me, Winchester Speedway was more intimidating than Bristol. With that said, Bristol still is fast and a lot of fun to drive. It’s where I got the nickname, Rocketman.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 76 Series starts at the half-mile speedway, RCR has captured seven victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005), Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008) and Elliott Sadler (2012). The Welcome, N.C., organization has completed 19,494 laps of the 20,259 (96.2 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated five pole awards, 28 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes, led 1,776 laps and averages a starting position of 9.6 and finishing position of 11.4.
Texas Review … Austin Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in eighth, Brandon Jones was ninth, Brendan Gaughan 12th and Ty Dillon 13th, respectively, in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Dash4Cash … This weekend’s XFINITY Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway marks the first of four Dash4Cash events. Prior to the start of the race, drivers will compete in two heat races to determine the 40-car lineup for the main event. The two highest finishing XFINITY Series regulars from each heat race will qualify for that event’s Dash4Cash award, a $100,000 bonus.
The Points … All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 10 of the driver point standings as the Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for the seventh event of the season. Brandon Jones is currently fourth, Ty Dillon is sixth and Brendan Gaughan is seventh. The No. 2 RCR team is second in the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, April 16, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX Sports 1. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 163 in the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dillon drove this Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February.
Bristol Nuggets … In five previous XFINITY Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has earned two top-five finishes. The RCR driver holds an average starting position of 4.8 coupled with an average finishing position of 9.2.
Rheem Fast Fact … Rheem has developed a new line of water heaters that connect to your home’s Wi-Fi for easier consumer use. With the new Wi-Fi connection, consumers can save on average $100 per year by using the smart controls feature on the EcoNet app.
No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With six XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has one victory, four top-five and six top-10 finishes with six laps led to their credit.Dillon returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 2 Chevrolet next weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How much has the repave changed the racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“It’s a totally different kind of racing than we’re used to seeing since the repave. We used to move guys up out of the bottom groove but now, you move them out of the top line. Everyone’s fighting for the same line, the one right against the top of the race track. I enjoy going there. It’s going to be interesting to see how the car handles at Bristol with the new low down force package. I think we’ll have to drive a little differently on entry with this package. When you lose the side-force up against the wall, you’ll be in the wall quite a bit.
This Week’s Red Kap/Kohls.com Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 168 for this weekend’s Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at Atlanta Motor Speedway where Dillon finished fifth.
Dillon in the XFINITY Series at Bristol Motor Speedway … In five NASCAR XFINITY Series starts, Dillon has never finished worse than seventh. Dillon has five top-10 finishes and three top-five finishes, including three top-five finishes in a row. In three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Dillon has one top-10 finish.
#BroVsBro … Dillon and his younger older brother, Austin, will both race Bass Pro-branded entries this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking the first time that the brothers will sport the iconic Bass Pro Shops logo on the hood of their Sprint Cup Series Chevrolets in the same race during their careers. Ty, racing in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing, has partnered with the Outdoor World superstore dating back to his early racing days in Legends and Bandolero cars. He is filling in for the injured Tony Stewart.
#Dash4Cash … This weekend marks the first XFINITY #Dash4Cash event of the season. Dillon is a former winner of the Dash4Cash; he won the $100,000 bonus in July 2014 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What is it that you like about Bristol?
“I think anyone who says they are a NASCAR fan likes Bristol. I’ve loved the place since I was a kid and I’ve loved racing there in the Camping World truck and XFINITY Series. The level of racing is great; it’s challenging, fast and fun. It’s the only track that I have to remind myself to breath. We’ve had some success there in the past, and I’m really looking forward to getting back to Bristol. It would be a great place to score a win.”
How are you preparing for the #Dash4Cash race this weekend?
“This is something very new to the NASCAR XFINITY Series, but I’m super excited about it. I grew up dirt racing and heat racing was always a part of the format of how we competed. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but we’ve already started to strategize for this race. It’s unique in a sense that the main race is a lot shorter. There definitely is a lot less room for error. We’re going to have to be perfect. Qualify well. Make the right adjustments. I’m really looking forward to the next two races with this format.”
This Week’s Check Into Cash Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Brandon Jones will pilot Chassis No. 169 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro was driven by Jones at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February where he started 19th and finished 11th.
Tennessee Facts … Jones made his first start at the half-mile bullring last fall with RCR and finished 13th. The RCR driver has made three additional starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and earned his best finish of fifth last fall. Jones also has three starts to his credit at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East garnering one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
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Rearview Mirror: Texas … Jones earned his fourth top-10 starting position of the year at Texas Motor Speedway when he qualified the No. 33 Chevrolet in the ninth spot. Jones visited pit road during caution periods for adjustments to help alleviate the tight-handling condition he was experiencing. Despite a continued battle against a tight-handling Chevrolet, Jones drove the No. 33 RCR entry to a ninth-place finish.
Meet the Driver … Jones is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage on Friday, April 15 beginning at 2:15 p.m. Local Time. Fans will also have the opportunity to meet Jones at the XFINITY display on Saturday, April 16 at 8:45 a.m. Local Time at Bristol Motor Speedway.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
What should the fans expect to see with heat races and a main event at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend?
“I think you’ll see a lot of drivers go for it in the heat races and get the Dash 4 Cash qualifying positions. It’s a really neat format for us XFINITY Series drivers. I’m excited to see how it plays out. The fans almost get three races for the price of one. There’s going to be a lot of action in the heat races, and I know the main event won’t disappoint.”
It seems like you’re always in traffic at Bristol. Is that one of those races that’s mentally and physically draining on drivers?
“You are always in traffic, and you can’t ever get out of it. Sometimes you’re concentrating so hard on the traffic around you that you forget what corner of the track you’re in. Your spotter is always important during the race, but this is one of the tracks where they’re critical in keeping you out of trouble. I drove the No. 33 Chevrolet for RCR last year in the fall race at Bristol. It’s nice to go back to a track that I’ve run at before. We had a decent run last year, but I feel confident we can run even better this time around.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 166 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, qualifying eighth and finishing 10th. In four previous starts, the Camaro averages a starting position and finishing position of 9.7.
The Great Colosseum … In nine NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Gaughan has completed 2,435 laps of the 2,556 (95.3 percent) that he has competed. The Las Vegas native has earned four top-10 finishes, during the past two XFINITY Series seasons with RCR. In March 2009, Gaughan started from the pole position. The 40-year-old driver also has eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the half-mile concrete oval, earning three top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Did You Know? … In the first six races of the season, Gaughan and the No. 62 RCR Chevrolet average a starting position of 10.3 and a finishing position of 10.8.
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BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
Bristol Motor Speedway, Do you like it?
“Oh, it’s Bristol, that’s all you have to say. I think it is statistically one of the top-five tracks of my career. I love that place, Bristol is just so much fun. They have that colossus TV screen this year, and they are hosting a football game there later this year. Bristol is Bristol, all you have to do is say the word Bristol, and you will bring a smile to most fans, and even drivers faces.”
You earned two Top-10s’ there last year, what makes you so successful?
“I don’t know, I just love the place. I love the new track, I wish they hadn’t ground the top. It would have given us an extra lane. It is still great though, you can run bottom to top. I think the racing is better now than it ever has been. If you really look at the history of it, it’s great short track racing. We still bump and run, but who would have ever thought at Bristol we could be three-wide battling for position. That’s what I love most about it, the racing is better than it ever has been there.”
