Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Texas Motor Speedway … In 94 starts at Texas Motor Speedway dating back to 1997, RCR has recorded one win (Jeff Burton, April 2007), eight top-five and 30 top-10 finishes with drivers Burton, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Green, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman. Prior to Texas Motor Speedway’s inaugural season in 1997, Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, earned a pair of top-10 finishes at the now defunct Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. RCR NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams boast an average starting position of 19.6, an average finishing position of 16.6 and have completed 30,518 of the 31,468 contested laps (97 percent) with 140 laps led at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth-based racetrack.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,727 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 474 top-five finishes and 1,028 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.0. 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 … Dillon ranks 11th in the Chase standings, while Newman ranks 18th and Menard ranks 25th in the driver championship point standings.
Does your hospital have the right tools? … The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma launched “The Right Tools” video featuring Richard Childress Racing pit crew members to highlight the need to equip all emergency medical providers with the tools to save the lives of injured children. Pit crew members performed their typical pit stop but were then given everyday car tools to do a second pit stop to show how important speed and the right tools are when every second counts. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/ChildressInstitute.
Catch the Action … The AAA Texas 500 is scheduled to be televised live on NBC beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Realtree/Bad Boy Off Road Chevrolet SS at Texas Motor Speedway … Dillon has seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts to his credit at Texas Motor Speedway and earned his best finish of 11th at the track in in November 2015. In eight XFINITY Series starts, Dillon has not finished worse than seventh at the 1.5-mile track, acquiring his best finish of third in April 2013 and November 2015 (polesitter). In four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Texas, Dillon has earned two top-five finishes, one pole award and has led 76 laps.
Welcome, Realtree … Realtree’s presence on the No. 3 Chevrolet this weekend continues a friendship between the Dillon/Childress family and Realtree designer and president Bill Jordan that dates as far back as 1997 when the world’s leading camouflage designer, marketer, and licensor first began sponsoring No. 3 Chevrolets fielded by Childress and driven by Dale Earnhardt.
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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to greet race fans at the Rheem display located in the Texas Motor Speedway fan midway on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 9:30 a.m. Central Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
Do you think you can bring anything to Texas Motor Speedway that you learned there in the spring or do things just change way too much during the summer months?
“We have a lot of different stuff since the last time we were there so we’ll bring our new package and we’ll see where it turns out. I think our mile-and-a-half program is pretty solid. We’ve been going over Texas this week to see where we can get better as a group and try to get the best finish we can out of it. Texas Motor Speedway continues to get rougher and has been. It’s important to have a car that is capable of running through those bumps and not fall off as you run. It’s a fun, fast track and we can really make some gains there.”
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Are you confident you’ve made gains over the summer that will help your Texas package for this weekend?
“Texas has always been a good track for me. It’s a fast track in qualifying trim. The tires really wear out over the course of a run and slow the speeds down, so you can slide around and search for different grooves. It’s a racer’s track and one that’s been good to me in the past.”
Is there anything about Charlotte Motor Speedway that is comparable to Texas?
“Not really. We tried a few experimental things in Charlotte a few weeks ago, and we learned that we won’t be taking it to Texas. That’s about all we can cross over between the two racetracks. The tracks are pretty different. Charlotte has a lot more grip and a lot less tire fall off. You still move around some, but it’s nothing like Texas.”
Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet SS at Texas Motor Speedway … Newman will make his 546th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series embarks on its 34th event of the season. He is also looking to capture his second-career victory at TMS when he makes his 27th Sprint Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile track. His win came in the spring of 2003. The Rocket Man also won the pole for both Sprint Cup Series events in 2005 to complete the sweep. In total, he owns three top-five and five top-10 finishes. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 16.0 and average finish of 18.7.
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Meet Ryan … Newman is scheduled to sign autographs at the Rheem display located in the Texas Motor Speedway fan midway on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. local time.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Texas Motor Speedway?
“What I like about Texas Motor Speedway is it provides drivers with a lot of options. You can move around and find a line that your car responds to and it’s really versatile so you can get around somebody. It’s also fast- really fast – so aero is also an important part of it. With it being one of the older tracks on the circuit asphalt-wise, the racing is always good for both the drivers and the fans watching in the stands and on television. I hope they leave the track’s surface alone.”
What’s the hardest thing to figure out there?
“There are two things. The first thing you need to figure out about Texas are the bumps. The bumps seem to keep creeping back a little bit at a time as the cars become more rigid on the suspension. So it’s all about getting the car to ride well over the bumps. Plus, you also need to bring the right engine package. Horsepower is so important here. You need to have good straightaway speed and that requires raw horsepower.”
Kansas Review … Brandon Jones was the highest RCR finisher in eighth, Ty Dillon 12th, Austin Dillon 17th and Brendan Gaughan 31st, respectively, at Kansas Speedway.
#OneGoal … With the regular season of competition complete, the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase continues this weekend with the Round of 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. Brendan Gaughan is currently seeded seventh on the Chase grid. Ty Dillon and Brandon Jones were eliminated from the Chase after the first round and sit ninth and 11th, respectively in the point standings. The second round of eliminations will take place following the race at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Points … The No. 2 RCR team is seventh in the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently third in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, Nov. 5, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 2 Emerson / Rheem Chevrolet Camaro at Texas Motor Speedway … In eight previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Dillon has recorded one pole award, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He holds an average starting position of 3.8, coupled with an average finishing position of 5.2, with 71 laps led.
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No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With three races left in 2016, the No. 2 team has three victories, three pole awards, 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, with 115 laps led to their credit. Austin Dillon is scheduled to pilot the No. 2 Chevrolet for the remaining races in 2016.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
You’ve run well at Texas Motor Speedway in the past. Does that give you confidence going back there this weekend?
“Yeah, I really like racing at Texas. I can’t wait to get there. It races a little bit like Las Vegas Motor Speedway in how you carry a ton of speed. Turns 3 and 4 at Las Vegas remind me a lot of same things at Texas. Hopefully we can take some of the same set ups we used at Las Vegas and use them at Texas. We were fast earlier this year at Texas, and I think we’ll have a good shot at it this weekend.”
No. 3 Team Season-to-Date … Through 30 of the 33 races in 2016, Dillon and the No. 3 team have recorded eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. Dillon won the pole award at Daytona International Speedway in February and qualified for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase. Dillon has an average start of 8.5 and an average finish of 10.7 in 2016.
Bass Pro Shops Continues Partnership with RCR … Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 99 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. For more information, and to shop online, visit basspro.com.
Meet Ty Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs for fans at the Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine, Texas on Friday, Nov. 4 beginning at 10:30 a.m. CT. Dillon is also scheduled to visit Rheem display in the Fan Midway on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m. CT.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
Three races remain in the season – what are your goals for the remainder of the season?
“We pretty much have a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude and we’re going to race our tails off to close out the season. It was disappointing that we got knocked out of the Chase, but there are three races remaining that we feel confident that we can compete for wins. Texas is a track that I’ve been able to win at before and we finished inside the top five when we came here last year. Phoenix may be one of my favorite tracks on the circuit and Homestead is always a fun challenge. I’d really like to record a victory before season’s end and finish on a high note.”
What’s your favorite memory from Texas Motor Speedway?
“Probably going to Victory Lane in 2013 in the (Camping World) Truck Series. Texas’ Victory Lane may be the coolest Victory Lane on the NASCAR circuit. We were all wearing cowboy hats and feeling the flames of the fire behind us. Plus, my whole family was there and we all got to celebrate together. I’d love to get back to Victory Lane again this year to do it all over again.”
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Rearview Mirror: Kansas … Starting 14th, Jones quickly worked his way into contention in the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro. Racing for much of the day in the top 10, he overcame contact with another car and contact with the wall to finish the day eighth, which was his 12th top-10 finish of the season.
Meet the Driver … The XFINITY Series rookie is scheduled to appear at the Rheem Mobile Display in the Fan Zone on Friday, Nov. 4, starting at 12 p.m. CT. Jones will also be at the Chevrolet Stage on Saturday, Nov. 5, starting at 11:30 a.m. CT for a fan question-and-answer session.
BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
You had a ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year. What is it about that track that suits your style and what does it take to go fast around Texas?
“Texas Motor Speedway is always a fun track to go back to. I really enjoy going to the state of Texas in general, it’s a cool area. The track is a lot like the other mile-and-a-half tracks, especially Charlotte Motor Speedway. You typically get long green flag runs, so you work on your car to be good on the long runs. That’s what crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. and the entire No. 33 South Point Chevrolet team strive to do there. Typically you get a 50- to a 90-lap run with green flag stops. I am usually pretty good when we get single file and logging laps. I’m usually very consistent whenever we have longer runs like that.”
Texas Motor Speedway is a relatively bumpy track, do the bumps really make that big of a difference?
“The bumps can definitely be challenging, but that depends on how your car is set up. If the car is too loose and the car goes over one of the bumps it can certainly make it worse at times. Or vice versa, if your car is tight it will get even tighter when you hit a bump. Working around the bumps is a challenge and you have to work your car around the different grooves so that you hit the bumps just right to make your car work over them. It throws a little bit of a curveball at us, but it is fun at the same time.”
Chase Cutoff … Gaughan is currently seeded seventh in the XFINITY Series Chase standings and is 17 points from the cutoff position with two races remaining.
Lone Star Fame … Gaughan has been successful at the Fort Worth, Texas, track holding a two-year streak of four consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories in 2002 and 2003. Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway was Gaughan’s second home in the early 2000s. In 19 NCWTS starts at Texas, Gaughan has four wins and nine top-five finishes. Gaughan’s record at the racetrack earned him an induction into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2003.
At the South Point … This week, the South Point Arena will host the Professional Bull Riders Fan Zone, Oct. 29 – Nov. 5. The PBR Finals Week Fan Zone includes 80,000 square feet of Western wares, clothing, equipment, food, entertainment, concerts, etc., filling South Point’s Exhibition Hall as well as the Arena Concourse. The PBR Finals Week Fan Zone is free to the general public and open Oct. 29-31 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Nov. 1-5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Local Time. The Heroes & Legends Celebration, a PBR tradition, will take place at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa, on Tuesday, Nov. 1, honoring the legendary athletes and iconic women of bull riding.
Meet Gaughan … Prior to practice on Friday, Nov. 4, Gaughan will sign autographs beginning at 12:45 p.m. Central Time at the Rheem display located in the Fan Midway.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
Texas Motor Speedway, a track that is beginning to widen out further. Is it still one of your favorite 1.5-mile tracks?
“Absolutely, it is still one of my favorites. I haven’t had the success that I did early in my career there, but I still love it. It is still Texas, you can run from the wall to the apron. It is five wide, bumpy, mean and fast. It takes all the adjectives that we love in racing to describe Texas Motor Speedway. Hopefully we can revisit that trend from my early days, have a good solid run and maybe get a win to lock ourselves into the final round of the Chase.”
How long will it take for you to be comfortable enough to run the high line, right up against the outside wall?
“What time do I wake up in the morning? It doesn’t take me long to get comfortable. Matter of fact, I wish we could practice that way. I wish guys would run up there in practice so I could get to the high groove from lap one.”
