Richard Childress Racing at Michigan International Speedway … In 164 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, RCR teams have earned three wins, two with Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990) and one with Kevin Harvick (August 2010). Additionally, RCR has claimed 23 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes with 10 different drivers including Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, who recorded top-10 finishes at MIS in June 1978 and August 1979.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,804 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,107 wins, 482 top-five finishes and 1,042 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.1. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR 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.
Youth Football Safety Clinic in NYC … The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma believes kids should learn how to play safer sports. Youth football players in New York City, New Jersey and surrounding areas will be able to learn safe blocking techniques, position fundamentals and life skills from former NFL players at a free kids & pros clinic at Columbia University on Friday, August 11 from 1-5 p.m. ET. Register now at http://kidsandpros.com/.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @RyanJNewman. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3, www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway is scheduled to be televised live on Sunday, August 13 on NBCSN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Dow Automotive Magna Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway … Michigan International Speedway ranks as one of Dillon’s most seasoned tracks on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series tour, with 10 starts at the two-mile facility. He finished fourth in August 2015 to earn his best finish at the track. He also earned his best starting position, fourth, in August 2015.
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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session on the Team Chevy Stage in the Fan Midway at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 13 at 11:20 a.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
Describe Michigan International Speedway …
“I really enjoy the big speedways, Michigan included. You do get a sensation of speed when you get loose, that is for sure. When a car is not handling well you feel out of control, so you’ve got to have a solid piece under you. It takes small adjustments to kind of creep on up and have a good day. Our RCR organization as a whole has really been working on the package for Michigan and I’m looking forward to the race weekend.”
This Week’s Dutch Boy / Menards Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway … Menard has competed in 22 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events at Michigan International Speedway since his first start at the 2-mile speedway in 2006. Menard has four top-five and six top-10 finishes, with 98.9 percent of the laps completed.
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Meet the Driver … Fans will have the opportunity to meet Menard at the Team Chevy stage for a question & answer session on Saturday, Aug. 12, starting at 10 a.m. local time.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
What were you able to learn from the June race at Michigan that you can apply to this weekend’s race?
“Our car was really fast throughout the weekend earlier this year at Michigan, but we had a vibration that really effected the handling of our No. 27 Chevrolet. Matt Borland and all the guys on this team went back and did their homework to figure out what the issue was, and I’m confident they have it all worked out for this weekend’s race. I expect the Dutch Boy / Menards Chevrolet to fire off quick from the start of the weekend and contend for a top-10 finish on Sunday.”
Winner, Winner … Newman has punched his ticket to the MENCS playoffs with a victory at Phoenix Raceway on March 19th in the No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet. The win equates to the driver’s 18th-career Cup Series victory and RCR’s 106th.
LIQUID GOLD … VELVEETA® Shells & Cheese and Richard Childress Racing have teamed up to give NASCAR fans a taste of the one and only LIQUID GOLD. VELVEETA Shells & Cheese is the primary sponsor for select races, which begun June 18 at Michigan International Speedway, and is an associate partner for the remainder of the 2017 season.
The partnership is highlighted by a comprehensive marketing and content program, including a national sweepstakes that grants one lucky grand prize winner the LIQUID GOLD championship experience: an all-expenses paid VIP weekend at the NASCAR Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Entrants also have the chance to win more than 100 autographed swag items, including mini replicas of Ryan Newman’s race helmet and race-worn fire suits from the No. 31 Chevrolet pit crew. Details and call-to-action for the sweepstakes, which launched last month and will continue through the summer, are being distributed on more than three million boxes of VELVEETA Shells & Cheese.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
With 22 races in the books, what has been your strengths this season?
“Just fighting hard and racing smart especially at some of the restrictor-plate tracks. We got ourselves top fives when maybe our car wasn’t as good and playing it smart by not racing at the wrong times. We did what we had to do at the right time. I think that’s going to have to happen again at Talladega so I hope we have learned enough to keep doing it.”
Is there an area that this team is still working on to get better before the Playoffs start?
“Just raw speed. I think we need to improve on just about everything. You have to continue to improve on everything and that includes myself, making the right strategy calls, pit crew guys picking up speed and just overall, this team needs to cut down on mistakes. That’s what wins you championships.
“Of all the types of tracks we race, I think we need to continue to improve upon our intermediate program and that includes this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway. But you never know, if we can win a race in each of the segments of the Playoffs, everything will take care of itself.”
Watkins Glen Review … Paul Menard was the highest RCR finisher in fifth, Ty Dillon seventh, Brendan Gaughan ninth, Daniel Hemric 11th and Brandon Jones 14th, respectively, at Watkins Glen International.
The Points … All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 20 of the driver point standings as the series heads to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the 21st event of the season. Daniel Hemric is currently fifth, Brendan Gaughan is 12th and Brandon Jones is 16th. The No. 2 RCR team is eighth in the owner point standings with the No. 3 right behind in ninth. Daniel Hemric is currently third in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Mid-Ohio Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be televised live on Saturday, Aug. 12, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio Channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course… Ben Kennedy will make his first road-course start in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet. Although this will be his first foray into road-course racing in the series, he has three starts at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He finished third at the Canadian road course in 2015. This will be Kennedy’s sixth start of the season for RCR.
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Meet Ben … Kennedy will be available for autographs during the XFINITY Series autograph session at the track beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, August 12.
BEN KENNEDY QUOTE:
What are your thoughts as you head to Mid-Ohio for the first time?
“I have a few road courses under my belt in the truck series and I did fairly well in those. I never finished outside of the top 15 and even finished third in one of them. Road-course racing definitely takes most of us out of our element. If you run a full NXS season, you only race them three times a year. I’ll race two of them with RCR this season. I’ve never been to Mid-Ohio before, but I feel confident that I can pick up the tricks of the track during our two practice sessions on Friday. This No. 2 Chevy was very fast in Watkins Glen, and I know the team will bring another fast Camaro this weekend.”
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SCOTT LAGASSE, JR. QUOTE:
What are your thoughts as you head to the first of two road races that you will compete in for RCR this season?
“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to be able to race at Mid-Ohio and Road America, this month. These are challenging racetracks. Over the past few weeks and months, I have been putting in a lot of time and effort in getting ready for these road course races by racing in Trans Am. I know this SCREEN YOUR MACHINE™/ American Cancer Society team will bring a good car to the track, and hopefully we can be there at the end to contend for a win.”
Meet the Driver … Hemric is scheduled to take part in the XFINITY Series autograph session on Saturday, Aug. 12, starting at 10 a.m. local time.
Rearview Mirror: Watkins Glen … Hemric kicked off the road course section of the XFINITY Series season with an 11th-place finish in his first series start at Watkins Glen International. With a fast No. 21 Death Wish Coffee Chevrolet, Hemric and crew chief Danny Stockman used an alternative pit strategy to lead laps and remain in the top 10 for much of the event. The final set of tires on the No. 21 Death Wish Coffee Chevrolet changed the handling of the car dramatically and Hemric ended the day in the 11th position.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
Mid-Ohio is another track you have never been to as a driver. How do you prepare going to a facility that is so unique?
“I do a lot of studying heading into a weekend like this. Mid-Ohio is a place that is so technical and so tight, from what I’ve seen. There are very limited passing zones because everyone runs so close together, nose-to-tail. The racing can tend to get rough and it can have a short-track feel. To take advantage of those opportunities you have to be on the more aggressive side, as compared to the conservative side, in order to make hay during the race. To prepare for my first race there, I’ve done a lot of testing with Chevrolet’s simulator and we’re doing everything we can with RCR’s history and notes from all of the races before. That means watching video, looking at driver data, anything I can look at to make sure I am as good as I can be from the start of the weekend with this Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet.”
This Week’s Bali / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course … Brandon Jones has two previous starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and is looking to improve upon his best finish of 19th. Jones has completed all 150 laps during his two starts at the 2.4-mile road course.
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Meet Brandon Jones … Fans can meet Jones during the XFINITY Series autograph session at the track beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, August 12 alongside his competitors.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
How do you prepare yourself for Mid-Ohio this weekend since it’s a completely different type of road course than Watkins Glen?
“It can be tricky. All three road courses are completely different from one another. With Watkins Glen, it’s not as technical of a track, but it’s a very fast one. There are a lot of high speed corners there. For Mid-Ohio, it’s a much more technical than any other track we visit. There are a lot of places on that course where you need to finesse your car to get around without any problems. You want to make sure you aren’t spinning your tires out there with all the elevation changes we go through. I actually attended a road course school there with Daniel (Hemric, teammate) earlier this year and I believe that will help me a lot this weekend. The school really slowed down the course for me and showed us where our braking points are at and how far we can drive into the corners. Between that and more simulator time this week, I think I should have a pretty good feel for the track on Friday.”
Watkins Glen Rewind … Brendan Gaughan had a strong start to the XFINITY Series’ road course swing, finishing ninth at Watkins Glen. Gaughan and the No. 62 team gambled on track position in favor of handling during Saturday’s Zippo 200 and the strategy paid off. Gaughan led seven laps before the race came to a conclusion and he collected his fifth top-10 finish of the season.
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Meet Gaughan … Fans can meet Gaughan alongside his fellow competitors during the XFINITY Series autograph session occurring on Saturday, August 12 at 10 a.m. local time at the track.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
How do you adjust from the speeds of Watkins Glen to slowing down at Mid-Ohio?
“It’s just road racing. It doesn’t matter what type of road racing it is, you race what track you’re on that day. I really enjoy both Mid-Ohio and Road America because they are still very technically sound road courses and they haven’t been ‘NASCAR-ized’ so to speak. Last year, I had a blast racing at Mid-Ohio. It was awesome. It rained so hard, I needed a snorkel out there. We lost the whole right side of the car and had to put a ton of sheet metal back on it. It was amazing to come out of there with a top-10 finish. I will remember the Mid-Ohio race of 2016 forever. If that happened again this year, I would be all for it.”
