Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Iowa Speedway … In 47 Series starts at the 7/8-mile speedway, RCR has captured one victory with Elliott Sadler in 2012. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 11,661 laps of the 11,846 (98.4 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated three pole awards, 13 top-five finishes, 26 top-10 finishes, led 530 laps and averages a starting position of 10.6 and finishing position of 11.7.
Michigan Review … Austin Dillon and the No. 3 team brought RCR back to Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series when they won at Michigan International Speedway this past Saturday. Daniel Hemric finished in the runner-up spot, and Matt Tifft rounded out the trio in the 16th spot during the Michigan 250.
The Points … Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft currently sit third and ninth, respectively, in the Xfinity Series driver point standings. The No. 3 RCR team is currently 13th in the series owner point standings.
Social Media … To keep up with the latest updates from RCR’s Xfinity Series teams, follow @RCRracing and @RCRNXS on Twitter. Updates can also be found via RCR’s Facebook Page and Instagram (@RCRracing).
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Iowa 250 Presented by Enogen at Iowa Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, June 17, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on FS1. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio Channel 90.
This Week’s Wastebits Automotive Chevrolet Camaro at Iowa Speedway … Matt Tifft has two previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Iowa Speedway, both of which he started inside the top 10. The 21-year-old driver also has two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at the 7/8-mile speedway, collecting his best finish of seventh in 2013. Tifft has completed 92 percent of all laps he has attempted at Iowa Speedway.
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Meet Tifft … Fans can meet Tifft on Sunday, June 17 when he makes a stop by the Team Chevy display for a Q&A session at 12 p.m. local time. Tifft will also being signing autographs on the red carpet as he makes his way to the Driver / Crew Chief Meeting Sunday afternoon beginning around 12:30 p.m. local time.
MATT TIFFT QUOTES:
Knowing that on paper, Richmond Raceway has similarities to Iowa Speedway, is there any way to take the success you found at Richmond earlier this year with your fourth-place finish and use it to prepare for Iowa?
“Last year, I think two of my best races were at Iowa Speedway when you take away the finishing order. I felt like myself and the No. 2 car were the best two cars there once the track transitioned into the nighttime. We just all got stuck a lap down with that wacky finish, so our finishing spot didn’t necessarily match how we ran all night. This race last year was a great turnaround point for me during the summer stretch, so I’m confident going back there. The RCR Camaros have always been stout at Iowa, so that will be fun for me. It seems like our package for that size of a track has been really good this year, and with no Cup drivers in the field like it was at Richmond, it will be a good chance to see how we’ve grown as a team since then. I’m really looking forward to racing there on Sunday as part of the main event.”
This Week’s Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro at Iowa Speedway … Shane Lee will be making his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Iowa Speedway this weekend. Lee has one previous start at the .875-mile track in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards, with his best finish of 11th coming after he started on the pole in the July 2017 race.
About Childress Vineyards … Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, North Carolina. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards has been producing award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro. Information about Childress Vineyards can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/childresswines/, on Twitter at @ChildressWines and on Instagram at Instagram.com/childresswines.
Meet Lee … Lee will be stopping by the Team Chevy display on Saturday, June 16, beginning at 3:45 p.m. local time for a Q&A session. He will also be making his way down the red carpet signing autographs on Sunday, June 17, beginning at 12:30 p.m. local time while on his way to the Driver / Crew Chief Meeting.
SHANE LEE QUOTE:
You’ve raced at Iowa Speedway one time during your time in the ARCA Racing Series. What are thoughts on the racing at the ‘The Fastest Short Track on the Planet’?
“I really enjoy going to Iowa Speedway. It’s probably one of my favorite tracks on the circuit right now that I’ve gone to. I had some success when I raced there in the ARCA Series last season, sitting on the pole and leading a lot of the race. We had a slight miscue on pit road that cost us the race unfortunately, but I learned a lot from that race, which makes me feel confident heading into this weekend. Plus, with the team getting back into Victory Lane last weekend at Michigan with Austin (Dillon), I think we have a lot of momentum that we’ll have heading into Iowa. It should be a good weekend for us.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro at Iowa Speedway … Hemric will be making his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Iowa Speedway during this weekend’s 250-lap race. The driver of the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet has a best finish of seventh and an average start of 7.0.
Rearview Mirror: Michigan … Hemric earned his career-best finish on an oval last weekend at Michigan International Speedway, bringing the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet home in second behind teammate Austin Dillon. Hemric was lined up on the inside for the final restart of the day but NASCAR threw the caution for rain before the field completed the lap. The second-place result was Hemric’s fifth top-three finish of the season. He also has six top-five and nine top-10 finishes through 13 starts.
This Week at the South Point Hotel & Casino … Fans visiting the South Point Hotel & Casino this weekend have the chance to see comedian Christopher Titus at The Showroom as part of his ‘Amerigeddon’ tour on June 15 – 17. Tickets are available at southpointcasino.com.
Calling the Race … Hemric is scheduled to join Motor Racing Network as a guest analyst for Saturday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway. This is Hemric’s second time serving as a guest analyst. Coverage of the M&M’s 200 begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Meet the Driver … Hemric is scheduled to make an appearance at the Team Chevy stage for a Q&A session followed by autographs on Sunday, June 17, starting at 2:30 p.m. local time.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is the main event this weekend at Iowa Speedway. What does it mean to know that everyone in the grandstands is there to see you and the other stars of the Xfinity Series compete?
“That is what we all race for, to be the premiere event, so it is cool to know that will be the Xfinity Series drivers on this particular day, and to do it at a short track like Iowa Speedway is great. Iowa is a place that I love and a place that RCR loves. My crew chief Danny Stockman and I ran really well there last year but didn’t get the results we should have. I am personally really excited to get there and see how we can implement the stuff we’ve learned throughout the course of the last couple of months and how that will help us going back later in the year. Having the grandstands filled like they do for that race is awesome. Knowing we go back to Iowa shortly after this race, we should have a pretty good notebook built up for the July race. It’s a really big weekend for us.”
You will be joining Motor Racing Network in the broadcast booth for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday night. What do you enjoy about calling races from the booth as a guest analyst?
“The last time I joined MRN in the booth was at Bristol in 2017 and I didn’t have much time to say or do anything because everything was happening so fast. Hopefully this weekend at Iowa I have a little bit more time on my hands. It’s just cool to have the experience as a guest analyst and see the race from a different perspective. It is crazy how you can sit up there and see a completely different picture. In the race car you know what is going on with your certain situation and the core group of cars you race around throughout the whole race. I’m telling you, when you are up top calling a race you see it unfolding before even the crew chiefs and drivers see exactly what’s happening. It is cool to not only see that happen, but then through word of mouth be able to tell that to other folks that are tuned-in and listening is pretty awesome.”
