Richard Childress Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In 67 previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has posted two pole awards (Kevin Harvick in 2003 and Jeff Burton in 2006), three wins (Dale Earnhardt in 1995, Harvick in 2003 and Paul Menard in 2011), 12 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes. RCR Chevrolets have also been atop the leaderboard for a total of 268 laps and with the exception of one, each entry has been running at the finish of every event at the Brickyard, dating back to the inaugural race in 1994.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,896 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,108 wins, 488 top-five finishes and 1,060 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.2. 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.
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 … Chevrolet, the winningest brand in motorsports, debuts the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition this season. The Camaro ZL1 is the most advanced Chevrolet Cup Car ever developed and is also the most authentic, featuring rear-wheel drive, a fuel injected V8 engine and a manual gear box.
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 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard will be televised live Sunday, September 9 beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Indy Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This Week’s Dow MOLYKOTE Camaro ZL1 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In five previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series attempts at the Brickyard, Dillon’s best finish at the track in the Cup Series is ninth. He also has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at IMS, with a best finish of fifth in 2012. Dillon grew up attending races at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway track with his grandfather, car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and participated in Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003 when they won the prestigious race under the RCR banner.
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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session on the Team Chevy Stage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 9 at 10:30 a.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
How hard is it to get a handle on Indy?
“Well, Indy is a fast place. You are looking at a wall going into Turn 1. It feels like a never-ending turn there. You can’t see it and it’s just a fun place to cross the bricks. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a prestigious place, similar to Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, and a few of the other big tracks that we go to. We love getting there and trying to race for that trophy.”
So many people talk about the heat at Indy. Is it just the shape of the track and air doesn’t get down in the cars? Why is it so hot all of the time there for drivers?
“Well, luckily this year the race has been moved back on the calendar, so I’m hoping for a little bit of a temperature change and that will go a long way for us in the cars. I don’t know I think it’s the humidity. You just don’t have any airflow at Indy. There is no wind getting down into the place. You don’t get that breeze or anything in the race car. So, it’s humid.”
This Week’s No. 31 Grainger Camaro ZL1 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will make his 610th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start when the Series competes at the 2.5-mile speedway this weekend. He scored the victory in 2013 at this prestigious event after starting from the pole and leading 45 of the 160 laps scheduled. In 17 total starts, the “Rocket Man” owns three top-five and four top-10 finishes. The South Bend, Indiana native has led 59 laps in competition and has an average start of 9.2 and average finish of 16.8
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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What do you remember most about your 2013 win at the Brickyard?
“Early in the race Jimmie Johnson got by me and I came off Turn 3 and it really hit me for some reason that I can’t screw this up because we had a really good car and a really good shot to the win and we really did. We kept ourselves in the hunt the entire day. I don’t think we fell back any farther than fourth or fifth. My crew chief Matt Borland did the right thing at the end and made the call to take two tires. We assumed the lead and used the track position to our favor. The victory was a dream come true.”
What was the last lap like?
“Once I got the white flag and knew I could bring it home, I knew I had it. I just made sure I kept the nose clean. It was a special moment for me because I got to talk to my dad coming out of Turn 3 on the way to the checkered flag. He was my spotter at the Daytona 500 when I won and for him to be up there spotting for me in Turn 3, it was really special.
“Believe it or not, that’s the only race my wife and kids have been with me in victory lane. I don’t think they were really old enough to appreciate it. Both kids didn’t really want to kiss the bricks and I think now, they would definitely lay their lips all over the bricks.”
Why is it so hard to win at Indy?
“Indy is about so much horsepower and so much downforce because it is flat that you have to have the complete package there. The cars are so rigid now and stiff that it’s really all about downforce and horsepower. Everybody has to do their job. Pit lane is really tight, narrow with long pit stalls. It’s really easy to get in trouble there. Lots of little things can go wrong there. Regardless, it’s a special track with all its history.”
You finished third last year, how do you approach Indy this year since you’ve got to win it in order to qualify for the Playoffs?
“I think we got a little lucky last year by finishing third. We had a whole bunch of damage. We just want to go out there and do our best. It sounds simple to say but everybody has to do their job. It is the last race of the regular season. We need a win to make the Playoffs and we need to win to have a chance at the championship.”
Why would winning a second Indy be special for you this season?
“I guess to be able to go back and defend something is special. I have an opportunity to go back and add my name again to a trophy that’s hard to win once, let alone, twice. Plus, we’d be in the Playoffs.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … In 25 Series starts at the 2.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured one victory with Ty Dillon in 2014. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 2,350 laps of the 2,352 (99.9 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated eight top-five finishes, 18 top-10 finishes, led 46 laps and averages a starting position of 10.3 and finishing position of 8.2.
Darlington Raceway Review … Matt Tifft was the highest-finishing RCR driver when he placed eighth in the Sport Clips Haircuits VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway. Ty Dillon finished ninth and Daniel Hemric finished 11th during Saturday’s race.
The Points … Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft currently sit fifth and eighth, respectively, in the Xfinity Series driver point standings. The No. 3 RCR team is currently 14th 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 Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, September 8, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Indy Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio Channel 90.
This Week’s No. 2 Fanatics / Surface Sunscreen Chevrolet Camaro at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Matt Tifft has one previous NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 22-year-old driver started seventh and finished 11th at the 2.5-mile track last year.
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Stock Up on Surface … Tifft uses Surface Sunscreen to protect himself throughout the race weekend from harmful sun rays. Fans can do the same by picking up their own bottle of Surface Sunscreen, which is available at any Fanatics location at all tracks that NASCAR visits during the 2018 season.
Meet Tifft … Fans at the track can meet Tifft when he participates in the Xfinity Series autograph session beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, September 8. Tifft will make an appearance with teammate Daniel Hemric at the Team Chevy display for a fan Q&A and to sign autographs beginning at 10:50 a.m. local time on Saturday morning as well.
MATT TIFFT QUOTES:
You had a strong run at Indianapolis last year, finishing 11th. What will it be like returning there this year with the newer aero package?
“I feel like for me, that was the strongest of the new aero races that I’ve been part of so far. Michigan could have been a great race for us. We just didn’t have a fuel strategy that worked out, which actually is similar to what happened to me at Indy last year. Going into Indy this time though I feel good. The No. 2 Camaro was very fast there last year and ran up front for most of the race. So much of the race at Indy seems to be focused on track position and feels more like a chess game than anywhere else. Indy seems to put on the best show with the new aero package, so I’m looking forward to getting back there with it. Hopefully, we can replicate the speed the No. 2 car had at Indy and finish one spot better than last year to win the race.”
What is it like the first time you drive into Turn 1 at Indianapolis at full speed?
“You know, it’s a little strange. You hear all the stories about flying into Turn 1 at over 200 mph, but for my first time at Indy with the new package they had, we were running closer to 165 mph. The speeds weren’t nearly as fast last year as everyone said they were in the past. I think the biggest thing was instead making sure you were getting around that track running full throttle. The first time doing that, you can feel a little tense and white-knuckle it since it doesn’t seem like you should be able to do that. I thought the interesting thing at Indy was since the corners are so flat you can start lifting and dictating more of your corner as the runs go on. You could continue to run wide open, but sometimes it’s easier to get a run on somebody by cracking the throttle a little bit and repositioning.”
This Week’s Advil Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Ty Dillon returns the site of his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win this weekend when the series makes its annual trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After starting from the third position in the 2014 race at the 2.5-mile track, Dillon took home the checkered flag. One of his best tracks, he has never finished outside of the top 10 in any of his five NXS races there. Dillon made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Indianapolis debut last season and finished in the 19th position.
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TY DILLON QUOTE:
What is the challenge for a stock car at a track like Indianapolis?
“I have been successful at Indianapolis in the Xfinity Series, so it’s always a place that I look forward to going each year. It’s a place that I have circled on my calendar, ever since I got my win there. It’s definitely tough because it’s so big but the corners are flat. The unique challenge of making those long straightaways even longer by making Turns 2 and 4 extended straightaways is definitely different than any other track. You give up speed off of Turns 1 and 3 to make sure that you can extend those straightaways off of Turns 2 and 4. That’s always been the strategy that I’ve worked with there. It seems to have worked out well, so I’ll stick with it.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Hemric will be making his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during this weekend’s 250-mile event. In his first start at the historic track in 2017, Hemric started 13th and finished eighth.
Rearview Mirror: Darlington … The ‘Lady in Black’ was not ‘Too Tough to Tame’ for Hemric and the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet team, but their outing was not without its challenges. Sporting a Walker Evans-inspired scheme on the No. 21 Chevrolet for NASCAR Throwback weekend, Hemric qualified fourth and was a factor at the front of the field for much of the opening stage. The team suffered a setback when the No. 20 of Christopher Bell got loose exiting Turn 4 and hit Hemric’s Chevrolet in the right-side door and right rear tire. The contact caused damage to the rear end, but the team was able to adjust on the car to compensate for the damage. Battling the car, the track and the competition, Hemric was able to fight to an 11th-place finish when the checkered flag flew.
Get Ready for the South Point 400 … The inaugural South Point 400 weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 14-16 is quickly approaching and South Point Hotel & Casino has the best deals on packages for race tickets and hotel accommodations. For more information on the race packages, be sure to visit southpointcasino.com.
Meet the Driver … Fans have the opportunity to meet Hemric at the Xfinity Series autograph session on Saturday, Sept. 8, starting at 10 a.m. local time. He will then join teammate Matt Tifft at the Team Chevy display in the Infield Fan Zone for a Q&A session and autographs, starting at 10:50 a.m. local time.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
You finished eighth in your first trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Are you looking forward to getting back to the Brickyard for this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race?
“I am looking forward to getting back to Indianapolis this weekend, especially with the package NASCAR is taking there again. For whatever reason, we have had good finishes with that aero package this year. Anytime you walk through Gasoline Alley and you are able to truly understand what Indianapolis means to motorsports, it is an honor. It is the type of place that makes you stop for a minute and take it all in. That is what I enjoyed about my first experience at Indy last year, and it means that much more heading back there another time. Hopefully we can carry the momentum and learn from some of the things we did with this package earlier in the year. Obviously, my teammate Austin Dillon won the last time we used this package at Michigan and I ran second, so I feel like we have a pretty good idea of what we want and need out of the car for that race. A lot of strategy goes into the Indy race, but I am confident we will have all the right tools to be successful at the end of the day.”
The speed of the Xfinity Series cars is not as high as IndyCar, but what was the sensation of carrying all of the speed from that long straightaway and driving off into the first corner of Indianapolis that first time?
“For never being around Indianapolis, other than in simulation, that was really something. With the package, they told me they simulated it and I was going to run that corner wide open. Coming down the frontstretch, you have a long time to think about running wide open through that corner. With that package and the balance of our race car last year, it was pretty easy to do that on new tires. In the race, it is a little different because tires give up and the pace falls off, your handling and balance issues start to show up. On the other side of that, you just have to respect that you are running laps at Indianapolis. That is one of the coolest things. You know, 20-30 years from now I look forward to telling my family about that experience.”
