RCR Event Preview: Phoenix International Raceway
Race: Kobalt Tools 500
Location: Phoenix International Raceway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
RCR at PIR … Team owner Richard Childress has three victories at Phoenix International Raceway, tying him with Robert Yates for third on the all-time car owner victories list at the Avondale, Ariz. facility. Kevin Harvick swept both races at PIR in 2006 and Dale Earnhardt won the Checker 500 on Nov. 4, 1990. Additionally, the Welcome, N.C.-based organization boasts 13 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in 72 races
The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first 34 races, RCR’s four NSCS entries have notched six wins, 18 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes. The No. 31 team kicked off the 2011 season with a non-points win in the second Duel 150 qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. The No. 29 team visited Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in March and backed that up with a win the following weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In May, Harvick and the No. 29 team visited Winner’s Circle at Charlotte Motor Speedway, claiming the checkers in one of NASCAR’s marquee events – the Coca-Cola 600. Menard and the No. 27 team captured the checkers in the prestigious Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and the No. 29 team returned to Victory Lane under the lights at Richmond International Raceway. Bowyer narrowly beat Burton to the line for the win at Talladega Superspeedway, giving team owner Richard Childress his 100th career NSCS victory. RCR-prepared Chevrolets have completed 39,305 out of 40,284 total laps (97.57 percent) with drivers Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Menard, who have also led a combined 883 laps.
Get to the Points … Harvick represents RCR in the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and is currently third in the driver championship point standings, 33 markers outside of the top spot, with two races remaining. Bowyer remains 13th in the standings, with Menardclimbing to 20th and Burton 23rd.
50 Wins for ECR … Kevin Harvick’s win in the November 4 WinStar World Casino 350k NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was the 50th victory for ECR Engines in 2011. The 50 wins equals the amount the organization, based at the Richard Childress Racing facility in Welcome, N.C., achieved during the entire 2010 racing season. In addition to its NASCAR engine program, which has earned 23 victories in the top three series, ECR Engines also produces engines used in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the Rolex Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Series, SCCA Trans-Am, dirt and asphalt short track, and sprint car racing. ECR Engines powered RCR’s Ty Dillon to the 2011 season championship in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.
Joe Foss Institute … Richard Childress Racing Chevrolets will run special decals this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway promoting the Joe Foss Institute. The Joe Foss Institute, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization inspired and founded by Medal of Honor Recipient and World War II fighter ace General Joe Foss and his wife, Didi Foss. Its vision is to encourage an informed patriotism and to be nationally recognized as the premier organization promoting patriotism through personal contact in schools and with youth groups. RCR first teamed up with the Joe Foss Institute in 2009, carrying the organization’s decals on its race cars at the fall races at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway.
Visit the All New RCRRacing.com … Get the latest RCR news, information and exclusive content at the redesigned www.RCRRacing.com, the 41-year-old organization’s exciting website designed by Racersites. The new site allows visitors the ability to customize their experience. Not only can the look and feel of the site be changed to reflect a favorite RCR driver and team, but the content on the main page can be filtered to show only content specific to that driver/team. Other key features include expanded driver and team profiles, enhanced exclusive video content including a shop tour and a legends timeline with historical RCR images.
RCR on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page (@RCRracing), the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages (@RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton and @RCR33CBowyer) and RCR’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing). You can also follow personal updates on Twitter from Burton at @RCR31JeffBurton (updates by the team will be referenced with a -PR) and Harvick at @KevinHarvick.
Catch the Action … Live coverage of the Kobalt Tools 500 from Phoenix International Raceway will be televised on ESPN Sunday, November 13, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and will also broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio starting at 2 p.m. Qualifying for the 35th race on the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour will be televised on SPEED, Saturday, November 12, beginning at 1:30 p.m. EST.
Paul Menard
No. 27 Peak/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes
This week’s Peak/Menards Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 328 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen on track at Darlington Raceway in May, where Menard started 18th and finished 22nd. This racer also saw competition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March) where he started 18th and finished 12th and was utilized in the October test session at PIR.
Phoenix Tidbits … In his nine previous starts at the one-mile raceway, Menard has completed 99.5 percent of his laps (2,861 of 2,875). He has an average starting position of 20.8 and an average finishing position of 24.6, with his best finish of 17th coming earlier this year in the March event. His best start at the Avondale, Ariz.-based track came in April 2009 when the Eau Claire, Wis., native rolled off from the seventh position.
Round One in the Arizona Desert … Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala from the 13th position in March’s Fresh Fit 500, and was able to finish 17th despite battling a tight-handling condition for the majority of the 312-lap event.
A Loopy Year in Review … After 34 races, Menard has an average starting position of 11.7, tying him for fifth among of all drivers and tying third among those competing full time. He maintains an average running position of 16.671, has made 3,880 green-flag passes (ranked fourth of all drivers), has spent 4,506 laps racing in the top 15 (ranked 19th of all drivers), and is ranked fourth in the Loop Data category of Quality Passes (1,936 green-flag passes while running in the Top 15). He has also completed 96.1 percent of his contested laps this season (9,693 of 10,071).
2011 Season Statistics:
Starts: 34
Win: 1
Top-five finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 7
Best start: 2nd (Pocono Raceway, June and Chicagoland Speedway)
Best finish: 1st (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
Laps led: 81
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Race Rewind … One year ago, Menard started the 312-lap event at PIR from the 19th position. He reported to crew chief Slugger Labbe that his machine was tight through the center of the corners, which was affecting his drive off. Despite an array of air pressure and chassis adjustments made during each visit to pit road, when the checkered flag flew, Menard was in 29th place.
In the Rearview Mirror: Texas … Menard and the Quaker State/Menards team started from the fourth position and brought the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala home with a top-15 result in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, taking every opportunity to adjust the car’s handling as the track’s conditions changed with incoming cloud cover and the dipping sun at Texas Motor Speedway.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
You were real fast at the test out at Phoenix International Raceway in October. How confident do you feel going back?
“I have no idea what it’s going to be like when we go back. It took about a half of a day for the track to come finally come in when we were testing. We definitely learned some things. It’s mainly a one-groove race track, but at the end of the test, the middle groove in the corner started to come in where the cars were washing up. No one really knows what to expect. It’s going to be interesting.”
For those that haven’t seen it, can you talk about the differences between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ track (Phoenix International Raceway reconfiguration)?
“They did a great job paving it. It’s a beautiful facility. It almost looks like a track you would see in a video game. Everything is almost perfect. Whether it will leave for better racing, I hope so. With the progressive banking, it should eventually make racing better. It’s going to be interesting for the first race.”
A lot of drivers like the backstretch (at Phoenix International Raceway). What do you think?
“It changes in the amount of banking for the exit of turn two into turn three. Now you have to dogleg there, which you go down then back up because of the new banking. It’s a pretty substantial corner. You can run it wide open, but two-wide is going to be a little hairy.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 353 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. The No. 29 team has utilized this car three times so far in the 2011 season earning one win (Charlotte Motor Speedway 5/29) and finishes of seventh and 10th at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Dover International Raceway (10/2), respectively.
Meet the Press … Harvick will be available to members of the media in the Phoenix International Raceway infield media center at 10:45 a.m. on Friday.
Chase Update … With just two races remaining in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Harvick remains third in the NSCS driver point standings. He is currently 33 markers back from point leader Carl Edwards. Harvick has scored two top-five and five top-10 finishes in the first eight Chase races, and his average finish so far in the Chase is 10.63.
Budweiser Bowtie at Phoenix … For the second time this season the No. 29 Chevrolet will honor the Budweiser “Bowtie” can refresh with a special paint scheme. Introduced in August, the new can design is Budweiser’s 12th since Anheuser-Busch began offering its flagship brand in cans in 1936. The focal point of the design is Budweiser’s iconic bowtie, complemented by the time-honored Budweiser creed and Anheuser-Busch medallion. The same elements are prominent on the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet for Sunday’s race. Harvick’s No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet also sported this paint scheme at Chicagoland Speedway in September.
Harvick at PIR … In 17 starts at PIR, Harvick has earned two wins (both in 2006), four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He’s led 317 laps around the one-mile track and has completed 99.6 percent (5,353 of 5,374) of the laps run at PIR in NSCS competition since 2001. Harvick’s average starting position at PIR is 19.2 and he holds a 13.8 average finish.
Last Time Around … Last November, the No. 29 team started 29th at PIR and Harvick raced his way up to a sixth-place finish. In February, Harvick started 17th, led one lap and scored a fourth-place finish at the one-mile track.
In the Loop … Harvick holds several impressive Loop Data statistics at PIR, including: fourth in drivers fastest early in a run; fifth in laps led (317); sixth in fastest on restarts; sixth in laps run in the top 15 (2,981); seventh in average running position (11.7); eighth in green-flag speed; ninth in driver rating (95.9); 10th in fastest laps run (154); 10th in green-flag passes (506); and 10th in quality passes (281).
Happy’s Classic Golf Tournament … On Wednesday, Harvick will host the Kevin Harvick Foundation’s Second Annual Happy’s Classic golf tournament at The Links at RiverLakes Ranch Golf Club in Bakersfield, Calif. The event will help raise funds to benefit and further the foundation’s mission. Additionally, the winner of The Kevin Harvick Collegiate Scholarship will be announced at the tournament.
Happy’s Hour … Following Wednesday’s golf tournament, Harvick will participate in Happy’s Hour presented by Advanced Distribution and Blackhole Technologies at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. The event will feature an autograph session with Harvick, a number of auction items and the comedy of stand-up comedian Craig Shoemaker. Tickets for the event are available at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace Box Office, www.Vallitix.com or by phone at (661) 328-7560.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
A lot of folks considered Martinsville a wildcard. This year do you think Phoenix would have to be considered the same with the repave? “I think there are a lot of unknowns with the repave and things that have the potential to happen. I look at Phoenix a lot like Martinsville. The Roush cars didn’t run very well there and we have to run well there. So we’re looking forward to it.”
You tested in Phoenix a couple weeks ago. What are your impressions on the track and is there any other track out there that you guys can compare it to? “I don’t think right now. It’s definitely unique. (Turns) 3 and 4 is definitely not like it was but it is similar to what it was with the new asphalt as far as the radius of the corner. The exit of Turn 2 is a lot different and the back straightaway is definitely different. They did a good job by designing the track so the fans can see the cars and I think if the second groove comes in it will be a really good race. That’s really the only concern I’ve heard from anybody and the only concern that we have is the whether the second groove comes in and if it does its going to be a good race.”
You say you hope that second groove comes in. What type of racing do you think we are going to see before that second groove comes in? “If the second groove doesn’t come in it will be a track position game with a lot of wrecks.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Cat Mining Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Cat Mining Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Jeff Burton will pilot chassis No. 329 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s312-lap affair. Built new for 2010, this Caterpillar Chevrolet saw action for the first time this season at Bristol Motor Speedway in August where the 19-year veteran finished 15th after starting 21st. Burton also drove this black and yellow machine during the fall race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway earning a 13th-place result.
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Presenting Empire Southwest … Empire Southwest will be featured on the No. 31 Cat Mining Chevrolet’s deck lid for the Kobalt Tools 500 this weekend. This third-generation, family owned company was founded in 1950 and supplies construction and mining equipment to Arizona, Southeastern California and portions of Northern Mexico.
Phoenix Minutes … In 24 starts at PIR, Burton boasts back-to-back wins in 2000 and 2001, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Additionally, the South Boston, Va., native captured the checkered flag in the 2000 NASCAR Nationwide Series event at PIR.Burton has also been running at the end of every Sprint Cup Series race at PIR and has completed 99.3 percent of laps (7,451 of 7,503) contested.
Good Start, Impressive Finish … Over those same 24 races, Burton boasts a 24.4 starting average bested by an impressive 12.3 average finish. The 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner has finished outside the top 15 only three times (April 2010, November 2010 and February 2011) in the past 21 races.
Right Mix at Phoenix … Since joining RCR in August 2004, Burton has run 14 races at PIR, garnering a 12.3 average finish with two top-five, seven top-10 and 11 top-15 finishes.
Loopy in the Grand Canyon State … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics, which was initiated in 2004, Burton is the sport’s best Green-Flag Passer.Over the past 13 races at the desert oval, he has completed 626 passes under green-flag conditions. Additionally, the 19-year Sprint Cup Series driver is the sport’s seventh-best Quality Passer with 309 passes made. Burton has notched 2,395 circuitsaround theone-mile facility while running in the top 15.
Coca-Cola Arctic Home … This weekend, look for Burton to be chugging Coke out of a special white-cap Coca-Cola bottle this weekend in support of the Coca-Cola Artic Home initiative.Polar Bears have been a big part of the Coca-Cola brand for decades and now Coke and the World Wildlife Fund are partnering in a campaign to help protect the polar bears’ arctic home. This holiday season, Coke is turning its iconic red cans white to help raise awareness and funds for polar bear conservation efforts. Fans can get in on the action by using Coke package codes to text a personal $1 donation to WWF or by donating online at ArcticHome.com. For every fan that donates, Coke will match it up to $1 million. Fans can visit ArcticHome.com for more information and to learn more about the polar bear and its habitat.
Race Rewind: Lone Star State … Burton started the 334-lap affair from the 31st position, but quickly climbed through the field to the 17th position by lap 100. After experiencing some overheating issues on the No. 31 Caterpillar machine, Burton brought the RCR entry to the attention of his pit crew to repair duct work that had come loose from the nose making the Chevrolet overheat. The South Boston, Va., native returned to the track and again, climbed his way through the field and eventually taking the lead on lap 305. Burton and crew chief Luke Lambert decided to take the gamble on fuel mileage in the closing laps of the AAA Texas 500, but fell five laps short and settled for a less-than-desired 27th-place result.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
What do you think about Phoenix International Raceway after you tested there earlier in the season?
“There are still a lot of unknowns there even though we spent two days testing there. The track changed a lot from the time we started the test to the time that we ended the test. I think that is to be expected. I think it changed more than most other times when a race track is repaved. The track picked up almost four seconds from the time we got there to the time that we left. That’s a big change. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the back straightaway. I think it’s going to be fun for the fans. The fans in the stands will be able to see the track better than they ever have before. It’s the first race track that I’ve ever been to where the straightaway has more banking than the corners. It’s very odd and unusual. The front straightaway, turns one, three and four are all the same, but the exit of two turn is very different from what it used to be like. I think different is okay. I think the biggest concern that every team has going there is double-file restarts, getting the track to have enough grip in the second groove to be able to have double-file restarts. It might take a few races to get it the way we want it, but it’s going to be a really exciting race track.”
You said you like the backstretch, can you describe the feeling of driving on it?
“The backstretch has so much banking and there’s a dogleg back there. You leave turn two and you start down the dogleg. I say you start down it because you are literally going down the banking on the backstretch. It’s not really like an elevation change it’s just a lot of change because of all the banking there. It’s very unique. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s going to be very interesting.”
Will the repave make for better racing at Phoenix International Raceway?
“I think long-term, the track has the potential to entice drivers to want to run higher. However, the bottom groove is still good. I think long-term we will see some really good side-by-side racing at the short track similar to what we would see at Richmond (International Raceway). Short-term I don’t think that will be the case. I don’t think we’re going to have the track rubbered up to the way we need it to be to have a lot of good side-by-side racing. I don’t know though. There’s going to be a lot of racing between now and then. I think the (NASCAR) Nationwide (Series) will be out there too. I think all of that will help rubber up the track to where it needs to be.”
Clint Bowyer
No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 365 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala, built new for 2011, has seen action twice this season. The first time was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July when Bowyer brought home a 17th-place finish after starting 12th and most recently he ran this chassis at Richmond International Raceway in September, finishing 22nd after starting fifth.
Career Phoenix Stats … The Kobalt Tools 500 marks Bowyer’s 216th NSCS start.
In 12 NSCS starts at the one-mile desert oval, Bowyer owns two top-five and four top-10 finishes.
He has completed 98.4 percent (3,749 of 3,811) of the total laps contested at PIR during his career.
The Emporia, Kan., native has led 21 total laps at PIR.
Bowyer owns an average starting position of 19.1 and average finishing position of 16.4.
His best effort at the Arizona facility is a second-place finish in the April 2008 event.
Send Cheer … The No. 33 Chevrolet will carry a special message this Veterans Day weekend. The design, unveiled at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month, features the message “send Cheer” to encourage fans to send thanks and spread cheer to military families whose loved ones are serving our country. The paint scheme is part of a partnership between Cheerios and the USO to help support military families by sending “Cheer” postcards from the front of specially marked packages of Cheerios cereal found in stores through November, 2011. People can simply cut out the postcard from the box, write a message of thanks on the back, add a stamp, and mail the pre-addressed postcard to the USO. The USO will deliver the postcards to military families at events at USO centers across the nation. Cheerios will also send extra “Cheer” to all military families by donating $1 to the USO for each postcard received from specially marked packages. To kick off the campaign, Cheerios has already donated $150,000 to the USO, and will donate up to an additional $100,000 based upon the number of postcards received through November 30, 2012. The donation will go towards USO programs that help connect families with their loved ones while deployed. Race fans will also be able to send thanks and encouragement at Phoenix International Raceway by visiting the “Cheer” display located outside the track throughout the entire race weekend. You can fill out a postcard and have it sent to military families by the USO.
Coca-Cola Arctic Home … This weekend, look for Bowyer to be chugging Coke out of a special white-cap Coca-Cola bottle in support of the Coca-Cola Arctic Home initiative.Polar Bears have been a big part of the Coca-Cola brand for decades and now Coke and the World Wildlife Fund are partnering in a campaign to help protect the polar bears’ arctic home. This holiday season, Coke is turning its iconic red cans white to help raise awareness and funds for polar bear conservation efforts. Fans can get in on the action by using Coke package codes to text a personal $1 donation to the WWF or by donating online at ArcticHome.com. For every fan that donates, Coke will match it up to $1 million. Fans can visit ArcticHome.com for more information and to learn more about the polar bear and its habitat.
Where It All Began … Bowyer returns to the “Desert Jewel” where he made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2005. Running a No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress, Bowyer finished 22nd after starting 25th.
Double Duty … Bowyer will drive the No. 33 Rheem Heating, Cooling & Water Heating Chevrolet Impalafor Kevin Harvick Inc. in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, November 12. In 10 previous NNS starts at Phoenix, Bowyer has one win (2007), six top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He has also led a total of 214 laps around the Avondale, Ariz.-based facility
Last Time in the Desert … Rolling off the starting grid in the 16th position, Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team salvaged a 27th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in February after involvement in an early accident on lap 68.
Last Week in the Lone Star State … After an up-and-down afternoon, Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team scored their 14th top-10 finish of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season bringing home a hard-fought ninth-place effort in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:
I understand you were pretty quick during the test. How do you feel about going back to Phoenix International Raceway?
“I’m looking forward to going back to Phoenix (International Raceway). I was pleasantly surprised. I heard some negative feedback from the tire test, but I think the biggest thing is the track. It’s just dirty from all of the construction. Once we were able to burn a groove in the track, it was pretty good. I think it’s going to be good for a long time and put on the same great racing that it always has. It could even enhance the racing a little bit. I like how they raised the banking on the backstretch. For a fan, it’s going to make watching the race better in the grandstands because it was one of the tracks where you kind of lost sight of the cars a little bit. But now, with the banking on the backstretch fans will be able to see a lot more.”
What do you think the biggest difference is from the ‘old’ track to the ‘new’ track (Phoenix International Raceway reconfiguration)?
“The dogleg on the backstretch I think is a little sharper now. I think it will actually create more racing. It kind of goes down and then comes back up. With adding banking to the dogleg the bottom of the corner is actually higher than the top of the corner. It’s going to be interesting to see how that’s going to play out as far as the racing goes there.”
Do you think the new surface and different configuration will make for better racing?
“I hope so. Obviously there was a lot of homework and research done to create the best racing environment possible. Phoenix (International Raceway) has always raced well. With the new surface, there’s a ton of grip. Anytime there’s a ton of grip, the fastest way around the track is probably going to be the shortest way around the track. I think the only way we’ll be able to tell is once we get the track burned in and get some age on this thing.”
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