[media-credit name=”RCR” align=”alignright” width=”300″]
[/media-credit]Talladega Superspeedway
Race: Aaron’s 499
Location: Talladega Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,192 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, Richard Childress Racing has amassed 100 wins, 430 top-five finishes, 891 top-10 finishes and 42 pole awards, with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8 among all races contested. RCR has earned six Sprint Cup Series championships with Dale Earnhardt (1986, ’87, ’90,’91, ’93, ’94), 14 total championships (five NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.
RCR Leads at Talladega … Richard Childress began his driving career at the Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and leads team owners for the most all-time victories at the storied Ala. race track with 12 wins, including three of the last four Sprint Cup Series events. Dale Earnhardt visited Victory Lane nine times while Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer swept the 2010 events at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Bowyer added to the Welcome, N.C.-based organization’s total by claiming RCR’s 100th Sprint Cup Series win when NASCAR’s senior series last visited in October 2011. In 134 starts, RCR has four pole awards, 37 top-five, 57 top-10 finishes and has led 1,715 laps of competition.
The Collective RCR … Throughout the season’s first nine races, RCR’s Sprint Cup Series entries have notched three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. RCR teams have completed 9,976 out of 10,188 total laps (97.92 percent) with drivers Jeff Burton, Harvick, Paul Menard, Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan. The group has led a combined 159 laps.
Hall of Famer … Richard Childress, president CEO of RCR, will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on Thursday, May 3, during a gala event at the facility on the grounds of Talladega Superspeedway. Childress, the 14-time championship-winning team owner, has had racing in his bones since he was a pre-teen, selling peanuts and popcorn at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. The 2011 NASCAR Buddy Shuman Award winner and three-time The Sporting News NASCAR Owner of the Year will be inducted along with National Hot Rod Association drag racing legends Kenny Bernstein and John Force.
Isn’t it Grand … Richard Childress will serve as the grand marshal of the May 4 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. The 14-time championship-winning team owner will be inducted the night before into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Get to the Points … Following the Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Harvick fell to seventh in the driver championship point standings, 25 markers out of the top spot. Menard sits 14th in the point standings, while Burton slipped to 20th.
Interactive RCR …To keep up-to-date with the latest news and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick and @RCR31JeffBurton. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com.
Place Your Vote … Fan voting for the 2012 Sprint All-Star Race is underway and while Burton hopes to qualify by winning a race prior to the event or finishing first or second in the Sprint Showdown, he also has the opportunity to be voted in by race fans. Fans can vote by using the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile application on their Android-powered Sprint devices or by texting “VOTE” to 229466 on any wireless carrier. Voting also is open at www.NASCAR.com/AllStar or by visiting the Sprint Experience at Sprint Cup Series races. Votes cast on a Sprint, Nextel, Boost or Virgin Mobile device count double towards a driver’s total.
Catch the Action … FOX’s live coverage of the Aaron’s 499 begins Sunday, May 6 at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio. Qualifying for the 10th points-paying event on the Sprint Cup Series calendar will air live on SPEED on Saturday, May 5 at 12 p.m. ET.
Paul Menard
No. 27 Turtle Wax/Menards Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Turtle Wax/Menards Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 388 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet was last seen on track at Daytona International Speedway in February, where Menard earned a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500.
Talladega Days … In 11 starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Menard has earned one top-five and six top-15 finishes, completed 80 percent of his laps (1,671 of 2,089) and led for 18 circuits. He has an average starting position of 20.4 and an average finishing position of 22.5. His best finish of second was recorded in his October 2008 visit to the 2.66-mile race track. Menard recorded his best start of fifth on two occasions: October 2008 and April 2011. He also earned one pole award (April 2005) in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and one win (September 2003) in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.
Getting Loopy in 2012 … With nine points-paying events of the 2012 season complete, Menard sits 14th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 29points out of the final Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup spot. In his sophomore year with RCR, Menard has an average starting position of 21.4, an average finishing position of 16.4 and maintains an average running position of 19.04. The Eau Claire, Wis., native ranks second in the NASCAR Loop Data category Closers, advancing an average of 2.1 positions in the final 10 percent of the race, and has completed 99.4 percent of his laps (2,909 of 2,926).
#QS400 or Bust … Quaker State and Menards have kicked off a consumer sweepstakes offer that will run through May 15. Fans can visit their nearest Menards for real durable Quaker State motor oil and a chance to win an all expenses paid trip for two to the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. For details and to enter, visit your local Menards store. See www.Menards.com for locations.
Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3 … The No. 27 Richard Childress Racing team will participate in a Goodyear Tire test session May 8 – 9 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Menard will be available for questions from members of the press inside NHMS’ infield media center during the lunch break on May 9.
Race Rewind … Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet from the fifth position in last April’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway and spent the majority of the afternoon in the top 10. A spinning car on the race track separated Menard and drafting partner Regan Smith, but the RCR driver quickly found another partner until the final caution period of the race when he found himself on his own for the restart. Menard fell back to as far as the 20th position, but battled back to bring home a 12th-place finish. Some notable NASCAR Loop Data statistics from his April 2011 performance: Menard made 465 green-flag passes and 376 quality passes (both the second-highest of all drivers). He also received the third-highest driver rating with a 103.4.
In the Rearview Mirror: Richmond … Menard drove the No. 27 NIBCO/Menards Chevrolet to a 13th-place finish, his career-best finish at the 0.75-mile race track, after starting in the 31st position under the lights of Richmond International Raceway. The RCR team was forced to unload the backup neon yellow machine on Friday afternoon after Menard made contact with the outside turn four wall during the first of two practice sessions. A number of minor chassis and air pressure adjustments made throughout the 300-mile race allowed Menard to gain ground.
About Turtle Wax … For over 70 years, Turtle Wax has remained a family-owned company based in the Chicago area. Turtle Wax is the global leader and the most widely recognized name in total car care products, selling over 1,250 products in the retail and commercial markets in 90 countries worldwide. For more information on Turtle Wax, please visit www.turtlewax.com.
PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
You had a sixth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and Richard Childress Racing is well-known for its solid restrictor-plate program. How do you feel about heading to Talladega Superspeedway?
“Anything can happen at Talladega (Superspeedway). We went into Daytona (International Speedway) with high hopes but wound up wrecking two cars in the Budweiser Shootout and the Duel 150 before finishing sixth in the Daytona 500 in our third car. We definitely had a roller coaster ride during Speed Weeks. Unfortunately, at Talladega you don’t have that many opportunities to get a backup car out. RCR always brings great Chevrolets to these restrictor-plate tracks and I’m confident we’ll have speed when we unload. What will matter is what NASCAR does with the engine package and the cooling package and then we need to stay out of trouble.”
What did you think of the rules package for Daytona International Speedway?
“I think NASCAR accomplished what they wanted to. You can still two-car draft, but not for more than a lap. The struggle that we had, and most of the garage had, was even though you didn’t run in a two-car draft, the engine temperatures were still through the roof. Even in the pack, while you’re riding three-wide in a group of 20 cars, the cars still run hot, which increased the danger of the motors blowing up. When you duck out, it takes a long time for the car to cool off. I think there needs to be something done with the cooling packages, maybe open the grill up a little more, something to get us to run a little cooler. We’re right on the edge now of being too hot.”
Was racing at Daytona International Speedway more like the old way of ‘pack’ racing or a hybrid of that and the tandem drafting?
“It’s more like the old way of restrictor-plate racing. I know they were hoping for a hybrid of the two, where a couple cars could take off for a while and then they’d have to fall back, but it was definitely more like the old way. You saw guys get single file around the bottom and ride around. There were probably six of us that were in the lead group for almost half the race that just rode around the bottom. We weren’t really racing, but rather trying to maintain our engines and take care of our equipment. There are pros and cons to it. Some people like it and some people don’t.”
Is there some kind of an unspoken agreement that you are all riding around together and you take turns poking out to cool the engine off?
“If you poke out then someone is going to drive up on your inside and pass you. That’s the way it works.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 238 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis was most recently driven by Elliott Sadler at Daytona International Speedway in February as the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet, and was utilized in 2011 by the No. 31 team.
In the Draft … The 36-year-old driver made his first Sprint Cup Series appearance at Talladega Superspeedway in 2001 and has since has earned one victory, one pole award, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The NASCAR veteran led 142 of the 4,073 laps completed at the track, and he has an average starting position of 22.1 along with an average finishing position of 15.1.
Looking Back … Harvick and the No. 29 team took home a fifth-place finish in last year’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway after leading nine laps. In the later part of the race, Harvick hooked up with former RCR teammate Clint Bowyer and charged forward on the final lap, but were beat to the checkered flag. Harvick was scored with a fifth-place finish.
Making the Loop … Harvick competed in 14 Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006. Harvick is tied for fourth in the Closer category moving up an average of 2.9 positions in the last 10 percent of laps in each race. The driver of the No. 29 Chevrolet is also ranked seventh in Fastest Laps Run (56) and eighth in Laps Led (106) at the 2.66-mile facility.
Gotta Have a Rheem … After serving as primary sponsor on the No. 29 Chevrolet earlier this season in Phoenix and Kansas, Rheem will return for their third appearance of the 2012 season this weekend in Talladega. Rheem is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta and U.S. operations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Indiana, Minnesota and North Carolina. In its 86th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Rheem, Raypak, Ruud and Richmond have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing.
Hall of Fame Supporters … Rheem is proud to be a Gold sponsor for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction ceremony where Richard Childress will be inducted on Thursday, May 3. Rheem has invited several customers to join them as guests at this event and will also host customers for the Sprint Cup race on Sunday.
Double Duty … In addition to competing in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race, Harvick will also pilot the RCR No. 33 Armour Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event Saturday afternoon. The Aaron’s 312 will air live on ABC at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Lap for a Reason … Following driver introductions for the Sprint Cup Series event on Sunday, Harvick will participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade lap, where one lucky fan will have the opportunity to ride in the parade vehicle with the Rheem Racing driver. The proceeds generated from the auction will benefit the NASCAR Foundation along with the Kevin Harvick Foundation. Harvick will also participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade Lap program at Dover International Speedway in June for the Sprint Cup event. Fans can bid on this once in a lifetime experience, while supporting two great organizations by visiting http://nascar.com/auction.
In the Rearview Mirror: Richmond … Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s team finished 19th during the Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway after battling an unfavorable handling race car for the majority of the 400-lap event.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on heading back to Talladega Superspeedway?
“I like racing at places like Talladega (Superspeedway), you spend a lot of time anticipating the other guy’s next move, so you have to be mentally prepared for a race like this. This a good track for me, and we’ve done well in the past. As a team we need to remain focused, and as long as we don’t make any little mistakes, I think we have a good shot to put the Rheem Chevrolet in victory lane this weekend.”
As you prepare for the race at Talladega Superspeedway, how do you think it will compare to Daytona International Speedway?
“I think you’ll have that same type of pack racing and the things that go with it. I feel like as we get ready for Talladega (Superspeedway) we’ll have to see what the temperature is to determine how we’ll race. You kind of get put in a box there. You can’t run the car 260 or 280 (degrees) all day and take that chance of having an engine failure. If the temperatures get that high, it will force us to run the race the way that we did at Daytona (International Speedway).”
Sam Bass has teamed up with Talladega Superspeedway again to design the trophy for the Aaron’s 499. You have won one of these custom designed trophies in the past, what does it mean to you?
“It’s always a great feeling to win a race and add the trophy to your collection, but to be presented with a special one-of-a-kind trophy always adds a little extra special meaning. Sam does an amazing job creating his designs, and it’s more of a piece of art than an actual trophy. To know you have a trophy of that caliber in your collection always makes it a little more special.”
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis, built in 2011 for RCR’s No. 29 entry with driver Kevin Harvick, competed in three superspeedway events last season including the Daytona 500 where an engine failure relegated Harvick to a 42nd-place finish. Harvick also guided this machine to a top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2011 (started-38th, finished-fifth) and a top-10 finish in July in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (started-31st, finished-seventh). Burton got behind the wheel of this Chevrolet in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout at DIS where he was involved in an early incident but battled to an 11th-place finish.
Career Talladega Stats … The Aaron’s 499 marks Burton’s 37th start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway and 629th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. He earned five top-five and 14 top-10 finishes along with 147 laps led at the historic track.
Getting Loopy on Eastboga Blvd … Burton has garnered impressive NASCAR Loop Data statistics at Talladega Superspeedway since the inception of NASCAR Loop Data Statistics in 2006. He leads all drivers entered for the 500-mile event with a driver rating of 91.3, has the most green passes with 5,426 (3,834 of those passes coming while running in the top 15), the seventh-best average running position (15.8) and has spent 1,596 laps in the top 15, rankinghim third..
Featured Cat Dealers … Thompson Tractor Company Inc. and Puckett Machinery Company will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
Thompson Tractor Company, Inc. is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala, and was founded in 1957 by Hall Thompson. Thompson Tractor Company, Inc. is comprised of four main divisions (Thompson Tractor Co., Thompson Power Systems, Thompson Lift Truck Co., and the Thompson Cat Rental Store), and has operations in Alabama, Georgia and Northwest Florida. Thompson is the exclusive full-line Caterpillar dealer for Alabama and Northwest Florida. For more information visit our website: www.thompsontractor.com.
Puckett Machinery Company is the Caterpillar heavy equipment, rental services and engine dealer for central and southern Mississippi. Puckett Machinery has six full-service heavy equipment facilities conveniently located throughout the southern half of Mississippi – in Jackson, Gulfport, Natchez, Meridian, Hattiesburg, and Brookhaven. They also have five Puckett Rents Cat Rental Store facilities in Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Madison, and Meridian, Mississippi which provide quality rental equipment, Cat Compact Construction Equipment, and a wide range of contractor supplies. There are also two Puckett Power Systems locations in Jackson and Gulfport serving the engine and generator needs of central and southern Mississippi. Puckett Machinery is fully and completely committed to providing higher quality products, more choices, greater expertise, finer support and, ultimately, better overall solutions.
Race Fever … Burton will take part in a Q&A and autograph session at the 2012 Race Fever event held on Friday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. The 27th annual event, event benefits the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and is held at the SPEED Channel Dome in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. For additional information and tickets to the event, call (256) 761-3571 or (256) 761-3369.
Walk of Fame … Burton was nominated as a candidate for the 2012 Talladega Walk of Fame at Davey Allison Memorial Park. Located in downtown Talladega Ala., the park’s focal point is to salute NASCAR racing legends selected by the fans. The voting is by online ballot only and fans can vote at http://www.talladegawalk.com.
Sprint Fan Vote. Vote Now, Vote Often … Fans have the opportunity to vote Burton into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 19 with the Sprint Fan Vote. The Sprint Fan Vote launched in 2004 as a way to bring one more deserving driver into the Sprint All-Star Race to compete for the $1 million payout. There are three ways you can vote for Burton and votes from your Sprint, Boost and Virgin Mobile phones count double.
Mobile Handsets Text “VOTE” to 229466 from any mobile handset Use the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile application on your Sprint Android device Voting on handsets is unlimited Online NASCAR.COM http://www.nascar.com/allstar There is no voting time limit in 2012 The Sprint Experience Voting stations will be set up in the Sprint Experience mobile display each race weekend
Team Pocono vs. Team Dover … Dover International Speedway and Pocono Raceway are teaming up for a celebrity softball game featuring Burton and Carl Edwards on Tuesday, May 15 at Campbell’s Field, home of the Camden Riversharks in Camden, N.J. The game, billed as Team Dover vs. Team Pocono, marks the first time two NASCAR tracks have joined forces to promote their respective races. Burton will captain “The Tricky Triangle” team while Edwards will lead the “Monster Mile” squad. The teams rosters will be filled out with drivers from the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well Philadelphia-area athletes and celebrities, and members of the local media. Gates open at 4 p.m. with the game beginning at 4:30 p.m. Following the softball game, Burton and Edwards will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the 7:05 p.m. Lancaster Barnstormers vs. Camden Riversharks baseball game. Access to the Team Dover vs. Team Pocono celebrity softball game is free with a ticket to that night’s baseball game. Tickets for the Riversharks game start at just $5, and all children ages 16 and younger that wear their NASCAR gear get in free. In addition, the United Way of Camden County offers free admission for any child that wears the uniform of the little league team they play for to the game. For tickets, call 1-866-SHARKS-9 or visit www.riversharks.com.
Career Statistics … During his 20-year Sprint Cup Series career, Burton has earned 21 wins, 131 top-five and 244 top-10 finishes in 628 starts. The veteran RCR driver also tallied six pole awards and led 6,506 laps.
Race Rewind … An on-track incident on lap 310 knocked Burton and the No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet team out of contention in the Capital City 400, relegating them to a 31st-place finish at Richmond International Raceway.
Points Racing … Burton is 20th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 64 points out of the final Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup spot.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
After running at Daytona International Speedway, what do you expect this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway?
“Last year, you went into the race with a strategy. You knew exactly what you wanted to do and who you were going to work with. We knew last year going in that (Clint) Bowyer and I were going to be together no matter what. You had that strategy with him and that was it. Now the strategy is wherever you are, go figure out how to make it work with whoever is available. You still have your teammates who you prefer to work with, but it is hard to always do that. You aren’t always in the same place. If you are running eighth and your teammate is running 16th, there isn’t enough benefit to drop back to 16th and go get him anymore. I also think we will have some cautions early and a string of them late in the race. Pack racing, although it might be fun to watch, creates a lot of big multi-car accidents. A lot of drivers like this pack racing better. I personally think that things get taken out of your hands a lot easier in this kind of racing. I think it will be a safe bet to say that there will be a lot of cautions towards the end of the race. It will get four-wide and really aggressive in the big packs. That is all a given.”
How much different will the race at Talladega Superspeedway be this year than last year with pack racing compared to the two-car tandem drafts?
“We are seeing drivers learn to use different strategies. You ask yourself, ‘what is it going to take to win this race?’ It is a different strategy to win than what it took last year. You can push a little bit, but you can’t push enough to help your teammate or the driver in front of you. With the shorter spoiler, it seems like pushing someone else doesn’t give you the benefit it used to, but it still gives you some benefits so you still want to do it. Typically, it’s easier to draft at Talladega Superspeedway rather than Daytona International Speedway. The track is wider and there are more places to go. It is an evolution for the driver to find out what it takes to win in these restrictor plate races.”
What do you have to do to put yourself in position to win at Talladega Superspeedway mentally?
“There are more hurt feelings in this kind of racing. Pack racing always leads to driver thinking their teammate or buddy hung them out to dry. Last year with tandem racing, most drivers sat down and said, ‘I’m going to run with you no matter what.’ Now drivers are going to get their feelings hurt even more because they were supposed to having a buddy on the track to go with them no matter what. This year, the guy behind you will be acting in his best interests. You will see more teammates mad at each other, more friends mad at each other and more feelings hurt than in the past. It goes back to the way it used to be where you can’t trust anybody. It’s not that they are trying to do something wrong to you, they are doing what is right for them. This is sports and that is what you are supposed to do. You have to get last year out of your head and worry about this year.”
Race: Aaron’s 312
Location: Talladega Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Notes
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Talladega Superspeedway … In 23 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned five top-five and eight top-10 finishes but remains winless at the 2.66-mile restrictor-plate track. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has two pole awards (Johnny Sauter in 2002 and Clint Bowyer in 2004).
Averages … RCR maintains an average starting position of 9.7 and an average finishing position of 19.6 among all Nationwide Series races the organization has competed in at Talladega Superspeedway. RCR drivers have completed 80.9 percent of the laps attempted at the track with 87 laps led.
The Season So Far … Through the first seven races this season, RCR has acquired two wins in the Nationwide Series. Elliott Sadler notched the organization’s first victory of the 2012 season at Phoenix International Raceway and earned the organization’s second win of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway. RCR has earned three pole awards in 2012, with Sadler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Paul Menard at Texas Motor Speedway and Kevin Harvick at Richmond International Raceway. The organization has 12 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes and has led 502 laps in 2012.
RCR in the NNS … In 786 Nationwide Series starts over the course of the last 15 years, RCR has earned 58 wins, 262 top-five finishes, 430 top-10 finishes and 36 pole awards, with an average starting position of 12.6 and an average finishing position of 12.9 among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver’s points championships in 2001 and 2006 with Harvick and in 2008 with Clint Bowyer. The Welcome, N.C.-based team earned the owner’s title in 2003 with Johnny Sauter and Harvick and again in 2007 with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer.
To the Point … RCR’s two full-time Nationwide Series entries rank first (Sadler) and third (Dillon) in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings heading into the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet team leads the owner’s point standings while the No. 33 Menards/South Point Hotel & Casino/Hunt Brothers/Armour Brands/Fast Fixin’/OneMain Financial/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet team driven by Harvick, Brendan Gaughan, Menard, Tony Stewart and Max Papis sits third in the owner’s championship point standings and the No. 3 AdvoCare/American Ethanol/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team ranks fifth.
Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages – @RCR2ESadler, @RCR3ADillon and @RCR33NNS, RCR’s Nationwide Series driver Twitter pages – @Elliott_Sadler and @AustinDillon3 and the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/ElliottSadlerOfficial and facebook.com/adillon3.
Live on ABC … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Aaron’s 312 will be televised on ABC beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, May 5 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Elliott Sadler No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s OneMain Financial Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will unload Chassis No. 499 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable this weekend. Sadler drove this Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway in February to a third-place finish.
Sweet Home Alabama … Sadler heads to Talladega Superspeedway with three Nationwide Series starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, and he has earned one pole award (2011), one top-five finish and eight laps led. His experience extends into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the track, with 23 starts, three pole awards, one top-five, four top-10 finishes and 125 laps led.
Last Time By … In 2011, Sadler headed south to Talladega Superspeedway and earned his first pole award for the season. He led eight laps around the superspeedway on his way to a fifth-place finish.
Just the Stats … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Season-to-Date statistics, Sadler leads the Nationwide Series in average start (4.7), average finish (5.0), laps in top 15 (1,381), percentage of laps in the top 15 (97.3 percent) and total laps completed (1,420).
To the Point … Sadler sits atop the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, leading Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by two points.
Making Laps For A Cause… Following driver introductions for the Nationwide Series event on Saturday, Sadler will participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade lap, where one lucky bidder will have the opportunity to ride in the parade vehicle with the OneMain Financial driver around the track. The proceeds will benefit the NASCAR Foundation and the Hermie and Elliott Sadler Foundation. Sadler will also participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade Lap program at Dover International Speedway, and fans can bid by visiting http://nascar.com/auction.
Meet the OneMain Financial Driver … Fans have the opportunity to meet Sadler on Friday, May 4 at the OneMain Financial branch at 704 Battle St. E. in Talladega, Ala. Beginning at 4 p.m. CT, fans are invited to meet Sadler and receive autographs from the current Nationwide Series points leader. For more information, visit www.OneMainRacing.com. In addition, Sadler is scheduled to participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session earlier in the day at Talladega Superspeedway at 1:30 p.m. CT.
Seeing Pink … For the remainder of the season, Sadler will have a little more color to his outfit on race days. The Emporia, Va., native will sport pink driving shoes, showing support for Breast Cancer Awareness. Sadler’s mother, Bell, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and is now a survivor.
Race Rewind: Richmond … Under the lights in the Friday night race, Sadler competed in front of a crowd of family and friends at Richmond International Raceway. The Emporia, Va., native competed in the top five for much of the race, but a late-race loose-handling condition pushed the OneMain Financial Chevrolet to a sixth-place finish.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES:
How do you feel going into the race at Talladega Superspeedway? “Talladega is always a wild race. You have to be lucky, and you have to be smart. We are bringing the same car that we brought to Daytona earlier this season. It’s definitely a fast car, and we finished third and led some laps. I think we’ve learned a lot about these new Nationwide Series cars since the last time we were at Talladega, so I’m looking forward to getting back there. It’s definitely one of the races you circle on your calendar because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
Austin Dillon No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 478 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in the Aaron’s. This is the same Chevrolet that Dillon drove to a fifth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in February. This former Kevin Harvick, Inc. chassis was driven by Clint Bowyer at Daytona in February 2011, where he earned the pole and finished second, and at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2011, where he finished 22nd after being involved in a multi-car incident.
Dillon at Talladega … The Aaron’s 312 will mark Dillon’s first Nationwide Series start at the famed 2.66-mile superspeedway, but the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has two starts at Talladega Superspeedway in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of seventh in the October 2011 event, coupled with an eighth-place result in the October 2010 race.
The Season So Far … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Dillon is ranked second in the Closers category, improving an average of 2.9 spots in the last 10 percent of each race and is the second-fastest driver late in a run. He has completed 99.15 percent of laps on the lead lap, ranking him third in that category and has completed 94.9 percent of his laps in the top 15, also ranking him third. The Nationwide Series Rookie has an average running position of 8.87 in the season’s first seven Nationwide Series races, ranking him fifth among all drivers and has the fifth-fastest green-flag speed. He has a driver rating of 100.9, ranking him sixth, has the sixth-fastest speed in traffic and is the seventh-fastest driver early in a run. He is ranked eighth in the Fastest Laps Run category with 71 laps so far this season.
Get to the Points … Dillon is third in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings. He trails RCR teammate and current point leader Elliott Sadler by 23 points and he is 21 markers behind second-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Dillon currently leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Cole Whitt.
Honoring Family … Dillon and his younger brother, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ty Dillon, are scheduled to participate in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies at the SPEED Dome at Talladega Superspeedway on Thursday evening when their grandfather, Richard Childress, is officially inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Austin will also honor his younger brother, Ty, for earning the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards driving championship.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in the Nationwide Series autograph session at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, May 4 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. CT. Later that evening, he is scheduled to greet race fans at the Bass Pro Shops in Leeds, Ala., beginning at 6 p.m. CT.
Take a Ride with Dillon … Dillon will have a special guest riding with him on Saturday following driver introductions for the Aaron’s 312. The winning bidder of the NASCAR Dreams Parade Lap NASCAR Foundation auction will ride around the track with him during pre-race ceremonies. Proceeds from the auction benefit the NASCAR Foundation and the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. Dillon will also participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade Lap program at Dover International Speedway, and fans can bid by visiting http://nascar.com/auction.
Rewind to Richmond … In his last Nationwide Series race, Dillon and the No. 3 AdvoCare team posted a ninth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway after starting third.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Did you learn a lot at Daytona International Speedway in February that you can apply this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway?
“I learned a lot by racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February, so I think having that restrictor-plate experience will help me this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Mainly, I learned that these Nationwide cars push a lot of air, so it’s a little bit different in the draft in a Nationwide Series car compared to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series vehicles. I think the key to performing well is going to be finding a good drafting partner to work with. Restrictor-plate racing is really exciting, so I think the race fans are in for a treat.”
Kevin Harvick
No. 33 Armour Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Armour Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 520 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in his fourth of 14 appearances in the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet. Built for the 2012 season, Tony Stewart raced this entry at Daytona International Speedway in February and brought home an eighth-place finish after getting caught up in an accident on the final lap.
Hungry for a Win … Harvick made a total of seven Nationwide Series starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway with his first appearance in 2000. In seven starts, the Bakersfield, Calif., native collected one pole award, two top-five and three top-10 finishes. The RCR veteran driver completed 668 out of 827 (80.8 percent) laps and is credited for leading 87 laps. Harvick has an average starting position of 10.7 and average finishing position of 17.7, and still seeks a Nationwide Series victory at the Alabama-based facility.
In the Loop … According to NASCAR’s Data Loop Statistics, dating back to 2006, Harvick ranks second in the following categories: Laps Led (87), Laps in Top 15 (406) and Fastest Laps Run (16, 3.7%). The 36-year-old driver also ranks fifth in Speed in Traffic (191.317 mph) and Green Flag Speed (191.079 mph).
To the Points … The No. 33 RCR Chevrolet team currently sits third in the Nationwide Series owner’s championship point standings, 12 points behind the leader, the No. 2 RCR team. The No. 33 team has earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes between four different drivers (Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan, and Paul Menard) thus far this season.
A Lap for a Reason … Following driver introductions for the Nationwide Series event on Saturday, Harvick will participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade lap, where one lucky fan will have the opportunity to ride in the parade vehicle with the Armour Racing driver. The proceeds generated from the auction will benefit the NASCAR Foundation along with the Kevin Harvick Foundation. Harvick will also participate in the NASCAR Dreams Parade Lap program at Dover International Speedway in June for the Sprint Cup event. Fans can bid on this once in a lifetime experience, while supporting two great organizations by visiting http://nascar.com/auction.
Race Fever … On Friday, May 4th, Armour Brands will take part in festivities during Race Fever, an annual fundraising event benefiting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB), by presenting a check for $1,000 to AIDB in support of the organization’s programs. Held at the SPEED Channel Dome within the International Motorsports Hall of Fame complex, drivers will provide interviews, autographs and auction items for the event. Race Fever began in 1986, when the late Bill France, Jr., former NASCAR Chairman, organized the first event to benefit children and adults served by AIDB. The event has grown steadily to raise $4 million for the AIDB Foundation, and is the designated charity of Talladega Superspeedway. For additional information visit racefever.org or call (256) 761-3369 for tickets.
Armour Brands … The Armour® Star story began when Phillip Danworth Armour founded Armour & Co. in 1867, in Chicago, IL. Armour & Co. is recognized as the first business in the nation to produce canned meat while using an assembly line for production purposes. Known for being one of the most important businesses in Chicago, there is no question as to why Armour ® Vienna sausage, Potted Meat, Chili, S
