RCR Race Preview: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… In 84 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing boasts 12 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes. In 2023, Kyle Busch led RCR with a third-place finish in the fall event at the Nevada oval.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… RCR has five wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, most recently by Austin Hill in March 2023. Other drivers to win in Xfinity Series competition for the Welcome, N.C., based organization include Kevin Harvick (2004), Jeff Burton (2007), Austin Dillon (2015) and Tyler Reddick (2019). RCR has racked up four poles in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with drivers Kevin Harvick (2007), Ty Dillon (2014), A. Dillon (2015) and Myatt Snider (2020).

BIG POWER to Start 2024… ECR Engines has enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 NASCAR season. The company powered Daniel Suarez to victory one week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. ECR has dominated the start to the Xfinity Series season winning both races, both poles and leading 76.81% of the total possible laps.

Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series The LiUNA! at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, March 2, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Las Vegas… The NASCAR Cup Series Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, March 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Austin Dillon has two top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a best performance of fourth in 2020. Dillon has completed 99.6% of all the laps run at the 1.5-mile oval.

Former Winner… Dillon is a two-time winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion went to Victory Lane in Xfinity Series competition at the track in March 2015, leading 183 of the scheduled 200 laps. Dillon also has a NASCAR Truck Series win at the track in September 2010.

About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market-leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Group, BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands, including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino, and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. Always Bet Responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Meet Dillon… On Saturday, March 2 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. local time, Dillon and his RCR teammate Kyle Busch are scheduled to participate in an autograph session on behalf of BetMGM at the Mandalay Bay Sportsbook.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

“I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It’s one of my favorite racetracks. It’s big, fast, bumpy, and it has a lot of lines that you can choose. It’s going to be a great race weekend for everyone coming to check us out. We’re on a mission on the No. 3 team to turn our luck around and Las Vegas is the perfect place to do that.”

How has racing on 1.5-mile tracks with the Next Gen car changed and how do you think it’s improved?

“I think the racing on the 1.5-mile tracks is probably the best racing we have now with this new car. It seems to put on a good show, and you find certain times and tracks that race really competitively. The restarts are really pretty wild.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 7, 2004, and since then, he has gone on to achieve much success at his home track. In 2009, Busch won from the pole position, the only driver in track history to accomplish the feat. The Las Vegas native has racked up 12 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, including five top-five results in the last six Las Vegas races (dating back to 2021). Busch also has secured two pole positions (2008 and 2009) at the 1.5-mile track.

An Impressive Track Record… Busch owns numerous Cup Series records at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.He is the youngest race winner (23 years, 9 months, and 27 days) and owns the most top-five (12) and top-10 finishes (15). He is also tied for most poles (two) among active drivers entering this weekend’s race.

Leading the Points… Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings by one point ahead of second-place William Byron. This is the first time the driver of the BetMGM Chevrolet has led the standings since winning the Cup championship at Homestead in 2019 (145 races).

Just how close was the finish in Atlanta? Busch finished third in a thrilling three-wide photo finish battle for the win one week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a scant .007 seconds behind the race winner, marking the closest final margin between first and third in NASCAR Cup Series history.

About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market-leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Group, BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands, including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino, and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. Always Bet Responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Meet The Drivers… Busch and teammate Austin Dillon are scheduled to meet with fans at the Mandalay Bay Sportsbook on behalf of BetMGM on Saturday, March 2. The appearance will be from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. local time and is limited to the first 100 fans who receive a wristband.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What do you see as the role of sports betting in sports?

“It’s huge. I think there’s a huge market for it. I grew up in Las Vegas, obviously, and a lot of betting and gambling happens there. It feels like I’m the natural fit for that. Thanks to BetMGM for being associated with a Vegas cat like me. It’s a huge market. A lot more states are coming up with releasing the regulations and allowing sports betting to happen in their states. I feel like that’s only a good thing for the industry, just having that chance.”

What’s your responsibility as an athlete in all that?

“Well, I mean, obviously, I feel like for us, keeping the integrity of the sport. You’re not going to do anything that hurts the things that you’re supposed to do behind the wheel and also just making sure you deliver the message of safe betting as well.”

What do you remember of your first NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009 and what did that victory in front of the home crowd mean to you?

“It was huge and such a cool deal. That to me felt like my Daytona 500. I’ve had some big wins. I’ve won Indy. I’ve won the Southern 500. I’ve won the Coke 600, All-Star Race, all that stuff. But the Vegas win, it was just such a relief and such a monumental win for me because I remember I grew up right down the street watching that place be built.”

Is there less pressure when you go back to Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

“Because I’ve won there, yes, there’s less pressure, but I’ve never backed it up. You still want to win there every time you go, being the hometown. I think I have four or five third-place finishes there in the last six or seven races. We’re right there, we just don’t get it.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Saturday. The 19-year-old has attended races at the 1.5-mile oval in person, but Friday’s practice will mark his first laps on the Nevada surface.

Two for Two… With securing pole positions at both Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Love is the first driver in NASCAR Xfinity Series history to win consecutive poles in their first two starts in the series.

Did You Know? Continuing to add to his resume, Love is the first driver to win Stage One in each of the first two races in a Xfinity Series season.

Lap Leader… Love has led over 60% of laps competed through the first two Xfinity Series races. The Menlo Park, California native has paced the field for a total of 191 laps – 34 at Daytona International Speedway and 157 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Love is also the first driver of 2024 to surpass 100 laps led across NASCAR’s top-three series.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What are your thoughts heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway and your first mile-and-a-half race in the Xfinity Series?

“I feel like I know more of what to do and what not to do on an intermediate track than I did on a superspeedway. I have confidence heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the fact that I personally have laps at a mile-and-a-half track in an ARCA car and our Whelen Chevrolet should be fast once again. There is a little bit of an unknown in going to a mile-and-a-half for the first time specifically in a Xfinity car, but that’s a more positive than negative unknown. Our No. 2 team has come out of the gate strong and while we wanted the win last week in Atlanta, we can take that strong run and build off of it.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning one win and three top-10 finishes. In eight NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Nevada speedway, Hill has led a total of 80 laps and captured two wins (fall 2019, fall 2020), four top-five, and six top-10 results.

Undefeated in 2024… With back-to-back wins at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hill remains undefeated in 2024 and holds the lead in the driver championship point standings.

Did You Know? Hill is the fourth driver in Xfinity Series history to win the first two races of season, joining Dale Earnhardt (1986), Chad Little (1995), and Tony Stewart (2008). If Hill is able to capture the checkered flag on Saturday, the 29-year-old will become the first driver in Xfinity Series history to win the first three races of a season.

Defending Race Winner… Hill enters Saturday’s race as the defending Xfinity Series race winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last March, the Winston, Georgia native started from the ninth position and drove forward to claim the Stage 2 victory. Running in second place with 10 laps to go, Hill consistently chased then leader Chandler Smith to make a late-race pass and secure the victory. This marked Hill’s second win in the first three races of the 2023 season.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, March 2 at 11:00 a.m. local time, Hill is scheduled to visit the South Point Casino booth in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fan Zone to sign autographs and greet fans.

Immediately following, on Saturday, March 2 at 11:20 a.m. local time, Hill will sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Fan Zone at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the eight-time Xfinity Series winner and purchase new gear.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

Talk about returning to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the defending race winner.

“I’ve always had good fortune at and have loved going to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I had success there during my Truck Series career and now I’ve won a Xfinity Series race as well. Statistically, I have run well there throughout my career. I expect big things when we hit the track. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet should be capable of running up front and the No. 21 team hopefully will have a shot at the win. These first three races to start this season are our cup of tea. We won all three last season, have two already this year, and our goal is to keep the momentum going.”

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

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