Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway… In 72 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has 12 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C., based team has five second-place finishes at the 1.5-mile speedway: Kevin Harvick (2003 and 2008), Jeff Burton (2009), Ryan Newman (2014) and Tyler Reddick (2021). The team has reeled off five consecutive top-10 finishes entering this weekend’s 400-mile event (2019 – present). Austin Dillon led RCR one year ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 10th-place finish.
RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Homestead… RCR owns four NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway, highlighted by Tyler Reddick’s championship-clinching victory in 2019. Myatt Snider grabbed his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the track in 2021. Jeff Burton rallied from a 30th-place starting position to win in 2007, leading the final 26 laps. Kevin Harvick scored a dominating win in 2003, leading 108 of 203 laps. Austin Hill led RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series effort in 2023 with a fourth-place finish.
Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, October 26, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on the CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Follow Sunday’s Action…The NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, October 27, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway… Austin Dillon has 10 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has completed 100 percent of the laps run at the 1.5-mile oval. His best Cup Series finish at the track is a fourth-place result he earned in the fall of 2022. Dillon finished 10th most recently at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2023. Dillon has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, acquiring three top-five finishes, including a best finish of second in 2015 after leading 16 laps. In three NASCAR Truck Series starts, Dillon won the pole in 2010 and earned a best finish of 10th in 2011.
Fond South Miami Memories… Dillon clinched the 2011 NASCAR Truck Series Championship and the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and considers the track amongst his favorites on the NASCAR schedule.
About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations, and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.
Congratulations, Cowboys… Last week in Las Vegas, the Carolina Cowboys concluded their third season of competition by advancing to the championship game in the PBR Team Series Championship Finals at T-Mobile Arena. Ultimately finishing the season second overall, the Cowboys owe a great deal of their success to team general manager Austin Dillon, who plays an integral role in all aspects of team operations.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“I love racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It’s my favorite track that we race at. Homestead-Miami Speedway is a driver’s racetrack. It’s so much fun to run right up against the fence. You have to be disciplined in how you drive and save your tires. It’s an epic race. It’s always intense. We can move around in the corners to find the best line and it’s a track that’s been good to me in my career. We ran well at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year and finished fourth in 2022. The Miami atmosphere is just one of the things I love about this time of year, and I can’t wait to get on track in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 20th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The driver of the Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet has two wins at the 1.5-mile speedway, earning victories in 2015 and 2019. He is one of just three active drivers with multiple wins at the track. Busch has racked up 10 top-10 finishes in the last 12 races at Homestead, dating back to 2012.
Did You Know? Busch owns the all-time race record at Homestead-Miami Speedway, averaging 142.654 mph on his way to winning the 2019 event and his second NASCAR Cup Series championship. Busch completed the 400-mile distance in just 2 hours, 48 minutes, and 47 seconds.
About Rebel® Bourbon… Distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky, by Lux Row Distillers Master Distiller John Rempe, Rebel Bourbon features a wheated mash bill that is true to its original recipe dating back to 1849. Known for its smoother, sweeter flavor, highlighted by delicious caramel and vanilla flavor notes, Rebel celebrates the “Rebel spirit in all of us” – especially those who embrace freedom, defiance and a little attitude. In 2023, Rebel Bourbon 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Double Platinum ASCOT award. The brand’s Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded gold medals at the 2023 SIP and ASCOT awards.
About Luxco®… Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco® is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP® Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers®, home of Ezra Brooks®, Rebel®, Blood Oath®, David Nicholson® and Daviess County®; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery®, maker of Yellowstone® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case® Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch® Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor®, Exotico® and Dos Primos®; and Ross & Squibb® Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where Remus® Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union® Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Penelope® Bourbon, Everclear® Grain Alcohol, Pearl® Vodka, Saint Brendan’s® Irish Cream, The Quiet Man™ Irish Whiskey, Green Hat® Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
How challenging is practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway? There are so many different lines you can use to improve the balance of the car but you only have 20-minutes of track time.
“You have to go into practice at Homestead with a gameplan. There are so many different lines you can run at Homestead and we have such a short time frame that it can certainly be challenging for sure. The line that you’re going to use for the race is going to be significantly different than the line you use for qualifying so figuring out both of those with the short amount of time you have is very, very difficult.”
How different is racing in the daylight at Homestead-Miami Speedway compared with track conditions at night?
“Track conditions at Homestead in the daytime are significantly different than what the conditions will be at night. I have always been much stronger at Homestead racing at night than during the day.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this Saturday. Friday’s practice session will mark the 19-year-old’s first lap on the South Florida surface.
Points Check… With two races remaining in the Xfinity Series Playoffs Round of 8, Love currently holds the sixth position in the driver championship point standings. The Menlo Park, California native is 13 points behind the cutline for the Championship 4.
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.
Meet Love… On Saturday, October 26 at 1:30 p.m. local time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Stop by to meet the young gun and purchase new No. 2 team gear.
JESSE LOVE QUOTE:
With two races remaining in this round, what is the outlook of the No. 2 team?
“We knew that the Round of 8 was going to be hardest round to get through and it’s shaping up to be a battle. Our Whelen team had a solid weekend in Las Vegas and started this round on a strong foot with a sixth-place finish. With two races to go, our focus has been squarely on Homestead-Miami since we left the track last Saturday. Between multiple sim sessions and studying film this week, we are prepared. The guys on our Richard Childress Racing team worked extremely hard this week to turn around the same car from Las Vegas, because we feel like it’s our best piece that took adjustments well. We are going to continue taking each race as it comes, but the goal is the same – to maximize the day, get as many stage points as possible, and finish well.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway… Austin Hill has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning a career-best fourth-place result (2023) and never finishing worse than the ninth position. The Winston, Ga. native has claimed top-10 starting positions for both Xfinity Series events while piloting the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Hill also has five NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Florida speedway, capturing one victory in 2019 and one pole in 2020.
Pushing for the Final Four… With two races remaining in the Xfinity Series Playoffs, Hill currently sits in the fifth position in the driver championship point standings. The 30-year-old driver is eight points below the Championship 4 cutline.
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, October 26 at 1 p.m. local time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Stop by to meet the nine-time Xfinity Series winner and purchase new No. 21 team gear.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
What are your thoughts about racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“In the Truck Series, I would run the bottom quite a bit. We were really fast and able to wrap the bottom so well that I never ran close to the wall. In the Xfinity Series, when the top lane comes in, you need to be up there to gain speed. Running up against the fence is something that you have to trust yourself with doing. The past two years, our No. 21 Chevrolet has led laps and finished inside the top-10, so I hope that our car has speed in it once again. The main goal for the weekend is to extend our points lead above the cutline as much as possible. If we can win the race, we will do everything in our power to do so. But if we can’t, we need to earn stage points and get the best finish possible before heading into Martinsville Speedway next week.”
