Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway… In 152 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolets have earned eight wins, all by Dale Earnhardt. The driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet claimed the checkered flag in 1986 (spring), both races in 1987, 1989 (fall), another sweep in 1990 plus spring events in 1993 and 1994. Additionally, the team has earned two poles, 27 top-five and 51 top-10 finishes, has completed 92.1% of the laps contested (47,857 of 51,979 laps) and led 2,618 laps at the historic facility entering Sunday afternoon’s race. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed a pair of those top-10s himself between 1977-1978. In RCR’s most recent appearance at The Lady in Black in August 2025, Kyle Busch led the RCR contingent with an eighth-place finish, while Austin Dillon finished 23rd.
A Place of Firsts… On April 15, 1973, NASCAR Hall of Famer Childress scored his first Cup Series top-five finish at Darlington Raceway. Driving the No. 96 Chevrolet for Tom Garn, Childress worked his way to the fourth position when the checkered flag waved, earning him a payday of $4,035 – nearly as much money as he had earned through the first four races of the season.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Darlington Raceway… RCR’s best finish at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is second, achieved on five separate occasions by four different drivers, most recently by Austin Hill in 2024 (spring). While the team is still looking to find Victory Lane for the first time, the Welcome, N.C.-based organization has earned 14 top-five finishes and 34 top-10 finishes in their pursuit of the checkered flag.
Veterans Coffee Brings Battle Buddies Stateside… During last week’s Veterans Coffee event at RCR, Veterans Bridge Home, in partnership with Forsyth Humane Society and Forsyth County Animal Shelter, announced “Battle Buddies,” a veteran’s pet adoption program designed to pair shelter pets who are in need of homes with veterans to serve as emotional support companions. The program, which waives adoption fees for veterans, is named in honor of the four-legged friends whom veterans abroad often befriend while deployed. Battle Buddies works to bring the joy these animals brought on deployment stateside for veterans, while also giving the in-need animals a loving home. During the event, Chino, one of the dog’s on site from Forsyth Humane Society, was adopted by a BankOZK staffer for her husband who served in the Iraq War.
The next Veterans Coffee will be held Wednesday, April 11 honoring Vietnam Veterans. All are welcome to attend.
Catch Saturday’s Action… The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, March 21 at 5:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on The CW App beginning at 12 p.m. ET.
Catch Us on FS1… The Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway will be televised on Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on air live on Prime Video beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway… Austin Dillon has made 19 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best second-place finish in September 2020 when he missed Victory Lane by a narrow margin, edged by Kevin Harvick. Dillon has completed 98.4% of the laps in the NASCAR Cup Series at the historic venue. Dillon also had a fourth-place finish in 2017. When the Cup Series visited Darlington Raceway last September, Dillon qualified ninth and finished 23rd.
More Than Cup Racing… Dillon has made four appearances at The Lady in Black in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010.
450th Career Cup Start… In Sunday’s Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, Dillon will make his 450th career start, becoming the 61st driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to reach the milestone. He will become one of eight active full-time drivers to reach 450 career Cup Series starts joining Ricky Stenhouse Jr., A.J. Allmendinger, Michael McDowell, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and his RCR teammate Kyle Busch.
Dillon made his Cup Series debut at the Fall 2011 Kansas race, driving the No. 98 Chevrolet for owner Mike Curb, finishing 26th. The now 35-year-old made the jump to full time in the Cup Series in 2014, driving the legendary No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing. His season was highlighted by becoming the fifth rookie in NASCAR history to win the pole for the Daytona 500.
In his career, Dillon has won six races including two of NASCAR’s Crown Jewel Races (2017 Coca Cola 600, 2018 Daytona 500), registered 24 top-five finishes and 85 top-10 finishes, earned six pole awards and made six NASCAR Cup Series ‘Chase’ appearances
Last Week… Last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dillon and the No. 3 team battled an ill-handling car from the beginning, combating tightness from the first lap. Despite that, the North Carolina native and his crew never gave up, making major adjustments on the car and were rewarded with a 13th-place finish, the best finish for the team this season.
About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris started selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. That was the company’s sole location for the first 13 years, and it has since grown to nearly 200 retail locations throughout North America. 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 Newsweek as “America’s Best Outdoor Retailer” for four consecutive years and “America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear.”
Winchester Ammunition and The National Wild Turkey Federation are Committed to Conservation… Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has conserved or enhanced 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to drive wildlife conservation, forest resiliency, and robust recreational opportunities throughout the U.S.. Winchester has been committed to conservation for 160 years and as the NWTF’s first million-dollar sponsor, Winchester has contributed over $2 million to the organization’s mission, earning the prestigious Corporate Achievement Award and Pinnacle Partner Status. Winchester is the leader in turkey hunting shotshell ammunition with Long Beard® XR® and Long Beard® Tungsten that deliver unmatched performance for turkey hunters. Long Beard® XR® features ground-breaking Shot-Lok ® technology that produces incredibly dense, hard-hitting patterns that are lethal far beyond 40 yards. For those seeking the ultimate edge in the turkey woods, Long Beard Tungsten combines ultra-high-density tungsten shot with precision engineering to deliver the tightest, hard-hitting patterns of any turkey hunting shotshell. Learn more about Winchester products by visiting Winchester.com.
Meet Dillon… On Sunday, March 22 at 11:30 a.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Darlington Raceway. Stop by to meet Dillon and purchase new No. 3 gear.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What do you think the recipe for success Sunday will look like?
“Darlington Raceway is a place where tires wear out really fast so being good on the long run definitely matters. You’ve got to be able to have a car that keeps going forward on the long run and be able to make passes at the beginning of a run more often than not. We’ve got to do a good job of trying to calculate the additional horsepower and less downforce at Darlington. I think it’s going to be a different race than last year’s race because of that.”
What is the physical toll of racing at Darlington?
“You’re dancing the whole time on the edge of what it takes to be good at Darlington. It takes a lot of precision. You really have to stay on your game because one slip can knock you out of the race and put you in a bad position.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway… Sunday’s Goodyear 400 will mark Kyle Busch’s 29th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Darlington Raceway. Busch has one win (2008), seven top-five finishes and 17 top-10s at the 1.366 mile oval. Additionally, Busch has led 899 laps, has an average starting position of 13.2, an average finishing position of 13.1, and has completed 95% (9,208 of 9,693) of the laps he’s contested there. This past September at Darlington Raceway, Busch qualified 23rd before finishing eighth.
Previous Winner… Busch earned his lone Cup Series victory at Darlington Raceway in May 2008. The Las Vegas native overcame numerous issues thrown his way to lead a race-high 169 of the 367 laps en-route to becoming the youngest winner on NASCAR’s oldest speedway. He led early, but a penalty following a pit stop dropped him to 29th. He bounced hard off the wall an estimated “five or six times” as he worked his way back to the front in what would become an eventful fight to the finish. The win was his third of eight that season.
Success Not Limited to the Cup Series… In addition to his Cup Series success at the historic South Carolina track, the veteran racer also has two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins (2011, 2013) at the egg-shaped oval.
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Meet Busch… Race fans will have three opportunities to get up-close with Busch this weekend at Darlington Raceway. On Saturday, March 21 at 12:45 p.m. Local Time, Busch is scheduled to appear on the NASCAR Experience Stage to participate in a game of NASCAR Family Feud. On Sunday, March 22 at 12:05 p.m. Local Time, Busch is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone. Shortly afterwards at 12:45 p.m. Local Time, Busch is scheduled to be on the pre-race stage in the infield for a question-and-answer session. Stop by and visit the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet before the green flag waves.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
How do you manage Darlington Raceway as a driver?
“Darlington Raceway is tough. It’s definitely one of the hardest tracks on the schedule with the way the asphalt is worn out. You’ve got to run right next to the wall at Darlington. Obviously, the place is famous for the ‘Darlington Stripe’ for a reason. One lap, you feel really good. The next lap, you’re out of control, sideways, spinning out. You just never know. A lot of times you go through a lot of changes at that track. Starting out the track is always loose. It gets really tight during the middle part of the race and then starts to free up back up at the end. You’re always chasing it with the car.”
Does moving Darlington earlier in the schedule create any effect on track conditions?
“Just the weather a little bit. Hopefully, it will be a little bit nicer for the drivers behind the wheel. Hopefully, we’ll have no rain and we can have a good clean weekend.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway… Jesse Love has made three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Darlington Raceway, all behind the wheel of the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. In 2024, the Menlo Park, California native secured a pair of top-10 finishes – an eighth-place effort in the spring event and a sixth-place result in the fall race. At the lone O’Reilly Auto Parts Race in 2025 held at the track, Love both qualified and finished 11th. Across all three of his starts at the track Too Tough to Tame, Love has completed 100% of the laps.
Did You Know… Love is the only driver who has finished inside the top-10 in all five O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season. Love earned a ninth-place result in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, a fifth-place effort at EchoPark Speedway, a fourth-place finish at Circuit of The Americas, a runner-up finish at Phoenix Raceway and a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He has a 5.2 average finish thus far in 2026, the best among full-time drivers.
Last Week… Starting from the seventh position in last Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Love and the No. 2 team surged to the top of the leaderboard leading laps in both Stages 1 and 2. However, a safety violation on pit road at Lap 123 in Stage 3 put the 21-year-old to the rear of the field. Despite the setback, the defending series champion made quick work to get himself back into the top-10, finishing sixth. Love led 36 laps and earned 43 points, the third most among drivers. The California native extended his streak to four consecutive top-10 finishes at Las Vegas.
Still Streaking… Love currently holds the longest active streak of running at the finish of races, as the Menlo Park, California native has 18 straight events without a DNF. The young gun also has the longest active top-10 streak with six, dating back to his winning performance in the final race of the 2025 campaign.
Get to the Points… Following his sixth-place run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend, Love remains second in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship driver standings, with 224 points, 13 points behind current leader Justin Allgaier and 16 points ahead of his RCR teammate Austin Hill.
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Meet Love… On Saturday, March 21 at 2:50 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Darlington Raceway with teammate Austin Hill. Stop by to meet Love and purchase new No. 2 gear.
JESSE LOVE QUOTE:
Thoughts on Darlington Raceway?
“I’m really looking forward to Darlington. I’ve been okay there in the past, but not great. We now have a great notebook to succeed at this racetrack. We’ve been making our cars better every week, and we hope to keep our momentum rolling.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 1-800-PACK-RAT Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway… Austin Hill has made eight career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Darlington Raceway, earning a top-10 result in all but one event and a pair of runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Hill has also competed in three NASCAR Truck Series races at Darlington, posting a best finish of third in 2020.
Darlington Consistency… In his eight O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at the “Lady in Black,” Hill has completed 100% of the laps (1180 of 1180) and posted a top-10 finish in 87.5% of the starts. The Winston, Georgia native has an average starting position of 11.4 and an average finishing position of 7.6.
Rearview Mirror… Last Saturday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hill and the No. 21 team started from the 13th position. The team spent most of the day just outside the top-10 making adjustments to improve the car. By the end of the race, Hill earned his third top-10 of the season, finishing tenth. Hill now has eight consecutive top-10 finishes at the Sin City racetrack
Get to the Points… With five races complete in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign, Hill remains in third position in the driver championship point standings with 208 points. The veteran racer is 29 points behind leader Justin Allgaier.
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Meet Hill… On Saturday, March 21 at 2:50 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs with teammate Jesse Love at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at Darlington Raceway. Stop by to meet Hill and purchase new No. 21 gear.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
What makes Darlington Raceway a tough track to compete at?
“Honestly, everything about it makes it tough. Tire fall, the asphalt. I don’t know how many years old the asphalt is there, but it’s a really hard place to get around. You have to run really hard against the wall at times, but also at other times, you need to run the bottom. Turns 1 and 2 are a long, sweeping corner and on entry, you clip the apron a bit, go up by the wall, and then turn back down. It’s almost like a double apex corner. Turns 3 and 4 are tight, more tight, technical corner. Restarts are tough. Saving tires is tough. There are so many things about that place that make it tough to tame.”
