Shane Wilson reunites with Gaughan as crew chief of the No. 62 South Point Chevrolet Silverado team
WELCOME, N.C. (December 5, 2012) – Brendan Gaughan will reunite with crew chief Shane Wilson to run a full season and compete for the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Silverado.
Driving for RCR in 2012, the Las Vegas native competed in eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races (three top-five and five top-10 finishes) and 10 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. He has competed in six full seasons in the Camping World Truck Series since he made his series debut in 1997. In 195 races, Gaughan has earned eight victories, 67 top-10 finishes and three pole awards. He is also scheduled to run two races on the 2013 Nationwide Series schedule, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 9) and Road America (June 22).
The No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino team will begin the 2013 Camping World Truck Series season with the owner points earned by RCR’s No. 22 entry in 2012.
“We have greatly enjoyed our relationship with Richard Childress Racing and jumped at the opportunity to continue this partnership,” said Ryan Growney, South Point CEO. “With some of the top drivers, crews and management in the sport, Richard Childress Racing is a perfect representative for the South Point brand on the racetrack.”
South Point Hotel & Casino is one of Las Vegas’ premier destinations for racing action and motorsports. Whether enjoying a virtual NASCAR race while playing slots on the casino floor or enjoying live racing action in the casino’s sports book, guests can expect a unique experience with every visit to South Point. In addition to the racing atmosphere, South Point offers a delectable lineup of 11 restaurants, a full-service spa and salon, a state-of-the-art movie theater complex, a revolving lineup of top entertainers, 60 lanes of bowling, an equestrian center, more than 250,000 square feet of meeting rooms, convention and exhibit area. With all the resort has to offer, there’s no surprise why South Point is constantly filled with wall-to-wall guests.
“I’m thrilled to be back in the (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series for a full season,” said Gaughan. “I would have been thankful to compete full time for Richard Childress Racing in any series, but returning to the trucks will provide me a second chance to go out and win the Truck Series championship that was stolen from me in 2003. I can’t wait to be reunited with my former crew chief Shane Wilson; all of my Truck Series wins have come with Shane on the pit box. Now that we’re back together, we’re going to do all that we can to get that championship we should have brought home years ago.”
Gaughan and Wilson first teamed up in 2000, running four Camping World Truck Series races that year and three more in 2001, earning a third-place finish at Mesa Marin Speedway in Bakersfield, Calif. They ran a full season in 2002, winning both races (June 7 and Sept. 13) at Texas Motor Speedway and finishing 11th in the driver championship point standings. The next year was a breakout season for the duo, winning six races, earning 18 top-10 finishes and three pole awards on the way to a third-place finish in the driver championship point standings. Together they made the move in 2004 to a full season the Sprint Cup Series, earning one top-five and two other top-10 finishes.
“I’m looking forward to being reunited with Brendan in the (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series,” said Wilson. “We have some unfinished business we need to take care of next season. With our resources from Richard Childress Racing, Brendan being a veteran Truck Series driver and our former history, I think it’s safe to say that we will be a very competitive team in 2013.”
RCR has a championship history in the Camping World Truck Series which dates back to 1995. Mike Skinner earned eight victories en route to the series’ inaugural season championship in the No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Silverado. He won eight more races the next season and Jay Sauter added four more victories in the black No. 3 truck before the program was shelved at the end of the 1999 season in favor of a two-team Nationwide Series program. RCR began its second generation Camping World Truck Series program in 2010 with full-time driver Austin Dillon. In three seasons, RCR’s teams have earned seven victories, one driver championship (Dillon in 2011) and three consecutive rookie of the year awards (Austin Dillon – 2010, Joey Coulter Jr. – 2011, and Ty Dillon – 2012). . In addition to Gaughan, the 2013 team lineup will include 2012 Rookie of the Year Ty Dillon in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado and Tim George Jr. in the No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet.
“Brendan (Gaughan) and Shane (Wilson) know what it takes to win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series so we’re hoping the communication they developed a few years ago will be that little extra needed to get back in the winner’s circle next season,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Brendan had four top-five finishes in the eight Truck Series races he ran for RCR last year, and three more in the Nationwide Series, so he’s already knocking on the door to get that next win. Brendan has a lot of good history running the No. 62 so we decided to change the number but it will be the points from the strong season the No. 22 team had in 2012 that will get this new program off on a good foot.”
“We’re also glad to welcome back our friends at South Point Hotel & Casino for a full season in the Camping World Truck Series and two races in the Nationwide Series. They have been great partners and we look forward to another successful season in 2013.”
For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit http://www.rcrracing.com.
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About South Point Hotel & Casino
Opened in December of 2005, the South Point resort was the first megaresort located south of McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip. The facility consists of a 25 story hotel tower and 90,000 square feet convention center located on a 60 acre site along Las Vegas Boulevard in Enterprise, Nevada. South Point Hotel offers a total of 2,163 rooms and 160,000 sq. ft. meeting and convention space; the largest of any hotel in Las Vegas that is not on the Strip. For more information, visit www.southpointcasino.com or call 1-866-796-7111.
About Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Its 2013 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Cheerios/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes the No. 2 team TBD, 2012 Nationwide Series rookie of the year Austin Dillon (No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet) and an all-star driver lineup on the No. 33 team. Tim George Jr. (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet), 2012 Camping World Truck Series rookie of the year Ty Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet) will compete in the 2013 Camping World Truck Series season.
