Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and Notes
Event – The Profit on CNBC presented by Small Business Fueling America,
Date – Sunday, March 2, 2014
Venue – Phoenix International Raceway
Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Phoenix International Raceway … Team owner Richard Childress has five victories at Phoenix International Raceway, ranking him third on the all-time car owner victories list at the Avondale, Ariz. facility. This includes RCR’s most recent points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win with driver Kevin Harvick last November; Harvick’s November 2012 win and Harvick’s sweep of both races at PIR in 2006. Prior to that, Dale Earnhardt won the Checker 500 on Nov. 4, 1990. In 89 races at PIR, the Welcome, N.C.-based organization boasts 17 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,384 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 44 pole awards, 105 wins, 449 top-five finishes and 947 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 15.8. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90,’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.
Save Kids’ Lives by Joining the Childress Champions … Help support the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma by selecting your favorite driver when making a bronze level donation of $33 (Austin Dillon), $27 (Paul Menard) or $31 (Ryan Newman) to CIPT. To make a tax deductable donation, visit: . The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children in the U.S. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center was established through the generosity of Richard and Judy Childress. For more information, please visit www.InjuredKids.org.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR3ADillon, @RCR27PMenard, @RCR31RNewman, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3, @RyanJNewman and @BScottRacing. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – www.facebook.com/austindillon3 , www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The Profit on CNBC 500 presented by Small Business Fueling America will be televised live Sunday, March 2 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Austin Dillon
No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 430 in the Profit on CNBC 500 presented by Small Business Fueling America at Phoenix International Raceway. This is the same Chevrolet SS the Gil Martin-led team utilized at Phoenix International Raceway in November 2013, racing to Victory Lane.
Dillon at Phoenix International Raceway … Although this weekend marks Dillon’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Phoenix International Raceway, the Welcome, N.C., driver has made five Nationwide Series starts at the one-mile track, earning a fifth-place finish in November 2013, a sixth-place finish in March 2013, a sixth-place finish in November 2012, a fourth-place finish in March 2012 and a 34th-place finish in April 2009. In two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the track, he has a pair of top-10 finishes and has made one start in the K&N Pro Series West at PIR, finishing 15th in 2009.
Think Green … RCR’s No. 3 Chevrolet team will sport the black and green colors of American Ethanol this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. American Ethanol, a renewable source of cleaner burning energy from the bounty of America’s farmers, helps create new green jobs and a renewed sense of pride for the American worker, while helping to achieve greater energy security for our country. Launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association, along with the support of other partners, American Ethanol is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15, and takes the NASCAR Green initiative to the next level. Since the program launch for the 2011 season, NASCAR® drivers have run more than 5 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.
Get to the Points … Dillon started off his Sprint Cup Series season with a ninth-place finish in the Daytona 500 and therefore ranks ninth in the championship point standings entering this weekend’s race event at Phoenix International Raceway.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy Display in the fan midway area at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, March 2 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix International Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?
“Phoenix International Raceway is a track I’ve been looking forward to for several weeks. I’m a rookie and I have a lot to learn – I know I’ll have a lot to learn all season. I feel like I showed my rookie stripes quite a bit during the Daytona 500, but Phoenix is a track where I’ve made a ton of laps as a driver, so I’ve been looking forward to entering that race in the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet. I’ve raced there in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series so I feel like I have a good feel for the track. It’s a handling track where it’s very important to work on your car and make sure it’s right for the race. Getting off of each corner is important, and so is corner entry. I feel like I am working well with Gil Martin and the entire No. 3 team and we have a great chance to show everyone what our Richard Childress Racing organization is capable of doing.”
Paul Menard
No. 27 PEAK/Menards Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 448 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This No. 27 Chevrolet SS is new to the RCR stable and will be utilized by the team for the very first time this weekend.
PIR Stats … Menard has 14 starts at the one-mile oval in the Sprint Cup Series. His best start of seventh came in the spring of 2009 and fall of 2012, and his best finish of ninth came in both fall races of 2011 and 2012. He has an average starting position of 18.1 and finishing average of 21.9 in those starts. The Wisconsin native has completed 4,423 of 4,446 laps attempted (99.5%) at the Avondale, Ariz., track.
About Pittsburgh Paints … PPG Pittsburgh® Paints is a nationally recognized brand trusted by painting contractors, building owners, architects, designers, and homeowners for over 100 years. Products include interior/exterior paints and interior/exterior stains. For additional information, please visit www.ppgpittsburghpaints.com.
Daytona 500 Look Back … After starting 10th in the 56th running of the Daytona 500, Menard ran most of the race in the top-10 and top-five leading three times for 29 laps. However, after getting collected in a multi-car crash on lap 145 that forced him to the garage for repairs, he managed a return to action for a 32nd-place finish.
Race Rewind … In his last appearance at PIR, Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet SS from 16th place and took the checkered flag in the 20th position.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix International Raceway:
“I always look forward to going to Phoenix International Raceway because the size and layout of the track make for some fun racing. After coming from a place like Daytona International Speedway last weekend where the aero package is everything, its different racing at PIR because it doesn’t mean as much. I’m looking forward to a good race because the new surface has aged a little bit more than our last visit. We’ve ran well at Phoenix in the past and I’m looking for the entire No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards team to have a great run. Speaking of the track, I would like to congratulate the entire facility on their 50th anniversary of operation.”
Ryan Newman
No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS at Phoenix International Raceway … Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 441 in Sunday’s 312-lap event at Phoenix International Speedway (PIR). It is brand new and will take to the track on Friday during the NSCS practice session scheduled to begin at Noon MT.
Newman at Phoenix International Raceway … In 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, the South Bend, Ind., native owns one victory at PIR (April 10, 2010) when he edged out Jeff Gordon by 0.13 seconds for the win. It’s the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix. Of the 19 different pole winners at the track, Newman leads with a total of four, including three straight (2002-04). His average start is 13th while his eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes contributed to his average finish of 18.7. His Average Running Position of 15.3 is 10th best. Newman’s Driver Rating is 85.9 ranking him 12th best. He’s led 207 laps in competition and boasts running 3,723 laps in the top 15 (65.4%).
Point of Interest … Newman ranks 21st in the NSCS point standings entering this weekend’s second race on the Cup schedule. The RCR driver’s 22nd-place showing in Sunday night’s Daytona 500 was because of a late-race crash with just four laps remaining.
Engineered to Amaze … RCR’s No. 31 Chevrolet will sport the colors of Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. It is the nation’s fourth largest retail home mortgage lender. The company closed a record $80 billion of volume across all 50 states in 2013. Quicken Loans generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all home mortgage lenders in the United States by J.D. Power for four consecutive years in 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Quicken Loans was named among the top-30 companies on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the last 11 consecutive years, ranking #5 in 2014. It ranked in the top-15 of Computerworld magazine’s “100 Best Places to Work In Technology” for the past nine years, ranking #1 in 2013. The company moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010, and now more than 8,500 of its 10,000-plus team members work in the city’s urban core. For more information about Quicken Loans, please visit www.quickenloans.com, on Twitter at @QLnews, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuickenLoan.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix International Raceway?
“The key to running well there is handling in all four corners. Each one is unique and you really cannot favor one corner over another. Plus, you have to have a good qualifying effort there because of track position. It’s a tough place to pass. So qualifying will really be of interest here even more so because of the new qualifying format that NASCAR is implementing for the Sprint Cup teams this weekend. I think the fans will like fitting it all in a certain time slot. It will be a lot more entertaining and more of a must-see event versus watching an hour to 90 minutes of one car on the track at a time. For us, as competitors, it is to know that we are going to get multiple opportunities to bust off a good lap. You still have to bust off your best lap at the right time to win the pole, but the strategy that goes into it is the game changer. From a crew chief standpoint, there is a lot more that goes on in qualifying. It’s not just the driver versus the race track anymore. I have said this many times when people criticize me for being a good qualifier and not winning as many races is it’s just the car and the driver and the race track. Now you are throwing in track conditions, other competitors, timing, strategy of air pressure and things like that. A place like Martinsville you can be quick on your third or fourth lap. So how many laps do you run? How hot do you let the engine get? The crew chief has a lot to do with qualifying in 2014 than ever before. It’s going to be interesting to watch and it will be interesting to hear what the fans have to say.”
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series News and Notes
Race: Blue Jeans Go Green 200 presented by Cotton, The Fabric of Our Lives
Location: Phoenix International Raceway
RCR NNS at “The Desert Jewel” … Team owner Richard Childress has three victories at Phoenix International Raceway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RCR has also earned 20 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and led 539 laps in 47 starts at one-mile oval.
RCR Daytona Rewind … In last Saturday’s DRIVE4COPD 300, the RCR Nationwide stable posted a sixth-place finish with Brendan Gaughan, seventh with Ty Dillon and 17th with Brian Scott at Daytona International Speedway. Dillon was the highest finishing rookie, making him the first Sunoco Rookie of the Race in 2014.
Get to the Points … RCR’s three full-time Nationwide Series drivers Brendan Gaughan ranks fourth, Ty Dillon fifth and 11th with Brian Scott in the championship point standings heading into this weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.
Social Media … To stay on track with the latest news, information and to view exclusive, behind the scenes content visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages – @RCR2BScott, @RCR3TDillon and @RCR62BGaughan. RCR’s Nationwide Series driver twitter pages – @bscottracing, @tydillon and @Brendan62. For additional photos, news and video log on to rcrracing.com.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Blue Jeans Go Green 200 presented by Cotton, The Fabric of Our Lives will be televised live on Saturday, March 1, beginning at 3:45 p.m. ET on ABC and live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
Brian Scott
No. 2 Whitetail Chevrolet Camaro
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s Whitetail Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Brian Scott will wheel chassis No. 110 in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. The Richard Childress Racing chassis has been used in six previous races, all of which have a 14th-place finish or better. Scott earned an eighth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway last March.
Phoenix Stats … Scott will be making his 10th Nationwide Series start in the Blue Jeans Go Green 200 presented by Cotton, the Fabric of our Lives. In nine starts at PIR, the 26-year-old has collected three top-10 finishes. Scott also has a NASCAR Camping World Truck victory he claimed in 2012. In addition to the victory in four NCWTS starts, he has completed 100 percent of the laps raced with two top five and two top-10 finishes with 48 laps led
Did you know? … The Whitetail Club will shine on the hood of the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday afternoon and was the primary partner during Scott’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 debut last weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The bright orange, white and black scheme will support the McCall, Idaho living community on Payette Lake, just two hours north of Boise, Idaho for the 200-lap event.
Double Duty … Scott will once again pull double duty this weekend at PIR. In addition to competing in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Scott is scheduled to drive the No. 33 Whitetail Chevrolet SS in the Sprint Cup Series on Sunday, March, 2. The Profit on CNBC 500, presented by Small Business Fueling America is live on FOX at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Rearview Mirror … Scott competed in both the Nationwide Series and Cup Series events last weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The team had a Chevrolet Camaro capable of winning Saturday’s 120-lap event, but was stuck in the draft at the end of the race, finishing 17th. Scott currently sits 11th in the Nationwide series driver point standings. In only his second Cup series start, Scott finished 25th after his team fought for position during the 200-lap race. As superspeedway racing goes, Scott found himself collected in three on-track accidents, but still managed to finish his Daytona 500 debt.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTES:
What are your thoughts about racing at Phoenix?
“Well, you always have a little more confidence going to a race track where you have won before. So, I feel good about Phoenix. It’s always nice to go to Phoenix and get the season rolling. Daytona is crazy and busy and Phoenix is where you really get in your groove. Hopefully we will be able to get in an entire qualifying session this weekend and really see how the format pans out. I think this weekend will be a test for us all.”
How do you feel about racing double duty?
“It’s all about experience, seat and track time. I’m trying to get a few Sprint Cup races under my belt to go out and learn from the series’ veterans. Daytona was a great experience, but it is also superspeedway racing. Phoenix, California and Charlotte will be the tracks that will be a true testament to driving at the Sprint Cup level.”
Ty Dillon
No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s WESCO Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 125 in Saturday’s Blue Jeans Go Green 200 presented by Cotton, the Fabric of our Lives. Nationwide Series chassis No. 125 was utilized last season by older brother Austin Dillon twice at Phoenix International Raceway, twice at Richmond International Raceway and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Dillon in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Phoenix International Raceway … This will be Dillon’s first-career start at Phoenix International Raceway in a Nationwide Series car. He has made two previous starts in the Camping World Truck Series in 2012 and 2013, finishing 15th and fourth, respectively.
Seventh-place finish at Daytona International Speedway … The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet finished seventh last Saturday in the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Dillon qualified 23rd, and was able to drive the Chevrolet Camaro to a top-10 finish in the first race of the season, despite being penalized on pit road for speeding on lap 72. He was the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to cross the finish line, and currently sits fifth in the driver points standings.
WESCO continues partnership with RCR … WESCO will be a primary sponsor in 2014 for the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro, continuing its two-year relationship with Richard Childress Racing. WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a publicly traded Fortune 500 holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) product, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistic services. 2013 annual sales were approximately $7.5 billion. The company employs approximately 9,200 people, maintains relationships with over 18,000 suppliers, and serves over 65,000 active customers worldwide. Customers include commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers and utilities. WESCO operates nine fully automated distribution centers and approximately 475 full-service branches in North America and international markets, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender … This season, Dillon is competing for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Nationwide Series, after winning the honors in 2012 in the NASACR Camping World Truck Series.
Meet Ty Dillon … On Thursday, Feb. 27, Dillon will be at the Mesa, Arizona Bass Pro Shops on 1133 N. Dobson Rd. at 6 p.m. MT to sign autographs and speak with fans.
Additionally, fans can participate in a question-and-answer session with Dillon on Friday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. MT at the Team Chevy Stage located in the PIR Midway. Following the Team Chevy Stage appearance, Dillon will sign autographs at the Dillon merchandise hauler located in the Midway from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. A limited number of wristbands will be distributed on Friday morning on a first-come, first-served basis. A wristband guarantees one autograph per holder.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts moving on to the second race of the season?
“I’m super excited to get to Phoenix. All of the pre-season hype is behind us now. We were able to drive a really fast race car to a top-10 finish last week in Daytona, so we want to keep that momentum going into the next race. Our No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro is going to be great this weekend – I know our guys have been putting a lot of time in at the shop to prepare for a couple of races out west.”
Describe working with crew chief Danny Stockman in your first race of the season.
“Danny and I have a great relationship on and off the race track. I was around those guys a lot last year when my brother was driving the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro. And, we had worked together before in the ARCA Series presented by Menard’s and had some great success. I think he and the guys made some really good calls this past Saturday and we were able to come up with a top-10 finish in the first race of the season.”
Brendan Gaughan
No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 134 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Blue Jeans Go Green 200. Last season, this Chevrolet Camaro was utilized by Ty Dillon at Richmond International Raceway in September and by Kevin Harvick at Phoenix International Raceway in November, where Harvick finished ninth.
Gaughan’s Phoenix Stats … The Las Vegas-native returns to Phoenix International Raceway in the Nationwide Series for the first time since 2012. In only five Nationwide Series starts at Phoenix, Gaughan has recorded one top-five and two top-10 finishes. In 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Gaughan has accumulated one top-five and two top-10 finishes, as well as averaging a 14.6 finish.
South Point Hotel & Casino … Returning as the primary sponsor for the No. 62 Chevrolet, South Point Hotel offers more than 2,100 guestrooms and overlooks the famous Las Vegas Strip. The Casino offers top-of-the-line gaming technology, more than 60 table games and a race and sports book area; a fabulous 400-seat showroom featuring headliner entertainment; a 16-screen Cinemark movie complex; a state-of-the-art, 64-lane bowling center; and a 165,000-square foot convention center; South Point Arena and Equestrian Center features more than 1,200 climate-controlled stalls and plays host to some of the country’s most unique events. For more information, call (702) 796-7111 or visit www.southpointcasino.com.
A South Point “Did You Know” … South Point Hotel & Casino features a state of the art, 64 lane Bowling Center offering a main center aisle with 32 lanes of bowling on each side.
In the Rearview Mirror: Daytona International Speedway … Starting from the 27th position, Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino team raced their way to the front of the field in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, The team utilized fuel strategy to finish sixth, Gaughan’s highest finishing position at Daytona. He currently sits fourth in the driver point standings.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix International Raceway?
“Anytime we race on the West coast I feel a sense of territorial pride. Shane (Wilson, crew chief) and I have had a lot of good runs at Phoenix over the years together and hope we can add another to the books this weekend. The entire No. 62 team and I are hoping to use our momentum from our sixth-place finish at Daytona to be a competitive front running team, and to bring home a good finish. I want to make sure I take care of business on what I like to call, my turf.”
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