RCR Post Race Report – Chicagoland Speedway

Austin Dillon Earns 16th-Place Finish in Dow Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway

Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon started 15th in Sunday’s MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, ran within the top 10 for a majority of the 267-lap event and ultimately collected a 16th-place finish in the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet. Shortly after the start of the race, Dillon noted a tight-handling chassis on the No. 3 Chevrolet, a condition that plagued the Welcome, N.C. driver for the duration of the 400-mile event despite wedge, track bar and air pressure adjustments during routine pit stops designed to try and alleviate the condition. He pitted on laps 44, 69, 100, 148, 182 and 229. Dillon was scored in the ninth position for a restart with 18 laps remaining and was in position to secure a top-10 finish. However, a late-race caution gave several teams an opportunity to visit pit road one final time and several cars behind Dillon opted to pit for four new tires. He restarted 10th with six laps remaining but, without new dancing shoes, fell to 16th in the final laps of the race.

Start – 15th       Finish – 16th    Laps Led – 0    Points – 20th

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
“I definitely feel like we’re on the right track, so I am proud of everyone on the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet team. We ran towards the top 10 all day long. Looking back, we probably should have taken tires during the last caution at the end of the race. We didn’t and it cost us a few positions. Still, we are making progress so I am excited for New Hampshire Motor Speedway next week and the rest of the races this year.”

Paul Menard Finishes 21st in the No. 27 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet

Paul Menard drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 27 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet SS to a 21st-place finish in Sunday’s 267-lap event at Chicagoland Speedway. The RCR driver started ninth and remained in the top 20 until the first caution of the race on lap 66. Crew chief Slugger Labbe remedied the loose-handling race car during the caution with four tires, fuel, wedge and track bar adjustments. The Richmond/Menards crew spent the remaining laps adjusting the Chevy to improve drivability. On lap 158, Menard went one lap down to the leader and fought to gain his lap back during the last 109 laps. With varying pit strategies and cautions, the team was unable to gain their lap back and ultimately finished in the 21st position. Next up for the No. 27 team is Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Start – 9th             Finish – 21st            Laps Led – 0                Points – 21st

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

“Our Richmond/Menards Chevy was good but we just ended up chasing the adjustments all day. We had it handling better there at the end but it was too late at that point. I’m proud of my guys for always working hard and never giving up.”
Newman Rallies Back From Tire Issues to Earn 15th-Place Finish at Chicagoland Speedway

Ryan Newman drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS to a 15th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Chicagoland Speedway. The South Bend, Ind., driver started on the front row after rain washed out qualifying on Friday afternoon. During the first 50 laps, Newman competed in the top five. Crew chief Luke Lambert called for a two-tire service during a debris caution. The driver lined up second but lost track position due to a loose-handling condition. While racing in the 11th position on lap 98, Newman slowed to bring out the caution for a cut tire. The CAT crew serviced the No. 31 several times allowing Newman to remain on the lead lap, in the 23rd position. The CAT Chevrolet team produced impressive lap times, allowing the RCR driver to race into the top 10 before pitting on lap 149. Unfortunately shortly into his next green-flag run, another tire issue occurred forcing Newman back onto pit road. The unscheduled stop posted the team in the 27th position, two laps down. For the remainder of the race, Newman and crew devised a series of strategies in hopes of racing onto the lead lap. The strategy paid off with Newman making up a three-lap deficit to return to the lead lap with less than 10 laps remaining. During the final green-flag sequence of the race, Newman raced from 20th to 15th. Next week the No. 31 team competes in the second of three races in the Challenger Round at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Earlier this year at the one-mile oval, Newman posted a fifth-place finish.

Start – 2nd           Finish – 15th          Laps Led – 0         Points – 13th

RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:

“The CAT crew gave me a very fast car today.  It was capable of contending and I honestly believe it was at least a top-five had we not had those tire issues. Regardless, we had some luck on our side with cautions and it gave us a chance to gain some of the track position we lost early on. It was a heck of a recovery for us, we’ll take the top-15.”