Richard Childress Racing at Daytona International Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has collected seven points-paying victories in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Daytona International Speedway and won 11 poles. RCR owns three Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007, Austin Dillon – 2018) and four Coke Zero Sugar 400 trophies (Earnhardt – 1990, 1993, Harvick – 2010, Dillon – 2022).
The Welcome, N.C. based organization has racked up 15 victories in the Daytona 500 Duel qualifying races, most recently by Dillon (2021). Earnhardt reeled off a record 10-consecutive Duel victories (1990 – 1999), while Mike Skinner (2001), Robby Gordon (2003), Jeff Burton (2011) and Harvick (2013) also claimed a front row starting position for the Great American Race.
In addition to its NASCAR Cup Series success, RCR has accumulated eight wins (Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 2002, 2010, Harvick – 2007, Clint Bowyer – 2009, Tony Stewart – 2013, Dillon – 2015, Austin Hill – 2022, 2023) in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Hill returns to the World Center of Racing as the defending race winner of the United Rentals 300. RCR’s Xfinity Series program has captured an impressive seven of the last nine poles for the season opening event at Daytona International Speedway.
The 2024 Lineup… Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch return to RCR’s NASCAR Cup Series lineup for 2024, with Dillon driving the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Busch behind the wheel of the zone Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona. Jesse Love joins Austin Hill as both drivers compete fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Love will pilot the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS while Hill returns to the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Big Power… ECR Engines will have a total of 25 engine programs competing at Daytona International Speedway, with 17 entries in the Xfinity Series race and eight entries in the Daytona 500.
Time to Duel… On Thursday evening, the Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona feature two 150-mile races from which the majority of the final starting grid for the Daytona 500 will be set. After their single-car qualifying times on Wednesday night, Dillon will compete in the first duel while Busch will race in the second duel.
Catch the Action… The Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona, two 60-lap qualifying races, will be televised live Thursday, February 15 beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 at Daytona will be televised live Saturday, February 17 beginning at 5 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The 66th running of the Daytona 500 will be televised live Sunday, February 18 beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX and 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 Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… With 21 previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon heads to the World Center of Racing with experience on his side. So far in his career, Dillon has acquired two wins, one pole award, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in the Cup Series at Daytona. The Welcome, North Carolina driver, who grew up attending races at Daytona International Speedway with his family, has 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track with one win, seven top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series.
Defending A Win… Dillon is a former winner at Daytona International Speedway in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The 33-year-old most recently won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in August 2022 to clinch a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs and is also the 2018 DAYTONA 500 Champion. Dillon won a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona in 2015.
Former Pole Winner… Dillon earned his career-first NASCAR Cup Series pole award with a lap of 196.019 mph (45.914 seconds) in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500. Dillon also started on the front row for the July 2015 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. Dillon’s starting position for this year’s Daytona 500 will be determined by his finishing position in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on FS1).
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 acquired 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/.
About TRACKER Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service, and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER Off Road was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.
Meet Dillon… On Friday, February 16, the Coca-Cola Racing driver is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Coca-Cola at Walmart (1101 Beville Road, Daytona Beach, Florida, 32119), beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET. Dillon is also scheduled to participate in a Q&A session on behalf of Coca-Cola at the Wendy’s display in the infield at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 17 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Being a defending winner of the Daytona 500, how does it feel coming back for another Daytona 500?
“The events I think about are 2021 and last year, so the ones you didn’t win. Probably the most dominant race car I had here would have been in 2021 when (Michael) McDowell won. Won the Duel, ran inside the top-five all day and just were very close to winning that race and we finished third. That one was everything, man. That was a magical weekend – to run the Duel, running top three, and close to winning another one. And then you come back last year and Kyle (Busch) and I find ourselves first and second, coming to the white flag when the caution falls, and then you know, mayhem ensues after that restart and trying to push him around the backstretch. And then I get hit, and those are the ones you think of that got away. There’s potential of having three Daytona 500 wins by now in my career, so that gives you even that much more confidence. You know how to find that way, to be in that position in this thing, so it gets you excited. Losing definitely hurts, but it also gives you the confidence that there is a pattern here. There’s a reason why I’m able to get to the end of these things and be in a position to win. You lean back on that confidence… that pattern you’ve been able to create as a driver here. You use that to your advantage.”
Does coming back to Daytona International Speedway as a previous winner (in 2018) take any pressure off coming into this week?
“Once you’ve won it, you put the pressure on yourself because you want to do it again. You know what that experience is like. I don’t feel pressure from the outside because I’ve already become a Daytona 500 champion. But it’s more for me because I enjoy this place, everything that it is, the victory lane here, and what comes with it. Once you win here, it’s a game-changer. Not very often do you get to live in your dream, because everybody dreams about winning something, and dreaming about winning the Daytona 500 was one of those dreams for a long time for me. Then, you go and accomplish it, and you get to live in it. You taste it. It’s something you crave after that.”
Bass Pro Shops is on your No. 3 Chevrolet this weekend. Can you talk about what that partnership means to you and Richard Childress Racing?
“Having the Morris family, Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats, and TRACKER Off-Road on the No. 3 Chevrolet is an unforgettable experience. It’s more than a partnership when it comes to Johnny Morris. There’s a friendship there and we’ve become family. We get to go hunting and have a good time together, so we just want to go out there and get that Bass Pro Shops logo at the front of the field on Sunday. That’s what Johnny likes us to do. He wants us to be out front having fun. It’s great to see the relationship between RCR and Johnny Morris evolve over the last 30 years. Anytime we can go outdoors together and have a little fun, we can do it. Daytona’s probably one of Johnny Morris’s favorite tracks so when he comes to the races you see a sea of red Bass Pro Shops hats walking around.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… Kyle Busch has one win (2008 Coke Zero Sugar 400) and one pole (2013, also in the summer event) at Daytona International Speedway and will make his 38th NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.5-mile facility. His best finish in the Great American Race came in 2019 when he rallied from a 31st-place starting position to finish in the second position. Since making his debut in 2005, Busch has eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes at the World Center of Racing.
Time to Duel… Busch owns three victories in the Daytona 500 qualifying race, Bluegreen Vacations Duels (2009, 2013, and 2016).
Solid Start to 2024 Season… Busch enters the Daytona 500 on the heels of another solid performance in the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 4. The Las Vegas, Nevada native finished second, his third top-five in three races at the Coliseum, giving him an average finish of 2.33.
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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
How special is the Daytona 500?
“Obviously the Daytona 500 is the biggest race of our season, our Super Bowl, so it’s a huge deal. It’s certainly a race that’s high on my bucket list. We were leading last year at mile marker 500 but it didn’t work out. I’ve been so close to winning that race. Maybe one of these days we can check the box and bring home the Harley J. Earl trophy.”
What can you learn in the Duel that will help you in the 500?
“I think one of the biggest things you can learn in the Duel for the 500 is just how fast your car is, working on the balance making sure it’s not too tight, it’s not too loose, and that it drives good. But I think the other thing is working around other cars, seeing how well your car drafts, how well it sucks up to others, how well it pushes, how well it does getting pushed, all of those things. You’re just trying to build the notebook and build the confidence in the car for Sunday.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Jesse Love will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on Saturday evening, as the rookie driver takes to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. Love has made one career start at the World Center of Racing, competing in last season’s ARCA Menards Series event. Love started from the second position, faced motor issues and finished in seventh-place.
Rookie Stripe Incoming… Love will compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Years honors throughout the season. The 19-year-old made his first laps behind the wheel of an Xfinity Series car at a recent rookie test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but Friday’s practice session at Daytona International Speedway will officially start the next chapter of his career.
Did You Know? Love became the youngest champion in NASCAR history with his ARCA Menards Series West title at the age of 16 in 2020. The Menlo Park, California native repeated as back-to-back champion of the west touring series in 2021.
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 Friday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET, Love and RCR teammate Austin Hill will participate in a fan Q&A session at the Chevy Stage in the Fan Midway at Daytona International Speedway.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
What are your expectations for your rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series? How would you define a successful season?
“I’m not a very goal-oriented person, because most of the time, you can’t control the outcome. With that being said though, the goals for myself personally are to do my job well each week and make our team better. The things that we are focused on are to win more than one race and make the Playoffs. After that, we want to make the deepest playoff run that we can. Anything outside of that, I don’t think we can control. Overall, doing a good job, being happy with my performance, and making myself and our team better each week are the best things that we can focus on. Obviously, we as a group on the No. 2 team, want to go out and win multiple races and compete for a championship in the next few years.”
RCR cars have been historically fast at superspeedways, but the competition will be different than the ARCA Menards Series. Talk about your thoughts about making your first start at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“The Xfinity car is definitely going to be different than the ARCA car, given the package. The bubble is a lot smaller, you are going a little quicker, and the car is going to drive differently. But your technique is pretty much the same. Air is air in a car. I will have to change a lot of my technique from going from the ARCA car to the Xfinity car at a place like Charlotte Motor Speedway, but for plate tracks, I feel like it’s all relevant. I’ve done a lot of work to know what to do and what not to do, but nothing is really different. It’s just going to be more important to do the right things, because you won’t be able to rebound as quickly in the Xfinity Series with the field being stronger.”
What have you done over the last couple of months to prepare for your rookie campaign?
“I can’t tell you all of my trade secrets, but I’ve relied on Austin (Hill) a lot for the plate tracks. He is really good at what he does on those type of tracks, so I wanted to learn as much as I could from him before getting to the track. I’ve worked with my crew chief, engineer, and spotter quite a bit over the last few weeks to prepare. I’ve talked to as many people as I can that know more than I do and watched a lot of film to correlate a face to a name of what to do and what not to do.”
You were able to test at Charlotte Motor Speedway at the end of January. What were your initial thoughts after making laps in a Xfinity Series car?
“It was what I expected. Nothing surprised me. I was happy overall with our speed, pace, and falloff. Nothing went wrong and I thought the day allowed our team to gain confidence. The biggest takeaway was the confidence boost that we are going to have speed and be good throughout the season.”
You have two superspeedway starts in your career – both in the ARCA Menards Series last season. Discuss how those races went and what you learned.
“Last year in Daytona, we qualified decent, broke a motor, but were able to still run up front for a while. Getting shucked out of line was a problem, because we didn’t have the power to form a different line. I was fourth coming to the line, made a move to go to the top, and no one went with me which cost us some spots. I thought we had a shot to win if we didn’t have the motor issues, which was proven when we went to Talladega and won there. We dominated that race and that was the moment that set us off for a lot of wins.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway. One year ago, Hill qualified on the pole position, led 39 total laps, and earned his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The Winston, Ga. native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.
Defending Race Winner… Hill returns to Daytona International Speedway as the defending back-to-back race winner of the Xfinity Series season opening event. In his two campaigns with Richard Childress Racing, Hill has driven the No. 21 Chevrolet to Victory Lane at the World Center of Racing in consecutive seasons.
Did You Know? Hill swept both pole positions last year, placing his No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet in the first starting spot in February and August.
Sophomore Year Recap… During his second season behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet for RCR, Hill posted three poles, four wins, 16 top-five, and 24 top-10 results, in route to capturing the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship. Hill’s four victories came at Daytona International Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Pocono Raceway. The then-sophomore racer led a total of 346 laps and finished fifth in the overall driver championship point standings.
Celebrating 50 Years of Bennett… Bennett Family of Companies has a long and rich history in the logistics and transportation industry. With over 50 years of service excellence, their past inspires their continued success. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, the No. 21 Camaro will feature Bennett’s special anniversary logo and gold accents throughout the entire 2024 season.
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… Fans have two opportunities to meet Hill before Saturday’s main event at Daytona International Speedway. On Friday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET, Hill and RCR teammate Jesse Love will participate in a fan Q&A session at the Chevy Stage in the Fan Midway. On Saturday, February 17 at 1:40 p.m. ET, the 29-year-old driver will visit the NASCAR Experience Stage in the Fan Midway for a fan Q&A session.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
What is the No. 21 team focused on heading into the 2024 season?
“We have focused on all different areas, not just one specific area of the race car. Last season, we made strides with making our short track program better. We saw gains during the Playoffs and had good pace in the later half of the season specifically with our short track program, but we still want and need to be better on that aspect. We still have that circled as an area that can be improved – whether it’s the driver, car, or a little bit of both.”
Give an assessment of the current Xfinity Series lineup. You are seen as one of the favorites who should win multiple times throughout the season.
“There have been multiple moves throughout the off-season, with different drivers going to different teams and also a few rookies coming in – like my teammate, Jesse. I personally think the field is stacked pretty deep, just as deep as last year if not even deeper. Winning races is going to be tough each and every week. Winning a race and locking yourself into the Playoffs is going to be crucial, but we could see a lot of different winners this season. To get a good gauge, we need to pass the superspeedway races and get to Vegas and Phoenix. At that point, I think you will start to see who the players are and how strong the field actually is. Will there be eight winners or 12 winners? At this point, it’s hard to say. But for the No. 21 team, we are focused on getting multiple wins on the season like we have the last couple of years.”
You have a new teammate in the No. 2 car with Jesse Love joining the team. How have the two of you worked together during the off-season? What guidance can you provide a rookie?
“Based on our work together at the simulator, Jesse is going to be really, really good once he figures out the Xfinity car. He has the fire in him to go out there and work really hard. We haven’t had a chance to work together at the track yet but based on all of our time at the shop and the GM simulator, it has been a smooth transition of learning each other’s driving styles. The goal is for the No. 2 and the No. 21 to work together throughout the entire season and win a lot of races for RCR. We both want to run deep into the Playoffs. With the first two races being Daytona and Atlanta though, we have talked a lot about superspeedway stuff. We have touched on some mile-and-a-half stuff with Vegas being the third race. I have gone over a list of things that I have noticed in the Xfinity car that feel different than the Trucks or ARCA car to help him know what to expect. It’s definitely going to be a pretty big jump going from ARCA to the Xfinity Series, simply based on the strength of the field. It’s very deep on the Xfinity side compared to ARCA, so he will race against a lot of guys that can win each and every week. The tendencies of how the Xfinity car drives – low downforce, low side force, hard to handle, a lot of tire falloff – are all things that we’ve talked through and then I have just tried to answer any questions that he asks. I’ve answered everything to the best of my ability, but once he straps into the racecar and starts to figure it out in the racing environment, he is going to be quick.”
What is the outlook heading into Daytona International Speedway? You have won the last two Xfinity Series races there and had an exciting finish to last season’s event.
“Last year was pretty wild. I didn’t know if we had won the race or if John Hunter (Nemechek) going below the yellow line was going to be deemed legal. There were a lot of emotions and it felt like an eternity waiting for NASCAR to announce the winner. I’ve been fortunate enough to win at Daytona two years in a row, which has been great, but every time you go to Daytona, you never know what will happen. You could get wrecked on lap one in a large pileup or you could do like we have the last two years with staying up front and being lucky to have it all work out at the end. I have confidence going to Daytona though. There have been a few minor changes with the rear window slits to help cool the driver and lower the carbon monoxide levels. We don’t know yet if that will affect how the car drives. I fully expect our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet to be fast and have a shot at sitting on the pole though. If we make the right moves during the race, we should have a shot at winning a third in a row.”
