Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Richard Childress Racing has 15 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. While the Welcome, N.C.-based organization is still vying for their first ROVAL win, they do have two top-five and four top-10 finishes at the uniquely shaped 2.28-mile road course, which combines the high-banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional oval with an infield road course. Kyle Busch led the RCR contingent at the ROVAL in 2024, placing 13th, while Austin Dillon heads into this year’s race looking for redemption following a dismal 32nd-place finish after falling victim to a loose wheel.
RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… RCR has made 12 starts at the ROVAL in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The best qualifying effort by an RCR driver is second-place by Daniel Hemric (2018) and Tyler Reddick (2019). RCR drivers finished fourth (Austin Hill) and 19th (Jesse Love) in their most recent appearance to the ROVAL in 2024.
Celebrating a Milestone… RCR and Okuma America Corporation, a world-leading builder of CNC Machine tools, controls and automation systems, are celebrating 25 years of partnership this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The business relationship began in 2001 and has grown to include both an on-track component across RCR’s race teams and a formal partnership with RCR’s manufacturing operations. Today, the renowned performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization serves as a technology showroom for Okuma’s North American business operations, with Okuma customers and prospects regularly visiting the RCR facility to see first hand the capabilities of Okuma CNC machines.
Window of Hope… Continuing the annual tradition of raising awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all four RCR cars will support the Window of Hope program this weekend at the ROVAL. The program, currently led by the Erik Jones Foundation, has grown into one of the most powerful rallying points in NASCAR, uniting drivers, teams, sponsors, and fans in the fight against breast cancer. Dillon and Busch will carry pink window nets on their Cup Series entries, while Love and Hill will sport pink window net pull tabs in their Xfinity Series machines. From October 1 – 8, bidding is open for the autographed pink window nets. Visit pristineauction.com to place your bid.
The Cowboy Way… The Carolina Cowboys, a professional bull riding team in the PBR Teams league, owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with Austin Dillon serving as the team’s general manager, improved to a 15-14 record on the season following a win over the Missouri Thunder this past Sunday at Dickies Arena in Forth Worth, Texas, The Cowboys head to Kansas City next for Outlaw Days, Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 5 at T-Mobile Center. They face off against the Kansas City Outlaws on opening night. For more information on the Carolina Cowboys, visit https://pbr.com/teams/carolina-cowboys, Carolina Cowboys on Facebook, @carolinacowboyspbr on Instagram, or @CARCowboysPBR on Twitter.
Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL will be televised live Saturday, October 4, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday’s practice (11:30 a.m. ET) and qualifying (12:40 p.m. ET) sessions will be shown for free on The CW App.
Watch Us on USA Network… The NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL will be televised live on Sunday, October 5, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. The NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday will be broadcast on truTV beginning at 2 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.
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Titan Risk Solutions/Carolina Cowboys Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… In seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Dillon earned his best finish of 10th in October 2022 and has completed 93.9 percent of the laps run at the 17-turn road course.
Winner, Winner… Although Dillon is still searching for that illusive ROVAL win, he is a previous winner on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s oval configuration, sweeping both NASCAR Xfinity races at the track in 2015 and earning his career-first NASCAR Cup Series win in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2017. In 2007, he notably won the May All-Star Shootout at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which Dillon considers a key win in his career.
Hometown Boy… Charlotte Motor Speedway is Dillon’s home track and the Welcome, North Carolina driver is one of a handful of active drivers who consider themselves native to the state. Growing up, he watched many races from his grandfather’s condo with his family.
Get to the Points… Dillon, who punched his ticket into the 2025 post season with a dominating performance and win at Richmond Raceway on August 16, was eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs following the Round of 16. He is currently ranked 15th in the standings.
About Titan Risk Solutions… Titan Risk Solutions is your one-stop shop for everything related to the trucking industry. Founded by dedicated insurance professionals that understand the frustrations of today’s marketplace, Titan was built to eliminate many of the stresses America’s truck drivers face every day. Whether you are needing help with insurance, safety compliance, or driver training, Titan is here to help. With representatives located across the U.S. and a 24/7 service hotline, there is always a live person to assist you.
Unique Scheme… This weekend’s Titan Risk Solutions/Carolina Cowboys paint scheme highlights Titan’s unique position as a proud partner of both Richard Childress Racing and the Carolina Cowboys, combining Titan’s expertise within the trucking industry with the needs of various components of bull riding and the livestock industry. For more information or to contact Titan, please visit titantruckins.com.
Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to make a stop at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone on Sunday, October 5, at 10:30 a.m. Local Time to greet race fans and sign autographs. Stop by and get your new RCR gear.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL?
“The ROVAL is an interesting track. It looks interesting and is built around one of the best ovals that we have. From a driver’s standpoint, there are certain sections around the track that really set up for lap time. If you can make your car good in those sections, you should be even better. The new configuration from last year did change the track quite a bit.”
With five races left in the season, what’s the goal for you and your team to finish out the season?
“Our goal is to put together solid runs. We’re trying to learn something for next year and do a better job of executing from practice to qualifying to the race. I think we’ve been qualifying better, which is nice, but we haven’t done a very good job of going into the race and hitting our balance right. Our race at Kansas Speedway is a perfect example of that. It was rough. We ended up clawing back, and getting a little better before we got in that final wreck, but overall we have work to do. We’re going to focus on trying to learn for next year, so that we can start out 2026 way faster than we did in 2025. We want to build on some of the positive things that we’ve done this year and try to build our notebook better for next year.”
How difficult is it to carry over speed from qualifying into the race?
“It’s tough. You’ve got to be aggressive in qualifying and trust that the grip is going to be there. I do think it’s something we have done a better job as a team. I have trust in my guys, and making the right call in terms of what the car needs for qualifying. From a race standpoint, you have to have a car that can drive all over the track and be good in traffic. You just try and get everything worked out before you get to the track. And, I think practice plays into qualifying, as well, so every bit of it matters in this sport and you’re working in a very tight window to make it happen every week.”
What’s this weekend like for you to be able to sleep in your own bed, be home, and enjoy a “home” race?
“It’s definitely nice to be home, and to be able to hang out with my kids. The ROVAL is a challenge, so we’ll be in the simulator a little more this week. There are just a lot of different turns to navigate, and the new configuration that was implemented last year changed some things. I’m excited to get to the ROVAL. Road courses create opportunities, and I’ve gotten better at them over the years and now enjoy the chance to kind of change things up. We race on ovals quite a bit in NASCAR, so a little road course race thrown into the middle of the season or the NASCAR Playoffs is going to be fun.”
Do you set up your car for the road course part and then just grit your teeth on the oval, or vice versea? How do you handle the setup for a track as unique as the ROVAL?
“It’s challenging. I think you focus on the road course portion of the track and kind of grit your teeth through turns three and four at the end of the big track. You’re just trying to find a good balance. The Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL has a lot of grip and some sharp turns. I think you need a car that is just maneuverable and allows you to do an average job at everything so that you can come up with a good lap.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Bank OZK Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Kyle Busch will make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL this weekend. The driver of the Bank OZK Chevrolet has reeled three top-five finishes at the North Carolina road course, earned in consecutive seasons from 2021-2023. He has twice finished a career-best third on the track (2022-2023) and has led 31 laps in his eight starts at the ROVAL. Last season, after qualifying 11th, Busch finished 13th.
Stat of the Week… Busch, alongside Chase Elliott, leads all active Cup Series drivers with three top-five finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Road Course Successes… Busch has racked up four wins (two at Watkins Glen International and two at Sonoma Raceway) along with 20 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes in 60 career road course races in Cup Series competition. Across four road course starts this season, Busch has logged a top-five and two top-10 finishes. His best result was in early March at Circuit of The Americas when he led a race-best 42 of 95 laps en route to a fifth-place finish.
About Bank OZK… Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK) is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Established in 1903, Bank OZK conducts banking operations in more than 240 offices in nine states including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, New York, California and Mississippi and had $38.26 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2024. For more information, visit www.ozk.com.
Meet Busch… Busch is scheduled to make a stop at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone on Sunday, October 5, at 11:10 a.m. Local Time to greet race fans and sign autographs. Stop by and get your new RCR gear. Following, he will appear on the Chevrolet Display for a Q&A session beginning at 11:50 a.m. Local Time.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
You have three top-five finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. What are some of the keys to success here?
“The key to running well at the ROVAL is just staying out of trouble and trying to keep your momentum rolling all the way around the racetrack. There are some big braking zones where you can really attack and get a lot of slowing down done in a quick period of time, but the infield section has such little grip and is so bumpy that you’re just trying to control the slip and not go too fast and crash. It’s about tiptoeing as much as you can with carrying the right amount of roll speed.”
Since the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL is a cutoff race in the Playoffs, do you expect more contact and more chaos late in the race? What is the best way to stay out of that mess?
“I think you expect more contact, more chaos, and more desperation moves at times. I also think there are some payback opportunities where guys will dump guys if they know they’re in a make it or break it situation and they’re on the bubble. That is always kind of on the table as well at the ROVAL. It would be nice to just stay out of that.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Jesse Love will make his second career start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL this weekend. Last year in his debut outing at the North Carolina road course, Love finished 19th after qualifying second.
Round of 12 Cutoff… With one race remaining in the Round of 12, Love currently sits eighth in the Xfinity Series playoff championship point standings, just five points ahead of the cutline to advance to the Round of 8. Love put himself ahead of the cutline courtesy of a seventh-place finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway. The California native is tied with Connor Zilisch for most top 10s this season in the Xfinity Series with 19.
Honor and Remember – National Fallen Firefighters Foundation… For the fourth consecutive year, Whelen has collaborated with RCR and NFFF to memorialize fallen firefighters with a special paint scheme on the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. It features the names of 140 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2024 and previous years. These names have been added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and were read aloud during services at the 44th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in May 2025. To learn more about the organization, visit FireHero.org. As part of Whelen’s commitment to those who serve, $1 from every fire product purchase goes directly to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to support firefighters, their families, and their communities. Learn more by visiting Whelen.com/NFFF.
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, and we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
Meet Love… On Saturday, October 4 at 2:10 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Immediately following at 2:30 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to make an appearance at the Whelen Display in the Fan Zone. Stop by to see the special No. 2 National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Chevrolet in person and meet the young gun.
JESSE LOVE QUOTE:
This weekend’s race at the ROVAL is the last race to make the Round of 8 for the Playoffs. How has the Round of 12 been for you so far, and what can we expect from the No. 2 team this weekend?
“I’m looking forward to the ROVAL and It’s nice to be above the cut line after last week. We had a bad Bristol race to start the first round of the Playoffs and then last week in Kansas, we definitely made up some much-needed points to get us back above the cut line, but we definitely have to do better than just hold serve this weekend. I have to run really, really well just to secure our spot in the Round of 8. But I feel like that’s definitely doable. The ROVAL was a good race for us last year speed wise. We had some pit road problems last year, but it’s a place that we can go to and contend at and obviously run well. I wish we were racing on the big track, the ROVAL is not my necessarily my first choice, but having said that is one of my favorite road courses for whatever reason. I like how it races, I like how it has character to it, so I am looking forward to it.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Austin Hill has made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, dating back to 2020. The Winston, Georgia native has earned one top-five and three top-10 results, with Hill’s best finish of fourth coming one season ago.
Did You Know? Hill has qualified inside the top-10 for the last three Xfinity Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. The 31-year-old’s best starting position – sixth – came in 2024.
Road Course Success… Hill continues to prove his ability when turning left and right on road courses. In six road course events during the 2025 Xfinity Series season, the veteran racer has posted five top-five results – fourth at Circuit of The Americas, third at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, fourth at the Chicago Street Race, fourth at Watkins Glen International, and fifth at Portland International Raceway – and never finished worse than 14th-place (at Sonoma Raceway). A road course victory is the only style of track that Hill has not won at this far into his series career.
Points Check… After earning points in each stage and recording a strong third-place finish at Kansas Speedway, Hill is currently the 10th seed in the Xfinity Series Playoffs, seven points behind the eighth-place cutline. Saturday’s race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL marks the end of the Round of 12, with the top eight advancing.
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Meet Hill… On Saturday, October 4 at 10:15 a.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Team Chevrolet Display in the Fan Zone at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Later that day at 2:25 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to return to the Fan Zone for an autograph signing at the RCR Merchandise Hauler. Stop by to meet the 13-time Xfinity Series winner before the green flag waves.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
How do you view entering the weekend seven points below the Round of 8 cutline?
“We can still point our way in pretty easily, with only being seven back. We’ve been good on the road courses all year, so I feel really confident heading into the ROVAL. We should have a shot at running inside the top-five all day and maybe even getting the win. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics team has been so close so many times to finally getting a win on a road course. There is always a what-if that can happen on a road course though, so we have to do our own deal and stay out of trouble.”
What is the mindset heading into the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL?
“Going into the ROVAL, it will be the same as any other race. We need to maximize the day and maximize stage points. We will not be able to short pit the stages by any means, so we will race for both stages and have a clean finish. Seven points is very easy to obtain. We just can’t have anything crazy happen, that’s the biggest thing. We have to stay ahead of those guys that are right there on the cutoff line, and if we do that, I think we will be okay.”
Do you think you have a shot at competing for the win on Saturday?
“Absolutely. If you look back at the races that we’ve run on road courses this year, I have a lot of confidence in our team and what we can do. We’ve shown consistent speed and been in contention every time. Even if you look back at the ROVAL last year, we were running up front and had a shot at it. If we do our jobs and execute, I think there is a chance we can go toe-to-toe with the No. 88 for the win.”
