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. 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).
RCR has won 11 pole positions at Daytona dating back to Ricky Rudd capturing the top starting spot for the 1983 Daytona 500. Other RCR drivers to win pole at Daytona include Dale Earnhardt (1994, 1995 and 1996-500), Mike Skinner (both races in 1997 plus 1998-500), Harvick (2002), Jeff Green (2003-500), Jeff Burton (2006-500), and Dillon (2014-500).
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). Other drivers to win qualifying races at Daytona with RCR include Mike Skinner (2001), Robby Gordon (2003), Jeff Burton (2011) and Harvick (2013).
In addition to its NASCAR Cup Series success, RCR has racked up nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 2002, 2010, Harvick – 2007, Clint Bowyer – 2009, Tony Stewart – 2013, Dillon – 2015, Austin Hill – 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Big Power on the Drafting Tracks… ECR has dominated all three drafting tracks in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway). ECR has won all three races and also swept the pole position in all three events. How strong has ECR been on those tracks? ECR teams have led 315 laps in those races (76.27 percent) and 640.14 miles (71.91 percent).
Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live Friday, August 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, August 24 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… With 22 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 in the Cup Series at Daytona, including the 2018 Daytona 500 and the last race of the regular season to clinch a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs in 2022. He is a former pole award winner in NASCAR Cup Series competition at the track and has four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. 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 Daytona with one win, seven top-five, and seven top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series.
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.
BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Team Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE®, an AstraZeneca product, at Daytona. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about Austin Dillon and his family’s personal connection to the brand at Breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Meet Dillon… On Friday, August 23, the Coca-Cola Racing driver is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Coca-Cola at Walmart (1521 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, Florida, 32174), beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. Dillon is scheduled to appear at Bass Pro Shops on Friday, August 23 at 3 p.m. ET, (1880 Checkered Flag Blvd, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114).
Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Chevrolet Racing Stage display in the Daytona International Speedway Midway on Saturday, August 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
You’ve had success at Daytona International Speedway. How do you negotiate staying out of the wrecks throughout the race so that you can be in contention at the end?
“It’s tough. It’s a game of putting yourself in position. I call it high-speed chess because you know at some point in time, you’re going to be vulnerable. You hope that someone doesn’t take advantage of that too much and cause a big wreck. It’s one of those things where you are constantly moving and trying to guess the flow of the pack. I think the best place to be is in the front most of the time, but it’s impossible now with the way we race to keep yourself up there for the entire race. You usually know when the intensity is rising, and the pack is starting to get a little bit out of control. You try to do your best to give yourself an out or be in front of it.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen 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. Busch won in NASCAR Overtime, taking the lead from Jeff Gordon with seven laps to go. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet is second among active drivers with 531 laps led and has led at least one lap in 28 starts at Daytona. Since making his Cup Series debut at Daytona in 2005, Busch has eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes at the World Center of Racing.
Points Update… Busch currently holds the 17th position in the Cup Series driver championship point standings, 93 points below the Playoff cutline. The Las Vegas, Nevada native scored 48 points at Michigan International Speedway, marking the most points Busch has scored in a race this season.
About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
How do take the positive momentum from Michigan International Speedway and manage these next two races?
“That’s just it. Try to get through these next two races and keep ourselves in position to win. Daytona is a crapshoot. You can be leading on the final lap and be in a heap before you get to the finish line. Darlington is the same way. You have to be in position there. It’s really narrow, really tough, really tight. Handling really comes into play a lot. We just have to be on top of our game if we’re going to put ourselves in the Playoffs.”
How far of a step forward was the strong run at Michigan International Speedway for RCR as a whole?
“Michigan is how we expect to run and how we want to run. We want to run up front and have opportunities to excel. Good pit calls helped us to be able to do that and we made a couple good moves on the late restart that got us that finish. Overall, nothing can translate from Michigan to Daytona or Darlington setup-wise, vehicle dynamics, that sort of stuff. We have good momentum. We’re rolling in the right direction and need to keep that going.”
A lot can happen at Daytona International Speedway but recently you have ran well and shown speed there.
“Daytona has been good for us since I joined RCR. ECR has done a great job on our engines at Daytona. We were really quick there earlier this year and had a good shot to win the race. It comes down to restarts, what lane you take, how the lines accelerate out of the restart and get the momentum building. There are 36 guys that show up and walk through the gate and at least think that they have a shot to win so they’re going to go out and prove that they can. A lot of Hail Marys are thrown and sometimes a lot of wrecks happen. You’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and hope for the best.”
Austin Hill and the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made one career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway, piloting the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet to a 14th-place finish last summer. The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series event at the World Center of Racing, earning three victories (2022, 2023, 2024) and two pole positions (both 2023 races). In addition, Hill has raced in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.
About United Rentals… United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,504 rental locations in North America, 38 in Europe, 23 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 26,300 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and others. The company offers approximately 4,800 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $20.66 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.
Turns for Troops… Through their Turns for Troops program, United Rentals will make a donation for each lap that Hill completes in his United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro during the Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Funds from the Turns for Troops program support military veterans and their families through Operation Homefront.
Meet Hill… On Saturday, August 24, Hill will make two appearances in the Daytona International Speedway Midway prior to climbing behind the wheel of his Camaro. At 4:05 p.m. ET, the 30-year-old is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler. Immediately following at 4:30 p.m. ET, Hill will answer fan questions at the NASCAR Experience Stage. Come by to meet the multi-time winner at the Florida speedway.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
What is the goal for the Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway?
“I have a couple Cup Series superspeedway races under my belt now, and in those races, I’ve learned that the Next Gen car does not react the same way as the Xfinity Series car. With that being said though, there are some tendencies behind the wheel that are the same and just a product of the style of racing. Our No. 33 team wants to have a solid day and keep our United Rentals Chevrolet out of trouble. If we can find ourselves in a position in the final laps, anything can happen at the end of these races. But most importantly, I want to do whatever I can to help Austin Dillon or Kyle Busch to the victory. If we as a team at RCR can get the No. 3 or No. 8 a win, it would be a massive moment for our entire organization.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway, piloting the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet earlier this season. In February’s event, the 19-year-old earned his first series pole, led a total of 34 laps, and picked up his first series stage victory. Love has also 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.
Superspeedway Victory… While the Menlo Park, California native is searching for his inaugural victory at the historic Florida tri-oval, Love secured his first career Xfinity Series win at a different drafting track – Talladega Superspeedway – earlier this season.
Honor and Remember – National Fallen Firefighters Foundation… Love will carry a special tribute on his No. 2 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway, as Whelen honors the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) with a unique patriotic design. The decklid on Love’s Camaro carries the names of 226 fallen firefighters who added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial earlier this spring. Each of the brave heroes died in the line of duty in 2023 and previous years. The hood of the Chevrolet features the NFFF logo to bring awareness to the important foundation work.
The U.S. Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to honor America’s fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the non-profit foundation has developed and expanded programs that fulfill that mandate. Their mission is to honor and remember America’s fallen fire heroes, to provide resources to assist their families in rebuilding their lives, and to work within the fire service community to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries. Each year, the NFFF sponsors the official national tribute to all firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year. Thousands attend the weekend activities held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to experience special programs for families and co-workers along with moving public ceremonies.
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, August 23 at 5:05 p.m. ET, Love is scheduled to visit the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Daytona International Speedway Midway to sign autographs. Stop by to meet the current Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader and purchase new No. 2 gear.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
After a successful first Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway earlier this season, what are the expectations returning to the historic track?
“Winning the race is goal number one, but we want to be up front the entire race and secure more Playoff points. Our Richard Childress Racing Chevrolets are really good, especially at superspeedways, which makes my job as the driver easier. Our No. 2 team wants to be in just as good of a spot as the No. 21 team currently is when it comes to Playoff points. As a team, we have the ability to beat the No. 21. Obviously, the No. 21 team is the status quo when it comes to superspeedways, but we can challenge that. The No. 21 team supports the No. 2 team and vise versa, but there is still a positive, internal rivalry between the two cars. I feel like I’ve proven that I can hold my own and compete with Austin (Hill) at superspeedways. He did a better job than me at Daytona earlier this year, but I’ve learned a lot since then. Going back there, we want to win.”
You earned your first Xfinity Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway. Can you apply anything from that win to this weekend, even from a mindset standpoint?
“The win at Talladega Superspeedway helps because part of the field now wants to work with me more since I have won a superspeedway race. While I picked up the victory at Talladega, I didn’t run a perfect race. I let the emotions get the best of me towards the end of it and could have lost that one. Now that I’ve done it, I know what to do at the end of these races. I took a lot of learning lessons from Talladega to implement this weekend at Daytona. I feel confident that I can run a better race than I did at Talladega. That doesn’t mean I will win, but as far as controlling our own destiny, I’ll be a lot better at that than the last time we were at Daytona.”
Whelen is honoring the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the No. 2 team will host the fallen family members at the track this weekend. What does this mean to you personally?
“I got emotional when we unveiled this car a few months ago. Having folks come up and talk about their family members brought the magnitude of the cause to the forefront. It’s an honor to run not only the NFFF colors, but more importantly, the names of 226 individuals who died protecting our communities. I’m proud to represent a company in Whelen who takes care of the people who take care of us. Everyone on the No. 2 team is working extremely hard to win in Daytona, knowing what and who we are racing for this weekend.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics/Global Industrial Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, earning three victories (2022, 2023, 2024) and two pole positions (both 2023 races). The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.
Daytona Success… Hill returns to Daytona International Speedway looking for a single season sweep after claiming the checkered flag in the season opener in February. The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing driver has found Victory Lane three times in the last five Xfinity Series races at the World Center of Racing. If Hill is able to win Friday’s night race, the 30-year-old will be just the second driver in series history to accomplish the single season sweep – joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003).
Milestone Anniversaries… Bennett Transportation & Logistics and Global Industrial have partnered together to highlight their milestone anniversaries at Daytona International Speedway. Bennett Transportation & Logistics celebrates 50 years of faith, family, and freight, while Global Industrial has provided industrial and MRO products for 75 years. Both anniversary logos are featured on the decklid of the No. 21 Chevrolet, while the car design showcases a diamond pattern for Global Industrial and gold accents for Bennett Transportation & Logistics.
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.
About Global Industrial Company… Global Industrial Company (NYSE:GIC), is a value-added distributor. For 75 years, Global Industrial has gone the extra mile for its customers, currently offering hundreds of thousands of industrial and MRO products needed to run businesses and facilities. Global Industrial is committed to its customer-centric strategy, and utilizes a team of subject matter experts, Global Industrial Exclusive Brands™ products and national vendor relationships to help customers succeed. Global Industrial. “We Can Supply That®”.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
As the last race winner at Daytona International Speedway, what is the outlook and expectation heading back?
“Our expectation is to win the race for sure, but it’s not going to be easy. Outside of Jesse (Love), we don’t have a ton of help out there, so we will have to be smart and control the race from up front. Same as in February, our car should be fast enough to have a shot at the pole, which will hopefully give us the track position to start the race. We have to be aggressive and calculated with our moves. If we lose track position, it will be tough to get it back, because the rest of the field knows that we are one of the cars to beat for the win. At the end of the race, a little bit of luck has to be involved in these superspeedway races. We will need to have everything work out, but the number one goal is to get as many stage points as possible and then go for the win at the end.”
Does the August race at Daytona International Speedway have a different feel than the race in February?
“Yes, because with it being hotter outside, the track will be slicker. Handling comes into effect a little more, which is what we noticed last year in the Xfinity Series car. I am expecting the same with the Cup car this weekend. You’re going to have to have a balance of being trimmed out with raw speed and having drivability in your car to where, if you need to make big moves, you can.”
You’ve had a lot of success on superspeedways in your career. Is there a reason why?
“The biggest thing for me is I feel like Derek Kneeland (Xfinity Series spotter), and I are really aggressive from the start of the race. During Stage 1, we learn to set ourselves up for Stage 2 and Stage 3. That is not going to change any; it’s just something that we have always done. If we get big runs, we pull out of line to see if it works. The more that you can learn in Stage 1 to apply to Stage 2 and 3, it sets you up better for when you get in the final 10 or 20 laps. You can apply everything that has been learned early in the race. This is something that is carried over for every race I’ve ever run on a superspeedway and probably won’t change going forward.”
