NASCAR Nationwide Series
Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 powered by Coca-Cola
Chicagoland Speedway
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Race Highlights:
Brian Scott qualified on the pole for the Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 powered by Coca-Cola and was the highest qualifying Richard Childress Racing entry at Chicagoland Speedway. Teammates Paul Menard, Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan, qualified sixth, eighth, and 15th, respectively.
RCR teammates Ty Dillon, Brian Scott, Paul Menard and Brendan Gaughan finished seventh, ninth, 11th and 13th.
Ty Dillon currently leads the RCR drivers in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver point standings in third, Brian Scott is fifth and Brendan Gaughan eighth.
Next up for the Nationwide Series is the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Catch all the action live next Saturday night, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPNEWS.
Brian Scott Earns 16th Top-10 Finish in 2014 at Chicagoland Speedway
Brian Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet Camaro team collected their second-consecutive pole position at Chicagoland Speedway for Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Jimmy John’s 300 powered by Coca-Cola. This was Scott’s third pole at the 1.5-mile track and 23rd top-10 starting position in 2014. Scott led the field to the green and was out in front for the first five laps of competition. There was a competition caution on lap 25 that brought the Shore Lodge Chevrolet to pit road for adjustments to the tight-handling race car. Scott maintained a top-10 running position for the majority of the race as he defined with spotter Al DiRusso the best line around the Joilet, Ill. track. Debris brought out the caution on lap 136 and the Shore Lodge Chevrolet team visited pit road twice for service and to top off on Sunoco fuel. Scott restarted in the 21st position on lap 139 and would make his way back inside the top 10 with 47 laps to go. Scott took back the race lead on the lap 159 restart for one lap. The Phil Gould-led team would battle for position in the remaining laps, bringing home the team’s 16th top-10 finish of the season.
Start – 1st Finish – 9th Laps Led – 6 Pts – 5th
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
“It was really great to get another pole at Chicagoland Speedway. We fought tight over the bumps in three and four and loose off. I wish we could’ve topped it off with a victory in our Shore Lodge Camaro.
Ty Dillon Finishes Seventh at Chicagoland Speedway
Ty Dillon drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Red Kap Chevrolet Camaro to a seventh-place finish Saturday afternoon in the Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 powered by Coca-Cola at Chicagoland Speedway, the team’s 19th top-10 finish of the season. Dillon, who qualified eighth earlier in day, managed to stay inside the top 10 for the race’s first 25 laps before the competition caution. On the ensuing green-flag restart, Dillon reported a small vibration in the nose of the No. 3 Chevrolet. Crew chief Danny Stockman called for Dillon to come to pit road during a lap 65 caution where his crew went to work on the splitter, which was loosening from the Camaro. Dillon remained on the lead lap while the team was fixing the issue. Pitting twice for repairs, the team restarted 23rd. From lap 69 to 92, Dillon drove from 23rd to 12th-place. With improved track position, Dillon was able to stay inside the top 10 for the remainder of the race. He battled a tight-handling condition for a majority of the 200-lap event, but on the final restart on lap 173, Dillon drove up to seventh where he crossed the finish line. The 22-year-old driver finished inside the top-10 for the 18th time this season and was the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year to cross the finish line.
Start – 8th Finish – 7th Laps Led – 0 Points – 3rd
TY DILLON QUOTE:
“We battled a few problems early this afternoon with a tight race car and a vibration from the splitter coming a bit loose. But we stuck with it and were able to come up with a pretty decent finish. This is a sort of a difficult track because you are constantly having to find the right groove. I’m proud of the No. 3 Red Kap team for sticking with it and keeping us in the championship hunt.”
Paul Menard Finishes 11th in the Tarkett/Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Chicagoland Speedway
Paul Menard drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Tarkett/Menards Chevrolet Camaro to an 11th-place finish in Saturday’s 200-lap NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Chicagoland Speedway. The Eau Claire, Wisc., driver started sixth and raced in the top six until the NASCAR-mandated competition caution on lap 25 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. On lap 79, Menard radioed to crew chief Nick Harrison that his car was hitting hard on the left side. Harrison and team made a plan to check under the hood during the lap 93 caution after changing four tires and adding fuel. The No. 33 team found a mechanical issue on the right side of the car and were able to remedy the issue. Harrison called Menard down pit road five additional times for four tires, fuel and adjustments to the Tarkett/Menards Chevy. The RCR team ultimately finished in the 11th-position. Up next for Menard in the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro is Saturday’s race at Kansas Speedway on October 4.
Start – 6th Finish – 11th Laps Led – 0 Points – N/A
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“We had a good race package and were definitely a top-five car. There was a little issue there but the guys were able to get it fixed and did a good job keeping us ahead of the pack. Our last race is coming up in Kansas. These guys have done a good job preparing this car all year so I’m hoping we can get another win.”
Brendan Gaughan Finishes 13th at Chicagoland Speedway in the Freaky Fast 300
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 Richard Childress Racing team unloaded a fast Chevrolet and went straight to the top of the speed charts in first practice on Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. Gaughan qualified 13th for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 powered by Coca-Cola. The Las Vegas-native began reporting loose conditions early on in the 200-lap event. On lap 25 the competition caution came out and the Shane Wilson-led team elected to take four tires, fuel and make a chassis adjustment. Gaughan reported on lap 44 that the adjustments had improved the handling of the No. 62 Chevrolet. As the laps wound down, Gaughan’s handling went from loose to tight and on the next pit stop on lap 170 the South Point Hotel & Casino team made another chassis adjustment. With less than 40 laps remaining, the 39-year-old driver made an incredible save after making contact with the No. 31. Gaughan fought to make his way back through the field, but ran out of laps and crossed the finish line 13th. Brendan Gaughan remains eighth in the driver point standings as the series heads to Kentucky Speedway.
Start – 15th Finish – 13th Laps Led – 0 Points – 8th
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
“We had such a fast South Point Chevrolet all weekend, it is a shame that we did not get the finish that we deserved. I went for a wild ride there towards the end and was able to stay off the wall and have one of my top-five best saves. Once again, my RCR team did not disappoint. The pit crew did an amazing job all day on their stops.”