Richard Childress Racing–Darlington Advance

Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Darlington Raceway … Richard Childress is tied for third in all-time car owner victories with Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers at Darlington Raceway with eight wins each. Dale Earnhardt collected all of RCR’s victories at the South Carolina-based track. In 115 collective starts, RCR boasts 22 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval with five different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds an average starting position of 16.9, an average finishing position of 18.1, has completed 35,742 of the 39,664 contested laps (90.1 percent) and has collectively led 2,597 laps.

RCR in the NSCS … In 2,697 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards,105 wins, 473 top-five finishes and 1,023 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.0. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR XFINITY Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

The Collective RCR … RCR’s three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank 12th (Dillon), 14th (Newman) and 23rd (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.

Catch the Action … The Bojangles’ Southern 500 is scheduled to be televised live on NBC beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
View on Instagram

This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet SS at Darlington Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 552 in the Bojangles’ Southern 500. This is the same Chevrolet SS that Dillon raced to an eighth-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in June and a 16th-place finish at Kentucky Speedway in July.

Dillon at Darlington Raceway … Dillon has made two career starts in the Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting an 11th-place finish in 2014 as a Series rookie and a 22nd-place finish last year as a sophomore in NASCAR’s premier series. He has made two appearances at the “Lady in Black” in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012 and an 11th-place finish in 2013. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010, coupled with a 15th-place result in March 2011.

Think Green … American Ethanol, a renewable source of cleaner burning energy from the bounty of America’s farmers, helps create new green jobs and a renewed sense of pride for the American worker, while helping to achieve greater energy security for our country. Launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association, along with the support of other partners, American Ethanol is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15, and takes the NASCAR Green initiative to the next level. NASCAR® drivers have run nearly 10 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15. At its core, American Ethanol is a green fuel for an increasingly environmentally-conscious America, and pairs perfectly with the naturally beautiful state of South Carolina.

Playin’ Hoops for Kids … Austin and Ty Dillon are hosting a 3-on-3 Celebrity Basketball Tournament presented by The Dow Chemical Company to benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma at Wake Forest University’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The 16-team, double-elimination tournament will start at 4 p.m. General admission and parking at LJVM for the event are free. For more information and tournament updates please visit saveinjuredkids.org/basketball/.

Throwing it Back … Dillon worked with American Ethanol to design this weekend’s throwback paint scheme, which pays tribute to Richard Childress Racing’s first victory in 1983 with driver Ricky Rudd at Riverside Raceway.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What do you think about Darlington Raceway? It’s a very unique track …
“It is a very unique track. Darlington is one of those places where you’ve got to get up by the fence and dig. It can be a challenging track. You really race the track more than the competition there.”

Endurance is also a factor at Darlington Raceway. It seems like time-wise on the clock it’s one of the longer races of the year. Do you feel that when you’re in the seat?
“Last year there were a lot of cautions so I am just hoping that this year there are a lot less cautions and a couple more long runs. I seem to do better on long runs.”

This Week’s Valvoline / Menards Chevrolet SS at Darlington Raceway … Chassis No. 551 was chosen for this weekend’s 500-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway. This Chevrolet SS is new to the No. 27 team and Paul Menard will be behind the wheel for the first time during Friday’s practice session.

The Lady in Black … In nine starts at the 1.366-mile track, Menard has four top-15 starts and two top-15 finishes. He has completed 95.5 percent of laps in competition. In 2015, the RCR driver lost power steering before the half-way mark which forced him to truly race old school during Darlington Raceway’s inaugural throwback weekend.

Tradition Returns … Menard’s Chevrolet will adorn a special throwback paint scheme this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Menard and the No. 27 team will pay tribute to IndyCar legend Al “Little Al” Unser Jr. by mimicking the same colors on his first and only stock car. Unser and Valvoline teamed up in 1993 for the Daytona 500 with a black, orange and white paint scheme that mirrored Valvoline’s synthetic oil packaging during that time period.

About Valvoline … Valvoline is a leading worldwide producer and distributor of premium-branded automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants, and automotive chemicals. It ranks as the #2 quick-lube chain and #3 passenger car motor oil brand in the United States. The brand operates and franchises nearly 1,050 Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeSM centers in the United States. It also markets ValvolineTM lubricants and automotive chemicals; MaxLifeTM lubricants created for higher-mileage engines, SynPowerTM synthetic motor oil; and ZerexTM antifreeze. Key customers include: retail auto parts stores and mass merchandisers who sell to consumers; installers, such as car dealers, repair shops and quick lubes; commercial fleets; and distributors. For more information, please visit Valvoline.com.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Do you remember your first laps at speed in Darlington? And if so, what they were like from the driver’s seat?
“It was probably 2004, maybe. It was the old style cars I think and an old XFINITY Series car. We were in a test session with Andy Petree and I hit the right side. At the time we didn’t have all the crushable foam like we do now in the cars, so we left the pits to go find an old 4×4 piece of wood. I had always heard stories about them putting 4x4s in the right side of the car and we literally scrounged around until we found wood from an old sign post to put in the right side of the car. Anytime I bounced off the wall after that I could smell the wood burning.”

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Darlington Raceway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 551 in Sunday night’s Southern 500. This is the fourth time this season the car will be in action. Paul Menard turned in an 11th-place result at Dover. The 31 team utilized it two times in 2016 producing an 11th-place finish at Michigan in June and a third-place result at Kentucky in July.

The Rocket Man at Darlington … Newman will make his 537th start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at his favorite track on the circuit. The Rocket Man won the 2003 pole at the 1.366-mile oval. In total, he owns seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 17 starts. Plus, Newman ranks fifth in championship points earned over the last 10 events.

About Caterpillar … For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.011 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three product segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

Throwin’ It Back to the 80s … This week’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet pays tribute to RCR’s first win as an organization, which came on June 5, 1983 at Riverside Raceway. The No. 31 boasts a similar paint scheme and stylized number resembling the No. 3 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet that Ricky Rudd drove to victory lane. The Block C logo featured on the hood was Caterpillar’s corporate symbol introduced in 1967 and was intended to be a signature that transcended language and established the corporate identity of the multi-national company that manufactures earthmoving equipment, prime-power machines and components and other products. The Block C logo was in use for 22 years and was replaced by Cat’s current logo in 1989.

RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What makes Darlington Raceway so unique?
“Darlington Raceway has that egg shape that makes it unique because Turns 1 and 2 have such a different radius. The way you need to drive the race car entering Turn 1, you need to get on the brakes a little bit but basically you are wide open until you get to Turn 3. It’s like no other track. With the radius being so much tighter in Turns 3 and 4 than Turns 1 and 2, it kind of makes you have to adjust your driving line and driving style. It’s a crew chief’s nightmare but also very rewarding once you get your car pretty close.”

What is the hardest part of the track to figure out?
“The biggest thing about Darlington Raceway is keeping it off the fence. You really don’t want to work on the right-side of the car. The key is to maintain your focus on making the car faster versus doing body damage control.”

What are your thoughts on the whole Throwback weekend?
“I think the Throwback weekend is awesome. There is no better word for it. We are paying respects to the people and the products of our sport. You look at the sponsors and the way they integrate with it along with the drivers, the car owners and the teams, to me it is awesome. I think it is the right amount of doing it at no better place.”

Why do you consider Darlington your favorite track?
“I just like the track. It’s fun to drive. It is challenging. You run right up against the fence. As a driver, it is the most fun place to drive. I enjoy the challenge that Darlington presents to me.”

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Darlington Raceway … In 45 Series starts at the 1.366-mile raceway, RCR has accumulated one pole award, nine top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes, led 233 laps and averages a starting position of 11.2 and finishing position of 14.7. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 6,320 laps of the 6,491 (97.4 percent) that they have competed.

Road America Review … Michael McDowell earned the win on Saturday and was the highest RCR finisher, Brendan Gaughan second, Ty Dillon 12th and Brandon Jones 16th, respectively, at Road America.

The Points … All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 10 of the driver point standings as the series heads to Darlington Raceway for the 24th event of the season. Ty Dillon is currently fourth, Brendan Gaughan is fifth and Brandon Jones is eighth. The No. 2 RCR team leads the owner point standings. Brandon Jones is currently third in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.

Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, Sept. 3, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 183 at Darlington Raceway for the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. This is the same Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Austin Dillon drove to a second-place finish at Kentucky Speedway in July.

Darlington Details … In seven previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Menard has recorded one top-10 finish. He holds an average starting position of 17.7, coupled with an average finishing position of 19.7.

Retro with Richmond … Menard’s No. 2 Richmond / Menards Chevrolet will sport a different look on Saturday as the XFINITY Series heads to Darlington Raceway for the annual “throwback” weekend. The paint scheme will be an inverse of the No. 3 Chevrolet as both RCR entries honor team owner Richard Childress’ first paint scheme as a driver. Menard’s Chevrolet will adorn the red and white with a silver No. 2, similar to Childress’ CRC paint scheme.

Back-to-Back Wins … The No. 2 team was triumphant for the past two consecutive weekends with drivers Austin Dillon and Michael McDowell. Dillon earned the victory at Bristol Motor Speedway after taking the lead late in the race and collecting his second win of the season. This past weekend at Road America, McDowell started on the outside pole for the 45-lap event and held off multiple late-race restarts to capture his first-career NASCAR victory.

No. 2 Team by the Numbers … With 23 XFINITY Series events complete in 2016, the No. 2 team has three victories, one pole award, 15 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, with 58 laps led to their credit. Austin Dillon returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 2 Chevrolet next weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Is Darlington Raceway a hard track to get acclimated to since you only go there once a year?
“It’s so unique. Darlington is always just a fun track to drive, and getting laps there with both cars is going to help. It’s usually hot and slippery. It’s also another recent repave but the tires really fall off there. Not as bad as they have in the past but it’s getting to be at that point, so tires will be really important in managing. On the XFINITY side you’ll think about how many you have and when to put them on. For the Cup side, it’ll be about keeping the right side on the car.”

This Week’s Ruud Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 182 for this weekend’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro has been raced three times in 2016, including a third-place finish at Pocono Raceway. Chassis No. 182 has three top-10 finishes in three starts.

Dillon in the XFINITY Series at Darlington … In three XFINITY Series starts at the 1.366-mile speedway, Dillon has one top-10 finish. Dillon finished 15th at Darlington Raceway last fall after having to come to pit road with two laps remaining.

Throwback Paint Scheme … Dillon will race the No. 3 Ruud Chevrolet Camaro this weekend at Darlington Raceway as part of its “throwback” race weekend. The paint scheme honors the colors of the past at Richard Childress Racing, paying tribute to one of team owner Richard Childress’ first paint schemes as a driver; the historic red and white No. 3 CRC carrying the iconic silver No. 3.

Welcome, Ruud! … Ruud, a distinguished member of the Rheem family of quality brands, provides a full line of technologically advanced heating, air conditioning, water heating, pool and spa heating products for residential and light commercial use. Ruud has been a trusted brand since 1897 when Edwin Ruud, the inventor of the water heater, started developing products with a commitment to quality, reliability and durability. Today, the Ruud reputation for reliability and superior performance is world renowned and is supported by a vast product range offering the perfect solution for every need and lifestyle. Thousands of Ruud contractors nationwide stand ready to deliver reliable performance and dependable service when you call or visit ruud.com/find-a-contractor. Rely on Ruud

XFINITY Series Points Update … Three races remain until the first round of the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase and Dillon is currently fourth in the driver point standings. Dillon, who is in position to make the Chase, has seven top five and 13 top-10 finishes thus far in 2016.

TY DILLON QUOTE:
Summer is over, and you’re in the championship hunt. How’s that going?
“It’s an exciting time for our team and our organization. We’re in position to make the Chase and compete for this championship. We’d like to be able to have a win by now, but I think we’re getting close. These next three races we have an approach of be more aggressive and win races. We need to be carrying as much momentum into the Chase as possible.”

This Week’s Project: Time Off / visitmyrtlebeach.com Chevrolet at Darlington … Brandon Jones will pilot chassis No. 181 this weekend in the VFW Sports Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared chassis was previously raced at Michigan International Speedway in June, where the NASCAR XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year contender earned a top-10 finish.

About Project: Time Off … Project: Time Off is the U.S. Travel’s initiative to prove the value of time off for personal well-being, professional success, business performance, and economic expansion. American workers are overwhelmed. After years of being asked to do more with less, workers are overstretched, stressed out, and exhausted. We have become a nation of “work martyrs” and our own biggest barriers to taking vacation. Project: Time Off is leading a national movement to transform American attitudes and change behavior around time off. We aim to win back America’s Lost Week and shift culture so that taking time off is understood as essential to personal well-being, professional success, business performance, and economic expansion. Join us in disrupting the vacation stigma. Learn about the benefits of vacation, communicate about it with coworkers and company management, and lead by example by taking advantage of your paid time off. It’s time for America to tackle Project: Time Off and experience the upside of downtime. Visit ProjectTimeOff.com to learn more.

Welcome visitmyrtlebeach.com …
The Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina is known as the Grand Strand for its 60 miles of pristine coastline, stretching from Little River to Georgetown and including 12 communities with their own distinct culture and cuisine. The area is a premier vacation destination, attracting more than 16 million visitors annually for its affordable accommodations, Southern hospitality, delicious Carolina Coastal cuisine, and wide variety of attractions. Some of the area’s most notable attractions include a 1.2-mile-long oceanfront boardwalk; a 200-foot-tall SkyWheel; family-friendly amusements like WonderWorks and Ripley’s Aquarium; the largest outdoor sculpture garden in North America, Brookgreen Gardens; live theatre; deep sea, pier and backwater fishing; thrilling adventure and water parks; local, mass and outlet shopping; more than 100 championship golf courses; more miniature golf courses than any destination in the world; historic and cultural sites; outdoor and adventure sports and activities; and gorgeous scenery. Myrtle Beach is designed to accommodate large groups and families, though its expanse also allows it to cater to more niche audiences, including luxury travelers, couples, culinary enthusiasts, adventure seekers, girlfriend getaways and more. VisitMyrtleBeach.com has all of the information needed for a one-of-a-kind vacation experience.
Going Live … Jones will be taking part in a Facebook Live chat on the NASCAR Facebook page on Saturday, Sept. 3 beginning at 10:45 a.m. ET. Fans are invited to send their questions and interact with Jones during the chat.

Meet the Driver … Jones is scheduled to appear at the Chevrolet Stage for a Q&A starting at 10:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 3.

BRANDON JONES QUOTES:
Darlington Raceway is a tough track, how are you preparing for your first start there?
“We are coming off one of the toughest parts of our schedule and going to Darlington Raceway, another tough racetrack. This is a pretty tough part of the season that I’m going through right now since I didn’t have a lot of road course experience before this year and I’m making my first ever start at Darlington. I have been leaning on my RCR teammates a lot over the last few weeks and I will definitely be leaning on them again for this weekend’s race. I’m looking forward to getting there and having fun with the Project: Time Off / visitmyrtlebeach.com Camaro.”

Does your position in the driver standings change your approach as the start of the Chase nears?
“It means a lot. You don’t have to worry about taking it easy and finishing 15th just to have a solid day in the points. You can really try to get up there, race with the leaders and take chances to go for the win. I really enjoy this new Chase format.”

This Week’s Royal Inn Casino Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 180 for this weekend’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet Camaro last saw track action at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, qualifying and finishing 16th. In two previous starts, this Camaro averages a starting position of 15th and a finishing position of 17th.

Darlington Details … In five previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Gaughan has completed 666 laps of the 745 (89.4 percent) that he has competed. The Las Vegas native averages a starting position of 11.2 and a finishing position of 22.6. Gaughan also has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the historic 1.366-mile oval, where he earned a top-five finish and averaged a starting and finishing position of 16th.

Vintage Vegas … The Royal Inn Casino throwback paint scheme represents ’70s vintage Las Vegas. The Royal Inn marked Michael Gaughan’s first ownership stake in the business venture that he and his family are known for – gaming. This No. 62 scheme for the XFINITY Series event at Darlington Raceway is inspired by the off-road racing career of Michael Gaughan Sr., who ran a similar paint scheme throughout the ’70s in the High Desert Racing Association and SCORE Desert Racing Series. Gaughan Sr. won the HDRA Class 2 Unlimited Buggy points champions back-to-back in 1977 and 1978 with this paint scheme. The names featured on the No. 62 Royal Inn Casino Chevrolet are that of Michael Gaughan and Lenny Newman, the driver and co-driver of the Royal Inn Class 2 dune buggy. Newman is a lifelong friend of the Gaughan family.

Best of 2016 … The 41-year-old driver is fresh off his best finish of 2016, finishing second at Road America. In the first 23 events of the XFINITY Series season, Gaughan and the No. 62 Chevrolet team average a starting position of 13th and a finishing position of 10.5. The team has accumulated four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Gaughan is currently ranked third in quality passes according to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, with 754 quality passes on record.

Meet the Driver … Gaughan is scheduled to appear at the Team Chevy Stage located in the fan midway starting at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, Sept. 3.

BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
You typically like the high line, is Darlington any different?
“Yes I love the high line at Darlington (Raceway), but everyone is just up there in my way. Darlington is Darlington, it is another track that when you just say the name race fans get excited. The SAFER barrier has made racing more difficult. It took three feet of the racing groove away and changed the way you drive around that place. About 12 years ago, Buddy Baker yelled at me every lap, telling me to give the wall a break for a few laps.”

The throwback weekend, do you like it?
“I think the throwback weekend envisioned by Chip Wile is the coolest marketing campaign of any racetrack in history. I want to express a huge thank you to Darlington for giving NASCAR the opportunity to bring back the vintage look and heritage of our sport. We are going full on Michael Gaughan from the ’70s this weekend. I grew up like most kids, and my daddy was my hero. We have always had pictures around the house of all the Royal Inn Casino stuff, but I was barely old enough to remember most of it. To finally get to have a car that ties me to my family’s beginnings in racing is truly priceless.”

ARP Racing News

Richard Childress Racing–Darlington Advance

Racer News and Results