Richard Childress Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Richard Childress has four victories as a team owner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Robby Gordon (2001), Kevin Harvick (2006) and Clint Bowyer (2007 and 2010). In 121 starts at the 1.058-mile oval, Childress also has two pole awards, 16 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes with 10 different drivers including Dave Blaney, Jeff Burton, Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Green, Gordon, Harvick, Ryan Newman, Steve Park and Mike Skinner.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,819 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards, 107 wins, 485 top-five finishes and 1,048 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.1. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR 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.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @RyanJNewman. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3, www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled to be televised live on Sunday, September 24 on NBC Sports Network beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Chevrolet Accessories SS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Dillon has made seven previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, earning his best finish of eighth in July 2015.
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Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Champions Club on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 10:45 a.m. ET, less than three hours before the start of the ISM Connect 300. To purchase tickets, please stop by the New Hampshire Motor Speedway guest relations office, visit the new revamped website at www.nhms.com or call the ticket hotline at 603-783-4931.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Tell me about your chances in the Playoffs …
“I think our chances are solid. We have nothing to lose in my mindset as far as where we are in the points. Last year we made some noise and made it to the second round but missed the third round by one point. I kicked myself over that point but I learned from it experience-wise. I know how aggressive I need to be in those first couple of races to put ourselves in a little better position for the third race. They are three-race seasons and you have to take them as that and get as much as you can out of them.”
Everybody says the shape of New Hampshire Motor Speedway makes it tough to get a handle on …
“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is an odd shape but I have more laps on it than any other track, probably, because of all of my experience in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Division. We raced there twice a year running bias ply tires when I was growing up through the ranks racing. I remember tires sliding around that place, so experience-wise, it’s one of the best tracks to go to for me. I enjoy it. There’s not a track in this first round that I don’t like.”
What about the PJ1 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway? How did you find that experience the first time?
“It was pretty good. I don’t remember where we finished that first race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but I thought it was a solid run. I remember being in contention at certain points in the race. I thought the PJ1 wore out and the track got cleaned back off by the end of the race, but it definitely put something there during practice and during the first half of the race.”
This week’s Sylvania / Menards Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Menard has competed in 21 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway since his first start at the track in 2007. He has completed 6,231 of the 6,273 laps attempted (99.3 percent) at the ‘Magic Mile.’
Hear from Menard … Menard is scheduled to call into SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 of Friday, Sept. 22, starting at 4 p.m. ET, to talk with Dave Moody about his 14th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway and preview the race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
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PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
New Hampshire is very flat and difficult to get a handle on. A lot of guys say Loudon is one of the toughest on the NASCAR circuit to set up for. Do you agree?
“It’s really hard to pass at New Hampshire. They put the PJ1 stuff down the last time we were there, and I’m sure they’re going to probably do that again, but hopefully do it a little bit differently. It wasn’t put down in exactly the right spot last time. We’ll see what they do, but that dictates a lot about how we set up the Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet for the race weekend.”
Did the PJ1 make a big difference in the race when you were there earlier this year?
“The PJ1 tends to wear off pretty quick. It made a difference in qualifying and made a difference early in a run, but later on in the race it went back to normal.”
Did the PJ1 wear quicker because of how fast the Cup cars were going and how much the cars were picking it up compared to the Truck Series?
“The Cup races are just longer than any of the other series. We saw that in the Truck Series race at Bristol in August, too. The first 100 laps they were glued to the bottom with the PJ1, then the next 100 laps they started to move around a bit. For us, after 100 laps we still have 200 laps to go here at New Hampshire. It will just be different for the Cup cars because of the duration of our race.”
This Week’s American Childress Vineyards Chevrolet SS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Ryan Newman will make his 559th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start when the No. 31 team competes at the 1.058-mile oval where he owns three victories; the 2002 and 2005 fall events and the 2011 spring race. The “Rocket Man” also owns seven pole awards. In 31 starts at NHMS, he owns seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Also, he has led 722 laps in competition. The South Bend, Indiana native has an average start of 10.1 and average finish of 14.0. Plus, he ranks ninth in most points earned in the last seven races at Loudon.
#B31ieve … Newman kicked off his eighth appearance in what is now known as the NASCAR Playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway. Entering the second of three races in the Round of 16, he is 16th in points, seven markers out of a Round of 12 transfer spot. His highest finish in the championship standings is second place while driving in his first season for RCR and crew chief Luke Lambert.
Childress Vineyards … Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, NC. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards has been producing award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro.
Media Availability … Newman will be accessible to the media in attendance at NHMS on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time in the media center
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
You are currently 16th in the NASCAR Playoffs. What are your thoughts heading into New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
“Our race in Chicagoland was an absolute disaster. We regrouped on Monday to see what possibly went wrong for us. It’s important that we keep up with good communication because we need to fix what happened on Sunday as soon as possible. We were kind of at a loss during the race because our Caterpillar D10 Decades Chevrolet was solid on Friday and Saturday. It’s also disappointing because we’ve been running on a streak of four-straight top-10s. Fortunately for us, we are still very much in it. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is typically a good race for us. I’ve won there and whether it was in 2003 or 2017, we’ll do our best and keep fighting like we always do.”
What is your biggest strength heading into the next two races in the Round of 16?
“First, I would say my stubbornness. The stick to it mentality of fighting and fighting. No matter what the situation is, I don’t ever give up. Outside of that, it all about everyone working together as a team. We have experienced the good and the bad of the Playoffs. We been in the Playoffs three of the last four years. We’ve made it to the final round. We’ve also gotten kicked out and not made it. We’ve experienced a little bit of everything and not all the teams have had that. I hope in the end, some of our experience makes a difference.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Kentucky Speedway … In 60 Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured four victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2001), Austin Dillon (2012 sweep) and Brendan Gaughan (2014). The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has accumulated four pole awards, 23 top-five finishes, 39 top-10 finishes, led 973 laps and averages a starting position of 10.1 and finishing position of 10.5. RCR has completed 11,306 laps of the 11,918 (94.9 percent) that they have competed.
Chicagoland Review … Daniel Hemric was the highest RCR finisher in fourth, Austin Dillon fifth, Ty Dillon eighth, Brandon Jones 12th and Brendan Gaughan 13th, respectively, at Chicagoland Speedway.
Playoff Bound … With the regular season of competition complete, the inaugural XFINITY Series post-season begins this weekend with the Round of 12 at Kentucky Speedway. Both Daniel Hemric and Brendan Gaughan clinched a Playoff berth and will compete for the season-end championship. Daniel Hemric is currently seeded fourth on the Playofff grid, and Brendan Gaughan is seeded 11th. The first round of eliminations will take place following the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway next month.
The Points … The No. 2 RCR team is 10th in the owner point standings with the No. 3 RCR team close behind in 12th. Daniel Hemric is currently fourth in the driver standings, with Brendan Gaughan 11th and Brandon Jones 17th. Daniel Hemric is currently second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, Sept. 23, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcast live on Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Ben Kennedy will be behind the wheel of the No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet for the eighth time this season for Richard Childress Racing. Having previously raced for the team at road courses, short tracks and superspeedways, Kentucky Speedway will be the first intermediate track that he will race at with RCR. In his only previous start at the 1.5-mile oval in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Kennedy finished 32nd after being derailed by an electrical issue. He has three NASCAR Camping World Tuck Series starts at the track, with his highest finish of 10th coming in 2014.
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BEN KENNEDY QUOTE:
What are your thoughts as you head to Kentucky Speedway?
“I’m looking forward to heading to Kentucky this weekend. It will be my first intermediate track with RCR, but we have run well at every track that we’ve been to this year. Even when I’m not in the No. 2 car, this team consistently runs well. Even though the last trip out to this track for the RCR teams didn’t go as well as anticipated because of wrecks, the two teams left standing went home with top-10 finishes. I’ve raced at Kentucky before in both the trucks and the XFINITY Series and that extra experience will be to my benefit. I think that this will be a good weekend for all five teams, and I’m excited to have an opportunity to get our Rheem Chevrolet to Victory Lane.”
This Week’s Daniel Defense Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Brian Scott will run his second and final race for Richard Childress Racing and Daniel Defense this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. Earlier this season, he finished third in the No. 3 Daniel Defense Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway. With 10 previous starts in Kentucky in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Scott has one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes. He earned his best finish of second place in the 2014 fall race. Scott has seven top-10 starts at the 1.5-mile track. He has also scored one top-five and two top-10 finishes in his three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts there. His best outing was a fifth-place finish in 2012. Scott was taken out of competition after an accident in his only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Kentucky.
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BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
You have found speed in the past at Kentucky. What are you expecting this weekend?
“I have always had fast cars with RCR at Kentucky, and I don’t expect this weekend to be any different. If my last race with them in Iowa speaks to how this weekend will go, we have a fast No. 3 Daniel Defense Chevrolet that can win this thing. Obviously, Kentucky and Iowa are very different tracks, but Matt (Swiderski, crew chief) and the team do their research and bring fast setups to the track. I know that the intermediate-track package is something that every team works hard at developing each year, and RCR has been improving all season long. They haven’t been able to make it to Victory Lane yet, but if we keep our heads down and work hard this weekend, there’s nothing to say that we won’t get there on Saturday night.”
This Week’s Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet Camaro at Chicagoland Speedway …Hemric will be making his second NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Kentucky Speedway during this weekend’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300. In his first start at Kentucky earlier this year, Hemric started 10th and finished ninth.
Ready for the Round of 12 …Coming off a regular season in which he earned five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, one pole award and two stage wins, Hemric enters the XFINITY Series Playoffs ranked fourth in the standings. The Round of 12 consists of races at Kentucky Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the top eight drivers in the standings will advance to the next round.
Meet the Driver …Hemric is scheduled to take part in the XFINITY Series Playoff autograph session in the fan midway on Saturday, Sept. 23, starting at 3:30 p.m. local time.
Rearview Mirror: Chicagoland … Hemric ended the regular season on strong note, earning his second-consecutive top-five finish. Starting in the ninth position, Hemric and the Danny Stockman-led crew kept the No. 21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet inside the top 10 during the opening stage to earn points. Continually adjusting on it, the team got the handling of the car just right when it mattered most, in the closing laps of the final stage. Hemric made some solid moves on a late-race restart, contended for the lead and finished the day in the fourth position.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Kentucky after the recent repave?
“We were one of the first ones on the new surface last year in the Truck Series and it was the first repaved surface I had ever been on. I’m still trying to figure out the repave situation just a little bit. It’s definitely an interesting feel that I’ve never really experienced. I’m just trying to pick up on the little things that make a repave what it is. That’s where talking to a lot of people that have a lot of experience on repaves comes in to play. Luckily, there’s a lot of data to look at in terms of repaved tracks and we have a great group of people here at RCR to talk to about it as well. As a whole, the company has been really good at Kentucky – repave or not. We had a decent handle on it earlier this year and hopefully can make the most of it heading there this time to kick off the Playoffs.”
What does it mean to be a part of the XFINITY Series Playoffs in your first full season with RCR?
“Making the XFINITY Series Playoffs was a goal we set at the beginning of this year, and to get to this point as not only a rookie driver but as a first-year team says a lot about everyone at RCR and on this No. 21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet team. We have a lot of momentum heading into this weekend’s race at Kentucky Speedway coming off two top-five finishes at Richmond and Chicagoland, so hopefully that can carry over into the next three races. I was told once that if you want to go fast in racing go it alone, but if you want to go far do it with a good group of people. Everyone at RCR and on this No. 21 team are a great group of people and we’re ready to show the field we have what it takes to contend.”
This Week’s Tide / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Kentucky Speedway … Brandon Jones has four previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Kentucky Speedway, with one top-five finish of fifth coming from September 2015. The fifth-place finish was Jones’ first top-5 in the XFINITY Series. The 20-year-old driver also has four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, in which he has collected two top-10 finishes, and two ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards starts. Jones finished second in the Truck Series race at the 1.5-mile track earlier this year.
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BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
We return to Kentucky Speedway this weekend, where you had a strange weekend in July when you got wrecked out of the race before it really started. What are you looking forward to with this return?
“That was one of the weirder situations I’ve ever been involved in during my racing career. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time when the start of the race got stacked up. With a broken tire spindle, our day was over before it even started. I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend and getting some redemption. Kentucky has been a decent track for me in the past no matter the series I was racing in, so I have high hopes for this weekend. The track has been challenging since the repave, but it also had some more character to it since the first two times we raced on it. Turns 3 and 4 are still tricky with the fall off in the corner, but it’s fun to drive on. I’m excited to get out there and go for the win. We may not have made the Playoffs this season, but I believe that our No. 33 team can still grab a win before the year is over.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Brendan Gaughan heads to one of his best tracks this weekend as the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs kicks off its run at Kentucky Speedway. Gaughan has one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes in the XFINITY Series at the 1.5-mile speedway. He has an average start of 9.8 and average finish of 9.1. The veteran driver also has nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Kentucky Speedway, collecting two top-five and two top-10 finishes.
XFINITY Series Playoffs … Gaughan secured his spot in the 2017 XFINITY Series Playoffs when he finished 13th at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday. Gaughan will kick off the playoffs from the 11th spot in the standings with the first set of eliminations occurring after the upcoming October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Camping World Truck Series Deals … Don’t forget the South Point Hotel & Casino is now offering a 2017 Camping World Truck Series package for guests coming to town for the upcoming October Truck race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The package includes a deluxe room, race tickets, and transportation to the track on race day. Visit southpointcasino.com for more information or call 1-866-791-7626.
Meet Gaughan … Gaughan is scheduled to appear at Kentucky Speedway’s Fan Midway between Gates 17 and 18 on Saturday, September 23, beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time for an XFINITY Series Playoffs autograph session. Wristbands will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 2:30 p.m. local time at the session’s location.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
This weekend at Kentucky Speedway marks the official start to the 2017 XFINITY Series playoffs. How does it feel to start the post-season races with one of your best tracks?
“I really do just love Kentucky Speedway. Statistically, it’s one of my best tracks that we visit on the circuit. I have one of my XFINITY Series wins there and a handful of top-five and top-10 finishes. The track just suits my racing style. It’s extremely fast right now and a bit of a challenge ever since they repaved it. I’m hoping the track staff will again do some tire dragging to help widen out that third groove. Turns 3 and 4 remain one of my favorite corners in our sport. It’s your old-school, traditional flat corner, much like the ones at my home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With the grip our Goodyear tires have, we fly though that corner just barely holding on. It’s so fun to race on, and I couldn’t pick a better track to kick off the Playoffs with.”