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Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway

 Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in the inaugural Talladega 500 on September 14, 1969. Childress has won 12 NASCAR Cup Series victories as an owner at the Alabama superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt earned nine Talladega wins under the RCR banner, his first coming in 1984. Earnhardt scored his 76th and final Cup win in the 2000 fall race at Talladega which earned the team and a lucky fan each a $1 million bonus from the series sponsor. Other victories by Earnhardt include a sweep of both races in 1990 and 1999, plus 1991 (July), 1993 (July) and 1994 (spring). Clint Bowyer won twice for RCR (fall races in 2010 and 2011) while Kevin Harvick won the 2010 spring event.  RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway… Richard Childress Racing has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, 11 top-five, and 20 top-10 finishes at Talladega Superspeedway. Two-time Xfinity Series Champion Tyler Reddick drove his No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in April 2019. In 2022, RCR won both pole positions at Talladega (Jeffrey Earnhardt in the spring, Austin Hill in the fall race). Leading the Way… In 2022, RCR’s Xfinity Series drivers (Hill, J. Earnhardt and Sheldon Creed) combined to lead 140 of a possible 237 laps at Talladega. RCR led 59.07% of possible laps (372.40 miles) one year ago at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.    Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Saturday, April 22, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  Follow Sunday’s Action at Talladega… The NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Sunday, April 23, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 
       
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway… In 19 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Austin Dillon has two top-five and five top-10 finishes, including a strong second-place performance at the track in April 2022. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has four starts at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning one pole (2015), and a career-best finish of third among three top-10 finishes. In two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Talladega, Dillon has two top-10 finishes.   About TRACKER Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service, and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.  About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.
Calling All Team Chevy Fans… Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session on the Team Chevy Stage located in the Talladega Superspeedway fan midway on Sunday, April 23 at 11 a.m. Local Time.  AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:You’ve won on superspeedways. What kind of race do you expect we will see at Talladega Superspeedway? Is it a tougher race than Daytona International Speedway?“I have Talladega Superspeedway circled on my calendar. I love racing there and I can’t wait to get on track in the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro. Talladega is a little bit different real estate then Daytona International Speedway. At Daytona, you’re packed in there and it’s hard to get to someone’s inside or outside, and there is less movement in the draft. At Talladega, there’s a lot of movement in the draft, the packs are big and wide, and with the way this package works there is more two-lane racing around the bottom. It’s going to be interesting to see if we can make that third lane work at some point and can move around.” Racing at Talladega Superspeedway always seems to come down to the last lap and everybody fans out. How do you keep track of all of that and try to make the right moves?“You have got to be in the right place at the right time for the right run. A lot goes into it. You can get far forward on that last lap depending on what people pull out and put you in a position to move forward. It can be a parking lot at times then suddenly, the seas part and you have to take advantage of it. You’re kind of holding on at times waiting to see what happens. Everybody is pushing, and you’re hoping you can get through the mess.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet Camaro ZL1… Kyle Busch will be making his 36th start at Talladega Superspeedway and his 75th career restrictor plate start in the NASCAR Cup Series. Busch has one Cup Series victory at Talladega, capturing the spring event in 2008. The Las Vegas, Nevada native didn’t lead until late in the race, pacing the field for 12 of the final 15 laps, and was leading on the last lap when a caution flag ended the race. The victory came in Busch’s seventh start at the 2.66-mile facility. Busch has two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victories at Talladega (2009 and 2010) and one win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2011). The driver of the McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet is eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, 52 points behind the leader.  About McLaren Custom Grills… McLaren Custom Grills, a Winnipeg, Canada-based BBQ company, specializes in custom BBQ grills for sports fans. The company is dedicated to making a barbeque that any sports fan would be thrilled to call their own, and a brand name that customers are proud to stand behind. In addition to their partnership with Richard Childress Racing, McLaren Custom Grills is the Official Barbeque Grill of the NBA. McLaren Custom Grills can be purchased at mclarencustomgrills.com.  KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:Are you optimistic entering Talladega considering how well you ran at Daytona International Speedway?“You know considering how well we ran at Daytona I would say that there is optimism going into Talladega. We definitely had some fast race cars in Daytona but I’ve also found over the years that Daytona cars aren’t the same as Talladega cars and it doesn’t correlate. You can take the same car from Daytona and go straight to Talladega with it and be slow. I’m optimistic and certainly looking forward to going to Talladega, although I’ve been known to get myself caught up in crashes there. I think the only three or four times I’ve ever finished a race there with a clean race car I’ve finished in the top three, top four including winning once. It just goes to show you that if you can stay clean then you can have a good day.” Why were you and your RCR teammate Austin Dillon able to work so well together at Daytona International Speedway?   “Austin and I were really able to work together well at Daytona, I think, because we both had fast race cars. We were both able to find each other and continue to work together and help each other. Austin was my wingman towards the later stages of the race and really gave me a good push to get to the lead and then we were riding there together to finish it out strong before that late caution came. Overall, it’s been really fun to work with Austin. I think he’s been a great piece to the puzzle of our success early on in the year and I want to continue that at Talladega.” You won the 2008 spring race at Talladega Superspeedway and didn’t lead a lap until late in the race. How special was that win?“Winning that race in 2008 was super-cool. Being up front and having a fast car and dicing through traffic was cool. We got pushed by Juan Pablo Montoya there, got some really big pushes that got us to the lead. Once we got the lead, we were able to control it the last couple of laps. The race was actually cut short while we were out front and we were able to win. Winning at Talladega in 2008 was pretty special because it gave me a win at Talladega, although I haven’t been able to back it up since then. I feel like there’s been plenty of other opportunities to win a race there that haven’t come to fruition. There’s a lot of other guys who are a lot more aggressive in restrictor plate racing and the draft and pushing the issue at times and putting themselves in some sticky situations.”
Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway… Sheldon Creed has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, both of which have come behind the wheel of the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet. Last fall, Creed started from the third position and finished in 12th-place. In addition, Creed has three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts (one pole, best finish of ninth) and two ARCA Menards Series events (best finish of fourth) under his belt at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. 
Meet Creed… On Saturday, April 22 at 12:25 p.m. CT, Creed is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway. Directly after at 12:45 p.m. CT, the California native will head to the Chevrolet Display located in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway for a question and answer session with host Johnny D. Stop by to see Creed before the green flag waves. 
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.
SHELDON CREED QUOTE:This will be the third superspeedway race of 2023. What is the outlook heading to Talladega Superspeedway? “Racing at superspeedways is not my favorite. As a viewer, it’s really fun to watch, but as a driver in the race car, it’s a lot of calculating moves and being in the right place at the right time. With that being said though, our Whelen Camaros have had a ton of speed at both Daytona and Atlanta this season. We don’t have the results to show for it, but I feel confident that our No. 2 Chevrolet will be fast once again this weekend. Our goal remains the same – to win and lock ourselves into the Playoffs. Myself, Jeff Stankiewicz (crew chief) and all the guys on my team have been working hard to improve our performance and I believe we are getting closer to our first win together in the Xfinity Series.” 
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics/Realtree Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway… Austin Hill has made three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway. Last fall while piloting the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Hill earned the pole position, led 60 laps, and was in position to capture the victory before a late block relegated the 29-year-old to a 14th-place finish. In the two Xfinity Series events at the Alabama superspeedway in 2022, the Winston, Ga. native led a combined 127 laps – a dominating 53.6% of laps competed. Hill has also participated in five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events, securing a best finish of sixth in 2019. 
Superspeedway Dominance… Hill enters Talladega Superspeedway as the winner of both Xfinity Series drafting races – Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway – in 2023. In those two events, the driver of the No. 21 Camaro has led 142 of 288 total laps (49.3%). In eight superspeedway starts since joining RCR in the Xfinity Series, Hill has paced the field for 410 of 1,098 laps, leading 37.3% of the time. 
Double Duty… Hill will make his second career NASCAR Cup Series start as he pilots the No. 62 Realtree Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports on Sunday. The pair is also slated to compete in four additional Cup Series events in 2023 – Michigan International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway in August and Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in October. 
Birthday Boy… Hill celebrates his 29th birthday on Friday, April 21. 
Meet Hill… On Saturday, April 22 at 12:25 p.m. CT, Hill will sign autographs at the Bennett Transportation and Logistics booth in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway.
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 Realtree… Realtree is the world’s leading designer of photorealistic camouflage, marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree patterns and brand. Thousands of outdoor and lifestyle products are available in Realtree camouflage patterns. In addition, Realtree is committed to supporting individuals and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, veterans and military affairs, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway are both superspeedways but tend to produce different races in that it seems cars can get really strung out at Talladega. What has been your experience with racing at Talladega versus Daytona? “I’ve had success and have found myself up front at both Talladega and Daytona. I’m a firm believer that every superspeedway race races a little bit different than the last. You have to go into superspeedway weekends with a clear mindset. The things that maybe worked for you in Talladega last year, may not work for you this year. A lot has to do with the temperature outside, track temperature, the wind. There are a lot of different factors that play into the superspeedways with how the draft is that day. Every time we go to a superspeedway, it feels like I have to do something a little different inside the car to still get the performance out of the car that I’m looking for. When you get behind someone, the bubble is a lot different in each race that you run. I led laps and had a shot at winning at Talladega last season in the Xfinity car and it’s not a guarantee that what I did last year will work going into this weekend.”  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.”