Auto Club driver Robert Hight hopes
for hot start to Countdown in Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 12) – Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver Robert Hight holds NHRA records for elapsed time and speed. But Hight has another goal in mind as the Countdown to the Championship begins with the NHRA Carolina Nationals this weekend at zMAX Dragway. Continue reading Auto Club driver Robert Hight hopes for hot start to Countdown in Charlotte
Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s landmark 400th NHRA
Pro Stock race represents ‘a fresh start’
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 12) — The timing is right for Jeg Coughlin Jr. to begin his quest for a seventh NHRA national championship and sixth Pro Stock title at this weekend’s 10th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte. The 76-time national event winner will be entering his 400th Pro Stock race this weekend, a mark eclipsed by just two other active drivers — Greg Anderson and Allen Johnson. Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s landmark 400th NHRA Pro Stock race represents ‘a fresh start’
Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Chicagoland Speedway … Richard Childress Racing has two victories at Chicagoland Speedway with Kevin Harvick’s back-to-back wins in 2001 and 2002. In 51 starts at the 1.5-mile suburban Chicago tri-oval, Richard Childress Racing teams have a combined 10 top-five, 19 top-10 finishes and one pole award with Jeff Burton in 2006. Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Chicagoland 400 Preview
Team JEGS Prerace Notes
NHRA Carolina Nationals
Team JEGS Prerace Notes
NHRA Carolina Nationals (Concord, N.C.)
September 15-17
NOTE: This event marks the 400th Pro Stock race for Jeg Coughlin Jr. The only other active Pro Stock drivers to achieve that feat are Allen Johnson and Greg Anderson.
Continue reading Jegs Racing–Carolina Nationals Advance
Paul Menard and the Richmond / Menards Team Earn 19th-Place Finish at Richmond Raceway Following Unscheduled Pit Stops
“Tonight was my last NASCAR XFINITY Series race for this Richard Childress Racing team, so I was hoping to close out the season on a high note with a win. It wasn’t meant to be. Everything was fine and then all of the sudden, whoa, I could feel a vibration very strong coming from the right side. We ended up making two unscheduled pit stops and went three laps down. It’s a shame but sometimes that’s how it goes.”
– Paul Menard Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Virginia529 College Savings 250
ERIE, MI (September 9, 2017) – With the final points race in the books, Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) has earned the 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP championship. The Flying Zero team of Irwin, car owner/wife Adrianna, and crew chief Nathan Whitney put together a consistent season in their Krieger-powered Maxim Flying Zero, finishing in the top seven in fourteen races while dropping out of one. Continue reading Steve Irwin 20Steve Irwin 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Champion17 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Champion
KESELOWSKI CHASES DOWN 2nd NXS WIN OF THE SEASON!
RICHMOND, Vir., September 9, 2017 – Winning his 36th NASCAR Xfinity Series race of his career, Brad Keselowski took the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang to victory lane in the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond Raceway on Friday night.
Keselowski, had the perfect set up for the long run and the power of the Ford FR9 engine to battle Kyle Busch for the win. The No. 2 was able to conserve his tires and navigate through lapped traffic to make a final pass and take the lead with 15 laps left in the 250 lap race. Keselowski never looked back, building a 3.008 second lead before taking the checkered flag.
“Congratulations Brad and Roger,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Brad did a great job managing his tires throughout the course of the race and was there at the end to battle for the win. Their strategy came together at the end of the race and we are proud to bring home another win for Ford Performance and Team Penske.”
On his way to his second NASCAR Xfinity win of the season and fifth for Team Penske, Keselowski collected a second stage win and lead a total of 25.5 miles on the .75-mile track.
“I am not a very patient guy, commented Keselowski”. “Being behind the wheel is no fun knowing that you have to be smooth and steady every lap to have a shot at winning it. The team gave me a great car and we’re real good about being patient and here we are in victory lane. That is really cool.”
Full-time Xfinity drivers Ryan Reed and Cole Custer finished P12 and P14 respectively, while securing additional points for the NXS Playoffs.
The Xfinity Playoff field will be set after next weekend’s race at Chicagoland Speedway, September 16th. Reference the full 2017 schedule on www.roushyates.com.
TOP TEAM CHEVY QUALIFIERS:
POS. DRIVER
4TH KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CHEVROLET SS
9TH CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 MOUNTAIN DEW CHEVROLET SS
11TH JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVY SS
TOP FIVE QUALIFIERS:
POS. DRIVER
1ST Matt Kenseth (Toyota)
2nd Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
3rd Kurt Busch (Ford)
4th Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
5TH Martin Truex, Jr. (Toyota)
The Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway is scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 9th. Live coverage can be found on NBC Sports Network, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 at 7:30 p.m. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Richmond–Qualifying
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 400
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 AXALTA CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Richmond Raceway and discussed his interim crew chief, Travis Mack, thoughts on his farewell tour thus far, his outlook for this weekend at Richmond and making the playoffs and many other topics. Full Transcript: Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Richmond–Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The End of Season Report on The 2017 HROT
The 2017 Regular Season is over and now it is time to review the season and start focusing on the 2017 DUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!
Look Who’s Qualified!
Just click on the above Championship Qualifiers logo to see who’s qualified for the 2017 Dual National Championship!
Jr. Engine Challenge is a huge hit!
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Junior Engine Challenged has hosted 5 events so far in its inaugural 2017 season and let’s just say it has been a huge hit! The contest is very simple, a team comprised of 2 individuals; one team member must be 5-18 years of age must completely disassemble/reassemble a complete single cylinder OHV engine, utilizing only basic hand tools. Some of the goals of the premise behind this contest are to help individuals develop great communication skills and self esteem. The contest also has a goal of helping youngster’s develop great problem solving skills and an understanding of an internal combustion engine.
We have had over 100 students that have been through our program as we have reached the half way point for our season. We now have kids excitingly waiting for us as we set up the booth display as we pull into the events enthusiastic to work on the engine!
Impacting Lives!
Daniel Yearwood from Sequoyah High School explains how Hot Rodders has impacted his life so far: “I joined Hot Rodders of Tomorrow because it sounded like something fun to do, I liked to work on engines and wanted to learn more about them. it made me feel like I was part of a team. Now It’s giving me a chance to go to college, helped me to make contacts in industry, it’s helping me to obtain my dream job of working in the motorsports industry”
Impacting School Programs!
“Hot Rodders of Tomorrow gives the students a place to showcase their skills and lets them feel like they belong to something and they are able to make more contacts with business and industry.”
-Mel Newby, Instructor, Sequoyah High School, Soddy Daisy, TN.
10 Fun Facts about the 2017 Season
1) The Fastest time during the 2017 season was 17:47 by Team K&N from Burton Center in Salem, VA.
2) Forsyth Central High School from Cumming, GA has 4 Teams qualified for the 2017 Dual National Championship. Jacob Cochran, a former student, coaches two teams.
3) The largest event was at the Summit Motorama in Hampton, GA which had 29 Teams competing to qualify.
4) Forsyth Central High School from Cumming, GA has the most students participating with 24.
5) 54 different schools from across the country competed during the 2017 Season.
6) 158 sponsored teams participated during the 2017 Hot Rodders qualifying season.
7) There were 4 all-girl teams that competed during the 2017 season
8) 50 Teams qualified for the 2017 Dual National Championship at SEMA and PRI Shows.
9) A total of 250 high school students may be competing for and receiving College Scholarship opportunities during the 2017 Dual Championship.
10) Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has 5 College Partners, UNOH, Sam Tech, UTI, OTC & Wyotech which will be offering over $6.9 Million dollars in scholarship monies to the students participating in the 2017 Dual National Championship.
Volunteers are the backbone of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow!
Volunteers are the one who, in the background make the HROT run. During the 2017 season we had 130 volunteers help. They came from all over the country. From different backgrounds. some are retired mechanics, others are past HROT student competitors. But they all do it for one reason. PASSION. Passion for the industry, passion in helping the future. Volunteering, especially within the context of an activity you love or a cause you embrace can be extremely gratifying. If you love our industry and want to help the future workforce. Call Rodney Bingham @ 815-722-5460 and find out how you can help.
Thank You to our SPONSORS!
Sponsors are the only way we can continue and expand the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Program. Each and every one of these companies have contributed and have helped make a difference in a high school students life!
It is with great pleasure and thanksgiving to be associated with these companies. They have gone above and beyond the normal sponsor support! They have invested in the future of the aftermarket auto industry. They have helped students who’ve felt lost in school, belong. Kids that didn’t have a way to college – now have hope. Kids that were going to drop out of school – stay and go on to college. Auto tech programs that were going to be cut, are now full of students. They may not realize it but they have made a huge impact on over 500 students this year alone.
BECOME A SPONSOR!
Each year as we grow we try to develop new challenges to attract new students. To continue to do this we need more resources, donations and sponsors. If you or your company love the auto aftermarket and would like to be a part of helping high school students become the future of our industry. Please call Rodney Bingham at 815-722-5460 to find out how you can participate.
Scelzi Captures World of Outlaws Hard Charger Award at Grays Harbor
Inside Line Promotions – LEBANON, Ore. (Sept. 7, 2017) – Dominic Scelzi is headed home following a successful three-month stint of racing on the road.
Scelzi, who departed California in early June before spending most of the summer competing in the Midwest, has followed the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series west since the Knoxville Nationals last month. Continue reading Scelzi Captures World of Outlaws Hard Charger Award at Grays Harbor
Surging Top Dragster driver Mike Coughlin
of Team JEGS excited for Englishtown
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (Sept. 7) — Fresh off an impressive victory at the recently completed Division 3 race in Indianapolis, Team JEGS driver Mike Coughlin will continue his quest for a third championship at this weekend’s 50th annual NHRA Lucas Oil Division 1 Points Meet at historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Continue reading Surging Top Dragster driver Mike Coughlin of Team JEGS excited for Englishtown
Top Alcohol’s Megan Meyer Post Runner-Up Finish at U.S. Nationals
Known as the World’s Biggest Drag Race, the NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals held at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis saw 22 Top Alcohol Dragsters compete for the 16-car field. Amongst the best were Megan Meyer and rookie Justin Ashley driving for the Randy Meyer Racing Team. Continue reading Top Alcohol’s Megan Meyer Post Runner-Up Finish at U.S. Nationals
Olsbergs MSE, Honda Return to the Pacific Northwest
• In 2016, Honda Claimed its First Double-Podium Result at Evergreen Speedway
• Sebastian Eriksson Looks to Defend 2016 Podium Performance in Seattle
• Manufacturers’ Championship Still in Sight For Honda; Nine-Point Gap.
Evergreen Speedway Rallycross Course
• Lap Length: .735 Miles
• Turns: 7
• Pavement: 64.3%
• Dirt: 35.7%
• Joker Lap: Longcut after Turn 5; extends circuit to .788 miles Continue reading Olsbergs MSE, Honda Return to the Pacific Northwest
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Hoping To End Regular Season On A Positive Note
September 6, 2017
Thanks to a win in June at Pocono Raceway, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to the regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway this weekend without the pressure of trying to secure a berth in the 10-race, championship-deciding playoffs.
Blaney is among the 13 drivers who secured one of 16 playoff berths via a race win during the regular season. The remaining three spots are in play at Richmond, with those going to either the three who have the most points of the winless driver or another driver who might score his or her first victory of the season at Richmond.
Without the pressure to make the playoffs, Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team can use the weekend to prepare for their first trip to the playoffs.
“We just need a good, steady performance at Richmond to get everything on a positive note heading into the playoffs,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said. “Ryan got the outside pole when we were there in April, so we have the potential to have a good finish on Saturday.”
Looking ahead to the playoffs, Wood likes the line-up of hosting tracks, as five of them are intermediate tracks with Talladega Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway in there as well.
“We’ve had fast cars all year long at the mile-and-a-half tracks, so we’re excited to get back to them,” he said. “Talladega’s been good to us over the years, and Ryan has had success at Phoenix. We’ll just go run the races and see how it works out.
“We’re just happy to be one of the teams in the playoffs and happy to have a chance to represent Motorcraft/Quick Lane and Ford Performance in these upcoming races.”
Qualifying at Richmond is set for 5:45 p.m. on Friday, and the 400-lap, 300-mile race is scheduled to start just after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday with TV coverage on NBCSN. Continue reading Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Hoping To End Regular Season On A Positive Note
Kasey Kahne Racing – Results Recap
Pittman wins twice, sets new qualifying track record
Daryn Pittman and the No. 9 Great Clips/Sage Fruit/ASE team are catching fire down the stretch, winning twice in a three-race stretch.
Pittman also set a new track record Monday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wa.
On September 1 at Skagit Speedway, KKR was running 1-2 early in the race, when a lapped car made contact with Sweet, bouncing him into Pittman and sending them both to the work area for repairs. Both KKR cars returned to the race finishing 10th and 12th respectively.
The No. 49 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet/NAPA AUTO PARTS/Sage Fruit/ ASE team ran a special 49 on the car as a tribute to Washington state sprint car legend Cecil Walker, who passed away earlier this month.
The next World of Outlaws race is scheduled for tonight at Williamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore.
ERIE, MI (September 5, 2017) – With three wins and a second, Chad Blonde (Litchfield, MI) drove Sean Robinson’s Krieger-powered Maxim to the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP King Engine Bearings King of Michigan championship at Hartford Speedway Friday night.
The King of Michigan, a SOD tradition as a single race before King Engine Bearings came onboard as the title sponsor, became a mini-series including all four 2017 SOD races at Hartford Speedway. The first KoM race rained out on May 19th. Blonde then won on June 9th and the rainout make up race on July 14th. Blonde was in victory lane for the third race also, a 5 minute and 25 second non-stop feature on August 11th. At the series closer on September 1st, Ryan Ruhl, a previous, single-race KoM winner, took the win in an exciting race over Blonde and Steve Irwin, 2001 and 2017 SOD champion.
As the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan champion, Blonde collected $1,000. Irwin, Gregg Dalman (2015 SOD champion), Thomas Schinderle (2017 SOD Series Rookie of the Year), and Ruhl also earned a share of the KoM point fund.
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 400
RICHMOND RACEWAY
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
SEPTEMBER 9, 2017
BOWTIE BULLETS
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS:
Heading into the final race of the regular season, Chevrolet currently has five drivers locked into Playoff positions on the strength of wins within the regular 26-race season. Those drivers are: Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillon. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Richmond Raceway Advance
Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Richmond International Raceway … Richard Childress has nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories as a car owner at Richmond International Raceway – five with Dale Earnhardt, three with Kevin Harvick and one with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 163 starts at the Richmond, Va.-based track, RCR drivers have claimed 36 top-five and 68 top-10 finishes. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.
RCR in the MENCS … In 2,813 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 48 pole awards,107 wins, 484 top-five finishes and 1,047 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.
Support the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma … Sign up for the Childress Vineyards/RCR/ECR 5K presented by Performance Springs, Inc. benefiting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma on Sept. 16 at 5 pm at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, N.C. The race includes a grape stomp and complimentary glass of wine afterward. You can Race and Stomp for $35 or Stomp and Support while relaxing in the pavilion at the winery for only $20.00. Register now and help Save Injured Kids at https://saveinjuredkids.org/5k/.
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 Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway is scheduled to be televised live on Saturday, September 9 on NBC Sports Network beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
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This Week’s DOWFROST™ Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … In seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Dillon’s best finish at the track to-date is 13th in September 2016. He also earned his best starting position of eighth in that edition of the race.
DOWFROST™ and DOWTHERM™ Heat Transfer Fluids … A race car requires exceptional care to run at peak performance – your HVAC system is no different. DOWFROST™ and DOWTHERM™ glycol-based fluids have been helping systems achieve peak performance since 1929. With Dow, you’re not investing in just a heat transfer fluid. From the initial stages of assessing your system for the right fluid, to supporting that system years down the road, Dow delivers trusted products and total peace of mind for you. Connect with us at dow.com/fluids
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Since you have a win and you’re locked into the Playoffs, are you going to try and stay away from those guys trying to get the final Playoff spots, or is it inevitable?
“No, we’ve got to do what we can to get bonus points for the playoffs. We will be up in there trying to get one of our better runs at Richmond. We’ve gotten better and better as we have gone through the years there. Looking forward to the Richmond race.”
What makes Richmond International Raceway so fun for drivers?
“Well, the fall off on the tires I think is what is so interesting. You can go from having a really good run to a bad run in 20 laps. The difference on tires is that great. It is a place that fall-off matters. You really have to baby the car, talk to the car and keep up with adjustments as the rubber and temperature changes.”
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet at Richmond Raceway … Menard has made 21 MENCS starts at the 0.75-mile Richmond Raceway since his first event in 2007. During that time, Menard has recorded one top-five and one top-10 finish, led four laps, has an average start of 24.9 and has an average finish of 24.4. He has completed 96.8 percent of the laps he has attempted.
Richmond … Richmond®, a member of the Rheem family of quality brands, is committed to offering exceptional value and performance with a complete line of water heating products for residential environments. Known as, “the water heater experts,” Richmond is the go-to brand for value-conscious buyers. Innovations including “Fast Recovery” technology for peak-time water use and EverKleen™ Self-Cleaning tanks make choosing Richmond products easy. Richmond water heating products are available in Menards® stores throughout the Midwest. For more information, visit www.richmondwaterheaters.com.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
With this new package, what did you pick up from the race at Richmond earlier this year that you can apply to this weekend’s event?
“There’s not much we learned earlier this year that we can apply this time around at Richmond. We were OK there in the spring race. The cars have evolved quite a bit since then – different chassis, different clips, things like that. We’ll just try to make the right decisions to get us close to where we were before but also moving forward and improving with the evolution of the sport.”
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Richmond Raceway … Ryan Newman will make his 557th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start in the final race of the regular 2017 season. In 31 MENCS events at Richmond International Raceway, Newman visited victory lane at the fall event in 2003. The “Rocket Man” also owns one pole award from the fall of 2004. In total, he owns six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Newman ranks seventh in most championship points earned over the last 10 events at Richmond.
Winner, Winner … Newman punched his ticket to the MENCS playoffs with a victory at Phoenix Raceway on March 19th in the No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet. The win equates to the driver’s 18th-career Cup Series victory and RCR’s 106th.
Featured Caterpillar Dealer … Carter Machinery is the featured Cat dealer this weekend.
Based in Salem, Va., Carter Machinery will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richmond International Raceway’s weekend event. Established in 1952, Carter Machinery has a clear vision: enable every customer to achieve their highest level of success. They demonstrate this commitment every day through the support of people and equipment working in diverse industries ranging from construction and mining to trucking and power generation. Their network of 21 locations across Virginia and southern West Virginia is staffed by over 1,100 unrelenting, top-notch professionals. As a result, they’ve grown to be one of the leading Caterpillar dealers in the U.S. More information is available at cartermachinery.com.
Age of Smart Iron … Caterpillar has spent over 90 years committed to innovation and technology that helps customers succeed. What was important then is even more important now, in an age when advancements come faster and more frequently than ever before. An age where connectivity drives productivity and industry evolves. This is the Age of Smart Iron. Watch this video. For more information about Caterpillar, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
How does it feel to be locked into the Playoffs versus having to race your way in like the last few years?
“For the first time in six, seven years, I’m locked in with a win. This Caterpillar team doesn’t have to go into Richmond grinding it out for our first win to get in or lock in on points. Getting that win changed our year, but it didn’t change how we fight as a team. The Phoenix win gave us a lot of hope for the sake of our chances were good that we were locked in. At that point, there were no guarantees, but it was still huge for us, not only for this year but for the fact that the last three years we were close several times, especially Homestead in 2014, but to get that first victory for myself, for Luke, for Richard, for Caterpillar, Grainger, for everybody, that was huge for us.
How are you approaching the Playoffs with Richmond being the last race in the so-called regular season?
“We really have focused on races like Michigan, Bristol, Darlington and Richmond getting top-five, top-10 finishes to prepare for the final 10 races. This team plans to fight going into the Playoffs. We didn’t want to be riding along thinking this is easy … it’s going to be a cake walk. We’ve seen some teams do that. But for guys like us, we want to pounce in Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover. The way we approach a championship has works for us. Hopefully we can finish one spot better than what we did in 2014.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond International Raceway … In 87 Series starts at the 0.75-mile raceway, RCR has captured six victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2012) and Clint Bowyer (2007). The Welcome, North Carolina organization has accumulated seven pole awards, 26 top-five finishes, 48 top-10 finishes, led 1,894 laps and averages a starting position of 11.0 and finishing position of 12.5. RCR has completed 20,747 laps of the 21,392 (97.0 percent) that they have competed.
Darlington Review …Ty Dillon was the highest RCR finisher in seventh, Austin Dillon 10th, Brendan Gaughan 13th, Daniel Hemric 18th and Brandon Jones 23rd, respectively, at Darlington Raceway.
The Points …All three RCR XFINITY Series full-time drivers remain in the top 20 of the driver point standings as the series heads to Richmond International Raceway for the 25th event of the season. Daniel Hemric is currently fifth, Brendan Gaughan is 11th and Brandon Jones is 16th. The No. 2 RCR team is currently eighth in the owner point standings, with the No. 3 RCR team right behind in ninth. Daniel Hemric is currently second in the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live on Friday, Sept. 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. It will also be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
This Week’s Richmond / Menards Chevrolet Camaro at Richmond International Raceway … Menard has made 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 0.75-mile Richmond Raceway since his first event in 2004. During that time, Menard has recorded three top-five and five top-10 finishes, led 160 laps, has an average start of 16.3 and has an average finish of 16.2. This will be Menard’s first NXS start at Richmond Raceway since 2011, when he finished second.
That’s a Wrap … This weekend’s race will be Menard’s seventh and final NXS start in the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet. So far this season, Menard has recorded two top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Richmond … Richmond®, a member of the Rheem family of quality brands, is committed to offering exceptional value and performance with a complete line of water heating products for residential environments. Known as, “the water heater experts,” Richmond is the go-to brand for value-conscious buyers. Innovations including “Fast Recovery” technology for peak-time water use and EverKleen™ Self-Cleaning tanks make choosing Richmond products easy. Richmond water heating products are available in Menards® stores throughout the Midwest. For more information, visit www.richmondwaterheaters.com.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Do you prefer racing at night or during the day at Richmond Raceway?
“I always think short tracks and night racing make the best combination. I definitely enjoy the Richmond night race more than the Richmond day race. It just adds a little extra level of excitement.”
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Ty Dillon will make his tenth start at Richmond Raceway this weekend in the No. 3 Rheem Chevrolet. In his nine previous starts, Dillon has scored six top-10 finishes, with his best finish of second place coming in 2016. Also in 2016, he earned his best starting position when he took the green flag in the second position. Dillon has completed all but one lap of all nine races that he’s competed in at Richmond. He will race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race for the second time at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night.
Relaxation starts with Rheem … Chances are, the last thing you think about is your air conditioner. You just expect to be comfortable. That’s why Rheem is the best choice you can make. Rheem offers the finest air conditioning solutions in the business with top-quality, innovative products with the latest technology, dependable performance, great warranties and excellent service and support. All of this is why we confidently say, “Welcome to the new degree of comfort.”
Meet Dillon … Fans will have an opportunity to meet Dillon on Saturday afternoon in Richmond when he appears at the Team Chevy stage in the fan midway. Dillon will be answering questions and signing autographs for fans at 5:00 p.m. ET.
TY DILLON QUOTE:
Richmond typically turns into a wild affair because it’s under the lights and the last race before the Playoffs for the Cup Series. What are expecting as we head to the short track?
“We were really fast in the spring at Richmond in both the Cup and XFINITY Series. I’m really looking forward to heading back there to have another shot at Victory Lane. Racing under the lights gets people amped up on its own, but it gets even crazier when everyone have so much on the line. Most people are in a must-win situation to make the Playoffs. We’re looking to have a good run and capitalize on the speed that we had there back in April on Friday night and Saturday. The only goal on both nights is to win.”
This Week’s Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet Camaro at Richmond Raceway … Hemric returns to Richmond Raceway for his second NASCAR XFINITY Series start at the 0.75-mile track. In his first start at Richmond in April, Hemric scored his first-career XFINITY Series pole award, scored stage points in Stage 1 and 2, and earned a third-place finish after leading 26 laps.
Meet the Driver … Fans will have two opportunities to meet Hemric on Friday, Sept. 8 at Richmond Raceway. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender will be at the Team Chevy stage for a Q&A session in the Fan Zone starting at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by the XFINITY Series autograph session on Friday, Sept. 8, starting at 1:45 p.m. ET in the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater.
Locked In … With his finish at Darlington Raceway last weekend, Hemric has locked himself into the XFINITY Series Playoffs, which kicks off at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 23.
Rearview Mirror: Darlington … Hemric’s first trip to this historic Darlington Raceway resulted in an 18th-place finish. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender qualified the throwback No. 21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet in the third position and earned points in Stage 1 and 2 by running inside the top 10. However, Hemric lost track position in the final stage when restarting on the bottom lane for the final four restarts of the event.
DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
Earlier this year you sat on the pole and finished third at Richmond in your first XFINITY Series start there. What is it about that track that allowed you to take to it so quickly?
“I fell in love with Richmond during my first start there earlier this year. Tire fall off is huge, and it takes me back to some of the slickest short tracks I raced on growing up. As a driver, it’s always fun to tap back in to some of those roots, and you have to be so self-disciplined to make speed over the course of a long run, which is always challenging. We had good speed last time we were there and came up two spots short, but we have used that as motivation to improve and build a stronger race team for our return to Richmond this coming weekend as we get closer to the Playoffs.”
You locked yourself into the XFINITY Series Playoffs last weekend, what does that do for you and the team over the final two races of the regular season?
“Being able to lock ourselves into that Playoff spot at Darlington was a big deal for this Blue Gate Bank team. That was one of the goals we set forth at the beginning of the year, so it was nice to check that box. It allows us to race almost without any pressure for two weeks, try some things we’ve been thinking about before the Playoffs begin and really show the competition how we plan to race once the Playoffs do get underway at Kentucky in a few weeks. Making the Playoffs was one of the goals we had going into the year, now we can focus on the ultimate goal of making it to the final four in Homestead and competing for this championship.”
This Week’s Phone Skope Chevrolet Camaro at Richmond International Raceway … Brandon Jones has three previous NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the .75-mile Richmond Raceway, with his best finish of 15th coming in spring of 2016. The 20-year-old driver also has three NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts, with a highest result of seventh during the 2014 season.
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Meet Brandon Jones … Fans will have multiple chances to meet Jones at Richmond Raceway. He will be available for a fan Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage beginning at 1 p.m. local time on Friday, September 8. Jones will also take part in the XFINITY Series Autograph session at the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater starting at 1:45 p.m. local time on Friday as well.
BRANDON JONES QUOTE:
Everyone says Richmond Raceway is one of the more technical tracks we visit. This time we’ll be doing some short track racing at night. How does the day compare to the night at Richmond?
“To me, Richmond Raceway is one of the toughest tracks we have on the schedule. It’s a very flat, very technical short track. There’s a lot of things I feel that I could improve on at Richmond, so I’ll be studying hard to prepare for this weekend, whether it’s reviewing past races or having some time in our simulator. I’ll take a look back to see where my strengths were and where my weaknesses were in the spring and we’ll develop a plan from there. With the day versus night aspect, it’ll be hard to set our No. 33 Phone Skope Chevy up this weekend. We’ll be trying to set up our car for night time for when we race, but our practice session will be early Friday morning. It’s a tough track to balance, but I’m confident that our No. 33 team can handle it.”
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Richmond Raceway … Brendan Gaughan has 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Richmond Raceway, collecting two top-10 finishes. His best result of seventh came in the spring of 2016. The veteran driver also has two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at the .75-mile raceway and three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, which resulted in one top-10 finish. Gaughan has completed 98.4 percent of all laps he has attempted at Richmond Raceway.
Camping World Truck Series Deals … 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 will be available for a Q&A session on Friday, September 8 at the Team Chevy stage located in Richmond Raceway’s Fan Zone beginning at 12:45 p.m. local time. He will also take part in the XFINITY Series autograph session starting at 1:45 p.m. at the Richmond Raceway Amphitheater on Friday afternoon.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
We’ve got Richmond Raceway under the lights this weekend. What are your thoughts on some nighttime short track racing?
“I’ve tried everything with Richmond. I even tried to be Tim Richmond last time! I tried to channel my inner Tim Richmond and it still just doesn’t work. Everyone else loves Richmond, fans, drivers, everyone. I just haven’t had the best times there. Even my good races there, bad things happen. For some reason, that’s been my Achilles’ heel in my career. I’ve tried going in there loving it. I’ve tried going in there with different attitudes, with all sorts of theories, and nothing has gotten us what we need to get over that hump. It’s a great short track and fans get a great race out of it. It’s a night race this time, and I love night racing there. It’s a purist form of racing, and I love that. But for some reason, Richmond Raceway and I are just not simpatico.”R Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Richmond 400 Advance
RealTime Racing Acura NSX GT3 Squad Scores Five Top-10s in Texas
• Ryan Eversley and Tom Dyer earn top-nine finishes in each of the weekend’s three races
• Peter Kox and Mark Wilkins score top-eight finishes in final two races
• Team within reach of top-five finish in season standings heading into Sonoma finale
AUSTIN, Texas (September 3, 2017) – The RealTime Racing Acura NSX GT3 team had one of its most consistent weekends of the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge season, scoring five top-10 finishes on a Labor Day holiday event that featured three PWC races.
Austin’s Circuit of the Americas not only hosted the penultimate PWC race weekend of the year, it also hosted the postponed fourth round of the SprintX championship, which was rained out in Canada back in May.
The team of Ryan Eversley and Tom Dyer took its Acura NSX GT3s to top-nine finishes in each of the three races, while the duo of Peter Kox and Mark Wilkins overcame a problem in the opening race to earn top-eight results in the final two events.
“This weekend was a great example of making the best of what you are given and maximizing the result,” said NSX GT3 Project Leader Lee Niffenegger. “RTR came away with five top-tens in three races by staying consistent and keeping out of trouble. In addition to the good points haul, the cars came out in one piece, due to the great driving displayed by Mark, Peter, Ryan, and Tom in avoiding what could have been catastrophic incidents.”
Friday’s event was the only real hiccup for the RTR Acuras over the weekend, as a loose hood pin on the #93 of Kox and Wilkins caused early pit stops and affected the airflow on the car. In the end, with two races left to run in the warm temperatures, the team decided that discretion was the better part of valor and retired the car.
“One side of the hood didn’t clip in correctly. The wind got underneath and broke the hood right off,” reported Wilkins. “We tried to run it a little bit, but it started overheating because of the change in airflow, so the call was made to preserve the car for the other two races.”
The #43 Acura NSX of Eversley and Dyer came home in ninth place on Friday and had a strong start on Saturday before incurring a penalty for being too fast on the driver change – per regulations specified in the PWC SprintX format. Eversley brought the car to the pits in fifth place, but the penalty meant that Dyer had to battle to bring home a ninth-place result. Meanwhile, the #93 rebounded from Friday’s malady and finished seventh.
“We started ninth and came out of Turn One in fifth. I was able to bring the car in, in a good position for Tom to take over,” said Eversley. “He went out and was running great, and then we realized we were 0.044-seconds too fast on the driver change. But Tom did a nice job and we were happy with the finishes considering where our car was over the weekend.”
Sunday’s event was the best of the weekend for the Acura NSX GT3 teams as both ran in the top-eight for most of the race. Eversley passed the Cadillac of Ricky Taylor late in the race to secure a weekend-best sixth-place run, while Kox and Wilkins finished eighth.
While the team felt fortunate to finish sixth after a trying weekend, it wasn’t until after the checkered flag that it saw just how fortunate the RealTime squad had actually been. Dyer was clipped by the Wright Motorsports Porsche during a strong start on which he had gained seven spots. But the contact had bent the bodywork toward the wheel, which had been slowly digging into the tire, which ultimately went flat on the cool-down lap.
“We caught a break there for sure,” Dyer said. “It would have been a shame to see the team lose the ground we had gained over the weekend with a flat tire. Kudos to the Pirellis for providing a strong tire for us to race on.”
The Acura NSX GT3 racecar utilizes the production NSX’s lightweight multi-material body with aluminum-intensive space frame, and is powered by a 3.5-liter, 75-degree, twin-turbocharged DOHC V-6 engine. The engine uses the same design specifications as the production 2017 Acura NSX, including the block, heads, valve train, crankshaft, pistons and dry-sump lubrication system. The engine is paired with a 6-speed, sequential-shift racing gearbox, delivering power to the rear wheels. The NSX is produced at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio.