RCR Racing - News

Truck Series Post Race Report for Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway
May 17, 2013

Race Highlights:

•Richard Childress Racing teammates finished second (Brendan Gaughan) and fifth (Ty Dillon).
•Dillon is third in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 27 markers behind the leader; while Gaughan ranks fourth in the standings, 31 points out of the top spot.
•The No. 3 Chevrolet team is fourth in the Camping World Truck Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 62 team fifth in the standings.
•According to NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics, Dillon earned the second-highest Driver Rating (118.9), while Gaughan ranked fourth with a rating of 109.5.
•Dillon spent 94 percent of the 134-lap affair in the top 15.
•Combined, Gaughan and Dillon posted the Fastest Laps Run 27 times during the event, ranking them second and third, respectively.
•Dillon scored the second-highest Average Running Position of 4.970, while Gaughan ranked 12th with a 12.776.
•Gaughan was the Fastest Driver Late in a Run and ranked third in the Closers category.
•Kyle Busch took the checkered flag at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was followed to the line by Gaughan, Max Gresham, Matt Crafton and Dillon.
•The next scheduled Camping World Truck Series race is the Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday, May 31. The sixth race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on Motor Racing Network.

Ty Dillon Overcomes Adversity and Earns Top-Five Finish at Charlotte

Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team finished fifth under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night. The Richard Childress Racing team posted the second-fastest time during qualifying earlier in the day. Dillon took the initial green flag for the 134-lap affair and jumped to the lead. He would pace the field for the next three circuits around the 1.5-mile speedway. After a long green flag run following the halfway point of the race, crew chief Marcus Richmond called the 21-year-old driver to pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. While Dillon was entering pit road, the caution flag was displayed placing the black and orange Chevrolet one lap down to the leader. The Welcome, N.C.-based team was able to take the "wave around" and start on the lead lap for the ensuing green flag in 17th place. Dillon was scored in the fourth spot 15 laps later as he continued his quest back to the front. He moved into third on lap 94, but was shuffled back to eighth on the following restart. Battling three wide for position, Dillon was able to climb back into the top-five and bring the Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet home in the fifth position.

Start - 2 Finish - 5 Laps Led - 3 Points - 3rd

TY DILLON QUOTE: "We had a really good truck tonight. I thought it was definitely a winner or at least a second-place truck. I can't say how proud I am of this No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team. They did a great job on pit road and worked really hard the past two days getting this truck ready for tonight. I want to thank the National Wild Turkey Federation for supporting us tonight, we brought them home a top-five finish."

Gaughan Battles to a Second-Place Result at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet team collected a second-place result in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 under the lights of Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night. The Las Vegas native started the 134-lap event from the 23rd position and took over the lead on lap 17, after crew chief Shane Wilson directed his driver to stay on track when all teams in front of the black and gold Chevrolet elected to pit under the second caution. Gaughan remained near the front of the field until a green-flag pit stop and an untimely caution positioned the Richard Childress Racing driver in the 31st spot, one lap down to the leader. Gaughan took the "wave around" during the third caution period, regaining his lap and restarting 18th on lap 76. Back under green-flag conditions, Gaughan once again was working his way toward the front of the field when he felt as though there was an issue with his No. 62 Chevrolet. On lap 100, Wilson called his driver onto pit road for the crew to assess the problem and bolt on four fresh tires during that caution period. No issues were found with the truck and Gaughan returned to the track in 14th for the lap 103 restart. Armed with a fast Chevrolet and fresh tires, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series veteran worked his way through the field settling into the second position on lap 127, where he would ultimately cross the finish line. Following his third-consecutive top-five finish, Gaughan gained three positions in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, moving into fourth.

Start - 23 Finish - 2 Laps Led - 15 Points - 4th

BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE: "We did not have a textbook night. Shane (Wilson, crew chief) tried some pit strategy in the beginning of the race that ended up not working in our favor, and then I thought I had an issue with the South Point Chevrolet and we fell back in the field both times. We continued to work hard all night and in the end I was up front running down Kyle (Busch). Unfortunately, we just didn't have enough time to get the job done. This is our third top-five finish in a row, so I can't be happier with the entire South Point Hotel & Casino team so far this season."

Richard Childress Receives Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from UNOH

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

WELCOME, N.C. (May 16, 2013) – In a ceremony held at Sapona Ridge Country Club in Lexington, NC, legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) on Wednesday, May 15.

With more than 100 people in attendance, including his wife Judy, daughter Tina Dillon, son-in-law Mike Dillon, and grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon, the 14-time championship race team owner was bestowed the honor by Dr. Jeffrey Jarvis, president of UNOH.

Dr. Jarvis presented the degree based on Childress’ achievements in the high performance/motorsports industry, his commitment to assist in the school’s goal of achieving educational excellence and his lifetime achievements in the field of auto racing.

“Obviously, Dr. Childress is an icon in all of motorsports,” said Steve Farmer, vice president of corporate development for UNOH. “We are recognizing him for his accomplishments on and off the track, what he has done for all of motorsports and the great relationship we have with Dr. Childress and RCR.

“He is very deserving of this honorary degree. This is a relationship we want to see continue for many years. When it comes to people like Richard Childress, he is second to none.”

During the presentation, his many racing achievements, successful business ventures and commitment to various charitable causes were named off. They included his six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, five NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner championships and two Camping World Truck Series championships.

His work with the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and numerous outdoors conservation causes, were among other accomplishments mentioned. Childress was also recognized for his success with Childress Vineyards, Yadkin River Angus Farm and Sapona Ridge Country Club and his race team, RCR.

“This is a great honor to receive this honorary degree from UNOH,” Childress said. “I would like to thank everyone in racing, the vineyard and CIPT for being part of this, too.

“I can’t thank the people from UNOH enough for all they’ve done with their motorsports programs. They have changed the lives of so many young people’s lives and careers with what they teach at their fine school.

“I have had many great moments in my life, but this one ranks right up there as one of the highest honors I have ever received.”

About UNOH
The University of Northwestern Ohio is an entrepreneurial, not-for-profit, university founded in 1920. There are five colleges within the university: The College of Applied Technologies, College of Business, College of Occupational Professions, College of Health Professions, and the Graduate College. UNOH has taught students from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries, and currently has more than 4500 students enrolled from 36 states and 6 foreign countries. UNOH offers more than 60 different programs of study including Master’s, Baccalaureate, Associate, and Diploma programs. The University is situated on a 200+ acre campus and is in the midst of a 10-year expansion plan that includes new apartment-style dormitories and a new academic building that will house Health and IT classrooms along with a new library, student learning center and food services. The University of Northwestern Ohio also offers a variety of athletics including Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Men’s & Women’s Tennis, Men’s & Women’s Golf, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Bowling, Men’s Baseball, Men’s Soccer and six Co-Ed Motorsports teams. The University of Northwestern Ohio has an impact of more than $250 million on the local economy. Limaland Motorsports Park, which is owned by UNOH, has an additional $15 million impact.

About Richard Childress Racing:
Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Its 2013 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s/Rheem Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Cheerios Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Brian Scott (No. 2 Shore Lodge/Armour Vienna Sausage/Fast Fixin’/Charter/Husky Liners Chevrolet), 2012 Nationwide Series rookie of the year Austin Dillon (No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet) and an all-star driver lineup on the No. 33 Menards/Rheem/WESCO/Armour Vienna Sausage/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Fast Fixin’ Chevrolet team. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program features 2012 Camping World Truck Series rookie of the year Ty Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet).

Sprint Cup Series Event Preview Charlotte Motor Speedway

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and Notes

Race: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race & Sprint Showdown
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Four All-Star Wins for RCR ... Richard Childress Racing has won four NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races, most recently in 2007 with Kevin Harvick. Dale Earnhardt won the event in 1987, which included the legendary "Pass in the Grass." Earnhardt also went on to claim the checkered flag in 1990 and 1993.

RCR in the NSCS ... In 2,306 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 102 wins, 42 pole awards, 438 top-five finishes and 919 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8. RCR has earned 14 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, '87, '90,'91, '93 and '94, five NASCAR Nationwide 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.

RCR Darlington Rewind ... In the Sprint Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway last weekend, Harvick notched his second top-five finish of the season while Paul Menard and Jeff Burton finished 19th and 21st, respectively.

The Collective RCR ... Throughout the season's first 11 races, RCR's Sprint Cup Series entries have earned one win with Harvick at Richmond International Raceway (April), notched three top-five and nine top-10 finishes with drivers Burton, Austin Dillon, Harvick and Menard. RCR's three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers are tied for 10th (Menard and Harvick) and 20th (Burton) in the driver championship point standings.

Interactive RCR ... For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR's Twitter page - @RCRracing - along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages - @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton and driver Twitter page @KevinHarvick. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages - www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27, www.facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick and www.facebook.com/OfficialJeffBurton.

Catch the Action ... SPEED's live coverage of the Sprint Showdown and Sprint All-Star Race begins Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio.

Paul Menard
No. 27 Serta/Menards Chevrolet SS
Sprint Showdown Event Preview Fact Shee

This Week's Serta/Menards Chevrolet ... Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 386 in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS raced at Texas Motor Speedway in 2012, but has not previously run this season.

Showdown Stats ... Menard has five-career Sprint Showdown starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His best start of third came in 2011 and best finish of fourth came in 2010. The Wisconsin native has completed 160 of 200 laps attempted (80 percent) in the NASCAR All-Star Race qualifying event.

About Serta ... Serta is proud to be the manufacturer of the World's Best Mattress™. Their commitment to quality has made them a leader in the industry, and they look forward to helping you find the right mattress so you can get a better night's sleep for years to come. For more information on Serta, visit www.serta.com.

Showdown Format ... The Sprint Showdown consists of two 20-lap segments with the winner and second-place finisher qualifying for the 29th running of the Sprint All-Star Race. The Sprint Showdown is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time with live television coverage beginning on SPEED at 7 p.m. ET.

Cast Your Vote ... Fans have the opportunity to vote Menard into the Sprint All-Star Race with the Sprint Fan Vote. You can vote for Menard online at http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote. Voting is unlimited. Fans can also vote on their mobile handsets by using the NASCAR Mobile 2013 application. Votes from the application count twice.

Race Rewind ... In his last appearance in the Sprint Showdown, Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet from the third position and was involved in an on-track incident causing damage to the car. Ultimately, Menard finished 11th in the 40-lap event.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Menard's Thoughts on the Sprint Showdown:
"The great thing about this weekend is there are no points on the line. We can just go out there, race hard and have fun. We're going to do our best to finish in the top two in the (Sprint )Showdown so we can race the Serta/Menards Chevrolet into the big show (All-Star Race) Saturday night. It's a fun night because with the race being in Charlotte, a lot of the crew guys can have their families come out and watch, so hopefully we can put on a good show for them."

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Rheem/Budweiser Chevrolet SS
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Event Preview Fact Shee

This Week's Rheem/Budweiser Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 378 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race under the lights of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Harvick last drove this RCR machine to a 13th-place result at Auto Club Speedway in March.

Proven Winner ... Saturday night's event marks Harvick's 13th appearance in the NASCAR exhibition race, dating back to 2001. In 2007, the RCR veteran visited Victory Lane following the marquee event. Harvick has collected a total of two top-five and seven top-10 finishes throughout the years, and is credited with 62 lap led.

Gotta Have a Rheem ... Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta and U.S. operations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Indiana, North Carolina and Texas. In its 88th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company's premium brands, including Rheem, Raypak, Ruud and Richmond have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing, and is a primary sponsor of RCR's No. 29 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and RCR's No. 33 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

New BUD 360° App ... As the Sprint Cup Series teams compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway the next two weekends, fans can experience what it's like to hit speeds of up to 190 mph at the speedway with the new interactive BUD 360° app. The King of Beers' innovative new app utilizes surround video technology to provide users with a 360-degree look inside Harvick's Sprint Cup Series ride as the driver completes several laps around the 1.5-mile track. While Harvick controls the wheel, the consumer controls the view, allowing them to experience the sensation of speed in never-before-seen angles. The app is available for free in the Apple App Store for both iPhone and iPad users. The Budweiser Racing 360° video also is accessible on desktop computers at www.budweiser.com.

Champion Chat ... Harvick will participate in his monthly Champion Chat on Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. Eastern Time answering fan questions via Twitter and TweetChat.com. To ask a question, simply log on to TweetChat.com or Federal-Mogul's @ChampionParts Twitter feed and add the #ChampionChat hashtag to the end of each tweet. Harvick's video "Touts" will be available through the @ChampionParts Twitter feed as well as www.Tout.com (search for "#TeamChampion").

Race Rewind ... Harvick and the No. 29 team captured a sixth-place finish during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, after battling a tight-handling condition throughout the non-points event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Share your thoughts on participating in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
"I was fortunate enough to win this race back in 2007. You definitely would rather win the All-Star race, than not. It's one of the marquee races in our sport that you want to win. Charlotte (Motor Speedway) hasn't been a great track for us, but we have had some success there throughout the years. The All-Star race was one of our successes; it was definitely a cool race to win."

What are your thoughts on the new format for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race this season?
"Anytime they put that much money in front of anybody it's going to cause things to rise to another level. Take the points away from that and you really have some unique scenarios that come up. I think adding the bonus for winning all five segments is really going to add a twist to the event as well, especially for the driver who wins the first segment. They're going to be giving it all they have to try and win the remaining segments to collect the additional $1 million bonus. It's always fun when you know there is really nothing on the line but to win. If you do, then usually there is a big check waiting for you at the end so that gives you some bragging rights and a lot of money."

How much does the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race help to prepare you and the team for the Coca-Cola 600?
"Usually, we can get a glimpse into the future, primarily in the engine department. They'll test out a few different things to try to see what we might be able to utilize the following weekend. We also get to be on the race track under conditions similar to those we'll see during the Coca-Cola 600. The extra track time will really help us determine how these new cars are going to handle under the lights at Charlotte (Motor Speedway)."

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS
Sprint Showdown Event Preview Fact Shee

This Weekend's Caterpillar Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 393 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet was utilized five times during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Auto Club Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. Burton also piloted this machine earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

One Hot Night ... Burton has made eight appearances in the Sprint Showdown and qualified 12 times for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race during his 19-year career. Burton won the 2003 Sprint Showdown and finished eighth in last year's event. His best qualifying effort of fourth-place for the two-segment, 40-lap event came in 1995.

How It Works ... The Sprint Showdown consists of two 20-lap segments with the winner and second-place finishing driver qualifying for the 29th running of the Sprint All-Star Race. The Sprint Showdown is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and live television coverage on SPEED begins at 7 p.m. ET.

Sprint Fan Vote. Vote Now, Vote Often ... Fans have the opportunity to vote Burton into the Sprint All-Star Race this weekend with the Sprint Fan Vote. The Sprint Fan Vote was launched in 2004 as a way to bring one more deserving driver into the Sprint All-Star Race to compete for the $1 million payout. There are three ways you can vote for Burton.
     - Mobile Handsets
         Use the NASCAR Mobile '2013 application
         Votes from the application count double (x2)
         www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote
         Voting on handsets is unlimited
     - Online
         NASCAR.COMhttp://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote
         Voting is unlimited
     - The Sprint Experience
         Voting stations will be set up in the Sprint Experience mobile display each race weekend

Race Rewind ... Burton and the No. 31 Chevrolet team brought home a top-10 result in the 2012 Sprint Showdown, finishing in eighth-place.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
How do you view your strategy in the Sprint Showdown? Are you concentrated on qualifying for the Sprint All-Star Race, or more worried about getting valuable information for the Coca-Cola 600?
"I think it is always big-picture racing. Obviously, we want to win the Sprint Showdown, qualify for the Sprint All-Star Race and win it too, but every practice session and qualifying run we make that weekend gives us the opportunity to learn more about our 1.5-mile program. We must go in with the mindset that we want to win the race and qualify for the big show. If we do win the race and transfer over, it helps you out for the following week as well. Where else do we get to race the week before in a non-points paying event other than Daytona International Speedway? It doesn't happen very often and gives us a great opportunity to learn something."

What is your racing style for an exhibition event?
"I race the same way no matter what the situation is. If there is a guy in front of me that I know would knock me out of the way, he will probably get knocked out of the way and vice versa. I let the other drivers make the rules, but typically the rules have been set by how they have raced me to this point in the season. You have to be who you normally are. When you try to get out of character, I think it does more harm than good."

Truck Series Preview for Charlotte Motor Speedway

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes

Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Date: Friday, May 17, 2013
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Richard Childress Racing's Camping World Truck Series History ... In 282 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, RCR has earned 27 wins, 37 pole awards, 104 top-five finishes and 173 top-10 finishes. RCR also earned the inaugural series championship in 1995 with Mike Skinner, and again with Austin Dillon in 2011. The organization has an average starting position of 9.6 and an average finishing position of 10.3.

RCR at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Richard Childress Racing has six previous Camping World Truck Series starts at Charlotte Speedway collecting one pole award and three top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds an 8.2 average starting position, coupled with a 14.5 average finishing position and has completed 90.2 percent (725 of 804) of the laps contested.

Points Racin' ... With four Camping World Truck Series races completed in 2013, Dillon is fifth in the driver championship point standings, trailing the leader by 27 markers, while Brendan Gaughan is seventh in the standings, 34 points outside the top spot. The No. 3 team is sixth in the owner championship point standings and the No. 62 team is in the ninth position.

Social Media ...To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and view exclusive content, visit RCR's Twitter page - @RCRracing, RCR's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Twitter pages - @RCR3TDillon and @RCR62BGaughan. RCR's Camping World Truck Series driver Twitter pages - @tydillon and @Brendan62.

Catch the Action ... Flag-to-flag coverage of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled to be televised live on Friday, May 17 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on SPEED and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Ty Dillon
No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado

This Week's Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 022 from the Richard Childress Racing stable in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This RCR-prepared Chevrolet was utilized by the former No. 22 team last year which earned two pole awards, a victory at Pocono Raceway and four top-10 finishes.

Hometown Stats ... This weekend's 134-lap event marks Dillon's second appearance at the 1.5-mile facility. Dillon earned his first-career Camping World Truck Series pole award at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year and went on to finish 10th. The 21-year-old driver made his racing debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a bandolero car in 2006.

Gobble, Gobble ... The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet will sport a different look this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) on board. Bass Pro Shops and the NWTF work together in wildlife habitat conservation in an effort to preserve North America's wild turkey population. The NWTF was founded in 1973 in Edgefield, S.C., and has since expanded to having local chapters in every state and Canada. Today, the NWTF has helped preserve almost 17 million acres of habitat land.

NASCAR Day is May 17... Join Dillon in celebrating 10 years of NASCAR Day by picking up a limited edition collectable pin designed by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. Fans can purchase a NASCAR Day pin for a $10 donation to the NASCAR Foundation at a local Camping World SuperCenter or online at NASCAR.com/foundation. Donations from the pins will help children across the country live happier, healthier lives.

Meet the Driver ... Dillon is scheduled to participate in an autograph session with older brother Austin Dillon, and grandfather Richard Childress, at the Bass Pro Shops located at 8181 Concord Mills Blvd in Concord, N.C. The trio will sign autographs for fans beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, May 20.

TY DILLON QUOTE:
You've had three weeks off from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. What do you expect this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway? "I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet this weekend at Charlotte (Motor Speedway). I raced two NASCAR Nationwide Series events with the No. 33 RCR team during the break, and that helped me stay sharp in the driver's seat. This No. 3 team won the pole award here last year, so we have a lot of good notes and a great place to start for this year. I hope to bring home the pole award and the win this time around."

Brendan Gaughan
No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Silverado

This Week's South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Brendan Gaughan will pilot chassis No. 024 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Friday night's event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Gaughan most recently drove this Chevrolet to a fourth-place result at Kansas Speedway in April.

Charlotte Stats ... The Friday night event will mark Gaughan's eighth Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track dating back to 2003. Throughout the years, the Las Vegas native has collected two top-five and three top-10 finishes and completed 82.9 percent (786 of 948) of the laps contested. Gaughan holds a 20.3 average starting position paired with a 14.9 average finishing position.

South Point Hotel & Casino ... Opened in December of 2005, the South Point resort was the first megaresort located south of McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip. The facility consists of a 25 story hotel tower and 90,000 square feet convention center located on a 60 acre site along Las Vegas Boulevard in Enterprise, Nevada. South Point Hotel offers a total of 2,163 rooms and 160,000 sq. ft. meeting and convention space; the largest of any hotel in Las Vegas that is not on the Strip. For more information, visitwww.southpointcasino.com or call 1-866-796-7111.

Keepin' it Clean in Sin City ... Did you know guests of the 2,163-room hotel and casino go through 15,200 washcloths per week? It appears that South Point Hotel & Casino patrons like to keep it clean while they enjoy a visit to Sin City.

Enjoying Some Not-So Downtime ... Gaughan didn't sit idle during the three-week break in the Truck Series schedule. He teamed up with father Michael Gaughan to compete in the General Tire NORRA Mexican 1000. Following four days of racing, the duo finished fourth in their class (Vintage Open Truck-SUV). Gaughan followed up his trip to the desert by heading to the ocean, where the avid diver enjoyed a scuba vacation with friends and family.

Race Rewind: Kansas Speedway ... Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet team earned a fourth-place finish in the SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway after spending a majority of the day running in the top 10.

BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway? "I can't wait to get back into the truck this weekend. We were riding high on so much momentum before the break in the schedule with back-to-back top-five finishes. I really enjoy the style of racing that comes with these intermediate style tracks, so Charlotte (Motor Speedway) should be a good race for us. My team has worked so hard this season, and as long as we continue to collect solid finishes it won't be long before we can go to Victory Lane."

Sprint Cup Post Race Report for Darlington Raceway

Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Darlington Raceway
May 11, 2013

Race Highlights

* Richard Childress Racing teammates finished fifth (Kevin Harvick), 19th (Paul Menard) and 21st (Jeff Burton).
* Harvick and Menard are tied for 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Jimmie Johnson by 108 markers, while Burton ranks 20th.
* The No. 29 Chevrolet SS team and No. 27 team are also tied for 10th in the Sprint Cup Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 31 team 23rd in the standings.
* According to NASCAR's post-race loop data statistics, Menard made 60 Green-Flag Passes during the 501-mile event.
* Burton made 68 Green-Flag Passes during the 367-lap event.
* Harvick had the seventh-best Average Running Position (7.526) and led all drivers in the Closers category (four positions improved in the final 37 laps).
* Harvick also had the fifth-best Driver Rating (106.6) and spent the entire 367-lap event Running in the Top 15.
* Matt Kenseth earned his third victory of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and was followed to the finish line by Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Harvick.
* The next Sprint Cup Series race is the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 18. Menard and Burton will take part in the Sprint Showdown while Harvick is qualified for the All-Star Race. SPEED's live coverage of the event begins at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and the race will also be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

                           Menard Finishes 19th at the Track Too Tough to Tame

Starting from the 15th position, Paul Menard and the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet faced handling issues throughout the 367-lap event, earning a 19th-place finish at Darlington Raceway. Shortly after the green flag flew, Menard began to struggle with a loose-handling condition and crew chief "Slugger" Labbe called for a variety of chassis adjustments during the ensuing pit stops. By lap 185 the series of track bar, wedge and air pressure adjustments provided some relief to Menard and he was running in the 12th position. Though running inside the top 15, long green flag runs, coupled with a loose race car, caused the Wisconsin native to fall a lap down to the leader on lap 271. Shortly after losing a lap, Menard came into the pits for four tires, fuel and a spring rubber adjustment. Upon entry to pit road, Menard struck the commitment cone and was assessed a pass though penalty causing him to fall to 22nd, three laps down to the leader. A series of caution flags followed in the closing laps of the 501-mile event, allowing Menard to take the "wave around" on two separate occasions. Gaining two of his laps back, Menard and crew never gave up and he was able to fight his way back inside the top-20 to finish 19th when the checkered flag flew. Menard now sits in 11thin the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

            Start - 15                  Finish - 19       Laps Led - 0            Points - 11th

PAUL MENARD QUOTE: "It was a tough night for the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards crew. We struggled with handling issues for the majority of the day, and I put us behind late with a pit road penalty. Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) made adjustments all night and we were able to catch a break at the end with those caution flags to get a couple of our laps back. We'll learn from tonight and move on to Charlotte next weekend, try to have some fun and race our way into the big show (All-Star Race) on Saturday night."

                     Harvick Hangs Tough to Finish Fifth at Darlington Raceway

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team started 10th and persevered through some late-race adversity to finish fifth in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday night. The Richard Childress Racing driver used his admirable starting position to methodically move forward in the early stages of the 367-lap race. By lap 50, he was running sixth finding different areas of the 1.366-mile oval to improve his speed. During several green-flag pit stops, Harvick told crew chief Gil Martin his car was loose in the turns. Under each of those stops, the Budweiser Chevrolet SS team changed four tires, made track bar and/or air pressure adjustments. With the first caution not waving until lap 125, and for only the second time on lap 303, the pit stops under green were paramount to remaining in the top 10. The only time Harvick didn't retain that level of track position was when he got caught a lap down under the second caution, which was four laps after a green-flag pit stop. However, they were able to take the wave around and return to lead lap status in 12th place. Three more cautions and the leader receiving a "Darlington Stripe" dropping him back all played into Harvick and the team's favor. They overcame and pushed on to finish fifth which, in turn, moved them up two spots to 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship points standings.

              Start - 10          Finish - 5          Laps Led - 0            Points - 10th

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE: "That was a pretty good run for this whole Budweiser Chevrolet team tonight. We were loose for most of the race and those long green-flag stops didn't help us any, either. When we got caught a lap down there, I thought it was going to ruin our night. But, we overcame that, had great stops on pit road and took advantage of things out of our control to finish fifth. It was a good night for this team."

                      Jeff Burton Finishes in 21st-Place at Darlington Raceway

Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team posted a 21 st-place finish in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The 21-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner started the 367-lap event in the 11th position and maintained a top-15 running position in the early stages of the race, despite wrestling with a tight-handling Chevrolet. As day turned into night, Burton battled an ill-handling condition throughout uncharacteristically long green-flag runs at the historic 1.366-mile race track which spread out the 43-car field, relegating the South Boston, Va., native multiple laps down to the leader while running in the top 20. In the final stages of the race, Burton wasn't able to recover from the tight-in and loose-off condition on the slick asphalt surface, but the veteran Sprint Cup Series driver stayed out of trouble during multiple incidents and picked up a position over the final 30 laps to bring home a 21st-place finish. Burton now sits 20th in Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

                  Start-11            Finish-21          Laps Led-0       Points-20th

JEFF BURTON QUOTE: "That was a rough night for No. 31 Caterpillar team. We definitely didn't get the rotation we wanted to in the middle of the turns which pretty much set the tone for the evening. These guys never gave up and we were able to play strategy and gain some positions in the end. I'm proud of their effort. I'm confident our team will bounce back at Charlotte Motor Speedway these next two weekends."

Nationwide Post Race Report for Darlington Raceway

Sat, 11 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Nationwide Series

VFW 200 Sport Clips 200
Darlington Raceway
May 10, 2013

Race Highlights:

•Richard Childress Racing teammates finished 11th (Austin Dillon), 13th (Ty Dillon) and 14th (Brian Scott).
•Dillon is sixth in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Regan Smith by 52 markers, while Scott is eighth in the standings, 58 points behind Smith.
•The No. 33 Chevrolet team ranks seventh in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 3 team ninth in the standings and the No. 2 team 11th.
•According to NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics, A. Dillon was one of three drivers who spent 100 percent of the race running in the top-15 and maintained an Average Running Position of 8.088, ranking him ninth among the field.
•T. Dillon was the 10th-Fastest Driver Late in a Run and made 31 Green Flag Passes.
•Scott ranked fourth in Green Flag Passes with 35.
•Kyle Busch earned his fifth victory of the 2013 Nationwide Series season and was followed to the finish line by Elliott Sadler, Brian Vickers, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth.
•The next Nationwide Series race is the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 25. The 10th race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on ABC beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.

Brian Scott Brings Home a 14th-Place Finish at 'The Lady in Black'

Brian Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge team took the checkered flag in the 14th spot after battling a loose handling car for the better part of the night at Darlington Raceway on Friday night. The 25-year-old NASCAR Nationwide Series driver took the green flag from the rear of the field because the crew made an adjustment (changed spark plug) under impound conditions following qualifying. Through the course of the first 20 laps, Scott picked off his competition as he navigated his way through the field towards the front. By lap 32 he was up to the 13th position. As the field settled into a lengthy green-flag run, Scott reported to crew chief Phil Gould that the handling was good in turns three and four, but really loose in one and two. The Boise, Idaho-native hit pit road under green on lap 110 for four fresh tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Scott continued to battle a loose-handling condition as the race continued. The caution flag was displayed on lap 118 allowing him to make a trip to pit road for another chassis adjustment. The field took the green for the final time on lap 12 and the No. 2 Shore Lodge team was able to earn a 14th-place finish.

Start - 26 Finish - 14 Laps Led - 0 Points - 8th

BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE: "It was a tough evening for the No. 2 team. We had to start from the rear of the field after changing a spark plug following qualifying. We were able to make gains towards the front in the beginning, but as the track continued to rubber up we couldn't get the car tightened up enough to run the high line. It's frustrating; we have to move on to Charlotte and have a strong run there in a couple weeks."

Austin Dillon Earns an 11th-Place Result at Darlington Raceway

Austin Dillon drove Richard Childress Racing's No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet to an 11th-place finish in the VFW Sport Clips 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Darlington Raceway on Friday evening. The Welcome, N.C. native started the 147-lap affair from the eighth position and reported a loose-handling condition while running high against the wall in turn three during the early stages of the race. Caution periods gave the RCR pit crew the opportunity to make adjustments to the black No. 3 machine and handling conditions improved for Dillon & Co. The driver worked his way into the second position for a restart with 20 laps remaining, after several teams opted to pit while Dillon stayed on the race track. However, a tight-handling condition developed during the final green flag run and Dillon dropped in the running order, ultimately posting an 11th-place result.

Start - 8 Finish - 11 Laps Led - 0 Points - 6th

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE: "I was hoping for a better finish at Darlington Raceway. We developed a very tight-handling condition on our last run and it caused us to lose a lot of track position in the closing laps. It's unfortunate, but this is a very strong team and we still have a lot of racing left. We will battle back and be strong contenders for the point championship for the remainder of the season."

Ty Dillon Finishes 13th in Darlington Raceway Debut

Ty Dillon and the No. 33 Armour Vienna Sausages team rallied to a 13th-place finish after battling an ill-handling Chevrolet for the first part of the 147-lap affair at Darlington Raceway on Friday night. This was the Welcome, N.C. native's first appearance to the 1.336-mile raceway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Dillon started from the 15th position and immediately reported a tight-handling condition. The Ernie Cope-led team serviced the Richard Childress Racing entry with a round of chassis adjustments under yellow flag conditions on lap 33. With the changes bringing relief to the 21-year-old driver, Dillon began making his way up through the field. He was scored in the 12th position on lap 118 when Cope called the blue and gold Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet team to pit road for the final stop of the evening for four fresh Goodyear tires and a can of fuel. With 20 laps remaining, Dillon climbed as high as 11th but fell to the 13th position before crossing the finish line.

Start - 15 Finish - 13 Laps Led - 0 Owner's Points - 7th

TY DILLON QUOTE: "I definitely learned a lot throughout the race. We struggled in the beginning with the handling on the No. 33 Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet, but Ernie (Cope, crew chief) did a great job in fixing the issues. The 33 team was fast on pit road. We just didn't have the track position we needed at the end of the race."

Sprint Cup Preview for Darlington Raceway

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series News and Notes
Race: Southern 500
Date: May 11, 2013
Location: Darlington Raceway

RCR at Darlington ... 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 103 collective starts, RCR boasts 21 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval with five different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Robby Gordon. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds a 17.1 average starting position, an 18.1 average finishing position, has completed 32,525 of the 36,340 contested laps (89 percent) and has collectively led 2,597 laps.

RCR in the NSCS ... In 2,303 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 102 wins, 42 pole awards, 437 top-five finishes and 918 top-10 finishes with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8. RCR has earned 14 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, '87, '90,'91, '93 and '94, five NASCAR Nationwide 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.

RCR Talladega Rewind ... In the Sprint Cup Series event at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, Burton and Harvick were involved in an early accident finishing 28th and 40th, respectively, while PaulMenard battled mechanical issues to finish 24th.

The Collective RCR ... Throughout the season's first 10 races, RCR's Sprint Cup Series entries have earned one win, Harvick at Richmond International Raceway (April), notched two top-five and eight top-10 finishes with drivers Burton, Austin Dillon, Harvick and Menard. RCR's three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers are eighth (Menard), 12th (Harvick) and 19th (Burton) in the driver championship point standings.

Interactive RCR ... For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR's Twitter page - @RCRracing - along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages - @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton and driver Twitter page @KevinHarvick. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages - www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27, www.facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick and www.facebook.com/OfficialJeffBurton.

Catch the Action ... FOX's live coverage of the Southern 500 begins Saturday, May 11 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio.

Paul Menard
No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet SS

This Week's Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet ... Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 414 at Darlington Raceway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS was previously run this season at Auto Club Speedway finishing eighth.

"Lady in Black" Stats ... Menard has six career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway. His best start of 14th and best finish of 13th both came in 2012. The Wisconsin native has completed 2,161 of 2,206 laps attempted (98 percent) at the 1.366-mile track.

About Pittsburgh Paints ... PPG Pittsburgh® Paints is a nationally recognized brand trusted by painting contractors, building owners, architects, designers, and homeowners for over 100 years. Products include interior/exterior paints and interior/exterior stains. For additional information, please visit www.ppgpittsburghpaints.com.

Vote Now, Vote Often ... Fans have the opportunity to vote Menard into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 18 with the Sprint Fan Vote. You can vote for Menard online at http://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote. Voting is unlimited. Fans can also vote on their mobile handsets by using the NASCAR Mobile 2013 application. Votes from the application count twice.

Race Rewind ... In his last appearance at Darlington Raceway, Menard started the No. 27 Chevrolet from the 14th position and brought home a 13th-place finish, his best effort to-date at the track.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Menard's Thoughts on Racing at Darlington Raceway: "It a great track, and a lot of fun to drive. Since the repave we haven't seen the tire wear that Darlington (Raceway) is known for. With the new pavement it has lost some of its character and drives a lot like some of the 1.5-mile tracks. It's still a really cool track to race on and I'm anxious to see what our Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet has when we unload for practice on Friday. Turns one and two are really fast, and in turns three and four you've got to slow the car up a lot, which makes it tough to gauge how you want to lay your splitter down. You've just got to decide which end you want to set up for."

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS

This Week's Budweiser Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 383 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Southern 500. This is the same Chevrolet the Bakersfield, Calif., native drove to Victory Lane at Phoenix International Raceway last November and a 13th-place result in March.

The Track 'Too Tough To Tame' ... Darlington Raceway is one track where Harvick has yet to visit Victory Lane. Since 2001, the RCR veteran driver has made 16 starts collecting two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He holds a 17.6 average starting position coupled with an 18.8 average finishing position, has completed 5,267 of 5,583 (94.3 percent) of the laps contested and is credited with 63 laps led.

New BUD 360° App ... Budweiser is giving consumers a whole new look at what it's like to hit speeds of 190 mph in the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS with the interactive BUD 360° app. The King of Beers' innovative new app utilizes surround video technology to provide users with a 360-degree look inside Harvick's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride as the driver completes several laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway. While Harvick controls the wheel, the consumer controls the view, allowing them to experience the sensation of speed in never-before-seen angles. The app is available for free in the Apple App Store for both iPhone and iPad users. The Budweiser Racing 360° video also is accessible on desktop computers at www.budweiser.com.

Bowtie Can Available Nationwide ... Budweiser's striking and original new beer can - a bowtie-shaped aluminum can that mirrors Budweiser's iconic bowtie logo - is now available in a special 8-pack on store shelves nationwide. The proprietary can, in development since 2010, is created by a 16-step process, which involves 10 steps to form the bottom half of the can and an additional six steps to form the top portion. The bowtie can is another example of how Budweiser continues to innovate, evolve and attract a new generation of beer drinkers. Consumers interested in locating where they can purchase the special 8-pack can call 1-800-dial-Bud.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 ... Harvick and the No. 29 team will participate in a Goodyear tire test on May 7 and 8 at Chicagoland Speedway. They will utilize chassis No. 404 from the RCR stable, which was last seen in action at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Harvick will also be available to the media on Wednesday, May 8 from 12:30-12:45 p.m. Central Time in the track media center.

2012 Race Rewind ... Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team collected a 16th-place finish in last season's Southern 500 after battling handling issues at Darlington Raceway.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Share your thoughts on racing at Darlington Raceway. "There is a lot of history at Darlington Raceway. I've been fortunate to win a lot of the marquee races on the schedule, and I mark the Southern 500 on my calendar every year as one I want to win. There is so much history behind this event. It's definitely a race we want to do well in, and Darlington is a race track we want to win at every year."

What makes racing at Darlington Raceway such a challenge for the drivers and teams? "The track was originally not designed for the cars to be running as fast as they are today. The track's very narrow and you carry a lot of speed. From a driver's standpoint, it's very challenging just to keep the car off the wall, but it's also a lot of fun to drive, too."

Talk us through a lap around Darlington Raceway. "Well, any lap around Darlington is a lap where you have to be paying attention to what's going on because you can get yourself in trouble at any point on the race track. You carry a lot of speed into turn one and you run up the banking right up next to the wall and get right back into the throttle. As you come back down the hill you might have to breathe the throttle a little bit, but it's a lot of fun coming out of turn two as it kind of shoots you down the backstretch. Turns three and four are probably the hardest because you carry so much speed off of (turn) two into three and the line kind of moves around a bit there. It's probably the easiest place to get in the wall. Well, it's pretty easy to get in the wall anywhere, but definitely the easiest place to get into the wall is the middle of (turns) three and four."

Do you have any special plans for Mother's Day now that DeLana is a mom? How much of a help was your own mom to get you where you are today? "My biggest plan is to not screw up Sunday in the first year. You don't want to screw up the first Mother's Day. My main objective is to make sure that you have the gift pre-week, and don't forget to hand it out on Sunday. Obviously, my Mom has always been there and has always been supportive of everything I do. That is something you don't want to forget, as well. You want to make sure you don't forget on either front."

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS

This Week's No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 416 this weekend at Darlington Raceway. This No. 31 Chevrolet has been utilized twice this season, at Auto Club Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.

Career Darlington Stats ... The Southern 500 marks Burton's 31st start at the 1.366-mile facility. Darlington Raceway is one of Burton's favorite places to visit on the Sprint Cup Series schedule and he has amassed two wins, eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes at the historic track, leading 817 laps.

No Stranger to Victory Lane ... Burton's six visits to Darlington Raceway's Victory Lane across NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series competition stretch from 1997-2002. He completed a rare sweep of both Sprint Cup Series events in 1999 and both Nationwide Series events in 2002. His first win at the egg-shaped oval took place in the Nationwide Series in 1997. The 45-year old driver also holds trophies for winning the April 2001 race and two Nationwide Series pole awards in 1998 and 2002.

Appearance Alert ... Burton is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Team Chevy stage located in the Darlington Raceway display area on Saturday, May 11 at 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time.

Sprint Fan Vote. Vote Now, Vote Often ... Fans have the opportunity to vote Burton into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 18 with the Sprint Fan Vote. The Sprint Fan Vote was launched in 2004 as a way to bring one more deserving driver into the Sprint All-Star Race to compete for the $1 million payout. There are three ways you can vote for Burton.
•Mobile Handsets
?Use the NASCAR Mobile '2013 application
?Votes from the application count double (x2)
?www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote
?Voting on handsets is unlimited
•Online
?NASCAR.COMhttp://www.nascar.com/SprintFanVote
?Voting is unlimited
•The Sprint Experience
?Voting stations will be set up in the Sprint Experience mobile display each race weekend

Race Rewind 2012 ... After a solid 10th-place qualifying effort, Burton and the No. 31 Chevrolet team battled to find the right handling throughout least season's Southern 500 and finished 18th at Darlington Raceway.

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:
It is known throughout the Sprint Cup Series garage that you love Darlington Raceway, why is that? "I love Darlington Raceway. To be honest, I liked it more before the repave a few years ago. The fresh pavement has put a lot of grip into the track. Handling is still important, but not in the same kind of way. The track is much faster now and you don't have that dramatic fall off with tire wear. I hope the pavement, with age, starts to lose some of that grip and that bad handling comes back, because that is what Darlington is all about. It's still a great race though. To me, with no disrespect to any other race, winning that 500-mile race is huge. The Southern 500 is a big deal to me. It's the race I circle on the schedule every year."

Nationwide Series Preview for Darlington Raceway

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Nationwide Series News and Notes

Race: VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200
Date: May 10, 2013
Location: Darlington Raceway

Richard Childress Racing's NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Darlington Raceway ... In 34 Nationwide Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine top-five and 16 top-10 finishes but remains winless at the 1.366-mile track. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization has one pole award (Kevin Harvick - 2003).

RCR in the NNS ... In 891 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts through the last 15 years, Richard Childress Racing has earned 65 wins, 303 top-five finishes, 502 top-10 finishes and 42 pole awards with an average starting position of 12.1 and an average finishing position of 12.5 among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver points championships in 2001 and 2006 with Harvick and in 2008 with Clint Bowyer. The Welcome, N.C.-based team earned the owner's title in 2003 with Johnny Sauter and Harvick, and again in 2007 with Burton and Scott Wimmer.

The Season So Far ... In the eight races contested this season, RCR has earned one win in the Nationwide Series, with Tony Stewart at Daytona International Speedway, along with six top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. The organization has led 159 laps in 2013.

Get to the Points ... Austin Dillon is ranked sixth in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing point leader Regan Smith by 48 points, while Brian Scott is seventh, 51 points out of the lead. In the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, the No. 33 Chevrolet team ranks sixth, while the No. 3 team ranks ninth and the No. 2 team ranks 10th.

Social Media ... To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information, and to view exclusive content, visit RCR's Twitter page - @RCRracing, RCR's NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages - @RCR2BScott, @RCR3ADillon and @RCR33NNS, RCR's NNS driver Twitter pages - @BScottRacing, @AustinDillon3 and @TyDillon and the official Facebook fan pages - facebook.com/BScottRacing, facebook.com/austindillon3 and facebook.com/TyDillonMotorsports

Catch the Action ... Flag-to-flag coverage of the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, May 10; and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.

Brian Scott
No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet Camaro

This Week's Shore Lodge Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 126 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in Friday evening's VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. This chassis was utilized earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway where Scott started 20th and earned an 11th-place finish.

History with the "Lady in Black" ... The 25-year-old Chevrolet driver has four previous Nationwide Series starts at Darlington Raceway, where he has one top-10 finish (seventh in 2012) to his credit.

Point Out the Points ... After eight races in the 2013 season, Scott is currently seventh in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, 51 markers out of first.

Best Career Start ... After the first eight Nationwide Series events of 2013, Scott is experiencing the strongest start to a season in his career. The Boise, Idaho native boasts five top-10 finishes, 10 laps led, and average finishing spot of 12.8.

Lodging in Idaho ... Shore Lodge will serve as primary sponsor for Scott and the No. 2 team this Friday night at Darlington Raceway. Set on the southern shore of Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho, four seasons of adventure await at this idyllic location. A family favorite since 1948, the travel destination allows guests to enjoy the spectacular views, friendly service and generous accommodations at the lake front resort. Shore Lodge serves as the perfect mixture of adventure and luxury featuring 26 spa adventures, fitness studio, golf privileges at Whitetail Club, jet skiing, and a private beach for guests.

Last Time at the track "Too Tough to Tame" ... One year ago, the 25-year-old Nationwide Series regular started the 147-lap event from his best starting spot, seventh, and brought home his best finishing postion, seventh, at the 1.366-mile

BRIAN SCOTT QUOTES:
What have your experiences been at Darlington Raceway? "Darlington has always been a challenging place for me; I'm cautious about heading there with high expectations. My goal would be to come away with a top-10 and a solid finish in the point standings. It's a place where track position is really important. I came home with a top-10 there last year, so I know I'm capable of good runs. If we get out front late in the race, I'll feel a lot better about it."

Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro

This Week's AdvoCare Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 105 in the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. In 2012, Dillon raced this Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish at Iowa Speedway in May and a fifth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in March.

Dillon at Darlington Raceway ... In Dillon's lone Nationwide Series appearance at Darlington Raceway in 2012, he started third and earned a fifth-place finish. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series. He earned his best finish of fifth in August 2010, coupled with a 15th-place result in March 2011.

Spark your Engines ... Dillon and the RCR team will sport the colors of award-winning premier health and wellness company AdvoCare on the No. 3 Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway. AdvoCare offers nutrition, weight loss, energy and sports performance products of the highest quality developed through comprehensive research and backed by a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. Dillon trains with AdvoCare products throughout the week and is a distributor as well. For more information about Dillon's favorite products, including Spark, Rehydrate, meal replacement bars and Post-Workout Recovery, visit http://www.AdvoCare.com.

AdvoCare Supporting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma ... If Dillon wins this weekend's Nationwide Series race at Darlington Raceway, AdvoCare will make a $5,000 donation to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. The health and wellness company will pledge $2,000 to CIPT for a top-five finish and $1,000 for a top-10 finish. So far this season, the No. 3 team has raised $7,000 towards the cause. The Childress Institute invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children in the U.S. and AdvoCare's generous donations are aimed at helping to raise awareness for pediatric trauma, the No. 1 killer of children in America. You can help save the lives of injured children by making a contribution to the Childress Institute in two ways: donate $33 in honor of Dillon via his website, or text WIN to 80077 to make a $10 donation.

Meet Dillon ... Dillon is scheduled to take part in a Question-and-Answer session on the Team Chevrolet Stage at Darlington Raceway at 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, along with his teammate and brother, Ty Dillon.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How do you like old school racing at Darlington Raceway? "I enjoy Darlington Raceway. They call it the Lady in Black and it's a cool track because it's a place where you have to be really patient. You're running right up against the wall and there is a lot of speed there. I enjoy racing there and I can't wait to get there."

If you don't get a stripe at Darlington Raceway do you feel like you haven't really been there? "No, actually I've ran two or three races there now and I don't even think I've gotten one, and I've ran in the top five in all three races. A Darlington stripe is coming surely, I will have one before long. When you get out there by that wall, you are carrying so much speed it's inevitable."

Ty Dillon
No. 33 Armour/Hungry-Man Chevrolet Camaro

This Week's Armour/Hungry-Man Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 112 from the Richard Childress Racing stable in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series event. This RCR-prepared Chevrolet was driven by Dillon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, where he earned an 11th-place finish.

Darlington Details ... This weekend's VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 marks Dillon first career appearance at Darlington Raceway. The Welcome, N.C., native will make his first competitive laps at the 1.366-mile track during Friday's practice session.

Enjoy the Tastes of Victory ... Armour® and Hungry-Man® are giving fans an opportunity to enjoy the tastes of victory and win a custom designed 2013 Chevrolet Camaro featuring Armour®/Hungry-Man® paint scheme. Now through Sept. 16, fans can enter for a chance to win one of 33 monthly prizes including: die-cast cars, gift cards/certificates, Armour apparel gift packs and more. At the end of the seven-month promotion, five finalists will be selected at random to receive an all-expense-paid, four-day, three-night trip for two to Charlotte, N.C. in October. The five finalists will have a chance to win the grand prize, a custom designed 2013 Chevrolet Camaro. Fans 18 years of age and older, within the continental United States, can enter the promotion once a month at www.thetastestofvictory.com, or by completing the official entry form found at participating retailers that carry Armour® and Hungry-Man® products. For official rules visit, www.thetastesofvictory.com.

Meet the Driver ... Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Question-and-Answer session with RCR teammate and older brother, Austin Dillon on Friday, May 10 at the Team Chevy Stage at Darlington Raceway. The 21-year old driver will take questions from the audience beginning at 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time.

TY DILLON QUOTES:
This is your first start at Darlington Raceway, what are your thoughts for this weekend's NASCAR Nationwide Series event? "I'm looking forward to driving the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet two weekends in a row. I think it's really going to help not having a few weekends off between (NASCAR) Nationwide Series races. We had a strong run last weekend at Talladega (Superspeedway) and got caught up in an incident. I'm going to use that momentum going into this weekend's race at Darlington (Raceway). This is also the first race with Armour/Hungry-Man, so we're hoping to put on a good show for them."

Cup Series Post-Race Report for Talladega Superspeedway

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Richard Childress Racing teammates finished 26th (Paul Menard), 28th (Jeff Burton) and 40^th (Kevin Harvick).
Menard is eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Jimmie Johnson by 93 markers, while Harvick ranks 12^th, 107 points back, and Burton sits 19^th, 148 points out of the top position.
The No. 27 Chevrolet SS team ranks eighth in the Sprint Cup Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 29 team 13^th in the standings and the No. 31 team 22^nd.
According to NASCAR's post-race loop data statistics, Menard ranked seventh in Fastest Laps Run (six laps).
Burton made 143 Green-Flag Passes during the 192-lap event.
With a lap time of 188.611 mph, Harvick ranked second in the post-race loop data category Fastest on Restarts.
David Ragan earned his first victory of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and was followed to the finish line by David Gilliland, Carl Edwards, Michael Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson.
The next Sprint Cup Series race is the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, May 11. The 11th race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on FOX beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.

Menard Finishes 26^th in a Rain-Filled Event at Talladega Superspeedway

Paul Menard started the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway from the 16^th position on Sunday after qualifying was rained out and the field was set by Friday's first practice speeds. Running lap times as fast as the leader, the No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet made its way toward the front of the field moving into 11^th at lap 10. A caution-flag period on lap 24 allowed Menard to stay out and lead lap 26 before coming to the pits. Restarting in 34^th, he quickly made his way to 19^th, when the caution flag was again displayed for a multi-car accident, which Menard narrowly avoided moving him into 11^th-place. Continuing to run in the top 10, Menard came to the pits for a routine green-flag pit stop and lost the lead draft causing him to fall back to 24^th. Working his way back to the lead pack, Menard's No. 27 machine began to overheat and he was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop on lap 121 to add water. Shortly after pitting, the red flag was displayed at lap 124 for a heavy downpour. After the rain showers subsided and the track dried, Menard restarted 32^nd, three laps down to the leader. After making several laps under green-flag conditions, the No. 27 began to overheat again and Menard was forced to pit to add more water. Restarting five laps down to the leader, with 54 laps remaining, Menard was able to avoid a multi-car accident in the closing laps to pick up several positions, ultimately finishing 26^th. Gaining one spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, Menard sits in eighth heading into the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Start - 16Finish - 26Laps Led - 1 Points - 8

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

"Our CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet was fast today at Talladega Superspeedway. We avoided trouble early on and were able to run up front. Unfortunately, we overheated and had to spend some time in the pits putting us behind. We never gave up and where able to avoid "The Big One" at the end to gain some spots. It was a long day in the rain, but we were able to gain a spot in the points, so we're happy with that."

Harvick Finishes 40^th at Talladega Superspeedway

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team finished 40^th in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway after being involved in an early race, multi-car incident which led to engine issues that ended the team's day prematurely. The Richard Childress Racing driver started the scheduled 188-lap event from the 24^th position after rain canceled qualifying setting the field by the NASCAR rulebook. Harvick worked his way into the top 10, but spent the majority of the race riding around mid-pack in an attempt to avoid trouble synonymous with superspeedway racing. On lap 44, a multi-car accident broke out in front of the red and white Chevrolet. Harvick attempted to drive around the spinning cars, but was collected forcing the driver to come down pit road for the No. 29 team to assess the damage sustained. After surveying the car, the Budweiser Chevrolet was pushed to the garage for the team to make repairs. Harvick returned to the racing surface on lap 72 in the 36^th position, 25 laps down to the leader. Back on track, Harvick reported the engine had expired bringing the team's day to an early end. Following the 40^th-place finish, Harvick is now 12^th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start - 24 Finish - 40 Laps Led - 1 Points - 12

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

"I feel like this race was a flashback to Daytona (International Speedway). We had a great run last weekend, and I was really hoping that we could carry that momentum into this weekend, but we didn't have a chance to make it to the end. I've got to thank the Budweiser team for working so hard to try and get us back on track. Wish we could have had a better result, but that's part of superspeedway racing."

Burton Collected in "The Big One," Finishes 28^th at Talladega Superspeedway

A multi-car accident on lap 44 collected Jeff Burton's No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet and spoiled any chance of a solid effort from the Richard Childress Racing team at Talladega Superspeedway. The South Boston, Va., native started the race in 29^th-place after NASCAR officials were forced to cancel qualifying due to persistent rain showers. After working his way into the top 10 early in the race, the 21-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner took the lead on lap 30, earning a valuable bonus point in his quest to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Shortly after making his first pit stop of the afternoon for fresh right-side Goodyear tires, disaster struck when Burton and 15 other competitors were collected in "The Big One". The black and yellow machine suffered significant damage that forced the team to make repairs during multiple pit stops under caution-flag conditions, with Burton eventually returning to the track two laps down to the leader in 36^th. The No. 31 Caterpillar crew, led by crew chief Luke Lambert, worked hard all afternoon and into the evening to keep the car running competitive lap times. Despite the damage, the team persevered through a three-hour, 46 minute red-flag delay due to rain showers. Burton also survived a 12-car melee with four laps remaining and gained eight positions to finish in the 28^th. With the result, Burton remains 19^th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start - 29 Finish - 28 Laps Led - 1 Points - 19

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

"There really isn't too much to say about the wreck except we were very close to making it through without damage. It makes you think sometimes whether or not we should ride around in the back of the pack at these types of race tracks to stay out of trouble. I'm bummed for the entire team because we had a strong Caterpillar Chevrolet and led laps early. I am confident we will get back on track next weekend at my favorite track, Darlington (Raceway)."

Nationwide Post Race Report for Talladega Superspeedway

Sun, 05 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASCAR Nationwide Series

Aaron's 312
Talladega Superspeedway
May 4, 2013

Race Highlights:

•Richard Childress Racing teammates finished 10th (Austin Dillon), 24th (Ty Dillon) and 27th (Brian Scott).
•Dillon is sixth in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Regan Smith by 48 markers, while Scott is seventh in the standings, 51 points behind Smith.
•The No. 33 Chevrolet team ranks sixth in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 3 team ninth in and the No. 2 team 10th.
•Each of the RCR drivers led laps.
•According to NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics, A. Dillon was the seventh-Fastest Driver on Restarts, T. Dillon made 113 Green-Flag Passes and Scott tied for first in the Fastest Laps Run category with seven.
•Smith earned his first victory of the 2013 Nationwide Series season and was followed to the finish line by Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Justin Allgaier.
•The next Nationwide Series race is the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on Friday, May 10. The ninth race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.

Brian Scott Caught in the "Big One" at Talladega

Brian Scott and the No. 2 Armour/Hungry Man team settled for a 27th-place finish after being collected in the "big one" at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday afternoon. The 25-year old took the green flag from the eighth position for the restrictor plate event. Scott stuck to his game plan of playing it safe by settling into the 22nd-spot throughout the opening portion of the race. On lap 27 he hooked up with the No. 43 and charged towards the front of the field, working his way up to fifth. The field was slowed by a caution flag on lap 35, giving Scott the opportunity to pit for two tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Once the action went back to green, Scott drafted with the No. 7 all the way up to the lead. On lap 72 the Boise, Idaho native received damage due to an incident in on the backstretch. The No. 2 driver made several pit stops under caution to fix his Chevrolet Camaro and eventually restarted 24th on the lead lap. As the laps wound down, Scott found teammate Austin Dillon and the duo charged towards the front. As the field entered the third turn on lap 94, Scott was collected in an incident that took out multiple cars from the race, thus resulting in a 27th-place finish.

Start - 8 Finish - 27 Laps Led - 2 Points - 7th

BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE: "We had a fast Armour/Hungry Man Chevy and we were able to get up to the front. Getting caught in the big one is the unfortunate part of superspeedway races. We just have to lick our wounds and move on. I'm proud of the No. 2 guys and their hard work this weekend.

Austin Dillon Earns a 10th-Place Result in Wild Finish at Talladega Superspeedway

Sporting a special Watermelon paint scheme to commemorate the debut of the newest flavor of AdvoCare Spark, Austin Dillon and the Danny Stockman-led Richard Childress Racing team led laps and were in position to visit Victory Lane in the Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway before posting a 10th-place finish. Dillon started the rain-delayed event from the second position, but fell one lap down to the race leader after losing power and dropping in the running order early in the event. A lap-14 caution period allowed the team to change a spark plug on the No. 3 machine and Dillon was up-to-speed for the remainder of the event. Running in the 35th position with approximately 30 laps remaining, Dillon earned the "Lucky Dog" award and returned to lead lap racing. From there, Dillon became a strong contender and utilized the tandem draft with a variety of partners to work his way to the front of the field. He was scored as the race leader when the caution was displayed as the field received the white flag. He worked with another competitor to tandem draft to a commanding lead on the final restart before becoming detached from his drafting partner. He was ultimately shuffled to 10th as multiple competitors, including Dillon, were collected in a pileup while crossing the finish line.

Start - 2 Finish - 10 Laps Led - 5 Points - 6th

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE: "That was a heartbreaker. We were in position to win and Parker Kligerman did a great job pushing us at the end but our tandem draft got broke up. We worked really hard as a team today and recovered from an early problem, so I want to thank Danny Stockman and all of the guys for keeping cool under pressure. They did a great job. These races are always so unpredictable."

Ty Dillon Collected in 'The Big One' at Talladega Superspeedway

After using the tandem draft to run in the front of the field for portions of the Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, Ty Dillon and the No. 33 WESCO Chevrolet team were collected in a multi-car incident on lap 93 resulting in a 24th-place finish on Saturday afternoon. Dillon started the event from the 17th position and immediately found a drafting partner to take him to the front of the pack. He was scored in third on lap five and jumped to the lead on lap six. After showcasing the speed of the WESCO Chevrolet Camaro, Dillon dropped back to mid-pack to save his equipment. Utilizing routine pit stops under yellow flag conditions, crew chief Ernie Cope called for two-tires, fuel and no adjustments as Dillon was happy with the handling of the blue and white machine. The Richard Childress Racing driver was running ninth on lap 94 when competitors in front of him began spinning and collected Dillon. The Cope-led team took the No. 33 Chevrolet to the garage for repairs. Unable to fix the vehicle to NASCAR standards, Dillon and the team were relegated to a 24th-place finish.

Start - 17 Finish - 24 Laps Led - 1 Owner's Points - 6th

TY DILLON QUOTE: "That was pretty wild. We had a really fast car today. Ernie (Cope, crew chief) and the whole WESCO Chevrolet team did a great job in putting this car together. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really think we had a car that could have won the race today. I can't thank WESCO and all of their suppliers enough for coming out and supporting us this afternoon."