RCR at Pocono … In 106 starts at Pocono, RCR team owner Richard Childress has two wins, both of them coming with Dale Earnhardt, who won the Summer 500 on July 19, 1987 and the Miller Genuine Draft 500 on July 18, 1993. Additionally, RCR has earned one pole, 13 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes at the uniquely-shaped three-turn speedway. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed two of those top 10s from 1976-1980.
The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first 13 races, RCR’s three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched eight top-five and 21 top-10 finishes. The No. 29 team kicked off the 2010 season with a win in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona and followed that up with a win at Talladega Superspeedway in April. RCR-prepared Chevrolets have also completed 13,050 out of 13,659 total laps (95.5 percent) with drivers Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick, who have led a combined 460 laps. At least one RCR driver has led laps in the season’s first 13 events with the lone exception being Phoenix.
Get to the Points … At the regular season’s halfway point, all three of RCR’s Sprint Cup Series drivers are in the top 13 of the overall championship point standings following last weekend’s race in Charlotte. Shell-Pennzoil driver Harvick remains atop the standings, for the fourth consecutive week, and leads Caterpillar driver Burton, in eighth, by 241 markers. Cheerios/Hamburger Helper-sponsored driver Bowyer vaulted two positions, to 13th, in the standings after his seventh-place run in last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 and is a mere four points in arrears to the coveted 12th-place spot.
RCR on Twitter … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton and @RCR33CBowyer.
Catch the Action … Live coverage of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 from Pocono Raceway will be televised on TNT Sunday, June 6, beginning at 12 noon Eastern Daylight Time and will also broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 14th race on the 2010 Sprint Cup Series tour will be televised on SPEED Friday, June 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
. Kevin Harvick No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 309 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet is a completely brand new car which will see its first laps on the track during Friday’s practice session.
Follow the Leader … Fresh off his 11th-place finish last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick remains the leader in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points. Harvick has one win, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in the season’s first 13 races.
Career Pocono Stats … The Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 marks Harvick’s 336th career start in the NSCS.
-In 18 NSCS starts at the 2.5-mile triangle-shaped oval, Harvick owns two top-five and five top-10 finishes.
-He owns an average finish of 15.7 at Pocono.
-His best finish at Pocono was a fourth-place effort in August 2008.
-He has finished in the top 15 in eight of his last 10 Pocono starts.
-Pocono Raceway is the only track on the NSCS circuit that he has not led a lap.
In the Loop … Kevin Harvick owns some very impressive loop data statistics over the season’s first 13 races. -First in average finish (8.8).
-First in Closer category, total positions improved during the last 10 percent of each race.
-Fifth in fastest speed in traffic.
-Sixth in Driver Rating, a formula combining the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps, and lead lap finish.
-Sixth in average running position.
Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Recap … Last weekend at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600, Harvick completed every lap and crossed the finish line in 11th. The Bakersfield, Calif., driver overcame two rounds of adversity, one from a bent splitter brace after running over a piece of debris, and another from a severe vibration that forced him to pit out of sequence. The result was Harvick’s 12th finish of 13th or better in the season’s first 13 events.
Meet the Press … Harvick will be available to field questions from the gathered media on Friday in the infield media center at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Jim Rome Is Burning … Kevin Harvick will be a featured guest on ESPN’s Jim Rome Is Burning show on Thursday, June 3, at 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Drive for Five … Shell is launching a new Shell Drive for Five card that will offer new cardholders the opportunity to save five cents per gallon on Shell-branded fuel when you buy a minimum of 45 gallons a month, up to 100 gallons. With more than 80 percent of all Americans living within five miles of a Shell location coast-to-coast, having a Shell card can be an ideal choice for drivers. Consumers can pick up an application to apply at any Shell-branded site, apply online at www.shell.us/driveforfive or over the phone at 1-888-98-SHELL.
Get Your Key to Clean … Pennzoil® announced the “Get Your Key to Clean” promotion this past weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The promotional sweepstakes provides consumers the opportunity to win a VIP weekend for the Charlotte races in October, as well as a piece of automotive history, the first vehicle produced by the newly formed RCR Street Performance Group, a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. The “Get Your Key to Clean” promotion, which runs June 1-July 31, 2010, will treat five finalists and a guest to an RCR VIP Experience at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 15, 2010. A ceremony will be held before the start of the race where each of the five finalists will be presented with a key and a chance to test the key in the RCR Street Performance Camaro SS. One key will start the engine determining the Grand Prize Winner. Go to www.Pennzoil.com to enter.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES: What are your thoughts about Pocono Raceway?
”Pocono has a lot of its own characteristics, to say the least. It’s a 2.5-mile triangle-shaped race track that has three pretty tricky turns. Turn one is really bumpy, and the tunnel turn has a pretty big curb and it is pretty easy to make a mistake there. Turn three is one of the flattest turns we deal with on the NASCAR circuit. It definitely has its own unique challenges.”
What part of Pocono is the trickiest for you to get accustomed to?
”For me, the trickiest part of Pocono is the tunnel turn. You have to carry so much speed into that turn that there is not much room for error. The tunnel turn is so much harder to get through now than it used to be. A few years ago there was a flat curb there and you could lean on it a little bit if you needed to. Now, there is a big curb there and if you hit it, you’ll probably be forced up the race track, and the chances of hitting the wall are pretty high.”
Some drivers say the tunnel turn at Pocono is one of the most difficult turns in all of NASCAR. Would you agree with that?
”It’s a very challenging corner. It’s very inviting to drive the car in too far and then you push up in the center of the corner. When you get it right, it’s a really, really fun corner to go through because it’s really fast and the car is right on the edge getting into the corner, and you’re in the gas really early on exit. The car just kind of has that loose swing as you come up off the corner and you’re right up against the wall. It’s really flat. There’s a little bump in the middle of it. It’s really fun when your car is right. If it’s not right, you lose a ton of time there.”
The frontstretch is so long at Pocono. When you’re coming out of turn three, can you even see turn one?
”You can kind of see (turn one). It’s a long way down there. The turn three exit is the most important corner on the track, just because you have that long front straightaway. If you screw up the exit of turn three, you screw up the place where you can gain the most time. You have to have a lot of horsepower and you have to have your car handling well. You have to get over the bumps right and there’s a lot of technique in remembering what you need to do in each corner. A lot of elements come into play at Pocono.”
Pocono has been a good track for you. Any particular reason for your success there?
”Pocono is a fun track to race on. The last few years, it’s come down to strategy and we’ve been solid. It’s a fun track, and it’s really rough in turn one on the bottom. A lot of times you run through the middle. Usually when my car is running good, I can run anywhere I want through turn one. The tunnel turn is a really fast corner that you run right at the bottom. It’s got a really big curb that you really don’t want to hit at all, because it jumps you up in the air. It’s a challenging race track, and it has three totally different turns.”
Jeff Burton No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 302 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2010, Burton drove this Caterpillar Chevy to a 12th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway last month where he overcame a pit road commitment line violation to be in contention for the win, leading with 10 laps to go. However, a nine-car incident brought out a lengthy red flag and after the engines re-fired and green-flag racing continued, the handling on the No. 31 Chevy went away in the closing laps and Burton held on to finish 12th. Most recently, the veteran driver piloted this No. 31 racer to a runner-up finish at Dover International Speedway three weeks ago.
The Pocono Report … In 32 Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono, Burton has posted seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. He has posted a best finish of second on two occasions – June 1997 and July 2000 – and has earned an 18.2 starting average combined with a respectable 16.4 finishing average and has led 104 laps of competition.
Through 13 … In the season’s first 13 events, Burton has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes. He has recorded a 15.7 starting average and a 14.1 average finish and has spent 79.6 percent of the time running in the top 15 (3,625 of 4,553). The South Boston, Va., native is the series’ best Green-Flag Passer with 1,639 passes made under green-flag conditions. At the same time, he has passed more cars while running in the top 15 (1,187 of 1,639 passes). Other notable loop data season stats include:
-Fourth in Average Running Position (10.8)
-Fourth in Driver Rating (101.1)
-Second in Fastest Drivers in an Early Run
-Second in Fastest Drivers in a Late Run
-Third in Fastest Laps Run (274)
-Fourth in Fastest on Restarts
-Second in Green-Flag Speed
-Third in Laps in Top 15
-First in Fastest Speed in Traffic Rearview Mirror … Burton and the Cat Racing team were poised for a top-five finish in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway but, with just under 20 laps remaining, a competitor’s front splitter cut the left-rear tire on the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet that resulted in a 25th-place finish for the RCR team.
Testing, Testing, One-Two-Three … The Todd Berrier-led team is participating in a NASCAR sanctioned tire test at Watkins Glen International on Tuesday, June 1 and Wednesday, June 2 in preparation for the upcoming Sprint Cup Series 90-lap event on August 8. Welcome Home, Darin … One member from the Cat Racing team hails from Pennsylvania. Car chief Darin Nestlerode grew up in Jersey Shore. In addition to his mechanic duties on the RCR entry, Nestlerode also holds the sign board during pit stops on race day. He and his wife, Paula, reside in Kernersville, N.C. and are heavily involved in the Triad Bloodhounds, a non-profit organization that trains K-9’s in various areas: tracking lost persons, criminal tracking, cadaver, water recovery, explosive detection, article searches and weapon detection.
Meet the Press … Burton will field questions from the gathered media inside Pocono Raceway’s media center Friday, June 4 at 10:45 a.m.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts heading into Pocono this weekend?
“Pocono is a track where I don’t have a lot of laps led and any wins. I’ve been in position a few times and it’s a place where I think I overdrive it too much. I hope to be on the good side of things this weekend. We don’t have good finishes there. It’s probably one of my worst tracks as far as finishes are concerned.”
What has been the one thing that teams tend to struggle with at Pocono?
“Our main struggle at Pocono is one of the three corners. We’ll find two corners where we are good and then we’ll have one corner where we are not so good. We haven’t found the balance that will allow us to lay down lap times without sacrificing too much in one particular corner. The fun thing about Pocono and the difficult thing is that every corner is different. You have to be good in every corner and you can’t sacrifice anything anywhere. Pocono is a very demanding race track physically and mentally. It’s one of our toughest tests we have all year.”
Is Pocono a tricky race track to navigate?
“It’s hard. It has the longest front straightaway we go to. Turn one is really rough and slick and has a lot of bumps. The next straightway is really long, too, that leads into the tunnel turn, which I think is the most challenging corners in all of motorsports. Turn three is hard to get through because you typically have no grip there. Pocono is definitely a challenging race track.”
You are in the top 10 in the point standings. How much of a scramble do you think it will be for you to stay in the top 12 given the points are tight between the seventh and 16th positions?
“We’re halfway through the regular season and everyone is starting to feel the pressure. There certainly are some guys who will have a hard time in climbing their way up and there are a lot of us that could go either way. It’s important to go through the summer months and not lose a lot of points. It doesn’t matter how fast you are – they’re only going to take the top 12.”
Clint Bowyer
No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Impala Race Notes and Quotes
This Weekend’s Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Impala at Pocono Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 298 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet, built new in 2010, made its debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. Bowyer and the No. 33 team were in line to score a top-10 finish when late-race contact cut Bowyer’s tire, resulting in a less-than-desired 23rd-place finish.
Pocono Stats … In eight NSCS starts at the “Tricky Triangle,” Bowyer has earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes. His best finish at the 2.5-mile track came last August where the Emporia, Kan., native led 23 laps en route to a third-place finish. The two-time NSCS race winner has completed 1,455 of 1,506 laps contested (96.6 percent) and owns a 17.5 average finish at the Long Pond, Pa., facility.
Stacking Up … Here is how Bowyer ranks against his competition through the first 13 races of the 2010 season… -Third … Speed in Traffic
-Fifth (Tied) …Fastest Early in the Run
-Fifth … Fastest Late in the Run
-Sixth … Green Flag Speed
-Seventh …Laps Run Inside the Top 15 (2, 896 of 4,553 or 63.6 percent)
-Eighth … Driver Rating (89.3). The Driver Rating formula combining the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish.
Rearview Mirror … Clint Bowyer, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Sunday, is back in the thick of the Chase for the Sprint Cup battle following a seventh-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team climbed two spots, to 13th, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings and sits a mere four points outside the coveted top 12 with 13 races remaining before the Chase begins.
Gillette Fusion ProGlide … As a Gillette Young Gun, Bowyer will be making his way through the Pocono infield this weekend searching out “Believers” of The Gillette Fusion ProGlide with thinner, finer blades is the first razor to turn shaving into gliding and will be available in stores on June 6. Fans not able to make the race can also enter the Gillette Fusion ProGlide challenge by uploading a video at www.ProGlideChallenge.com.
CLINT BOWYER QUOTES: You’re out of the top 12 right now but, with how you guys have been running this season, are you confident you can get back inside the Chase? ”I think so. Our cars are definitely fast and that gives us the confidence we need to get through these summer months. This is where it is important to have a string of good runs. Pocono starts the list of race tracks that can either make or break your season. These summer months are crucial in making sure your cars are fast and that you have the finishes to back it up. I feel that there is no reason why we can’t do that to get ourselves back in this Chase hunt to compete for the championship.”
Can you talk a little about the tracks coming up and how you think you’ll perform on them?
”We definitely have some good tracks coming up for us. We had a good run the last time around at Pocono. We’re confident that we can have strong runs at both Pocono races. We’ve seen some teams struggle there in the past and we need to capitalize on those opportunities. Then, with the road course, we’ve had good runs at those as well. At Infineon, we’ve been very fortunate to have good finishes there and we need to keep that up. Those are three important race tracks for us. Michigan is another one. We were strong there last year and hope to have those same results again.”
The Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines have been strong. Will that horsepower help you out as you head to those long straightaways at Pocono?
”Absolutely, but our cars are handling better, too. When you look at those tracks where horsepower is vital, like Pocono, we think our engine package will help us run well there.”
We know engines are important at Pocono, but can you talk a little on how brakes play a factor as well?
”The straightaways are so long and then you have tight corners. You have to woe your car down getting into the corners and that certainly takes a toll on the brakes. You have to have a good brake package and manage them so you can be there at the end of the race.”
This will be the first time the series heads to Pocono with the new green, white and checkered flag rules. How will that play into your strategy at the end of the race?
”At any of these big racetracks, the fuel strategy comes into play. Especially, with the three attempts at the green, white and checkered flag finishes. People are going to run out of fuel. It’s going to happen. The whole field is going to be upset if someone sputters or runs out of fuel. Somebody is going to look back and think we should have come in to top off and then others are going to have that play into their hand by getting themselves a win. I certainly see that happening at one of these bigger race tracks during these next two months.” |
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Richard Childress Racing Event Preview Fact Sheet
Race: Federated Auto Parts 300 – June 5, 2010
Location: Nashville Superspeedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race Notes:
RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Nashville … In 36 previous NNS appearances at Nashville Superspeedway, RCR has acquired three wins, 16 top-five and 21 top-ten finishes, along with two pole awards.
Three Times the Charm … Three drivers have taken RCR to Victory Lane at Nashville Superspeedway — Scott Wimmer in March 2008, Kevin Harvick in April 2006 and Clint Bowyer in June 2005.
Averages … RCR boasts an average start position of 10.6 and an average finish position of 10.8 among all NNS races the organization has contested at Nashville. RCR drivers have completed 95.2 percent of the laps attempted at the track (7,708 of 8,100 laps), with 753 laps led.
Twitter …To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter page – @RCR21NNS.
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 300 will be televised live on Saturday, June 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on ESPN2 and on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 7 p.m. EDT.
Scott Riggs
No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Zaxby’s Chevrolet at Nashville … Scott Riggs will pilot chassis No. 076 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in this weekend’s Federated Auto Parts 300. This is the same chassis that John Wes Townley drove to an 18th-place finish in April at Nashville. In March 2009, Clint Bowyer started seventh and finished third with this chassis at Bristol Motor Speedway. Bowyer also posted a seventh-place finish in this car at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., in September 2008.
In the Driver’s Seat … Nashville marks the first of two scheduled races in which Riggs will drive the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet for RCR. John Wes Townley drove the Zaxby’s Chevrolet in the first five NNS races of 2010 and Clint Bowyer has driven the yellow, red and blue machine seven times so far this season.
Former Winner … Riggs earned a Nashville Superspeedway victory as a rookie in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in April 2002 and earned a second Nashville Victory in June 2003. In addition to his two NNS wins, Riggs earned a victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Nashville in August 2001.
Meet the Driver … Riggs will participate in a NNS autograph session designed to raise funds for Nashville flood victims on Saturday, June 5, from 1-2 p.m. local time at the Nationwide mobile display on the midway outside of Nashville Superspeedway.
SCOTT RIGGS QUOTES:
You’ve had a lot of success at Nashville in the past. What’s your secret?
“Since Nashville is a concrete track with a lot of grip, it’s important to have a car that can get through the center of the corners. It’s very easy to over-drive the corner so you have to be careful. It’s going to be good to go to Nashville with RCR’s equipment because I feel like I have a shot at getting another guitar.”
What makes Nashville such a unique track on the NNS schedule?
“It’s really the only track over a mile in length that is concrete, so that makes it sort of unique in itself. It’s a unique city, too, especially with all of the country music entertainment downtown. The fans are always great at Nashville and I love the support we get from the fans there. Of course, given everything that the people of Nashville have been through this year, all of our thoughts and prayers are with the city’s flood victims and what they are going through.”
CREW CHIEF DAN DEERINGHOFF QUOTES:
What does it take to win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series?
”You almost have to have a perfect race to win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series these days. And, realistically, there are about five teams who run a perfect race on any given weekend, so you have to run a perfect race just to be in contention for a top-five finish. And then, once you have a perfect race, it takes just that little bit of luck maybe to put you over the top, and put you in Victory Circle. It’s incredibly competitive.” |
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Richard Childress Racing Event Preview Fact Sheet
Race: WinStar World Casino 400k- June 4, 2010
Location: Texas Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Notes:
RCR’s NCWTS History … In 139 NCWTS starts, RCR has earned 20 wins, 59 top-five finishes, 87 top-10 finishes and 14 poles, along with the inaugural series championship in 1995 with Mike Skinner. The organization has an 11th-place average starting position and a 10th-place average finish position.
First Time … Although RCR has a long history in the NCWTS, this weekend’s WinStar World Casino 400k marks the organization’s first NCWTS appearance at Texas Motor Speedway.
Social Media …To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Twitter page – @RCR3ADillon, Austin Dillon’s personal Twitter page – @ADillon3, and the Official Austin Dillon Facebook fan page -http://www.facebook.com/adillon3.
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the WinStar World Casino 400k will be televised live on Friday, June 4, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on SPEED and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Austin Dillon
No. 3 Bass Pro Shop Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 005 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable in this weekend’s WinStar World Casino 400k. This is a brand new chassis that will be put through its first paces at this weekend. This Bass Pro Shops Silverado was not originally scheduled for Texas but performed so well in a wind tunnel test that crew chief Danny Stockman and the Bass Pro Shops crew opted to use it this weekend.
Special Paint Scheme … The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet will sport a special Safari Club International paint scheme this weekend, marking the third consecutive week in which RCR’s Bass Pro Shops team has run a special paint scheme.
The Season so Far … In the first seven races of the 2010 NCWTS season, Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Dillon boasts an average starting position of 9.3 and an average finish position of 18.3. The High Point University student has earned two top-10 finishes and has earned Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors in four out of seven races.
The Case of the Loose Lug Nuts … In his last NCWTS appearance, loose lug nuts caused Dillon to crash on lap 10 of 134, relegating the Raybestos rookie contender to a career-worst 35th-place finish. The finish moved Dillon down three positions, to 14th, in the NCWTS drivers’ point standings. He also moved down one position, to second, in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.
Meet the Driver … Dillon will participate in a NCWTS driver autograph session from 4:30-5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, June 4, at the Texas Motor Speedway Midway area, located near Gate 7.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Once again, you are going to a track for the first time this weekend. What steps will you take to prepare for Texas?
”I’m just trying to do some of the same things that we have done all year to prepare for race tracks that I have never been to before by watching videos and taking the right equipment to the track. We’ve had great trucks at all of the superspeedway races and Texas will be no different. We’re bringing a brand new truck, supposedly the best truck we have had all year. I’m going to turn as many laps as I can in practice and use what I learn during practice in the race.”
Do you feel pressure to get back to the top of the Raybestos Rookie Standings this weekend in Texas?
“The pressure isn’t any greater than usual because my goal is to finish up front every race. Unfortunately, stupid stuff keeps happening but if we keep doing what we have been doing, good finishes are going to come.”
CREW CHIEF DANNY STOCKMAN QUOTES: You’ve had a lot of success at Texas in the past…
“I’ve been a part of winning six races at Texas -four consecutive wins with Brendan Gaughan in 2002 and 2003 and two consecutive wins with Ron Hornaday in 2008. The key to success there is to keep the truck tight enough in the race so that the driver can race around traffic. Texas is a very fast track that has a lot of grip but the weather will be really, really hot so the truck has to be tight enough to run side-by-side. There is a fine line between tight and too tight so we will explore that line during practice. We want the truck to be tight enough for Austin to hold it wide open as long as he can.”
As a crew chief, how do you prepare a rookie driver for a track as fast as Texas?
“Austin has never been to Texas so the weekend will be just like Charlotte, Atlanta, Kansas and most of the tracks that Austin has raced at this year in the NCWTS. We usually unload the truck tight and then back our set up to where he feels comfortable. We use the same strategy every week, and so far it’s worked. We’ve been in the top 10 during practice pretty much every week.” |
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Richard Childress Racing Event Preview Fact Sheet
Race: Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200-June 5, 2010
Location: Pocono Raceway
Richard Childress Racing
ARCA Racing Series presented by Ansell and Menards Race Notes:
Richard Childress Racing Pocono History … Richard Childress Racing has two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Pocono Raceway but this weekend, the 41-year-old racing organization will be aiming for its first Pocono win in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards with driver Tim George Jr.
RCR History in ARCA … Tim George Jr. has competed in the first six races of 2010 under the RCR banner and plans to complete the full 2010 season in the No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet Impala. Austin Dillon drove the No. 31 Chevrolet in four ARCA Racing Series starts over the last two seasons and Kevin Harvick raced in two ARCA events for RCR in 1999.
Twitter … Follow Tim George Jr. on his official Twitter page – @TimGeorgeJr and follow RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing.
ARCA Nation … Cast your vote for Tim George Jr. in ARCA Nation’s Most Post Popular Driver contest presented by National Speed Sport News by visiting the driver’s ARCA Nation page – http://www.arcanation.com/rcr31.
Catch the Action … Tune into the ARCA Racing Network at http://www.arcaracing.com for live timing and scoring of the Messina Animal Stopper 200 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, June 5. SPEED’s coverage of the ARCA Racing Series at Pocono airs at 4 p.m. EDT.
Tim George Jr.
No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes
This Week’s RCR Chevrolet at Pocono … Tim George Jr. will pilot chassis No. 120 from the Richard Childress Racing ARCA Racing Series stable in this weekend’s Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200. Earlier this season, George finished 13th at Texas Motor Speedway with this Chevrolet. This chassis is a proven winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with driver Kevin Harvick, who won at Phoenix and Loudon with this car in 2006. Pocono Stats … Tim George Jr. has two finishes of 19th at Pocono Raceway in two previous starts at the track, both in 2009. In 29 career ARCA Racing Series starts, George has earned two top-five and four top-10 finishes. All about Points … George is currently tied for ninth in the ARCA Racing Series point standings with 14 races remaining in the 20-race schedule.
Meet the Driver … George will sign autographs as part of Pocono Kid’s Day on Saturday, June 5, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time prior to competing in the same-day Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200.
TIM GEORGE JR QUOTES:
You grew up in New York City and spent Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons. Do you consider Pocono your home track?
“Pocono isn’t quite my home track, but it’s the closest place NASCAR races to where I grew up in New York. New Jersey Motorsports Park is the closest track in ARCA, but Pocono isn’t that much further so I should have some friends and family show up for support.”
What do you think about Pocono Raceway?
“I raced at Pocono last season, and it was one of my toughest tracks. It is the most ‘unique’ oval, or more of a triangle, that I have ever raced on.”
Does having past experience at Pocono give you confidence heading into this weekend’s race?
“This year I have a lot more confidence and a sense of feel in the racecar. I’m getting a lot closer to being able to understand what these cars need in terms of a solid setup for when the tires wear. With Gere Kennon (crew chief) and my guys helping, we should be competitive this year.” |
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Media Contacts
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| Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala
MEDIA CONTACT:Kyle Chapman
Manager of Communications
Mobile: 336.300.5553
E-mail: kchapman@rcrcracing.com
Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Brownlow
Senior Manager of Communications
Mobile: 336.425.3058
E-mail: cbrownlow@rcrracing.com
Clint Bowyer, No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet Impala
MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Heaney
Manager of Communications
Mobile: 336.655.1866
E-mail: kheaney@rcrracing.com
Scott Riggs, No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet Impala
MEDIA CONTACT: Jackie Franzil
Manager of Communications
Mobile: 336.655.8278
E-mail: jfranzil@rcrracing.com
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado
MEDIA CONTACT: David Hart
Director of Corporate Communications
Mobile: 336.223.3186
E-mail: hart@rcrracing.com
Tim George Jr., No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet Impala
MEDIA CONTACT: Jackie Franzil
Manager of Communications
Mobile: 336.655.8278
E-mail: jfranzil@rcrracing.com
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