Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Darlington Raceway … 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 123 collective starts, RCR boasts 23 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval with five different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization holds an average starting position of 16.9, an average finishing position of 17.8, has completed 38,676 of the 42,600 contested laps (90.8 percent) and has collectively led 2,606 laps.

RCR in the MENCS … In 2,969 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 51 pole awards,108 wins, 489 top-five finishes and 1,073 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.2. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Menards Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

A Celebration of 50 Years … Help Richard Childress Racing celebrate their golden anniversary at RCR Fan Day on our campus in Welcome, North Carolina on Friday, October 25. The unique, one-day event will include driver/owner autograph sessions, panel discussions with key personnel, a kids’ interactive area, pit crew demonstrations, military interaction, shop tours and even a hauler parade to help send off our teams as they head to Martinsville Speedway. Follow RCR’s social media channels for updates regarding Fan Day and all 50th Anniversary events.

Interactive RCR …
For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3, @TylerReddick and @DanielHemric. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages –  http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3 and www.facebook.com/DanielHemric.

Catch the Action … The Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Sunday, September 1 beginning at 6 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington Raceway … Dillon has made five career starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best fourth-place finish in 2017. He has made three appearances at “The Lady in Black” in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010.

Throwing it Back for Darlington with American Ethanol… American Ethanol is teaming up with Richard Childress Racing to bring back a new version of the iconic “Black Gold” Oldsmobile Cutlass driven by Richard Childress in the late 1970’s for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. American Ethanol first partnered with RCR in 2011 when NASCAR adopted Sunoco Green E15TM made with 15 percent cleaner-burning, higher-octane ethanol, across all three of its national series. Since then, a lot of exciting things have happened in the American Ethanol industry. The number of stations selling e15 has continued to grow substantially each year, as consumers are now able to access the fuel year round, and drivers have driven over 10 billion miles on the fuel and counting. E15 is often sold at the gas pump as Unleaded 88, which was just recently added as a fuel choice to GasBuddy, the nation’s largest and most-trusted fuel price app. Download GasBuddy and find out where you can save money on fuel with higher ethanol blends!

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Are you going to have some throwback fun at Darlington Raceway this year like a lot of the teams are?
“Yeah, we are. Our paint scheme this year honors the Black Gold car my grandfather raced in the 1970s. We’ve had fun filming the car with American Ethanol and getting into the history of the era. It’s really special to be able to honor my grandfather with our Darlington Throwback scheme.”

If you run at Darlington Raceway and you don’t have a Darlington Stripe have you truly raced at that track?
“Yeah, I have actually made it through without a Darlington stripe, but I have wiped out two cars in first practice. It’s a place that will bite you quick and you just have to have the right mentality going into it of what you are racing against. It’s not necessarily the competition as much as yourself. Mentally it’s a challenging place and I love that about it.”

Is Darlington Raceway a place where you feel like it’s more in your control versus some other tracks?
“For sure, it is. It’s a place where if you do your job and you have to have a good car, obviously, everybody that runs well there does, but doing your job rewards you at the end of the night.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington Raceway … Hemric will be making his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Darlington Raceway for this weekend’s 500-mile event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the “Lady in Black”, recording an average start of 3.5 and an average finish of 14.5.

About Blanchard Machinery Company … Blanchard Machinery Company has been supplying South Carolina customers with Caterpillar equipment since 1982. The family owned company has established retail and rental stores throughout the state which offer a wide range of Cat and non-Cat brands of equipment, from full-sized bulldozers to small machine parts. We are committed to providing our customers the best products and services available. Blanchard has 12 locations throughout South Carolina and numerous product lines. Our lines of business include Compact Equipment, Heavy Equipment, Forestry & Recycling, Power Systems, Bus, Truck Centers and Rental Services.

Throwing it Back to Caterpillar’s Original Battleship Gray … For the annual NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, Hemric and the No. 8 Chevrolet team will honor the earliest days of Caterpillar equipment, which featured Battleship Gray paint and a red wavy logo. In 1925 two men joined forces and together changed the course of the earthmoving industry. Benjamin Holt and CL Best’s vision and ingenuity remain the driving forces behind Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar’s gray and red colors were recognized as a sign of innovation in the late 1920’s. All machines were painted Battleship Gray, which was purchased from the Navy. This scheme was state-of-the-art – just as the Cat Yellow is today. The red, wavy logo features the same unique movement of the Caterpillar undercarriage. This logo appeared on machines until 1931. A special thanks to ChrisCo Machinery, Ed and Erik Christenbury, for providing the antique Caterpillar equipment for the Darlington Throwback scheme reveal.

Meet the Press … Hemric will be available to the NASCAR press corps during a driver media rotation session in the Darlington Raceway media center on Friday, Aug. 30, starting at 3:15 p.m. local time.

Meet the Driver … Hemric is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR merchandise hauler in the Darlington Raceway Fan Zone on Sunday, Sept. 1, starting at 2:20 p.m. local time.

DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
This will be your first Cup Series start at Darlington Raceway, but you have two Xfinity Series starts there. How tough is that track and does it live up to its reputation?
“Darlington is a very, very tough track. I remember going there for the first time in an Xfinity Series car and everybody tells me, ‘Hey man, this place is going to be tough.’ We go out and we’re fastest in the first round of qualifying, qualified second to Denny Hamlin, they dropped the green flag and I was plowing, I was so tight. I thought, ‘Man, I have really missed the balance on what I thought I needed versus what I really needed. We made gains going back there the second year. Darlington is just a place that you have to get laps at to really figure out what you want and how your race car needs to feel. We were running well, but another car got turned and it knocked the rear-end housing out of the car, so running 11th was like a win. Looking back, I learned a lot of lessons the last two years that I look forward to applying this weekend with the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This package is going to be really, really fast there. You have to be able to run right up by the fence, so you will need to be able to maneuver. That’s what it’s all about to move forward.”

The Throwback-themed weekends at Darlington Raceway have become wildly popular with fans, car owners, drivers and nearly everyone who follows the sport of NASCAR.

Paul Menard, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, counts himself among those who are excited about showing up at Darlington Raceway for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 weekend.

“It’s always fun to get down there and see the paint schemes,” he said. “They bring back lots of memories.”

Menard said he’s proud to be honoring his team’s late founder Glenn Wood, a man who he didn’t get to know as well as he would have liked as he just joined the team last year.

Menard said he cherishes the time he spent with Mr. Wood, who died on Jan. 18 of this year.

“I spent an hour or two with him at the museum in Stuart last fall,” Menard said. “I was surprised by how much he knew about what we’d been doing considering he hadn’t been around the tracks the whole year.

“He knew about our set-ups and understood how the races had played out. He was really up to date on the technology.”

At Darlington, Menard’s Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang will carry the same paint scheme as the 1957 Ford Sunliner that Glenn Wood raced in 1957 in his only Darlington appearance as a driver.

Wood, with relief from Fonty Flock, finished 17th in that Rebel 300 after blowing an engine.

Wood also raced the ’57, which started its working life on Ford’s desert proving grounds, at Daytona in 1958 in the Convertible circuit’s final appearance on the beach-road course that preceded Daytona International Speedway. He finished sixth in that race.

Wood, one of the top stars of the Convertible circuit, had his best season in 1957, winning four races and two poles and finishing in the top five in 23 of the 46 races that year.

For his 89-race Convertible career, Wood had five wins, 43 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes and nine poles.

He also raced the ’57 in the series now known as Monster Energy Cup, simply bolting on a top to make it legal for the elite division.

“It’ll be an honor to run Mr. Glenn’s paint scheme,” Menard said, adding that he and the No. 21 team will be doing their best to deliver a strong performance at Darlington.

“We’ll be running the 550-horsepower package, which has kind of been a thorn in our side this year.

“But if anybody can figure it out, it’s the Wood Brothers with Team Penske’s help.”

Qualifying for the Southern 500 is set for Saturday at 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time, and the race is scheduled to start just after 6 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on NBCSN.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers

Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.

Team:                   No. 6 Oscar Mayer / Velveeta Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Scott Graves
Twitter:                @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman

Bojangles’ Southern 500 – Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Newman at Darlington Raceway

·         Newman will make his 21st Cup start at Darlington on Sunday. In 20 prior events, Newman has an average finish of 12.1 – his best of any track on the circuit – with 13 top-10s and seven top fives.

·         Newman has converted on top-10 finishes or better in 65 percent of his outings at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in his first ever Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back six events, Newman has only one finish outside the top-13 with an average finish of 11th since 2013.

·         Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black,’ which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 9.9 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.

·         Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.

Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway

·         Graves will call his fourth MENCS race atop the pit box on Sunday. In three prior events at Darlington, Graves has an average finish of 28.3 (two starts with Daniel Suarez, one with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.).

·         In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Darlington:
“Darlington is no doubt my favorite track on the circuit and a weekend I have circled every year. Winning a Southern 500 has always been a goal of mine and it would rank near the top of everything I’ve accomplished in my career thus far. Everyone in the industry has done such a great job in embracing the throwback theme over the last few years, which really helps us all appreciate even more the history of our sport and its heritage. We’ve got a cool throwback scheme to Mark Martin in Oscar Mayer colors and we’re ready for the weekend to get here.”

Tracking the Playoff Hunt

·         With just two races to go in the regular season and hunt for the playoffs, Newman maintains his 15th-place standing entering Darlington.

·         Newman has a 12-point advantage over Daniel Suarez in 16th, while just a two-point gap separates him from Clint Bowyer in 17th.

On the Car
As part of a season-long rollout celebrating Oscar Mayer’s quality meat offerings, plus combined with the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, Newman’s scheme will feature both the Oscar Mayer and Velveeta brands in a scheme that pays tribute to NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin.

Newman’s scheme pays homage to Martin’s 1993 scheme that scored Jack Roush’s first Southern 500 win.
Martin led 178 laps en route to his 1993 victory, and also drove the scheme to a second-place finish in the spring event at Darlington that same season. Overall Martin led 301 laps during the 1993 season at ‘The Lady in Black.’
Oscar Mayer, who first appeared on the No. 6 back in 2003, was also featured on the car during last year’s #NASCARThrowback weekend with Matt Kenseth.

About The Kraft Heinz Company
The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC) is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world. A globally trusted producer of delicious foods, The Kraft Heinz Company provides high quality, great taste and nutrition for all eating occasions, whether at home, in restaurants or on the go. The Company’s iconic brands include Kraft, Heinz, ABC, Capri Sun, Classico, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Lunchables, Maxwell House, Ore-Ida, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Planters, Plasmon, Quero, Smart Ones and Velveeta. The Kraft Heinz Company is dedicated to the sustainable health of our people, our planet and our Company. For more information, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com.

Recapping Bristol
Ryan Newman picked up valuable stage points with a third-place finish in stage two and went on to finish 11th at Bristol two weeks ago.

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Bojangles’ Southern 500
Date/Time: September 1/6:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 367 laps/501.3 miles
Track Length: 1.36 miles
Track Shape: Egged-shaped oval
2018 Winner: Brad Keselowski

Express Notes:

Bristol (Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race) Recap: Denny Hamlin stormed from two laps down to win the Aug. 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, passing Matt DiBenedetto with 11 laps remaining to capture his fourth victory of the season. Hamlin lined up ninth for the final restart with 113 laps to go, and methodically picked off positions toward the front. He made it into the top five with less than 75 to go, and then up to second with 40 laps remaining. He worked the high line to catch DiBenedetto and then dove to the bottom to complete the pass. The race was not without incident for the #11 FedEx Team. An early wreck happened right in front of Hamlin while leading, and he was collected in it to sustain right-side damage. Repairs dropped him outside the top 10 for Stage 1 (11th), where he was seemingly mired in traffic. Then in Stage 2, Hamlin felt a loose wheel vibration and made an unscheduled stop on Lap 189, putting him two laps down to the field when the caution flew shortly thereafter. The wave-around got one lap back, and then Hamlin got the free pass with six laps to go in Stage 2 after a host of cautions late in that segment. Hamlin restarted the final segment just inside the top-20 before making his charge to the front. The finish vaulted Hamlin to third in the NASCAR point standings following Bristol, 77 points behind leader Kyle Busch with two races remaining in the regular season.

Darlington “NASCAR Throwback” Preview: The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads next to “The Lady in Black” for 367 laps of action at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 1. With only two regular season races left, Hamlin and team will look to continue their fine form as playoff racing is right around the corner. Additionally, the FedEx #11 will be participating in the NASCAR “throwback” tradition by honoring Darrell Waltrip. Chosen by Denny Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing team, the special design replicates the scheme from Waltrip’s final race win at Darlington in 1992 and pays homage to his legendary racing and broadcasting career in the sport of NASCAR.

Hamlin Darlington Statistics:
Track: Darlington Raceway
Races: 13
Wins: 2 (2010, 2017)
Poles: 1 (2018)
Top-5: 7
Top-10: 11
Laps Led: 562
Avg. Start: 8.8
Avg. Finish 6.2

Hamlin Conversation:

Can you tell us more about your special throwback paint scheme that you are driving at Darlington?

“I’m thrilled to be honoring Darrell Waltrip this year for my throwback paint scheme, paying respect to his legendary career. I helped design two paint schemes that were voted on by JGR employees, and they chose the one that replicates the Western Auto scheme that ‘DW’ drove for his final win at Darlington in 1992.”

Your team is really connecting on all cylinders at the moment. How important is that as you head into the playoffs in just three short weeks?

“This FedEx team is on such a roll right now. We show up fast to the racetrack each and every weekend, and I’m proud of what our entire team has been able to accomplish these past few weeks. We are happy with what we have been doing, but know there is a lot of work ahead of us, especially with the playoffs just around the corner.”

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: DARLINGTON NOTES

The annual Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway is up next on the NASCAR schedule with the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event on Sunday. Brad Keselowski is the defending winner of both series events.

FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES AT DARLINGTON
· Ford has 29 all-time series wins at Darlington.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner won Ford’s first race at Darlington in 1966.
· Brad Keselowski is the defending champion of the Southern 500.

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT DARLINGTON
· Ford has 18 series wins at Darlington.
· Mark Martin holds the record for most series wins at Darlington with eight.
· Jack Roush leads all owners with 15 Darlington series wins.

CUP PLAYOFF SCENARIO

Three Ford drivers are separated by only 14 points with two races to go in the regular season as they battle to be part of the 16-driver Playoff field. Ryan Newman currently holds 15th-place while Daniel Suarez is 12 points behind him in 16th position. Clint Bowyer finds himself 17th but is only two points behind his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate. A win by any of the three would automatically result in an automatic postseason berth while a victory by someone below them in the standings would reduce the number of spots available via points to one. Ford currently has five drivers in solid Playoff positions – Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola.

BACK-TO-BACK 1-2 FORD FINISHES

It will be hard to beat last season at Darlington Raceway when Ford posted consecutive 1-2 finishes in the NASCAR XFINITY and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. Brad Keselowski led the final 33 laps and won Saturday’s NXS event after Ross Chastain and Kevin Harvick made contact while battling for the lead. Cole Custer finished second to Keselowski, who registered his first win at Darlington. One night later Keselowski got his second after the No. 2 pit crew got him the lead on the final round of stops. Keselowski took off on the restart and beat Penske teammate Joey Logano to the finish line for Ford’s first Cup win at Darlington since Greg Biffle in 2006.

DARLINGTON MASTER

David Pearson holds the record for most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington Raceway with 10 and eight of those came in Ford Motor Co. products. He won six times driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury (1972,’74,’76-2,’77), winning the Southern 500 twice in that span (1976-77), and two more times in a Holman-Moody Ford (1968 and ’70). Pearson won three Southern 500 titles overall, capturing his third in 1979.

FIELD OF 70

The first time Ford won a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway was when Curtis Turner took the Southern 500 on Sept. 3, 1956. Unlike today, where the field is set at a maximum of 40 cars, there were 70 vehicles in the race that saw Turner lead 224 of the 400 laps. He beat Speedy Thompson to the finish line by more than two laps, and did in record fashion with an average race speed of 95.167 mph.

MILLION DOLLAR BILL

Bill Elliott earned the nickname “Million Dollar Bill” after winning the Winston Million Bonus in its first year of existence on Sept. 1, 1985. Needing to win three of the four “crown jewel” races in order to claim the $1 million bonus from series sponsor Winston, Elliott won the Daytona 500 and Winston 500. His chance to claim the prize in the Coca-Cola 600 failed, so he needed a win in the Southern 500. Elliott qualified on the pole and led the first 14 laps, but Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough served notice that they were going to be contenders. Earnhardt led a race-high 147 laps, but a blown engine forced him out of the race while Yarborough suffered a power-steering problem that derailed his chances. Elliott passed Yarborough when he had his problem with 44 to go and held on to win by three car lengths.

RECORD WIN

No race exemplifies Darlington’s toughness better than the Southern 500 that took place on Sept. 6, 1965 in which only 15 of 44 cars finished the race, and was highlighted by Cale Yarborough flying over the guard rail and down an embankment in turn one. The attrition that day may have been partly responsible for Ned Jarrett winning by a NASCAR-record 14 laps, but it wasn’t the sole reason. Jarrett and his No. 11 Ford were competitive all day, running up front and leading two times for 23 laps during the middle stages. But when Fred Lorenzen and Darel Dieringer both encountered mechanical problems on lap 325 of the 364-lap event, Jarrett was there to capitalize and cruise to his 12th victory of the season. He won by a NASCAR-record 14 laps and clinched Ford’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver championship in the process.

DALE AND BUD

The first of Dale Earnhardt’s three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins with Ford and car owner Bud Moore came on April 4, 1982 when he won the CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 at Darlington Raceway. Earnhardt, who drove two seasons for Moore in 1982 and ’83, dominated a race that saw 20 of the 37 cars not finish due to a variety of issues. Earnhardt led 181-of-367 laps and beat Cale Yarborough to the finish line for his seventh career victory. Earnhardt eventually went on to win two more races with Moore the following season at Nashville and Talladega.

BIFFLE REPEAT

It’s been more than 10 years since Ford went to victory lane in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington with the last time being on May 13, 2006 when Greg Biffle won for the second straight year. Biffle held off Jeff Gordon over the closing laps for his 10th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, and he did it in dominating fashion as he led 170 of the 367 laps. The race marked the fourth time Biffle led the most laps in the first 11 races that season, but it was his first victory.

FORD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE WINNERS AT DARLINGTON
1956 – Curtis Turner
1960 – Joe Weatherly (1)
1961 – Fred Lorenzen and Nelson Stacy
1962 – Nelson Stacy and Larry Frank
1963 – Fireball Roberts (2)
1964 – Fred Lorenzen (1)
1965 – Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett
1968 – David Pearson (1)
1969 – Lee Roy Yarbrough (2)
1970 – David Pearson (1)
1981 – Neil Bonnett (2)
1982 – Dale Earnhardt (1)
1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)
1988 – Bill Elliott (2)
1992 – Bill Elliott (1)
1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1994 – Bill Elliott (2)
1997 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1998 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1999 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)
2001 – Dale Jarrett (1)
2005 – Greg Biffle
2006 – Greg Biffle
2018 – Brad Keselowski

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES RACE WINNERS AT DARLINGTON
1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1994 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
1995 – Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Mark Martin (1) and Terry Labonte (2)
1997 – Jeff Burton (2)
1999 – Mark Martin (2)
2000 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Jeff Burton (2)
2002 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)
2004 – Greg Biffle (1)
2005 – Matt Kenseth
2009 – Matt Kenseth
2018 – Brad Keselowski

Team:                          No. 17 “Dog’s Most Wanted” Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:                 Brian Pattie
Twitter:                        @Stenhouse17Team, @stenhousejr, and @roushfenway

ADVANCE NOTES

Stenhouse at Darlington Raceway

Stenhouse Jr. has six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Darlington Raceway with an average starting position of 18.5 and average finishing position of 22.5.

Last year, Stenhouse earned a career-best finish of 12th at the ‘Lady in Black’.

“Dog’s Most Wanted” WGN America

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will team up with Duane “Dog” Chapman and his exhilarating new unscripted series “Dog’s Most Wanted” when the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the iconic Darlington Raceway for the famed Southern 500 on September 1. Stenhouse’s No. 17 Ford Mustang will be fully-wrapped to promote WGN America’s new series “Dog’s Most Wanted,” which features Duane “Dog” Chapman, his late wife Beth and a hand-picked team of bounty hunters bringing criminals to justice. The series premieres on Wednesday, September 4 at 9/8c on WGN America.

The legendary bounty hunter and TV personality will be in attendance as the green flag waves on the fifth edition of the South Carolina track’s ‘throwback’ weekend.

Last time at Darlington

With two cautions in the final laps, the 2017 NASCAR Playoff contender took the wave around twice to get back on the lead lap. When the final green flag waved on lap 343, Stenhouse lined up in the 14th position and was able to gain two more spots to take the checkered flag in the 12th position; a career best finish at ‘The Track to Tough to Tame’.

Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Darlington:

“All of us drivers look forward to racing at Darlington because of its rich history. We haven’t had the best of luck at Darlington. The track is tough hence its nickname ‘Too Tough to Tame’. Last year we had our best finish there and I think we learned some things that hopefully can translate into this weekend. We are running a special scheme for the new show “Dog’s Most Wanted” so hopefully we can have a strong showing for Dog and his late wife Beth.”

David Ragan to Honor David Pearson and Give Patient VIP Race Experience

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 27, 2019) – Once again, Shriner David Ragan and Shriners Hospitals for Children are ready to give back.  Ragan heads to the Darlington Raceway this weekend to celebrate the history and tradition of NASCAR during its annual “Throwback Weekend.”  And, he’ll have a little help from 14-year-old Shriners Hospital for Children Greenville patient, Brannen.  Brannen, 14, from Charlotte, N.C. is being treated for  cerebral palsy at the Hospital.  Brannen, along with other guests from Shriners International will be VIP guests of Ragan.

Ragan will also be honoring fellow Shriner and NASCAR Hall of Fame member David Pearson, racing the livery of the Holman-Moody Racing Ford Tornio Cobra that Pearson raced to his third and final NASCAR Cup Series championship in 1969; 50 years ago, and the same year that Pearson became a Shriner.  The hood features a photo of Pearson during his Hall of Fame career and a photo of him in his Shriner fez.  The remainder of the car will have the Shriners Hospitals for Children logos with the 1969 Holman-Moody metallic blue and gold scheme.

Ragan, Front Row Motorsports and the Shriners wanted to recognize Pearson at the track where he found so much success.  Pearson is a 10-time winner at Darlington Raceway and won the Southern 500 three times.  In 1969, Pearson raced the Holman-Moody gold and blue Ford Tornio Cobra to 11 wins, 14 poles and to his third championship over his rival, Richard Petty.  Off the track, Pearson gave back to his community through the Shriners – a practice that Ragan carries on today.

“I don’t know how many more times I’ll race in the Cup Series with a Shriners Hospitals for Children paint scheme, but this one will be most the most special thus far,” said Ragan.  “This is such a great weekend for our sport in general, but to host a patient, other Shriners and race with the memory of one of my heroes in David Pearson, it’s going to be extra memorable for me.”

“I really can’t thank Shriners Hospitals for Children enough for what they do,” continued Ragan.  “I’m proud to be a Shriner and join my brotherhood in giving back to the patients and give them a special day at the track.  I must thank Bob Jenkins and Front Row Motorsports for joining us in the same efforts, too.  It’s a total team effort.”

Prior to the race weekend, Ragan will visit the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Greenville, S.C.  Ragan will host the No. 38 Shriners Hospitals for Children car, sign autographs, take photos and spend time with the patients.

Ragan has been a member of Shriners International since 2012 and serves as its NASCAR ambassador.  He visits Shriners Hospitals during the race season and raises awareness and funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children through various campaigns, public service announcements, donations and activities. Earlier this year, Ragan auctioned off his 2018 Shiners Hospitals for Children race car at the Barrett-Jackson auction.  The winning bid, made by Rick Steele of Select Blinds, raised $300,000 for the Hospitals.

Shriners Hospitals for Children provides specialized care to children with orthopaedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns and cleft lip and palate regardless of the families’ ability to pay.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Our 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Learn more at
shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields three full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell, the No. 36 of Matt Tifft and the No. 38 of David Ragan – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. The team’s partnership base includes CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Ford Performance, Love’s Travel Stops, Select Blinds, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Surface and Speedco. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

No. 17 Ford to partner with WGN America’s new unscripted Series “Dog’s Most Wanted”

CONCORD, N.C. (August 26, 2019) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will team up with Duane “Dog” Chapman and his exhilarating new unscripted series “Dog’s Most Wanted” when the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the iconic Darlington Raceway for the famed Southern 500 on September 1. Stenhouse’s No. 17 Ford Mustang will be fully-wrapped to promote WGN America’s new series “Dog’s Most Wanted,” which features Duane “Dog” Chapman, his late wife Beth and a hand-picked team of bounty hunters bringing criminals to justice. The series premieres on Wednesday, September 4 at 9/8c on WGN America.

“It’s going to be awesome to have ‘Dog’s Most Wanted’ on the car at Darlington,” said Stenhouse Jr. “We are looking forward to having him at the race and hopefully he can help us track down and capture a trip to victory lane.”

The legendary bounty hunter and TV personality will be in attendance as the green flag waves on the fifth edition of the South Carolina track’s ‘throwback’ weekend.

In this new series, “Dog” and the late Beth Chapman will be supported by a ferocious team of hunters Dog calls “The Dirty Dozen.”  Together they will go on a cross-country manhunt to track down a carefully curated list of Dog’s Most Wanted fugitives. In their personal lives, the series tackles the family’s most difficult fight as their beloved matriarch Beth Chapman bravely fights – and tragically loses – her battle with cancer.

“Dog’s Most Wanted” is produced by Dorsey Pictures, a Red Arrow Studios company, along with Entertainment by Bonnie and Clyde. Chris Dorsey (“Building Alaska”), and Matt Assmus serve as Executive Producers for Dorsey Pictures. Dog and the late Beth Chapman are Executive Producers for Bonnie & Clyde.

WGN America and Tribune Media Company

WGN America, the flagship entertainment destination of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), is a nationally distributed television network available in more than 75 million homes via cable, satellite and telco.  The network features a strong slate of original series, fan-favorite dramas, comedies and blockbuster movies.  Stay connected to WGN America on Twitter @wgnamerica.  For additional information, please visit www.wgnamerica.com.

No. 36 Ford to Recreate Family-Owned Dirt Late Model