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NASCAR XFINITY Series news and information

  • Richardson and Riggs to pilot entries for R3 Motorsports at Michigan

    CHINA GROVE, N.C.(June 14, 2010) – R3 Motorsports heads to Michigan International Speedway this weekend with two cars entered into Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    Robert Richardson, Jr. will be in his usual No. 23 North Texas Pipe Chevrolet for the team with Scott Riggs in the No. 03 Dodge. Richardson is locked in via the Owner’s Points, while Riggs will have to race his way in around the two-mile oval during qualifying.

    This will be Riggs’ second time driving for the team this season; the first was a 13th-place finish at Darlington Raceway last month.

    Fast Facts:Richardson is making his 13th NNS start of 2011 and 82nd of his career. The native of McKinney, Texas has a best finish of 20th this season, which he achieved at Richmond International Raceway in April. Scott Riggs will attempt to make his 88th-career NNS start

    Track Facts:In three previous MIS starts, Richardson has a best finish of 24th, which he achieved in 2009. While running near the top-20 in this event last year, he was tagged from behind with 12 laps remaining causing race-ending damage to the No. 23 machine. He’s completed 292 of 375 laps during those three starts, as well. Riggs also has three NNS starts at MIS earning three top-20s, two top-10s and one top-five. His best start was third in ’02 and finish of fifth in ’03.

    Car Facts:Walter Giles and team are bringing Car No. 38 to the Irish Hills of Michigan this weekend for Richardson. This will be the car’s first run of the 2011 season.

    Richardson Goes to Victory Lane:Last weekend, he was just walking through the garage at his home track of Texas Motor Speedway checking out the NASCAR Camping World action. Next thing he knew, Richardson was holding the pit sign for four-time champion, and race winner, Ron Hornaday, Jr. for his stops en route to the checkered flag.

    Tune in for the Win:There will be two practices on Friday with the first at 11:30 a.m. (ET) and the second at 2 p.m., which will both be shown on SPEED TV. Qualifying takes place on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. on Saturday, with race action on ABC-TV at 3 p.m. for all 125 laps. And, you can listen to the race on MRN Radio and/or Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, as well.

    Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes:“Michigan is one of those tracks where you can run side-by-side and use up a lot of the track because it’s so wide. This time, we have more than a few starts on these new Nationwide cars than we did last year when we raced here. So, that’s going to help out in practice, qualifying and the race. I’m looking forward to working with Scott (Riggs) so we can exchange some feedback and I can hopefully learn some things from him. He’s had some good runs there, so we’re looking for some good info for R3 Motorsports”

    Scott Riggs Quotes:“We had a pretty good run at Darlington when I last drove for R3 Motorsports. So, I’m looking forward to making some more laps in these new Nationwide cars and seeing what we can do at Michigan. It’s a big, fast track where you can fish around to find the groove that’s right for you. I’ve had some good runs there in the past, so I’ll see what happens this time and how Rob Jr. and I can work together to get the most out of our cars.”

  • Kyle Busch Leads in NASCAR TV Exposure

    Kyle Busch Leads in NASCAR TV Exposure

    Through One-Third of the NASCAR Season, Kyle Busch is the Most-Mentioned Driver and Tops in Sponsor Exposure

    ANN ARBOR, MI, June 14, 2011 — Even before his most recent dustup, Kyle Busch had been the center of attention during this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series broadcasts.  Interviewed longer and mentioned more frequently than any other driver on the circuit during the first 12 event telecasts of 2011, Busch parlayed the spotlight into $28.4 million of exposure value for his sponsors—some $6.5 million more than the next most sponsor-potent driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons — Busch’s sponsors, with logos appearing on his car, uniform and pit crew, etc., were monitored for eight hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds (8:30:39) during live and replayed coverage of NASCAR’s Daytona 500 through last month’s Coca-Cola 600.  Additionally, Busch and the FOX TV crew verbally mentioned his sponsors on 95 occasions.

    Joyce Julius calculates television exposure value by comparing the in-broadcast visual and verbal exposure to the estimated cost of a national commercial during the telecast and applying Joyce Julius Recognition Grading — which takes into account such factors as size and placement of the image on screen, as well as brand clutter and integration of the brand into the activity.

    Earnhardt Jr.’s cumulative exposure value ranked him second among all drivers with $21.8 million, based on 5.5 hours of on-screen time for his sponsors and 18 brand mentions.  The popular driver was third in interview durations (0:13:07), but interestingly, Earnhardt Jr. sat just seventh in total driver mentions (1,140).

    Meanwhile, Trevor Bayne, despite starting only eight of the first 12 points races this year, rode the wave of his Daytona 500 win to earn $12.3 million of exposure value for his sponsors, the seventh-most among the drivers.  Bayne placed 20th in terms of cumulative sponsor on-camera time and 22nd in driver mentions.  

    Driver                     Sponsor Exp.           Verbal             RG Exp.            Driver          Interview            Driver                                             Time      Mentions                 Value     Interviews          Durations      Mentions 1)  Ky. Busch  8:30:39  95  $28,447,545  16  0:21:17  2,107   2)  D. Earnhardt Jr.  5:36:54  18  $21,835,475  8  0:13:07  1,140   3)  J. Johnson  8:09:27  41  $20,332,440  11  0:09:40  1,526   4)  K. Harvick  5:25:07  120  $17,256,695  16  0:12:37  1,143   5)  J. Gordon  5:26:12  31  $16,439,475  9  0:09:39  1,295   6)  C. Edwards  5:32:30  72  $15,229,945  17  0:15:42  1,558   7)  T. Bayne  2:16:48  23  $12,312,365  9  0:08:46  439   8)  T. Stewart  4:39:04  8  $12,128,595  5  0:02:24  1,065   9)  M. Kenseth  4:03:45  37  $11,314,500  10  0:07:51  1,152   10) C. Bowyer  4:28:44  39  $11,293,260  9  0:06:52  998  

    About Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc.:

    Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. is the sports and entertainment industry leader in accurate measurement and evaluation of sponsorships and promotional programs.  Joyce Julius’ fully customizable, third party research is highlighted by in-broadcast television exposure monitoring, full media measurements, and fan/consumer perception analyses.

    The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based firmhas been measuring the impact of corporate sponsorships across all forms of media since 1985.  These forms of media include national and regional event television broadcasts, television highlight and news programming, event radio, print media, Internet articles, along with exposure stemming from promotions and advertising, as well as event on-site elements.

  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Alliance Truck Parts 250 Advance

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Alliance Truck Parts 250 Advance

    Team: No. 6 Tender Ridge Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Mike Kelley Chassis: RK-645

    THE STATS

    Date Event S F Laps Status Winnings 8-14-10 Carfax 250 6 13 125/125 Running $22,468

    Races Wins Top-5s Top-10s Money Cumulative 1 0 0 0 $22,468

    THE QUOTES

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 Tender Ridge Angus Ford Mustang: “We have Tender Ridge Angus on the car at Michigan and that’s a huge weekend for those guys. It’s also a huge weekend for Ford Racing and we want to do ‘em proud. It’s going to be a fun week.”

    HOW DIFFERENT ARE MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY AND AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY? “The differences between Michigan and Auto Club Speedway are pretty big. You’ve got seams at Auto Club Speedway that kind of mess you up. Michigan has a little bit more banking and you can carry more speed. I like Michigan because it’s a fun racetrack and hopefully we can put our Mustang in victory lane.”

    Mike Kelley, Crew Chief, No. 6 Tender Ridge Angus Ford Mustang: “Michigan is a good racetrack for us. It races a lot like Auto Club Speedway and we had strong cars there at the beginning of the year. You’ve got to be on your game at Michigan. You don’t want to have to make wholesale changes but I feel that where we’re at with what our teammates are learning and having three good cars in the Michigan race we should be really close. Hopefully we’ll be battling our teammates to bring home the trophy. For a Nationwide race Michigan is a tough one because generally I look at it as you have two pit stops to make changes on. The races generally are divided into three segments. That gives you one pit stop to nail it and another one to fine tune it or one if you go the wrong way that next pit stop is your only shot at making something out of the day. We’ll make sure that we have a lot of adjustability in our car.”

    THE FACTS

    Stenhouse is third in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship standings, six points behind leader Reed Sorenson and four behind second-place Elliott Sadler. He is five points ahead of fourth-place Justin Allgaier and 40 ahead of fifth-place Aric Almirola…Has led at least one lap in each of the last four consecutive NNS races and nine times in nine races this season for a total of 138 laps, most of any series regular…Scored three top-five finishes and four top-10s in last five races entering Michigan…Stenhouse has more bonus points (12) than any other NNS regular…Has scored eight top-10 finishes in nine superspeedway starts this season, including four top-fives…Primary car for Michigan is the same car Stenhouse used at Phoenix and Richmond…Average starting position for Stenhouse this season is 6.7 while his average finish is 10.4…Has completed 2,714 of 2,776 possible laps (97.8 percent).

    THE TEAM

    Name Duties

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Driver Mike Kelley Crew Chief

    Seth Barbour Engineer

    Richard Letendre Car Chief Chris Letourneau Front Tire Changer Kyle Coolidge Front Tire Carrier Kevin Kramzer Jack Man Josh Frankos Rear Tire Changer Jon Bernal Rear Tire Carrier Brian Carr Gas Man/Truck Driver CB Gilbert 2nd Gas Can Mike Calinoff Spotter Larry Lally 2nd Truck Driver Edgar Alleman Engine Tuner/Support Lance Allen Pit Support Joe Elliott Pit Support Kenny Deguisto Pit Support Jeff Cordero Pit Support Geoff Doucette 2nd Spotter

    #####

    About Roush Fenway Racing Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating seven motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and three in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com. Become a fan of Roush Fenway Racing on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/roushfenway and follow us on Twitter @roushfenway. For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.

  • Paul Menard No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 15 of 34 – Michigan International Speedway

    Paul Menard No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 15 of 34 – Michigan International Speedway

    MENARD RETURNS TO THE WHEEL: Paul Menard joins the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team this weekend at Michigan International Speedway for the third time this season behind the wheel of the Menards Chevrolet Impala. In two starts with the team this season, the Eau Claire, Wis. native finished third (Texas Motor Speedway) and second (Richmond International Raceway).

    SOLID STATS:Menard has made five previous starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Michigan. In those five starts, he’s finish outside the top 10 only once (2006). The driver has one top-five and four top-10 finishes and has led 12 laps around the 2-mile track. He has an average 16.6 starting position and 10.6 for an average finish.

    KHI AT MICHIGAN:Michigan International Speedway remains one of 17 tracks at which KHI has yet to score a victory and is one of 15 tracks on the circuit at which the organization has yet to start a race from the pole position in the Nationwide Series. KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick collected a fifth-place finish in 2009 in the No. 33 Chevrolet, KHI’s best finish in eight starts at the Brooklyn, Mich. facility.

    PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Kevin Harvick piloted the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Impala to a 13th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway on June 4. With qualifying cancelled due to rain, NASCAR set the field per the rule book and placed the cars in line according to practice speeds. Harvick started the race from the 18th position. The team powered their way to the lead and held track position among the top five before an unscheduled pit stop for right-side tire issues near the end of the event caused the team to finish outside the top 10.

    CHASSIS HISTORY: This weekend at Michigan International Speedway the No. 33 Menards team will unload chassis No. 071. This will mark the fifth time this season the team has utilized this particular chassis. Kevin Harvick drove the car to a third-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in March. Menard finished third with this chassis at Texas Motor Speedway the following weekend. Clint Bowyer climbed behind the wheel and collected a sixth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in May. Most recently, Harvick finished 16th at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the chassis.

    MENARD’S THOUGHTS ON MICHIGAN: “It’ll be great to get back in the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet this weekend and work with David Hyder and the guys at KHI. I really like racing at Michigan International Speedway. I’ve had some great runs there in the Nationwide Series. We had a great run last year, led laps and finished in the top five. The two races I’ve run with this No. 33 team so far this season, we’ve finished third and second. Hopefully we can finish first this Saturday.”

    Media Access: Members of the media can now log on to www.kevinharvickinc.com to gain access to press kit information online. For more information, please email Tiffany Breaux at KHI at

  • PRECISIONWERX Signs As Primary Sponsor of Key Motorsports Chevrolet For NASCAR Nationwide Series Race At Michigan International Speedway

    KEY MOTORSPORTS NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    PRECISIONWERX Signs As Primary Sponsor of Key Motorsports Chevrolet For NASCAR Nationwide Series Race At Michigan International Speedway

    Mooresville, NC (June 12, 2011) PRECISIONWERX will appear as primary sponsor of the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Charles Lewandoski in Saturday’s 250-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway. The Michigan-based machine shop specializes in rapid manufacturing with worldwide distribution and has a long history in the racing industry.

    “Our military customers appreciate the precision expertise we gained through our racing heritage and our racing customers recognize the diligence demanded by our military programs,” a company spokesperson explained. “PRECISIONWERX’s experience with developing and machining high performance racing products seemed like a natural fit with the Key Motorsports race team.. when the opportunity arose to sponsor the #40 Chevy Impala SS, we had to take it. We are very excited about our sponsorship of the Key Motorsports race team and the opportunity it provides, to introduce our capabilities to the NASCAR community.”

    Twenty-six year old Charles Lewandoski recently joined the Key Motorsports team and will pilot the PRECISIONWERX Chevrolet in Saturday’s race. The Stafford Springs, Connecticut native earned a top-25 finish at Chicagoland and is ready to tackle the two-mile D-shaped oval situated in the Irish Hills of Michigan.

    “I am grateful to be partnered with PRECISIONWERX for the race in Michigan this weekend,” said Lewandoski. “They are a great company that cares about the work they produce and our team is looking forward to doing a good job for them on Saturday. We have a great car for the race I appreciate Gary (Showalter, Key Motorsports crew chief) and everybody at the shop working so hard on it.”

    Showalter says this past weekend’s break on the grueling 2011 Nationwide Series schedule allowed for additional preparation for Michigan.

    “Having the weekend off from the track gave us some extra time at the shop,” offered Showalter. “This is good car we are taking to Michigan it’s one we have done well with. Charles likes the car and he has a lot of determination to do well so we should be in good shape. We want to thank PRECISIONWERX for being on board with us this weekend we appreciate the opportunity to represent them in Michigan.”

    Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race will be broadcast live on ABC from Michigan International Speedway at 3:00 p.m. ET.

  • DAVID REUTIMANN TAKES THE WHEEL FOR ASPEN DENTAL AND RUSTY WALLACE RACING

    –Fans Can Enter for a Chance to be a VIP Guest at Bristol–

    SYRACUSE, NY (June 9, 2011)–Aspen Dental and Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) announced today that Sprint Cup veteran and former Coca-Cola 600 winner, David Reutimann, will take the wheel of the No. 64 Aspen Dental Toyota Camry in upcoming Nationwide Series races at Michigan (June 18), Kentucky (July 8), and the fan-favorite night race at Bristol (August 26). The move marks an extension of the relationship between RWR and Aspen Dental that began during the 2010 racing season.

    “We’re thrilled to have an elite driver like David Reutimann behind the wheel of the Aspen Dental-sponsored car,” said Mike Petrosillo, director of brand marketing and advertising at Aspen Dental Management, Inc. “David has had wins in each of NASCAR’s top three series, and we know that when he’s driving, he’s going for checkered flags.”

    RWR owner and racing legend Rusty Wallace also offered glowing remarks for his newest wheelman.

    “David has been a big help to our team this year,” said Wallace. “Having his insight into our program has really helped us evaluate various parts of our organization. We’re very excited about having him behind the wheel of the Aspen Dental Toyota.”

    Fans Can Enter to Win the Experience of a Lifetime

    As part of the expanded partnership, Aspen Dental and RWR are teaming up to give one lucky racing fan the chance to win a trip for two to the August 2011 NASCAR races in Bristol and an opportunity to meet racing legend Rusty Wallace and David Reutimann.

    Fans can enter to win at www.aspendental.com/racing through July 17, 2011.

    As a VIP guest, the winning fan will receive:

    –Two VIP passes to the Friday night race in Bristol on August 26

    –Two tickets to the Saturday, August 27 race at Bristol

    –A meet and greet with Rusty Wallace and David Reutimann

    –Two round-trip flight vouchers

    –Two nights hotel accommodation

    –Ground transportation to and from the airport, hotel and speedway

    The sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the following states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington DC.

    Official rules are available at www.aspendental.com/racing.

    About Aspen Dental

    One of the largest and fastest-growing networks of dental care providers in the U.S., Aspen Dental practices are committed to providing patients with affordable, high-quality care. With more than 290 locations in 22 states, each Aspen Dental practice is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which means that dental professionals and staff at each location are committed to meeting certain patient satisfaction standards and making a good faith effort to resolve any and all consumer complaints.

    In 2010, Aspen Dental practices recorded nearly 1.9 million patient visits, including visits from more than 422,000 new patients. Patients can learn what to expect during their first visit at www.aspendental.com/appointment.first.visit.html.

    For more information about Aspen Dental practices and services, visit www.aspendental.com. To learn more about careers at Aspen Dental, visit www.aspendentaljobs.com.

    About Rusty Wallace Racing

    North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

  • VALUE OF A SATURDAY TICKET AT MIS JUST GOT BETTER

    Sprint Cup Series qualifying added to lineup on June 18, which already features Nationwide race and post-race concert with Emerson Drive, Jacob Lyda

    BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 9, 2011) ­— If seeing the NASCAR Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 and post-race concert featuring Emerson Drive and Jacob Lyda weren’t enough to fill your plate on Saturday, June 18 at Michigan International Speedway, try adding Sprint Cup Series qualifying to the mix.

    That’s exactly what will take place at MIS on June 18 with qualifying for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series taking place that day, as well as the Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 at 3:30 p.m., followed by the post-race concert. It will be one of the most exciting Saturday’s the Irish Hills track has ever offered for its race fans.

    “Moving Sprint Cup qualifying to Saturday, June 18, really makes the day exciting with the Nationwide race and concert also happening that day,” MIS President Roger Curtis said. “With a $40 adult ticket and kids 12 and under free Saturdays, fans truly are receiving an unbelievable value for a Saturday ticket. It’s well worth the price of admission.”

    A rundown of the on-track activity for Saturday is listed below:

    11:10 a.m.– NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying   1:10 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying  3:30 p.m. – Alliance Truck Parts 250 Nationwide Series Race

    And the first-ever MIS Kids Club membership event will be held on Saturday, when NASCAR driver Jason Leffler takes part in a Q&A session with all the kids. That will take place at 10:15 a.m. in the MIS Cares Kids Zone.

    The Saturday festivities will wrap up with a free evening concert for the fans. Approximately 30 minutes following the completion of the Alliance Truck Parts 250 NASCAR Nationwide race, fans will be treated to a concert featuring Emerson Drive. Emerging country music singer-songwriter Jacob Lyda will perform the opening act. The concert will be held at the Jagermeister Stage in the New Holland Fan Plaza.

    Gates open to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Throughout the day, fans will be able to roam the New Holland Fan Plaza to check out all the fun and interactive displays, including a revamped MIS Cares Kids Zone.

    Reserved seats for Saturday are available and start as low as $40. Admission for kids ages 13-17 are half price and, as always, children 12 & under are free.

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tickets for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on June 19 and NSCS 400 on August 21 are now on sale too and as low as $30. Visit MISpeedway.com or call the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 today to take advantage of great pricing for 2011 events at MIS.

    Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is a Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where race fans and sports fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the fun of NASCAR and the thrill of a great time for guests and drivers alike.

    You can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MISpeedway or Tweet with us @MISpeedway.

    Michigan International Speedway – 2011 Schedule

    Thursday, June 16      Race Fest in downtown Brooklyn – 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.

    Friday, June 17           ARCA Racing Series RainEater Wiper Blades 200 Saturday, June 18      NASCAR Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250 Sunday, June 19         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    Friday, Aug. 19           Meijer Pole Day Saturday, Aug. 20       NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200 Sunday, Aug. 21         NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    Sunday, Sept. 11        Spirit of America Blood Drive – 10th Anniversary!

  • Childress Statement on NASCAR Penalty

    Childress Statement on NASCAR Penalty

    WELCOME, N.C. (June 6, 2011)-  The following is a statement by Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, regarding the penalty announced today by NASCAR regarding an incident he was involved in June 4 incident at Kansas Speedway:

    First of all, I’m responsible for my actions, plain and simple. As you know, I am a very principled person and have a passion for what we do at Richard Childress Racing. I believe passionately in defending my race teams and my sponsor partners. In this instance, I let that passion and my emotions get the best of me. I accept the penalty NASCAR announced today and, as a company, we will now focus on this week’s races at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

    About Richard Childress Racing 2011 Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 190 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menard’s Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

  • RCR Post Race Report — Kansas and Chicago

    RCR Post Race Report — Kansas and Chicago  

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    RACE: STP 400

    TRACK: Kansas Speedway  DATE: June 5, 2011

    Race Highlights:    

    * RCR teammates finished 11th (Kevin Harvick), 18th (Clint Bowyer), 19th (Paul Menard) and 25th (Jeff Burton).     

    * RCR teammates are fourth (Harvick), ninth (Bowyer), 20th (Menard) and 24th (Burton) in the Sprint Cup Series point standings following Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway.     

    * Harvick posted an average running position of 8.25, seventh best amongst the 43-car field.     

    * Bowyer made 104 green-flag passes during the race.     

    * Bowyer spent 117 laps running in the top 15.     

    * Menard ranked seventh in the category of Green-Flag Passes (102 passes) in NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics.     

    * Menard spent 135 laps (50.6 percent of his laps run) in the top 15.      

    * Burton has been running at the end of all contested races at Kansas Speedway under the RCR banner with eight.     

    * Brad Keselowski took home the checkers, beating Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Denny Hamlin to the line. Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards rounded out the top-five finishers.     

    * The next Sprint Cup Series race is the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, June 12, televised live on TNT and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.   

    Menard and No. 27 Zecol/Menards Team Bring Home Top-20 Finish from Kansas

    Paul Menard and the No. 27 Zecol/Menards Chevrolet dealt with handling issues throughout the STP 400 to come home with a 19th-place finish in the first of two races this season at Kansas Speedway. Menard qualified the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing entry in the ninth position and started the race next to his RCR teammate Kevin Harvick, who had qualified 10th. The Eau Claire, Wisc., native was 11th on lap 44 during the first round of green-flag stops. Crew chief Slugger Labbe and the Zecol/Menards team made adjustments to the car over next 70 laps which resulted in the car being both loose and tight in the turns. Menard made minor contact with the No. 4 car on lap 118 but there was only minimal damage to the No. 27 Chevrolet. The team raced between 17th and 19th through lap 200 before green-flag stop on lap 202 dropped the team to 21st and a lap down to the leader. Menard battled back, however, running as high as 13th but, after a late-race stop to take on two tires and enough fuel to get to the checkered flag, he had to settle for the 19th-place finish.

    PAUL MENARD QUOTE: “We struggled throughout the race to find the right setup for the Zecol/Menards Chevy but were never able to get exactly what we needed. Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) and the team worked really hard to get the car’s handling balanced, making adjustments on almost every pit stop, but it seemed like we would be loose one run and then tight the next.”

    Start – 9                       Finish – 19                   Laps Led – 0                Points – 20 

    Harvick, No. 29 Budweiser Team Finish 11th in Kansas  As fuel mileage came into play for the second week in a row, Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team finished 11th in Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. Harvick started the race from the 10th position and remained inside the top 10 through the team’s first trip to pit road on lap 44 as he battled a tight-handling race car. Crew chief Gil Martin called for a four-tire stop with air pressure adjustments to try to help get the car to turn better in the corners. The team made adjustments throughout the race, but Harvick continued to deal with a tight-handling Chevrolet for the first seven to 10 laps of a run and then, all of a sudden, the car would come to him before developing a loose handling condition. Despite the handling problems, Harvick continued to run inside the top 10 after the field cycled through green-flag stops. Toward the end of the race, a few teams elected to come down pit road while a majority of the field stayed on the track. Those teams stretched their fuel mileage in the closing laps of the race, making only one trip to pit road while the other teams, including the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team had to pit twice. Harvick came down pit road under green in eighth position at lap 241 for the final stop of the day. As the green-flag stops cycled through in the remaining laps, he ended up 11th, losing spots only to the three cars that were able to stretch their fuel mileage at the end of the race.  Start – 10                      Finish – 11                   Laps Led – 0                  Points – 4

    KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:”We fought it up and down; tight and loose. We had a decent car; not a great car. We gambled a little bit and just had to come in there for gas. But, that’s what we’re supposed to do, gamble.”

      Burton, Cat Racing Team Finish 25th in Kansas  Jeff Burton and the Cat Racing team endured a tough outing at Kansas Speedway in Sunday’s STP 400, finishing 25th in the rundown. Saturday’s time trials session led to an outside row eight starting spot for the South Boston, Va., native – a position that he, unfortunately, could never advance from. Immediately after the drop of the green flag, an ill-handling machine transpired and crew chief Todd Berrier used every opportunity the Richard Childress Racing team had to apply doses of medicine to the ever-so-touchy No. 31 entry. However, nothing seemed to remedy the condition and Burton spent most of his afternoon running in and around the 20th position. Adding a complex race car to a track notorious for track position and long green-flag runs made it that much more difficult for the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner to make up any ground. In the end, he found himself one lap down to the leader with 27 laps to go, dropping as low as 27th, but was able to notch two spots before the checkered flag waved.     Start – 16             Finish – 25            Laps Led – 0            Points Position – 24  

    JEFF BURTON QUOTE:”Today wasn’t a very good day for the Cat Racing team. We could never get the Caterpillar Chevrolet handling well which made for a long day. It’s definitely frustrating to post a 25th-place finish.”

    No. 33 American Ethanol Team Brings Home Top-20 Finish at Kansas Speedway  

    Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 American Ethanol Chevrolet fought loose conditions all day long in 90-degree summer heat and salvaged a top-20 finish in the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. After qualifying 27th on Saturday, the Richard Childress Racing driver was loose when the green-flag dropped as hot temperatures and sunny skies led to a slick racing surface on the 1.5-mile oval. Despite the loose conditions, Bowyer worked his way up to 21st position over the first 50 laps and gained five more spots by lap 100. He moved into 16th while routine pit stops gave crew chief Shane Wilson and the “Helping Hands” pit crew opportunities to make chassis adjustments to the No. 33 Chevrolet to gain more grip throughout the 267-lap affair. On a lap 111 yellow-flag pit stop, the “Helping Hands” pit crew gave another great performance, which included track bar and air pressure adjustments, and Bowyer left pit road in 14th. Over the next long green-flag run, Bowyer settled into 13th on the race track and by lap 168, the black, silver and green Impala moved into the top 10. The Emporia Kan., native maintained the top-10 running position over the next 50 laps until a green-flag pit stop on lap 201 shuffled him back to 13th. For the remainder of the race, the four-time Sprint Cup Series race winner struggled to find grip and pit strategy, once again, came into play at the Kansas City Kan.,-based facility as the last 102 laps of the race were run under green-flag conditions. After a four-tire pit stop on lap 243, Bowyer went a lap down to the leaders, but was able to gain three positions in the last 24 laps and come home with a top-20 finish in 18th. Bowyer is now ninth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings and sits 94 markers out of first.

    Start – 27                  Finish – 18                       Laps Led – 0               Points – 9

    CLINT BOWYER QUOTE: “Obviously, I wanted to run better than 18th, especially at my hometown track. It was really hot and we just couldn’t find any grip the entire day and it got worse as the day went on. Somehow, we turned it into a top-20 finish. I am proud of everyone on the American Ethanol Chevrolet team. It was great to have American Ethanol on the car this weekend. The paint scheme looked awesome. I can’t thank them enough for being great partners of RCR and our sport.”

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 

    RACE: O’Reily Auto Parts 250 

    TRACK: Kansas Speedway  

    DATE: June 4, 2011

    Race Highlights:     

    * RCR teammates finished fifth (Joey Coulter) and 12th (Austin Dillon).     

    * Dillon earned the ninth pole award of his career on Saturday morning, and was one of five trucks powered by Earnhardt-Childress Engines to start in the top five.     

    * Coulter started eighth and passed Kyle Busch on the final lap to earn his career-first top-five finish.     

    * Coulter was the highest finishing rookie and earned a bonus championship driver championship point by leading a lap.     

    * Coulter spent 127 laps of the race in the top 15.     

    * Coulter made 73 green-flag passes, 46 of them were quality passes (made while running in the top 15), according to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.     

    * Dillon moved up one position in the NCWTS point standings, to third, and is now 30 markers shy of current point leader Johnny Sauter, while Coulter moved up five positions in the NCWTS’ point standings, to 11th.     

    * Kansasnative Clint Bowyer earned his third career NCWTS victory in front of a home-state crowd and was followed to the finish line by Sauter, Todd Bodine, James Buescher and Coulter.     

    * The next NCWTS race is the WinStar World Casino 400k at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, June 10, televised live on SPEED beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 8:45 p.m. EDT.  Austin DillonMoves up to Third in the Point Standings despite a Challenging Afternoon in Kansas

    Austin Dillonfinished 12th in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway, moving up to third in the driver point standings despite a series of speeding penalties and a loose-handling No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Dillon led the 36-truck field to the green flag after earning his ninth career pole award during qualifying on Saturday morning. Soon after the start of the race, he reported to crew chief Danny Stockman that his Chevrolet was loose on entry to the corner, slipping to sixth in the running order. Stockman directed Dillon down pit road under green-flag conditions on lap 49 so that the team could make chassis adjustments and service the truck with fuel and four tires. Unfortunately, NASCAR officials called a speeding infraction during the stop, and the team was penalized with another trip down pit road, placing them one lap down to the leaders in 28th position. Even though he was one lap down, Dillon’s black No. 3 was still fast, and he was able to put himself in position for the Lucky Dog award when the caution flag was displayed on lap 65. Before green-flag racing resumed, Dillon pitted again for four tires, fuel and another chassis adjustment, as the truck was still extremely loose in traffic. Dillon was scored in 23rd position for the lap-70 restart, and worked his way up to 16th but received another penalty for speeding down pit road while pitting during a lap-98 caution period. As a result, Dillon had to restart at the tail end of the longest line in 24th. He pitted one additional time for yet another chassis adjustment, and worked his way to as high as ninth, but continued to battle a loose-handling truck, finishing 12th.

    Start – 1           Finish – 12       Points Position – 3               Laps Led – 0   

    AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE: “We had a terrible day on pit road with speeding penalties. It happened twice, and you just can’t recover from that. Twelfth is not the finish we were looking for, but I am happy we were able to move up to third in points. We will be better at Texas.”

    Rookie Joey Coulter Scores Career-Best Truck Series Finish with Top Five at Kansas

    In his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Kansas Speedway, rookie Joey Coulter powered his way to a career-best finish by bringing the No. 22 RCR Chevrolet home in the top five in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. After qualifying eighth, the Miami Springs, Fla., native started off the 167-lap event fighting loose-handling conditions on his Chevrolet Silverado. Coulter ran the first 53 laps in the top 10 until bringing his truck down pit road under green-flag conditions for fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment to combat the loose conditions caused by the 90-degree summer heat at the Kansas City Kan.,-based facility. The caution flag flew 10 laps later while Coulter was still a lap down to the leaders and he qualified as a “wave around” truck, restarting 22nd on lap 65. Coulter spent the next 15 laps working his way back into the top 10 in the running order. However, the No. 22 Silverado became very loose on long green-flag runs and Coulter settled into 13th position before he was penalized by NASCAR officials for speeding on pit road during a lap-112 pit stop under caution. Coulter restarted in the 25th position, at the tail end of the longest line, but the Harold Holly-led crew was able to make chassis adjustments to the truck in preparation for a long green-flag run to the checkered flag. The changes worked and the 20-year-old rookie began picking off competitors one at a time and was in 18th before his final pit stop on lap 133 when Holly called for only four tires and 1.5 seconds of Sunoco E15. The No.22 pit crew, which was solid all day long, gained three spots on pit road after a lightning-fast pit stop. Restarting 15th with 30 laps to go, Coulter went on a tear through the field, passing six trucks in seven laps and, eventually, working his way up to sixth with 10 laps to go. After hard side-by-side racing with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Kyle Busch in the final laps, Coulter made a dramatic last-lap pass in turn four to secure his first career top-five finish in any of NASCAR’s premier racing divisions. In the process, he gained five positions in the driver championship point standings.

    Start – 8                       Finish – 5                     Laps Led – 1                 Points – 11

    JOEY COULTER QUOTE:”It was a pretty wild day. It seemed like the truck just kept flipping back and forth all day. We also got caught speeding on pit road and that was my fault, but Harold (Holly, crew chief) and the guys played great pit strategy and we brought home the first top five of my NASCAR career. That was also really fun there at the end with Kyle Busch. It was a great learning experience for me and a great day for the No. 22 RCR Chevrolet team. I can’t wait to go to Texas next week.”

    ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards 

    RACE: Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 150

    TRACK: Chicagoland Speedway  

    DATE: June 4, 2011

    Race Highlights:  TY DILLON QUOTE: “Our game plan was to stay patient all day. We came in that second or third stop, and we were really loose. Something was wrong with our left-rear tire; it never gained any pressure. I told the crew we were going to have to come in and pit because we can’t win the race like this. Once we got fresh tires and got everything back to where it was supposed to, we came back through the field. By then, Chad (Hackenbracht) was so far out front – it was his race. It’s unfortunate what happened to him, but the caution helped us and put us where we needed to be. We had a really fast car.”

    “I can’t thank Scott Wimmer enough for getting that car where it needed to be while I was at graduation. I’m really happy for these guys. It’s Scott’s (Naset, crew chief) birthday Wednesday, and I graduated last night. I’m just really happy.”

        * RCR teammates finished first (Ty Dillon) and 32nd (Tim George Jr.).     

    * Dillon earned his third win of the season in the ARCA Racing Series, his fifth career ARCA win in nine races.     

    * Dillon increased his ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards point lead to 125 points over Frank Kimmel.     

    * George made his career-best ARCA start of second in Saturday’s Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 150.     

    * Dillon won by 0.307 seconds over Chris Buescher, Josh Richards, Chad McCumbee and Andrew Ranger.     

    * The next ARCA Racing Series race is the Pocono ARCA 200 at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, June 11, 2011. The race will be televised on SPEED starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Live audio, scoring and timing will be available at www.arcaracing.com.

     George Jr., No. 31 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Leave Chicagoland with a Disappointing Finish

    Tim George Jr. qualified second for the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 150 Saturday afternoon, earning his career-best ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start, but made an early exit from the 100-lap event when he was involved in a single-car incident on the second lap. The Richard Childress Racing team started the race weekend with a practice session Friday afternoon where the No. 31 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet sat atop the speed chart for a majority of practice. George and team made minor changes during practice, and the fast RCR entry was ready for qualifying on Saturday. The New York, N.Y., native was the second qualifier and made a quick lap of 30.489 seconds, granting him the provisional pole position. George watched patiently as other teams made their qualifying runs. He held the pole until the closing moments of qualifying when another competitor took over the pole position by 0.068 seconds. Later that day, the start of the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 150 was delayed by five hours and one minute due to inclement weather and forced ARCA and Chicagoland officials to revise the race schedule. The green flag waved at 10:01 p.m. local time and just two short laps later, George made contact with the turn-two wall. Unfortunately, the damage suffered by the No. 31 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet didn’t allow the RCR team to rejoin competition, resulting in a 32nd-place finishing position.    Start -2                       Finish -32                   Laps Led – 0                Point Position – 8

    TIM GEORGE JR QUOTE: “The car snapped loose on the second lap of the race, in the center of turns one and two. There wasn’t any time to think – it just shot sideways and it backed into the wall. My initial thought was that I clipped the apron, but there was oil or water down low on the track. I watched the replay several times and I was running a lower line than the cars in front of and behind me. I had been able to save (the car) in loose conditions in the center (of the corner) during practice several times, but this was more than just loose. My RCR team gave me a fast car and we nearly won the pole. Now, it’s on to Pocono where I’ll bring a positive mindset and a strong conviction to keep moving forward.”

    Ty Dillon Earns a High School Diploma and a Win at Chicagoland Speedway    

    Ty Dillon earned his third win of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway after missing Friday’s practice session for his high school graduation from Forsyth Country Day School. Scott Wimmer filled in for Dillon on Friday and dialed in the No. 41 RCR Chevrolet for Saturday’s 100-lap event. Dillon rejoined his team on Saturday for qualifying where he posted the fifth-quickest time before inclement weather forced officials to start the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 150 five hours after its original start time. Dillon took the green flag at 10:01 p.m. Central Time and, by lap 12, was scored in the second position. The first caution waved on lap 16, and the 19-year-old driver was directed to stay out during the slowdown. The field returned to green-flag racing on lap 20 and Dillon informed his team of a loose-handling car. On lap 38, the second caution of the night was displayed, and the No. 41 Chevrolet was called to pit road for four fresh Hoosier tires and a tire pressure adjustment. The high school graduate restarted fourth with 56 laps to go. The loose conditions continued on the RCR entry, but were remedied by a new set of Hoosier tires during the next caution. Dillon restarted ninth on lap 59 and by lap 71 he had made his way to second place. The soon-to-be five-time ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race winner was catching the leader when the leader cut a right-front tire and struck the wall. Dillon took over the lead with 16 laps remaining in the 100-lap event and was directed to save fuel. The Lexington, N.C., native endured two restarts within the final 10 laps and drove his No. 41 RCR Chevrolet to his third victory of the 2011 season.

    Start -5                       Finish -1                     Laps Led -16               Points Position – 1 (leads by 125 points)

  • Michael Annett Secures First Top-10 Finish of 2011 Nationwide Series Season

    Joliet, Ill. (June 5, 2011) – In his 85th career Nationwide Series start, Rusty Wallace Racing’s Michael Annett earned his first top-10 finish of his 2011 Nationwide Series campaign on Saturday. Under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway, Annett drove his No. 62 Pilot Flying J Toyota Camry from an 11th place start to a ninth place finish despite running out of fuel on the final lap of the 200 lap STP 300. The 24-year-old racer’s top-10 finish moved him to 10th in the Nationwide Series championship point standings.

    “I’m really proud of my guys this week. We finally got a finish we deserve, and this should be the perfect momentum builder for the season ahead,” said Annett, “We unloaded one of the best cars I’ve had all season, and we consistently got better throughout Friday’s practice sessions and the race. This season’s start hasn’t played out quite as expected, but our ninth place finish proves that we’ve taken a turn in the right direction. I definitely think we’re on the path to contending with the top-10 week-in and week-out, so I look forward to the rest of the season. Thanks to my team for all of their hard work, and thank you to my sponsor, Pilot Flying J, for their partnership and support.”

    Annett’s crew chief commented, “Great job all around this weekend. Michael battled a loose handling racecar and was still able to keep it consistent and finish in the top-10. We knew we were cutting it extremely close on fuel, so conserving it was key. Michael did a good job doing that and we ran out just in time to be able to finish it. We’ll take this top-10 and head to our next race in Michigan looking for another strong run.”

    Saturday’s ninth place finish gave Rusty Wallace Racing the organization’s fourth top-10 finish of the 2011 season.

    The No. 62 Pilot Flying J team will enjoy a week free from competition before traveling to Michigan International Speedway the following week for the Nationwide Series Alliance Truck Parts 250. Watch and listen live to the 125 lap event on Saturday, June 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC and MRN Radio.

    For the latest updates on Michael Annett, visit www.michaelannett.com.

    About Pilot Flying J: Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 locations in North America. The company employs more than 20,000 people and is the largest retail operator of travel centers in North America. Follow Pilot Flying J on Twitter at @pilottravel.