All Three Childress Drivers Primed for Saturday's Bud Shootout

All three RCR cars have a great shot at winning Saturday

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes


Race: Budweiser Shootout
Date: February 18, 2012
Location: Daytona International Speedway

Seven Shootout Wins for RCR … RCR has earned seven checkered flags in the Budweiser Shootout (1986, 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995 with driver Dale Earnhardt and 2009 and 2010 with driver Kevin Harvick)and has had an entry in 25 of the 33 races.

Three to Get Ready … RCR will field entries for Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Paul Menard in this year’s exhibition event. This is the fourth consecutive season that the Welcome, N.C.-based organization has had multiple entries in the Budweiser Shootout’s 33-race history.

Harvick is the 8/1 favorite to win Bud Shootout (Getty)

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet


This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … The No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team will utilize Chassis No. 295 in Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout. Harvick drove this car to Victory Lane in the 2010 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and also scored a seventh-place finish with it in that year’s Daytona 500.

Shootout Details … Harvick has made seven previous starts in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. He raced his No. 29 Chevrolet to back-to-back wins in the 2009 and 2010 Budweiser Shootout races and has earned four top-five and six top-10 finishes in the event. He’s led a total of 43 laps and completed 88.8 percent of the laps run (454 of 511) in the races he competed in. Harvick’s average finish in the Budweiser Shootout is 6.6.

Grab Some Buds … On Thursday evening, Harvick, team owner Richard Childress and the No. 29 team will join Budweiser Brewmaster George Reisch and host a private Budweiser Beer School in Daytona Beach for members of the media and the NASCAR industry. Reisch, a fifth-generation brewmaster, will teach the crowd about what goes into brewing the King of Beers.

Off Season? … During the off season, Harvick enjoyed a variety of activities. He started the New Year off by serving as an honorary coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies wrestling team as they took on the University of Maryland Terrapins in Blacksburg, Va., on Jan. 8. A couple weeks later he and New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera presented Gene Monahan, former head athletic trainer for the Yankees, with the William J. Slocum-Jack Lang award for long and meritorious service at the annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner held in Manhattan on Jan. 21.

Hometown Hall of Famer … On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Harvick became the fourth driver inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif. Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, off-road champion Roger Mears and Indy 500 competitor George Snider are also enshrined there.

Move Over Harvick, LO’s Going to be a Superstar … Harvick and his wife, DeLana, will tape a segment for National Geographic’s “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan,” with their Chihuahua, Little One (LO), during the Budweiser Shootout weekend. The air date will be announced at a later time.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

After the winter off season, is it good to run in the Budweiser Shootout and knock some of the rust off?
“I think so. I think anytime you can get on the race track in a competitive environment, it gives you a better idea of what you’re going to have. I think it enables us to kind of knock some of that rust off. As fast as the cars are and as many unknowns as there are, the Budweiser Shootout is definitely something that we’re all looking forward to.”

Is the Budweiser Shootout going to be a good indicator as to what you guys can and can’t do in relation to the two-car pushing after NASCAR has made the rule changes?
“To a certain degree; obviously, there’s probably going to be a huge temperature change from when we run the Daytona 500 in the afternoon to what we do on the night of the Budweiser Shootout. Mother Nature will definitely play a huge hand in the true effect of things, but the Budweiser Shootout is the closest you’ll get up until the (Daytona) 500.”

How different was this past off season for you?
“It’s been really good. (DeLana and I) went on vacation a few times and that’s something we haven’t had the chance to do a lot before. It’s been very relaxing. I was really kind of worried about being bored, but we’ve been anything but bored. It seems like you can always find something to do. Aside from my driving duties and the responsibilities that come with that, there’s no longer an absolute deadline and there’s not a 100 questions that you have to answer every day. It’s been very relaxing and good to recharge the batteries.”

What does that do for you going into the new season when you’ve had that type of an off season for the first time?
“I think it’s one of those things where we, including myself and everyone at RCR, have made more changes this year than we ever have. I think that’s the type of aggressiveness that you’re going to have to have within the company and the teams, and the kind of mindset that you’re going to have to have to get the championship. We’ve been close the last couple of years. Nobody really did anything wrong, we just needed to get better. In order for the No. 29 to get better, the Nos. 27 and 31 have to get better, too, in order to keep driving the performance to where it needs to be. As a company, I think the attitude and the enthusiasm is good. With the Nationwide Series shop being here there’s just more information, there’s more people and there’s more stuff flowing and that was always something we had in the past when we were winning a lot of races. Right now everything is going good and we’ll just keep plugging away.”

What’s your outlook going into this year? How long do you think it’ll take to develop chemistry with your new crew chief Shane Wilson?
“From here forward the only thing that’s acceptable is to win a championship. Obviously, the goal is to go out and win races, but the championship is really what we’re after. We’ve made the changes that we think are going to be better. Sometimes they are and sometimes they aren’t, but we had to do something to make the whole organization better. Shane and I have worked together in the past and I don’t really have a timeframe in mind for the chemistry to work in. I expect it to work right off the bat. We’re going to plug along as hard as we can. We’ve got some good plans and had some well-organized tests. I expect to go to Daytona and have a chance to win.”

Jeff Burton is 20/1 to win the Bud Shootout (Getty)

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable.This chassis, built in 2011 for RCR’s No. 29 entry with driver Kevin Harvick, competed in three superspeedway events last season including first the Daytona 500 where Harvick finished 42nd after retiring early due to engine failure. Harvick also guided this machine to a top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April (started-38th, finished-fifth) and a top-10 finish in July in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (started-31st, finished-seventh).

Career Budweiser Shootout Stats … This marks Burton’s seventh start in the annual preseason, non-points event.In six starts in the 75-lap shootout, Burton owns one top-five and three top-10 finishes and has led a total of nine times for 32 laps.His best effort in the Budweiser Shootout was a fifth-place finish in the 2001 event.

No Stranger to Victory Lane … Although he has yet to capture a victory in the season opening, no-holds barred race, the South Boston, Va., native has two Daytona race trophies on his mantle. The first is from the 2000 Coke Zero 400 and most recently from last season’s Duel 150 qualifying race.

Welcome Drew Blick … During the off season, RCR named Drew Blickensderfer as the crew chief on the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season. Blickensderfer spent the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season as crew chief of Roush Fenway Racing’s flagship No. 6 team with driver David Ragan, winning two pole awards and bringing home the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July. The 35-year-old Decatur, Ill.-native is best known for kicking off his Sprint Cup Series crew chief career in grand fashion in 2009 winning his first outing in the Daytona 500 with Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team. The duo also won the following weekend at Auto Cub Speedway making Blickensderfer one of the only crew chiefs in history to win his first two races in NASCAR’s elite division. Blickensderfer also enjoyed success in Roush Fenway’s NASCAR Nationwide Series program with such drivers as: Carl Edwards, Danny O’Quinn and Kenseth.

Last Time Around … Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar team led the most laps and gained valuable information despite finishing eighth in the 2011 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Burton was pushed to the lead by RCR teammate Kevin Harvick, completing the initial 25-lap segment of the 75-lap event running 1-2. After a routine four-tire pit stop during the event’s 10-minute break, the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner returned to competition for the final 50 laps. Despite being separated from Harvick at the restart, he hooked up with then RCR stablemate Clint Bowyer. The new duo drafted to the lead before competitor tandems would join them, moving Burton to eighth in the closing laps where he remained when the checkered flag fell.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

How important is it to be able to run in the Budweiser Shootout and knock some of the winter rust off?
“I think it is really important. Anytime you can race, it is a good thing. Running the Bud Shootout is a good educational experience and we’ll learn a tremendous amount about what we can and can’t do with the new rules package. I think the Bud Shootout can be very valuable.”


What do you plan to learn during the Budweiser Shootout as far as two-car tandem drafting is concerned?
“We don’t know what is going to happen with the new rules package. The Bud Shootout event gives us a practice right off the bat that we otherwise wouldn’t have. We will race that Saturday night and help build an idea of what is going to happen. We’ll be that much smarter at the end of the race. I think it is a great way to learn.”

Do you feel like the Budweiser Shootout will give you a good idea of what you can do or not do in the Daytona 500?
“The only difference is that track and air temperatures at the Bud Shootout will be cooler than the Daytona 500. Temperature matters so much with running in the pack or the two-car tandem racing. The ambient temperature makes a big difference on what you can and can’t do so it’s not a complete indicator of what to expect, but it does give you a hint of what could happen.”

Menard 20/1 to win Shootout (Getty)

Paul Menard
No. 27 PEAK/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


The PEAK/Menards Chevrolet in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 335 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen on track at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where Menard started seventh and finished 12th.

Grab Some Buds! … On Saturday night, Menard will make his second Budweiser Shootout appearance. In July 2008, Menard earned the pole award at DIS, qualifying him for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout. He started from the pole position when he drew the top spot during Budweiser’s annual Shootout Draw Party and finished the two-segment event 12th.

New Faces on the No. 27 team … Three new faces will sport the signature neon yellow this season, joining the veteran No. 27 Peak/Menards team. Clint Almquist was a member of the No. 29 RCR team in 2011 and joins the No. 27 crew as a road mechanic. During the week, the Blythe, Calif., native is an RCR fabricator. Statesville, N.C.’s Josh Threatte joins as an engineer. When he’s not crunching numbers you can find this extreme athlete sky diving, rock climbing and mountain biking. On race day, newcomer Matt Kreuter will be fueling the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala. Kreuter joins from the No. 33 RCR team and was named NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Rear Tire Carrier Individual Champion in both 2010 and 2011.


In the Rearview Mirror: 2011 … Menard and the No. 27 Chevrolet team closed the 2011 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway enduring a series of rain showers and a persistent tight-handling condition to finish 16th. On the strength of one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes, Menard finished a career-high 17th in the NSCS driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You are qualified for the Budweiser Shootout this year by virtue of your points finish in 2011. Does participating in that race help knock off some of the competitive rust?
“It will help us for both the 150s and the Daytona 500. With the rules changes that have been made in an effort to break up the tandem draft, racing in the Budweiser Shootout will give us the chance to see what the cars are going to do with the new package. It will be a big test session. Obviously, we want to win, but we’re going to try to learn as much as possible as well.”

Were you comfortable with the two-car drafting? There’s no arguing that it increased lead changes. What did you think of it?
“We set records for lead changes and for the number of different leaders with the two-car draft. We had close finishes and I think it’s safer. Honestly, I didn’t see anything wrong with it. What’s racing when you think about it? Lead changes, different leaders, close finishes and safety – we had all that covered.”

- Richard Childress Racing

Childress Drivers Looking For Fifth New Hampshire Win

RCR driver Clint Bowyer won the last time visiting Loudon. (Getty)  

Race: LENOX Industrial Tools 301
Date: July 17, 2011
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:

RCR in Loudon … Richard Childress is tied for third with Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske for all time car owner victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with four – Robby Gordon (2001), Kevin Harvick (2006) and Clint Bowyer (2007 and 2010). In 80 starts at the 1.058-mile oval, Childress also boasts two poles, 14 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes with nine different drivers including Dale Earnhardt, Mike Skinner, Harvick, Gordon, Jeff Green, Steve Park, Dave Blaney, Bowyer and Jeff Burton.

The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first 18 races, RCR’s four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched three wins, 12 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. The No. 31 team kicked off the 2011 season with a non-points win in the second Duel 150 qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway.

The No. 29 team visited Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in March and backed that up with a win the following weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In May, Harvick and the No. 29 team visited Winner’s Circle at Charlotte Motor Speedway, claiming the checkers in one of NASCAR’s marquee events – the Coca-Cola 600.

RCR-prepared Chevrolets have also completed 20,416 out of 21,180 total laps (96.4 percent) with drivers Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Paul Menard, who have led a combined 479 laps. At least one RCR driver has led laps in each of the season’s first 18 events with the exceptions being Kansas Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Kentucky Speedway.

Bowyer has two New Hampshire wins, his only two top-fives there (Getty)

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 Good Sam Club Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes


This Week’s Good Sam Club Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 365 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new No. 33 Chevrolet Impala that will turn its first laps during opening practice on Friday at “The Magic Mile.”

Career New Hampshire Stats … This weekend’s event marks Bowyer’s 200th-career NSCS start.

o In 10 NSCS starts at NHMS, Bowyer owns two wins, two top-five and four top-10 finishes. His first trip to Winner’s Circle was in September 2007 with his most recent one coming in last year’s September event.
o Bowyer has completed 99.7 percent (2,957 of 2,966) of the laps contested at the Loudon, N.H.-based track during his career.
o The Emporia, Kan., native has led 422 laps at the one-mile oval, second-most of all active NSCS drivers.
o Bowyer owns a 13.7 average starting position and an average finishing position of 16.1.


Change in Red and Yellow … The Good Sam Club joins RCR as primary sponsor on the No. 33 Chevrolet this weekend at NMHS. The Good Sam Club is your one-stop resource for all things RV. By joining the world’s largest RV owners community at http://www.goodsamclub.com, RVers will receive guaranteed savings and discounts, get helpful technical and troubleshooting advice, have access to a database of over 1,500 Good Sam Club Chapters across the country and have the ability to plan your own dream vacation with an array of planning tools and forums. There are approximately one million members of the Good Sam Club. Good Sam Club is the sister company to Camping World, America’s largest retailer of RV supplies, accessories, services and new and used RVs. The company has grown from a single store in Bowling Green, Ky in the mid-1960s to more than 75 SuperCenters nationwide today, providing RVers with a coast-to-coast network of service and repair professionals to keep their RV’s on the road by providing warranty repairs, routine maintenance, collision repair and remodeling services. Camping World was a co-primary sponsor when Bowyer’s No. 2 Chevrolet team claimed the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.

Milestone … The 32-year-old Bowyer will make his 200th-career start in NASCAR’s elite division on Sunday. He has amassed four wins, 30 top-five finishes, 87 top-10 finishes and two poles in six full-time Sprint Cup Series seasons with RCR.

Unlucky in Kentucky … After persistent rain forced NASCAR officials to cancel qualifying on Friday, Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team started 20th and finished 35th Saturday night after cutting a tire and hitting the wall in the waning laps of the inaugural Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Points Racing … After back-to-back DNFs (Did Not Finish), Bowyer currently sits 12th in the 2011 NSCS driver championship point standings, 15 markers out of the top 10 and 110 points behind leader Kyle Busch.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:

You won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last September. It was a great win on Sunday and then on Monday the penalty happened. What is your perspective looking back on all of it? “The way I look back on that deal is it was a bum deal. I truly believe that in my heart. We were warned and we fixed that car to the best of our knowledge. I mean 0.0060 of an inch, come on. They’re looking that close on a chassis and not an aero deal or anything like that, just a chassis. It is what it is. That’s my opinion on it. New Hampshire is actually a fun track. We’ve won there before last year too. The chassis isn’t what won me that race though. Tony Stewart running out of gas won me that race. A lot of people don’t remember that, but I do.”

With two wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it has to feel good going back there.
“Oh it does. Loudon is a really good track for us. I get around there well. I’ve always been able to run well there. I don’t know why, but it just kind of suits my driving style. I enjoy racing there.”


How much contact do you expect? “Not much if you expect to have a good run. You better not expect too much. You have to take care of your equipment and keep the fenders on it if you want to win the race.”

What do you need to do well there? Is there a certain part of the track you need to run well at? “You really have to roll through the center and beat everyone to the throttle. If you can do that, you’re going to be good all day long. That’s what you practice on throughout the weekend. You need roll through the center, pick up the throttle and stay in the gas. If you get to the gas, and the car breaks loose on you up off the corner and you have to come off of it then get back in it, you’re no good. You have to be able to roll through the corner and stay on the gas up off.”

Burton has track-best four wins over his career (Getty)

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Jeff Burton will pilot Chassis No. 323 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2010, this RCR Chevrolet was put through its first paces at Kansas Speedway last October where the South Boston, Va., native was credited with an 18th-place finish after starting 23rd. Burton then raced this No. 31 racer at Phoenix International Raceway earlier this season and was credited with a 26th-place effort after being involved in a multi-car incident just 60 laps into the 312-lap showdown. Most recently, this RCR entry ran competitively at Richmond International Raceway where Burton drove it to a 16th-place result.

Record Holder … Burton holds the most track records at NHMS – most wins (four), most laps led by a race winner (300 – September 2000), least laps led by a race winner (two – July 1999) and track race record (Time 2:42:35, Speed 117.134 mph – July 1997).

Loudon Details … In 32 Sprint Cup Series starts at NHMS, Burton boasts four wins, eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and has led for a total of 783 laps. He has a 19.9 starting average coupled with a respectable 13.5 finishing average. Additionally, the South Boston, Va., native is one of four drivers who have competed in all 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at “The Magic Mile.”

Where It All Began … NHMS is the site of Burton’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start on July 11, 1993. The 44-year-old driver started sixth and finished 37th, driving Filbert Martocci’s No. 0 entry. Since then, Burton has recorded six poles, 21 wins, 128 top fives, 237 top 10s and has led 6,413 laps in 601 races throughout 18 seasons in NASCAR’s senior circuit.

Loopy in Loudon … According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics that were compiled over the last 12 races at the 1.058-mile short track, Burton is the sports fifth best driver when it comes to racing inside the top 15 (71.6 percent), ranks sixth amongst his competitors with an average running position of 11.725 and seventh in the Driver Rating category with 94.6.


JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

In last year’s races at Loudon, you had promising top-five runs diminish in the closing laps for different circumstances (late-race incident and fuel strategy). How do you enter this weekend’s race? “It’s a clean slate when we go back to Loudon this weekend. That’s one thing about this sport – you have to move on and not dwell on what happened in the past. We have, certainly, been in great positions to have good finishes and even possibly a win but the way we look at it is we would have to do something different anyways. Tires, track conditions and cars change. You always want to learn and apply what you learned in the past because it’s important but, at the same time, you have to look ahead and figure out how to be better.”

It seems as though there is a lot of contact between the drivers on the race track at Loudon. “Some races are pretty calm at Loudon and some are pretty aggressive. Restarts are definitely tough. The cars slide around a lot and its one of the places we go to that is hard to have good, clean restarts because the cars don’t make a lot of grip for the first three or four laps. A lot of times, you see contact on the restarts but, short of that, it’s a pretty typical race track.”


The Cat Racing team has struggled somewhat this year. What’s been your mindset this season? “It’s important to separate what is truly out of you and your teams control and what was in everyone’s control. When you really, truly separate it, it’s easier to deal with. When you start attributing everything to bad luck, you’ve taken control of your destiny out of your hands. That’s exceptionally hard to deal with because, even if you are the best driver with the best pit crew and crew chief, you still aren’t going to win because it’s not in your control. You have to recognize the areas you need to improve in and you have to recognize the areas you couldn’t control. The stuff that you really and truly couldn’t control you’ll find are a lot less than the ones you can (control). So, if you are willing to learn and be better, to me, that mindset gets you through the tough times. If you believe in yourself and the group that you work with then when things are tough and it’s a bad day, you’ll get through it. That’s what helps me.”

Kevin Harvick won at New Hampshire in 2006 (Getty)

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 332 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. The team has utilized this car three times this season, earning one win (Martinsville Speedway, 4/3), a fourth-place run at Phoenix International Raceway (2/27) and a 12th-place finish at Richmond International Raceway (4/30).


Harvick at New Hampshire … In 20 starts at the “Magic Mile,” Harvick has earned one win (9/17/06), five top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes. His average start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is 14.3 and his average finish is 13.8. Harvick has completed 99.1 percent (5,819 out of 5,873) of the total laps in the races he’s competed in at New Hampshire. He’s also led a total of 318 laps in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition at the track.

In the Loop … Harvick holds a number of impressive loop data statistics at NHMS: third in laps led (251), seventh in fastest laps run (133), eighth in green-flag speed, ninth in driver rating (92.6), ninth in average running position (13.2), ninth in laps run in the top 15 (2,192) and 10th in drivers fastest late in a run.

To the Ballpark … The Kevin Harvick Foundation has teamed up with longtime partner Rheem to host a group of 50 youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester, N.H., for the Northeast Delta Dental Eastern League All-Star Game at the New Hampshire Fisher Cats stadium on Wednesday, July 13. In addition to attending the game, the group will participate in a Home Run Derby with KHF co-founders Harvick and his wife, DeLana, and players from the New England Fisher cats minor league baseball team. Harvick will also drive the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet, which competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series out, around the warning track before throwing out the first pitch. Then, he and DeLana will accept a $50,000 donation to the KHF from Rheem. In addition to the baseball game on Wednesday, the Kevin Harvick Foundation has provided tickets to the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday at NHMS.

Richmond Water Heaters and Rheem … Richmond Water Heaters, manufactured by No. 29 Chevrolet partner Rheem, the company which invented water heaters, will adorn the hood of RCR’s No. 27 entry driven by Paul Menard this weekend in the NSCS race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. For additional information on Richmond, visit www.richmondwaterheaters.com.

Double Time … Harvick will perform double duty this weekend at NHMS, driving the Kevin Harvick Inc. No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The New England 200 will air live on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and radio coverage will be provided by PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:


What do you like about racing at New Hampshire? “I always look forward to going to New Hampshire. I like this type of track because it’s flat – similar to the tracks out west where I started my racing career. There’s a lot of braking. You have to really work on getting your car through the center of the corner and still have the forward bite you need up off the corner.”

What’s the key to running well at New Hampshire Motor Speedway? “It’s one of those places where you have to get through the center of the corner and get up off the corner wide open. That makes it really hard to get through the center of the corner and turn good like you need to. Getting up off the corner under full power without getting loose is really tricky. Passing is harder there than at most places because it’s so hard to make your car work getting up off the corner. That makes track position probably the most important thing at New Hampshire.”

Menard's best finish was 21st in 2008 (Getty)

Paul Menard
No. 27 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Richmond/Menards Chevrolet at “The Magic Mile” … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 341 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala is a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and will make its first paces this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

By the numbers at NHMS … In his eight previous starts at the Loudon, N.H.-based track, Menard has finished each of his contested races and completed 98.3 percent of his laps (2,319 of 2,358). He has a 27th-place average starting position and an average finishing position of 29.1. He had his best start of eighth on his last visit to the one-mile flat oval (September 2010), while his best finish of 21st was claimed in the September 2008 event.

A Loopy Year in Review … After 18 races, the Eau Claire, Wisc., native has an average running position of 15.8, ranking him 14th in the NSCS, has made the fourth-highest number of green-flag passes (2,266), has spent 50.9 percent of his contested laps in the top 15 and is ranked second in quality passes. He has also completed 94.7 percent of his laps (5,014 of 5,295).


Richard “Slugger” Labbe to pull double duty at NHMS … Following Saturday’s final NSCS practice session at NHMS, No. 27 crew chief Slugger Labbe will don his work gloves and to help good friend and fellow NSCS crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion with his NASCAR Whelen Modified team as they look to return the No. 7 Menards entry to Victory Lane with Ryan Newman in the F.W. Webb 100. Last year the team claimed two pole positions and won all three of the NWMT events that they entered, including a sweep of the two races held at NHMS. Qualifying for the NWMT event is scheduled for Thursday, July 14 at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time with the 100-lap race kicking off at 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 16.

Returning to their New England Roots … As NASCAR’s premier series heads to New Hampshire, a few members of the No. 27 Richmond/Menards team will be as close to home as their travels take them. Crew chief Richard “Slugger” Labbe hails from Saco, Maine and front tire-changer Erik Pringle calls Sharon, Vt. his hometown.

Race Rewind … After starting from the 10th position, the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race last at Kentucky Speedway last weekend was shaping up to be a solid one for the No. 27 Sylvania/Menards team, but an untimely caution during green-flag pit stops and front-end damage sustained during a late restart relegated Paul Menard to a 24th-place finish.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You had a good run at Phoenix (International Raceway). With that, do you feel more optimistic going to Loudon (New Hampshire Motor Speedway)? “Yeah, for sure. We’ve struggled on short tracks the last few years, but this is the best we’ve run on them in a while. Phoenix (International Raceway) is a totally different track than Loudon (New Hampshire Motor Speedway), but it does give you a little bit of confidence.”

What is the key to getting around NHMS? “New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) has relatively long straightaways and tight corners. One way to describe it is that it’s kind of like a large Martinsville (Speedway). You have to get as much gas as you can from the center and off the exit to get down the straightaways.”

We’ve seen a few fuel mileage races this season, and there have been some at NHMS. How good are you at saving fuel? “Saving fuel is something you learn as you go. I haven’t done it a whole lot, but we’ve done some studies on it – how to maximize lap times and save the most fuel. You have to know how to be the most efficient with the throttle, and I think I have a pretty good grasp on it.”

How much contact do you usually suspect at Loudon? “It’s short-track racing, so anything can happen and, a lot of times, people get mad at each other. Loudon is no different than Phoenix (International Raceway) or Martinsville (Speedway). You drive into the corner and get hit from behind, and you remember that and repay the favor later. You don’t go out looking for contact but it’s inevitable that it’s going to happen.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Releases

RCR Drivers Hoping Harvick's Goodyear Test Helps Out at Kentucky

RCR's only win at Kentucky was Harvick in 2001 Nationwide race (Getty)

Race: Quaker State 400
July 9, 2011
Location: Kentucky Speedway
Richard Childress Racing

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:

Kentucky Debut … The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will make its debut Saturday night at the Sparta, Ky.,-based facility. The 1.5-mile tri-oval has been holding NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events since 2000. Richard Childress Racing drivers Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick have all competed in NNS races at Kentucky Speedway, with Harvick claiming victory in the inaugural NNS race in 2001. In addition, Harvick recently participated in a Goodyear tire-test there earlier this season. Although Jeff Burton hasn’t made any competitive laps at the race track, he has tested there several times in years past.

The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first 17 races, RCR’s four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched three wins, 12 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. The No. 31 team kicked off the 2011 season with a non-points win in the second Duel 150 qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. The No. 29 team visited Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in March and backed that up with a win the following weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In May, Harvick and the No. 29 team visited Winner’s Circle at Charlotte Motor Speedway, claiming the checkers in one of NASCAR’s marquee events – the Coca-Cola 600. RCR-prepared Chevrolets have also completed 19,357 out of 20,112 total laps (96.2 percent) with drivers Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Menard, who have led a combined 479 laps. At least one RCR driver has led laps in each of the season’s first 16 events with the lone exceptions being Kansas and Pocono.

Inaugural Chicagoland winner

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 288 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. The team utilized this car eight times in 2010, earning one win (Michigan, 8/15), three top-five (Fontana, 2/21; Indianapolis, 7/25) and six top-10 finishes. Harvick also raced this car to a fifth-place finish earlier this year at Pocono (6/12).

Almost Halfway Home … As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hits the halfway point of the season in Kentucky, Harvick finds himself atop the driver point standings for the first time this year after scoring a seventh-place finish last weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned three wins, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes so far this season. He’s also led 130 laps and has an average starting position of 20.5 and a series-best average finishing position of 10.7.

Firsts at Kentucky … Harvick enters the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway very familiar with inaugural events at the 1.5-mile track. In 2001, Harvick scored an impressive win in the first-ever NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the track. He started 11th, led 131 laps and took the checkered flag with a 1.311-second margin of victory over the second-place driver. In his only other start at the track, Harvick started 13th and finished sixth in the 2006 NNS event.

Testing 1, 2, 3 … As Sprint Cup Series teams prepare to compete at Kentucky Speedway for the first time this weekend, NASCAR has allotted nearly six hours of testing for the teams on Thursday. In addition to the extra track time this weekend, the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team was one of seven teams that participated in the Goodyear tire test at the track last month.

In the Loop … Harvick holds a number of impressive loop data statistics at the halfway point of the NSCS season: third in fastest speed in traffic, third in percentage of laps run on the lead lap (90.99 percent), fourth in laps in the top 15 (3,356), fifth in average running position (13.4), fifth in closers, fifth in fastest late in a run, seventh in green-flag speed and ninth in fastest laps run (182).

Double Up … Harvick will perform double duty this weekend at Kentucky and compete in his ninth NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season on Friday night. The two-time series champion will be at the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the 300-mile race. The Feed the Children 300 will air live on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET and radio coverage will be provided by PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

The series hasn’t been to a new Cup track in 10 years, with the last ones being Chicago and Kansas. What’s the biggest challenge when you head to a place like we head to Kentucky this week?
“I’d say every one of us has been there in some way, shape or form. Some of the guys may not have raced there, but I know for me, when I first raced there was in 2001. Through the years, there has been a lot of testing that has taken place at that particular race track. I think it’s a race track everyone is pretty familiar with, but not familiar with this new-style car there, as everything was probably done with the old car. So it’ll still be a challenge for sure.”

What were you able to learn from the tire test?
"I think just knowing that the tire is good. It’s a very durable tire. You’re not on edge. I think the biggest thing is just putting that to bed and knowing that we’re not going to have any tire issues.”

How long does it take you to feel comfortable in a car and find a rhythm?
“For me, I’m a rhythm racer. I’m not going to be one of those guys who is going to go out there and shove the thing in the fence by just trying to go fast right off the bat. I’m going to creep up and kind of know the limits of my car and keep pushing them until I feel like that’s the edge.”

Bowyer will be using his 18th-place Kansas chassis this week at Kentucky

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 360 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala, built new in 2011, saw action earlier this season at Kansas Speedway when Bowyer recorded an 18th-place finish after starting 27th.

Career Kentucky Stats … The 2011 Quaker State 400 marks the first time NASCAR’s senior division will make an appearance at Kentucky Speedway

* This weekend’s 400 miler marks Bowyer’s 199th career NSCS start.
* In four NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at the Sparta, Ky.-based facility, Bowyer owns one top-five and three top-10 finishes, posting his best finish of third at the 1.5-mile speedway in the 2005 event.
* The Emporia, Kan., native has completed 100% (800 of 800) of the laps, leading 14, contested at Kentucky Speedway during his NNS career.
* Bowyer owns an 18.2 average starting position and an average finishing position of 8.5 in his four NNS starts.

Red and Yellow … The familiar Cheerios/Hamburger Helper paint scheme will return to Bowyer’s No. 33 Chevrolet this weekend in the Bluegrass State’s inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend.

Points Racing … After getting caught up in Daytona’s version of “The Big One” on Saturday night, Bowyer fell one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings to ninth. He now sits 81 markers behind new leader Kevin Harvick.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:

How do you feel about Kentucky Speedway getting a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date?
“I think it’s great. I’ve raced there a couple times in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car. That’s a huge fan base out there, there’s no question about that. Kentucky Speedway is one of the only places we can pack the house in a Nationwide Series stand-alone event. I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people at how many fans are attending that race. The track is rough. You’re really going to have your hands full trying to get a good package on your car to get through those bumps. The goal is to bounce through the bumps better than the next guy. No one is going to bounce through them well, but you want to be able to bounce through them better than the next guy.”


There really are only a few NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers that have never raced at Kentucky. I guess that means you don’t really have an advantage having raced there in the past.
“Yeah, not really; I mean all these guys are professionals. It doesn’t matter where we go, they’re going to adapt and get up to speed. It’s going to come down to who can get their suspension and chassis packages working the best. They are the people that will prevail at a place like Kentucky Speedway.”

The clock is ticking for Burton to make a move and salvage the season

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Jeff Burton will race Chassis No. 259 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Quaker State 400. Burton tested this RCR racer back in 2009 at Rockingham Speedway. This No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy will make its first competitive laps this weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

Never Say Never … Although, Burton hasn’t competed in any NASCAR Nationwide Series events at the 1.5-mile speedway, his RCR teammates Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard have a number of starts at the facility, with Harvick capturing the inaugural NNS win in 2001. The South Boston, Va., native has however participated in multiple test sessions at the track throughout the years.

Track Time … NASCAR will be allotting all Sprint Cup Series teams valuable testing time on Thursday before the weekend events get underway. In addition to the standard practice sessions, teams will be given almost six hours of testing on the racing surface before Saturday night’s Quaker State 400. In addition to the extra track time this weekend, Burton’s RCR teammate Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team were one of seven teams that participated in the Goodyear tire test at the track last

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts about Kentucky Speedway getting a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date?
“I’ve always said that the tracks that can bring people in are the ones that deserve races. Kentucky Speedway, from what I’ve heard about their sales, the fans have really supported them. I think that’s a great thing. It’s cool to go somewhere else, to a new circuit. I always think that is neat. The local fans will be excited and energized about it and I’m optimistic.”

This is the first new NSCS track to come onto the circuit since 2001. Does that level the playing field or doesn’t it matter with all the testing now days?
“It’s interesting because some people have raced there and some people that have not. A lot of times, when new race tracks are added to the schedule, no one has raced there. New Hampshire is kind of the same way. When it first came on, there was a group of us that had raced at New Hampshire three or four times before the Cup cars were ever there. In some ways, it’s an equalizer, and in other ways, it could separate some things a little bit because people have a lot of experience. There’s a thought that, that could really benefit those people.”

What kind of racing should we expect at Kentucky Speedway?
“The only concern I have about Kentucky Speedway is how rough the surface is. These cars seem to put on the best races at tracks that are a little bit smoother. That’s my only concern about the race track. I think the race track itself is a good race track. I think it can put on a typical (Sprint) Cup race, which means it could be a great finish or someone could drive away from everyone. The bumps will be a huge factor as to who has success there and who doesn’t.”

How do you think the fans are going to react having the Sprint Cup Series come to their town?
“I think that is going to be a really exciting thing for them. Everything that I’ve heard about ticket sales, the fans embraced it immediately. I think it should be very well received. You know, its fun for us as drivers to go somewhere that the fans appreciate there being a race. I think its human nature that if the Coca-Cola 600 has been in Charlotte for the last 40 years, let’s just say, fans know it’s going to be there, and you can take that for granted. Going somewhere for the first time, I think those fans are a little more respectful to ‘wow, look how cool this is.’ I think it’s always cool to go new places. I think it’s important for our sport to be reenergized and for us to reenergize areas of the country as well.”

Four Nationwide Kentucky starts

Paul Menard
No. 27 Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet at Kentucky Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 356 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season, making its on-track debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May when Menard started from the 16th position andbrought home a 29th-place result. The Slugger Labbe-led team will use Chassis No. 328 for Thursday’s test session at the 1.5-mile racetrack. Also built new for the 2011 season, this car made appearances at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (started 18th/finished 12th) and Darlington Raceway (started 18th/finished 22nd).

Menard not a stranger to Kentucky Speedway … Although the NSCS will be making its debut at the Sparta, Ky.-based oval, Menard has four starts with the NASCAR Nationwide Series tucked under his belt. He has one top-five and two top-10 finishes to his credit and has started in the top-10 three times.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES

How do you feel about Kentucky Speedway getting a Cup date?
“It’s going to be a good crowd. I think they’ve had sellouts every time the Nationwide Series has gone there. It’s probably overdue for a Cup race, honestly. I’m looking forward to going back there.”

Do you think you have a little bit of an advantage over some of these guys having run there before?
“No because there are maybe four guys in the garage that haven’t run at Kentucky (Speedway) before. Everyone else has run there before whether in (the) Nationwide (Series), (the Camping World Trucks Series) Trucks or testing. Back when we could test there, that was the most popular test track. So, some guys have a lot more laps there than I do just from testing.”

What kind of racing do you expect at Kentucky Speedway?
“Honestly, it depends on the tire. We don’t have any history on how the Sprint Cup Series cars race there, but from past experiences from racing there, the groove can open up if you have the right tire. You can run really high with the right tire, and if you don’t have the right tire, you have to run on the bottom. It really depends on the tire that Goodyear brings for us to use this weekend.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Releases

Childress Drivers Looking For 31st RCR Daytona Victory Saturday Night

Richard Childress hopes for Daytona results similar to 2010 (Getty) 

Race: Coke Zero 400
July 2, 2011
Location: Daytona International Speedway
Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:

RCR Rocks Daytona … Dating back to 1986, RCR has won seven poles and owns 30 total victories at the most storied race track on the circuit. RCR owns two Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007), three Coke Zero 400 trophies (Earnhardt – 1990, 1993 and Harvick – 2010) and 14 qualifying races, including 10 straight victories with Earnhardt (1990 – 1999) and the most recent coming with Jeff Burton earlier this year. Harvick became the fourth driver to win back-to-back Budweiser Shootout titles (2009 and 2010) and it marked the seventh win in the exhibition race for RCR, more than any other organization. In addition to Harvick’s victories, Earnhardt won the event five times (1986, ’88, ’91, ’93, and ’95). Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Feb. 2002 and 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Daytona, driving cars fielded by RCR. Harvick drove to Victory Lane in the 2007 NNS opener in the No. 21 Chevrolet and Clint Bowyer won the July 2009 NNS race at the “World Center of Racing.”

Kevin Harvick has two Daytona wins over his career, 2007 & 2010 (Getty)

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Harvick has competed in this car twice so far in 2011: he led five laps before finishing 42nd when the car’s engine expired at Daytona in February and scored a fifth-place finish at Talladega in April.

Stars and Stripes … Budweiser and Harvick will celebrate Fourth of July this weekend with a special patriotic paint scheme selected by adult NASCAR fans. The paint scheme – white with red and blue stars and stripes – won the online vote hosted on Budweiser’s Facebook page by less than 700 votes after five weeks of voting.

Folds of Honor … Harvick’s No. 29 Chevrolet will also feature Folds of Honor, an organization that provides post-secondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country, on the TV panel for Saturday night’s race at Daytona. In addition to the special paint scheme, Budweiser has featured a limited-edition red, white and blue Patriotic Can from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July and will donate a portion of all sales, May 26 – July 10, to Folds of Honor. In total, Budweiser is raising up to $2 million to support Folds of Honor this summer*, which is expected to fund more than 400 scholarships. (*Maximum donation of $2,000,000 includes $100 for every home run hit in select professional baseball games, 5c/case of Budweiser sold 5/26-7/10, and $46,500 for Dave Winfield’s 465 career home runs)

Milestone 375 … Harvick will make his 375th start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. In the midst of his 11th season in the series, Harvick has amassed 17 wins, 83 top fives and 164 top-10 finishes, and has led a total of 3,612 laps thus far in his career.

Harvick at Daytona… In 20 starts at Daytona International Speedway, Harvick has racked up one pole award, two wins, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He’s led a total of 162 laps and has an average starting position of 15.4 and an average finishing position of 15.8. Harvick has also completed 92.7 percent (3,237 of 3,493) of the laps run at Daytona since he joined the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit in 2001.

Last Time Around … In last year’s Coke Zero 400, Harvick and the No. 29 RCR team started first and led eight times throughout the race for a total of 28 laps. He passed teammate Clint Bowyer on the final restart and beat the competition to the checkered flag by a 0.092-second margin to score his second Sprint Cup Series points race win at the 2.5-mile track.

In the Loop … Harvick holds a number of loop data statistics at Daytona: second in fastest laps run (63), fifth in closers, seventh in green-flag passes (2,477), eighth in green-flag speed and eighth in laps led (84).

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

How do you have to approach Daytona with the two-car drafting? “I think as a team we have a set strategy that we’re going to go into that race with this week and see how it works. Whether that’s right or wrong, I don’t know. We’ve talked about it for a couple weeks now and have a good plan.”

Do you like the racing at Daytona now? “The racing would be the same way that it is now if the race tracks – the worst thing in the world that happens to this sport is repaving race tracks. That is the absolute worst thing you can do to make the racing bad is to pave a race track. You look at some of the race tracks that have been paved for five or six years now and I don’t know if it’s the type of asphalt or whatever they’re doing, but the racing isn’t the same that it was and the race tracks just don’t get bad. Basically, if Daytona and Talladega would have been paved like they are now, however many years ago and everybody would have figured out how to do – that car would have done what we do now, it’s just that there’s enough grip on the race track with the way that the asphalt is to allow you to do that. There’s really no way to fix it as far as I’m concerned. Unless you just say, go back to the no bump drafting in the corners. That’s the only way you can really fix it until the grip goes away. Paving the race tracks are a killer for the racing.”

Bowyer is using winning and runner-up car from last two Talladega races

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Wheaties FUEL Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 294 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala, built in 2010 specifically for restrictor-place racing, has seen action at four races over the last two seasons, never finishing outside of the top 10. This includes a trip to Talladega Superspeedway’s Victory Lane last October, a fourth-place finish in the 2010 Daytona 500 and a ninth-place finish in this year’s edition of the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. Most recently, it was on track for a second-place effort in the April Talladega event where Bowyer finished a record-tying 0.002 seconds behind race winner Jimmie Johnson.

Career Daytona Stats … This weekend’s 400 miler marks Bowyer’s 198th career NSCS start.
* In 11 NSCS starts at “The World Center of Racing,” Bowyer owns two top-five and six top-10 finishes, posting his best finish of fourth twice – once in the 2009 Daytona 500 and the other one year later in the “Great American Race.”
* Bowyer has completed 99.9% (1,980 of 1,981) of the laps contested at the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based track during his career.
* The Emporia, Kan., native has led 146 laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
* Bowyer owns a 19.4 average starting position and an average finishing position of 13.2.

Bowyer in Black … This weekend under the lights, Wheaties FUEL will put “Bowyer in Black” as the No. 33 Chevrolet will feature a black-and-orange paint scheme for the Coke Zero 400. The scheme was voted in last month by Bowyer’s fans through a special online sweepstakes promotion.

Getting Loopy on Lake Lloyd …Bowyer holds some impressive loop data statistics on the high banks of Daytona. The four-time Sprint Cup Series race winner is fifth in laps led (146), sixth in driver rating (89.1), eighth in average running position, 10th in green-flag passes (2,327) and 12th in quality passes (passing a car in the top 15 while running under green) with 1,290 passes. He has also run 1,067 laps in the top 15.

Former Winner … The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion won from the pole after leading 48 of the 102 laps contested in the 2009 NNS event. It was Bowyer’s first career restrictor-plate victory.

Wine Country … After starting from the ninth position, Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team spent 96 of 110 laps running in the top 15 en route to their third top-five finish of the 2011 season, finishing fourth in the Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

Points Racing … With his strong top-five run last weekend, Bowyer jumped two positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings to eighth. He now sits just 77 markers out of first and 40 points out of the top five.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:

Did the new pavement really change the racing surface at Daytona? “Yeah, it really did. Our 17th-place finish in the Daytona 500 didn’t really show our efforts there. With five or six laps to go, we were one of six cars that were going to have a shot at winning. It was a three, two-car break-a-way at the end and we were one of them. We just got wiped out. Someone got turned down low and ran us into the wall. We made it a lot longer than most of them. We just didn’t make it as long as Trevor Bayne did.”

Are you on terms with two-car drafting? “Oh yeah, I like it. I really do. It gives you something to focus on and work on all race long instead of just riding along. With so much on the line, you need to get yourself a good finish and give yourself the best odds. Before, I would go to the back, ride for awhile to stay out of trouble and let that big wreck to happen if it’s going happen. After that, you would put yourself in position at the end to win the thing. That was the smart thing to do. Now, you can kind of prevent that from happening. You can get latched onto a teammate that you know you’re on common ground with. You know him and what he’s going to do. On top of that, you’re talking to him back and forth on the radio. I just like that situation better. You can kind of control your destiny a little bit more. If you’re running well and want to stay up front, why not lead laps and be on TV for your fans and your sponsors? If not, go to the back because, together, you know you can get right back up there when it’s time.”

Can you explain what it is like to push someone at 200 mph when visibility is a problem? "You know, it’s not really that big of a deal as some people think it is. The biggest thing you have to figure out is how to push him the longest and keep your car cool. It’s about moving out to the left side and getting some air in your grill and doing it at the right time so you don’t loose time. As soon as you duck out, you’re pushing a lot bigger hole through the air and the cars behind you have that much more air to suck up onto. You really have to be careful when to pull out and cool your car and when not to. At the end, you need to have that thing cooled down so you can stay single file and tight up to him. That way, you can have a shot at winning.”

What did you think about Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500? “He’s a super kid. I’m very happy for him. Obviously, I’m really happy for the Wood Brothers. That win turned their whole program around. They’ve had sponsorship and been to the track in a lot bigger fashion, but now they’ve had a lot bigger excitement around their team and that’s because of Trevor Bayne and the wonderful job he did. I don’t know if he paid his dues quite yet, but certainly happy for him and everyone involved. That was a huge win.”

Jeff Burton will be using his winning Gatorade car from February (Getty)

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Jeff Burton will race Chassis No. 331 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Coke Zero 400. Built new for the 2011 season, this No. 31 racer first competed in the second Duel 150 qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway where Burton drove it to victory. He then raced this Caterpillar Chevrolet in the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 that ended eight laps shy of the halfway mark when the engine suddenly expired, crediting the No. 31 team with a 36th-place finish. Burton also drove this RCR racer to a 16th-place result at Talladega Superspeedway after starting 27th earlier this season.

Daytona Details … Burton is the 2006 Daytona 500 pole sitter and a former winner at the famed Daytona International Speedway when he claimed victory under the lights in the July 2000 Sprint Cup Series event. He was also victorious at the second Duel qualifying race in February earlier this year. In 35 starts at the ‘World Center of Racing,’ Burton has posted one win, seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes and has led 118 laps of competition.

Loopy at Daytona … Burton has some notable Daytona stats: Second in Fastest Drivers Early in a Run, Third in Fastest Drivers Late in a Run, Thirdin Green Flag Passes (2,685), Third in Green Flag Speed, Fourth in Speed in Traffic and Seventh in Quality Passes (1,632).

A Career Milestone … This weekend’s Coke Zero 400 will mark Burton’s 600th career start in NASCAR’s premier division, ranking him 22nd on the All-Time Sprint Cup Series starts list. TheSouth Boston, Va., native is also tied with Bobby Labonte, Benny Parsons and Jack Smith for 29th on the all-time wins list with 21 victories, including his first at Texas Motor Speedway’s inaugural event in 1997, back-to-back wins at Darlington Raceway in 1999, two Coca-Cola 600 wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1999 and 2001, and under the lights at Daytona International Speedway in 2000. In 19 years of Sprint Cup Series competition, Burton has compiled six poles, 128 top-five and 237 top-10 finishes.

Burton Meets Ochocinco … Before heading to the 2.5-mile tri-oval in Daytona Beach, Burton will stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway Thursday morning where he will meet Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. The two will make hot laps before Ochocinco teams up with the No. 31 Caterpillar pit crew for a work out and pit stop instructional.

Meet the Driver … On behalf of Coca-Cola, Burton will sign autographs at the Walmart store located at 1101 Beville Road in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Friday, July 1, beginning at 12 noon.

Happy Birthday, Jeff … Caterpillar driver Jeff Burton will celebrate his 44th birthday on Wednesday, June 29. He is the sixth-oldest driver listed on this weekend’s entry list behind Dave Blaney, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin and Joe Nemechek.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

Did you make too quick of an exit from the Daytona 500 to experience what you’re going to see in July? “No. We ran almost half of the race and being that I’ve ran at Daytona multiple times so we’ll be fine. I feel really good about our (restrictor) plate program. We led a lot of laps at those races this year. You have to approach Daytona much more like Talladega now. I think that will be the same for the Coke Zero 400. I don’t see any possible way that the track has lost enough grip that you wouldn’t approach it like a Talladega race. You’re going to expect a lot more bump drafting and a lot of the two-car break-a-ways.”

How comfortable are you with the two-car breakaway and two-car draft? “I’m really comfortable with it. I like it a lot. I don’t have any issue with it. It’s difficult to see when you’re the guy pushing. There are a lot of challenges and some of it gets your attention. We adapted to that pretty quickly. We worked real hard at it practicing for the (Daytona) 500. By the time the race came around, I feel like we had adapted to it pretty well. I’m pretty comfortable with it.”

Explain what it’s like to be pushing someone at 200 mph. “Well, you literally can’t see. The only thing that you can see is if you’re approaching turn one and you look out of the side window, you can see the middle of (turns) one and two. But, you can’t see anything in front of you. You have no idea what you’re catching. You’re totally committed to that guy in front of you. He’s communicating with you – telling you what’s going on. You’re committed to your spotter. It’s truly blind racing.”

What did you think of Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500? “It’s always cool to see someone new in the sport have success. It’s always cool to see a team like the Wood Brothers have success. You had both of them there. The (Daytona) 500 has turned into what would almost be a wild card race today. The only thing that has been disappointing for me about the (Daytona) 500 in modern history is it used to be that the greats of the sport won the race. With the (restrictor) plate races being so different than it’s ever been before, that’s opened the door for people that may not have had success at other places have success at the (Daytona) 500. That’s good and bad. It’s good because it propelled Trevor Bayne, someone new to our sport for spectators to say ‘wow, a rookie won the Daytona 500.’ That’s good for our sport. On the other hand, it’s a little odd because we have people winning races that haven’t had much success anywhere else. It’s two fold. I thought it was cool for both Trevor Bayne and the Wood Brothers. But, for the Wood Brothers in particular and their history in the sport, it was pretty cool to see the No. 21 back in Victory Lane.

Menard impressive in plate race

Paul Menard
No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 338 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen on the track at Talladega Superspeedway when Menard brought home a 12th-place result after starting from the fifth position. Menard also drove this racer at DIS in February, where he turned the fourth-fastest lap during qualifying for the Duel 150′s. He started on the front row for the first of the two qualifier races and finished ninth. He then started 19th in the 53rd running of the famed Daytona 500 and finished ninth, his career-best finish at Daytona.

Starting up front at Daytona … Menard earned his one career NSCS pole position at Daytona International Speedway. In 2008, he claimed the pole award for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona (July). The following year, he started the Budweiser Shootout from the pole position when he drew the top spot during Budweiser’s annual Shootout Draw Party.

Daytona Tidbits …
* In eight previous starts at a track that is notorious for the field-reducing ‘Big One,’ Menard has completed an impressive 98.9% of his laps (1,401 of 1,416).
* He has an average starting position of 23.6 and an average finishing position of 19.9, with his best finish of ninth coming in this year’s Daytona 500, where he led for 11 laps.
* Menard has led for a total of 30 circuits around the 2.5-mile tri-oval over the course of his five-year NSCS career.

A Loopy Year in Review … After 16 races, the Eau Claire, Wisc., native maintains an average running position of 16.29, has made the third-highest number of green-flag passes (1,923), has spent 48.5 percent of his contested laps racing in the top 15 and is ranked third in quality passes. He has also completed 94.2 percent of his laps (4,578 of 4,858).

Race Rewind … Paul Menard made his career-best start of third at Infineon Raceway in last weekend’s Save Mart 350. With damaged fenders on the No. 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet, he battled a tight-handling condition throughout the 110-lap event. His 17th-place finish marks his career-best finish at the Sonoma, Calif.-based road course; however, he fell to 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You had a great run in this year’s Daytona 500. How do you feel about going back to Daytona (International Speedway), and will the things you learned in February carry over to the July race? “I think you are going to see a repeat of the (Daytona) 500 as far as the two-car drafts are concerned. It’s going to be hotter, but the track has so much grip that it won’t really matter. There will still be two-car breakaways and we’ll manage that the best we can. I am definitely looking forward to returning with power that the ECR (Earnhardt-Childress Racing) engines give us.”

Do you like the two-car breakaway? “I like it a lot better than the pack drafting. There’s a lot more control in the driver’s hands. Restrictor-plate racing still isn’t my favorite type of racing. It is a total crapshoot once you’re out there.”

Describe what it’s like to push someone at 200 mph. Is there a feeling of lack of control? “Yeah, you really can’t see anything. You can see more once you get to the corners because you can kind of look up through the top of the windshield over the car in front of you. When you’re going down the straightaway, you really have no idea where he’s going. You have to take a snap shot of what’s happening in front of you when you go through the corner because you can see then. You have to work off that picture in your mind when you’re going down the front and back stretch.”

By Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500, does that give people confidence that if you hit on something and keep persevering, anyone can win the race? “Honestly, it’s restrictor-plate racing and anything can happen. You always have some wrecks where good cars get taken out early. That opens the door for some guys that may not be able to compete every week for wins. Trevor had a really strong car in February and the end of the race played in his favor. I am very confident that we’ll have a strong car this weekend when we go back to Daytona. It’s anyone’s ball game there.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Releases

Kyle Busch Takes a Beating From Richard Childress Racing Following Kansas Truck Race

Yahoo Sports

Joey Colter put a late move on Kyle that Kyle didn't like

After Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway, word spread that Richard Childress and Kyle Busch were involved in an altercation in the garage.

Speed pit reporter Ray Dunlap tweeted that Childress "put a whipping" on Busch after the race.

Hot news from the track. Grandpa Childress put a whipping on Kyle Busch in the truck garage. Look for big sun glasses on kubu sun.

Shortly thereafter, SPEED Center, SPEED's racing recap show, posted this on Facebook:

CHILDRESS vs. KYLE BUSCH: multiple witnesses tell SPEED there was a physical confrontation between Richard Childress and Kyle Busch after today's NASCAR Truck Series race

NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said that the sanctioning body was looking into reports of the altercation.

Busch was battling Childress driver Joey Coulter for fifth place late in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. The racing seemed clean as Coulter and Busch didn't make contact as they were side by side, but Busch gave Coulter a door slam after the race, potentially sparking what has been reported.

Busch is on probation through June 15 in all NASCAR series for an incident with Kevin Harvick -- a Childress driver in the Sprint Cup Series -- at Darlington when Busch ran into Harvick's car after Harvick got out to confront him on pit road after the race.


Another account of the action Jim Pedley at RacinToday.com

Kansas City, Kan. – The Twitter universe flared up Saturday evening with reports that NASCAR team owner Richard Childress and driver Kyle Busch got into a physical altercation following the Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.

One tweet had Childress punching Busch in the face.

An unidentified crew member from another truck team told RacinToday.com that rookie driver Joey Coulter and Busch got into the fight and that Coulter had Busch in a “headlock and was pounding him pretty good.”

NASCAR public relations staffer Kerry Tharp said that NASCAR is looking into the reports.

Busch and Coulter, who drives a Richard Childress Racing truck, got into an on-track altercation during the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.

Busch apparently did not like the move which Coulter used to get past him late in the race. He gave Coulter’s car a bump on the cool-down lap.

The anger then carried over into the infield after the race, according to the Twitter and other reports.


Another account of the blows by Jeff Gluck from SBNation.com

Kyle Busch was put into a headlock and punched several times by famed team owner Richard Childress before falling to the ground, according to several people with direct knowledge of an altercation that occurred after the Kansas Truck Series race on Saturday.

Busch, who had raced hard with Richard Childress Racing's Joey Coulter late in the event, was confronted by Childress in the garage following the race.

According to several sources, Childress removed his watch and handed it to grandson Austin Dillon before walking up to Busch.

Childress apparently didn't like what he heard from Busch upon speaking with the driver, and the 65-year-old grandfather placed Busch in a headlock and punched him two or three times.

Busch then went to the ground in a defensive position to avoid further injury, but Childress attempted to punch Busch again after he rose.

SPEED's Ray Dunlap reported Busch may have suffered a black eye in the incident.

This obviously isn't the first time Busch has had an issue with someone related to Richard Childress Racing. Busch has found himself in several disagreements with RCR's Kevin Harvick, including a notable incident at Darlington in which Busch moved Harvick's car on pit road to try and avoid getting punched.

We'll obviously keep you up to date as more details about this story come in from those in Kansas.


More Info on the bout from Jim Utter of ThatsRacin.com

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – NASCAR officials are investigating a physical altercation involving team owner Richard Childress and driver Kyle Busch in the garage area following Saturday’s Truck series race at Kansas Speedway.

According to a member of a Truck team who asked not to be identified, Childress took off his jewelry before approaching Busch in the garage area and struck him with his fist.

The two were separated, traded insults and then Childress grabbed Busch in a headlock and struck him again before the incident was broken up.

The crew member said Childress initiated the incident.

Officials with Busch's team and Richard Childress Racing declined to comment on the incident.

Sara Peters, the wife of Truck series driver, Timothy Peters, posted a message on her Facebook account indicating Childress had struck Busch after the race. The post was quickly removed.

The cause of Childress’ frustration was likely tied to the end of the race, during which one of Childress’ drivers, Joey Coulter, and Busch bumped each other while battling for fifth place on the final lap.

Coulter finished in that position, but on the cool-down lap, Busch ran into the right side of Coulter’s truck.

“I learned a ton (riding) behind (Busch) and I know why those guys keep saying what they do. That was really awesome racing him,” Coulter said after the race.

“I hate we got together on the last lap. I had never gotten tight next to somebody, so I was underneath him expecting to get loose, and I get tight and we kind of got together.”

In interviews on pit road, in the media center or on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio following the race, Coulter indicated no animosity.

Busch and Childress’ Sprint Cup driver, Kevin Harvick, were both placed on probation following a post-race incident on pit road at Darlington, S.C., last month.


Sunday Morning Article From the Kansas City Star

Kyle Busch and Richard Childress met again on Sunday morning.

NASCAR summoned Kyle Busch, his car owner, Joe Gibbs, and Childress of Richard Childress Racing to its hauler at 8:30 a.m. and discussed the altercation between Busch and Childress after Saturday’s Camping World Trucks Series race.

None of the parties would comment after about 30 minutes.

NASCAR president Mike Helton was to meet with reporters at 9:15.

Busch was out of the hauler within five minutes and did not bear any scars or bruises as he walked quickly to his motor home.

Childress and Gibbs said they would issue statements later in the day.


NASCAR Penalizes Richard Childress For Actions At Kansas Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 6, 2011) – NASCAR has fined owner Richard Childress $150,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing – involved in an altercation in the garage area) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book. The violation occurred following the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race June 4 at Kansas Speedway.
The probation includes all NASCAR-sanctioned events.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM NASCAR

The penalty we have announced today for Richard Childress reflects NASCAR’s response to the incident at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. We feel this action is appropriate and are confident all parties involved understand our position on this matter and will move forward appropriately.