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.

One Million Reasons Why the Childress Drivers are Looking Forward to the All-Star Race

Kevin Harvick will be using a brand new chassis this week

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


This Week’s Budweiser-Realtree Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 346 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new No. 29 racer that will be put through its first taste of competition this weekend.

Million Dollar Pay Day … In the 2007 running of the Sprint All-Star Race, Harvick started on the outside of row two for the final segment, jumped to the outside on the opening lap and grabbed the lead, and never looked back as he took the checkered flag and won one million dollars.

All-Star Race Notes … In 10 starts in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Harvick has earned one win (2007), two top five and five top-10 finishes. Combined, he’s led 62 laps, has an average starting position of 8.4 and an average finishing position of 11.1.

Change of Scenery … Harvick’s No. 29 Chevrolet Impala will sport a different look for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 2007 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winner will transform his traditional black machine into a No. 29 Budweiser-Realtree Chevrolet, featuring Realtree on the hood, trunk and C-post with camo trim highlighting the body panels of the now-familiar Budweiser theme.

Last Time Around … Harvick and RCR’s No. 29 team started 13th and finished sixth in last year’s All-Star Race. The Bakersfield, Calif., native was able to avoid several incidents during the fourth and final 10-lap segment, advancing three positions from ninth before the checkered flag waved.

In the Loop … Harvick owns several notable loop data statistics in the All-Star Race as he enters this weekend: fourth in closers, fourth in laps led, fifth in green-flag passes, sixth in drivers fastest late in a run, eighth in fastest on restarts, eighth in laps in the top 15 (380) and ninth in driver rating (81.6).

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

Talk about the upcoming NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. “All-Star week is always a lot of fun. The crew guys are a big part of All-Star weekend with the pit stop competition and they’re a big part of the race. It’s an important week for us to see what we have, competition wise, heading into the (Coca-Cola) 600 and really evaluate the performance of the race car on the race track a week before the race. It’s a fun week and there’s a lot of money on the line. I guess it’s a really good paying test session but it’s a lot of fun, too.”

How important is it to use the All-Star Race as an information gathering event for the Coca-Cola 600?

“Everything you do in that race is at night and the (Coca-Cola) 600 ends at night. You have to take what you do in the All-Star race and the daytime practices and mix those two together and rely on a lot of past notes. You may try some new things, too, and have a set-up that’s adjustable for 600 miles.”

Jeff Burton has three Charlotte wins, but none in the All-Star race

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

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 344 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built brand new for the 2011 season, this No. 31 racer competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March where handling issues relegated Burton to a 21st-place finish before rebounding nicely at Texas Motor Speedway one month later when the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner posted his best finish of season thus far of 11th.

Breaking Down Showdown Stats … In 17 full seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Burton has competed in the Sprint Showdown six times – 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2010. His 2003 victory allowed him to transfer into the prestigious All-Star Race where he went on to finish ninth.

No Stranger to CMS … Although the South Boston, Va., native has yet to collect a million dollar payday, he is no stranger to Victory Lane. Burton has visited CMS’ Winner Circle on three separate occasions – May 1999, May 2001 and October 2008.

One Year Ago …Burton and the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team overcame a 17th-place starting position to finish third in the annual Sprint Showdown 40-lap event. The veteran driver was on the move in the early going, moving into the top 10 on lap six and the top five at lap 12. The South Boston, Va., native traveled to fourth on lap 23 and into third on the ensuing lap, spending the remaining laps trying to reel in the second-place car. But, the handling on the Caterpillar Chevy shifted to the tight side in the closing circuits and Burton couldn’t make up any time on the frontrunners, taking the checkers one position shy of transferring into the All Star event.

How it Works … The Sprint Showdown consists of two 20-lap segments. All laps, both green and yellow, will count in the first segment before pit road opens, allowing teams to pit if they choose to do so. Teams who elect to pit will lose their track position and must line up in the order that they return to the track behind those cars that do not pit. Only green-flag laps will count in the second and final segment. The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown will transfer to the All-Star Race.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on competing in the Sprint Showdown for the second consecutive year?

“It’s disappointing and embarrassing not to be in the All Star race. I’ve won over 20 races and to not capitalize on a lot of opportunities last year to win races certainly has its consequences and this is one of them. At the end of the day, it is what it is. We’ll go to the race track and try to have fun without a lot of pressure. At the same token, it’s not fun if you’re not in the main event. Last year, we made some calculated gambles and ended up having a relatively long green-flag run and that hurt us in finishing first or second. But, we’ll do our best to try and transfer to this year’s All Star event.”

How tough is it having to race your way in to the All Star race? “You, certainly, can’t count on getting in by the fan vote so you have to focus on racing your way in. Drivers want the chance to win a million dollars but, honestly, the trophy is what it’s all about. Money doesn’t motivate me. My job does. The trophy is always going to be there and, to me, that’s a bigger deal than anything else.”

Clint Bowyer is coming off an excellent run at Dover

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s BB&T Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 333 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala saw action earlier this season when Bowyer scored a top-10 finish (seventh) at Auto Club Speedway.

Career All-Star Stats … Bowyer has two career appearances in NASCAR’s million-dollar event. In 2008, the four-time Sprint Cup Series winner started ninth and finished 18th, and in his most recent appearance in 2009, he started 17th and finished 12th.

Sprint Showdown … The Emporia Kan., native also has three career starts in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a career-best finish of sixth coming in the 2007 qualifier. Last year, Bowyer finished 23rd after being involved in an accident with six laps to go.


CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:

How do you view the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race? Is it still a big deal to you? “It’s a big deal, but just another race. In this sport, things are so important now. If I’m running second and there’s a green-white-checkered restart, my opinion about that race has changed. Until then, I treat it like it’s just another race. It pays more money, obviously, and the hype and everything is big. It’s not like our teams or us as drivers can pick up the pace and go faster because it’s more money. Yeah, there are no points, so you can take more gambles and take risks you wouldn’t normally take. Aside from that, it’s just another race.”

Along the same lines, would you do something out of character to win it? “It depends on the situation. Like I said, if you’re running second with a green-white-checkered restart, it definitely changes the whole aspect of everything.”

In this day in age, is winning one million dollars still a big deal? “Oh, hell yeah! Winning one million dollars is always going to be a big deal.”

What do you think of the format of the All-Star Race? “It’s good. There’s a lot that happens throughout that race. If you’re in the back, it could possibly set you up to be in position. If you just ran the race straight through, it would be the first four or fives guys that were up front that would win.”

Menard has been sliding lately

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

This Week’s Moen/Menards Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway …Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 326 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen in competition at Bristol Motor Speedway where Menard brought home a fifth-place result after starting from the fourth position. This Impala most recently made laps during the Goodyear tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in April.

No Holds Barred … Saturday night marks Menard’s fifth appearance in the Sprint Showdown. He earned his best result of fourth in last year’s no-holds-barred event. Menard ranks fourth in the Loop Data category of Quality Passes and is seventh in Laps in the top 15 with 105 logged laps.


PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You will have to race your way into the Sprint All-Star Race this weekend. How fun is the Sprint Showdown? “Yeah, we’ll head to Charlotte (Motor Speedway) ready for the short runs. We would have rather been qualified already for the All-Star Race, but the (Sprint) Showdown is a lot of fun. There’s little to no pressure. Obviously, you still want to run well. We’ll also use that as a test session for the (Coca-Cola) 600. We’ll try some things, but we want to race our way into the All-Star Race. I think we have a good shot at it.”

Speaking of the Coca-Cola 600, has using the Sprint Showdown as a practice session proved to be successful for you in the past? “Definitely. Last year, we hit on a couple things that translated over. The weather plays a big role in things, though. If it’s a cold (Sprint) All-Star weekend and a hot (Coca-Cola) 600 weekend, everyone’s setups will change. However, it’s about building a database. It’s the same race track and the same tires. We’ll definitely learn things.”


The format for the All-Star Race is 50 laps, 20, 20, then 10 laps. Do you like the segment style of the Sprint Showdown and All-Star races? “I do. It’s going to be wild for sure. They are short runs, and a lot of us grew up racing short, 25-lap Saturday night races. With the double-file restarts, even in a 500-mile event, there’s little give or take. There’s going to be even more of that in the All-Star Race.”

The All-Star race winner wins one million dollars. Is that still a big deal? “One million dollars is a big deal, but the pride that goes along with it is a much bigger deal.”

What would it mean to have a trophy like that in your house? “It would be a big deal for sure. I’d find a really nice spot for it.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Releases

Childress Drivers Looking For Second RCR Dover Win in 17 Years

RCR has only one since 1993 at Dover

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:

RCR at Dover … Richard Childress Racing claims four wins at “The Monster Mile,” three of them coming from Dale Earnhardt and one from Jeff Burton in 2006. Additionally, in 121 collective starts, RCR boasts 22 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes at the Dover, Del., facility. The Welcome, NC., based team has collectively lead 2,146 laps and completed 47,969 of the 53,112 contested laps (90.3 percent) at the one-mile speedway.

The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first 10 races, RCR’s four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched two wins, eight top-five and 13 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. RCR-prepared Chevrolets have also completed 12,396 out of 13,216 total laps (93.8 percent) with drivers Clint Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Paul Menard, who have led a combined 406 laps. At least one RCR driver has led laps in each of the season’s first 10 events.

Many hope to see more Kyle-Harvick drama

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

This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 299 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. In March, Harvick raced his way to Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in this car after starting from the 24th position. The team also utilized this car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2010 and Harvick drove it to a second-place finish there after starting 34th.

Last Time Around … Harvick and RCR’s No. 29 team started 30th and finished seventh last spring at Dover. In the fall, he started 33rd and finished 15th.

Dover Notes … In 20 starts at Dover International Speedway, Harvick has earned two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He’s completed 98.3 percent (7,864 of 8,004) total laps and has led 134 laps at the one-mile track. Harvick has an average starting position of 21.8 and an average finishing position of 17.3 at Dover.

A First for Harvick … While Harvick has made 108 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and 36 total starts at Dover in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series combined, Friday will mark the Bakersfield, Calif., native’s first Truck Series start at the one-mile track. Harvick is entered in the Kevin Harvick Inc. No. 2 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for the Lucas Oil 200.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
The next two races will be important to learn for the Chase. “With Dover and Charlotte, you need to know where you have to be when you come back for the Chase. So these are important weeks for us to put the notebooks where they need to be and have a good understanding of the things that we need to do when it counts.”

What does it take to be successful at the Monster Mile? “Dover is one of those places as a driver that feels really fast. With these kinds of cars, it seems like the forward drive off the corner is the most important thing, but you still have to make your car turn in the center of the corner. As a driver, the car has to be comfortable to be really aggressive. It’s just a fine balance for everything.”

Bowyer's best at Dover has been three eighth-place finishes in 10 starts

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s BB&T Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 310 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala saw action earlier this season when Bowyer finished 35th at Bristol Motor Speedway after suffering engine failure from damage to the grill in an accident on lap 436.

Career Dover Stats … The FedEx 400 marks Bowyer’s 192nd NSCS start.
* In 10 NSCS starts at Dover, Bowyer owns three top-10 finishes, which were all eighth-place efforts (Sept 2006, June 2007 and Sept 2008).
* He has completed 99.4% of the laps (3,976 of 4,000) contested at “The Monster Mile” during his career.
* The Emporia, Kan., native has led four laps at the one-mile facility.
* Bowyer owns a 19.1 average starting position and an average finishing position of 15.1.

Two-Time Winner … The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion visited Dover’s Victory Lane twice while running in NASCAR’s junior circuit. Both wins came on the same date, September 26, three years apart from one another, in 2006 and 2009.

Last Time in Dover … After starting 24th, Bowyer and the No. 33 team brought home a 25th-place finish in last year’s September event during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:
Dover falls in the month of May. You referred to May as a month that hasn’t been very good to you. Is Dover the same kind of thing as Darlington? “Dover is actually a good track for me. I love Dover and run well there. We’ve practiced, qualified and raced well, yet don’t always finish well. That’s what we need to work on, is getting that strong finish. We’re hit or miss on race day. There will be runs when we’re lightning fast, but there are other runs that we’re going a lap down. It’s always one of those tracks that we come back in the fall and have a good finish after learning from the spring event. We need to be able to capitalize on that and get a good run here in the spring race.”

Some guys hate the corner one entry, others seem to deal with fuel issues and spin their tires up off of turn two. What is the toughest thing for you at Dover, or what do you guard against as far as tricks there? “The toughest part is getting your car to do what you want it to do. I have won two Nationwide Series races there so I’ve had success. I love that race track, but the hardest thing is getting these Sprint Cup cars to do what you want them to do. They don’t want to do that sometimes (laughs).”

You can sling a dirt car around as well as anyone. You can run 500 miles around a place like Daytona in the middle of July. Is Dover a real physical test? “It is. It’s a bigger Bristol and I would definitely say that Bristol is a physical test. Dover is just a bigger, faster, meaner Bristol.”

Is pit road any better there at Dover? Does it feel wider? “It definitely feels wider. It’s without a doubt wider. The pit stalls are still very short. Dover is just one of those places where it’s a short track, but it’s also a mile long.”


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

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 317 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2010, this is the same Caterpillar Chevy Burton drove to an eighth-place finish at Pocono Raceway last August. This Chevrolet racer competed at Michigan International Speedway and Auto Club Speedway last fall where Burton finished 24th and 23rd, respectively. Burton also drove this No. 31 to a 17th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this season.

Monster Mile Report … In 34 Sprint Cup Series starts at Dover, Burton boasts one win (September 2006, where he snapped a 176-race winless streak), eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. The South Boston, Va., native has earned a 25.3 starting average to go along with a respectable 15.5 finishing average and has led nine different races for a total of 128 laps.

Right Mix at Dover …Since joining RCR in August 2004, Burton has run 13 racesat DIS,garnering a 10.2 average finish with four top-five, seven top-10 and 10 top-15 results. His first start for RCR at the high-banked, one-mile oval resulted in a 33rd-place finish, but he has bounced back nicely and hasn’t finished outside the top 16 since. Burton has had two consecutive second-place finishes at the Monster Mile.

Loopy at the Monster Mile …Burton is the sport’s best green-flag passer with 525 passes made. He is the seventh-best driver in quality passes (289) and drivers fastest late in a run. The South Boston, Va., native ranks ninth in fastest laps run (156) and average running position. Burton also ranks 10th in driver rating (90.2) and laps run in the top 15 with 3,131 laps.

The Big Break … Burton currently owns an 87-race winless streak that he hopes to break in this weekend’s visit with the Monster Mile. The Caterpillar driver’s last visit to Winner’s Circle was in October 2008 when he led the final 57 laps en route to his 21st Sprint Cup Series career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
You run well at Dover. You’ve been runner-up twice. How much do you look forward to Dover and getting the year turned around? “We’re in a stretch right now where we have a lot of good race tracks. We need to take advantage of that. We’re also in a real critical part of the year for us. If you’re 20th in points, at some point you have to get it together. It’s time for us to start finishing races the way we’ve been running and capitalizing on some opportunities. We haven’t done that for a long time. Dover has been a track that has been good to us. We typically don’t qualify well there, but we race really well there. It’s a track that qualifying 40th doesn’t hurt you all that much because it’s a long race, and a track you can make passes on. It’s a place that we’re excited about going to. It’s a really hard race track; it’s very difficult. It’s a high-speed Bristol, if there’s such a thing. It’ll get your attention.”

What’s the toughest part of Dover? “Well, pretty much from the time you leave pit road until the time you get back. It’s just a demanding race track. It’s so fast. You have to be on the throttle so much. You really feel like you’re using the tires up every lap, but if you don’t do that, you’re not running fast enough. It’s a balance between being tight enough to make a good lap time, but if you get too tight, it kills the right front tires. For me, it’s a balance between turning good enough without being abusive to the right front tire.”

Is it less dicey since they widened pit road and lengthened it? “Well pit road was definitely hard there’s no question about that. That was one of the most treacherous pit roads, and they most certainly have made it better. Those kinds of improvements only enhance the quality of racing. Those are the kinds of things that every track needs to look at doing. That to me has made Dover a much better race track.”

Is it really tough physically these days? “Yeah, it really is. The thing is with these cars, we continually go faster. The corner speeds continue to get up. That’s what makes it harder on drivers from the physical standpoint are those g-forces. Yes, it is physically tough.”

Menard finished seventh last fall

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

This Week’s CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 347 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 Auto Club Speedway (Fontana) where Menard brought home a 16th-place result after starting from the 15th position.

Off to Slay “The Monster Mile” … In his seven previous starts at Dover, Menard has finished each of his contested races and completed 98.2 percent of his laps (2,751 of 2,800). He has an average starting position of 23.3 and an average finishing position of 20.4. His best start of ninth and his best finish of seventh were both claimed in last year’s September affair.

A Loopy Year in Review … After 10 races, and in the wake of two disappointing finishes in Saturday night beating and banging, short-track racing, Menard maintains an average running position of 15.57, is ranked 10th in the category of Fastest Drivers Early in a Run and is ranked third in Quality Passes.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
How do you feel about where you are in the points? “Well, we took a hit in Richmond. We pretty much struggled all weekend there, but we got back on the lead lap and we were running sixth when we got caught up in a wreck. We’ve had a few races where we feel like we could have capitalized more. We’ve had some good races, but we’ve had some races where we feel like we could have finished better than where we ran. I’d like to get back up in the top- 2 for sure.”

It seems like the races that are coming up should give you some hope. You’ve run well at Dover, Charlotte, and Pocono. “Yeah, our intermediate program is pretty strong. I feel pretty confident about Dover. We ran well there last fall. Charlotte will hopefully be a good track for us. Then we go to Kansas and Pocono, where we should be okay. Short tracks have been our struggle, and that’s what we’re working hard to improve on.”

You finished seventh in Dover last fall, your first top 10 there. Does that give you confidence going back there this weekend? “I’ve always liked Dover. It’s a fun track to drive and race on. We had a good run there last fall, so we have some good notes to make a base out of.”

What’s the toughest part about Dover? “It’s really a wide track. It’s really fast, but the groove opens up. It gets really narrow on the straightaways, so if something happens there, it happens really fast. The backstretch gets really bottled up, too. The track gets blocked easily if there’s a wreck, so you really have to try and stay out of trouble. The concrete has a much different feel than the asphalt does, trying to get over all of the seams in the race track, so you have to get your shock package right.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Releases

Without Dale Earnhardt, RCR Drivers Have Become Also-Rans at Darlington

Dale Earnhardt had eight Darlington wins

Race: SHOWTIME Southern 500
May 7, 2011
Location: Darlington Raceway

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes:
RCR at Darlington … Richard Childress is tied for third all time with Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers for car owner victories at Darlington with eight – all of them coming with Dale Earnhardt. Additionally, in 99 collective starts, RCR boasts 21 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval with five different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Robby Gordon.

The Collective RCR … Over the season’s first nine races, RCR’s four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched two wins, eight top-five and 13 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. RCR-prepared Chevrolets have also completed 10,666 out of 11,636 total laps (91.7 percent) with drivers Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Paul Menard, who have led a combined 359 laps. At least one RCR driver has led laps in each of the season’s first nine events.

Bowyer has experienced quite a few Darlington stripes over his career

Clint Bowyer
No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet
Race Notes and Quotes

This Week’s BB&T Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 315 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a new Chevrolet Impala that will be put through its first competitive laps this weekend.

Career Darlington Stats …
* The SHOWTIME Southern 500 marks Bowyer’s 191st NSCS start.
* In five NSCS starts at Darlington, Bowyer owns one top-10 finish (ninth-May 2007).
* He has completed 90% of the laps (1,651 of 1,835) contested at Darlington during his career.
* The Emporia, Kan., native has led 16 laps at the 1.366-mile facility.
* Bowyer owns a 17.2 average starting position and an average finishing position of 23.2.

Former Pole Winner … Bowyer earned his first career NSCS pole at the track deemed “Too Tough to Tame” on May 13, 2007.

Last Time in Darlington … After starting 27th, Bowyer and the No. 33 team suffered a broken brake line during the race, forcing two green-flag pit stops, and limped home to a 32nd-place finish in last year’s SHOWTIME Southern 500.

In the Loop … Over the first nine points-paying races of the 2011 NSCS season, Bowyer has accumulated an impressive resume of loop data statistics. Heading into this weekend’s 500 miler, he is the series’ second-best Quality Passer with 873 passes while running in the top 15 under green-flag conditions – just 8 passes shy of leader Kurt Busch’s total. The four time Sprint Cup Series race winner also ranks second with an average running position of 11.45 and a Driver Rating of 98.5. Bowyer’s 65.9 percent of contested laps running in the top 15 (1,918 of 2,909) places him fifth, his 224 laps led ranks him fourth and his 309.45 miles led positions him third amongst his competitors. Other notable loop data stats include: second in Fastest Drivers Early in a Run, third in Green-Flag Speed, sixth in Fastest Drivers Late in a Run and ninth in Fastest Laps Run.

Points Racing … Since dropping to 24th after a 38th-place effort at Bristol Motor Speedway in March, the No. 33 team has improved 17 positions, to seventh, in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:
Darlington is Mother’s Day weekend. How much does this weekend mean to you and your family? “This has always been a family sport. As far as I am concerned, I am going to keep it that way until I am done in this sport. I hope they’re around until I retire and my kids retire from this sport. Mom has always been a big part of that. I remember back in the day when she had three boys all racing motorcycles in the mud. There she was trying to wash clothes, keep us all in line and also take care of her family all at the same time. She was a big part of my success as anybody.”

Darlington Raceway: Love it or hate it? She hasn’t been your best friend. Is that just a simple matter of you figuring out a way to drive it differently? “It has definitely been kind of a love/hate relationship with her. We have run well there and have also struggled. We have had good cars, but just can’t get everything put together for a solid finish. Hopefully, we can capitalize on that this year. We really need a good run there. In the past, the month of May hasn’t been really good to this team and Darlington is a big part of that.”

Is there any specific reason for the struggles at Darlington?  “When I first came here, we didn’t always have the best package until last year. We were good off the trailer and I just flat out wrecked it in practice. Then, during the race, we suffered a brake problem. I think it was a brake line or something broke and we had to pit twice under green-flag conditions during the race. You know, it was just one of those bad races and a bad weekend overall. You can’t afford to have those anymore. It’s so important to be solid week-in and week-out. If we want to be a championship contender, which I think we are, you can’t have those 32nd-place finishes on your resume. You need consistency and wins."

Burton is the best of the RCR drivers with two wins and eight top-5's

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


This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Jeff Burton will pilot chassis No. 355 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new Caterpillar Chevrolet that will be put through its first competitive paces this weekend.

The Darlington Report … In 28 Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Burton has posted two wins, eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, with only one DNF (did not finish) and three finishes outside the top 20. He holds a 20.9 starting average coupled with an impressive 11.4 finishing average and has led 817 laps of competition.

Rain Man – Back-to-Back winner … Burton won both races at Darlington Raceway in 1999, leading both events as rain began to fall which forced NASCAR to throw the checkered flag prior to completing the scheduled distance.

Loopy with the Lady … NASCAR’s loop data statistics proves why the track deemed Too Tough to Tame is one of Burton’s favorites. Over the last six races at the historic 1.366-mile oval, the veteran driver boasts an average running position of 13.2 and a Driver Rating of 89.8, which ranks him 11th amongst his competitors. He is the sport’s third-best Green-Flag Passer with 342 passes made under green-flag conditions and is positioned in eighth with 67.6 percent of laps running in the top 15 (1,491 of 2205).

Last Time Around … After taking the top spot with 27 laps to go and a caution flag being displayed one lap later, a late-race pit miscue placed the Cat Racing team at the rear of the field for the final 20 laps of the last season’s SHOWTIME Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. But, a hard-charging Burton flexed his muscle and picked off 10 positions to finish eighth when the checkered flag waved.

Making a Charge … After exiting the Daytona 500 early due to a rare expired engine and sitting 33rd in the point standings, Burton and the Todd Berrier-led Cat Racing team have advanced 13 positions, to 20th, heading into this weekend’s 500-mile contest. Although they are 61 markers in arrears to Tony Stewart’s 10th-place tally, they are only 35 points away from cracking the top 15.

A Streak Looking to End … Burton currently owns an 86-race winless streak that he hopes to break in this weekend’s visit with the Lady in Black. The Caterpillar driver’s last visit to Winner’s Circle was in October 2008 when he led the final 57 laps en route to his 21st Sprint Cup Series career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:
You have a lot of respect for Darlington. Why is that?  “With no disrespect to any other race track, Daytona is the centerpiece of our sport but, Darlington, to me, has the most historic meaning of anywhere we go. Darlington has changed. It is not the way it was 40 years ago, but, it is the way it was 30 years ago. It still has that character. There are no fluke winners at Darlington. It requires you as a driver to push hard, but penalizes you when you push too hard. You have to be precise. It is a track that people that like to drive race cars like to go to. Some of the race tracks we race on, you are a rider more than a driver. This is the type of place where you can make a difference in the car. When I go there, I look at it as a huge challenge because I know that if I operate at 100 percent of my capability and my car’s capability, we’ll get the best finish we can. If I am at 97 percent, then we’re not. That extra three percent at Darlington gets you something. It did for Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. It is the same race track. I know the suites are cool, but, to me, going there is like stepping back in time and you don’t have all that there. It is just a race track that was built around a pond that is the same way it was then. I think that has some special meaning to it.”

You haven’t finished worse than 12th in the last five races at Darlington but how do you expect to improve on those finishes?  “Last year, the Caterpillar Chevrolet was fast and we put ourselves in position to win that race. We got a caution near the end of the race and when we pitted, I ran over the air hose which cost us. We had to start at the rear of the field but we ended up finishing eighth – that just shows you how fast we were. The year before, our car was completely different and we just didn’t have the handle on it. The track is a lot different since they paved it. Speeds don’t fall off so you’re running pretty fast around a track that’s not made to go that fast. So, its changed setup and driving style and I don’t think I adapted to it well as I needed to. I have a different game plan in mind for this weekend and we can be more successful.”

3 of Menard's 4 starts have been 30th or worse

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


This Week’s Turtle Wax/Menards Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway … Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 328 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 Las Vegas Motor Speedway where Menard brought home a 12th-place result after starting from the 18th position.

Ready to Tame the Lady in Black … In his four previous starts at Darlington, Menard has finished each of his contested races and completed 97 percent of his laps (1,424 of 1,468). He has a 31st-place average starting position and an average finishing position of 28th with his best finish of 15th coming in the May 2009 event.

Year in Review … Menard has recorded career-best performances at many of the race tracks that the NSCS has traveled to this season. Despite slipping to 15th in the driver championship point standings, Menard heads to Darlington a mere 13 points out of the coveted 12th-spot.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:
Darlington is known as the track that is “Too Tough To Tame.” Why do you think is it so hard? "They will probably have to rename it now. Since it was repaved, it’s a totally different race track. The old surface had no grip at all; the tires would wear out in a couple laps and you would slide everywhere. Now, you run as fast as you do at the end of the run as you do at the beginning. You still have to run up by the fence which leads to right-side damage and the infamous ‘Darlington stripe.’ Driving a foot off the wall, things are still going to happen. It’s not as tough as it used to be, but it’s still pretty tough.”

How much of a sense of history do you feel when you walk into Darlington? “Darlington is definitely a throwback race track. You drive into this little town and all you see is this huge race track. It definitely allows you to feel the roots of NASCAR.”

Compared to other big cities we go to like Las Vegas, it’s nice to go to a small place like Darlington. Which do you prefer?  “I enjoy all the places (race tracks) that we can drive to. It’s always a fun drive down to Darlington. Honestly, when I get to the track, I generally don’t leave again until after the race. We don’t get to go out and experience the night life of the cities and all that. We just see the inside of the race track. Darlington is a good one (infield) though, for camping. It’s pretty laid back.”

Harvick has a 19.1 average finish in 14 starts

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


This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway…Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 304 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. In March, Harvick raced his way to a sixth-place finish in this car at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway after getting spun out late in the race. Last season, the team raced this car four times, scoring three top-five finishes: third at Richmond (5/1), fifth at New Hampshire (6/27) and third at Richmond (9/11).

Last Time Around … A loose-handling No. 29 Chevrolet didn’t stop Harvick from advancing through the field after starting 35th in last season’s Southern 500. After cracking the top 10 prior to a late-race caution, a two-tire pit call by crew chief Gil Martin afforded the Bakersfield, Calif., native the sixth-place restart spot that was protected over the final 20-plus laps.

Darlington Notes … In 14 starts at Darlington Raceway, Harvick has earned two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He’s completed 93.5 percent (4,529 of 4,845) total laps and has led 16 laps at the 1.366-mile track. Harvick has an average starting position of 17.6 and an average finishing position of 19.1 at Darlington.

In the Loop … While Darlington hasn’t been one the tracks Harvick has excelled at in his Sprint Cup Series career, when it comes to loop data statistics, he lives up to his new nickname as “the closer.” Harvick is ranked as the No. 1 closer at Darlington, a statistic that indicates the positions improved in the last 10 percent of the laps in each race. He’s gained an average of 3.7 spots in the final 10 percent of the laps in the last six races at the track. He is also ranked 10th in green-flag passes (253).

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

Talk about driving a lap around Darlington: “Well, any lap around Darlington is a lap where you have to be paying attention to what’s going on because you can get yourself in trouble at any point on the race track. You carry a lot of speed into Turn 1 and you run right up the banking right up next to the wall and right back to the throttle. As you come back down the hill, you might have to breathe the throttle a little bit, but it’s a lot of fun coming out of Turn 2 because it shoots you down the backstretch. (Turns) 3 and 4 are probably the hardest because you carry so much speed off of (Turn) 2 into (Turn) 3 and the line kind of moves around a bit there. The easiest place to get in the wall, well it’s pretty easy to get in the wall anywhere, but definitely the easiest place to get into the wall is the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4.”

Do you remember getting your first Darlington stripe? “I don’t. I’ve had so many of them that they all kind of seem to run together now.”

What would it mean to add your name to the list of Darlington winners? “It’d be pretty awesome just for the fact that everyone knows the significance of the Southern 500 and to win at Darlington is something as a driver that you want to check off your list when you have the opportunity. We’ve been close at Darlington, but we’ve just got to put that check in the right box.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Release