RCR Post Race Report – Toyota Owners 400

Race Highlights:

  • Richard Childress Racing teammates Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon finished 11th, 15th and 27th, respectively, in the Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
  • Menard ranks 13th in the Sprint Cup Series championship point standings, trailing current leader Kevin Harvick by 118 points, while Newman ranks 15th and Dillon ranks 24th.
  • Kurt Busch earned his first win of the 2015 season and was followed to the line by Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano.
  • The 10th race of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season is the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, May 3, 2015, which is scheduled to be televised live on FOX beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.

 

Austin Dillon Earns 27th-Place Finish at Richmond International Raceway

 

Debuting a special hood on his No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet in support of a 15 percent ethanol blend in America’s fuel pumps this weekend at Richmond International Raceway, Austin Dillon earned a 27th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The 400-lap event, originally scheduled for Saturday night, was run Sunday afternoon after inclement weather forced NASCAR officials to postpone the start of the race. Dillon started 20th and noted that he was tight low and to the gas during his initial run, especially on take-off. The Richard Childress Racing pit crew attempted to remedy the handling conditions that Dillon was facing through a series of chassis adjustments during routine pit stops to no avail. It caused Dillon to fall two laps down to the race leader. Following a pit stop on lap 256 under caution for four tires, fuel and a double wedge adjustment, Dillon posted his fastest lap times of the race, running speeds consistent with the top-six cars even though he was scored in the 24th position, one lap down to the race leader. 100 laps later, Dillon was in the middle of a routine green-flag pit stop when another competitor spun on the racing surface, causing the caution flag to be displayed and Dillon to fall one additional lap down to the race leader. He took the wave around and restarted 29th on lap 338, eventually advancing to 27th for the race’s finish. He moved down three positions, to 24th, in the driver championship point standings leading into the next race on the 2015 schedule, the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3.

 

Start – 20                Finish – 27                   Laps Led – 0                Points – 24      

                                             

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE: 
“We definitely struggled today but I am proud of everyone on the American Ethanol team for their hard work. We will look back at our notes and put a plan together for the fall race here. I’m looking forward to Talladega Superspeedway.”

 

 

2011 CC Team Icon 27 NSCS Menards,

Paul Menard Finishes 15th at Richmond International Raceway in 300th-Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Start

 

Paul Menard drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 27 CertainTeed / Menards Chevrolet SS to a 15th-place finish on Sunday afternoon at Richmond International Raceway. Originally scheduled for Saturday night, the 400-lap event was postponed until Sunday after inclement weather persisted in the Richmond, Va. area. Once the green-flag finally dropped, the Wisconsin native radioed he was experiencing a tight-center and loose-off handling condition. Crew chief Justin Alexander called for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments during the NASCAR-mandated competition caution on lap 50. Menard continued to fight the handling condition and visited pit road five additional times during the 300-mile event for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments. The Alexander-led team battled back from going a lap down and receiving the lucky dog to cross the finish line in 15th. This marks Menard’s sixth top-15 finish of the season and moves the team up one position to 13th in the driver point standings. Up next for the No. 27 team is Sunday’s event at Talladega Superspeedway.

 

Start – 15                      Finish – 15                   Laps Led – 0                Points – 13

 

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

“We learned some things today that we will discuss and use for the next time we’re here. I’m proud of my team for not giving up. We will be ready for the next one.”

 

 

Ryan Newman Finishes 11th at Richmond International Raceway

 

Ryan Newman drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS to an 11th-place finish in Sunday’s Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The South Bend, Ind., driver lined up 23rd after Mother Nature postponed Saturday night’s 400-lap race until Sunday. The Quicken Loans team competed just outside the top 10 at halfway. For the majority of the event, Newman battled a combination of loose and tight-handling conditions. Crew chief Luke Lambert ordered a series of air pressure and wedge adjustments in an effort to improve the No. 31 Chevrolet. By lap 280, Newman drove up to 10th but then lost some valuable real estate during the long green-flag run to post 15th on the scoring pylon. With 50 laps to go, the team experienced an issue on pit road. As a result, Newman pitted a second time under caution to line up 17th. The final green-flag sequence started on lap 374 with Newman scored in 14th. He picked up three positions en route to an 11th-place result.  Newman now ranks 15th in the championship point standings heading into next Sunday’s restrictor-plate race at Talladega Superspeedway. Caterpillar will be on board as primary sponsor. 

 

Start – 23                      Finish – 11                   Laps Led – 0                Points – 15

 

RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:

“It wasn’t the finish we were hoping for at Richmond but this team always works hard to get the most out of a challenging situation. We struggled in qualifying and it put us back a bit. Then we raced in or around 15th for most of the race. To finish one spot shy of a top-10 is a small victory for us. We really overcame a lot to get the finish and in doing so, we picked up another valuable spot in the championship standings.”

RCR PR