RCR Race Preview: Sonoma Raceway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway… In 77 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, Richard Childress Racing owns two victories. Dale Earnhardt claimed the first win for the organization in 1995, leading the final two laps of the race to secure the victory. Earnhardt also won the pole for that same event, the first for the Welcome, N.C.-based team. Robby Gordon won at Sonoma in 2003, leading 81 of 110 laps and holding off Jeff Gordon for the victory. RCR has racked up 14 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes since the NASCAR Cup Series made its debut at the track in 1989. The team has led 140 laps at the California road course and has completed 7,922 of a possible 7,982 laps (99.24 percent).

A History-Making Event… While RCR’s NASCAR Cup Series teams have plenty of history at Sonoma Raceway, the organization has never competed at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The DoorDash 250 on Saturday afternoon will be the Series’ first-ever visit to Sonoma Raceway.

Meanwhile, in France… Sonoma Raceway is not the only famous track where you can see ECR power this weekend. ECR Engines has been heavily involved with Chevrolet, NASCAR, ISMA and Hendrick Motorsports in the Garage 56 initiative, a modified Next Gen stock car that will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans June 10-11. Although the Garage 56 entry will be scored and listed on the official 24 Hours of Le Mans results this weekend, the car is not eligible for a podium or overall victory since it is considered an extra entry outside of the 55-car entry list. The Garage 56 project is an unprecedented, collaborative effort highlighting creativity, innovation and technological advances within the Next Gen Chevy.

Catch Saturday’s Action at Sonoma Raceway… The DoorDash 250 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, June 10 beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 

Follow Sunday’s Action at Sonoma Raceway… The Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live on Sunday, June 11 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Sonoma Raceway… Austin Dillon has made eight previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning his best finish of 11th at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course last year. In his most recent road course start, Dillon finished 33rd after running inside the top 10 until a late-race accident ended his day at Circuit of the Americas in March.

Impressive Stats by Dillon… The No. 3 Chevrolet has completed 100% of the laps at Sonoma Raceway since 2014.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Sponsors the No. 3 at Sonoma Raceway… BREZTRI is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Sonoma Raceway with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

How do you prepare for Sonoma Raceway?

“I prepare for Sonoma Raceway by spending a lot of hours on the Chevrolet simulator, and I’ve been at the go-kart track quite a bit this year, which in the past I haven’t done. I could probably run Sonoma in my sleep. I’ve put a lot of effort into this race. I can’t wait to get there in my No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro. I really like the track; it’s a fun, slick road course. We have a lot of high hopes for this race to break through and have our best finish on a road course. We’ve been getting better at road racing the last couple of years. We have a shot to qualify well, lead laps, and come out with a good run.”

Does Sonoma Raceway lend itself to the same kind of aggression as Watkins Glen International or Circuit of the Americas?

“Yes, it does. Sonoma Raceway has some aggression, but it’s more controlled because of the tire wear. It’s easy to overdrive the car; you have to take care of the rear tires and try not to slide the front tires. The aggression is always there on road courses, and especially in turn 11, the final turn. You know what you are getting when you go into turn 11 and where you can attack and make passes.”

You were strong at COTA earlier this season. Are you excited to get to Sonoma Raceway?

“Circuit Of the Americas didn’t go well for us. We didn’t get the finish we deserved after getting spun at the top of the hill. I’m excited about Sonoma Raceway. Ever since the race was over at COTA, we’ve been working on our road course program to come out strong this weekend. I feel like my RCR team is prepared as much as we can.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Sonoma Raceway… Kyle Busch will be making his 18th NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. Busch has two wins at the Northern California road course, winning in 2008 and 2015. He scored a dominating victory in 2008 despite starting 30th, leading 78 of 112 laps. His average running position in the race was 5.92, the best of any driver. In 2015, Busch scored a thrilling victory, crossing the finish line .532-seconds ahead of his brother Kurt. Busch claimed his second Sonoma victory after leading 17 of 110 laps. 

St. Louis Victory Nuggets… Busch won this past weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, his third since joining Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 season and ties him with fellow Chevy driver William Byron for most wins in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. The victory was his 63rd career win in the Cup Series and win number 228 across all three NASCAR national series. He led the most laps in the event (121 of 243 laps, 49.79 percent). His average running position in the race was a sizzling 1.96, best of any driver.

Get to The Points… With his victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, Busch gained three positions and 10 points on the leader in the Cup Series driver standings. The driver of the McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet enters Sonoma Raceway in seventh-place, 44 points behind the leader and locked into the NASCAR Playoffs. 

Did You Know? Since their victory at Road America in 2022, the No. 8 team at Richard Childress Racing has racked up six NASCAR Cup Series wins and four pole positions. Crew chief Randall Burnett is the winningest crew chief in the Cup Series during the last 34 races. The group also has won twice from the pole with two different drivers (Busch and Tyler Reddick) on two different tracks: World Wide Technology Raceway (oval) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course). 

Finish Where Ya Started… Busch also won the pole position this past weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, marking the 33rd pole of his Cup Series career. He claimed his first pole since he grabbed the top starting spot at Phoenix in November 2019.  

About McLaren Custom Grills… McLaren Custom Grills, a Winnipeg, Canada-based BBQ company, specializes in custom BBQ grills for sports fans. The company is dedicated to making a barbeque that any sports fan would be thrilled to call their own, and a brand name that customers are proud to stand behind. In addition to their partnership with Richard Childress Racing, McLaren Custom Grills is the Official Barbeque Grill of the NBA. McLaren Custom Grills can be purchased at mclarencustomgrills.com.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

You scored an impressive victory at Sonoma Raceway in 2008 after starting deep in the field and leading the most laps. Is that one of your most satisfying road course victories?

“Sonoma Raceway in 2008 was a really good time. We didn’t qualify very well and didn’t feel like we had very good speed overall, but the cautions fell perfectly for us that day where we were on pit road and then the cautions fell. We were able to leapfrog the competition and get track position. That happened both times we pitted so that was super-good and made our race super-easy by just being able to run hard up front. We made the most of that day. It was definitely a satisfying victory. That one was really cool. It was my first road course victory so that meant a lot.”

You have raced on a couple of different course designs at Sonoma Raceway. What are the challenges of the current layout?

“I’ve raced a few different designs at Sonoma Raceway. I enjoy all of them. The carousel is cool, it’s fun. There’s a lot of transition there and there’s a lot of technicality that you’ve got to figure out to be good on that course as well as the chute course. I don’t prefer one over the other. I think the rest of the course is so challenging in itself. What makes Sonoma special is Turn 11, up the hill in Turn 1, the esses, and down the back straightway. It’s just a fun course, very technical.”

Do you think the racing at Sonoma Raceway is more physical on the driver than the other road courses?

“Sonoma Raceway is one of the more physical road courses on the circuit, for sure. You’re always fighting grip. Even when you’re on the front side of a run, you’re trying to hustle the car. you’re slipping and sliding everywhere trying to make the most of the time while not running off course and keeping the tires somewhat underneath you. You try to minimize the tire degradation as it happens as much as you can, yet you know you’ve got to be fast and try to catch the guys in front of you. And with this new Next Gen race car, that has become even more important and more challenging to get right because everybody seems to be running much closer speeds. A lot of setups are very similar, a lot of brake packages are very similar. It’s hard to find any sort of advantage in that.”

Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Aerospace Technologies Chevrolet Camaro SS at Sonoma Raceway… Sheldon Creed has made one career start at Sonoma Raceway, driving in the ARCA Menards Series West event in 2017. The Alpine, California native completed all 67 laps in route to a ninth-place finish. In preparation for Saturday’s race, Creed attended the Skip Barber Racing School to get reacclimated with the racing surface and spent additional time making laps on the simulator and iRacing programs.

WAT Flying High… For this weekend’s event at Sonoma Raceway, Creed will trade in his standard red-and-white Whelen Engineering colors for the black-and-yellow Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) brand. Whelen Aerospace Technologies is the global leader in high-end lighting products for the aerospace industry. Their experienced staff designs, engineers, and manufacturers high-quality products that provide safety, visibility, and recognition for aircraft across all platforms. The design engineers work closely with OEM and service provider networks to design high-performance products that enhance the pilot experience, as well as provide safety of flight. As an FAA-approved production holder, WAT owns hundreds of STCs for aircraft landing, taxi, anti-collision and position lights. The in-house composite shop produces a wide variety of STC and PMA approved speed modifications for a number of general aviation aircraft. The expansive product line is sure to provide a solution for pilots and owners alike, based on their individual needs.

First Xfinity Series Pole: Check… Last weekend at Portland International Raceway, Creed earned his first Xfinity Series pole position award. After starting from the front row, the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Camaro led a total of 47 laps, won the first segment, and crossed the finish line in seventh place. Creed had a chance to earn his first series victory before contact from a fellow competitor cost significant track position in the overtime finish. 

Meet Creed… On Saturday, June 10 at 10:15 a.m. PT, Creed is scheduled to join fellow Xfinity Series drivers for a full series autograph session underneath the Main Grandstand at Sonoma Raceway. Later that afternoon at 2 p.m. PT, Creed and his Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer in the Midway at Sonoma Raceway. Stop by to purchase your new No. 2 gear and get items signed by the home state driver.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

SHELDON CREED QUOTE:

This weekend marks the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Sonoma Raceway. What are your overall thoughts heading into the weekend?

“I love going to new racetracks. Sonoma Raceway is very difficult and requires a lot of technique to get around. It’s very tricky. It should be a fun learning weekend though. I raced there in a lower series a handful of years ago and have done a bunch of sim and iRacing in preparation for the race. Our No. 2 team will learn as much as we can during our practice session on Friday and hopefully our Whelen Chevrolet has speed once again.” 

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Sonoma Raceway… As the NASCAR Xfinity Series embarks on Sonoma Raceway for their inaugural event, so will Austin Hill. The Winston, Georgia native has not previously competed at the 1.99-mile, multi-elevational road course. Earlier this year, Hill attended the Skip Barber Racing School to see the circuit and make his first laps of any kind on the surface.

Top-Five Streaking… Over the past four Xfinity Series races, Hill has captured four consecutive top-five finishes. The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team earned three consecutive fourth-place results (Dover Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway) before posting a fifth-place effort last weekend (Portland International Raceway).

Points Check… Hill continues to hold the second position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings, 14 points behind leader John Hunter Nemechek. Hill, who has the most series wins and stage points, is pushing for the regular season championship title.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, June 10 at 10:15 a.m. PT, Hill is scheduled to join fellow Xfinity Series drivers for a full series autograph session underneath the Main Grandstand at Sonoma Raceway. Later that afternoon at 2 p.m. PT, Hill and his Richard Childress Racing teammate Sheldon Creed are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer in the Midway at Sonoma Raceway. Stop by to purchase your new No. 21 gear and get items signed by the 29-year-old driver.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

Where do you track RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series road course program at this point?

“We have a really solid road course racing program. We are a top-five team for the most part, especially when we hit the setup right. Having never raced at Sonoma Raceway, I’m not sure what it is going to be like though. I was able to do a Skip Barber School out there, which did help me a little bit to see the elevation changes, how the track works, and how abrasive the track surface is. I’m excited to have a second week of road course racing. It’s one of my favorite styles of racing. Out of all the types of tracks we go to, I love road course racing.”

Do you have to prepare differently mentally or physically for a road course, regardless of if you have raced there in the past or not?

“The biggest thing for me is watching a lot of videos. I print out a track map that has all of the corner numbers listed and study it. When you get out on the track during practice and need to the tell the team a certain corner, say Turn 7 that you are having trouble with, you need to know the corner numbers all around. I put it in the memory bank and try to memorize the corner numbers at a certain track. It’s important to know that information when you need to communicate with your crew chief and team to make your car better in a short amount of time. I also try to watch in car camera footage to see how much curbing other guys are using or not using through certain corners and where brake marks are since every corner is different and you’ll be braking a different spot for each turn. Visually, a lot more goes into road course racing than your normal oval track.”