RCR Race Preview: Daytona International Speedway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has collected seven points-paying victories in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Daytona International Speedway and won 11 poles. RCR owns three Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007, Austin Dillon – 2018) and four Coke Zero Sugar 400 trophies (Earnhardt – 1990, 1993, Harvick – 2010, Dillon – 2022). Dillon returns to Daytona as the defending race winner of the Coke Zero Sugar 400, after capturing the checkered flag in the 2022 regular season finale and punching his ticket into the Cup Series Playoffs.

RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway… In addition to its NASCAR Cup Series success, RCR has accumulated eight wins in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2002, 2010), Harvick (2007) Clint Bowyer (2009) Tony Stewart (2013), Dillon (2015) and Austin Hill (2022 – spring) and 2023 (spring). Hill returns to the World Center of Racing with two wins in the last three NXS races at Daytona, including a victory in February. RCR’s Xfinity Series program earned an impressive six consecutive poles with six different drivers from 2015 – 2020.

Tickets to the 2023 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games throughout the country. The team is owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2023 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 22-24 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster. https://www.ticketmaster.com/pbr-professional-bull-riders-tickets/artist/2859854?venueId=369330

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live Friday, August 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network and the NBC Sports App. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, August 26 beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 

This Week’s BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… With 20 previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon heads to the World Center of Racing with experience on his side. So far in his career, Dillon has acquired two wins, one pole award, four top-five, and nine top-10 finishes in the Cup Series at Daytona. The Welcome, North Carolina driver, grew up attending races at Daytona International Speedway with his family. Dillon has 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, seven top-five, and seven top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Defending A Win… Dillon is a former winner at Daytona International Speedway in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The 33-year-old most recently won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in August 2022 to clinch a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs and is also the 2018 DAYTONA 500 Champion. Dillon won a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona in 2015.

Former Pole Winner… Dillon earned his career-first NASCAR Cup Series pole award with a lap of 196.019 mph (45.914 seconds) in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500. Dillon also started on the front row for the July 2015 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. Dillon’s starting position for this year’s Daytona 500 will be determined by his finishing position in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on FS1).

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Sponsors the No. 3 at Daytona International Speedway … BREZTRI is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway 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.

Meet Dillon… On Friday, August 25^th, the Coca-Cola Racing driver is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Coca-Cola at Wal-Mart (1590 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL) beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Dillon is also scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage in the Midway at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, August 26^th at 4 p.m. ET.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

How do you evaluate your 2023 season?

“It’s been up and down. It’s been a pretty rough season, to be honest. We started off with a bang by having a great performance in the Daytona 500. Anytime you have the chance to win that race it’s special. We’ve been able to have some good runs this season, but we’ve been digging out of a hole since our points penalty. We’ve gotten in a rhythm recently with a couple of good finishes and finding some speed. So, hopefully, the worst of the season is behind us. We’re ready for the rest of the season, and we’re starting to execute better. The communication side of getting what we need in cars is improving. I’m starting to understand more about what I need to tell Keith Rodden what I need in the car.”

Are you excited to head to Daytona International Speedway as the defending Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 400 race winner?

 “We’re headed to the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. There’s nothing quite like going to Daytona. I enjoy the sunshine and fast racetrack. There’s nothing like drafting around that place. Obviously, I’ve got two big career wins there. The Daytona 500 and we won the August race to walk off, win and make our way into the NASCAR Playoffs last year in the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 400. It’s shaping up for us to have the opportunity to try and do it again. I love drafting, getting in there, and mixing it up, so we’ll see what it takes to put the No.3 Chevy back in the NASCAR Playoffs, hopefully.”

This Week’s No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway …  Kyle Busch will be making his 37th NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet scored a thrilling victory in the 2008 Coke Zero Sugar 400, holding off Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth in NASCAR Overtime. The victory came in Busch’s eighth Cup start at Daytona. He won the pole for the 2013 400-mile race at Daytona. Busch has eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes at The World Center of Racing since making his debut in 2005.

The Points Chase… Busch enters Daytona 11th in the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Standings, 33 points behind fifth place. He is currently the third seed in the NASCAR Playoffs. 

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of scratch-made meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and Fall-off-the-Plate Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 170 restaurants in 28 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

How different is racing at Daytona in August versus February?

“Running Daytona in August is way different than February. It’s just a hotter time of the year so the track is definitely slicker. You need to set up a little bit more for downforce for grip to make your car drive good on the long run. It’s still a drafting race, it’s still going to be close-knit, and tight action.”  

Teams and manufacturers plan to work together at Daytona and Talladega, but once the race starts, how difficult is that?    

“The manufacturers, ever since like 2015 or 2016, have really changed the way superspeedway races go. It’s all about trying to work together as a unit. Our key partners with Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse have been really good on the superspeedways this year. I feel like we’ve had good success with that and working well together with those guys. Outside of RCR and Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott has probably been the closest guy that we’ve had as an ally on the superspeedways.”

Do you think the final race of the NASCAR regular season should move around to different tracks?   

“Daytona being the final race of the regular season, man, it keeps that wild card opportunity open, so it really puts itself at a really good spot in the season. I liked the July 4th race there because you have the family, you go to the beach, you go do stuff together and then go race at night. Before we start moving around the final race of the regular season, I would say we should move around the final race of the championship and get it to different venues.”

Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Sheldon Creed has made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, three of which have come behind the wheel of the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet. While the 25-year-old has been collected in the traditional superspeedway wrecks, Creed earned a sixth-place result in the season opening event at the World Center of Racing in 2022. In addition, the Alpine, California native has three NASCAR Truck Series starts (best finish of sixth) and one ARCA Menards Series event (best finish of third) under his belt at the 2.5-mile superspeedway tri-oval.

Meet Creed… On Friday, August 25 at 1:45 p.m. ET, Creed is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Fan Midway at Daytona International Speedway. Stop by to see the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing driver before the green flag waves.

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 is the final superspeedway race of the 2023 season. What is the outlook heading to Daytona International Speedway?

“Racing at superspeedways is not my favorite. As a viewer, it’s really fun to watch, but as a driver in the race car, it’s a lot of calculating moves and being in the right place at the right time. With that being said though, our Whelen Camaros have had a ton of speed at Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega this season. We may not have the results to show for it, but I feel confident that our No. 2 Chevrolet will be fast once again this weekend. Austin (Hill) and I obviously will work together and can usually dominate these superspeedway races, so if we can keep our Whelen machine out of the big ones, we will definitely have a shot at battling our teammate for the win. Our goal remains the same – to win and lock ourselves into the Playoffs.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Realtree/Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, earning two victories (2022 and 2023) and one pole position (2023). The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.

Daytona Success… Hill returns to Daytona International Speedway looking for a single season sweep after claiming the checkered flag in the season opener in February. The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing driver has found Victory Lane twice in the last three Xfinity Series races at the World Center of Racing. If Hill is able to win Friday’s night race, the 29-year-old will be just the second driver in series history to accomplish the single season sweep – joining Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003).  

Double Duty… Hill will make his fifth career NASCAR Cup Series start as he pilots the No. 62 United Rentals Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports on Saturday. The pair has competed in two prior superspeedway races this season – Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

About Realtree… Realtree is the world’s leading designer of photorealistic camouflage, marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree patterns and brand. Thousands of outdoor and lifestyle products are available in Realtree camouflage patterns. In addition, Realtree is committed to supporting individuals and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, veterans and military affairs, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there.

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:

As the last race winner at Daytona International Speedway, what is the outlook and expectation heading back?

“Our expectation is to win the race for sure, but it’s not going to be easy. Outside of Sheldon (Creed), we don’t have a ton of help out there, so we will have to be smart and control the race from up front. Same as in February, our car should be fast enough to have a shot at the pole, which will hopefully give us the track position to start the race. We have to be aggressive and calculated with our moves. If we lose track position, it will be tough to get it back, because the rest of the field knows that we are one of the cars to beat for the win. At the end of the race, a little bit of luck has to be involved in these superspeedway races. We will need to have everything work out, but the number one goal is to get as many stage points as possible and then go for the win at the end.”

Does the August race at Daytona International Speedway have a different feel than the race in February?

“Yes, because with it being hotter outside, the track will be slicker. Handling comes into effect a little more, which is what we noticed last year in the Xfinity Series car. I am expecting the same with the Cup car this weekend. You’re going to have to have a balance of being trimmed out with raw speed and having drivability in your car to where, if you need to make big moves, you can.”

You’ve had a lot of success on superspeedways in your career. Is there a reason why?

“The biggest thing for me is I feel like Derek Kneeland (Xfinity Series spotter) and I are really aggressive from the start of the race. During Stage 1, we learn to set ourselves up for Stage 2 and Stage 3. That is not going to change any; it’s just something that we have always done. If we get big runs, we pull out of line to see if it works. The more that you can learn in Stage 1 to apply to Stage 2 and 3, it sets you up better for when you get in the final 10 or 20 laps. You can apply everything that has been learned early in the race. This is something that is carried over for every race I’ve ever run on a superspeedway and probably won’t change going forward.”