RCR Race Preview: Kansas Speedway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway… In 96 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win (Kevin Harvick, 2013) along with five top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. The victory was Harvick’s first at the Midwest intermediate track and came in dominating fashion after winning the pole and leading the most laps in the race. RCR owns three pole positions at Kansas: Harvick (2013), Daniel Hemric (2019) and Tyler Reddick (2022).   

Richard Childress Racing in the Xfinity Series at Kansas Speedway… RCR has one NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Kansas: Kevin Harvick in 2006. Harvick, who led twice for 18 laps, would go on to win the 2006 series title with RCR, the second of his career. The Welcome, N.C., based organization has three poles at Kansas by three different drivers: Austin Dillon (2013), Ty Dillon (2014) and Daniel Hemric (2018).

Carolina Cowboys to Host Free, Family Friendly Festival During PBR Teams Homestand at Greensboro Coliseum Sept. 22-24… The Carolina Cowboys will host a free-to-attend, family-friendly festival that will accompany the event outside Greensboro Coliseum September 22-24. The Cowboy Days Festival will take over the area surrounding Greensboro Coliseum, opening at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, September 22, 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 23 and 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 24. Daily at the Cowboy Days Festival, fans will be able to enjoy food and music, get up close with the Carolina Cowboys, Richard Childress Racing and more. Eventgoers will also be able to interact with a host of other exhibitors including Davis Rodeo Ranch, Childress Vineyards, Bass Pro Shops, eBay Motors, Bobcat and others. Local food trucks will also be present to accompany a for-purchase bar. 

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 Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live Saturday, September 9, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and the NBC Sports App. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 

The Kansas 400 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, September 10 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network and NBC Sports App. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Club/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kansas Speedway… Dillon has made a total of 20 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October of 2016. In the spring race earlier in 2023, Dillon finished 10th. The North Carolina native has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning one pole award (2013) and a best finish of second (2012). In three NASCAR Truck Series races, Dillon has earned one pole award (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2014).

Remember When… In 2011, Dillon made his career-first start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway, driving the No. 98 Curb Agajanian/Reagan Centennial/Camping World/Curb Records Chevrolet to a 26th-place finish.

About TRACKER Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service, and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

How will you attack Kansas Speedway on Sunday?

“Kansas Speedway is a fun track to race at. Running the top line is fun and restarts are always exciting and crucial to picking up positions early. I’ve run well at Kansas Speedway in the past and picked up a 10th-place finish earlier this year in the spring. .”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Casey’s General Store Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kansas Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 32nd NASCAR Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway this Sunday. Busch enters the weekend with two wins at the Midwest oval, both coming in spring races. The Las Vegas native scored his first victory at Kansas in 2016, leading 69 laps in his 17th start at the 1.5-mile speedway. Win number two for Busch came in 2021, where the veteran driver claimed his first victory of the 2021 season on his birthday (May 2). With that special milestone, Busch joined NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough as the only two drivers to win multiple Cup Series races on their birthdays. In addition, Busch has four NASCAR Xfinity Series victories (2007, 2014, 2015, 2016) and three NASCAR Truck Series wins (2014, 2017, 2021) at Kansas.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Update… Last week at Darlington Raceway, Busch scored an 11th-place finish in the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Busch currently sits seventh in the Playoff driver championship standings, 19 points above the 12th-place cutline.

Did You Know? Busch led all drivers with 184 green flag passes last weekend at Darlington Raceway. 

About Casey’s… Casey’s is a Fortune 500 company (NASDAQ: CASY) operating over 2,500 convenience stores. Founded more than 50 years ago, the company has grown to become the third-largest convenience store retailer and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States. Casey’s provides freshly prepared foods, quality fuel and friendly service at its locations. Guests can enjoy pizza, donuts, other assorted bakery items, and a wide selection of beverages and snacks. Learn more and order online at www.caseys.com, or in the mobile app. 

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What makes Kansas Speedway so different than the other mile-and-a-half racetracks? 

“The Kansas Speedway mile-and-a-half is similar to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the old Chicagoland Speedway, but they all definitely have their differences. To me, Kansas Speedway is unique because it has the progressive banking now but it’s also still in the D shape. It has similarities to Homestead-Miami Speedway, but it’s definitely come on as the last few years have gone by where you venture up towards the wall and the wall pretty much becomes the primary lane that you choose to run in. You can make a little bit of time in the lower lane, but it’s only for a lap or two that you can do that and then you better figure out a way back up in the line.” 

Is Kansas Speedway a temperature-sensitive track?

“Kansas Speedway is not necessarily a temperature-sensitive racetrack. It’s more of a rubber-sensitive racetrack. I remember going there a few years ago with Trucks and the ARCA cars ran before us and it was super, super slick wherever the ARCA cars ran. And then when we ventured outside of that rubber it seemed to have normal grip again. That can definitely be tricky.”

Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Kansas Speedway… Sheldon Creed has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Kansas Speedway, starting from the third position and crossing the finish line in 11th-place while driving the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet in 2022. The Alpine, California native also has five NASCAR Truck Series starts (best finish of second in 2020) and three ARCA Menards Series races (one win in 2018) at the Midwest intermediate oval.

Points Check… With an eighth-place finish last week at Darlington Raceway, Creed locked himself into the Xfinity Series Playoffs and will compete for the 2023 driver championship trophy.

Double Duty… Creed will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway, piloting the No. 78 Whelen Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports. During Saturday’s practice, the 25-year-old will complete his first laps in a Next Gen machine.

Honor and Remember – National Fallen Firefighters Foundation… Creed will carry a special tribute on his No. 2 Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway, as Whelen honors the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) with an unique patriotic design. The decklid on Creed’s Camaro carries the names of 144 fallen firefighters who added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial earlier this year in May. Each of the brave heroes died in the line of duty in 2022 and previous years. The hood of the Chevrolet features the NFFF logo to bring awareness to the important foundation work.

The U.S. Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to honor America’s fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the non-profit foundation has developed and expanded programs that fulfill that mandate. Their mission is to honor and remember America’s fallen fire heroes, to provide resources to assist their families in rebuilding their lives, and to work within the fire service community to reduce firefighters deaths and injuries. Each year, the NFFF sponsors the official national tribute to all firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year. Thousands attend the weekend activities held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to experience special programs for families and co-workers along with moving public ceremonies.

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:

What characteristics of Kansas Speedway make the track interesting for drivers?

“I enjoy racing at Kansas Speedway because you can run all over the track surface. It’s a slick surface that wears out over a run, similar to Darlington Raceway. The shape of the track is generic, but the progressive banking and running against wall makes it a personal favorite of mine. Last season, we qualified third and fired off fast, but then the handling fell off really hard. We will work on our Whelen Chevrolet throughout practice and qualifying to hopefully prevent that from happening again. Our goal is to make sure our No. 2 gets into the Playoffs from the owners side, so that is the main point heading into this weekend.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Kansas Speedway… Austin Hill has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas Speedway, earning a best finish of fifth in 2021. Last season while piloting the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at the mid-west oval, the Winston, Georgia native qualified in the sixth position before capturing a 12th-place result. Hill has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series races at Kansas, claiming one win (2020), four top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Regular Season Finale… With one race remaining in the regular season, Hill continues to lead the 2023 Xfinity Series driver championship point standings, currently holding a 23 point advantage over second-place John Hunter Nemechek. Throughout 25 races of the regular season, the 29-year-old has accumulated four wins, three poles, four stage wins, 14 top-five, and 18 top-10 finishes. Most recently, Hill earned a second-place finish at Darlington Raceway.

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 QUOTE:

You’ve seen success at Kansas Speedway in the Truck Series. Are you looking forward to Saturday’s race?

“I personally really like Kansas Speedway. I enjoyed racing there in the Truck Series and finished fifth in my first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at that track. I’m looking forward to practice and qualifying and looking at the speed in our Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet. The Cup Series raced at Kansas earlier this season, but the Xfinity Series didn’t so I’m definitely going to do my research and see how the track ran and what changed so I’m ready. This is the last week of the regular season and our No. 21 team knows what job we need to finish off. We want to take advantage of all the points we can get and try to head into the Playoffs with another win.”