Race Highlights:
- Richard Childress Racing teammates finished first (Austin Dillon), third (Brendan Gaughan) and fifth (Elliott Sadler).
- Sadler leads the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship point standings by four points over Ricky Stenhouse Jr., while Dillon ranks third in the standings, 15 markers behind his RCR teammate.
- The No. 2 team ranks second in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, trailing the No. 18 team by 13 points, with the No. 3 team fourth in the standings and the No. 33 team sixth.
- Dillon leads the Rookie of the Year standings over Cole Whitt.
- According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, the RCR drivers ranked second (Dillon), third (Sadler) and fourth (Gaughan) in the category for Fastest Drivers Early in a Run.
- Combined, the RCR drivers posted the Fastest Laps Run for 81 circuits.
- Dillon led the field in Average Running Position (2.005), Driver Rating (139.5), Fastest Drivers Late in a Run (169.924 mph), Fastest Laps Run (40), Fastest on Restarts (165.775) and Green Flag Speed (170.404 mph).
- Gaughan posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Kentucky Speedway.
- Sadler (3.055) and Gaughan (7.210) maintained the third and fourth-best Average Running Position, respectively, throughout the race.
- Sadler had the second-best Driver Rating (131.4).
- Dillon earned his second Nationwide Series victory of his career and the 2012 season by 1.059 seconds over Sam Hornish Jr., Gaughan, Drew Herring and Sadler.
- The next scheduled Nationwide Series race is the OneMain Financial 200 Dover International Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 29. The 27th race of the 2012 season is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on Motor Racing Network beginning at 3:45 p.m.
Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Team Earn Fifth-Place Finish Despite Battling Power-Steering Challenges at Kentucky Speedway
Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team notched a fifth-place finish after overcoming a power-steering issue on Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Kentucky Speedway. Starting the 200-lap event from the eighth position, Sadler moved into the fourth spot by the competition caution on lap 30. Crew chief Luke Lambert called the OneMain Financial Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Restarting in the eighth position, Sadler began picking off positions and moved into the lead by lap 47. Content with the handling of the Chevrolet, Sadler sailed around the 1.5-mile track until the field was slowed for a caution on lap 86. Lambert called Sadler down pit road for a routine stop for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Restarting in the second position, Sadler regained the lead on lap 93 and remained there until he came down pit road on lap 145 for a green-flag pit stop. Following his visit to pit road for service, Sadler reported that there was a problem with the steering column. Lambert communicated that the Chevrolet lost steering fluid, leaving him with manual steering for the remainder of the race. Running in the second position when the final caution flag of the night was displayed on lap 160, Lambert called Sadler down pit road for right-side tires and fuel. Returning to the field in the eighth position, Sadler worked his way to the fifth position for the race’s finish, earning the team’s 12th top-five finish of the season. Sadler sits atop the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship point standings with a four-point lead over Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Start – 8 Finish – 5 Laps Led – 93 Points – 1
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTE:
“Tough break today for the OneMain Financial team. We lost power steering, and it was locking up for the final part of the race. We had such a great Chevrolet today, and I am so proud of the No. 2 team for how hard they worked all weekend long. There is so much racing left this season, and I am looking forward to heading back to Dover International Speedway next weekend for the OneMain Financial 200.”
Austin Dillon Sweeps NASCAR Nationwide Series Events at Kentucky Speedway with Second Win of Season
Returning to the site of his career-first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory in July, Austin Dillon started the Kentucky 300 from the pole position and led 65 laps en route to his second career Nationwide Series win in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevrolet. The win marked his first with primary sponsor AdvoCare and positioned him within 15 markers of the Nationwide Series championship driver points lead with six races remaining in the 2012 season. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender led the field to the green flag and never fell below eighth in the running order, spending a majority of the race running within the top three. He was scored in the third position when crew chief Danny Stockman called him to pit road for the final pit stop of the race on lap 146. Pitting under green-flag conditions, the AdvoCare team serviced the No. 3 Chevrolet with four Goodyear tires and Sunoco Green E15 Fuel before sending the Welcome, N.C.-based driver back onto the racing service in the second position. Dillon made a pass for the lead on lap 151 and never relinquished it, ultimately crossing the finish line 1.059 seconds ahead of Sam Hornish Jr.
Start – 1 Finish – 1 Laps Led – 65 Points – 3
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
“I have been telling everyone that if we want to have a chance at winning this championship we have to win races, and we came here to Kentucky Speedway and did it. The AdvoCare pit crew was amazing today and I am proud of them, Danny Stockman and everyone on this No. 3 team for working so hard. We are maximum points racing right now. It feels so cool to be able to sweep both races at Kentucky Speedway this year. The track is awesome and I love the fans here.”
Brendan Gaughan Brings Captures Third-Place Finish at Kentucky Speedway
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino team captured a third-place finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday afternoon. The Las Vegas native started the Kentucky 300 from the sixth position and maintained a top-10 spot while battling a tight handling condition during the early laps. Crew chief Ernie Cope called Gaughan to pit road on lap 32 during the competition caution for four tires, fuel, air pressure and chassis adjustments. The Richard Childress Racing driver restarted from the 12th position for the ensuing restart, but made his way back into the top ten by lap 38. As the race progressed, Gaughan alerted the South Point Hotel & Casino team that the Chevrolet’s handling had transitioned from tight to loose. The RCR crew continued to work on the car’s handling during scheduled four-tire pit stops on laps 88 and 145. As the laps ticked away, the 37-year-old driver made his way toward the front of field, ultimately crossing the finish line in the third position.
Start – 6 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 0 Owner Points – 6
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
“I have to thank Ernie Cope (crew chief), the No. 33 team and everyone at Richard Childress Racing for giving me great equipment each time I’m in the car. We had an awesome Chevrolet today and I think our result is proof of that. RCR is a top notch organization and I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy driving for this team.”
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