Event: Pocono 400
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2015
Venue: Pocono Raceway
RCR at Pocono Raceway … In 138 starts at Pocono Raceway, RCR team owner Richard Childress has two wins, both with Dale Earnhardt, who did so on July 19, 1987 and July 18, 1993. Additionally, RCR has earned one pole award, 16 top-five and 54 top-10 finishes with 599 laps led at the uniquely-shaped three-turn track. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed two of those top-10 finishes under the RCR banner.
RCR in the NSCS … In 2,548 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 46 pole awards, 105 wins, 466 top-five finishes and 991 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 15.9. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR XFINITY Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.
RCR Monster Mile Rewind … In the Sprint Cup Series’ 13th race of the season at Dover International Speedway last weekend, teammates Menard, Newman and Dillon finished eighth, 18th and 33rd, respectively.
Did You Know … Life threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries, and many more are treated in the emergency room. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S. Visit www.SaveInjuredKids.org or find them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages – @RCR3ADillon, @RCR27PMenard, @RCR31RNewman, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @RyanJNewman. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages – www.facebook.com/austindillon3 , www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27 and www.facebook.com/RyanNewmanNASCAR.
Catch the Action … The Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway will be televised live Sunday, June 7 beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow Chevrolet SSÂ Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 481 in Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway. Dillon recently finished sixth in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway in this Chevrolet. In March, Dillon raced this Chevrolet SS to a 16th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway and a 39th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This is the same Chevrolet SS that Dillon raced in 2014 to a 25th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a 13th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October, a 16th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway in September, a 22nd-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in August and a 10th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.
Dillon at Pocono Raceway … Dillon has made two Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway, earning finishes of 17th and 15th. He has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the triangle-shaped track, finishing seventh in 2010, fifth in 2011 and posting a win in 2014.
Welcome, Dow … Returning primary sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet SS, Dow enters its second season with RCR and driver Austin Dillon. Together, both teams embrace the power of science, technology and safety as RCR tests Dow products under the most strenuous conditions. Dow also drives innovation to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems, bringing a broad range of sustainable products and solutions to customers in nearly 180 countries with more than 6,000 products manufactured across the globe. See our YouTube video “Dawn to Dusk” to see how Dow products touch the lives of everyone…from dawn to dusk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSspiG8DkOs). More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
#Speed3Glory … This weekend at Pocono Raceway the No. 3 team will honor veterans from The Dow Chemical Company with 370 Dow employee names on the patriotic-themed No. 3 Dow Chevrolet. Dow and RCR are proud to support veterans, and we look forward to seeing this special car take on Pocono Raceway on Sunday.
In the Rear View … Last week at Dover International Speedway, Dillon was poised for a top-12 ending, but ultimately finished 33rd after his No. 3 Dow Chevrolet suffered radiator damage when he could not avoid two cars crashing directly in front of him with less than 20 laps remaining. Following several pit stops for repairs, Dillon finished six laps down and ranks 24th in the point standings leading into the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Question and Answer session at the Team Chevrolet display located in the Pocono Raceway midway area on Friday, June 5 at 2 p.m. ET. He is scheduled to make an appearance at Pocono Raceway’s Tricky Triangle Club on Sunday, June 7 at 9:25 a.m. Dillon and his RCR teammate Ryan Newman are also scheduled to make an appearance at Club Pocono on behalf of Fan Vision on Sunday, June 7 at 9:50 a.m. Visit poconoraceway.com/fanvisionexperience for more information.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
According to numbers, Pocono Raceway is one of your better tracks. What are your thoughts going back there?
“Pocono is a fun race, I learned a lot testing there last year. There is a lot of shifting that goes on there. We’ll have to move our (shift) points around this year with the new package. I really think the RCR/ECR Engines package runs well there.”
Turn 3 has changed a lot over the years. Do you think you have an advantage only having run on the latest version of the turn?
“I’m not really sure. I think turn three still has a little bit of a passing zone in it on late exit, but it’s still one of the faster corners of the track. It’s not really a very important place to get your car turning like it used to be.”
Paul Menard, No. 27 Schrock/ Menards Chevrolet SSÂ Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Schrock / Menards Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway… This weekend at Pocono Raceway, the Richard Childress Racing team will utilize chassis No. 454. This Chevrolet SS was raced earlier this season at Bristol Motor Speedway where Menard started ninth and finished 11th, capturing the team’s fifth top-15 finish of the year.
Tricky Triangle Stats … Menard has completed 96 percent of laps in competition at Pocono Raceway in 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts. He has three top-three and five top-10 starts at the 2.5-mile track, as well as two top-10 finishes.
Rookie Stripe … Justin Alexander has impressive stats in his first year as a full-time Sprint Cup Series crew chief. In 18 races with Menard, Alexander has led the team to 12 top-20 and 10 top-15 starts. He’s also collected 13 top-20, 11 top-15 and three top-five finishes. Alexander was also the first repeat winner of the MOOG Problem Solver of the Race award this season.
About Schrock … Beautiful on the Outside. Smart on the Inside® … Schrock is a manufacturer of fine kitchen and bath cabinetry, offering on-trend styling and creative organization solutions for the entire home. Schrock’s legacy of expertly crafted quality and service is backed by MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., the No. 1 cabinet manufacturer in North America. For more information, visit www.schrockatmenards.com.
Where Do You Stand … Menard currently sits 12th in the Sprint Cup Series driver point standings, just six points away from 10th, after finishing eighth at Dover International Speedway.
Last Time in Pocono … A late-race incident relegated the team to a 33rd-place finish during last year’s August race in Long Pond, Pa. Menard started from the 29th position and raced anywhere from eighth to 30th after an unscheduled pit stop forced the team on a different strategy. On lap 111, the No. 27 Chevrolet was collected in a multi-car wreck sending the team to the garage for repairs. With 25 laps remaining, Menard was back on track en route to a finish in the 33rd spot.
Meet Menard … Fans have an opportunity to meet Menard during a Q&A at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday at the Team Chevy stage, located in the track’s midway.
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
How do you prepare for Pocono Raceway since it’s such a unique track?
“We shift (gears) there and a lot of guys have been doing that the last couple of years, which adds a different element. It’s like a big road course really, you just turn left. The hardest part is trying to get your car out of the air while maintaining grip in the corners. In Turn 1, it’s real wide and has good banking. Turn 2 is really flat and sharp which makes it very difficult to run side-by-side. Turn 3 is in between. It’s flat but with a sweeping, pretty wide corner. Pocono is a great track as far as uniqueness.”
Ryan Newman, No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet SSÂ Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Grainger Chevrolet SS at Pocono Raceway … Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 491 in the Pocono 400. This Chevrolet was utilized earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Start: 9/Finish: 5).
Newman at the Tricky Triangle … In 26 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Pocono, Newman drove to victory lane in the second summer event of 2003. The “Rocket Man” also owns two pole awards. In total, he’s recorded nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. He has led 184 laps in competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 11th and average finish of 11th. In the last eight races at Pocono, the RCR driver ranks second in most points earned.
Newman’s first ever ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start came at Pocono Raceway in 2000 where he started on the outside pole and won the race.
Welcome Aboard … Richard Childress Racing welcomes Grainger on board the No. 31 Chevrolet as the primary partner for select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races starting with this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway. Grainger is an associate sponsor on the No. 31 for all Cup Series events in which it is not the primary sponsor.
About W.W. Grainger, Inc…. With 2014 sales of $10 billion, W.W. Grainger, Inc., is North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with operations also in Asia, Europe and Latin America.
“Drive Home a Winner” Sweepstakes … Back by popular demand, the Quicken Loans “Drive Home a Winner” sweepstakes is looking to once again make a lucky grand prize winner’s dreams come true with a year’s worth of mortgage payments and a brand-new Chevrolet Colorado. The sweepstakes, open to those 18 and older, is a collaboration between Quicken Loans and General Motors. For more information, or to enter, visit www.qlracing.com. Entries must be submitted before July 13.
Watch last year’s grand prize winner Stephanie Gaines of Dalhart, Texas be surprised at her home by No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevy and Richard Childress Racing driver Ryan Newman with a brand new Chevy SS and a year’s worth of mortgage payments.
Get to the Points … Last weekend at Dover International Speedway, an unscheduled stop under green-flag conditions on lap 247 dropped Newman from 11th position to 26th. A late-race caution set the field up for a green-white-checkered finish. The Caterpillar driver restarted 22nd and passed four cars on his way to an 18th-place finish. The top-20 result places Newman 13th in the championship standings and just nine markers out of the top 10. In the first 13 Sprint Cup Series events in 2015, the No. 31 team has earned four top-five and eighth top-10 finishes.
Last Time Around … After starting 21st, Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet team took advantage of the team’s final four-tire pit stop on lap 140 to gain ground. Then, with 10 laps remaining, the No. 31 climbed to ninth and survived one last caution and a restart to finish in eighth place.
Meet Ryan … Newman is scheduled to make an appearance at the Club Pocono on behalf of Fan Vision on Sunday, June 7 at 9:50 a.m., with his teammate Austin Dillon. Visit poconoraceway.com/fanvisionexperience for more information.
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:
What is the key to getting around Pocono Raceway?
“Horsepower is huge at Pocono, but you have to shift correctly and be good in the corners to use that horsepower. The straightaways are so long that if you are not getting down the straightaways well, you cannot make it up in the three corners. Having good horsepower is really key.”
For you, what is the biggest challenge this track poses to you?
“Getting into Turn 1 is probably the trickiest part of the track now. The Tunnel Turn is still tricky, don’t get me wrong, but there is a lot of speed and heavy braking getting into Turn 1.”
What do you love and hate about the place?
“I don’t hate Pocono at all. I really like it, it’s a lot of fun to drive. It’s one of those tracks for me as a driver, is probably more fun to drive than it is for the fans to watch because we are busier than what it looks like. In the end it is also a great place to fish.”
Do you mind that the two Pocono events are six weeks apart on the schedule?
“I don’t mind because it is the typical NASCAR schedule. They are close and they carry over a little to Indianapolis which is a huge race. I have always said if you can get your car right in the Tunnel Turn, you have something you can take to Indy and hopefully learn at Indy and bring back to the second Pocono race.”
