2015 XFINITY Series Daytona International Speedway Preview
Richard Childress Racing
Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Notes:
RCR’s NASCAR XFINITY Series at Daytona … In 61 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Daytona International Speedway dating back to 2000, Richard Childress Racing has earned five victories: Dale Earnhardt Jr. in February 2002 and July 2010, Kevin Harvick in February 2007, Clint Bowyer in July 2003 and Tony Stewart in February 2013. The Welcome, N.C. organization has accumulated 26 top-five finishes, 39 top-10 finishes, led 479 laps and averages an 11.0 starting position and a 10.7 finishing position at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
RCR in the XFINITY Series … In 1,094 XFINITY Series starts dating back to 1995, RCR has earned 56 pole awards, 70 wins, 346 top-five finishes and 605 top-10 finishes with an 11.6 average starting position and a 12.3 average finishing position. RCR has earned four driver’s championships; two with Kevin Harvick in 2001 and 2006, Clint Bowyer in 2008 and Austin Dillon in 2013. The organization has also earned five owners’ championships doing so in 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
2015 Driver Line-Up … All three full-time XFINITY Series RCR drivers return in 2015. Brian Scott finished fourth in the driver point standings last season and returns to the RCR driver line-up for his third XFINITY Series season for the Welcome, N.C. organization. Scott is joined by teammate Ty Dillon, who earned his first career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014 en route to a fifth-place finish in driver point standings. Brendan Gaughan returns for his second full-time season at RCR, coming off two victories in the 2014 season at Road America and Kentucky Speedway. Austin Dillon, Brandon Jones and Paul Menard will share seat time in the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro.
Did You Know … Life threatening injuries are the No. 1 killer of children in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma (CIPT) invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the care of injured children in the U.S. While many great organizations are helping prevent injuries, CIPT is focused on funding research and medical education throughout the U.S. to improve treatment, as well as raising public awareness about pediatric trauma. For more information, visit saveinjuredkids.org.
Social Media … To stay on track with the latest news and information and to view exclusive, behind-the-scenes content, follow RCR’s Twitter account – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR XFINITY Series team Twitter accounts – @RCR2BScott, @RCR3TDillon, @RCR33NXS and @RCR62BGaughan. RCR’s XFINITY Series driver twitter accounts – @bscottracing, @tydillon, @austindillon3 and @Brendan62. For additional photos, news and videos log on to rcrracing.com.
Catch the Action … Coverage of this weekend’s Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, February 21, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and broadcasted live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
Brian Scott, No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Shore Lodge Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 152 in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Alert Today Florida 300. This is a new chassis from the Richard Childress Racing stable that will be utilized for the first time under race conditions.
Hillman Jr. to Crew Chief Role … RCR welcomes two-time championship crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. to the No. 2 XFINITY Series team this year. Hillman joins the organization with 20 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins, two series championships, 235 starts that earned 93 top-five and 132 top-10 finishes, and 17 pole awards.
XFINITY Series Veteran … The Boise, Idaho native enters his sixth year of full-time XFINITY Series competition with 175 series starts under his belt, five pole positions, 14 top-fives and 59 top-10 finishes with 408 laps led.
Daytona History … The 27-year-old driver has 10 previous XFINITY starts at "The World Center of Racing". His best start of fourth came at the 2013 July race at 2.5-mile track. He scored his best finish of sixth during the 2013 season opener. Additionally, Scott has two Truck Series starts with a ninth-place finish coming in his 2008 Daytona debut. Scott also made his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500 last February.
Welcome to the family … On November 25, 2014 the Scott family welcomed son Joseph Baylor Scott to the world weighing eight pounds, one ounce.
Award Winning … Forbes Travel Guide unveiled its 2015 list of Travel Guide Star Awards crediting The Cove at Shore Lodge a Four-Star Spa. Located in McCall, Idaho, The Cove Spa gives you both a feeling of Old Western mixed with contemporary ways to be pampered. The Cove is one of the newest additions to the 57th annual list of worldwide winners based on more than 150 objective criteria. Your spa experience is limitless with The Cove customizing each treatment for every guest.
Season Kickoff from Home … Thomas Costello, underneath mechanic for Brian Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet, will kick off the season from his home track of Daytona International Speedway. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Fla., Costello joined the RCR family in 2005 and is in his third season working with Scott.
Double Duty … In addition to competing at Daytona International Speedway in the XFINITY Series this weekend, Scott is scheduled to drive the No. 62 Shore Lodge Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 22. The Daytona XFINITY Series race kicks off a season-long campaign in which Scott plans to battle for the 2015 driver’s championship title after earning his best-career points finish of fourth in 2014. The Alert Today Florida 300 is live on Fox Sports 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Race Rewind … Brian Scott and his No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet team finished 17th in the XFINITY Series season opener at DIS in 2014. Running in the sixth position, Scott was in contention to make a charge for the lead, but lost momentum when the low line gained the advantage in the draft.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTES:
What is the intensity level like when you are restrictor-plate racing?
"The intensity level is very high and it obviously can change depending on your situation. If you’re in the middle of a three-wide situation the intensity seems to be higher, especially in a heavy pack of drafting cars. It’s not a situation that you typically feel comfortable in. You feel vulnerable like that’s where the wreck is going to happen and you don’t have very many avenues for escape. It’s hard to keep your mental edge. Superspeedways, to me, aren’t so physically demanding especially in February with the cooler temperatures. You’re not sweating, so you’re not worried about dehydration as much but the amount of mental effort it takes can really exhaust you. I think that’s why you see the big wrecks because people let their guard down mentally and they have one minor slip up. There isn’t enough room for error when you’re in a heavy pack of cars like that."
Ty Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Ty Dillon will begin the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series utilizing chassis No. 159. This Richard Childress Racing prepared-Chevrolet Camaro is a new addition to RCR’s stable and will make its first competitive laps during Friday’s practice sessions.
Dillon in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Daytona International Speedway … Dillon has one top-five finish in three XFINITY Series starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The 22-year-old driver kicked off the 2014 season with a seventh-place finish and followed it up with an 11th-place finish on the Fourth of July.
Building on 2014 … With the rookie stripe peeled off after Homestead last year, the Dillon-Stockman duo has a year of experience together with the goal of winning the XFINITY Series championship. Dillon finished last season with one win (Indianapolis Motor Speedway), seven top five and 24 top-10 finishes, three pole awards (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Kansas Speedway), 205 laps led and fifth in the driver point standings.
Triple duty … Dillon is scheduled to compete in all three of NASCAR’s premiere series events this week, beginning Friday in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He will pilot the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing in the Truck race, the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro in the XFINITY Series and the No. 33 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet SS for Circle Sport Racing in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Gator hunting … In addition to competing at the World Center of Racing, Dillon has been racing his No. 41 modified dirt car for Team Dillon Racing at Volusia County Speedway as part of the 43rd annual University of Northwestern Ohio DIRTCar Nationals. Last season, he captured the Gator UMP DIRTcar Nationals modified points championship after winning four of the six races.
Bass Pro Shops continues partnership with RCR … Bass Pro Shops will be a primary sponsor in 2015 for the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro, continuing its long-standing relationship with Richard Childress Racing. Bass Pro Shops has more than 60 retail stores in 26 states and Canada visited by over 113 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America and a restaurant division with 26 locations.
No. 3 team adds new members … The No. 3 XFINITY Series team returns its core team from last season and added two new members to its program. Matt Philpott, a Tracy, La.-native, joined RCR in January. Philpott was a part of back-to-back NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships with Matt Crafton. Todd Parrott, the 1999 Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief, will assume the role of RCR’s XFINITY Series competition director. Parrott is a two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 and won the Daytona 500 in 1996.
Newlywed … On December 20, 2014, Dillon married his long-time girlfriend, Haley Carey, at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, N.C. The night featured many friends and family members of the Dillons and RCR. The Dillons drove off in a No. 3 Bass Pro Shops showcar that featured "Just Married" on the rear bumper while wedding guests enjoyed a fireworks show.
Have a Lager with Ty … Throughout the 2015 season, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a cold Yuengling Light Lager with Dillon. His first stop is at the Sam’s Club on 1175 Beville Road, Daytona Beach, Fla., on Wednesday, February 18 beginning at 6:30 p.m. to sign autographs. He will then visit Buffalo Wild Wings on West International Speedway Boulevard beginning at 7:30 p.m. to serve Yuengling and meet with fans.
Meet Ty Dillon … On Friday, February 20, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the UNOH display located in the Midway outside Turn 4 beginning at 9:15 a.m. ET. Dillon will visit Comcast’s new midway display, the XFINITY Zone, on Saturday, February 21 beginning at 9:30 a.m. On Sunday, February 22, Dillon is scheduled to visit the Team Chevy stage to answer questions from fans at 9:45 a.m.
TY DILLON QUOTES:
What are you goals for the 2015 season?
"Our main goal is pretty clear – win the championship. We have all the resources and capabilities to do so here at RCR. Our team is filled with talented individuals with a lot of experience. It all comes down to believing in ourselves and putting a full effort forward. The theme of this season is to believe. Outside of winning the championship, we’d like to win four or five races, make some of the top-10 finishes from last season top-five finishes this year and minimize mistakes. If we do all that, we’ll be in a great position."
How will you balance your time in Daytona?
"We are all athletes and we train to be conditioned for the car. I love being inside the race car, so for me it will be easy. I’ll certainly have to continuously hydrate myself and eat well. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to race in three races, on top of dirt car racing, so I want to give my best effort."
How has the off-season been working with Danny Stockman?
"Danny and our engineer, Andrew Dickeson, are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever been around. Every time I was in the XFINITY shop to meet with the guys, Danny and Andrew were buried in their research looking for ways to get better. It pushes me to get better and work harder at studying as much as they do before each and every race weekend."
DANNY STOCKMAN QUOTE:
This is your fourth season on the No. 3 XFINITY Series team. What are your goals?
"We were not satisfied with our finish last season and we know our race team can do better. Richard (Childress) has given us the best resources, equipment and personnel; we just need to go out and execute. My goal is to unload better, improve team communication and win several races. The theme this year is to believe in each other. If we do that, we’ll be an excellent race team."
Austin Dillon, No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 154 in the Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway. This is a new Chevrolet Camaro that will be utilized for the first time this weekend.
Dillon at Daytona … In four previous XFINITY Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon has earned three top-five finishes and one pole award (2013).
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Welcome Back … Dillon, the 2013 XFINITY Series Champion and 2012 Rookie of the Year, returns to regular XFINITY Series competition this season. After making one XFINITY Series start in 2014, Dillon plans to run a majority of the scheduled races this season under the RCR banner with Rheem. He is a two-time race winner in the XFINITY Series and 10-time pole winner, holding the record for most consecutive poles in series history with seven.
Experience on top of the Box … Veteran NASCAR crew chief Nick Harrison returns in 2015 to work with a multi-driver lineup that includes Dillon, Paul Menard and Brandon Jones. Working together for select races in 2014, the Dillon-Harrison duo found Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
RCR Salutes … The No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet pit box sports a patriotic theme this season in homage to the United States military, current service members and the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. In conjunction with NASCAR and the Honor and Remember program, the RCR team honors the family of U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown (7/21/1977-4/27/2011 – Afghanistan). MSgt. Brown graduated from Deltona High School and was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. She was the client-support technician in charge of a personnel division at Joint Base Andrews Navel Air Facility in Maryland. Brown and three computer-systems personnel were working on a project to build a national level communications network in the Air Command and Control Center at Kubul International Airport when a single gunman opened fire, killing MSgt. Brown, seven active-duty Air Force officers and one Air Force civilian contract employee. Brown was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Combat Action Medal and NATO Article Five Medal.
Double Duty … In addition to Friday’s Alert Today Florida 300, watch Dillon in the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet SS in Sunday’s Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, which airs live on FOX at 1 p.m. ET.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at the Chevrolet Stage at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 20 at 4:45 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
Is it a competitive benefit for you to run both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity with Rheem because I think with the new rules package this year, the XFINITY cars will drive as close to the Sprint Cup Series cars as they have ever been before. Sprint Cup Series drivers and crew chiefs have always paid attention to the Saturday XFINITY race, but I think you’ll see more of it this year. By running the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, I can gather good information that I can use on Sunday."
Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro
Race Notes and Quotes:
This Week’s South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway…
Brendan Gaughan will kick off the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season piloting chassis No. 153. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet is a new addition to the RCR stable and will make its first laps at Daytona International Speedway during practice on Friday afternoon.
Gaughan returns to the World Center of Racing… The Las Vegas native will make his seventh XFINTIY Series start at Daytona International Speedway this weekend. Gaughan’s sixth-place finish in last February’s race marked his best finish at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in any of NASCAR’s top-three series.
South Point & RCR continue partnership … South Point Hotel & Casino returns to RCR in 2015 with Gaughan and the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro for their second full-time season. The partnership with RCR began in 2012 with Gaughan running a limited XFINITY Series schedule and eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. The partnership continued in 2013 with a full-time Camping World Truck Series schedule where the team finished seventh in the driver point standings. Last season, Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino team earned two wins and an eighth-place finish in the driver point standings.
South Point Hotel & Casino by the numbers … Located in the heart of the new Las Vegas South Strip, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa features 160,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and exhibit hall space, a 4,600 seat equestrian center, over 2,100 guestrooms, a 400 seat Showroom, a 200 seat sports book, 64 bowling lanes, 12 restaurants and a 16 screen movie theater. Find out more information at southpointcasino.com.
Shane Wilson back atop the pit box … Shane Wilson returns as crew chief for Gaughan and the No. 62 team. The 2015 season marks the 10th season the duo will work together, spanning across each of NASCAR’s premier series, as well the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Together, they have accumulated 18 wins, 52 top-five and 74 top-10 finishes.
New Additions … The No. 62 team has three new additions heading into the 2015 XFINITY Series season. Currently in his fifth year with RCR, Craig Smokstad joins the team as car chief. Chase Masterson, a native of Flowermound, Texas, joins the over the wall team as the front tire changer. Working as Masterson’s front tire carrier is Justin Voss. He has been with RCR for five years and was previously the rear tire carrier for Ty Dillon and the No. 3 XFINITY Series team.
Meet Gaughan in Daytona … Gaughan is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Midway outside Turn 4 beginning at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, February 21. Wristbands will be distributed Saturday morning on a first-come, first-served basis
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
How mentally draining is racing at a superspeedway?
"Superspeedway racing is definitely a different game than the rest of our races. It is similar to a chess match. You need to be able to see where you want to move and where you shouldn’t move. There are all sorts of very weird things that we cannot do at any other tracks, but we can do them at superspeedways."
What are your thoughts when returning to Daytona International Speedway?
"When we go to Daytona International Speedway for the first race it isn’t just superspeedway racing, it is Daytona. It is the start of a new season; that week brings so much of that aura to the sport. It feels good to be going to Daytona with RCR, with ECR engines, and to know you are coming to the track with packages that can win. This year just feels good coming into this season, but it is Daytona so you have to be smart, don’t get comfortable and realize that anything can happen."