Close to Victory in XFINITY Series Season Opener
Alert Today Florida 300
Daytona International Speedway
February 21, 2015
Race Highlights:
- Austin Dillon captured the Alert Today Florida 300 pole position and was the highest qualifying Richard Childress Racing driver at Daytona International Speedway. Brendan Gaughan qualified fourth, followed by Brian Scott in the 15th position and Ty Dillon 34th.
- Ty Dillon finished third, Austin Dillon fourth, Brian Scott 25th and Brendan Gaughan 29th.
- Ryan Reed earned his career-first victory and was followed to the finish line by Chris Buescher, T. Dillon, A. Dillon and Brad Keselowski.
- Next up for the NASCAR XFINITY Series is the HISENSE 250 from Atlanta Motor Speedway. Catch all the action live on Saturday, February 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Fox Sports 1 and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Brian Scott Finishes 25th in Season Opener at Daytona International Speedway
The season opener at Daytona International Speedway for the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series was full of anticipation. Brian Scott and the No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet team qualified for the Alert Today Florida 300 in the 15th position. As the field ran two-by-two and three-by-three, spotter Jason Jarrett gave Scott guidance and reassurance around the 2.5-mile Superspeedway for the 120-lap event. With eight laps to go, Scott was tangled in a multi-car accident. With help from the wrecker vehicle, Scott was able to bring the Shore Lodge Chevrolet to pit road, but after further review the team was unable to return to competition forced to take a 25th-place finish.
Start – 15 Finish – 25 Laps Led – 0 Points – 18
Brian Scott Quote:
"Our Shore Lodge Chevrolet was really fast all weekend. We didn’t necessarily qualify where we would have liked, but we fought a really good race. I thought we were in a good seat when we got collected in that last accident. My team worked really hard this off season and put us in contention to win today. We won’t let this set us back and we’ll be ready for Atlanta next weekend."
"Our Shore Lodge Chevrolet was really fast all weekend. We didn’t necessarily qualify where we would have liked, but we fought a really good race. I thought we were in a good seat when we got collected in that last accident. My team worked really hard this off season and put us in contention to win today. We won’t let this set us back and we’ll be ready for Atlanta next weekend."
Ty Dillon Records Podium Finish in Inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Race
Ty Dillon drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet Camaro to a third-place finish Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, kicking off the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season with a podium finish. Dillon, in his second season behind the wheel of the No. 3 Chevrolet, started 34th and charged through the field in the race’s opening laps. Before the first lap was complete, Dillon moved inside the top-10, was inside the top-five by lap four and was scored as the race leader by lap eight. The orange, black and camouflage-colored Chevrolet remained near the front of the pack for a majority of the race. Dillon led 12 of the first 28 laps before coming to pit road under green on lap 40 for four tires and fuel. On three separate occasions, Dillon proved that his rookie stripe had peeled off, avoiding multi-car accidents that collected several race cars. The race was red-flagged twice. In the closing laps, Dillon found himself trapped at the bottom of the race track, moved to the top to form a third line of cars and competed for the win. The 22-year-old driver crossed the finish line third and is now third in the driver point standings. Next week, the XFINITY Series visits Atlanta Motor Speedway with Dillon behind the wheel of the No. 3 WESCO Chevrolet Camaro.
Start – 34 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 16 Points – 3
TY DILLON QUOTE:
"Today we put on a show. I hope the fans enjoyed it as much as I did. It was such an exciting race; the long green flag stretch, some hard-nosed racing and a shot at a win. I thought our Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet was good enough to win, but we’re happy with a podium finish. I can’t thank my team enough for all the hard work they put into this race car, the power of ECR Engines and the support from our teammates. Johnny Morris from Bass Pro Shops was here today – I really wanted to bring him home another victory. Thanks to Bass Pro Shops, WESCO, Yuengling, VF Imagewear and everyone affiliated with RCR for another opportunity at racing this season. We started on a good note for our quest for a championship."
Austin Dillon Survives Action-Packed NASCAR XFINITY Series Opener with Top-Five Finish at Daytona International Speedway
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon marked his return to regular competition in the NASCAR XFINITY Series with a pole award and a fourth-place finish in the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway. The 2013 XFINITY Series Champion led the 40-car field to the green flag after earning his 11th-career pole award earlier in the day. Dillon and his Rheem racing team spent the first half of the race running solidly in the top-10 in a race that featured two- and three-wide pack racing. On lap 93, a multi-car incident occurred directly in front of Dillon. Despite the fact that cars spun and flipped directly in front of him, he avoided damage on the RCR machine until the red flag was displayed and another competitor failed to stop, running into the back of him and causing significant right-rear fender damage. The team pitted twice to repair the damage and Dillon restarted in the 13th spot when green-flag racing resumed with 21 laps remaining. With less than 10 laps remaining, another multi-car incident occurred directly in front of Dillon. Again, he avoided major damage except for a caved-in, right-front headlight which was repaired under the ensuing caution. Dillon lined up ninth for the final restart on lap 115, of 120, and raced his way to a fourth-place finish in the Rheem Chevrolet.
Start – 1 Finish – 4 Laps Led – 1 Owner’s Points – 4
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
"Those were some crazy wrecks out there. I really don’t know how we made it through some of them. I think it was luck and also my dirt racing background. It felt like it was in slow motion watching cars spinning and flipping in front of me. I’m hoping my lucky horse shoe can stay lodged where it’s at for the Daytona 500. I’m so thankful to my RCR Rheem Racing team for building fast, safe race cars."
"Those were some crazy wrecks out there. I really don’t know how we made it through some of them. I think it was luck and also my dirt racing background. It felt like it was in slow motion watching cars spinning and flipping in front of me. I’m hoping my lucky horse shoe can stay lodged where it’s at for the Daytona 500. I’m so thankful to my RCR Rheem Racing team for building fast, safe race cars."
Brendan Gaughan Finishes 29th at Daytona International Speedway
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Camaro qualified for the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series race in the fourth position on Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. Gaughan was satisfied with the handling of his Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet throughout the 120-lap event. During a pit stop on lap 81, a fueling issue caused Gaughan to restart from the 19th position. The Las Vegas native was later collected in a multi-car wreck on lap 94 that brought him to pit road, allowing the Shane Wilson-led team to make extensive repairs on the right front fender. After returning to the track one lap down in 21st place, Gaughan was battling for the lucky dog position when he was again collected in a late-race accident on lap 113 which ended the day for the No. 62 team. Gaughan was forced to recieve a 29th-place finish and is currently 21st in the driver point standings as the XFINITY Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend.
Start – 4 Finish – 29 Laps Led – 0 Points – 21
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
"The No. 62 Richard Childress Racing team was good; we had a fast car all day long. This is all just part of racing at Daytona International Speedway. I was having fun and I hope the fans were enjoying it just as much I was. Glad to be back behind the wheel of the South Point Chevrolet and can’t wait to redeem ourselves next week in Atlanta."