Strong day in Phoenix for RCR XFINITY Series teams
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Phoenix 200
Phoenix International Raceway
March 14, 2015
Race Highlights:
- Austin Dillon qualified fifth for the Phoenix 200 at Phoenix International Raceway and was the highest qualifying Richard Childress Racing driver. Brendan Gaughan qualified ninth followed by Ty Dillon 11th and Brian Scott 12th.
- Austin Dillon finished fourth, Ty Dillon sixth, Brendan Gaughan eighth and Brian Scott 10th.
- Next up for the NASCAR XFINITY Series is the DriveforClots.com 300 from Auto Club Speedway. Catch all the action live on Saturday, March 21 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Fox Sports 1 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Brian Scott Adds Another Top-10 Finish to Season Total at Phoenix
Brain Scott and the No. 2 Albertsons/Sanderson Farms Chevrolet Camaro team started 12th and finished 10th in the Phoenix 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday afternoon. Clear skies and warm temperatures greeted the NASCAR XFINITY Series teams at the one-mile oval for qualifying early in the day. When it was completed, Scott had to start 12th because a left-front tire had gone soft after Round 2 and NASCAR rules dictate it can’t be changed during qualifying. Since they were in the Final Round of 12, the team did not participate and started 12th. Once the 200-lap race began, Scott moved up to 10th in three laps and seventh by lap 20. From there, the team utilized two right-side only pit stops under caution to gain track position. During each of the four stops, fuel and adjustments to tires and the chassis were made. The two-tires stops put them in the top five, running as high as third, for a good portion of the race as they never ran outside the top 10. As the laps ticked down to the checkered flag, Scott said his Camaro was very tight going into the turns on the radio and was passed by several cars with fresher tires. When the race ended, Scott earned his second top-10 finish of 2015 and moved up three positions, to 14th in the driver point standings. The Series heads to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., this coming weekend.
Start – 12 Finish – 10 Laps Led – 0 Driver’s Points- 14
Brian Scott Quote:
"It’s always important to get a good finish with as tight as the points are in the XFINITY Series. A top-10 finish is nice, but we always want to do better and get to victory lane. Towards the end of the race, we were still doing pretty well but the car became so tight and others with fresher tires got by us. We are 14th in points going into Fontana, so that just means we have to work a little hard and keep being consistent to move up more."
Ty Dillon Finishes Sixth at Phoenix International Raceway
Richard Childress Racing driver Ty Dillon finished sixth at Phoenix International Raceway, despite being involved in a late-race incident. Dillon started the 200-lap event from the 11th position on Saturday afternoon. He reported a tight-handling condition to the Bass Pro Shops team in the early stages of the race. Crew chief Danny Stockman used multiple two and four-tire pit stops throughout the race to help the handling of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro. The Welcome, N.C., native was running in the 11th spot when another competitor made contact with Dillon sending him out of the racing groove. Dillon saved the car from sustaining damage and was able to continue racing for the remainder of the event, improving his position to sixth before crossing the finish line.
Start – 11 Finish – 6 Laps Led – 0 Driver’s Points – 1
TY DILLON QUOTE:
"We fought the handling on the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for a lot of the race today. Danny (Stockman, crew chief) made some good calls on pit road and gained us track position, which we needed. I think if we could have stayed out of trouble there in the late part of the race, we could have been up there battling for a top-five finish."
Austin Dillon Earns Top-Five Finish in the Desert
Austin Dillon and the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet team finished fourth in the Phoenix 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday afternoon. The Welcome, N.C., native qualified the black and red Chevrolet in the fifth spot for the 200-lap race. Dillon ran within the top 10 for a majority of the race and utilized various pit stops to increase track position. During a lap-94 caution period, crew chief Nick Harrison called Dillon to the attention of the Rheem team for right-side tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. The quick stop by the No. 33 team earned Dillon the point position for the ensuing restart. The 24-year-old driver was shuffled back on the restart but remained in the lead pack for the remainder of the race, taking the checkered flag in the fourth position.
Start – 5 Finish – 4 Laps Led – 4 Owner’s Points – 2
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
"The guys did a great job again this weekend putting together a fast Rheem Chevrolet. We were really good on long, green-flag runs and had a lot of speed once we got going after caution flags. I think, if we would have had a caution at the end, we could have caught up to the leaders and gave them a run for it coming to the checkered flag. Overall, it was a pretty good day."
Gaughan Earns Second Consecutive Top-10 Finish of Season at Phoenix International Raceway
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino team qualified ninth for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday afternoon. After a quick first pit stop on lap 51, Gaughan had to restart from the tail of the field for a pit road violation. The Las Vegas native quickly began making up track position, but had to revisit pit road on lap 89 for a loose wheel. The pit stop put Gaughan two laps off the lead lap. For the remainder of the 200-lap event, the Richard Childress Racing team performed at the top of their game making up track position and leading the 39-year-old driver to an eighth-place finish; his second of the season. Gaughan is currently sixth in the driver point standings as the XFINITY Series heads to Auto Club Speedway next weekend.
Start – 9 Finish – 8 Laps Led – 0 Driver’s Points – 6
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:
"What a day for this South Point team. We were faced with a lot of adversity, but stayed calm, did our jobs and ended the day with another top-10 finish. As long as we continue to have great equipment from Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines, we will be in the hunt for the championship at the end of the season."