Catchfence

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing

ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards Race Notes:

Richard Childress Racing in the ARCA Racing Series … With just two races remaining in the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, development driver Tim George Jr. is closing in on his first full season with Richard Childress Racing. Although 2010 marks RCR’s first year of full-time ARCA competition, the 41-year-old organization will field two Chevrolets in Thursday’s Kansas Lottery 150, with George in the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet Impala and Ty Dillon, the youngest grandson of car owner Richard Childress, in the No. 41 Karl’s Chevrolet Impala.

Twitter … Follow Tim George Jr. on his official Twitter page – @TimGeorgeJr, and follow Ty Dillon on his official Twitter page -@tydillon, and follow the entire RCR organization on the official RCR Twitter page – @RCRracing and Facebook page -http://www.facebook.com/RCRracing.

ARCA Nation … Cast your vote for Tim George Jr. in ARCA Nation’s Most Post Popular Driver contest presented by National Speed Sport News by visiting the driver’s ARCA Nation page – http://www.arcanation.com/rcr31.

Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Kansas Lottery 150 will be televised live on Thursday, September 30, beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on SPEED. Also check out a live audio feed and live timing and scoring on the ARCA Racing Network at http://www.arcaracing.com.

Tim George Jr.

This Week’s RCR Chevrolet at Kansas … Tim George Jr. will pilot chassis No. 155 in Thursday’s Kansas Lottery 150. George drove this Chevrolet to a 16th-place finish after starting ninth at Chicagoland Speedway in August and an eighth-place finish after starting 14th at Michigan International Speedway in June. He has also used this car at ARCA Open Tests at Kansas, Chicagoland and Michigan this season. Prior to the ARCA Racing Series, this chassis had a successful former life as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racer. In fact, Jeff Burton considered this among his favorite cars during the 2007 race season. Burton raced this Chevrolet into Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2007 after starting second. He also raced this car at Texas in November (started 27 / finished 6), California Speedway in February (started 8 / finished 4), Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March (started 5 / finished 15), Atlanta Motor Speedway in March (started 32 / finished 4), Michigan International Speedway in June (started 9 / finished 24), Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July (started 7 / finished 8), California Speedway in September (started 15 / finished 4), Charlotte Motor Speedway in October (started 27 / finished 4) and Homestead-Miami Speedway in November (started 9 / finished 8), all in 2007, acquiring a 14th-place average starting position and an average finish position of 7.9 in this chassis.

Kansas Stats … Tim George Jr. has one previous start at Kansas Speedway, finishing 15th after starting 10th in 2009.

Two to Go … George is currently ninth in the ARCA Racing Series point standings, with just two races remaining this season.

TIM GEORGE JR. QUOTES

How does Kansas Speedway compare to other 1.5-mile tracks on the schedule?
“I’m looking forward to Kansas this week. It drives a little differently than most “cookie cutter” 1.5-mile tracks. I think it suits my driving style a bit more than other intermediate tracks I’ve raced on this year. These tracks have been my biggest hurdle since I started stock car racing, and I’m pushing to be competitive on them.”

Is there anything especially challenging about Kansas Speedway?
“Kansas will be tough for us, I think, when compared to some of the other series that will run later in the week. The lower groove will be rubbered in, but it will take a while for the upper groove to come in for passing lapped traffic and slower cars.”

Heading into the second-to-last race of your second ARCA Racing Series season, do you feel like ARCA has been beneficial to your driving career?
“ARCA has been helpful in my development, especially with RCR. My limited stock car experience has been challenged by a competitive group of drivers this year- more so than years past. There have been so many new winners in the series- I think that speaks to the level of competition. At the end of the day, however, I’m competing against myself.”

What are your goals for the last two races of the year?
“I’m shooting to remain in the top 10 in points, and a top five or a win would be great!”

Left -to- Right Austin Dillon, Richard Childress and Ty Dillon Photo Credit: Jerry Markland / Getty Images for NASCAR

Ty Dillon

This Week’s RCR Chevrolet at Kansas … Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 166 from the Richard Childress Racing ARCA Racing Series stable in this weekend’s Kansas Lottery 150. Dillon drove this chassis to a second-place finish after starting on the pole in his ARCA debut in July. This is the same chassis that Ty’s brother, Austin Dillon, drove to a second-place finish in an ARCA race at Iowa Speedway in 2009.

Last Time Around … Since earning a second-place finish in his ARCA debut, Dillon has made a number of accomplishments in the racing world, the most notable of which was a career-first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win at Gresham Motorsports Park in August.

In Honor of RC … The No. 41 on the side of Dillon’s Karl Chevrolet Chevrolet this weekend was specially chosen by the 18-year-old driver because his grandfather raced the number at Bowman Grey Stadium in Winston Salem, N.C., during his years as a driver. Richard Childress’ original No. 41 is currently on display at the RCR Museum in Welcome, N.C.

Who’s the Familiar face? … ARCA Racing Series fans may remember Cale Gale for his years as an up-and-coming race car driver within the 57-year-old stock car sanction. Gale competed in the ARCA Racing Series in 2006 and 2007, earning one win at Gateway International Raceway, one pole award, four top-five and six top-10 finishes in six series starts. The Mobile, Ala., native, who also has starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, replaced his steering wheel for a wrench and will serve as Dillon’s crew chief this weekend at Iowa.  Gale is also the crew chief for Ty’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East team.

TY DILLON QUOTES:
You have never raced at Kansas Speedway. What are you doing to prepare?
“We tested at Kansas Speedway last week. I went down there with Tim George Jr. and Scott Wimmer, and the test was very helpful to me. Wimmer really taught me a lot about the track and how to drive an ARCA Racing Series car there. I feel like we have a car we can go there and win with and I’m really excited. Kansas is totally different from anything else I’ve ever raced at. It’s a mile-and-a-half so it’s bigger and faster than anything I’ve ever been on before. I will approach the race much like I approached Dover in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race last weekend. I just have to get used to the track and the cars we run, and get comfortable and win.”

You have one previous ARCA Racing Series start. What do you think about the series so far?
“So far, I have really enjoyed racing in the ARCA Racing Series. My first start was really great, having a second place finish and a pole. I’m looking forward to the future, and hopefully, we will be able to finish one position better.”

Do ARCA cars compare to the racecars you are familiar with?
“The dirt cars are similar in that the motors are similar, so you get some of the same sensations. The asphalt experience, I suppose, will be helpful. Really though, the ARCA cars are very different than anything else I have raced at this point in my career, so I am approaching it as an entirely new deal.”