Catchfence

Richard Childress Racing

Race: Homestead 200

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Notes:

RCR’s NCWTS History … In 157 NCWTS starts, RCR has earned 22 wins, 66 top-five finishes, 101 top-10 finishes and 22 poles, along with the inaugural series championship in 1995 with Mike Skinner. The organization has an average starting position of 10.4 and an average finish position of 9.8.

RCR History at Homestead … RCR has four starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but this Friday’s race will mark the organization’s first trip to the 1.5-mile speedway since reviving the truck series program full time this year. RCR’s last start at Homestead came in 1999 with Jay Sauter, who led three laps but finished 21st after mid-race engine problems. Sauter has a total of three RCR NCWTS starts at Homestead to his credit, posting the organization’s best finish, third, in 1998, and finishing 19th in 1997. Mike Skinner finished 20th for RCR at Homestead in 1996.

Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Twitter page – @RCR3ADillon, Austin Dillon’s personal Twitter page – @AustinDillon3, the Official Austin Dillon Facebook fan page -http://www.facebook.com/adillon3.

Vote for Austin … Online voting is underway for the 2010 Most Popular Driver of the Year Award in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The link to the Most Popular Driver ballot is hosted on the NCWTS page on NASCAR.com and results will be announced at the combined awards banquet for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Monday, Nov. 22 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of this weekend’s Homestead 200 will be televised live on Friday, Nov. 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on SPEED and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio at 7:45 p.m. EST.

No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway… Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 006 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable in this weekend’s Homestead 200. This chassis was built in-house by the Bass Pro Shops team this season and is a proven contender in NCWTS competition, as Dillon won with this Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the pole position in September.

In addition to Vegas, this chassis has been used in competition on two additional occasions, in its maiden voyage at Chicagoland Speedway in August, where Dillon finished ninth after starting second, and at Texas Motor Speedway in early November, where Dillon started sixth but finished a disappointing 25th after a cut tire just 42 laps into the 147-lap race created a challenging night for the Bass Pro Shops team.

First Timer … This weekend marks Dillon’s first NCWTS attempt at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but his stat record on similarly sized tracks this year has been impressive, as he ranks sixth among all drivers in the category of points earned on superspeedways. In 20 career superspeedway starts, Dillon has one win, six top-fives, 14 top-10s and five pole awards, and has led 194 laps in seven races.

Breaking Records … Dillon has two wins this season (Iowa and Las Vegas) and is the first rookie since Carl Edwards in 2003 to post multiple NCWTS wins as a rookie. He earned a record sixth pole award last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, extending the record for most pole awards by a rookie in NCWTS history. The sixth pole allowed him to surpass Kyle Busch as the overall series leader in the category of pole awards for this season.

Averages … Dillon has an average starting position of 5.792, and an average finish position of 10.875 for the season.

Raybestos Rookie Contender … Dillon is currently the leading candidate for the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award and has earned Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors in 16 out of 24 races, leading his nearest rookie challenger by 55 points heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

For the Crew … Following Friday night’s NCWTS race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet will celebrate his rookie season by treating his entire team and their significant others to a trip to the Florida Keys for a vacation that will include relaxation, team bonding and deep sea fishing prior to arrival back in Miami for Monday evening’s NCWTS banquet.

All About Points … With one race remaining in the 2010 NCWTS, Dillon is fifth in the championship point standings, 93 markers in arrears of Matt Crafton in fourth.

Friday Morning Warm up … On Friday morning, Dillon, along with fellow NCWTS and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, will “warm up” for the race weekend with a celebrity TRAXXAS RC Boat race hosted by Kyle Busch at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The event will include heat races and a main event, and Dillon’s boat will be decaled to look just like a TRACKER boat you can buy at your local Bass Pro Shops.

Austin Dillon (Photo Credit: Jason Smith / Getty Images for NASCAR)

You’ve never been to Homestead. Do you have any hesitations leading into the race?

“Not really. I think anytime you go to a new place, it takes up some of the practice time trying to learn the track, but I am confident we will be fine. RCR’s speedway program has been very good this year, so I think we will be fine.”

You’re bringing Chassis No. 006 to Homestead…

“I’m confident in the truck that the guys chose to bring to Homestead this weekend, and I’m thankful for all of their hard work. This is the same truck we won at Las Vegas with, and I love the way it handles. This truck can really turn down into the corners. We beat it up pretty bad at Texas, but the guys in the Cup fab shop pulled an all-nighter to get it fixed just so that we could bring it to this race at Homestead, and my Bass Pro Shops crew has been working really hard on it.”

TRUCK OWNER RICHARD CHILDRESS QUOTES:

What do you think has been the key to Austin’s early success?

“He has been around this sport since he was a little kid. He grew up watching Dale Earnhardt and what all the other drivers have done. To accomplish all that he has in this sport at a young age, with really not that much racing experience, I am really proud of him.”

What are your thoughts on your return to the Truck Series this season?

“I am really excited for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. I think having Austin in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet has been really good for the series. You wouldn’t believe how many people have called asking RCR to build trucks for them or how they could get involved. I hope from a NASCAR standpoint it has added a little fire back into the series.”

Why did you choose the NCWTS for Austin?

“I felt like the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was a lot better series for a young rookie to jump into. You have some great veteran drivers. I knew Austin would have the opportunity to learn from drivers like Ron Hornaday Jr., Mike Skinner and Todd Bodine. I think Austin has been very fortunate that several of the drivers have taken him under their wing to help him out.”

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release