No. 33 Rheem / Menards Chevrolet Impala

In addition to competing at the 14-turn road course, Papis will serve as a driver coach for fellow RCR teammates, assisting in strengthening their road-course racing skills.

“It is an honor to join a history-making team like RCR and continue what I started with Kevin Harvick Inc. the last couple of years,” stated Papis. “I feel ready to win races in NASCAR and, at the same time, I’m honored to have the chance to pass all the experience I built in my last 20 years of competition around the world to real racers like Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon and doing it with my never-give-up attitude that brought me all the way here.”

Papis, a native of Italy who now resides in North Carolina, has nine road-course races on his Nationwide Series resume with his career best finish of second coming at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in August 2009. The 2004 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champion has also competed in six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road-course events, posting his best finish of eighth at Watkins Glen International in the same year.

“Max is a great addition to our driver lineup and to RCR overall,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He has shown his talents in many different forms of auto racing all over the world and will be able to share that knowledge with our less experienced drivers. He’s the perfect driver for the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet when the NASCAR Nationwide Series gets to Road America. Max also has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm wherever he is, at the track or the shop.”

The 2007 Petite Le Mans race winner made his NASCAR debut in 2006 when he joined the 43-car field in the Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen International, posting a 14th-place finish. Since then, he has competed in 88 races across NASCAR’s top three national series, accumulating two-top five and seven top-10 results.

Papis is scheduled to share the No. 33 Nationwide Series ride with teammates Brendan Gaughan, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Tony Stewart for the 2012 season.

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit www.rcrracing.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/American Ethanol/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard/Tony Stewart/Max Papis (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Announced in 2011, Kevin Harvick Inc. merged with RCR on the Nationwide Series programs, moving teams and much of its equipment to the Welcome, N.C., shop. OneMain Financial will continue the sponsorship of the No. 2 Chevrolet at RCR for a total of 29 Nationwide Series events during the 2012 season, marking the company’s ninth season with a strong presence in the sport. For generations, OneMain Financial has provided local, one-on-one, personalized service and affordable solutions to customer borrowing needs.

Sadler, an Emporia, Va., native, notched 12 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, as well as five pole awards last season in the 2011 Nationwide Series season. He finished second in the driver point standings in his first full-time Nationwide Series season since 1998, falling just 45 points short of the championship.

“It is such a great opportunity to compete for such an accomplished organization like Richard Childress Racing,” said Sadler. “To have an organization like OneMain Financial support me on and off the track again this year really makes me eager to get back to the track to compete for the Nationwide Series championship. We came up short last year, finishing second in the points, but I know we have all the parts in place to win this year with this RCR team.”

Luke Lambert has been tapped as crew chief for the OneMain Financial team for the season. Lambert served as interim crew chief for the No. 31 Sprint Cup Series team for 17 races last season with driver Jeff Burton, leading the team to two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Lambert, 29, joined RCR in 2005, serving as the team engineer for the No. 31 program from 2008 – 2010. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University in 2005.

In addition to the sponsorship with Sadler, OneMain Financial will serve as the primary sponsor on RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick in the Nationwide Series event at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Harvick is scheduled to share the No. 33 Nationwide Series ride with teammates Paul Menard and Brendan Gaughan for the 2012 season. OneMain Financial will also sponsor Joey Coulter’s No. 22 Camping World truck at the fall Texas race.

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit rcrracing.com.

About OneMain Financial

OneMain Financial, based in Baltimore, Md., provides personalized loan solutions and one-on-one, local service at more than 1,300 branches nationwide. With a 99-year heritage of helping people realize their financial goals and dreams, their employees are part of the communities where they live and work. OneMain Financial works with each customer to find a solution that best fits their needs and budget, offering a straightforward loan application with fixed rates and clear terms. Additional information may be found at www.OneMainFinancial.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Press Release

University of Northwestern Ohio Logo

The University of Northwestern Ohio’s (UNOH) College of Applied Technologies offers a unique curriculum to young people interested in professional motorsports competition as a career. The University is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the College of Applied Technologies is accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The University also has a College of Business, College of Occupational Professions, College of Health Professions and Graduate College offering Associate and Baccalaureate Degrees in Accounting, Business Administration, Marketing, Sport Marketing, Information Technology, Medical Assisting and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

The College of Applied Technologies offers associate degrees and diploma programs in High Performance Motorsports. Student interns training in this curriculum will be assisting RCR Development at the track during race weekends.

“The University of Northwestern Ohio is honored to continue and expand our relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Ty Dillon,” said Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis, President of the University of Northwestern Ohio. “Ty Dillon’s personality and professionalism along with his championship ability, makes him the perfect fit to represent UNOH.”

Dillon, 19, takes the next step in his motorsports career after earning the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship. In his first full ARCA season, he earned seven victories, seven pole qualifying positions and 16 top-10 finishes in 19 races. He made his debut and competed in three Truck Series races during the 2011 season, finishing third November 4 at Texas Motor Speedway in just his second start.

“I’m really excited to have the University of Northwestern Ohio on the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for my rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said Dillon. “UNOH has been a big supporter of mine, with both my dirt car racing and last season’s ARCA Series championship. It’s great to have them move up with me and the No. 3 team.”

RCR competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series from its inception in 1995 through 1999 before returning to the series in 2009 with Ty’s brother, Austin Dillon, who went on to claim the 2011 Truck Series championship. It has earned 24 victories, as well as the inaugural series championship with driver Mike Skinner. RCR’s three-truck lineup for 2012 consists of Ty Dillon in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, Joey Coulter in the No. 22 RCR Chevrolet along with Brendan Gaughan and Tim George Jr. in the No. 2 South Point Hotel & Casino/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet.

“The University of Northwestern Ohio has great educational programs, from motorsports to business to health care, as well as a program to earn your degree online,” said Richard Childress, President and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Everyone at UNOH has been great to work with this season and we’re proud to continue our relationship with them in 2012 as Ty takes the next step in his racing career in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.”

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit www.rcrracing.com.

About UNOH

The University of Northwestern Ohio is an entrepreneurial, not-for-profit, university founded in 1920. There are five colleges within the university: The College of Applied Technologies, College of Business, College of Occupational Professions, College of Health Professions, and the Graduate College. UNOH has taught students from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries, and currently has more than 4500 students enrolled from 36 states and 6 foreign countries. UNOH offers more than 60 different programs of study including Master’s, Baccalaureate, Associate, and Diploma programs.

The University is situated on a 200+ acre campus and is in the midst of a 10-year expansion plan that includes new apartment-style dormitories and a new academic building that will house Health and IT classrooms along with a new library, student learning center and food services. The University of Northwestern Ohio also offers a variety of athletics including Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Men’s & Women’s Tennis, Men’s & Women’s Golf, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Bowling, Men’s Baseball, Men’s Soccer and six Co-Ed Motorsports teams.

The University of Northwestern Ohio has an impact of more than $250 million on the local economy. Limaland Motorsports Park, which is owned by UNOH, has an additional $15 million impact.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards

Graham’s morning lap of 48.229 seconds (186.61 mph) in the No. 88 Ford gave him the lead in the weekend’s fifth testing session, and in turn the only top 10 time outside of Saturday afternoon’s drafting session. Duno, Jared Marks, Will Kimmel, and Alex Bowman comprised the remainder of the morning top five.

Only 30 cars participated in the last afternoon session, which Duno led with a best lap of 48.34 seconds (186.161 mph). She was followed by Joey Coulter, Brandon McReynolds, Bowman, and Josh Richards. Full speed charts for both Sunday sessions are available at ARCARacing.com.

Overall, Venturini Motorsports ended the weekend with the top positions among 79 drivers who took laps over 21 hours. Bowman’s Saturday afternoon lap of 47.787 seconds (188.336 mph) in the No. 25 Chevrolet will stand as the test’s top effort, just ahead of teammates John Stancill, Brennan Poole, and Ryan Reed. Marks, driving a Tony Marks Racing Dodge, ended the weekend fifth.

Duno’s Saturday afternoon lap in the Sheltra Motorsports Ford ended the test sixth overall, just ahead of Venturini’s Nelson Canache, DC Racing’s Drew Charlson, Graham, and Coulter Motorsports’ Matt Lofton.

The overall weekend results are listed below.

CAR # DRIVER MFG TIME SPEED

1 25a Alex Bowman Chevy 47.787 188.336
2 55 John Stancill Toyota 47.811 188.241
3 25 Brennan Poole Chevy 47.812 188.237
4 15 Ryan Reed Toyota 47.821 188.202
5 12 Jared Marks Dodge 47.832 188.159
6 63 Milka Duno Ford 48.166 186.854
7 35 Nelson Canache Chevy 48.212 186.676
8 51 Drew Charlson Chevy 48.221 186.641
9 88 Buster Graham Ford 48.229 186.610
10 16 Matt Lofton Chevy 48.234 186.590
11 94 Steve Blackburn Chevy 48.245 186.548
12 69a Fain Skinner Ford 48.251 186.525
13 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 48.340 186.181
14 61 Joey Coulter Chevy 48.363 186.093
15 4 Brandon McReynolds Chevy 48.364 186.089
16 32 Chris Windom Toyota 48.380 186.027
17 66 Josh Richards Toyota 48.438 185.805
18 68 Will Kimmel Ford 48.488 185.613
19 08 Ross Chastain Ford 48.569 185.303
20 12 Maryeve Dufault Dodge 48.573 185.288
21 75 Ginny Quinones Toyota 48.674 184.904
22 44 Frank Kimmel Toyota 48.773 184.528
23 6 Cale Gale Chevy 48.803 184.415
24 14 John Ferrier Chevy 48.839 184.279
25 05 Derrike Cope Chevy 48.846 184.253
26 00 Ed Kennedy Chevy 48.865 184.181
27 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 48.931 183.932
28 1 Alli Owens Ford 48.953 183.850
29 90 Zachary Ralston Ford 48.971 183.782
30 29c Bobby Pelland Dodge 49.076 183.389
31 29a Sam Edwards Dodge 49.092 183.329
32 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 49.169 183.042
33 82a Sean Corr Ford 49.190 182.964
34 61 T.J. Duke Chevy 49.193 182.953
35 11b Rick Clifton Chevy 49.340 182.408
36 75a Benny Chastain Toyota 49.392 182.216
37 17 Chris Buescher Ford 49.417 182.124
38 29b Sloan Henderson Dodge 49.461 181.962
39 5b Damon Lusk Chevy 49.469 181.932
40 14a Josh Williams Ford 49.609 181.419
41 05 Spencer Gallagher Chevy 49.625 181.360
42 1a Jeremy Petty Chevy 49.725 180.995
43 40a Michelle Therault Dodge 49.745 180.923
44 10a Dennis Strickland Ford 49.793 180.748
45 13 George Cushman Dodge 49.985 180.054
46 69 Chris Brown Ford 50.133 179.522
47 18 Michael Affarano Chevy 50.207 179.258
48 10b Ryan Glenski Chevy 50.223 179.201
49 90a Grant Enfinger Ford 50.258 179.076
50 40t Nick Tucker Dodge 50.390 178.607
51 11 Paul Harraka Chevy 50.403 178.561
52 11c Trevor Edwards Chevy 50.517 178.158
53 10 Derrick Griffin Ford 50.539 178.080
54 1b Thomas Praytor Ford 50.560 178.006
55 11a Ed Pompa Chevy 50.579 177.939
56 29 Bob Bryant Dodge 50.606 177.845
57 11e Sunny Hobbs Chevy 50.617 177.806
58 29d Andy Jones Dodge 50.626 177.774
59 18f Chris Coker Ford 50.640 177.725
60 04c Danny Esposito Dodge 50.651 177.687
61 04 Scott Edwards Dodge 50.695 177.532
62 1c Alexsander Gregory Ford 50.715 177.462
63 40b Trent Mayo Dodge 50.926 176.727
64 04a Juan Carlos Blum Dodge 51.029 176.370
65 40d Larry Barford Dodge 51.054 176.284
66 11d Bill Coffey Ford 51.162 175.912
67 40d Josh Watkins Dodge 51.162 175.912
68 06 Ricky Byers Chevy 51.173 175.874
69 11h James Hylton Ford 51.243 175.634
70 10f Brad Lloyd Chevy 51.257 175.586
71 10b Daryl Eustice Ford 51.277 175.517
72 18c Tyler Speer Chevy 51.348 175.275
73 89 Chris Lafferty Chevy 51.563 174.544
74 40c Ryan Rust Dodge 51.605 174.402
75 7 Brent Cross Chevy 51.792 173.772
76 40 Michael Bockler Dodge 51.795 173.762
77 40b Roger Carter Dodge 51.827 173.655
78 89a Korbin Forrister Chevy 52.314 172.038
79 74 Jimmy Nowell Chevy 60.220 149.452

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will return to central Florida in less than two months, as the February 18 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway will open ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season. The 80-lap, 200-mile race is scheduled as the first of 20 races in 2012 and will air live on SPEED, with additional coverage available at ARCARacing.com.

The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season. This year, the series will visit Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway and Minnesota’s Elko Speedway for the first time; ARCA’s first visit to Minnesota will give ARCA a race in a 29th state.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Thumbnail

Ryan Reed drove the No. 15 Toyota to a best lap of 48.857 seconds (184.211 mph) in the second session of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open testing at the 2.5-mile oval, just edging teammates Brennan Poole, John Stancill, and Mark Thompson for the day’s best times. T.J. Duke, driving for Coulter Motorsports, finished the day fifth.

Poole led the three-hour morning period with a best lap of 48.915 seconds, and he and Reed were the only drivers to top that mark in the four-hour afternoon session.

Reed has never competed in the ARCA Racing Series, but is a track champion and super late model Rookie of the Year and race winner at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in California. Just months past his 18th birthday, Reed enters ARCA with three NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts to his credit. In February, as he prepared to move to North Carolina from Bakersfield, Calif., Reed was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Rick Clifton, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year Joey Coulter, Chris Windom, Nelson Canache, and Sloan Henderson filled out the top 10 for the first day. Seven-time and defending Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart ended the day 13th, and 2011 Daytona runner-up and ARCA Rookie of the Year Chris Buescher finished 27th.

Open testing for teams and drivers will continue Saturday and Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

The full list of every driver’s best speed is available below.

CAR # DRIVER TIME SPEED

1 15 Ryan Reed 48.857 184.211
2 25 Brennan Poole 48.862 184.192
3 55 John Stancill 48.921 183.970
4 66 Mark Thompson 48.931 183.932
5 61 T.J. Duke 49.193 182.953
6 11b Rick Clifton 49.340 182.408
7 61 Joey Coulter 49.350 182.371
8 32 Chris Windom 49.360 182.334
9 35 Nelson Canache 49.439 182.043
10 29b Sloan Henderson 49.461 181.962
11 5b Damon Lusk 49.469 181.932
12 82a Sean Corr 49.475 181.910
13 5a Bobby Gerhart 49.502 181.811
14 58 Chad Hackenbracht 49.552 181.627
15 4 Brandon McReynolds 49.553 181.624
16 99 Buster Graham 49.637 181.316
17 14 John Ferrier 49.666 181.210
18 94 Steve Blackburn 49.717 181.025
19 16 Matt Lofton 49.725 180.995
20 00 Ed Kennedy 49.761 180.865
21 12 Jared Marks 49.772 180.825
22 63 Milka Duno 49.787 180.770
23 1 Alli Owens 49.813 180.676
24 69a Fain Skinner 49.862 180.498
25 68 Will Kimmel 50.016 179.942
26 6 Cale Gale 50.034 179.878
27 17a Chris Buescher 50.035 179.874
28 90 Zachary Ralston 50.114 179.591
29 08 Ross Chastain 50.131 179.530
30 69 Chris Brown 50.133 179.522
31 18 Michael Affarano 50.207 179.258
32 10b Ryan Glenski 50.223 179.201
33 90a Grant Enfinger 50.258 179.076
34 75 Ginny Quinones 50.278 179.005
35 11 Paul Harraka 50.403 178.561
36 75a Benny Chastain 50.461 178.356
37 11a Ed Pompa 50.579 177.939
38 11c Trevor Edwards 50.681 177.581
39 04 Scott Edwards 50.695 177.532
40 51 Drew Charlson 50.744 177.361
41 05 Spencer Gallagher 50.903 176.807
42 13 George Cushman 50.928 176.720
43 04a Juan Carlos Blum 51.029 176.370
44 04c Danny Esposito 51.089 176.163
45 11d Bill Coffey 51.162 175.912
46 06 Ricky Byers 51.173 175.874
47 10b Daryl Eustice 51.277 175.517
48 04b Nick Tucker 51.405 175.080
49 40d Larry Barford 51.511 174.720
50 04d Josh Watkins 51.674 174.169
51 40b Roger Carter 51.827 173.655
52 40 Michael Bockler 51.990 173.110
53 05a Derrike Cope 52.067 172.854
54 7 Brent Cross 52.376 171.834

2012 will be the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ 60th Anniversary Season, featuring 20 races at 18 tracks. The season begins with the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 18. The event will air live on SPEED.

The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season. This year, the series will visit Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway and Minnesota’s Elko Speedway for the first time; ARCA’s first visit to Minnesota will give ARCA a race in a 29th state.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Coulter Motorsports Driver Development Thumbnail

In preparation for the first battle of 2012, Coulter Motorsports will partake in all three days of the test, running their synonymous No. 16, along with their No. 61 and 61B. Tapping their extensive driver pool, the team will have Matt Lofton (No. 16), Joey Coulter (No. 61) and TJ Duke (No. 61B) on hand at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Led by 2010 ARCA championship crew chief Jon Wolfe, Coulter Motorsports plans to log laps in both single-car runs as well as the traditional “drafting” practice.

“It’s great to get back behind the wheel of the No. 16, especially at a place so iconic and steeped with history, as Daytona,” said Lofton. “I’m really looking forward to the test and getting a chance to work with not only Jon (Wolfe), but my teammates Joey (Coulter) and TJ (Duke). Anytime you can pull information from teammates and use it collectively, I feel you are really placing yourself a step ahead.”

“Daytona (International Speedway) is such an expansive place, one in which I haven’t logged any laps yet and I am really looking forward to this test with Coulter Motorsports,” commented Duke. “I was fortunate enough to run select NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races last year and I know joining forces with such a great team for this test, will only help boost my learning curve.”

“Even though Homestead (Miami Speedway) was only a few weeks ago, I feel like I have been out of a racecar for months,” said Coulter. “It’s really exciting to be linked back with Coulter Motorsports for the ARCA test and I look forward to logging more laps and gathering as much data as possible.”

Be sure to follow Coulter Motorsports on Twitter for LIVE updates throughout the weekend, at http://twitter.com/CoulterMtrsprts. LIVE timing and scoring will be available at www.ARCAracing.com

Log onto Facebook and ‘LIKE’ Coulter Motorsports for updated news and chances at great giveaways:

www.facebook.com/CoulterMotorsports

About Coulter Motorsports

Coulter Motorsports’ driver development program started with humble beginnings in 2009 & today has grown to become the premier program in the ARCA Racing Series. We have worked with drivers from multiple series and helped mold them in both on-track racing and off track presentation. Through our program, we have garnered over 20 wins in series ranking from ASA Late Models, FASTRUCK Series, Late Model Stocks, Super Late Models and the ARCA Racing Series.

- Coulter Motorsports Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

George, a New York, N.Y. native, is fresh off his best ARCA Racing Series run, finishing the 2011 season seventh in the final championship point standings on the strength of his first-career win at Pocono Raceway in June, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The 30-year-old driver made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in November 2009, one year after claiming victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He began his racing career in 2005, driving in the Skip Barber Racing School Southern Series and finished second in his class the following year on the heels of five victories.

“Tim has shown a great amount of improvement, running in the ARCA Racing Series these past few years that included his first career win,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re ready to further strengthen his skills and moving him to the Camping World Truck Series is the next logical step. Having Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter as his teammates will help support his learning curve and I’m excited to see how he’ll perform.”

Tim George Jr.

Potomac Family Dining Group is the exclusive franchisee for the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in the Washington, D.C. and surrounding area.

“Having an association with Tim this past year has proven to be an exciting experience for us,” said PFDG President Jim Rieger. “Quite frankly, the positive feedback from both our guests and our employees, has exceeded our expectations. And, since so many of our guests are also NASCAR fans, this collaboration is a perfect fit.”

Bruce Cook, who has nearly twenty-five years of motorsports experience, will serve as crew chief for RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado team. His most recent stint came at Kevin Harvick Inc. where he captured three wins during the 2010 Nationwide Series season with Kevin Harvick and seven in the Camping World Truck Series with six different drivers en route to the 2011 owner’s championship title.

George’s race schedule and further additions to RCR’s competition department will be forthcoming.

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit www.rcrracing.com

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2011 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Its Camping World Truck Series program includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Joey Coulter, Jr. (No. 22 RCR Development Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. (No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (No. 41 Chevrolet) will compete in the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

NASCAR Logo Large

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 24 and Austin Dillon, 21, officially were proclaimed champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Both were honored with their first NASCAR national series titles. Each became champion in the season following a rookie-of-the-year performance. Dillon becomes the youngest champion in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 17-year history. Both champions won twice during the 2011 season.

Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford Mustang won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner Championship, as driver Carl Edwards won eight times. The title is the second in the series for Jack Roush, his previous owner championship coming in 2002. It also marked the first time that the same owner claimed both the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner titles with different teams.

Kevin Harvick Inc. claimed its third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Championship. DeLana Harvick’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado posted seven victories with three different drivers in adding to KHI’s owner titles from 2007 and 2009.

Timmy Hill, an 18-year-old Maryland competitor, won NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors by a single point, tying the series’ closest decision for that award. Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Joey Coulter, 21, won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, the second time the same organization claimed both championship and rookie laurels.

Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson finished second through fifth in the championship standings and were honored along with Stenhouse in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Johnny Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final points and joined Dillon on stage.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, in which more than 215,000 combined votes were cast, each series’ Most Popular Driver was revealed. Sadler and Dillon were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Each was honored for the first time.

SPEED’s Rick Allen and Krista Voda hosted the event, which will air on Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.

- NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications Press Release

Event: Ford 200 (Race 25 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 27th/26th (Running, completed 118 of 119 laps)

Winner: Johnny Sauter of Thorsport Racing (Chevrolet)

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM)

Quiroga, who started the race from the 27th position, had advanced to the 20th spot on lap 30 when Max Gresham got loose off of Turn 4 and slid up the track into the No. 51 Telcel Tundra. The contact sent Quiroga sliding sideways towards the inside wall along the frontstretch. The veteran driver held the brakes as the truck harpooned along the slippery apron until the front end responded. Once the front end responded, he was able to right the path of the truck and pulled away having avoided contact with the wall.

With two flat tires on the No. 51 Telcel Tundra, the 31-year-old driver proceeded slowly around the track to avoid further damage before bringing the truck down pit road. The over-the-wall crew put four fresh tires on the truck, examined it for further damage, filled it with fuel and returned their driver to the track still on the lead lap.

Unfortunately, Quiroga’s bad luck continued as the crew had sent their driver back on the track before securing all of the lug nuts and were issued a penalty from the NASCAR officials. Quiroga was forced to return to pit road to serve the penalty and by the time the No. 51 Telcel Tundra returned to the track, it was scored one lap down in the 31st position.

German Quiroga

When the race restarted on lap 35, the Mexico City native was in the “Lucky Dog” position, where he ran for several laps, but as the race proceeded caution free for over 60 laps, the leaders began lapping other drivers. Eventually, the leaders once again worked their way around the No. 51 Tundra, putting Quiroga two laps down.

A single car spin brought out the fourth caution of the race on lap 98. With all of the lead-lap cars in front of Quiroga electing to pit, veteran crew chief Rick Ren kept his driver on the track in order to receive the wave around.

When the race restarted on lap 102, Quiroga was scored one lap down in the 27th position. The No. 51 Telcel Tundra was in the 26th position when the caution came out for precipitation on lap 119. Shortly after the field parked on pit road, the rain strengthened and the race was ruled official with 119 of the scheduled 134 laps complete.

“After seeing the poise German showed tonight, you can tell why he is a three-time champion in the NASCAR Mexico series” said Ren, the all-time winningest crew chief in the history of the Truck Series. “Unfortunately, because it rained late in practice, we weren’t able to complete both laps of our mock-qualifying run and we had to start the race near the back of the field. German ended up getting spun early in the race, but showed impressive truck control in avoiding the wall. Then, our guys made a costly mistake on pit road and we went a lap down. I think if that error didn’t occur, he would’ve had a top-15 finish. Instead of getting frustrated after the mistake, he maintained his composure and just took advantage of gaining valuable seat time. I’ve been very impressed with German during the two races that he drove for us this season. Hopefully, we can get things worked out for him to run full-time next season.”

Johnny Sauter picked up his second win of the season. Quiroga’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, finished second and Kevin Harvick third. Rookies Nelson Piquet Jr. and Joey Coulter finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Ty Dillon, Elliott Sadler, Timothy Peters, Jason White and Austin Dillon, who became the youngest driver to win a Truck Series championship, rounded out the top-10 finishers.

There were five caution periods for 16 laps, with seven drivers failing to finish the race.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Date: Nov. 18, 2011

Event: Ford 200 (Race 25 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 17th/2nd (Running, completed 119 of 119 laps)

Winner: Johnny Sauter of Thorsport Racing (Chevrolet)

No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra

Celebrating his 31st birthday, Hamlin was like a kid patiently waiting until the end of the party to eat his cake and open his presents. His No. 18 Dollar General Tundra was riding in the catbird seat, tucked behind Sauter’s No. 13 truck, as he patiently waited for the right opportunity to make his move in the final stages of the Ford 200.

With 20 laps remaining Hamlin’s spotter, Curtis Markham, made his driver aware that rain was fast approaching the area and if he felt like he could challenge for the win, he needed to get by Sauter in a hurry. One lap later, Hamlin made a strong run on the outside line through the middle of Turn 3 but just as he began to pull around Sauter coming off of Turn 4, Sauter got loose, slid up the track and brushed Hamlin into the wall. To avoid possibly wrecking both trucks, Hamlin checked up, and Sauter maintained the lead. As the field approached the start-finish line, the rain began falling and the caution waved.

Shortly after the field was parked on pit road, the rain strengthened and the race was ruled official with 119 of the scheduled 134 laps complete.

“I knew I had a Dollar General Tundra that could get around Johnny (Sauter), but I just wanted to be patient and wait until later stages of the race, and also to ensure that we kept the third-place guy behind us and tried to use the draft,” said Hamlin who posted a win and a runner-up finish in two starts for KBM this season. “Strategy didn’t work out. It probably cost us a win today, but they told me one lap before the rain came that it looks like rain is coming, so if I got anything, I’d better go. That was my last-ditch effort on the corner to try to get around him. He slid up and got into us and we got in the wall, and it was one of those things. We were not in a position to really race him that hard anyway.”

With Friday afternoon’s qualifying washed out by rain, the field was set by practice speeds from the morning practice session. Hamlin started the race from the 17th position, but began marching towards the front of the field once the green flag dropped. By lap 11 he had cracked the top 10 and had advanced into the seventh position when the competition caution occurred on lap 20.

The 31-year-old driver communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that the Dollar General Tundra was tight off the exit of the corners in the early stages of the race. When pit road opened, Hamlin brought his truck down pit road where the KBM over-the-wall crew put on right side tires, filled it with fuel and returned their driver back to the track in the runner-up position.

Hamlin made his way to the lead on lap 25, but after one lap on point, relinquished the lead to James Buescher and settled into the runner-up spot. He remained in the second position when the second caution of the race occurred for a spin involving his teammate, Germán Quiroga, on lap 31.

After the race restarted on lap 35, a long green flag run ensued allowing competitors who took four tires during the competition caution to take advantage of having fresher tires. Hamlin had slipped back to the eighth position when he made a green flag stop for four fresh tires and fuel on lap 70.

When pit stops had cycled through on lap 90, the Virginia native had worked his way back up to the third position. He remained third when the third caution of the race occurred on lap 97. He communicated to Phillips that the biggest issue with the Dollar General Tundra was being loose into the corners.

Hamlin brought the Dollar General Tundra down pit road for four fresh tires and full tank of fuel. Phillips used an air pressure adjustment to try and secure Hamlin’s entry for the final stages of the race and communicated to Hamlin that his truck had enough fuel to make it to the end of the race.

The race restarted on lap 102 with the No. 18 Tundra scored in the third position. On lap 105, Hamlin made his way into the runner-up spot and tucked in behind race-leader Sauter. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular, making just his 13th career Truck Series start, kept within two truck lengths of the lead, applying just enough pressure to try and force Sauter into making a mistake or abusing his equipment.

In the end, Sauter finally slipped up, but Hamlin ran out of both space and time and was forced to settle for a runner-up finish in the rain-shortened race.

Sauter’s win was his second of the season. Hamlin was second and Kevin Harvick third, while rookies Nelson Piquet Jr. and Joey Coulter finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Ty Dillon, Elliott Sadler, Timothy Peters, Jason White and Austin Dillon, who became the youngest driver to win a Truck Series championship, rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Quiroga, the three-time reigning NASCAR Mexico Series champion, finished 26th in KBM’s No. 51 Tundra.

There were five caution periods for 16 laps, with seven drivers failing to finish the race.

The No. 18 Tundra led the Truck Series with eight wins in 2011, but the defending Truck Series owners’ champions finished second in the 2011 standings, 104 points behind KHI’s No. 2 team.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Austin Dillon soaks in the glory after becoming the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion following Friday night's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR)

“Everyone at Chevrolet is extremely proud of Austin Dillon’s accomplishment this year,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Throughout his young career, he has proven himself to be a very talented driver. After winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of Year in his 2010 debut, to come back and win the championship this year clearly demonstrates the bright future Austin has in NASCAR.

“We are very proud of our long partnership with Richard Childress Racing and couldn’t be more pleased to be a part of every victory and every championship Richard’s teams have won.”

Dillon, 21, led the series with five poles, and added two wins, 10 top-fives and 16 top-10s in 25 races this season.

Dillon, who carried a 20-point lead into the season finale’, is the sixth Team Chevy driver to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (2009, 2007, 1998 and 1996), Jack Sprague (2001, 1999, and 1997), Travis Kvapil (2003), Mike Bliss (2002) and Mike Skinner (1995).

This is Childress’ second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship; Mike Skinner won the first in the series’ inaugural season, 1995 – also in the No. 3. Childress also won six NASCAR Sprint Cup championships with Dale Earnhardt (1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994).

“It’s been a very successful season for Team Chevy in the Camping World Truck Series,” Campbell said. “We’d also like to congratulate Kevin Harvick Inc. on winning the Owners’ Championship. What a way for KHI to close out a tremendous 10-year run in the series.

“In addition, our congratulations to Joey Coulter for winning the Series’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year.”

Chevrolet earlier clinched the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturers’ Championship for the seventh time.

Tonight’s season-finale was won by Johnny Sauter, No. 13 SafeAuto / Curb Records Silverado.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com .

- Chevrolet Press Release

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Photo Credit: Lesley Ann Miller)

Nelson will close off his first full season of the truck series in the Kevin Harvick Inc #8 Piquet Realty Chevrolet Silverado. After 24 of 25 races Nelson sits 10th in the championship and is ready for an all out battle on the oval with Joey Coulter for the rookie of the year honours, The 134 lap Ford 200 truck race will take place at 8pm Eastern Time this Friday 18 November.

Saturday will see him take the wheel of the #30 Turner Motorsports car for the 200 lap Nationwide race, which will take place at 4.30pm ET. It will be his first Nationwide event of the 2011 season, but will not be his first experience of the series. He made his debut at the 2010 Watkins Glen race, immediately impressing with a seventh place finish first time out.

Nelson Piquet Jr: “I am so looking forward to this weekend at Homestead. I seem to do quite well at this style of track and I’ve learned so much during the course of the season. I’m heading into the truck race with a lot of confidence in myself and my team. We are only five points behind Joey Coulter for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award, and I’m hoping that after the race this weekend we’ll be able to take over the lead. A solid finish will also help me achieve my primary goal of the season, finishing within the top-10 in the Driver Point standings. I’m excited to be getting in a Nationwide car again. Last year I got a good result at Watkins Glen so if I can get another result like that it will be fantastic.”

- Nelson Piquet Racing Press Release

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) 10-Year Anniversary Logo Thumbnail

FINAL DA TEMPORADA DE ROOKIE (END OF THE ROOKIE SEASON): Nelson Piquet Jr. and the No. 8 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team will head to South Florida for the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the 2011 season. While the event will mark the young driver’s 25th start of the season and final start as a rookie in the series, it will be his first appearance at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Piquet Jr. has excelled at the intermediate-style tracks on the circuit this season, earning five top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 12 starts on 1.5-mile tracks.

HOMESTEAD ACHIEVEMENTS: KHI has made 11 starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway over the course of the company’s history. Four different drivers have helped KHI collect one win (KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick, 2009), five top-five and nine top-10 finishes, and have led a total of 200 laps at the track.

SIGHTS SET ON ROOKIE HONORS: During the second half of the season, Piquet Jr. has climbed his way through the Rookie of the Year point standings moving into the second position, only five points behind leader Joey Coulter, as the Truck Series heads to Homestead for the final race of the season. With the help of strong consistent finishes, the young driver has worked his way up through the standings from as far back as eighth after the fourth race of the season at Martinsville Speedway in April.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 8 team will unload chassis No. 051 at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. Piquet Jr. has utilized this chassis in competition seven times this season. In those seven starts, the rookie driver earned five top-five and five top-10 finishes. Most recently, the Brazilian native competed with chassis No. 051 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 4 where his fourth-place finished earned him honors as the highest finishing rookie of the race.

MOST POPULAR DRIVER: The checkered flag is about to fall on the Most Popular Driver voting. NASCAR fans can log onto www.nascar.com to cast their vote for Piquet Jr. as the 2011 Truck Series Most Popular Driver. Voting is underway and will continue until Thursday, November 17. Fans can vote once daily until the end of the contest.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Piquet Jr. and the No. 8 KHI team made their way to Texas Motor Speedway with the Truck Series for the WinStar World Casino 350K on November 4. Piquet Jr. started the race from the seventh position and ran within the top 15 for the majority of the 147-lap event before crossing the finish line fourth.

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Photo Credit: Lesley Ann Miller)

What are your thoughts on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

“I am very much looking forward to the race in Homestead. I seem to do quite well at this style of track, and I’ve learned so much during the course of the season. With that, I’m heading into this race with a lot of confidence in myself and my team. We are only five points behind Joey Coulter for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award, and I’m hoping that after the race this weekend we’ll be able to take over the lead. A solid finish will also help me achieve my primary goal of the season, finishing within the top-10 in the Driver Point standings.”

About Piquet Realty:

Piquet Realty provides unlimited and innovative real estate solutions for a local and international client base. Piquet Realty’s alliances throughout the world enables Piquet Realty to offer clients a complete range of strategic real estate services in Miami, New York and internationally. Piquet Realty leverages international relationships to market property to foreign investors. Services include sales and purchases of real estate, specializing in concierge services, management, law and real estate training for licensing in Florida.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)

RCR Post Race Report — Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

RACE: AAA Texas 500

TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway

DATE: November 6, 2011

Race Highlights:

• Richard Childress Racing teammates finished ninth (Clint Bowyer), 13th (Kevin Harvick), 15th (Paul Menard) and 27th (Jeff Burton) in the AAA Texas 500.
• Bowyer collected his 14th top-10 finish of the 2011 NSCS season.
• Bowyer made 154 green-flag passes, second-most of any driver in the 43-car field, during the race according to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.
• Harvick spent 98.2 percent of laps contested (328 laps) in the top 15 during Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, tying him for fifth in that category according to NASCAR Loop Data statistics.
• Harvick made 82 passes while running in the top 15 under green-flag conditions, ranking him first in the NASCAR Loop Data category of Quality Passes.
• Menard ran as high as first and as low as 30th, maintaining an average running position of 16.967 at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Gaining 11 positions in the final 10 percent (34 laps) of the race, Menard was ranked seventh in the NASCAR Loop Data category Closers.
• Burton ran as high as first and as low as 34th, with an average running position of 17th in the AAA Texas 500 and leading once for a total of 24 laps.
• Burton made 124 green-flag passes in 334 laps, according the NASCAR Loop Data Statistics.
• The next NSCS race is the Kobalt Tools 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 13 and will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 2 p.m. EST.

Paul Menard and the No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Team Earn Top-15 Finish at Texas Motor Speedway

Paul Menard and the Quaker State/Menards team started from the fourth position and brought the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala home with a top-15 result in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, taking every opportunity to adjust the car’s handling as the track’s conditions changed with the dipping sun in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. When the green flag dropped for the 334-lap affair, Menard had his hands full with a tight-handling machine, losing ground and slipping to back to the 10th position by lap 31. As the long green-flag run ensued, the handling shifted to a tight-center and loose-off characteristic. During the first green-flag visit to pit road on lap 43, the Slugger Labbe-led team put on four fresh Goodyear tires, added Sunoco fuel and made an air pressure adjustment to the front tires in an effort the improve the Chevrolet’s balance. With the center of the turns much improved, Menard continued to report that the loose-exit condition was his biggest challenge. The afternoon’s first caution flag of the afternoon was displayed on lap 112 and allowed the crew to service the No. 27 racer with additional adjustments. Menard remained on track to lead a lap and gain a valuable point in the driver championship point standings before coming to pit road where he received four tires, fuel and additional chassis adjustments. Restarting 25th on lap 116, he climbed into the top 20 on lap 150 and remained there for the 84-lap green-flag run. Trapped one lap down and in the 18th position due to a pit stop just prior to the yellow flag being display, Menard remained on track and restarted 17th on lap 207. Gaining momentum despite requesting help turning the 3,400-pound machine, Menard drove up to the 11th spot and jumped into the top 10 following a speedy pit stop while under caution on lap 263. He immediately surged into the top five, but then dropped back in the field, as he was struggling with the car’s drive-off of the corners. The final pit stop of the afternoon for the No. 27 team came on lap 298, under green-flag conditions, changing four tires, packing the car with fuel and making a small track bar adjustment. The car’s handling shifted dramatically with Menard reporting a very loose-off condition and falling to the 24th position with 20 laps remaining in the event. In the closing laps, some competitors were forced to pit road for fuel, gaining the No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet team valuable track position and a 15th-place result when the checkered flag was displayed.

Start – 4 Finish – 15 Laps Led – 1 Points – 20

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

“I honestly don’t know what happened with that last run. We had no grip and were really tight in the center and loose off of the turns. The No. 27 Quaker State/Menards team did a great job all weekend, especially today (Sunday). The weather was so different today here (at Texas Motor Speedway) than it had been all weekend, so we were all busy during the race trying to find the setup that would work best.”

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Rheem Team Finish 13th at Texas

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet team finished 13th in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway after struggling with a loose-handling race car following a two-tire call on the final pit stop of the race. Harvick started the race from the 21st position and raced his way up to the16th spot by the time the field came around to complete the first lap. He climbed as high as 12th in the running order, reporting to the team that the car was “loose in, tight in the middle and loose off” of the corners of the 1.5-mile Fort Worth, Texas-based facility. The No. 29 Chevrolet hit pit road on lap 43 for four fresh tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment in an effort to improve the car’s balance. The Rheem machine made additional visits to pit road for four tires and fuel on laps 87 and 113 and Harvick moved back into the top 10. Crew chief Gil Martin called his driver in for another four-tire stop at lap 199 and when the caution flag waved on the following lap, Harvick was caught a lap down to the lead cars that had yet to pit. As the first car one lap down, Harvick was granted the Lucky Dog award and returned to the lead lap. Struggling with a tight-center and loose-off condition, Martin called Harvick to pit road while under caution on lap 203 for fresh Goodyear tires and an additional chassis adjustment to help the car’s handling. Restarting 11th, Harvick quickly moved back into the top 10 where he remained until the final pit stop of the day. As other teams started to hit pit road under green-flag conditions, Martin called Harvick in for a two-tire stop at lap 299 in an effort to gain track position. However, as the laps wound down on the final run of the race, Harvick told the team that the car was way too loose. As teams continued to cycle through pit stops late in the final green-flag run, Harvick ran as high as 10th before he began to slip back in the field, ultimately driving the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet to a 13th-place result.

Start – 21 Finish – 13 Laps Led – 0 Points – 3

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

“We gambled a bit on the last stop and it just didn’t work. We were way too loose there at the end and lost more than we had gained with that two-tire stop. It wasn’t the run we needed today, but this No. 29 Rheem team will move on to next weekend.”

Fuel Gamble Comes up Short for Burton and Caterpillar Team in Texas

Jeff Burton and the Caterpillar Racing team took a gamble on fuel mileage late in the AAA Texas 500 in an attempt to pull out a victory at the 1.5-mile track; instead they came up short and had to settle for a 27th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway. After a less-than-desired qualifying effort lined up the No. 31 Chevrolet in the 31st position on the starting grid for the 334-lap affair, Burton and crew chief Luke Lambert focused their efforts on the race day setup and strategy. By lap 100, the No. 31 Chevrolet climbed up to the 17th position when Burton relayed the temperature gauges were reading extremely high, which necessitated the removal of tape from the grill during the team’s pit stop on lap 158. The removal of the tape kept the temperatures in line and took away the concern of damaging their ECR engine, but in turn created a challenge with the handling on the Caterpillar Chevrolet. Lambert and crew devised a plan to further diagnose the overheating problem, spending extended time on pit road for the next two visits. When it was determined the duct work had come loose from the nose, the Cat Racing team repaired the damage and were back in business running in the 15th position with 75 laps remaining in the event. Now armed with a sporty-handling Caterpillar Chevrolet, Burton climbed into the top 10 with 50 laps remaining, then up into the eighth position on lap 290. Due to the extended visits to pit road which allowed the team to add additional fuel to the No. 31 machine, Burton and Lambert felt they were now in position to set up a fuel strategy gamble to the finish. Calculations showed they were going to be short running laps at the current quick pace so Burton was ordered to slow down and save fuel. As other competitors in front of the Caterpillar Chevrolet peeled off the racing surface onto pit road to fill their fuel cells, the South Boston, Va. native began making his ascent through the top five and ultimately took over the lead on lap 305. The black and yellow machine paced the field for the next 24 laps, saving fuel the entire way. As laps ticked away and hopes grew in the No. 31 pit stall, Burton radioed the crew alerting them the No. 31 Chevrolet was out of fuel on lap 329 and slowly made his way to pit road to top off for the finish. The 21-time NSCS winner returned to the track and scored in the 27th spot in the final rundown.

Start – 31 Finish – 27 Laps Led – 24 Points- 23

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

“It was worth a try. We thought we could save that much. I don’t know if we weren’t quite full that time, if we got a false [fuel mileage] reading the time before, or something; but we weren’t even close. We saved a lot of fuel, and to be that far off — we were a lap-and-a-half off of our calculations. So something didn’t add up. We thought we had to save six laps and if we’d have saved six laps it would have been close. But it ended up we had to save a lot more than that. We knew we were gambling, and sometimes when you’re gambling, you’re going to lose. That’s kind of the way our year’s gone.”

Bowyer Scores 14th Top-10 Finish of 2011 season with Ninth-Place Result at Texas

Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team scored their 14th top-10 finish of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season bringing home a hard-fought ninth-place effort in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The 32-year-old Bowyer, starting in the 18th position after a lackluster qualifying performance on Friday, immediately took his Chevrolet Impala through the pack from the drop of the green flag. The Emporia Kan., native found himself in 13th-place by lap 15 and on lap 30 entered the top 10 where he became a mainstay until the first caution flag on lap 113. Trying to remedy a loose-handling condition on the red and yellow machine, crew chief Shane Wilson directed the “Helping Hands” pit crew to make significant chassis adjustments to tighten up the car for the Richard Childress Racing driver. The changes didn’t balance the setup on the car as excepted and Bowyer fell back through the field, eventually settling into the 24th position and falling two laps down to the leader after the caution flag waved after the No. 33 Chevrolet exited pit road on lap 202. Bowyer was able to take advantage of NASCAR’s wave-around rule under that same caution-flag period and earned one of the laps back. Restarting in the 22nd position, the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner fought hard to maintain position as the first car one lap down for more than 20 laps and was awarded the “lucky dog” free pass when the caution flag was displayed on lap 263. After restarting in the 19th position with 60 laps remaining, the handling on the No. 33 Chevrolet began to adapt to the changing track conditions due to cloud cover in the vicinity. Bowyer found himself back in the top 15 before the final pit stop of the day on lap 301 when the “Helping Hands” pit crew reeled off another fast four-tire pit stop while adding enough Sunoco E15 fuel to make it the finish of the 334-lap event. The RCR driver continued to post some of the fastest lap times in the entire 43-car field and passed several competitors on the track over the final 30 green-flag laps to secure a ninth-place finish. Bowyer remains 13th in NSCS driver championship point standings with two races remaining in the 2011 season.

Start – 18 Finish – 9 Laps Led – 0 Points – 13

CLINT BOWYER QUOTE:

“It was a hard-fought battle all day long for us with a loose-handling Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet, but this team showed that we aren’t going to give up yet with another top-10 finish.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

RACE: WinStar World Casino 350k

TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway

DATE: November 4, 2011

Race Highlights:

• RCR teammates finished second (Austin Dillon), third (Ty Dillon) and sixth (Joey Coulter).
• The top-seven finishers and eight out of the top 10 were powered by ECR Engines.
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics, each of the three RCR entries maintained average running positions in the top 10, with A. Dillon holding an average position of 4.541 (ranked third), Coulter a 7.757 (ranked seventh) and T. Dillon a 11.014 (ranked 10th).
• Combined, the RCR NCWTS entries posted the fastest lap of the race for 28 circuits (25.5 percent of the race), with A. Dillon posting the fastest lap 15 times, Coulter posting the fastest lap seven times and T. Dillon doing so six times, ranking them third, fourth and fifth, respectively, according to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics.
• T. Dillon led the field in green-flag passes with 48, while Coulter was ranked fourth in NASCAR’s Loop Data category for green-flag passes with 45. A. Dillon ranked 10th in that category with 32 green-flag passes.
• A. Dillon was ranked third-fastest early in a run and second-fastest late in a run, according to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics.
• A. Dillon spent 100 percent of the race running in the top 15 and led 10 laps. Coulter spent 98.6 percent of the race in the top 15 and T. Dillon spent 81.8 percent of the race in the top 15.
• Coulter and T. Dillon were ranked first and second in NASCAR’s Loop Data category for Quality Passes with 45 and 42, respectively, while A. Dillon was ranked eighth with 32.
• Coulter and the No. 22 Europcopter Chevrolet team were the second-fastest group off of pit road in Friday night’s NCWTS race at Texas Motor Speedway, spending the least amount of time on pit road to everyone except race winner, Kevin Harvick.
• Coulter leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.
• Dillon leads the NCWTS standings by 20 points over Johnny Sauter with one race remaining in the 2011 season.
• Coulter is eighth in the NCWTS standings, just two markers outside of seventh.
• Kevin Harvick earned his fourth NCWTS victory of the 2011 season, clinching the NCWTS Owner’s Championship title for Kevin Harvick, Inc. He was followed to the finish line by A. Dillon, T. Dillon, Nelson Piquet and Matt Crafton.
• The 2011 NCWTS season concludes with Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, November 18. The 200-mile race is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 7:45 p.m.

Austin Dillon Continues to Extend Points Lead with Strong, Second-Place Finish at Texas

Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon finished second in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway to post his 10th top-five finish of the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and extend his lead to 20 points in the championship points standings with just one race remaining in the season. Statistically, Dillon can clinch the 2011 title with a finish of 16th or better at the season finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. Dillon started Friday’s WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway from the outside pole but dropped to fourth in the running order soon after the field took the green flag as he struggled with a loose-handling truck in the early portion of the race. When the first caution flag of the night was displayed at lap 13, crew chief Danny Stockman directed Dillon down pit road so that the Bass Pro Shops team could service the black Chevrolet Silverado with fuel and a chassis adjustment aimed at improving handling conditions. Quick work by the team placed Dillon in the lead when green-flag racing resumed on lap 20. However, Dillon was shuffled to third on the restart and remained in the third position until pitting under caution on lap 34. Dillon’s No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet was serviced with four tires and fuel during the pit stop but many other teams opted to take only two fresh Goodyear tires, leaving Dillon in the 10th position when green-flag racing resumed on lap 37. He made it up to the sixth position before another caution flag waved on lap 55, allowing the team to pit again for four tires. Once again, several teams opted for two tires instead of four and Dillon restarted 11th on lap 63. He quickly began to climb through the field, moving up to fourth by lap 85. Dillon spent the closing portions of the race battling side-by-side for the second position with fellow NCWTS championship contender James Buescher until his No. 31 truck ran out of fuel under caution on lap 146 just before a green-white-checker finish. With NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Kevin Harvick leading the field to green for the shootout-style ending to the race, Dillon restarted in the second position, directly in front of his younger brother, Ty Dillon. The Dillon brothers pushed each other to the checkers but were not able to make a pass for the lead, finishing second (A. Dillon) and third (T. Dillon) in only their second race ever competing against each other in the NCWTS.

Start -2 Finish – 2 Laps Led – 10 Points – 1

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

“We had a great run. We were up and down at the beginning of the race, struggling with a truck that was too loose, which was odd because we thought we would be plenty tight. The Bass Pro Shops team did a great job making adjustments on the truck and we went flying through the field. At the end I was trying to run down Harvick but the 31 truck (James Buescher) was running me really close, turning down on me as we were side-by-side. I didn’t want to wreck us both so I just took my time. It worked out for us but I feel bad for the 31 team for running out of fuel at the end of the race. You never want to wish bad luck upon anybody at a race. It’s unfortunate for him because he had a great truck. It would have been interesting to see what that last restart would have been like if he was in the mix. I think if we could have ever got clear of the 31 when we were racing side-by-side I could have made it to Harvick and it would have been a cool race for the lead. It was a good race all-in-all. At the end it was real cool to have my brother behind me, pushing me. I thought we were going to have a run for Harvick down the backstretch but with the side draft he turned down the corner and I didn’t have anything for him.”

Ty Dillon Finishes Third in his Second Career NCWTS Start

An early-race penalty could have deterred Ty Dillon and the No. 21 Sherwin Williams/Cain Food Chevrolet team, but perseverance allowed the young driver to rally back to a third-place finish in his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Texas Motor Speedway. Dillon took the green flag from the eighth position in front of an estimated 56,000 fans Friday night for the WinStar World Casino 350k at the Fort Worth, Texas-based facility. Shortly after taking the green flag, Dillon was forced to serve a pass-through penalty for passing before reaching the start/finish line at the start of the 147-lap affair, relegating him to the 31st position one lap down to the leader. The Lexington, N.C., native was awarded the “Lucky Dog” award on lap 15 when the first caution flag of the night was displayed. Crew chief Scott Naset called the young driver to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to alleviate a tight-handling condition that was developing on the No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado. Dillon restarted 20th when green-flag racing resumed on lap 20 and worked his way up to the 15th position when the field was slowed for a lap-34 caution flag. Naset directed the black Chevrolet to pit road for a fuel-only pit stop under the ensuing caution period. Dillon restarted ninth for the lap-37 green flag, but fell back to the 14th position two laps later. The No. 21 racer began experiencing a loose-handling condition making it difficult to pass other competitors, but relief came on lap 57 when the fourth caution of the night was displayed. Dillon brought his Chevrolet Silverado to the attention of the No. 21 pit crew for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Restarting in the 12th position on lap 63, the 19-year-old driver improved his position to ninth by the halfway mark and seventh by lap 99 as the yellow flag was given to the field. Once again, Dillon pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment before racing resumed on lap 103. With a new set of dancing shoes, the High Point University freshman climbed his way into the top five with less than 20 laps remaining in the 147-lap event. The final caution flag of the night was displayed on lap 142, sending the race into overtime and setting up for a green-white-checkered finish. Dillon restarted fourth for the two-lap shootout and improved his position to third before taking the checkered flag earning his first top-five finish in only his second NCWTS start.

Start – 8 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 0 Points – N/A

TY DILLON QUOTE:

“That was a lot of fun tonight. I knew we had a fast truck and could run up front and finishing third proved to our team we have what it takes to do just that. I learned so much running with my brother Austin and Kevin Harvick. The guys put together a great truck and they were awesome on pit road. I want to thank my grandfather and family for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to race at Texas (Motor Speedway). I also want to thank Sherwin Williams and Cain Food Industries for coming on board for this race. I’m really excited for next season!”

RCR’s Coulter Scores Sixth-Place Finish at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year contender Joey Coulter returned to Texas Motor Speedway armed with experience and confidence and left with a solid top-10 finish in Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350k. Coulter started the No. 22 Eurocopter Chevrolet from the 14th position under the lights at the Fort Worth-based facility and following a fast and flawless pit stop by the Harold Holly-led crew during the lap-13 caution, was catapulted from 12th to seventh position for the ensuing restart. While working lap 50, the Miami Springs, Fla., native overtook the eighth position and reported that the Chevrolet Silverado was getting better with each lap. Coulter climbed as high as second in the running order by lap 70, but then the truck’s handling made a drastic shift to the loose-side once again. Despite the added challenge of controlling an incredibly loose-handling machine, determination and perseverance paid off as Coulter remained in the top 10. A lap-97 caution gave the No. 22 team an opportunity to make additional chassis adjustments to the Chevrolet Silverado in an effort to tighten the truck’s balance. Another impressive performance on pit road by the No. 22 pit crew gained Coulter two spots, putting him in fourth for the lap-104 restart. Slipping to the seventh position over the next 20 laps, Coulter told his team the truck was starting to develop a tight-off condition. As the long green-flag run progressed, the No. 22 racer gained momentum and was in the sixth position when the final caution of the night fell on lap 142. Remaining on the track during the yellow-flag period, Coulter lined up fifth on lap 147 for the green-white-checkered finish, ready to make a charge on the leaders. Coulter’s forward progress was slowed when the No. 60 ran out of fuel right in front of the No. 22 machine, forcing the 21-year-old to take the checkered flag in the sixth position and earn his 12th top-10 finish of the 2011 season.

Start – 14 Finish – 6 Laps Led – 0 Points – 8

JOEY COULTER QUOTE:

“Harold (crew chief Harold Holly) and the entire No. 22 team did a great job tonight. The pit stops were incredible. The Eurocopter Chevrolet was really fast, especially late in a run. I think we would have had a top-five finish if the No. 60 truck hadn’t run out of gas right in front of us on the last restart. I’m really excited to head to Homestead-Miami Speedway in two weeks and wrap up the season at ‘home,’ hopefully with the Rookie of the Year title for this team.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

No. 60 Red Bull Chevrolet Silverado (Cole Whitt) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

EVENT: Winstar World Casino 350k (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series)

DATE: Friday, Nov. 4, 2011

TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas

RESULT: Start 18 / Finish 17

FORT WORTH, Texas — Pocket change under the seat could’ve paid Cole Whitt’s way to the finish.

He was that close to the third top five of his rookie Camping World Truck Series season, but the No. 60 slowed on the final restart and wiggled with the hopes of getting one last gargle of gas. No luck, and Whitt crept to a 17th-place finish in Friday’s Winstar World Casino 350k.

Cole Whitt

Erase the final three miles, and Whitt can walk away from Texas Motor Speedway feeling he and the team gave a complete effort. Whitt qualified 18th but was soon in the top five. A mid-race pit stop for adjustments helped with a loose-late-in-a-run condition and kept Whitt in contention (he ranked fifth in average running position at 6.55).

At the lap 100 mark, Whitt heard, “Cole, you need to save fuel like you’ve never saved before.” Then came, “Save. Save. Save.” Great advice during a 37-lap green-flag run that set up a two-lap shootout, but the gas tank didn’t cooperate.

“Our truck wasn’t far off,” he said. “We’d get loose late in a run. It would drive really good in the beginning, then you would have to hold guys off. Marcus (crew chief Marcus Richmond) made some pretty good calls and got the truck handling better for me. Once we did that, we just drove through the field the one time, got up toward the top five and rode there the rest of the day.”

Whitt remained ninth in the points standings — sandwiched between fellow rookies Joey Coulter in eighth and Nelson Piquet Jr. in 10th.

UP NEXT: Homestead 200, Friday, Nov. 18, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.