R3 Motorsports

Lucky Fan to Win Pit Passes to Daytona 500 in “Drive Away ALS” Campaign

CHINA GROVE, NORTH CAROLINA (January 25, 2012) – NASCAR driver Robert Richardson Jr. and The ALS Association have partnered together to bring ALS awareness to NASCAR fans and to raise funds to fight ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Richardson is the primary driver for the No. 23 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for his family-owned team of R3 Motorsports. He began his racing career in 2001 driving Legend Cars and progressively advanced through the ranks of NASCAR to the Daytona 500; a race he has competed in three times.

Richardson gives credit to his former McKinney, Texas high school football coach, Billy Whitman, for the ability to incorporate what he learned in football into racing. Whitman, who died in 2005 due to ALS, taught Richardson to have a never-say no type attitude.

“All the competitive fire he put inside of me, I carry it with me every single race,” Richardson said. “Especially before qualifying, I listen to his voice. My car number is 23 because that was coach’s number when he played football. He had 23 tattooed on his arm, so I tattooed it on my car in honor of him.”

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative muscular disease that affects a person’s ability to breathe, eat, move, and swallow. An estimated 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time, and approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. ALS can strike anyone; people with the disease usually have a survival rate of two to five years from the time of their diagnoses.

Richardson has created a website to spread ALS awareness and raise funds to support The ALS Association. NASCAR fans and interested parties can make a donation to the “Drive Away ALS” campaign at www.RobertRichardson.net/als. Anyone who makes a donation to the campaign by February 2 will be entered to win two all-access pit passes to the Daytona 500 on February 26, 2012.

“We are thrilled to work with Robert to raise awareness and funds for ALS. This is a great opportunity to spread the word about the need for better treatments, better care, and a cure for this disease,” said President and CEO of The ALS Association Jane H. Gilbert.

The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org or call 800-782-4747.

Source: Integrity Sports Marketing for R3 Motorsports, Press Release

Charles Lewandoski Logo

The experience Lewandoski gained in 2011 now has him poised for even more success in 2012. Lewandoski has been in communication with several team owners for the 2012 season and has hopes of securing a full-time ride for the new season when it kicks off in February at Daytona.

“Just being involved in the series in 2011 was a big stepping stone for me. But now that I’ve gotten a good feeling of what it takes to succeed, I want to win,” said Lewandoski, who now calls Cornelius, North Carolina home. “I had the opportunity to work with some great teams last season and that opened the doors to some opportunities for 2012. I’ve talked with team owners, managers and crew chiefs about some openings for next season and I’m confident that something will work out by the time we get to Daytona.”

Lewandoski’s 2012 plans may not be solidified yet, but his anticipation for the new season is palpable.

“Last year was a great season for me, but there’s so much more that I want to do in the Nationwide Series. I’m blessed to have the opportunities I’ve been given based on what I can do on the track. At the same time, I do have some great people working behind the scenes to try to find some marketing partners for 2012. No matter how it happens, I’m looking forward to being a part of the NASCAR Nationwide Series next season.”

For more information on Charles Lewandoski, visit www.charleslewandoski.com, visit his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com/charleslewandoski or follow him on Twitter, @chalewandoski.

Marketing opportunities with Charles Lewandoski are available. For details, email marketing@charleslewandoski.com.

- Charles Lewandoski Racing Press Release

No. 23 Tia Rosa Tortilla / Takis Chevrolet Impala

After qualifying 37th for the 200-lap race, Richardson didn’t waste too much time making his move when the initial green flag flew. Within 10 laps, he was already up into the 20s looking for more on the scoring pylon.

When the first caution waved on lap four, the Greg Conners-led team remained out and waited until the competition caution waved on lap 35 to make their first start for adjustments, fuel and tires. From there, Richardson would do his best to remain on the lead lap for the middle segments of the race.

It would be 100 laps more before the Tia Rosa Tortilla/Takis Chevrolet could take advantage of a caution to their liking. When the No. 41 of Stanton Barrett made contact with the outside wall in Turn 2, Richardson was in the Lucky Dog position to get back on the lead lap.

Now back on the lead lap, the team’s strategy switched from trying to stay on the lead lap to “go man go!” for the remainder of the race. Aside from the great work by the R3 Motorsports crew on pit road, Richardson and team were aided by four of the nine cautions taking place from lap 140 to 200.

This not only slowed the pace of the race, but allowed Richardson to gain more positions than where he was running. Needing just one more stop for fuel, tires and an adjustment; the Pilot Point, Texas resident did what was needed to stay on the lead lap right to the finish.

And, that’s exactly what he did when the checkered flag flew on lap 200 as Richardson came across the stripe in 22nd place. As a reward for all of their hard work this year, Richardson treated the team to a deep sea fishing expedition off the Florida Keys on Sunday.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“This team has really been coming on the last few races and I hate to see it end right now. We raced right where we needed all day long to take advantage of the Lucky Dog when it came our way. And, that’s exactly what happened there and we raced the rest of the way on the lead lap.

“It’s nice the season is over and everyone can take a little bit of a breather. For all of their hard work, we’re keeping the crew over for another day of fun in the sun and I’m taking them all deep sea fishing on Sunday as a way of saying “thanks” for their efforts.

“I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported R3 Motorsports this year and hope you all have a great holiday season. See you in Daytona.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

No. 23 Tia Rosa Tortilla / Takis Chevrolet Impala

Tia Rosa Tortillas, of the Bimbo Bakeries USA brand, and Takis Fuego, of the Barcel brand, are returning to the hood and quarter panels of the No. 23 Chevrolet for the season-finale on the 1.5-mile oval in South Florida. They were previously on board the car for the Texas Motor Speedway event earlier this month.

Tia Rosa Tortilla (www.tiarosa.com) will adorn the upper quarter and TV panels of the uniquely colorful Chevrolet. Tia Rosa, part of the www.BimboBakeriesUSA.com brands, will also have a marketing partner with Takis, a spicy corn snack, part of the Barcel brands (www.barcel.com) of parent company Bimbo, on the hood and decklid.

Richardson and team are looking to give them a good run as the Greg Conner-led team of R3 Motorsports gives it their all to end 2011.

Fast Facts: Richardson will be making his 23rd NNS start this year and 92nd of his career. To date, his best finish of 20th took place at Richmond during the May event. His best start of 23rd occurred at Talladega Superspeedway. During that span, the 29-year old native of McKinney, Texas has completed 3,503 of 4,348 laps contested.

Track Facts: This will be Richardson’s third start at HMS with the other two taking place last year and in 2007. His best finish of 20th took place last year. He’s completed 339 of 400 laps run with a blown engine in 2007 just 139 laps into the race attributing to that factor.

Tune in for the Win: The first NNS practice takes place on Friday from 9 a.m. til 10:50 a.m. ET, then another from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. That will be on ESPN2. Qualifying takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturday with race action to follow on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. for all 200 laps. Radio coverage is on MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“This is great the folks from Tia Rosa Tortilla and Takis are coming back on board for the Homestead race. We had a great time with them in Texas and I’m looking to racing with them again this weekend.

“This track is a lot better since they made the improvements a few years ago to the banking. You can really get into the turns a lot harder because the banking is higher. It’s a good track and we’re looking forward to closing out the season on a good note.

“As is a tradition with our team, we stay over on Sunday and I take everyone deep sea fishing as a reward for their hard work. Always a good time for some guys who’ve worked hard all year.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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Because of the new pavement and reconfiguration of the one-mile oval, NASCAR gave Nationwide Series teams one extra practice session to adjust to their new surroundings. Richardson and the Greg Conner-led team utilized those three practice sessions to qualify 30th for Saturday’s 200-lap event.

In the early going, he vaulted up to 23rd and avoided a wreck on the first lap. From there, he would begin to fluctuate in the 20s on the scoring pylon. A lap 37 caution allowed him to hit pit road for tires, fuel and adjustments to the No. 23 Chevrolet.

By the halfway point, he was running 28th and looking to avoid right front tire problems like others were experiencing as the race continued. Another caution stop after the green flag flew on lap 130 allowed another trip to pit road for tires fuel and adjustments.

This would allow him, and the others, to go the distance until the checkered flag – if needed. However, the fate of the race changed for Richardson and team while they were running 23rd on lap 160 when the No. 89 of Morgan Shepherd was inside of him going through the Turns 3 and 4.

The two made contact with Richardson’s No. 23 Chevrolet getting pushed up into the outside causing damage to the right front and rear of the car. He immediately dove to pit road for repairs and tires once the caution waved.

A bit worse for wear – but still good to go – Richardson was able to return to action for the lap 165 restart, giving up only four positions from where he was running before getting spun. From there, the battle up front by the leaders waged on for the final 30 laps.

A red flag with 25 to go slowed the pace of the race after a multi-car crash on the frontstretch as some of the leaders got into each other. Luckily, Richardson was able to avoid the mayhem and not attain any more damage to his car.

Give credit to crew chief Greg Conner and team as they were able to make enough repairs – and to Richardson for his committed driving – to finish the race in 22nd place. The NNS heads to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“I have to give credit to the folks of Phoenix because they did a real good job in all they did to this track. We really worked hard in each of the practices to get better and better and figure out what was best for our Chevrolet.

“We did okay in qualifying, I wish we could have done better. But, it worked out okay because we were able to pick up a bunch of spots in the first few laps. It was kind of crazy out there in some parts of the race today.

“Me and Morgan (Shepherd) got together there towards the end and it messed our car up a bit. Give credit to Greg (Conner, crew chief) and the crew for making the repairs so fast and making it so we could finish the race.

“Finishing 22nd after all that took place today – we’ll take it.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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Despite incidents like burnt plug wires, batteries losing their charge and other factors that have hindered their finishes – the cars themselves have been racing better and better each week. This weekend, the team is hoping the one-mile oval PIR might be the answer for their good finish.

Right after the Spring race, heavy equipment rolled out onto the track to begin tearing up the asphalt surface. One total re-paving, slight track reconfiguration, pit wall and some new outer walls later – everyone is starting out on a fresh slate.

While the driver and crew chief are going to be busy figuring out what to do to be good on the new track, the car chief and crew will be working just as hard to keep up with the changes. Good thing there’s an extra practice in the schedule.

Adding to the already busy schedule of R3 Motorsports is the Scott Riggs will be attempting to make the 43-car Sprint Cup Series race. To date, 46 cars are entered meaning he has to beat three others to make that show.

Robert Richardson Jr.

Track Facts: There have only been two previous PIR starts made by Richardson during his career. His first was in 2008 and his last was the Spring event. In that one, he finished 24th after starting 31st. He’s completed 96.7 percent (388 of 402) laps contested.

Tune in for the Win: There will be two practice sessions on Thursday afternoon before the final one takes place on Friday 3:40 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. ET. Qualifying takes place on Saturday morning at Noon on SPEED TV. Race time is 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2 TV and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 for 200 laps of action.

Zona with R3 Motorsports: Zona Hotel and Suites of Scottsdale, Ariz. is the host resort for the team this weekend. Formerly Xona Resort Suites, this North Scottsdale hotel brings exceptional quality, style, comfort, pampering, amenity and value -in spacious one-, two-, three-, or four-bedroom suite living that provides the comforts of home. Nestled in the heart of Scottsdale, Zona Hotel and Suites blends all of the amenities and comforts of a luxury resort with the intimacy of a bed and breakfast. Discover this hidden gem among Scottsdale hotels, spread over 14 acres of lushly landscaped gardens and sparkling pools. Relax in spacious guestrooms and suites, featuring fully equipped kitchens and dining areas – perfectly suited for unforgettable family vacations.

Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes: “If we can just get the stupid stuff to go away for a few races, we’d probably be able to get the finishes we deserve for this team. Just when you get comfortable with your car and start to move forward, something goes wrong to take it away.
“But, that’s kind of what you have to deal with in this sport. Our cars have been good in the handling and how we’re qualifying right now. It’s going to be interesting to see how all of this plays on out with the new track there in Phoenix.

“I know Greg (Conner, crew chief) and Scott Riggs did the Cup test out there recently. So, we’ll be able to use some of their notes to help our Nationwide car. Either way, I’m gunning for that good finish this team needs – and deserves.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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Prior to that, the team was feeling pretty good watching Richardson course around the 1.5-mile track running top-20 speeds. After qualifying 29th, crew chief Greg Conner and crew were encouraged by the early run when he moved up to the top-20 within the first few laps.

Under the first caution, Conner called Richardson in for a fuel only stop hoping it would work to the team’s advantage later in the race. On lap 54, Richardson was forced to pit under green for tires, fuel and chassis adjustments. With the driver saying the car was free in the turns, an air pressure adjustment was also done.

By lap 68, the No. 23 was up to 28th place and running top-20 lap times. When the caution waved on lap 90, it brought Richardson to pit road for tires, fuel, air pressure and chassis adjustments.

For the restart on lap 95, he and R3 Motorsports teammate Scott Riggs in the No. 03 McKinney Pipe and Steel Chevrolet were running 27th and 29th, respectively, in the 200-lap event. By lap 130 was when Richardson said the motor wasn’t sounding too good when he came off the corners.

After this continued for a few more laps, the team wasn’t able to properly check under the hood until a caution on lap 182. A quick check by the crew showed no visible damage to the plugs or plug wires to the motor.

With only 16 laps left until the checkered flag, Richardson did his best to hang on and keep the car – and motor – in one piece. When the checkered flag flew, he was credited with a 25th-place finish and Riggs was 27th. Afterwards, a more thorough inspection showed a section of one wire – not visible to the naked eye – had burned and thus had the car running on seven cylinders.

Next weekend, the NASCAR series travels to Phoenix International Speedway where Richardson will drive the No. 23 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series race while Riggs will attempt the Sprint Cup Series race in the No. 23 Toyota of R3 Motorsports.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“But, the good news is we kept everything in one piece and are taking this car to Homestead, which is good to hear. I was pleased with how this car handled. We’re getting better and better, just too bad it’s at the end of our season and not the beginning.

“It was great to meet all the people from Bimbo Bakeries USA and Barcel with their Tia Rosa Tortilla and Takis brands on the car. We had a lot of people say they didn’t even recognize the car with that paint scheme, which is good to know they noticed.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

Robert Richardson Jr.

Tia Rosa Tortilla (www.tiarosa.com) will adorn the upper quarter and TV panels of the uniquely colorful Chevrolet. Tia Rosa, part of the www.BimboBakeriesUSA.com brands, will also have a marketing partner with Takis, a spicy corn snack, part of the Barcel brands (www.barcel.com) of parent company Bimbo, on the hood and decklid.

Along with the Bimbo brands, Suburban Extended Stay of Lewisville will be on the lower quarter panels as the host hotel for R3 Motorsports this weekend.

After two weeks away from the race track, everyone is looking forward to getting back to action. Nobody more than Richardson making the mini-milestone starts at his home track of TMS; which is near his residence in Pilot Point.

Fast Facts: This will be Richardson’s 90th NNS start and 120th of his NASCAR career. He has six Sprint Cup and 24 Camping World starts to his credit, as well. This will be the McKinney, Texas natives 21st NNS start this season. During that span, his best finish took place at Richmond in May.

Track Facts: The former starting quarterback at nearby McKinney High School has eight previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval of TMS completing 1,389 of 1,605 laps (86.5%) contested. His best finish of 23rd took place last year. When the NNS visited TMS in the spring, Richardson and team finished 26th.

Tune in for the Win: There are two practices on Friday morning, with the second one from 11:40 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. ET being aired on ESPN2. Qualifying takes place later in the day at 6:30 p.m. on SPEED TV. Then, come race day on Saturday, switch back to ESPN2 for the green flag at 1 p.m.; which can also be heard on PRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes: “I didn’t realize I had made that many NASCAR starts with so many of them in the Nationwide Series. This is a big weekend for R3 Motorsports in so many ways and this just adds to it all; especially taking place at my home track.

“We have Bimbo Bakeries, Tia Rosa Tortillas, Barcel and their Takis brand on the car. This is a pretty big deal for us because they are such a vast company and I can’t thank them enough for being part of our racing efforts.

“It will be good to have my teammate, Scott Riggs, running the whole race with us, too, in the No. 03 Chevrolet. My mom’s company jumped on board to make that happen, so that’s a good deal for everyone.

“Practice is going to be very important to figure out what we have on the No. 23 and the No. 03 cars. Once we do that, then we have to wait until later in the day to qualify. It’s not close to what the race conditions are going to be Saturday, but its close enough where we should be able to gauge everything just right.”

About Tia Rosa’s Tortilla’s:

Tia Rosa’s “Tradition you can taste” comes from over thirty years of family traditions passed from one generation to another. Tia Rosa offers consumers authentic, premium corn and flour tortillas, along with tortilla chips that make every dining experience even better.
“TIA ROSA, TRADITION YOU CAN TASTE”.

About Barcel/Takis:

Barcel has a history of 31 years in the salty snack market, and is a part of “Grupo Bimbo,” a 100% Mexican-owned business with international presence. With its leading product Takis, Barcel is growing quickly in the U.S. among the Hispanic and general markets. Takis is a unique crunchy “taco” shaped snack with intense flavor targeted to younger consumers.

About Suburban Extended Stay:

The Suburban Extended Stay® DFW Airport North is conveniently located just one mile from the Vista Ridge Mall, offering more than 160 specialty and department stores. Their spacious guest rooms will make you feel at home with amenities like kitchens that include refrigerators, microwaves, two-burner cooktops, coffee makers, voice mail and cable television. The Suburban Extended Stay DFW Airport North is perfect for business, leisure and extended-stay travelers in the Lewisville area.

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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Despite the fact he’ll have to qualify in on time, the winner of four NASCAR Nationwide Series races has some pretty good numbers on his side at the Ft. Worth facility. In his two previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Riggs has started in the 12th and fourth positions in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

The funding for this weekend came from within the R3 Motorsports family, literally, as Jan Richardson, wife of team owner Robert Richardson, Sr. and mother of driver Robert Jr., put her company on the No. 03 Chevrolet for sponsorship. This was done as birthday present to herself; which is next week Monday.

Fast Facts: Riggs will be making his 97th NNS career start and 11th of the 2011 season. His best finish this year came at Darlington Raceway when he placed 13th in the No. 23 Chevrolet of R3 Motorsports

Track Facts: The Durham, N.C. native has two previous NNS starts at TMS; which were in his last full NNS seasons in ’02 and ’03. He finished fourth in ’02 and second in ’03 giving him two top-five finishes for both starts while completing all 316 laps contested.

Tune in for the Win: There are two practices on Friday morning, with the second one from 11:40 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. ET being aired on ESPN2. Qualifying takes place later in the day at 6:30 p.m. on SPEED TV. Then, come race day on Saturday, switch back to ESPN2 for the green flag at 1 p.m.; which can also be heard on PRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Scott Riggs Quotes: “This is going to be pretty cool this weekend running as a full-race teammate to Rob Jr. with R3 Motorsports. We’ve been working pretty well throughout this year and I know this is a big weekend for the Richardson’s with it being their home track.

“The pressure to qualify your way in is always on someone in my position, but I’m fairly confident we’ll be okay once we get to practice and see what we have in our No. 03 Chevrolet. From there, we’ll work our way through the race and get a great finish.

“I’m very thankful for Jan Richardson to make this weekend possible for our team. Now it’s up to us to give her a good birthday present in return.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

No. 23 Texas North Pipe Chevrolet Impala

The two practice sessions on Thursday allowed Richardson and the Greg Conner-led team of R3 Motorsports a lot of opportunity to work on their Chevrolet. It paid off when they moved up on the Final Practice chart gaining some speed for the evening session.

When qualifying took place on Friday afternoon, Richardson would place himself 39th on the starting grid. Scott Riggs, who had to make it on speed in the No. 03 North Texas Pipe Chevrolet, did the team justice by qualifying 23rd.

The green flag flew with the sun setting behind the grandstands and Richardson started a quick trek forward. Within the first three laps, the black and red No. 23 Chevrolet moved up 12 positions to 27th place.

When the first caution waved on lap 24, crew chief Greg Conner called Richardson to pit road for fuel, four tires and a chassis adjustment. Returning to action, the McKinney, Texas native would stay out for the lap-39 caution and restart 28th on lap 42.

Racing there for the next 29 laps, the caution waved again on lap 68 allowing him to pit for fuel, tires and another chassis adjustment. Richardson said he was loose all around the racing surface.

The adjustments worked as Richardson rocketed past five cars in front of him on the restart. However, because he was the first car two laps down, he couldn’t capitalize on the great adjustments and gain positions.

While the driver and team were biding their time, Richardson radioed in on lap 91 saying the gauges were starting to blink. Then, he said the motor was sputtering down the straights as he lost speed.

Conner called the No. 23 Chevrolet to pit road under green so the crew could lift the hood and check for a loose plug wire. After doing that, the car still didn’t have full power bringing Richardson to pit road again on lap 98.

This time, the crew raised the left side of the car, removed the left-rear tire and replaced the battery. After going back out, NASCAR ruled he was too fast entering pit road – which is easy to do when you don’t have any gauges – and had to do a pass through penalty.

Still not working properly, Conner called the No. 23 to the garage to make sure the problem wasn’t terminal. The crew leapt in and found out the alternator had killed the battery and when they replaced it with the new one it still wasn’t working properly. So, a quick re-do by the crew sent Richardson back out.

The car was back to full power and he once again started to log fast laps. However, when you’re 21 laps down to the leaders, the race becomes a test session for the Texas Motor Speedway race in three weeks.

Richardson and team rode it out and to finish 30th, but optimistic about their next 1.5-mile race because of what they did learn during the Charlotte event.

As mentioned, the NASCAR Nationwide Series race will have the next two weekends off and return to action on Saturday, November 5 at Texas.

Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes:

“Man, we started out so strong and the car was one of the best I’ve ever had at an intermediate track in a long time. We were biding our time and had fixed our loose handling problem looking to have a good finish.

“Then that electrical stuff happened and screwed up our night. We got it fixed, got back out there and tried to go the distance. But, it started again and just made it seem like a much longer race than it was out there.

“The guys on this team work so hard and we just seem to have bad luck when we least need it sometimes. But, they did a great job on pit stops and fixing our problems to get back out there to race.

“We’ll just go get ‘em at Texas. This is a good car, so I’m looking forward to a good run at my home track.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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While it’s a home “game” for most everyone in NASCAR, Richardson will be making the trek from his home in Texas. The family-owned team of R3 Motorsports has entered and made every race this year with the No. 23 entry.

The 29-year old native of McKinney, Texas used the recent off-weeks from racing to take an extensive tour of Colorado and New Mexico utilizing his minor in photography from Southern Methodist University. To see some of his photos, he has them on is Facebook for viewing.

No. 23 Texas North Pipe Chevrolet Impala

Track Facts: In his five previous starts at CMS, the former quarterback has a best start of 28th in 2008 and finish of 23rd in the spring race last year. He’s completed 617 of 975 laps during his handful of starts.

Where’s Robert? The NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers have a scheduled autograph session from 1 p.m. ET until 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon at the track.

Tune in for the Win: This will be an easy one for the TV fans this weekend; just lock into ESPN2 and keep there. There will be two practices on Thursday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the first practice, then 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for the final one. On Friday, qualifying takes place at 3 p.m. and race action starts at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2, PRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

NEXT! The NNS will have two weeks off before racing at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, November 5.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“We need to get ourselves dialed in real good during the two practices sessions so we know what we have to deal with during the race. If we start to get in some of those long, green-flag runs like we have been lately, then we need to know what to expect.

“I’m liking this race for our guys because they get to spend some time at home instead of traveling a long distance to go to work. They will have a lot of family and friends at the track, so we want to put on a good show for them.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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First, he’ll be driving the No. 23 North Texas Pipe car for R3 Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday afternoon. Second, he’ll be doing so at Dover International Speedway, a track where he has shown great poise in the past.

Earlier this year, Riggs drove the No. 23 of R3 Motorsports to a 13th-place finish at Darlington Raceway. In five previous starts at the one-mile concrete oval of Dover, the Durham, N.C. native has tamed the Monster Mile by finishing on the lead lap each time, with impressive results.

Fast Facts: Riggs will be making his 94th career NNS start and eighth of the 2011 season this weekend. During that career span, he’s won four times with three poles while achieving 19 top five and 35 top-10 finishes.

Track Facts: Dover has been a great track for Riggs in his five previous starts. He earned a pole in 2006 while also garnering four top-five starts, while finishing in the top-15 every time with a best of second in 2003. He’s also completed 100 percent of the 1002 laps contested and led 96 of those circuits en route to earning two top five and top-10 finishes.

Tune in for the Win: Fans will be doing some minor channel flipping this weekend as the only practice session being held is Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN 2. Then, on Saturday, qualifying starts at Noon on SPEED before racing action begins, again, on ESPN 2 at 3 p.m. Radio coverage will be provided by MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Scott Riggs Quotes: “I love Dover, and I think it shows in my past runs at that track. There is just something about the concrete and high banking that I have taken to whenever I’ve race there, and I’m looking to do the same there on Saturday.

“This team of R3 Motorsports works hard to build good cars each week. When I drove the No. 23 in Darlington, once I figured out some things and they made some good adjustments to go with it, we were flying.

“I’m hoping to get a real good practice in on Friday at Dover to let Greg (Conner, crew chief) and the guys know what we need for qualifying. Once we can lay down a solid lap for that part, then we can get in the race and go for some more positions. Like I said, I like Dover and I’m looking to have some fun out there with this team on Saturday.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release

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After the two practice sessions on Friday, Richardson and crew chief Greg Conner managed to put a set up under the car to qualify 36th for the race. Once the initial green flag dropped, the driver from McKinney, Texas managed to move forward through the field to gain a few spots.

However, there were only three cautions during the 200 lap race which didn’t allow for a lot of pit stops to make needed adjustments. When the first caution waved on lap eight, Richardson stayed out as it was too early in the race to pit.

When the second caution waved on lap 47, it was the perfect time to pit for tires, fuel and adjustments to the chassis. The changes helped the loose handling condition and kept Richardson in the hunt.

The third caution waved 20 laps later for the final time of the race. This forced teams to make green-flag pit stops for the remainder of the race and really strung out the field of competition.

As the laps ticked down toward the checkered flag, Richardson was now battling a tight handling condition. The combination of tire wear and changing track conditions forced teams to make adjustments for long runs.

This was the battle Richardson and team endured. When the checkered flag waved on lap 200, there were only 10 cars on the lead lap. Richardson was the 29th driver to cross under the flagstand at Chicagoland.

This weekend, the NASCAR Nationwide Series has an open date on their schedule. However, they will return to action at Dover International Speedway on Saturday, October 1.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“This was a long weekend of racing here at Chicagoland. These 1.5-mile tracks can be so tough to figure out in regards to set ups and changing track conditions sometimes. We were better when it came time to qualify, so that was encouraging for us to start the race.

“We went from being way too loose in the early going, to way too tight at the end. The guys on the team did a great job in the garage and on pit road. The lack of cautions for the last part of the race didn’t help because I was stuck out there for those long green-flag runs.

“But, we have this weekend off and that gives everyone a chance to work on the final six races of the year. So, we’ll enjoy the off weekend and go get ‘em at Dover in a few weeks.”

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After several consecutive Friday night events, the series will go back to battling for spots under the sun with this weekend’s race. And, with the task of taking on the 1.5-mile oval of Chicagoland at hand, they’re going to be seeking all the bright moments possible.

This is the first time in series history the Joliet, Ill. facility has hosted two NNS races in the same season, so drivers will have a fresher memory of the track since they were just there in June.

Richardson is coming off a 22nd place finish at Richmond last Friday night.

Fast Facts: This will be Richardson’s 88th career NNS start and 19th of the 2011 season. During the current campaign, the McKinney, Texas native has completed 2,753 of 3,540 laps contested and led one lap.

Track Facts: For the fourth time in his career, Richardson is making a start at Chicagoland Speedway. During the first three, he made his best start of 30th earlier this year. However, his best finish of 28th took place during the 2008 race. He’s completed 457 of 603 laps during the first three races at Chicagoland.

Where’s Robert?: There are no planned autograph sessions in the Chicago area.

Tune in for the Win: There will be two practices on Friday, with the second one from 4:30 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. ET on Speed TV. Then, keep that channel locked in for qualifying at Noon on Saturday. Then, jump over to ESPN2 at 3 p.m. for the 200 laps of race action. Or, you can listen to MRN Radio or Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90, as well.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“The track is 1.5 miles, but it’s not as fast as a Charlotte, Atlanta or Texas. So, that gives you more time in the corners. But, that also means you have to have your handling of the car that much better, too.

“We’ll take those two practice sessions and get ourselves set up for qualifying. If we can get a decent spot there, then that will help us out towards a good finish. The less cars you have to pass in the beginning, the better.

“The guys have been working hard to get the cars ready for the homestretch here in our season. We just need to keep doing what we know how to best and get all the positions and points we can from each race.”

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Earlier in the day, the team chose to only take part in the first, of two, practice sessions. When that was completed, the McKinney, Texas native and team were listed 29th on the speed chart.

After starting 39th under the setting sun of Richmond, it quickly became apparent the No. 23 Chevrolet was set up much too loose. Richardson did his best to keep the car pointed in the right direction while new crew chief Greg Conner came up with the right adjustments to help his driver.

When the first caution waved on lap 68, it gave Richardson a chance to hit pit road for fuel, tires and adjustments. All went well and after a few laps on the restart, the driver radioed in the car was handling much better.

From there, Richardson continued to race in the mid-20s biding his time towards the checkered flag. While other drivers were taking out their frustrations on each other causing cautions, the No. 23 North Texas Pipe Chevrolet pilot kept his cool and kept the car out of harm’s way, as well.

The efforts paid off when the checkered flags waved as he crossed under the starter’s stand in 22nd place. This backs up his 20th place effort recorded in the spring race at Richmond.

Next weekend, the NNS heads to the 1.5-mile oval of Chicagoland Speedway for a Saturday afternoon race.

Robert Richardson Jr.

“That track changes so much from the start of the race after the sun goes down and when the air temperature drops, too. You have to battle that and the other 42 cars out there; makes for an interesting night.

“The guys on the team did a great job getting everything ready for this race and they did a good job on pit road, too. Greg made some good calls on the pit box and we just did what we needed to get a decent finish.

“I like racing this track and each time I learn something else that we can use for the next time.”

- R3 Motorsports Press Release