MAX PAPIS JOINS RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING AT IOWA
By Max Papis Racing | June 4, 2013 at 11:42 amMAX PAPIS JOINS RCR AT IOWA
Race: Iowa Pioneer 250
Date: Saturday, June 8, 2013 / Location: Iowa Speedway
Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series History at Iowa Speedway … In nine Nationwide Series starts at Iowa Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has acquired one win with Elliott Sadler in August 2012, along with back-to-back pole awards with Sadler in both 2012 events at the track. RCR has three top-five and five top-10 finishes.
RCR in the NNS … In 901 Nationwide Series starts through the last 15 years, Richard Childress Racing has earned 65 wins, 304 top-five finishes, 504 top-10 finishes and 44 pole awards with an average starting position of 12.1 and an average finishing position of 12.5 among all races contested. RCR earned the Nationwide Series driver point championships in 2001 and 2006 with Kevin Harvick, and in 2008 with Bowyer. The Welcome, N.C.-based team earned the owner’s title in 2003 with Johnny Sauter and Harvick, and again in 2007 with Burton and Scott Wimmer.
The Season So Far … In the 11 races contested this season, RCR has earned one win in the Nationwide Series, with Tony Stewart at Daytona International Speedway, along with seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. Austin Dillon earned back-to-back pole awards at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway. The organization has led 203 laps in 2013.
Get to the Points … Austin Dillon is ranked fifth in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing point leader Regan Smith by 53 points, while Brian Scott is eighth, 68 points out of the lead. In the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, the No. 3 Chevrolet team ranks seventh, while the No. 33 team ranks ninth and the No. 2 team ranks 12th.
Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and view exclusive content, visit RCR’s Twitter page – @RCRracing, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter pages – @RCR2BScott, @RCR3ADillon and @RCR33NNS, RCR’s NNS driver Twitter pages – @BScottRacing, @AustinDillon3 and @MaxPapis and the official Facebook fan pages – facebook.com/BScottRacing, facebook.com/austindillon3 and facebook.com/MaxPapisRacing.
Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Iowa Pioneer 250 will be televised on ESPN beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, June 8 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio.
Brian Scott
No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet Camaro
This Week’s Shore Lodge Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway … Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 101 from Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Nationwide Series stable in Saturday evening’s Iowa Pioneer 250. Scott drove this Chevrolet Camaro to a 20th-place finish at Richmond International Speedway in April and a 10th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in March.
Scott at Iowa Speedway … The 25-year-old Chevrolet driver has five Nationwide Series starts at Iowa Speedway, accruing an average starting position of ninth and an average finishing position of 20th. He earned his best starting position of third in 2009 during his rookie season of Nationwide Series competition, and his best finish of 11th one year ago..
Future Father-in-Law Spotting … With Scott’s spotter, Derek Kneeland, tending to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Pocono, Pa., this weekend, he is utilizing the services of his future father-in-law, Bob Tracey, for spotting duties at Iowa Speedway. Tracey, a longtime spotter and motorsports executive, is a former spotter for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Penske Racing, earning victories with Rusty Wallace. Additionally, Tracey served as gasman for Wallace and was part of Martin Truex Jr.’s Sprint Cup Series Pit Crew Challenge winning team in 2007. Tracey was a part of the Chance2 Motorsports Nationwide Series championship team in 2004 and 2005.
Lodging in Idaho … Shore Lodge will serve as primary sponsor for Scott and the No. 2 team this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Set on the southern shore of Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho, four seasons of adventure await at this idyllic location. A family favorite since 1948, the travel destination allows guests to enjoy the spectacular views, friendly service and generous accommodations at the lake front resort. Shore Lodge serves as the perfect mixture of adventure and luxury featuring 26 spa adventures, fitness studio, golf privileges at Whitetail Club, jet skiing, and a private beach for guests.
Race Rewind … In this event last year, Scott started from the seventh spot and finished 11th, a career-best Nationwide Series finish at Iowa Speedway.
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
What are your thoughts heading into this weekend at Iowa Speedway? “This weekend marks the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ first stand-alone event of the season, so it’s a good opportunity to let our Series shine. The grandstands at Iowa Speedway are always packed, and that just makes the show even more exciting. Iowa has short track characteristics with speedway speed. In order be successful, you have get over the bumps in turns one and two to carry your momentum down the backstretch. If you can handle that, you’ll bring home a good finish.”
Austin Dillon
No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro
This Week’s AdvoCare Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 116 in the Iowa Pioneer 250 at Iowa Speedway. Dillon earned an 11th-place finish in this Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway in March 2013, a sixth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in September 2012, a sixth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway in September 2012 and a 15th-place finish at Iowa Speedway in August 2012.
Dillon at Iowa Speedway … In four previous NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Iowa Speedway, Dillon earned his best finish of fourth in May 2012. Although he posted a 15th-place finish in his last appearance at Iowa (August 2012), Dillon led 53 laps of the race and drove to a commanding lead before an unscheduled pit stop for a vibration caused the team to fall one lap down to the leader. In all, Dillon has 10 previous starts at the 0.875-mile track in four different series, including the Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and the K&N Pro Series East Division.
Winner Winner … Iowa Speedway was the site of Dillon’s first-career Camping World Truck Series win in 2010.
The Season So Far … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Season-to-Date Statistics, Dillon leads the Nationwide Series in Average Starting Position (4.5), ranks fourth in Laps in the Top 15 (87.1 percent), is the fifth-Fastest Driver on Restarts (9.455), ranks fifth in Average Running Position (10.356) and ranks fifth in Laps on the Lead Lap (93.93 percent).
Spark your Engines … Dillon and the RCR team will sport the colors of award-winning premier health and wellness company AdvoCare on the No. 3 Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway. AdvoCare offers nutrition, weight loss, energy and sports performance products of the highest quality developed through comprehensive research and backed by a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. Dillon trains with AdvoCare products throughout the week and is a distributor as well. For more information about Dillon’s favorite products, including Spark, Rehydrate, meal replacement bars and Post-Workout Recovery, visit http://www.AdvoCare.com.
AdvoCare Supporting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma … If Dillon wins this weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway, AdvoCare will make a $5,000 donation to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. The health and wellness company will pledge $2,000 to CIPT for a top-five finish and $1,000 for a top-10 finish. So far this season, the No. 3 team has raised $8,000 towards the cause. The Childress Institute invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children in the U.S. and AdvoCare’s generous donations are aimed at helping to raise awareness for pediatric trauma, the No. 1 killer of children in America. You can help save the lives of injured children by making a contribution to the Childress Institute in two ways: donate $33 in honor of Dillon via his website, or text WIN to 80077 to make a $10 donation.
#CMTAwards … Dillon plans to attend the CMT Awards in Nashville on behalf of Nationwide Insurance this Wednesday evening and the CMA Festival on Thursday before heading to Iowa for the NASCAR race weekend on Friday. While in Nashville, the country music aficionado is scheduled to make several public appearances, including judging a Nationwide Insurance jingle competition at the Nationwide Display at Bridgestone Arena at 1 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday. On Thursday, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at Fan Fair X in the Chevrolet display (booth #517) at 10 a.m. and the Great American Country Booth (#546) at 11 a.m., followed by a Question-and-Answer session at the History Channel’s Cross Country Cookout Tour Display, located at the corner of Broadway and 2nd Avenue at 2 p.m.
Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to greet race fans at the RCR Merchandise hauler at Iowa Speedway on Saturday from 1:15 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. CT. He is also scheduled to participate in the Nationwide Series autograph session from 2 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. under the turn four grandstands.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
The fans are excited to see you guys run at Iowa Speedway. “I got my first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Iowa Speedway, so I am excited to run at Iowa as well. The fans at Iowa are always great. I feel like I have a pretty good, solid following out there. Iowa Speedway is a place where we have given away a few races. We’ve led a lot of laps, we’ve had pit stop problems and different things happen in the races that have cost us a few wins. Going there this year, I’ve always been pretty strong there and hopefully we can capitalize this year.”
Does Iowa Speedway compare to any other track you race? Since it was designed by a racecar driver, you would think it would have a few little quirks that might work well for you guys. “I think Richmond International Raceway is similar to Iowa Speedway, but it has a different grip level. Richmond is its own animal, but it does have a few characteristics to this place.”
Max Papis
No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet Camaro
This Week’s Rheem/Menards Chevrolet … Max Papis will pilot chassis No. 099 at Iowa Speedway. This No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro was previously run this season at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was also utilized last year at both Iowa Speedway events.
First Time for Everything … Papis will make laps at Iowa Speedway for the first time during Friday’s first practice session. His only previous Nationwide Series oval start came at Texas Motor Speedway in 2006. The Italian road course veteran has made 11 career-starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with his best start of second at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (2007, 2008) and Road America (2011) and best finish of second at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (2010).
Gotta Have a Rheem …Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta and U.S. operations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Indiana, North Carolina and Texas. In its 88th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Rheem, Raypak, Ruud and Richmond have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing, and is a primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Meet Max … Papis is scheduled to participate in the Nationwide Series autograph session at Iowa Speedway on Saturday from 2:30-3:10 p.m. Central Time. The session will be located underneath the turn four grandstands.
Race Rewind … Papis last turned laps in a Nationwide Series stockcar at Road America in 2012, where he started fifth and finished fourth at the Wisconsin road course.
MAX PAPIS QUOTES
What does it mean to be driving the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway? “I’m thrilled to be driving the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet in Iowa this weekend. I feel this is the first time that I will be driving on an oval in a top competitive car. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity since I first came into NASCAR, and it’s such a blessing. I’m happy that Richard Childress Racing and Menards feel confident in giving me an opportunity to prove myself in what I consider to be outside my normal boundaries of road course racing. I’m thrilled about the opportunity and will go into the race with my normal attitude of under promising, and over delivering.”
What are your Thoughts on racing at Iowa Speedway? “I don’t have much experience running at Iowa (Speedway) and I have very limited experience on ovals, so I’m anxious to get unloaded on Friday and get some valuable seat time during practice. The enthusiasm of the all the people in Iowa is always great and I want to go out there and make everyone proud of all the laps I make. Being able to race at Iowa is a fantastic opportunity that I welcome with open hands, and to say that I’m excited is not saying enough.”
