RCR Post Race Report – Daytona 500

Race Highlights:

  • Richard Childress Racing drivers Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman and Paul Menard finished ninth, 11th and 18th, respectively, in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
  • Dillon ranks ninth in the Sprint Cup Series championship point standings, trailing current leader Denny Hamlin by 12 points, while Newman ranks 11th and Menard is 18th.
  • Hamlin earned his first win of the 2016 season and was followed to the line by Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards.
  • The second race of the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season is the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, February 28, 2016, which is scheduled to be televised live on FOX beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
   
Austin Dillon and the Dow Racing Team Earn Redemption at Daytona International Speedway with Top-10 Finish in Daytona 500
 
Start – 21                     Finish – 9                     Laps Led – 1                Points – 9   
                                                   
“What a fun Daytona 500 and a good result especially compared to the finish I had here last July. Near the end of the race we restarted in the sixth position on the top line and that hurt us because the bottom line was the line that was moving best the entire race. It was hard to get those guys off of it. That’s actually what got us up there was being in that bottom line. I wish we could have gotten in that bottom line because it was really fast. When I was at the top I was just trying to get in to the bottom. It was a good comeback there to get us a top 10 finish. When the No. 20 car went high it kind of helped us out. We split him three wide in the middle and it was crazy back there at 200 mph. Daytona has gotten much slicker and I think you’re going to see a lot of fun racing now because of how slick it is. You have to work on your car’s handling now just because of how slick it is out there. It was all about handling and my guys did a good job. We were pretty far off at the beginning of the race. I was tight at the exit of the corners. By the end of the race I had a loose racecar but it was fun! We needed a little more speed off the corners. The No. 3 team did great with pit strategy. I’m proud of my guys.  I just have to thank Dow and everybody involved with this program. We have a team and car capable of winning and we’re going to do it.”
– AUSTIN DILLON 
  

Paul Menard Finishes 18th in the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant/Menards Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway

 

Start – 37             Finish – 18            Laps Led – 0                Points – 18
 
“Today we started out really strong and were able to move up through the pack with no problem. I would say about halfway through the race we just started going backwards. Contact with the No. 23 caused some left-rear quarter panel damage which really affected the aero on our car. Handling from there was a struggle, then we got some nose damage that caused overheating. Luckily, my guys are fast on pit road and were able to make adjustments while keeping us on the lead lap. In the closing laps, Billy (O’Dea, spotter) pushed me hard on the radio and we got all the positions we could.” 

– PAUL MENARD 

       
Handling Key in Ryan Newman & the Cat Racing Team’s 2016 Daytona 500
 
Start – 38                      Finish – 11                              Laps Led – 1                Points – 11
 
“That was a hard-fought finish for us, that’s for sure. We waited it out and when it was time to go we got in the low line and it moved okay. For the most part we were tight all day but the Caterpillar crew worked on it for me to race up there and almost walk away with a top-10. I’m proud of my guys and glad we can bring the Cat car home in one piece.”

 –RYAN NEWMAN

RCR PR