DPR Sports & Racing News

No.29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet

Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event:  Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola – July 10, 2009

Venue: Chicagoland Speedway – Joliet , Ill.

This Week’s Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway … Jeff Burton will pilot Chassis No. 078 from the Richard Childress Racing Nationwide Series stable in Friday night’s Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola. This is a brand new Chevrolet Impala SS that will be put through its first paces this weekend.

New Rebranded Look … The No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet will sport a new look beginning at Chicagoland. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are rebranding and redesigning 3,200 hotels worldwide and, in the process, have incorporated the rebranded logos into a new paint design for the No. 29 RCR Nationwide Series entry. For more information on Holiday Inn’s rebranding efforts, please visit www.relaunch.holidayinn.com.

Bowyer’s No. 29 … After Clint Bowyer won last week’s race at Daytona International Speedway from the pole, he was also crowned the winner of the ‘Three Wide for the Name on the Ride’ wager among the three Holiday Inn Racing drivers (Bowyer, Burton , and Stephen Leicht ). The bet saw the driver with the most wins, or best average finish following last weekend’s event claiming signature rights above the door of the No. 29 Chevy for the remainder of the 2009 NNS season, no matter which of the three are driving the green, white, and blue Chevrolet.

Third Place Is a Charm … Burton’s 3.8 average finish at Chicagoland ranks second best all-time behind Mike Skinner, who finished second in his only NNS start there. In six NNS starts at the Joliet , Ill. , facility, the 27-time NNS race winner has five third-place finishes to his credit and one eighth-place result. He has led 128 laps and has completed every lap contested during that span.

In the Loop …

Average Running Position … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Burton leads the Average Running Position category with a 4.5 ARP in the last four events at Chicagoland. The ARP is derived by taking the sum of a driver’s position on each lap and dividing it by the number of laps run in each race.

Laps in the Top 15 … The South Boston, Va., native has been running in the top 15 for 98.5 percent of the laps of NNS competition in the four previous races at Chicago , which is best among all drivers.

Driver Rating … Burton also leads the Driver Rating category over the past four events at Chicagoland with a rating of 117.6. The Driver Rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The Driver Rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

RCR at Chicagoland … Richard Childress has the most car owner victories in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway with three. Johnny Sauter won in 2002 while Kevin Harvick took the checkers in 2005 and 2007. In 19 NNS starts at the 1.5 mile tri-oval, RCR-prepared Chevrolets have earned eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based organization has an average finish of 9.6 and has led 228 laps of Nationwide Series competition at the suburban Chicago track.

Point Check … Coming off their victory in last weekend’s race at Daytona, the Richard Childress -owned No. 29 team maintains ninth position in the 2009 NNS owners’ standings. The Holiday Inn Racing team currently sits 469 markers outside the lead, held by Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 entry, but only 80 points separate Childress’ team and Braun Racing’s No. 38 car in sixth.

Dixie Land Sweepstakes … Dixie Stampede, an associate sponsor on RCR’s No. 29 Nationwide Series Chevrolet, has teamed up with Holiday Inn to give away a fun-filled weekend for one lucky fan and their guest, centered around Bristol Motor Speedway’s August events. The winner and their guest will receive a free two-night stay at the Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Holiday Inn on August 19th and 20th, two tickets to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and two tickets to Dollywood. They will also receive RV accommodations (provided by Tennessee RV Sales & Service) at Bristol Motor Speedway for August 21st and 22nd, two pit passes and race tickets to the Nationwide Series Food City 250 on Friday, August 21st and two race tickets to the Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500 on Saturday, August 22nd. For more details or to enter to win, please visit www.dixiestampede.com or submit your entry by mail to Dixie Stampede, Attn: Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 58 , Pigeon Forge , Tenn. , 37868 . All entries must by received by July 31, 2009 in order to qualify.

Double-Down in Chitown … In addition to his NNS duties, Burton will pilot the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland. The 19th points-paying race on the NSCS schedule will be televised live on TNT beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Race Broadcast Information … The Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola will be televised live on ESPN on Friday, July 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 18th event of the 2009 NNS season will air on the same day beginning at 3 p.m. EDT on ESPN2. MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio will also broadcast live updates of time trials. 

Mark Your Calendars … In honor of its 40th anniversary, RCR will host a Fan Day at the Welcome, N.C. complex on Thursday, October 22 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Activities include driver and pit crew autograph sessions, self-guided tours of RCR’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide shops as well as ECR’s engine shop, radio remotes, musical entertainment, pit crew competition, viewing of the DALE movie, question-and-answer session with team owner Richard Childress and much more. General admission to RCR’s Fan Day is just $5, which will benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.

Online With the Times … To keep up with the latest news and information about Richard Childress Racing and to view exclusive online content, visit the team’s official website at www.RCRRacing.com.  For qualifying and race results, check us out at www.twitter.com/RCRRacing.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES

With five third-place finishes at Chicagoland in the Nationwide Series, what can you attribute that success to?

“We’ve had great cars at Chicagoland and RCR has had success there, too. Kevin (Harvick) has won there twice and it is just a place that suits our driving styles. The way that you have to drive the backstretch, because it’s curved, reminds me of Richmond . It’s unlike any other mile-and-a-half track out there and I’m excited to get have the opportunity to race the Holiday Inn Chevrolet there this weekend.”

You helped start the Holiday Inn Racing program at RCR in 2006 as the first driver in the green and white Chevrolet. What has your relationship been like with them?

“They are a great sponsor and we’ve shared a ton of success with them over the years, including the Nationwide Series owners’ title in 2007. It was an honor to help get a great organization like Holiday Inn get involved in our sport and am amazed at how much our relationship has grown. They’ve starting their rebranding efforts worldwide this year and their new contemporary look is amazing. The fact that I’m getting the opportunity to debut their rebranded look on the track this weekend is special. Hopefully, we can repeat our run last weekend and bring the rebranded Holiday Inn Chevrolet to Victory Lane .”

Speaking of the new paint scheme, how do you feel about driving the No. 29 with Clint Bowyer’s signature on it for the rest of this season?

“I’m not going to lie, I really wanted it to be my name on the door. Clint is going to get on me about driving ‘his car’ now, but he did his job and won the wager fair and square. Seeing the entire team celebrate in Victory Lane at Daytona was great. They’ve worked really hard this year and we’re definitely coming on strong midway through the season. In the end, it doesn’t matter which one of our names is above the door, as long as we keep running well and contending for wins.”

Primary Sponsorship for Prilosec OTC on Two RCR Cars in 2009

WELCOME, N.C. (April 29, 2009) -- Prilosec OTC, the No. 1 doctor and pharmacist recommended over-the-counter acid reducer, will be the primary sponsor of two of Richard Childress Racing teams for three races during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Prilosec OTC will be the primary sponsor of the No. 31 Prilosec OTC-Walmart Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton at Richmond ( Va. ) International Raceway in May and Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. Primary sponsorship will then be featured on the No. 33 Prilosec OTC-Walmart Chevrolet driven by Clint Bowyer at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana , Calif. , in October. Prilosec OTC has been an associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 31 team since 2006.

“Over the last four seasons, we’ve engaged millions of race fans, educating them on how Prilosec OTC can treat their frequent heartburn and get them back to enjoying NASCAR to the fullest,” said Robert Cleveland, Prilosec OTC Brand Manager.  “Our partnerships with RCR and NASCAR play an important role in showcasing Prilosec OTC’s product benefits and its ability to treat frequent heartburn all day and all night with one pill a day.”

Throughout the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Prilosec OTC has been featured on the rear quarter panel of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy as well as the uniforms and firesuits of Burton and the entire No. 31 team. In addition to the RCR team partnership, Prilosec OTC will sponsor the “Prilosec OTC BBQ Shootout Series” throughout the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race season.  The mobile tour will travel to six NASCAR cities during the spring and summer months showcasing the country’s best BBQ Pit Masters. 

• April 4-5                        Fort Worth , Texas ( Texas Motor Speedway )
• May 2-3                        Richmond , Va. ( Richmond International Raceway)
• May 24-25                     Charlotte , N.C. (Lowes Motor Speedway )
• July 26-27                     Indianapolis ( Indianapolis Motor Speedway )
• August 21-22                 Bristol , Tenn. ( Bristol Motor Speedway )
• September 5-6              Atlanta ( Atlanta Motor Speedway )

“We really appreciate Prilosec OTC’s continued support of RCR and are excited for them to have an even more significant presence with both the No. 31 and No. 33 teams and drivers this year,” said Ben Schlosser, RCR’s senior vice president, business operations. “Prilosec OTC has been able to utilize the RCR partnership to educate consumers on how Prilosec OTC can effectively treat their heartburn symptoms. Their ability to also engage their key retail customers through the RCR partnership has been impressive.”

About Prilosec OTC

Prilosec OTC is the #1 Doctor and Pharmacist recommended OTC acid reducer, the first of a class of OTC (over the counter) heartburn medicines that works differently from every other over-the-counter heartburn medication. Prilosec OTC works for 24 hours with one pill a day by directly shutting down many acid pumps in your stomach when used as directed for 14 days for treating frequent heartburn. Prilosec OTC is the #1 selling OTC heartburn medicine on the market and is distributed by Procter & Gamble. For more information about Prilosec OTC, visit www.prilosecotc.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com), which is celebrating its 40 anniversary, has earned more than 180 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the 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 2009 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Casey Mears (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper/BB&T). Its 2009 Nationwide Series lineup includes Bowyer, Burton and Stephen Leicht (No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express).