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| Austin Dillon is 40/1 to win on home track. |
Winner, Winner … In four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is seventh in October 2015. The sophomore Sprint Cup Series competitor also has three Sprint Showdown starts to his credit, with a best finish of sixth in 2015. Dillon earned back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year and is a three-time pole winner at the track. In three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dillon has two top-10 finishes.
A Family Tradition … Dillon grew up watching races at Charlotte Motor Speedway from his grandfather’s condo, which overlooks the racetrack.
#CheerThe3 … Dillon continues a long-standing Richard Childress Racing tradition this weekend by carrying General Mills’ Cheerios brand on the No. 3 Chevrolet. General Mills has been an active sponsor in motorsports for more than 15 years, working with drivers including Austin and Ty Dillon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson. Both Dillon brothers made their Daytona 500 debut with General Mills, with Austin in the Honey Nut Cheerios Chevrolet in 2013 and Ty in the Cheerios Chevrolet in 2015. In 2016, Cheerios is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The cereal debuted as “Cheerioats” in 1941. Cheerios has been a family favorite of the Dillon and Childress families for years. Its wholesome goodness is perfect for toddlers to adults and everyone in between. Made from whole grain oats, and without artificial flavors or colors, they’re naturally low in fat and cholesterol free. These wholesome little “o’s” have only one gram of sugar!
NASCAR: An American Salute … Dillon and the No. 3 Cheerios team will participate in 600 Miles of Remembrance on Memorial Day Weekend. Dillon’s name will be replaced on his race car windshield header with the name of a fallen military service member for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 3 team will feature Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter, who was killed in action in Balad, Iraq on December 11, 2007. There is a Crossfit “Heroes” workout named after Badger that Dillon and several RCR team members have completed in Carter’s honor.
Meet Dillon … If you’re in the Charlotte area, you have several chances to meet Dillon this week in advance of the Coca-Cola 600. Dillon, crew chief Slugger Labbe and the No. 3 pit crew are scheduled to greet race fans at the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, N.C. on Wednesday, May 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at Walmart (5825 Thunder Road, NW, Concord, NC 28027) from 5-6 p.m. Eastern Time on behalf of Coca-Cola, also on Wednesday. On Thursday, May 26, Dillon is scheduled to join his brother, Ty Dillon, and grandfather, Richard Childress, for an autograph session at Bass Pro Shops in Concord, N.C. from 10-11 a.m. Eastern Time. On Friday, May 27, Dillon is scheduled to appear at Sam’s Club (2421 Supercenter Dr. N.E., Kannapolis, NC 28025) at 12 Noon on behalf of Cheerios. On Sunday, May 29, Dillon is scheduled to visit the NASCAR Fanatics Trackside Superstore at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the schedule. What do you do to endure a 600-mile race?
“It’s a long race. You constantly have to keep your focus and keep your mind on the race. One mistake puts you a lap down, but you know you have time to get it back. I love Charlotte. It’s one of my favorite race tracks. I’ve been able to win the last two NASCAR XFINITY Series races there. Hopefully, we can come home with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win there before too long.”
The race will start in the daytime and end at night. What do you have to do to make sure your car handles well in the changing track conditions?
“It’s tough. You have to be able to start the race with your balance good enough during the sunlight and daytime. When the sun sets, that’s when you really have to start adjusting on your car and make it faster. You’ll gain a lot of grip throughout the race. You can see guys that weren’t that great when the race started but as the nighttime rolls in, they gain speed and destroy the field. We’ll look at our notes from the last couple of years and start the race based off those.”
- Richard Childress Racing
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