RCR Race Preview: Daytona International Speedway

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway… With 23 previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon heads to the historic track with experience on his side. Dillon has acquired two wins, one pole, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in the premier series. The veteran driver, who grew up attending races in Daytona Beach with his family, has 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win and seven top-five finishes. Dillon also has two starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Defending A Win… Dillon is a former winner at Daytona International Speedway in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. The North Carolina native won the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2018, returning the No. 3 to Victory Lane at the historic facility. Dillon also secured victories in the July 2015 Xfinity Series event and the August 2022 Cup Series race.

Former Cup Series Pole Winner… Dillon earned his first career Cup Series pole with a lap of 196.019 mph in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500. The 34-year-old has also started on the front row in the July 2015 Cup Series event at the World Center of Racing.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations, and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

About Winchester Ammunition… Winchester is the leading small caliber ammunition brand for hunting, recreational shooting, and law enforcement, and the largest supplier to the U.S. military. The legendary Winchester® brand, with its 159-year history, is founded on principles of integrity, hard work, and a strong commitment to its loyal customers. As a division of Olin Corporation, Winchester shares Olin’s purpose to deliver materials and solutions that enhance and protect lives. Learn more about Winchester and the responsible use of its products by visiting Winchester.com or connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

Meet Dillon… On Sunday, February 16 at 10:30 a.m. ET, Dillon is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway at Daytona International Speedway.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

You’ve had success at Daytona International Speedway. How do you negotiate staying out of the wrecks throughout the race so that you can be in contention at the end?

“I’m looking forward to getting the season started at Daytona International Speedway with my No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet team. This is such a big race and can set the tone for the rest of the season. You have to settle in at the beginning, because as soon as you start that race, you know there are so many eyeballs on our sport. It’s tough. It’s a game of putting yourself in position. I call it high-speed chess because you know at some point in time, you’re going to be vulnerable. You hope that someone doesn’t take advantage of that too much and cause a big wreck. It’s one of those things where you are constantly moving and trying to guess the flow of the pack. I think the best place to be is in the front most of the time, but it’s impossible now with the way we race to keep yourself up there for the entire race.”

Do you feel the “big one” coming, or does it happen so fast that you’re just in it?

“Sometimes you’re in it, and there is nothing you can do about it because you know time is running out and you’re in it either way. It’s an odd feeling knowing you are putting yourself out there and something is about to happen. It’s an issue of timing. You’re hoping you just get through it. I’ve been fortunate to sneak through some of them or be in front of some of them. You usually know when the intensity is rising, and the pack is starting to get a little bit out of control. You try to do your best to give yourself an out or be in front of it.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway… Sunday’s Daytona 500 will mark Kyle Busch’s 40th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway. In the premier series, Busch owns one win (July 2008), nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes at the World Center of Racing. The 39-year-old has led 539 laps and completed 93.1% (6,499 of 6,981) of total laps competed. Busch also holds an average starting position of 15.6 and an average finishing position of 18.1.

Stat Line… Busch kicks off the 2025 season with a career total of 63 wins, 34 poles, 251 top-five and 382 top-10 finishes in 714 Cup Series starts. The veteran driver most recently earned the victory on June 4, 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Busch ranks ninth on the all-time Cup Series win list.

Did You Know? Busch’s career best finish in the Daytona 500 is second, earned in 2019. While the Las Vegas, Nevada native is still seeking his first Harley J. Earl trophy, Sunday’s race will mark Busch’s 20th attempt in the Great American Race.

Time to Duel… Busch owns three victories – 2009, 2013, 2016 – in the Duel, the Daytona 500 qualifying race.

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Meet Busch… Fans have two opportunities to meet Busch prior to the green flag at Daytona International Speedway. On Sunday, February 16 at 11:55 a.m. ET, Busch is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway. Immediately following at 12:15 p.m. ET, the two-time Cup Series Champion will be at the zone Activation in the Fan Midway.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What are your expectations for the 2025 Cup Series season?

“I would say in 2025, we have to go out and win. That’s our thing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a win last season and ended the streak of 19 seasons with a win. Getting back to Victory Lane is the ultimate goal. We’ve just got to go out, score wins and put our Chevrolet where it needs to be. That starts with being competitive each week and having shots to reach the checkered flag first.”

The importance of spotter and driver communication is crucial at Daytona International Speedway. What is that communication like and how important is that to you?

“Communication with your spotter is the ultimate. There’s nothing else that you really use as much as your spotter on speedway racing. You can use your mirrors, look in the camera and look behind you. But, when you are trying to understand the energy that’s coming rows back behind you, the only way to get that is from your spotter. When you’re in traffic and you’re three or four rows back, you’re trying to understand what the gaps are in front of you, so you know how hard to push the guy in front to get your lane moving forward.”

How do you utilize the draft to make those runs and can you explain that process to fans that might not know what drafting is?

“The draft is a big deal and honestly, the energy in the draft now is not necessarily coming from ahead of you, it’s more so coming from behind you. Two, three, four, five cars behind you is where that energy really develops and you get pushed forward from that momentum. The draft is different than what it used to be. Years ago, you would kind of suck up to the guy in front of you, slingshot past him and make him move that way. Now you’re really relying on everything happening behind you and building from behind.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway… Jesse Love has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, both coming last season behind the wheel of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. In his Xfinity Series debut at the World Center of Racing one year ago, the Menlo Park, California native earned his first career pole position, led the most laps (34), and captured his first career stage win. Love also has one career ARCA Menards Series start, where the young driver started from the second position, faced motor issues, and finished in seventh-place.

Did You Know? Love was the third youngest pole winner in Xfinity Series history at Daytona International Speedway and just the 14th driver to claim the first starting position in their series debut.

Rookie of the Year… During his Xfinity Series rookie campaign, Love secured his first series win (Talladega Superspeedway), seven top-five and 18 top-10 results, while qualifying for the Playoffs, finishing seventh in the overall driver championship point standings, and claiming the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

Top of the Board… Love ended the 2024 season with a series-leading five pole positions – four of which came at drafting tracks.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Meet Love… Fans have two opportunities to meet Love before the 20-year-old takes to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. On Saturday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET, Love will take part in a fan question and answer session at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway. Immediately following at 1:25 p.m. ET, the young gun will sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Midway. Stop by to meet Love and get new No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTES:

What are your thoughts returning to Daytona International Speedway?

“Is it the hardest place to drive? No. Is it the most technical track? No. But it’s the magnitude of what’s at stake. To win at Daytona International Speedway means a lot. As a driver, those are the moments that fuel you. I believe that sometimes you drive harder in certain situations, and racing at Daytona is one of those days that just feel bigger. You can feel the intensity in the air.”

Explain superspeedway racing.

“Drafting tracks require a gambling mentality, where anything can happen. You can be leading in one corner and wrecking in the next. You can have the best car and not win the race, while you can have a car that is not capable of winning and win. There are a lot of variations that go into speedway racing. But traditionally, the same guys seem to win out in the end. The guys who are really smart seem to win out over the guys with more talent. Talent is on a pendulum on speedway tracks, and it takes a backseat to the mental game. What you see and how you feel matters behind the wheel. In my opinion, that comes from the hours of preparation before you climb into the car. It’s a chess match. I play a lot of chess leading up to speedway races, because I think of it as a bunch of moving pieces. There is always one move that can put you out, a bunch of moves that can keep you in contention, and one move that will win the game. When you do enough studying and preparation before you get to the track, you’ll see one guy do a move and know what’s happening five rows behind him.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has competed in seven career NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Daytona International Speedway, earning three victories – a resounding 43% of his starts. Over the last six Xfinity Series races, the Winston, Ga. native has started on the front row for all but one at the World Center of Racing. Hill also has six NASCAR Truck Series starts, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.

Defending Race Winner… Hill returns to Daytona International Speedway as the defending back-to-back-to-back race winner of the Xfinity Series season opening event. Since joining Richard Childress Racing in 2021, Hill has driven the No. 21 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in each of the season-opening races.

In Good Company… With his 2024 victory, Hill is currently tied with NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt (five), Tony Stewart (four), and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (three) for the most consecutive wins in the Xfinity Series’ February event at Daytona International Speedway.

Did You Know? Hill’s 532 laps led on drafting tracks ranks third behind Earnhardt (573) and Earnhardt Jr. (691).

Rearview Mirror… During his third season behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet for RCR, Hill earned four wins, 11 top-five, and 20 top-10 results, and one pole, en route to securing his first career Championship 4 berth. Hill’s four victories came at Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway (twice), and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The racer led a total of 245 laps and finished fourth in the overall driver championship point standings.

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Meet Hill… Fans have two opportunities to meet Hill before Saturday’s main event at Daytona International Speedway. On Saturday, February 15 at 12:20 p.m. ET, Hill will participate in a fan question and answer session at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway. Immediately following at 12:45 p.m. ET, the 30-year-old will sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Midway. Stop by to meet Hill and purchase new No. 21 gear.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

What is your viewpoint entering a superspeedway race?

“Superspeedway racing is more of a mental game, over being physically demanding or technically sound. You have to outsmart your competition from start to finish. Having a good race car is important, but when you go to a place like Daytona International Speedway, anyone has a shot to win the race. The biggest factor is the communication between driver and spotter. There is a bond that you have to have with your spotter. If he tells you that you are clear by an inch, you take it. There isn’t time to second guess that information. Even if your mirror makes you think otherwise, you have to 100% trust your spotter and make the move. Playing your cards right, taking the runs at the right time, and knowing when not to take runs are all important keys to having a successful day on a superspeedway.”

What emotions do you feel when you drive through the tunnel at Daytona International Speedway?

“There are butterflies and the anticipation of getting back behind the wheel. We finish our season in November and have a couple months to prepare for the next year, so when we finally make it to the track again at Daytona, it’s go time. The history of the track and what it means to win at Daytona set in every time we drive through the tunnel. Just to be there and have a shot at winning is special. Then once you strap into the car, it all goes away and it’s back to business.”