Dillon and Richard Childress Racing set to tackle Phoenix

This Week's American Ethanol Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway ... Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 430 in the Profit on CNBC 500 presented by Small Business Fueling America at Phoenix International Raceway. This is the same Chevrolet SS the Gil Martin-led team utilized at Phoenix International Raceway in November 2013, racing to Victory Lane.

Dillon at Phoenix International Raceway ... Although this weekend marks Dillon's first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Phoenix International Raceway, the Welcome, N.C., driver has made five Nationwide Series starts at the one-mile track, earning a fifth-place finish in November 2013, a sixth-place finish in March 2013, a sixth-place finish in November 2012, a fourth-place finish in March 2012 and a 34th-place finish in April 2009. In two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the track, he has a pair of top-10 finishes and has made one start in the K&N Pro Series West at PIR, finishing 15th in 2009.

Think Green ... RCR's No. 3 Chevrolet team will sport the black and green colors of American Ethanol this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. American Ethanol, a renewable source of cleaner burning energy from the bounty of America's farmers, helps create new green jobs and a renewed sense of pride for the American worker, while helping to achieve greater energy security for our country. Launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association, along with the support of other partners, American Ethanol is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15, and takes the NASCAR Green initiative to the next level. Since the program launch for the 2011 season, NASCAR® drivers have run more than 5 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.

Get to the Points ... Dillon started off his Sprint Cup Series season with a ninth-place finish in the Daytona 500 and therefore ranks ninth in the championship point standings entering this weekend's race event at Phoenix International Raceway.

Meet Dillon ... Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy Display in the fan midway area at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, March 2 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix International Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?

"Phoenix International Raceway is a track I've been looking forward to for several weeks. I'm a rookie and I have a lot to learn - I know I'll have a lot to learn all season. I feel like I showed my rookie stripes quite a bit during the Daytona 500, but Phoenix is a track where I've made a ton of laps as a driver, so I've been looking forward to entering that race in the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet. I've raced there in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series so I feel like I have a good feel for the track. It's a handling track where it's very important to work on your car and make sure it's right for the race. Getting off of each corner is important, and so is corner entry. I feel like I am working well with Gil Martin and the entire No. 3 team and we have a great chance to show everyone what our Richard Childress Racing organization is capable of doing."

RCR