Atlanta Belongs to RCR — The Question Is Which One

Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill arrives at his “home track” EchoPark Speedway a five-time winner in the last seven races here – and two-time defending winner of Saturday’s Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

His teammate, reigning NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Jesse Love has won pole position in three of the last four Atlanta races giving the legendary RCR organization a bookend to success at the 1.5-mile high-banked track.

Which brings up the inevitable question, with both Hill and Love so good here, has a certain sense of rivalry developed between teammates on these big tracks? Both smiled when asked.

“I guess there is that motivation because Austin hangs a lot of banners up at RCR,’’ Love said of his teammates winning banners. “So I have that and that rivalry. … Especially at these race tracks he’s the toughest one to beat and I definitely learn a lot from him. At the end of the race sometimes we’re racing other people in the field, but nine times out of 10 we’re racing for the win.’’

Hill, whose No. 21 RCR Chevrolet won the Daytona season-opener last weekend, concedes that likewise, Love’s No. 2 RCR Chevy is always the car he has to keep an eye on as well – noting RCR’s current dominance at the big drafting tracks such as Daytona, Atlanta and Talladega, Ala.

“I would say when we’re out here at these speedways especially here at Atlanta, the number one car I don’t want behind me at the end of the race is the No. 2 car because I know he has just as good equipment as I have and he knows what he’s doing on these superspeedways

“So him talking about me being his biggest threat, he’s my biggest threat I feel like. There’s always that little fun rivalry you have inside the shop, but I think it kind of elevates both of us to the next level and pushes us to be better on the race track. We work well together when we have to, but then when it’s gloves off and we’re going or the win we’re going to try everything we can not to lose the race for both of us – but obviously he wants to win and I want to win for our team.
It’s a fun little rivalry when we come to these places.’’

Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer won the Kennametal Pole Position in the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro during Friday evening’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts qualifying session. Love qualified 10th and Hill will roll off 20th.