LAS VEGAS, NV (October 17, 2024) – With four races remaining, one championship title, and two track configurations left in the 2024 season, ECR Engine’s three NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff contenders have less than a month to prove who deserves to be crowned the champion.
Those three who progressed into the Round of Eight and are vying for the title are Richard Childress Racing’s driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet, Austin Hill, driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet, Jesse Love, and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Chevrolet. The key to victory? All the power these drivers can get under the hood and making the correct adjustments from the time the cars hit the track this weekend in Las Vegas
“Each one of these races, regardless of track type, the small things make the biggest difference, whether it be on the vehicle, with the engine, or with the driver,” said Matthew Wiles, ECR’s vice president and COO.
The preparation for these track configurations and their respective engine tunings began when the season initially did back in February, assimilating feedback from teams, drivers, and data-driven analysis.
“We’re taking a look at every aspect that can be influenced by the engines. Some of these races have very complex strategies that are involved,” said Wiles.
Complex strategies are no match for the abundance of research ECR puts into their development and production capabilities. Every playoff point is vital, which is why each driver must have the “total package” in order to secure points throughout each race. ECR’s team is there for their alliance partners every step of the way to help grapple for that one championship title and bring home the trophy to their respective shop in Welcome, North Carolina.
“Every engine has a tuner who is assigned to support that engine. That tuner stays with the engine to help teams install it, make sure that the engine is prepared and integrated appropriately into the chassis, and that tuner will also fire the engine up,” Wiles continued.
One critical aspect that gives Hill, Allmendinger and Love a leg-up is their shop’s location. RCR’s campus is home to both ECR Engines and Kaulig Racing, making the accessibility to their respective team’s tuners effortless.
“ECR plays a large role in terms of supporting these on-campus cars through our chassis dyno activities, ensuring that the vehicles are ready, and ensuring that the powertrain it is operating at its peak efficiency,” said Wiles.
Those activities are performed each week leading up to the race, sometimes weeks in advance depending on the upcoming track.
The four remaining for this season are Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix Raceway; three intermediate tracks and one short track. Hill and Allmendinger have both had success at these tracks in the past. Allmendinger and Hill added another tally to their win columns after visiting victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Hill in 2023 and Allmendinger in 2021, both running in the respective drivers seats they currently occupy.
“The important thing is trying to position our fleet towards the front as the race evolves,” said Wiles.
Which is exactly the positions that Hill, Love, and Allmendinger have managed to run at some point during the races thus far in the playoffs. It’s that consistency that has led these alliances and their respective drivers to the Round of Eight.
“I think rhythm is very important in this sport; it’s as much an engineering and production activity as it is for a stick-and-ball sport,” said Wiles.
That same rhythm can be mirrored through the determination of other ECR drivers across the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series as well.
“Our teams and partners are still racing for wins. A win is a very significant and important thing across both series, and there’s still some opportunities to get ECR in victory lane for 2024,” said Wiles.
Those trips to victory lane solidify the hard work that all of the men and women in the ECR do, day in and day out.
“It’s really significant for us because it gives us that affirmation that we are doing things right and we are being consistent. Not only with the engines, but the vehicles that we are helping to prepare. We’re proud of all of our partners, but especially our on-campus teams, so we want to wish them good luck,” said Wiles.
All the action for the first race in the NXS Round of Eight begins on Friday at 6:30pm ET with practice and qualifying on USA Network. Saturday’s race will air on the CW at 7:30pm ET, where these three will battle it out with the rest of the field, while also working together to run up front and punch these ECR Engines tickets to the championship race in Phoenix.