Author: Official Release

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway needing a stellar run to advance to the Round of 12 in the Cup Series Playoffs.

Burton is 16th in the standings, 20 points below the cutoff for advancement to the next round. After Saturday night’s 500-lapper on the high-banked half-mile, the bottom four drivers in the Playoff standings will be eliminated from championship contention.

Even though the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team faces an uphill battle, crew chief Jeremy Bullins says he believes the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Dark Horse will be among the faster cars come Saturday night.

“Obviously we’d rather be 20 points to the good than 20 points below the cutline heading to Bristol, but I know this will be a good weekend for us,” Bullins said. “Harrison loves Bristol and so do I.

“We are confident we can go have a good run with our Motorcraft Mustang and hopefully earn enough points or a win and move on in the Playoffs.”

Practice for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race is set for Friday at 4 p.m. Eastern Time and will be followed by qualifying at 5:05 p.m.

Saturday’s 500-lap, 266.5-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 7:30 p.m. with TV coverage on USA Network.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 125 and 250.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 100 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last eight decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Bristol Advance
Event Overview

● Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Round 29 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 21
● Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: .533-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 500 laps/266.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 125 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 250 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Pinnacle Home Improvements Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Pinnacle Home Improvements Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing (RWR), will make his fifth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race. When the series last visited Bristol on March 17, it was a race full of attrition due to unusual tire wear. Haley used pit strategy and tire conservation to work his way into the top-15 within the first 100 laps of the 500-lap race. Without a caution in the final 121 laps, Haley was forced to pit from 10th place under green for his final stop for fresh tires. He finished the race 17th, his second of 11 top-20 finishes this year.

● In his four previous Cup Series starts on the .533-mile, concrete oval, Haley has a best finish of 12th earned in September 2022. The 25-year-old also owns six NASCAR Xfinity Starts at Bristol with two top-10s – a seventh-place effort in his first Bristol start in April 2019, and a sixth-place finish in his last start in September 2021.

● Bristol is the site of Haley’s first career NASCAR national series start. As a 16-year-old on Aug. 19, 2015, he made his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, starting 21st and finishing 14th against the likes of reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, and the winningest driver in NASCAR history across all three national series, Kyle Busch.

● Pinnacle Home Improvements, headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, is a direct-to-homeowner provider of home improvement services, with a focus on roof replacement, window replacement and other exterior services for existing single-family homes. With additional offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville, Tennessee, as well as Charlotte, North Carolina, the company’s existing service footprint covers a range of attractive Southeast U.S. markets, with planned expansion into new Southeastern markets.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 Meat N’ Bone Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 15 Meat N’ Bone Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RWR, will make his second Cup Series start at Bristol in Saturday night’s race. In March, Grala started 33rd and drove to a 19th-place finish at The Last Great Colosseum.

● In two Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, Grala has a best finish of 10th earned last September. He’s finished no worse than 20th in eight of 13 Xfinity Series short-track starts.

● Grala has two Truck Series starts at Bristol with a best finish of 11th, earned in his first start there in August 2016. He also owns two top-five finishes at Bristol in the ARCA Menards Series East (2015 and 2016).

● Meat N’ Bone returns to the No. 15 RWR Ford Mustang Dark Horse after debuting with Grala at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on June 23. Meat N’ Bone is an online butcher shop offering premium quality meats delivered locally and shipped nationally. Customers can order from over 300 products, including USDA Prime and Wagyu A5, and have it delivered fresh to their door. Meat N’ Bone also offers local pickup and a personalized retail experience in its boutiques.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● The Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) series concluded its season last weekend at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri. AFT Singles rider Kody Kopp earned his third-straight championship at just 19 years old. Kopp closed out the season with 339 points – 15 ahead of second place – to become the first rider to own three titles and the most race victories (22) in AFT Singles history. In addition to the record for most titles and most wins, Kopp holds either sole possession or a share of first place all-time in Short Track, Half-Mile, and single-season victories.

● The Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series heads back to zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, this weekend for the Carolina Nationals. RWR Top Fuel driver Clay Millican enters the event sixth in the standings after the first event of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in Reading, Pennsylvania last Sunday. Millican earned a first-round win against Josh Hart, but was eliminated in the second round by points-leader Justin Ashley. Three weeks ago, the Drummonds, Tennessee, native earmed his seventh career win at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

You ran well at Bristol in March, even with the unpredictable tire wear. Now that everyone has had time to think through that situation, would you be more comfortable if tire wear was once again a major factor?

“It’s not really a comfortable situation to be in, having to conserve tires all race, but I feel like I’ve always kind of taken care of my car and tires. I think we did a good job of that last time and it was just timing of cautions that worked against us. If we’re dealing with the same thing this time, I think everyone will have a better idea of what to do, which also evens the playing field a little.”

Bristol is the first cutoff race for the playoff drivers. How do you run your race and try to get the best finish without potentially impacting the playoff battle?

“Thankfully, Bristol is always a little chaotic, so it’s not a new or different way of racing there. You have to be aware of what’s going on around you at all times. You don’t want to get in the way, but even trying to do that could lead to losing several spots. So, yeah, you do the best you can to not get in the middle of it but it’s still a race with 30-something cars on track and we all want to do well.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

What are your thoughts on Bristol after making your first Cup Series start there in March?

“I really enjoy short-track racing and, with one race at Bristol under my belt, it helps that you have to have similar strategy there no matter what you’re racing. The tire wear in the spring definitely threw everyone for a loop, but it didn’t necessarily change how you race Bristol. You still have to find your rhythm and what works best, then try to do that every lap.”

Knowing that Goodyear is using the tire compound from the spring race, how do you prepare?

“I think you have to go into the race expecting the same thing and maybe hoping that’s not how it goes. Track position is important, but so is making tires last, so I think you prepare for it like it’s any other short-track race. You try to stay out of trouble, take care of your equipment and tires, and get the best finish possible.”

RYAN PREECE
Bristol Advance
No. 41 Old Armor Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Round 29 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 21
● Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: .533-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 500 laps/266.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 125 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 250 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The Bass Pro Shops Night Race Saturday at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway brings Ryan Preece back to the high-banked, half-mile concrete oval where he has a solid resume across multiple racing disciplines, highlighted by NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories. The driver of the No. 41 Old Armor Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing will make his eighth career NASCAR Cup Series start Saturday night and his 19th overall. Best among his previous seven Cup Series starts was a ninth-place finish in September 2020. It was one of four career top-15s for Preece at the East Tennessee short track where he has an average Cup Series finish of 15.3. Preece finished 14th in his prior visit to Bristol last March.

● Preece’s Xfinity Series win at Bristol came in April 2018 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. In his third and most recent Xfinity Series start at Bristol, Preece qualified seventh and led four times for 39 laps, including the final 10 on his way to the victory over Justin Allgaier. In his first two Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, Preece finished 19th and 15th in the 2016 spring and fall races, respectively, driving for owner Johnny Davis.

● In his eight Whelen Modified Tour starts at Bristol – the only open-wheel series sanctioned by NASCAR – Preece never finished worse than 11th. His victory came in the August 2015 race in his third Tour start at the track. He qualified second and led 47 of 103 laps on his way to victory over polesitter Woody Pitkat. Preece scored three Bristol podiums, five top-fives and seven top-10s in his eight Tour starts. His Tour debut there in August 2009 resulted in a third-place finish, a result he equaled in his very next visit in August 2022.

● Old Armor Beer Company adorns Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend at Bristol. Old Armor is owned and operated by combat veterans who served overseas protecting America. Co-founded by Kyle Lingafelt, an active duty U.S. Marine from 2008 to 2018, and Stefan Perrine, a U.S. Army Paratrooper from 2010 to 2015, Old Armor’s mission is twofold – to provide great craft beer while giving back to the community. Old Armor has 12 of its unique brews dedicated to supporting charitable foundations, specifically those assisting veterans and first responders. From its taproom in downtown Kannapolis, North Carolina, located less than 15 minutes from Stewart-Haas Racing’s headquarters, customers can also give back via Old Armor’s “Pay It Forward Board” where anyone 21 years or older can buy a beer for a veteran or first responder. This small act of kindness covers a service member’s or first responders’ ice-cold pint of freedom before they even step inside, embracing Old Armor’s motto of leading from the front. We recommend Old Armor’s Stewart-Haas Summer Ale, which debuted this year.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Old Armor Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re heading back to Bristol after having endured a challenging race there in the spring with regard to tire wear. Will the lessons learned that weekend help you and the team deal more effectively with the tire wear anticipated once again this weekend?

“Now that we all know and have an understanding of how the cars and the tires behaved there in the spring, I think we’ve all made adjustments and made it that much better. I feel pretty good about everybody going back after having made those adjustments and being better this time around. Obviously, we left there the last time with some work to do – the tire wear was excessive, but at the same time we maximized our day. If we didn’t have a tire come apart at the end of the race, we could’ve finished top-10, so that is encouraging.”

What makes Bristol unique among the short tracks you’ve raced on, and would you say the success you’ve had there gives you and the team added confidence heading into the weekend?

“Bristol is super fast, high-banked, and not very forgiving, so it’s a track that can bite you pretty quickly. At the same time, it’s one of my favorite tracks. We can run on the top and run on the bottom, so as a driver, you’re never locked into a spot and never feel like you can’t move forward. It’s certainly been a track that has been good to me. It’s one of the stronger racetracks that we go to, so the confidence is pretty high. We’re looking to build some consistency and string together some really good finishes over these final races of the season, so hopefully we’ll return with the speed we’ll need to make that happen this weekend.”

Racing for 500 laps at Bristol is described as a constant balance of risk versus reward. Being a track where things can happen seemingly in an instant, but also knowing you have only small windows of opportunity to make things happen when you need to, how do you navigate those 500 laps?

“Bristol is a really fast short track, so doing the whole bump-and-run is kind of risky now, but at the same time, there are points during that race that we will need to force the issue, and just knowing how to do that correctly plays a big part.”

What aspects of your vast experience racing on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour have helped the most when it comes to the way you approach short tracks in a Cup Series car?

“Obviously, when it comes to short-track racing, and the experience that I have in Modifieds, all the experience racing at my local tracks and on the Whelen Modified Tour, have certainly shaped who I am as a driver. I’ve won at Bristol in a Modified, and I’ve won there in an Xfinity car. I would say that the grit of having to pass cars and find a way to the front is there. It’s just a matter of going out and executing over the course of 500 laps on Saturday night.”

No. 41 Old Armor Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Sherman Timbs

Hometown: Indianola, Mississippi

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

Bristol Motor Speedway

 NASCAR will make the trek to east Tennessee for three-straight nights of racing under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be making their second appearance of the season at “The Last Great Colosseum”, with the return visit marking the second race for the Truck Series’ Round of 10 and the first playoff elimination race for NASCAR’s top division. For the NASCAR Xfinity Series, their only date at the Tennessee high-banked half-mile this year will conclude the series’ 26-race regular season.

 Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Chevrolet’s winning ways at Bristol Motor Speedway span across all three NASCAR national series, with the Bowtie brand heading into the weekend with a series-best 46 NASCAR Cup Series wins and 37 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, as well as 11 wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race will mark the series’ 125th appearance on Bristol’s concrete configuration. Over more than 60 years of competition at the Tennessee half-mile, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 all-time Cup Series victories. The Bowtie brand’s most recent Bristol triumph in NASCAR’s top division came with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson in his championship-earning season (Sept. 2021). The 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native is one of just six active Bristol winners, with fellow Team Chevy driver, Kyle Busch, topping the list with eight career victories at the track. From the playoff perspective, only two of the series’ current title contenders have tallied a triumph in the track’s playoff race, with Larson’s 2021 night race victory earning him a spot on that elite list.

One year ago, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier took Chevrolet on its third-straight trip to victory lane at Bristol – marking the manufacturer’s 37th all-time Xfinity Series victory at the Tennessee half-mile. In addition to leading the series in overall wins, Chevrolet also holds the record for the longest win streak by a manufacturer at Bristol, with the Bowtie brand collecting 16 consecutive victories between Aug. 1997- April 2005.

In the Truck Series, Chevrolet heads back to Bristol as the series’ most recent winner at the track, courtesy of Christian Eckes’ victory in the series’ spring event. The win marked Chevrolet’s 11th triumph in 27 Truck Series races Bristol, tying Toyota’s series-leading win record at the track. Eckes is one of just three full-time competitors in the series that have reached victory lane at Bristol, joining Toyota’s Corey Heim and Ford’s Ty Majeski.

PLAYOFF PICTURE AHEAD OF FIRST ELIMINATION

The first two races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs have lived up to the expectation as arguably the biggest wildcard round of the postseason stretch. Despite a race plagued with problems throughout the playoff field, Chevrolet left Watkins Glen International sitting in the most comfortable position among its manufacturer competitors, with all five of its playoff contenders holding a double-digit points cushion above the cutline. 

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

4th in Playoff Standings (+41 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 7

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 20

Average Finish: 15.1

Stage Wins: 0

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman climbed up the standings for the second week in a row, with the Team Chevy driver putting together a 31-point day in upstate New York to find himself fourth in the playoff standings with a 41-point advantage over the elimination line. The 31-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native entered postseason competition as the 12th seeded driver, but quickly became one of the biggest movers in the standings after a pair of strong points days in the first two races.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

5th in Playoff Standings (+36 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 3

Top-10s: 7

Laps Led: 152

Average Finish: 17.5

Stage Wins: 1

Despite getting stuck in the gravel during Stage Two at Watkins Glen, Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team rebounded with a 13th place finish and a 31-point day. The 32-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, native ultimately jumped four positions in the playoff rankings, entering Bristol fifth in the standings and 36-markers above the cutline.

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

7th in Playoff Standings (+30 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 7

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 213

Average Finish: 11.8

Stage Wins: 1

Chase Elliott currently holds the seventh position in the playoff standings and a 30-point cushion. Elliott heads to Bristol with a string of three-consecutive top-10 results at the track, including a runner-up finish in the 2022 night race.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

9th in Playoff Standings (+26 points)

Victories: 4

Top-Fives: 10

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 1,089

Average Finish: 14.4

Stage Wins: 10

Despite proving to be a tough round for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, Kyle Larson enters the first elimination race ninth in the playoff standings with a 26-point cushion. Larson has fared well at Bristol in recent years. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, the former series champion has finished no worse than fifth in four Cup Series races on the track’s concrete surface, including a win in the 2021 night race.

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

10th in Playoff Standings (+25 points)

Victories: 3

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 14

Laps Led: 261

Average Finish: 15.1

Stage Wins: 1

While enduring a late-race incident at Watkins Glen, William Byron still finds himself 10th in the playoff standings with a 25-point advantage over the cutline. The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team has posted top-seven results in three of the series’ five races on tracks measuring less than one-mile this season, including a trip to victory lane (Martinsville Speedway – April 2024).

BOWTIE BUILDING MANUFACTURER POINTS LEAD

Despite falling just one spot short from the win at Watkins Glen, Chevrolet was still able to build onto its points lead in the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer points standings to a now 26-point advantage. With Shane van Gisbergen and Kaulig Racing’s runner-up finish in upstate New York, all six of Chevrolet’s full-time organizations have contributed points to the manufacturer championship title battle with still eight races remaining in the season.

For three consecutive years, and 42 times overall, Chevrolet has won the prestigious manufacturer championship title in NASCAR’s top division. With the Bowtie brand also leading the manufacturer standings in the Xfinity and Truck Series, Chevrolet is eyeing its second consecutive, and sixth all-time, title sweep across the NASCAR national ranks.

NEXT GEN NUMBERS

The NASCAR Cup Series’ trip to Watkins Glen International commemorated a monumental milestone for the Next Gen era, with Sunday’s event marking the 100th points-paying race for the Next Gen car. From crown jewel victories to back-to-back manufacturer championships, the Next Gen era has only further added to Chevrolet’s legacy as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR Cup Series history.

In the Next Gen era’s 100 points-paying race history:

Leading in Wins: In 100 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 48%. In its debut season (2022), the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 owned over half of the points-paying race wins, with nine drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations scoring a combined 19 victories. The manufacturer followed-up that effort with an 18-race win season in 2023. Thus far this season, six different drivers have contributed to a manufacturer-leading 11 victories.

Back-to-Back Manufacturer Championships: Chevrolet has swept the manufacturer championship titles in the Next Gen era, with the 2023 title marking the Bowtie brand’s series-leading 42nd all-time manufacturer championship title in NASCAR’s premier series. In its most recent title-earning season (2023), each Chevrolet organization that competed full-time that season contributed points that ultimately led to the championship.

First-Time Winners: The Next Gen era has produced seven first-time NASCAR Cup Series winners, with four of those drivers earning their milestone triumph behind the wheel of the Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Among that list includes: Ross Chastain (2022 at Circuit of The Americas), Daniel Suarez (2022 at Sonoma Raceway), Tyler Reddick (2022 at Road America), and Shane van Gisbergen (2023 at the Chicago Street Course).

Crown Jewel Victories: Four different drivers have earned a crown jewel victory with Chevrolet in the Next Gen era including: Erik Jones with Petty-GMS in the 2022 Southern 500; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with JTG Daugherty Racing in the 2023 Daytona 500; Kyle Larson with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2023 Southern 500 and the 2024 Brickyard 400; and William Byron with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2024 Daytona 500.

Double-Digits Records: The Next Gen era has produced 28 different winners, with Team Chevy’s William Byron and Kyle Larson standing as the only drivers with a double-digit win record with the Next Gen Car – each collecting 11 points-paying victories, to date, since the beginning of the 2022 season.

WHITE FLAG FOR THE REGULAR SEASON

For the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 300 laps around the high-banked half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway will determine the final four drivers that will complete the series’ 12-driver playoff field. Heading into the regular season finale, five drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations have already claimed a playoff berth by virtue of a win, including JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer; Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill and Jesse Love; and Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. Three of the four open playoff spots are occupied by Team Chevy drivers with a strong points cushion over the cutline, with AJ Allmendinger in ninth (+159 points), Parker Kligerman in 11th (+85 points) and Sammy Smith in 12th (+43 points).

Also up for grabs at the conclusion of Friday night’s event is the 2024 Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship title. The series’ most recent Bristol winner, Justin Allgaier, continues to hold the top position in the points standings with a 43-point lead over reigning champion Cole Custer. Since the regular season championship title was introduced to the series in 2018, Chevrolet has claimed the honors five times, with Allgaier delivering the manufacturer its first title in the award’s debut season.

Dale Jr. Set for NASCAR Return:

Two-time champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is slated for his first and only Xfinity Series start of the season in Friday’s Food City 300. The 49-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina, native will take over the driving duties of the No. 88 Camaro SS – JR Motorsports’ part-time entry that made a trip to victory lane last weekend courtesy of Connor Zilisch. In 2023, the 24-time Xfinity Series winner made one of his two starts of the season at “The Last Great Colosseum” – leading 47 laps before a mechanical issue late in the race took the driver out of contention. This weekend will mark Earnhardt Jr.’s 147th career Xfinity Series start, with each of those coming behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine.

ECKES EYES BRISTOL SWEEP

Following a three-week break, playoff competition resumes for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Thursday’s UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol Motor Speedway – race two of three in the Round of 10. The series’ regular season champion and current points leader, Christian Eckes, is the most recent driver to reach victory lane at the Tennessee venue – earning his first of now three wins of the season in the March event. Looking for a Bristol sweep and an automatic ticket into the next round, the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native is riding the momentum of six-straight podium finishes. In addition, the championship frontrunner has powered his No. 19 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Silverado RST to top-10 results in 16 of the series’ 17 events this season.

With a non-playoff driver winning the Round of 10 opener at the Milwaukee Mile, all eight tickets into the next round remain up for grabs heading into the Bristol race weekend. Five of Team Chevy’s six playoff contenders occupy positions above the elimination line, with Eckes (+60 points) leading Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in fourth (+34 points); McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum in sixth (+13 points) and Daniel Dye in seventh (+9 points); and CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger in eighth (+two points). While on the outside looking in, Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth sits 10th in the playoff standings, but just four-markers below the cutline.

Zilisch, Day Highlight Thursday’s Entry List:

Among the entry list for Thursday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway includes two of the sports’ rising stars: Connor Zilisch and Corey Day.

Fresh off a career weekend at Watkins Glen International, Connor Zilisch will climb back into the seat of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST for his third start of the season. The 18-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native took the NASCAR world by storm earlier this season during his Truck Series debut at Circuit of The Americas – claiming the pole and a fourth-place result. Zilisch’s Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International started in similar fashion, with the young Team Chevy driver topping the practice and qualifying leaderboard. Despite a mid-race penalty, Zilisch rallied back to lead a race-high 45 laps en route to the victory – becoming the second youngest winner in series’ history.

Rising sprint car sensation, Corey Day, will make his first career start in the NASCAR national ranks in Thursday’s Truck Series race – behind the wheel of the No. 81 HENDRICKCARS.COM Silverado RST for McAnally Hilgemann Racing. This will mark Day’s first of four starts with the Chevrolet organization this season, with the driver returning to the seat at Kansas Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. While new to the NASCAR world, the 18-year-old Clovis, California, native is already a household name in winged sprint car competition. He has earned seven wins in the High Limit Racing Series this season – a series owned by fellow Team Chevy driver Kyle Larson.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field for the tripleheader race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Thursday’s UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics; the Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Food City 300; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

· In 12 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).

· With 71 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 47.9% with 34 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 14 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Kyle Busch: series-leading eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)

Kyle Larson – one win (2021)

· In 124 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 victories – a winning percentage of 37.1 percent.

· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in the playoffs each season.

· Heading into the first elimination race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with all of its playoff drivers above the cutline – each holding a double-digit points cushion.

· In 100 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS:

• Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Blazer EV, 1500 Crew 2LT Trailboss, Equinox EV, Tahoe High Country, Traverse Z71, Colorado ZR2, 2025 Equinox RS, Corvette 3LT Z51 Convertible.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

• Thursday, Sept. 19:

Nick Sanchez: 1 p.m.

Grant Enfinger: 1:15 p.m.

Christian Eckes & Jack Wood: 1:30 p.m.

Tyler Ankrum & Daniel Dye: 1:45 p.m.

• Friday, Sept. 20:

Daniel Suarez: 1:45 p.m.

Anthony Alfredo: 4 p.m.

Austin Hill: 4:15 p.m.

Shane van Gisbergen: 4:30 p.m.

Jesse Love: 4:45 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 21:

Corey LaJoie: 3 p.m.

Kyle Larson: 3:15 p.m.

Alex Bowman: 4 p.m.

Kyle Busch: 4:45 p.m.

William Byron: 5:05 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Thursday, Sept. 19: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 20: 12 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 21: 12 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 1014
Ford: 988 (-26)
Toyota: 985 (-29)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 932
Toyota: 891 (-41)
Ford: 795 (-137)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 637
Toyota: 593 (-44)
Ford: 563 (-74)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Round of 16 Elimination Race

Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Regular Season Finale

Food City 300

Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Round of 10: Race Two

UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics

Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel after Watkins Glen race weekend?

“We’ve had more speed the last few weeks. We’re still tight and still loose, but we are going faster. That was obvious last weekend at Watkins Glen with winning the pole and leading a bunch of laps. We’ve kept showing up to the simulator and the engineers kept working really hard. I just want to drive fast cars and my job is to drive my car faster than anyone else in the race. If we keep running like this, we’ll be fine. Qualifying on the pole at a road course is a highlight.”

Tire wear continues to be a topic, what are your thoughts from Watkins Glen?

“We’re continuing to work with Goodyear and to find the limits. We had real marbles on the track last weekend, which is a little scary if you get off in them because you have no control. I think it can make for good racing though. You pay the penalty if you slide the tires too much. I think we can keep finding more ways to build these tires that will continue to move the needle.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?

“Anything can happen at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a high-banked short track and you can get caught up in things fast. The Bristol Night Race is a grind for 500 laps and that’s what fans love to see. You are battling it out all race long and it helps to get your car better handling if you can move around and try different lanes on the Bristol concrete, which has helped drivers make long green flag runs. There’s action all over the track and I’m looking forward to the race.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on going to Bristol Motor Speedway:

“I’ll be interested to see how the tire wear is this weekend. We had a pit road penalty, restarted from the rear and still managed tire wear to battle back for a top-five earlier this year. I really enjoy this track and this race under the lights, so I am looking forward to Saturday night.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 MATTRESS WAREHOUSE CAMARO ZL1

Bristol is one of the most historic tracks on the circuit. What is special about going there?

“Obviously the history involved makes it a cool place to race. It is also the pinnacle of short track racing. I always enjoy my time there and I hope to bring home a good finish in our Mattress Warehouse Camaro.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1

The tire at Bristol will be the same compound used in the spring race. What did you learn from that race that will help you this weekend?

“Tire management. Tire management will be the biggest key to the race at Bristol. How much you can preserve the life of your tire by your driving style and the things that you do to not punish the tire will be critical.”

The Cup Series will have one 45-minute practice session at Bristol. Is that something that you would like to see at more tracks in the future?

“Yes. I do think that having one 45-minute or even a 60-minute session would be great for our series and drivers that need more track time going forward.”

You have said that Bristol is one of your favorite tracks. What makes that track so challenging?

“I love Bristol. Bristol is always fun though it’s gotten a little more challenging over the years with the Next Gen car because it’s a little bit difficult to pass. I think the toughness at Bristol is the amount of banking the load that you see throughout the entirety of the race. There’s no time to relax. You’re really on top of it for the entire time. That’s kind of what wears on you the most and being at those short tracks is the repetitious nature of down the straightway into the corner and it never seems to stop. It makes it fun for a lot of guys and challenging for others.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on heading to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend:

“I’m super curious because I don’t really know what to expect, right? The spring race was such an oddball from what we had, had. But it really sounds like that people, the higher ups, want that again, that the fans really enjoyed that. And it seemed like, from what I heard at least, they went and had a tire test there here in the last few weeks, and they were trying to recreate that same environment of tire fall off and life and so on and so forth. So, if you throw that into the mix and they successfully achieve that chaos again, that’s going to be pretty nuts, right? Especially this time of year. And truthfully, with this date being moved back another month or so, you could get cool enough temperatures on a Saturday night to maybe achieve that. So, I’m really curious. But like I’ve always said, I think you give teams a second try at something and, you know, if you just take away everything and it was the exact same as it was in the spring, I’d say it probably wouldn’t quite be as chaotic because it’s a second try.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 Z HP CAMARO ZL1

Byron on his experience of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway:

“I don’t really feel like we’ve ever been the dominant car there. So that’s the goal; try to inch up on that and figure out what we need to be more competitive at Bristol. We’ve had some really good runs, like top threes, but never like leading laps. So yeah, I think going to Bristol, there’s definitely going to be a lot of studying this week to figure out what it is that we need to be a little bit better yet. And then you have the tire, so you’re not really sure what that’s going to do. For us, it would be nice to be under less pressure going there and hopefully have a larger buffer but we can’t change that now. The spring was just a fluke situation. We got put into the wall there and broke the toe link. That was tough. But yeah, I think we’re usually pretty solid there. We’re usually like a top-10 car, we just have to figure out what it takes to have winning speed.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 DORITOS / MOUNTAIN DEW BY FOOD CITY CAMARO ZL1

“I’m looking forward to getting back on track at Bristol in this awesome No. 31 Mtn Dew Doritos Camaro ZL1. The entire garage had a unique experience back in the spring, as everyone was trying to figure out how to make the best educated guess on where the weekend’s going to go from a tire-wear and track-migration standpoint. We’re doing the best we can to be prepared for all scenarios. It’s going to be fun to just enjoy another Cup show under the lights and try to put our best effort forward.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on Bristol Motor Speedway:

“The Bristol Night race is a crown jewel and one that everyone wants to win. It would certainly mean a lot to visit victory lane there. Being 41 (points) good on the (Round of 12) cutline is certainly better than being on the other side of it. Myself and our Ally Racing team just need to get there (Bristol Motor Speedway) and execute and do our jobs. I think we all have this big question mark going into the weekend on what the tire is going to do and if it’s going to look like it did in the spring. That was such a crazy race. I would expect the same again since we haven’t changed anything- but I think we all wonder how that happened in the first place. It will be interesting and with the extra practice and maybe we’ll have more of a heads-up on what’s going to happen (in the race). I think our No. 48 team is sitting in a good spot.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 AMBETTER HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

How are you feeling heading to Bristol after the weekend your team had at Watkins Glen?

“The No. 71 Spire Motorsports crew had a great weekend at Watkins Glen, and it has given us some great momentum heading into Bristol. In March at Bristol, we had a solid car and were looking to post a top 15 until a mechanical issue ended our day. Knowing what we could have accomplished in the spring helps steer us in the right direction for Saturday’s night race. I’m excited to get to Bristol and battle with my team.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1

How do you look to capitalize on your career best finish last weekend?

“We feel good about the weekend. Last fall we were running in the top five until a loose wheel set us back, but still managed to finish 11th. Bristol is tough to pass, but in the fall we were able to drive through the field. I‘m hoping we get the same luck and can bring home another top five in our Delaware Life Camaro. Last week felt great and I want to be able to do it again for my team and sponsors.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1

What were your thoughts last weekend at Watkins Glen?

“We went through a lot on Sunday but everyone stayed calm and nobody gave up. We had a fast car and running seventh then the next thing you know we were sitting in the gravel, in 35th and a lap down. We lost a wheel, and from that, we were just trying to recover. I’m very proud of this team for not giving up; doing a good job at executing and going to fight right off the bat. Finishing 13th after being stuck in the gravel isn’t a bad day.”

What are your thoughts on Bristol?

“I like Bristol a lot. We aren’t even looking at points. We will race for the win like we do every weekend. I don’t think we will take any crazy chances or try some crazy strategy this weekend. We will be smart.”

CONNOR ZILISCH, NO. 7 SILVER HARE RACING SILVERADO RST

What are the pros and cons of running both the ARCA and truck races in one night?

“I don’t think there are any cons, other than most likely being a little exhausted at the end of the night. The biggest pro is getting more laps. Getting that experience is critical for me to continue to learn and grow. It will be a fun day and hopefully I can get a pair of checkered flags.”

Now that you have won in the Xfinity Series, is there any pressure to get a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win?

“I wouldn’t call it pressure, I just want to go out and do my best. There obviously aren’t any road courses left on the truck schedule, and the ovals will be tougher for me to win at. There’s nothing I’m not prepared for. Everyone at Spire Motorsports has done a good job at getting me up to speed on the simulator and ready to go in these races. I know we will have a good truck at Bristol since Kyle (Busch) ran good there in the spring, so I just have to go out, execute and run all of the laps.”

CHRISTIAN ECKES, NO. 19 ADAPTIVE ONE CALIPERS SILVERADO RST

Eckes on returning to Bristol:

“Our Adaptive One team did a good job at Milwaukee to start our playoffs with a good points day. We’re in a good spot going to Bristol, and we love going there. Even though we won in the spring, we still feel like there’s some unfinished business from the playoff race last fall. It’d be nice to get another sword, get some more playoff points and punch our ticket to the next round. We’ve had great speed at the short tracks this year and just need keep executing like we have been.”

CONNOR MOSACK, NO. 41 CRAZY AL’S WINE AND SPIRITS SILVERADO RST

How do you sum up your experience in running with Niece Motorsports on a part-time basis this year?

“I feel like the two races haven’t gone as well as we’ve liked, but Las Vegas was my first truck race at a mile-and-a-half and it was also my first start at Gateway, so there’s been a lot of learning for me along the way. Both of those races were good opportunities for me to learn those places and mesh with the new team and crew chief. It’s been good; I’ve enjoyed it, and I feel like both races we improved all day. Going into Bristol, that’s a place I have been before, so I think we can start off a bit better and hopefully end on our best note.”

MATT MILLS, NO. 42 J.F. ELECTRIC / UTILITRA SILVERADO RST

How much, if any, has the Bristol track changed since you made your debut here in 2016?

“Bristol has been one of those tracks that’s been hit or miss for me. It’s a track that doesn’t consistently race the same each time we go there, especially going from trucks to Xfinity cars. I’ve ran races when the track runs like a bottom feeder, but have also seen the top come in. It’s a very fun racetrack to make laps on, and even though my finishes have been hit or miss, I feel like we usually have speed there. We just have to keep up with how the track is going to race.”

DANIEL DYE, NO. 43 CHAMPION CONTAINER SILVERADO RST

Dye on making his NCTS playoff debut:

“I’m really excited to get back in my No. 43 Champion container Chevy. The last time I was in the truck we had a really good day and was able to gain a good number of points. Being inside the bubble is a great spot, and we just need to keep performing how we have been recently to keep this momentum going. We have only gotten stronger in the last couple of months, and I am ready to show it again and get another strong result.”

BAYLEY CURREY, NO. 44 DQS SILVERADO RST

Do you feel confident with how the spring race played out to come back and have another good run here?

“Well, Bristol is one of my favorite tracks that we go to. It reminds me a lot of the 1/5th-mile track I raced on as a kid. I think the racing should be a little more exciting this time around since they’re not spraying the traction compound before the race, so that should widen out the track a bit. I’m really excited about that; I’ve never got to rip the top in a truck, so it should be a lot of fun.”

KADEN HONEYCUTT, NO. 45 MOORE’S VENTURE FOODS SILVERADO RST

Given your short track background, are you happy to see this race in the Round of 10?

“Yeah, I think we’ve worked on our Bristol package a lot over the last couple of months since we struggled there in the first race. I feel like we should be a whole lot better this time, but the track will race a whole lot different without the traction compound. So, that’ll be a toss up, but I think we can qualify in the top-five and that’ll give us a better opportunity to go and try to get stage points. We need to get as many points as we can, but it would be great to win and move onto the next round in the Owner’s Playoffs.”

RAJAH CARUTH, NO. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM SILVERADO RST

Describe Bristol in one word.

“One word to describe Bristol? Badass. It’s the opening scene in Cars. It’s the epitome of pure, short track racing. You get goosebumps every time you pull up to the facility.”

You secured a top-10 finish in your previous two trips to Bristol. What’s the key to success?

“The key to success at Bristol is precision. You have to be plugged in and remain aware of everything going on around you. It is a super fun race track, but you are going fast, there’s a lot of banking, it is tough to see and things happen very quickly. I’ve raced pretty much everything there, from ARCA to trucks to Xfinity. Hopefully, we can build off our past runs and punch our ticket to the next round of the playoffs.”

What would it mean to win at Bristol?

“A win at Bristol would be pretty cool. I first went there when Nick (Sanchez) was running the K&N Series race for REV Racing and I was hanging out with the team while racing in their late model program. It has been one of my favorites ever since. It is the epitome of NASCAR. The drive through the mountains to “Thunder Valley” is awesome. The facility itself is incredible, with grandstands as high as you can see all the way around the track. For the speed I’ve had at Bristol, and just how cool of a racetrack it is, a win would be very special.”

CHASE PURDY, NO. 77 BAMA BUGGIES SILVERADO RST

The last two trips to Bristol you put great together great runs. How do you look to carry the momentum into Thursday night?

“We need to keep our head down and prevent mental errors. We have great momentum at Bristol, we just need to ride that wave and continue to build off our great runs.”

In the past, you had the opportunity to race a Super Late Model at “The Last Great Coliseum.” How much different does the Super Late Model and the truck drive at the track?

“You can draw zero comparisons between the two. They drive completely different. A Super Late Model is a lot lighter and nimble compared to a big, heavy stock car. There’s not much I can take from one to the other, but the extra track time under my belt definitely helps.”

COREY DAY, NO. 81 HENDRICKCARS.COM SILVERADO RST

Day on making his NCTS debut:

“I’m excited to make my start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. I haven’t made many non-dirt racing starts but I’m ready to begin learning more about this type of racing. I know I will face some challenges, but I feel confident in my ability to learn and I know that I have great support behind me with HENDRICKCARS.COM and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. I just hope to represent them well.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 11

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 2,331

Top-five finishes: 53

Top-10 finishes: 110

Stage wins: 17

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 10

· Ross Chastain: 2

· William Byron: 1

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

· Kyle Busch: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 751

Laps led to date: 251,486

Top-five finishes to date: 4,351

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,970

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,196

       Chevrolet: 862

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 837                                                           

       Ford: 737

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 188

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

5 KYLE LARSON
 Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Week: 12th (Watkins Glen)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 9th (-20)

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Bristol
Races	27	358	16
Wins	4	27	1
Poles	5	21	1
Top 5	10	114	6
Top 10	13	177	11
Laps Led	1,089	8,645	889
Stage Wins	10	60	3
Average Finish	14.4	14.2	11.6

• Kyle Larson is the only driver to have eclipsed the 1,000-laps-led barrier in 2024 with 1,089.
• The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is 26 points above the elimination cutoff and will advance to the Round of 12 regardless of what any other driver does by earning 34 points at Bristol Motor Speedway. Larson averages 43 points per race at the Tennessee track in the stage era (since 2017) – his best of all tracks with more than four starts.
• The No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM entry is 31 markers ahead in the owners standings.
• Larson is tied for the most stage wins this year with 10 and is one of only two drivers with double-digit stage victories.
• The 32-year-old driver has run a series-high 3,558 laps in the top five in 2024 and his average running position of 10.21 also tops the series.
• The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy has finished in the top 10 in his last five starts at Bristol. Larson’s longest top-10 streak at a track is six (Kansas Speedway and Phoenix Raceway).
• Larson is the only driver to finish in the top five in all three races at Bristol in the Next Gen Car.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
 Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last week: 19th (Watkins Glen)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: T-6th (-16)

No. 9 Llumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Bristol
Races	28	314	14
Wins	1	19	0
Poles	—	12	1
Top 5	7	100	4
Top 10	13	165	8
Laps Led	213	5,308	444
Stage Wins	1	37	3
Average Finish	11.8	12.9	11.6

• Chase Elliott heads to Bristol Motor Speedway tied for sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff standings, 30 points above the elimination line. He would lock into the Round of 12 by earning 30 points in Saturday night’s race, regardless of where any other driver finishes. Elliott averages 34 points per race at Bristol in the stage era (since 2017).
• The 2020 Cup Series champion is currently riding a streak of three consecutive top-10 finishes at Bristol, posting an eighth-place result in the spring.
• While Elliott’s best finish in a points-paying Cup race at the Tennessee short track is second (2022), he scored an All-Star Race victory there in 2020.
• Elliott’s 444 laps led in points-paying Cup events at Bristol is his third-most on active tracks behind Martinsville Speedway (1,104) and Phoenix Raceway (546).
• The driver of the No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet is tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and two other drivers for the most stage wins at Bristol (three).
• Elliott’s active streak of five top-10 finishes on short tracks tops the series while his points earned on short tracks this season (192) rank third.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
 Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Week: 34th (Watkins Glen)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 10th (-21)

No. 24 Z by HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Bristol
Races	28	244	10
Wins	3	13	—
Poles	1	13	—
Top 5	8	49	2
Top 10	14	97	4
Laps Led	261	2,882	—
Stage Wins	1	22	—
Average Finish	15.1	15.5	17.4

• After the second race of the Round of 16, William Byron is 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff standings, 25 points above the cutoff line.
• In three races at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Next Gen car, Byron has run 289 laps in the top five – ninth-most – and 746 laps in the top 10 – eighth-most.
• Byron has earned two wins and collected 146 points in races at short tracks in the Next-Gen era.
• This season, Byron has run within the top five for 1,825 laps – eighth-most – within the top 10 for 3,719 laps – fifth-most – and has an average running position of 13.547 – sixth-best.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Week: 18th (Watkins Glen)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: T-3rd (-5)

No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Bristol
Races	28	317	14
Wins	1	8	—
Poles	—	4	—
Top 5	7	39	3
Top 10	13	92	4
Laps Led	20	1,321	3
Stage Wins	—	6	—
Average Finish	15.0	19.5	19.6

• Alex Bowman leads Hendrick Motorsports drivers entering the final race of the Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway, sitting in a tie for third in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings, 41 points above the cutoff.
• Bowman leads all drivers in stage points in the playoffs (28) and is the only driver to score points in all four stages thus far. Excluding the Coca-Cola 600 which has three stages, 28 stage points are the most Bowman has earned over a two-race span in his career.
• Bowman will lock into the Round of 12 regardless of what any other driver does by earning 19 points at Bristol, where he averages 24 points per race in the stage era. He has made the Round of 12 in all five of his previous playoff appearances.
• Bowman finished fourth at Bristol in March. He has scored three top fives, four top 10s and led three laps there in his career.
• With eight races remaining in the season, Bowman already has seven top-five finishes, one fewer than his career high of eight, set in 2021. He also has 13 top-10 finishes, placing him in a four-way tie for fourth most and just three behind his most in a season (2021).
• Bowman will join the Chevy Stage display at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Bristol before visiting the Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise hauler at 4:20 to sign autographs for fans with a special wrist band. When merch haulers open this weekend, be one of first 100 purchasers of an Alex Bowman hat, T-shirt, and 1:64 diecast. Purchasers will receive a wristband to return for Bowman’s signing. The 5, 24, 48 merchandise hauler will open at 11 a.m. on Thursday and noon on Friday and Saturday.
• For four years, Bowman and Ally have teamed up to support Best Friends Animal Society and their vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to Montgomery County Animal Care and Control located in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Hendrick Motorsports

2024	All-Time	Bristol
Races	28	1,373	78
Wins	9*	310*	12
Poles	6**	252*	12
Top 5	32*	1,264*	69*
Top 10	53*	2,165*	121*
Laps Led	1,583	81,340	6,431
Stage Wins	12	110	4

*Most
**Tied for most

• At least three Hendrick Motorsports drivers have finished in the top 10 in the last four races at Bristol Motor Speedway, the longest such streak by any organization at the track in history.
• All four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews rank in the top eight in terms of average time for a four-tire pit stop. That list is topped by the No. 9 over-the-wall squad at 10.83 seconds. Chase Elliott’s crew also turned in the fastest individual four-tire stop of the season with a time of 9.076 seconds at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
• In 78 races at Bristol, Hendrick Motorsports has accumulated 69 top-five showings and 121 top 10s, leading in both categories among NASCAR Cup Series teams all time.
• Hendrick Motorsports has gone to victory lane 58 times in playoff races, 21 more than any other team.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on going to Bristol: “I’ll be interested to see how the tire wear is this weekend. We had a pit road penalty, restarted from the rear and still managed tire wear to battle back for a top five earlier this year. I really enjoy this track and this race under the lights, so I am looking forward to Saturday night.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on heading to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend: “I’m super curious because I don’t really know what to expect, right? The spring race was such an oddball from what we had, had. But it really sounds like that people, the higher ups, want that again, that the fans really enjoyed that. And it seemed like, from what I heard at least, they went and had a tire test there here in the last few weeks, and they were trying to recreate that same environment of tire fall off and life and so on and so forth. So, if you throw that into the mix and they successfully achieve that chaos again, that’s going to be pretty nuts, right? Especially this time of year. And truthfully, with this date being moved back another month or so, you could get cool enough temperatures on a Saturday night to maybe achieve that. So, I’m really curious. But like I’ve always said, I think you give teams a second try at something and, you know, if you just take away everything and it was the exact same as it was in the spring, I’d say it probably wouldn’t quite be as chaotic because it’s a second try.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his experience of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway: “I don’t really feel like we’ve ever been the dominant car there. So that’s the goal; try to inch up on that and figure out what we need to be more competitive at Bristol. We’ve had some really good runs, like top threes, but never like leading laps. So yeah, I think going to Bristol, there’s definitely going to be a lot of studying this week to figure out what it is that we need to be a little bit better yet. And then you have the tire, so you’re not really sure what that’s going to do. For us, it would be nice to be under less pressure going there and hopefully have a larger buffer but we can’t change that now. The spring was just a fluke situation. We got put into the wall there and broke the toe link. That was tough. But yeah, I think we’re usually pretty solid there. We’re usually like a top-10 car, we just have to figure out what it takes to have winning speed.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Bristol Motor Speedway: “It would certainly mean a lot to visit victory lane there. Being 41 (points) good on the (Round of 12) cutline is certainly better than being on the other side of it. Myself and our Ally Racing team just need to get there (Bristol Motor Speedway) and execute and do our jobs. I think we all have this big question mark going into the weekend on what the tire is going to do and if it’s going to look like it did in the spring. That was such a crazy race. I would expect the same again since we haven’t changed anything, but I think we all wonder how that happened in the first place. It will be interesting and with the extra practice and maybe we’ll have more of a heads up on what’s going to happen. I think our No. 48 team is sitting in a good spot.”

Bristol Motor Speedway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 18, 2024) – The Bristol Night Race is next on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar with Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team making their second visit of the season to the Last Great Colosseum.

Coming off of a Top-20 finish at Watkins Glens International, Gilliland and the No. 38 team look to bounce back with a strong result at the 0.5-mile track. Frontline Enterprises will debut a new, all-white scheme for the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will start Friday, September 20th with practice and qualifying at 4:00 pm ET. The 500-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, September 21st at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in via the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 Frontline Enterprises Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“I have always been a fan of the Saturday night Bristol race. It’s an iconic, fun race that gives off that local ‘short track on a Saturday night’ feel. I haven’t had the best results there, but I have a really good feeling about his weekend.

“I can’t wait to show off the new Frontline scheme. It’s going to look great under the lights. Brett (Stevens) is a huge supporter of mine, so hopefully I can repay him with a trip to Victory Lane.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“The night race is iconic, for sure. I think it will be a good weekend for us, we just need to execute and perform at a high level. We’re in the final stretch of the season and there’s still races left where we can fight for points and wins. I can see us doing that at Bristol.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

JOSH BERRY
Bristol Advance
No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Round 29 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 21
● Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: .533-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 500 laps/266.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 125 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 250 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The opening round of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs wraps up Saturday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, and while Josh Berry missed this year’s playoffs, the 33-year-old rookie remains very much in contention for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year crown. “The Last Great Colosseum” is expected to be a competitive track for the driver of the No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse. A native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Berry narrowly missed qualifying on the pole in his Cup Series debut on his home-state track’s concrete surface last March. From his second starting spot, he persevered through challenging tire-wear issues that affected the racing throughout the field that day, finishing 10th in the opening stage on his way to taking the checkered flag 12th.

● Berry has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start on Bristol’s concrete surface. Best of his Xfinity Series outings was a seventh-place finish in September 2022, driving for JR Motorsports. His lone Truck Series start there resulted in an 11th-place finish in September 2021, driving for the Rackley W.A.R. team.

● Berry started racing go karts in and around his hometown of Hendersonville at age eight before making the move to Legends cars in 2006, scoring race wins and track championships over the next three years at his hometown Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway.

● Berry first made a name for himself on short tracks, climbing the ranks to earn his seat in the Cup Series by dominating at the grassroots level. During his days driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as part of the JR Motorsports Late Model program, Berry amassed an impressive 95 victories in his 262 starts with the team, with 189 top-fives and 219 top-10s. He was also the NASCAR Weekly Series champion in 2020, finishing every race but one inside the top-10 that season.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers knows what it takes to compete at short tracks. Growing up in the Late Model world before he climbed out of the driver’s seat and began his career as a shot-caller. As a Cup Series crew chief, Childers has tallied two Bristol wins – August 2016 and September 2020, both with Kevin Harvick at the wheel. The 48-year-old also has collaborated on 10 top-five finishes, 16 top-10s, and has seen his drivers complete all but four of 35 Cup Series starts at Bristol.

● Bed Bath & Beyond adorns Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Bristol. The partnership celebrates Bed Bath & Beyond as the ultimate online destination for home essentials, featuring an unmatched assortment for every room of the house. Whether it’s your kitchen, bedroom, outdoor space or bathroom, Bed Bath & Beyond has what you need to create a space that feels uniquely yours. From cookware and bedding to bath accessories and beyond, Bed Bath & Beyond is your go-to source for functional and stylish home essentials.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

This weekend, the same tire compound will be used from the spring Bristol race. What do you expect this weekend, and what did you learn in the spring race that you think might help you?

“I think our group is really adaptable and can react well, and we saw that in the spring. When our team saw how the tires wore out faster and knew we were basically having to rework our strategy, Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and all the guys did a really good job of getting to work quickly and putting together a new plan that was really effective and gave me a car that drove through the field. As a group, we are just staying open-minded to the fact that the race may play out the same as the spring, or maybe totally different – it’s just too early to make that call.”

How important is qualifying this weekend, knowing the tire situation is in a way unknown?

“Having track position to start the race is important and, as a result, getting a good pit stall helps, too. Being able to keep the car clean at a chaotic place and making everyone’s life easier on pit road just takes a couple of variables out of the equations and that’s what it takes to run well at Bristol. Being able to limit the chance for mistakes and maximizing the weekend starts with getting a good starting position for Sunday.”

Is there a benefit to saving tires early, or is track position paramount at Bristol?

“It kind of depends on where you start the run. Like, if you are up front, you are going to have to find a balance of speed, but also saving some tires to get the most out of the run. If you are further back, you can save harder and try to make a run later in that stint. It is really hard to say, too, with how the race in the spring unfolded. I think it will be situational and depends a lot on our strategy, but we had a really good car in the spring and I am confident that our team will build another fast No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse and we can go try to maximize our day and contend for a win. We are more than capable; we just need to put together a complete day.”

No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio