Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway… Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in the inaugural Talladega 500 on September 14, 1969. Childress has won 13 NASCAR Cup Series victories as an owner at the Alabama superspeedway. Kyle Busch became the latest RCR driver to win at Talladega when he captured the GEICO 500 at Talladega in 2023. Clint Bowyer won twice for RCR (fall races in 2010 and 2011) while Kevin Harvick won the 2010 spring event. Dale Earnhardt earned nine Talladega wins under the RCR banner, his first coming in 1984. Earnhardt scored his 76th and final Cup win in the 2000 fall race at Talladega which earned the team and a lucky fan each a $1 million bonus from the series sponsor. Other victories by Earnhardt include a sweep of both races in 1990 and 1999, plus 1991 (July), 1993 (July) and 1994 (spring).

RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway… Richard Childress Racing has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, 11 top-five, and 20 top-10 finishes at Talladega Superspeedway. Two-time Xfinity Series Champion Tyler Reddick drove his No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in April 2019. RCR has won three consecutive pole positions at Talladega: Jeffrey Earnhardt (2022 spring), Austin Hill (2022 fall and 2023) and scored a second-place finish with Sheldon Creed in the 2023 event.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Saturday, April 20, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Talladega… The NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Sunday, April 21, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Club/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway… In 21 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Austin Dillon has two top-five and five top-10 finishes. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has made four starts at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning one pole (2015), and a career-best finish of third among three top-10 finishes. In two NASCAR Truck Series races at Talladega, Dillon has two top-10 finishes.

Bass Pro Shops and RCR’s Commitment to Conservation… The relationship with America’s premier outdoor and conservation company extends far beyond the logo on the hood of Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet. It has led to many great times in the woods and on the water. It has also served as a vessel to bring awareness to the importance of conservation. There is a permanent display located within the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, North Carolina dedicated to wildlife and outdoor conservation. The display was installed by Bass Pro Shops representatives and showcases many of the animal trophies that Childress has taken over the years.

Throwing it Back… Tune into FOX & Friends this Sunday, April 21 for a special LIVE segment on FOX & Friends on FOX News featuring Dillon and a special paint scheme unveil in the 9:30 a.m. ET hour. Dillon, an experienced hunter and conservationist, is appearing on FOX & Friends on behalf of Bass Pro Shops.

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 acquired 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 TRACKER Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service, and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER Off Road was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at Bass Pro Shops (5000 Bass Pro Blvd, Leeds, Alabama 35094) on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. Come visit the Leeds, Alabama store to meet Dillon and shop.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

Talk about racing at Talladega Superspeedway. What kind of race do you expect we will see at Talladega Superspeedway?

“You can do certain things throughout that race to put yourself in a better position, but it’s one of those tracks you go into knowing that there’s probably a 75 percent chance that you could be in a wreck. You have to take that 25 percent and make it yours. I have Talladega Superspeedway circled on my calendar. I love racing there and I can’t wait to get on track in the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off-Road Chevrolet Camaro. Talladega Superspeedway is a little bit different real estate than Daytona International Speedway. At Daytona, you’re packed in there and it’s hard to get to someone’s inside or outside, and there is less movement in the draft. At Talladega, there’s a lot of movement in the draft, the packs are big and wide, and with the way this package works, there is more two-lane racing around the bottom. It’s going to be interesting to see if we can make that third lane work at some point and move around. You’re kind of holding on at times waiting to see what happens. Everybody is pushing, and you’re hoping you can get through the mess.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway… Kyle Busch will make his 38th start at Talladega Superspeedway in NASCAR Cup Series competition this weekend. One year ago Busch won the spring event at the Alabama superspeedway, stretching his fuel mileage to perfection and officially scoring the victory in NASCAR Overtime. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet claimed his second victory at Talladega in 2008 when the Las Vegas, Nevada native didn’t lead until late in that race, pacing the field for 12 of the final 15 laps, scoring the victory in his seventh Cup Series start at the 2.66-mile facility. Busch has two NASCAR Truck Series victories at Talladega (2009 and 2010) and one win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2011).

Did You Know? Busch has more points (77) on drafting tracks at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway this season than any other Cup Series driver.

The Points Chase…Busch is 16th in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, 33 points outside the top-10.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

How cool was it to win a fuel mileage race last year at Talladega Superspeedway?

“Winning is always cool. You strive to get to victory lane every single weekend and celebrate with your team and it’s great when you get there. I’ve not been known as a great speedway racer, so it was especially gratifying to score the win at Talladega, my first there since 2008.”

Do you anticipate the same kind of race at Talladega Superspeedway that we saw in the Daytona 500 back in February?

“I do think we will see similar racing as we did in Daytona with guys trying to modulate their fuel consumption as best as they can to minimize their time on pit road and make their next stop as short as possible.”

You won a Talladega Superspeedway last spring and ran well at both Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season. Does that give you any optimism entering Talladega?

“There’s definitely some optimism entering the speedway races with RCR. Both ECR and RCR have been strong at the restrictor plate races for as long as I can remember and it’s nice when we can continue that trend like we have last year and again this year.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway… Jesse Love has made one career start at Talladega Superspeedway, driving in the ARCA Menards Series event in April 2023. During that race, the Menlo Park, California native qualified in the second position, before leading 35 of 74 laps and claiming victory. In two prior Xfinity Series drafting events this season, Love has captured both pole positions and led a total of 191 laps.

Top-10 Streaking… With a ninth-place result in Fort Worth, Texas, Love extended his top-10 streak to five consecutive races. The 19-year-old finished a career-best second at Phoenix Raceway, sixth at Circuit of The Americas, fifth at Richmond Raceway, and ninth at both Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.

Leader of the Rookie Class… Love continues to lead the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, stretching his lead to 82 points over second-place Shane van Gisbergen.

ARCA Wall of Champions… On Friday afternoon, Love will be unveiled on the ARCA Wall of Champions at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Every ARCA champion since 1953 has their picture proudly represented inside the Alabama facility. Love will be joined at the induction ceremony by ARCA president Ron Drager and his parents, Duke and Elizabeth.

WAT Flying High… For this weekend’s event at Talladega Superspeedway, Love will trade in his standard red-and-white Whelen Engineering colors for the black-and-yellow Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) brand. Whelen Aerospace Technologies is the global leader in high-end lighting products for the aerospace industry. Their experienced staff designs, engineers, and manufacturers high-quality products that provide safety, visibility, and recognition for aircraft across all platforms. The design engineers work closely with OEM and service provider networks to design high-performance products that enhance the pilot experience, as well as provide safety of flight. As an FAA-approved production holder, WAT owns hundreds of STCs for aircraft landing, taxi, anti-collision and position lights. The in-house composite shop produces a wide variety of STC and PMA approved speed modifications for a number of general aviation aircraft. The expansive product line is sure to provide a solution for pilots and owners alike, based on their individual needs.

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.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

How has your teammate Austin Hill helped you, specifically on superspeedways?

“There have been a ton of times, even this week, but especially before Daytona International Speedway, where I would ask Austin Hill three or four questions a week – of why he did this, why he did that, why did this guy do this, etc. – and he always answers and gives me the info quickly. At the beginning of the year, I thought the superspeedways were going to be the hardest thing for me to learn. I thought after the first two races of the year, we were going to be in a huge hole points wise and morale wise, because I had no idea what to do. But Austin has helped shorten that learning curve a lot to where I feel pretty confident at the superspeedways now.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway… Austin Hill has made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, but never captured the checkered flag at the Alabama track. The Winston, Georgia native has claimed two poles and led a total of 141 laps in the last three events, all while piloting the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Hill has also participated in five NASCAR Truck Series events, securing a best finish of sixth in 2019.

Three in a Row? Hill has earned the last two pole positions (fall 2022, spring 2023) at Talladega Superspeedway and on Friday afternoon, the 29-year-old will look to make it three in a row.

Superspeedway Dominance… Hill enters Talladega Superspeedway as the winner of both Xfinity Series drafting races – Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway – in 2024. In those two events, the driver of the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Camaro has started from the second position and led 102 of 289 (35%) laps.

Birthday Boy… Hill celebrates his 30th birthday on Sunday, April 21.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

What is there about superspeedway racing that has been right up your alley since entering NASCAR?

“I’ve been asked this question a lot and when I was first asked it, I didn’t feel like I did anything different than others. First and foremost, you have to have a fast car and our Richard Childress Racing Camaros are always fast when we come to a superspeedway. But as I have gone back and watched races to prepare, I noticed that I make a lot of the right decisions at the right time and take all the runs that I can get. Even if those runs don’t work out early in the race, I try to learn from those and not make the same mistake twice. Some sort of luck is involved, but if you can position yourself in the top four or five, you have a higher percentage of getting the job done. I don’t like to be one of the guys that runs in the back and then when it’s go time, try to drive through the field. I prefer to control the race all day if I can. Take all the runs and be aggressive.”

How do you balance being aggressive with being in contention at the end of the race?

“It’s definitely a balance. There are times and moments in a race that I may not make a move that I would have at lap five or 10. For instance, if it’s later in the race and I’m running seventh or eighth in line, and the top is rolling, I want to strategically make the right move at the right time. I just don’t want to pull out of line. Last year at Talladega in this spring race, I made a bad move at the wrong time. I was second with 20 laps to go and pulled out of line to try and take the lead. The choo-choo train was rolling at the top and I ended up losing a ton of positions. I had to come back through the field, got back up to the front inside the top-five, and was caught up in a wreck. If I would have been a little more patient before pulling out of line, we could have possibly been in front of the wreck that eventually ended up happening. I’m constantly learning though. Talladega has been a track that we’ve always led and competed for the win at but have never been able to get the job done. Hopefully that changes this weekend.”

RYAN PREECE
Talladega Advance
No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 21
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After a solid 12th-place finish last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Ryan Preece carries that momentum to a track where momentum is paramount – Talladega Superspeedway. The sweeping 2.66-mile oval in eastern Alabama hosts the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday, and when Preece last turned laps there in October, he finished eighth after leading eight laps.

● The GEICO 500 will mark Preece’s ninth career NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega with his best result being a third-place drive in his Cup Series debut at the track on April 28, 2019. That race was just the 15th of Preece’s Cup Series career and it remains his best finish with 160 Cup Series starts now under his belt.

● Preece has two additional starts at Talladega outside of the NASCAR Cup Series – one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Preece’s Xfinity Series race at Talladega in April 2016 was his first start of any kind at the track and he came away with a respectable 15th-place finish driving for team owner Johnny Davis. Preece’s Craftsman Truck Series start at Talladega was more recent. He finished fourth in October 2022 for team owner David Gilliland.

● Heading into Talladega, Preece is 24th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings with 137 points. He has moved up six spots in the last two races thanks to his ninth-place finish April 7 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and his 12th-place run at Texas.

● Joining Preece this weekend at Talladega is United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), the largest equipment rental company in the world. United Rentals has an integrated network of 1,449 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,700 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,700 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.3 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index®. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Additional information about United Rentals is available at UnitedRentals.com.

● United Rentals is dedicated to making every lap a lap of honor. Join United Rentals in supporting military veterans and their families through its Turns for Troops program where United Rentals donates $50 for each lap Preece completes during specific races in 2024. Preece has already raised more than $119,000 through the Turns for Troops program, with a goal of racing an additional $67,000 this season. Funds from the Turns for Troops program goes to Operation Homefront.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang Dark Horse

What are your expectations for Talladega, especially considering your strong performance at the track last fall?

“Whenever our team goes to a superspeedway, I feel pretty confident. Racing at superspeedways is like playing a game of chess, and I like to think a lot of us play that game pretty well. At superspeedways, passing and making runs is really tough, so positioning yourself within the first couple of rows is important to have a shot at the end to win. Talladega is also a great opportunity to score stage points, and we see the value in those. We just have to do our best to accomplish those things this weekend because this is a good shot for us to have a really strong result.”

Talladega is a special racetrack in the history of NASCAR. What’s the significance of racing at such a historic venue?

“It certainly means a lot to roll into Talladega knowing that I have an opportunity to race at a track like that. When you think about NASCAR and its history, Talladega is immediately a track that comes to mind. I don’t want to say it’s a blast from the past type of feeling, but it’s very similar to the feeling you get when you roll into places like Daytona and Darlington that have such a storied history in this sport.”

Describe what it’s like to race at Talladega.

“It’s definitely a challenge. There’s certainly a lot going on when you’re behind the wheel at that track. You’re going around there at 190 mph, not lifting, pushing each other, cutting drivers off, and trying to do all these different things that most people think are crazy. It’s not easy, and sometimes we make it look easy, but there’s a lot going on in each 50-second lap time that you turn around the track.”

The unpredictability of Talladega is well known. How do you and the team approach a race with so many variables?

“We all know there’s going to be a big wreck. It’s something that’s pretty much certain to happen at superspeedways. Specifically, we look at this race with a goal of maximizing points. You can do your best to control the race, but points are really the only guaranteed takeaway from this track. Scoring stage points will be really important for us. You never know how Talladega will truly play out. You can watch previous races, but every race at Talladega has different tendencies. Every reaction a driver has due to the situation he’s in is going to be different. You ultimately try to see how the laps are going to play out in the moment, and if we’re in a position to capitalize, we’ll certainly give our best effort to do that.”

You and the No. 41 team have raised $119,000 for United Rentals’ Turn for Troops program. What does it mean for you and the team to lead the charge on this campaign to raise funds for military veterans and families?

“The spotlight needs to be on United Rentals for creating the opportunity for us to be able to do something like this. Knowing that every lap we complete is more money for our troops and their families is obviously a lot of weight on our shoulders. This weekend, the goal is to complete every single lap at Talladega so those families can receive every dollar possible.”

No. 41 United Rentals 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

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

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: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

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

NOAH GRAGSON
Talladega Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 21
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Noah Gragson brings his quiet consistency to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Sunday’s GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race. The driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing comes into the 10th race of the season with three straight top-20 finishes. While none of those performances will be mounted over the mantle, that kind of solid consistency is key to emerging from Talladega with points in hand as opposed to being in a points hole. The 2.66-mile oval is notorious for sending drivers to an early exit via The Big One, the perfunctory multicar accident that dashes any hope of victory and leaves drivers with just a handful of points and a garage full of mangled parts. In three career Cup Series starts at Talladega, Gragson has two top-20 finishes. His most recent Talladega start in last year’s GEICO 500 ended on lap 190 when he was collected in a seven-car melee.

● Don’t let Gragson’s quiet consistency fool you. The Las Vegas-native can also be loud. At the 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway – the sister track to Talladega – Gragson owns two top-10 finishes, including his career-best result of fifth in July 2022.

● Prior to joining the elite NASCAR Cup Series, Gragson spent five years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2018-2022). In eight career Xfinity Series starts at Talladega, Gragson finished 11th or better seven times with six top-10s and three top-fives. His highlight was a victory in April 2022 when Gragson beat Jeffrey Earnhardt to the stripe by .131 of a second.

● Gragson’s first Xfinity Series win came at Daytona in February 2020. He went on to score 12 more Xfinity Series victories before moving to the NASCAR Cup Series.

● Gragson has two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Talladega. In October 2017, Gragson finished 14th. He returned a year later and one-upped his performance by finishing 13th.

● Gragson first took to the Talladega oval in May 2017 via the ARCA Menards Series. It started off well with Gragson qualifying second and taking the lead on the first lap. But on lap 37 of the 82-lap race, Gragson was swept into a six-car accident that ended his day.

● At Talladega in October 2018, Stewart-Haas enjoyed one of its most dominant days ever. The team qualified 1-2-3-4 for the first time in its history. Stewart-Haas drivers then led 155 of the race’s 193 laps (80.3 percent), including the last lap by Aric Almirola, who delivered Stewart-Haas’ milestone 50th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series victory and the organization’s 11th win of the season.

● Overstock.com adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang at Talladega. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Daytona was your first points-paying race with Stewart-Haas Racing and Talladega marks your 10th race with the team. What’s the journey been like so far?

“It’s been a lot of good times, some bad times, struggled some of the weekends, but overall I feel like we learn from those challenging weekends and it seems like we’ve been able to rebound and put some solid races under our belts. A couple of top-10s, a few 12th-place finishes, we just want to keep building on that and minimize the mistakes. I’m excited to get down to Talladega. It’s crazy that we’re already 10 races into it.”

What’s the atmosphere inside the race shop?

“Everybody is on track as an organization and really focused, and everybody’s excited. That’s really good for me. I feel like I can be myself. We’re just trying to make the most of the opportunity and just be the best race team that we can be.”

Is there anything you can apply from the Daytona 500 to Talladega?

“It’s hard because we pretty much just saved fuel the whole race at Daytona. We just kind of rode around. Talladega could be the same way, but you just have to figure out how to get up to the front. You can either be up front or save fuel, and it’s just really hard to pass, so we’re trying to figure that out as a whole.”

What’s the vibe at Talladega?

“It’s basically a party with a race going on in the middle. There’s lot of passionate race fans and a lot of history at that racetrack. It’s just a fun atmosphere. It’s always a privilege to go to Talladega, and it’s even more exciting to do it with this 10 team.”

Your NASCAR Xfinity Series career at Talladega was pretty robust – a win, three top-fives and six top-10s in eight starts. At a venue that’s known to be so full of variables that races are termed crapshoots, how were you so consistently good?

“I just kind of treated it as a rental go-kart race, honestly. If I wrecked, I wrecked, and if I didn’t, well, I didn’t. I’ve always worked to be up front. Led laps there for a lot of races. With that being said, you kind of go in with the expectation of I’m going to wreck and everything else is a positive.”

What’s the difference between a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega and a NASCAR Cup Series race?

“I felt like you could control your destiny back in the day with the Xfinity cars, where now you’re just saving fuel the whole time, so it makes it kind of challenging. You just hold it 50-percent, 60-percent throttle, basically, the whole entire run.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 1st

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

POLE STRING: Last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson won his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series pole position and the 250th for Hendrick Motorsports in NASCAR’s premier series. The 31-year-old driver will look to become the first driver since 2004 to win four straight this Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway. If he accomplishes that feat, Larson will join Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon in winning four poles in a row for the organization.

OUT FRONT: Larson has led at least one lap in seven of the nine races this season for a total of 531 – 136 more laps out front than the nearest competitor. His laps led in 2024 are the most ever by the Elk Grove, California, native through nine races in a season. Larson’s 531 laps led are the most by a Hendrick Motorsports driver at this point in a year since Gordon led 538 at the same point in 2007. When Larson set the Cup Series record for most laps led (2,581) during a 36-race schedule in 2021, he paced the field only 379 times through nine events.

STAGE RIGHT: The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has won the first stage in the last three Cup races. In fact, Larson’s five stage victories are tops this season. With his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, the 2021 Cup Series champion has earned 10 playoff points toward the 2024 playoffs.

5 IN FIVE: Larson has run the most laps in the top five this season (1,514) and is tied for the most top-five finishes (four). He has also been atop the point standings after four different races in 2024. If he retains the lead after Sunday’s race at Talladega, Larson will become the first driver this year to lead the standings after three consecutive races.

POINTS MADE: Since the debut of the Next Gen car in 2022, Larson has earned the fourth-most points at the Alabama track (124). In the first Next Gen event at the 2.66-mile track, he led 32 laps (his most at a drafting-style track) and finished a career-best fourth at the facility.

HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: This Sunday’s race at Talladega is a home race for the HENDRICKCARS.COM team. The Birmingham/Hoover, Alabama, area has three Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Respectively, the No. 5 driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HENDRICKCARS.COM home race this season, there is a unique hat released the week of the race and only available for sale on the trackside merchandise haulers or available to win on HENDRICKCARS.COM. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be available to the public. This week’s Alabama-themed hat will be revealed Thursday and can be seen here.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 4th

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media in the Talladega Superspeedway media center on Saturday, April 20, at 7:55 a.m. local time.

TEXAS TRIUMPH: Chase Elliott scored his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, snapping a 42-race winless streak. After starting 24th, the team’s strategy to gain track position in the first stage worked out when the yellow flag waved while Elliott was leading during the cycle of green-flag pit stops. Elliott ended stage one in seventh and followed that up with a 10th-place result in stage two. In the final stage, the 28-year-old driver managed to hold off his competitors through double overtime to claim his 19th career premier series victory (third on the Hendrick Motorsports wins list) and his first at Texas. It was also the Dawsonville, Georgia, native’s first win with Hooters as the primary partner on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

SOMETHING’S COOKING: So far in the 2024 season, Elliott has one win (Texas), three top-five finishes and four top-10s – all coming in the last five races. He is tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the second-best average finish (10.33), has the fourth-best average running position (10.61) and has spent the fourth-most laps inside the top five (874) and the top 10 (1,521). Elliott has led 126 laps this season, including the record-extending 80,000th for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently sits fourth in the Cup Series point standings, only 32 markers behind the leader.

KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE: After scoring a fifth-place finish at Richmond Raceway, a third-place result at Martinsville Speedway and a victory at Texas, Elliott is riding a streak of three consecutive top-five finishes. His most recent streak of three straight top-five results came last summer at Sonoma Raceway, Nashville Superspeedway and the Chicago Street Course. Elliott’s longest streak of five top fives in his Cup Series career has occurred twice (2019 and 2022).

NEXT GEN NUMBERS: Since the debut of the Next Gen Cup Series car in 2022, Elliott has the best average finish among his competitors (12.45) and is tied for the fourth-most wins (six) following his victory at Texas.

CUT TO THE CHASE: Elliott has a strong history on drafting-style tracks in the Cup Series. Across 37 starts on tracks of that type (Atlanta Motor Speedway since its reprofiling in 2022, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway), he has three victories, nine top-five finishes, 15 top-10s, five pole positions and 506 laps led. In addition to his points-paying triumphs at Atlanta (2022) and Talladega (2019 and 2022), Elliott has two DAYTONA 500 qualifying race wins (2017 and 2018).

‘DEGA NUMBERS: This weekend, Elliott will make his 17th Talladega Cup Series start. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has two victories on the 2.66-mile superspeedway – most recently in October of 2022 – and has collected five top-five finishes and eight top-10s across his 16 premier series starts at the track. This track is one of four where he has multiple Cup Series victories. Elliott’s average finish (13.63) ranks fourth on the all-time list of drivers with at least six Cup Series starts at Talladega. Additionally, at the Alabama track, he has earned the most overall points (189) in the Next Gen car, the most stage points (107) in the last 10 races and the third-most stage points (118) among active drivers.

MOVING ON UP: Following Sunday’s victory at Texas, No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson has 39 Cup Series wins to his credit. He’s second in active crew chief wins behind Rodney Childers (40). Of Gustafson’s 39 triumphs, 19 have come with Elliott, 11 with Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, five with Hall of Famer Mark Martin and four with Kyle Busch.

DYNAMIC DUO: Elliott and Gustafson are in their ninth season together and are currently the longest active driver and crew chief combo in the Cup Series garage. The duo is ranked second among active pairings with 19 points-paying victories. Gustafson and Elliott earned their first Cup Series title in 2020 and the team captured the regular-season championship in 2022.

FOUR TIRES FAST: On lap 84 at Texas, the No. 9 pit crew laid down the fastest four-tire pit stop (9.076 seconds) of the 2024 season, according to data from Racing Insights. The over-the-wall squad has remained the same since 2018 and currently holds the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (10.724 seconds) on the season. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).

GET UP AND GO: NAPA Auto Parts, the Atlanta-based company that has been a primary partner of Elliott in all nine of his full-time seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, will be on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Talladega. This will mark the 12th time the brand has served as the primary sponsor of the Elliott at the Alabama track in the Cup Series. NAPA was on board in October of 2022 when Elliott and the No. 9 team scored their most recent Talladega victory. Get a look at all the angles of the 2024 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 5th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TEXAS THREE-STEP: Returning to Texas Motor Speedway as the defending winner of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series event last fall, William Byron started the race weekend by qualifying sixth. The driver of the No. 24 collected a ninth-place finish in stage one. Employing pit strategy in the second stage, Byron crossed the line in 13th before being propelled into the top 10 running order during the stage break. Early in the final stage, Byron advanced into the top five and maintained that position throughout the closing laps, enduring multiple cautions and two overtime attempts before crossing the finish line in third.

24 IN ‘24: Byron’s 2024 Cup Series season has been nothing short of impressive while setting new personal-best marks through nine races in wins (three), average starting position (9.33) and average finish (10.33). He’s also matched his personal-best marks through a quarter of the season in poles (one) and top-five finishes (four). The Charlotte, North Carolina, native leads the series in wins and is tied for first in top-five finishes with two competitors, including Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and is in a two-way tie for the lead in top-10s (six). Byron is also tied for second with teammate Chase Elliott in average finish among series regulars (10.33), has led the sixth-most laps (149) and ranks seventh in laps run in the top 10 (1,305). He sits fifth in the 2024 Cup Series points standings.

NEXT GEN DUO: Since the introduction of the Next Gen Cup Series car in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle lead the series with 11 wins. The duo leads teammates Larson (eight wins) and crew chief Cliff Daniels (seven wins). Byron also has the second-best average finish (12.94) in the Next Gen car behind teammate Elliott and holds the most wins on drafting tracks – three wins out of 14 starts. In that span, Byron (three) and Elliott (two) are the only repeat winners on drafting-style tracks.

DRAFT DAY: When it comes to drafting-style tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway since its reprofiling in 2022), Byron typically runs upfront. He has four wins on this type of track – the 2024 DAYTONA 500, his first Cup Series victory at Daytona in August of 2020 and two at Atlanta (March of 2022 and July of 2023). Byron also scored a victory in a DAYTONA 500 qualifying race in 2020. He has led 230 laps at drafting tracks since the start of the 2022 season.

TALLADEGA TELL-ALL: Byron will be making his 13th Cup Series start at the 2.66-mile oval when the No. 24 team hits the track this weekend. In his previous 12 starts, Byron has finished a track-best second twice (including last fall) – the most of any drivers entered that has yet to score a win – with 108 laps led (ninth-most of drivers without a win at Talladega). He has the third-best active top-10 streak (two) at the Alabama venue. Since 2022, Byron has scored the third-most points (154) at Talladega. In the past 10 races there, he has earned the second-most stage points (80) and he has the fifth-most stage points (82) across all his starts.

DIGGIN’ DEGA: Fugle is set to call his seventh race at Talladega as a crew chief in the Cup Series. In his first six premier series starts, He has two runner-up results that bookend his time to date in the Cup Series (April of 2021 and October of 2023). Aside from those six races, the Livonia, New York, native has eight national series starts at the 2.66-mile track already under his belt, with seven coming in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Fugle has accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s in those Truck Series races. One of those truck starts was with Byron in 2016, where the duo started eighth and raced to a 10th-place result.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After nine races in the 2024 season, the No. 24 pit crew continues their success from last year. The five-person crew ranks third in average four-tire pit stop time (10.874 seconds). They also clocked the seventh-fastest four-tire pit stop (9.475 seconds) of the 2024 season on lap 139 last weekend at Texas. The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).

LIBERTY U IS BACK: Byron will sport Liberty University on board his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the second weekend in a row. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron, starting in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 30 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 14th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

SUPERSPEEDWAY SUMMARY: The NASCAR Cup Series returns to superspeedway racing this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Earlier this year, Alex Bowman scored a runner-up result in the season’s first drafting-style race in the sport’s prestigious DAYTONA 500, finishing just behind race winner and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron. Bowman has two top 10s in his last four races on drafting-style tracks. He has two runner-up finishes across 37 starts at the drafting track trio of Talladega, Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway since its reprofiling in 2022.

TURNING TO TALLADEGA: The 30-year-old driver scored a second-place finish at Talladega in April of 2019, which marks his best finish at the 2.66-mile track. He is one of only four active Cup Series drivers, along with teammate Byron, to finish second without scoring a win at this venue. In his 16 Cup Series starts at the Alabama venue, he has secured four top-10 finishes and led 67 laps. All of Bowman’s top-10 results have come in the spring race. The Tucson, Arizona, native ranks sixth at Talladega in stage points earned all-time (65) and stage points scored over the last 10 races (63).

HITTING 75: Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will call the shots for his 75th race atop the box in the sport’s premier series this Sunday. The 37-year-old Maypearl, Texas, native has led four drivers in his Cup Series career and has been paired with Bowman for the majority of his races. Across 38 races together, Harris and Bowman have secured six top-five finishes, 12 top-10s and led 87 laps.

FINANCE FUN WITH THE NO. 48 TEAM: April is Financial Literacy Month. The No. 48 team’s primary partner and online banking company, Ally, knows that financial behaviors are learned early. On Tuesday, Bowman, his pit crew and Ally volunteers visited University Meadows Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, to read “Adventures With Money” books and play Jeopardy games about financial literacy with kids in their local community. Last week, Ally held its largest reading day event at Clara Love Elementary School near Texas Motor Speedway with Bowman and over 70 volunteers to reach over 900 students. These readings are two of many that Ally will lead nationwide this year, educating thousands of students on the importance of financial knowledge and implementation.

FAST FIVE: Away from the classroom, the Ally Racing pit crew ranks seventh on pit road for the fastest average four-tire stop (11.196 seconds) this season. The five-person crew is composed of Andrew Bridgeforth (rear-tire changer), Jacob Conley (fueler), Brandon Grier (tire carrier), Allen Holman (jackman) and Donnie Tasser (front-tire changer).

LIVE FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT: Join Bowman with views from his driver’s seat this weekend as the Cup Series field reaches speeds of over 180 mph. Fans can ride along by tuning into NASCAR’s in-car camera on the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Visit nascar.com/drive to experience the race from a driver’s perspective.

IN THE FAN ZONE: On Sunday, Bowman will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson in the fan zone at Talladega at 11:10 a.m. CT in the Ally activation area for a joint appearance. Ally and Hendrick Automotive Group have teamed together to celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary by giving away a 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE through the Ally “Win Your Wheels fueled by HendrickCars.com” sweepstakes. NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports and No. 48 fans can enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar. The sweepstakes will end on Sept. 20, 2024.

ALABAMA BEST FRIENDS: Bowman and Ally are in their fourth year supporting Best Friends Animal Society and their vast network of partners. Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the pair has been committed to a combined weekly donation of $4,800 to a Best Friends network partner local to each weekend’s race. This weekend’s beneficiary is Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, located in Hoover, Alabama. About a 50-minute drive from the track, the shelter has a mission to save abandoned, stray and injured cats and kittens. Take a look at their cats and kittens up for adoption here.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2024	All-Time	Talladega
Races	9	1,354	80
Wins	5*	306*	14*
Poles	4*	250*	13*
Top 5	14*	1,246*	64*
Top 10	18**	2,130*	99*
Laps Led	812	80,569*	3,082*
Stage Wins	6	104	5**

*Most **Most (tie)

FABULOUS 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Among the categories that the organization holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for are all-time wins (306), poles (250), laps led (80,569) and championships (14). With Chase Elliott’s win at Texas Motor Speedway, the team has won at least five races a year in 22 of the last 24 seasons. It is also the second time the team has won at least five of the first nine races in a season (2007 was the other occurrence).

FROM THE POLE: Hendrick Motorsports is the first team to reach 250 pole positions in the Cup Series. The milestone was hit last Saturday with Kyle Larson’s pole at Texas, his third in a row and the team’s fourth consecutive top starting spot in the 2024 season. Across 31 tracks, 20 drivers have won poles for the squad including all four of the team’s current drivers. Team vice chairman Jeff Gordon’s 81 pole positions are the most by a driver in the organization’s history and Daytona International Speedway tops the track list at 23 pole positions.

WINNING TRIO: With five wins among Elliott, Larson and William Byron in 2024, the Rick Hendrick-owned team has had three of its drivers win within the first nine races. The organization also achieved this in 2007 (six wins), 2009 (three wins), 2021 (three wins) and 2022 (four wins). Hendrick Motorsports accounts for five of the 10 instances where a team has seen three of its drivers win in the opening nine races.

TALLYING TOP FIVES: In the last five races in the 2024 season, at least two drivers from the squad have finished in the top five. At Texas, Elliott finished first and Byron placed third. At Martinsville Speedway, it was the Byron-Larson-Elliott trio in a 1-2-3 finish. At Richmond Raceway, Larson placed third and Elliott was fifth. Byron won and Alex Bowman was fourth at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Bowman and Larson finished fourth and fifth at Bristol Motor Speedway, respectively. This is the organization’s longest streak since a seven-race stretch from Darlington Raceway to Pocono Raceway in the 2021 season.

PIT POWER: Based on Racing Insights data, all four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews rank in the top seven among Cup Series teams for the fastest average four-tire pit stop. The No. 9 pit crew tops the board (10.724 seconds), followed by the No. 24 pit crew in third (10.874 seconds) and the No. 5 pit crew in fourth (10.890 seconds). The No. 48 pit crew is seventh (11.196 seconds).

VICTORY FORMATION: Gordon’s six wins at Talladega Superspeedway top the organization’s list, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Elliott’s two triumphs each. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Terry Labonte, Ken Schrader and Brian Vickers each have one victory at Talladega while driving for the organization. The seven drivers to win at this track are the most for one team.

DRAFTING DARLINGS: The Concord, North Carolina-based team has 33 wins on drafting tracks, which is the highest total in the series and 13 more than the next-best teams. The drafting tracks on the circuit are 2.66-mile Talladega, 2.5-mile Daytona and 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway (since its reprofiling for the 2022 season). In addition to its 14 victories at Talladega, the team has 16 wins at Daytona and three triumphs at Atlanta.

NEXT GEN NOTES: Since the debut of the Next Gen car in 2022, Byron has the most wins (three) on drafting tracks and Elliott ranks second (with two). They are the only drivers with multiple victories on that track type in NASCAR’s current stock car used in Cup Series competition. In addition to winning this year’s DAYTONA 500, Byron went to victory lane at Atlanta in March of 2022 and July of 2023. Elliott scored wins at Atlanta in July of 2022 and Talladega in October of 2022.

TO THE POINTS: Over the past four races at Talladega (all in the Next Gen era), Hendrick Motorsports has three of the top four drivers in points scored. Elliott leads all drivers (189 points) by 33 markers, Byron ranks third (154) and Larson is fourth (124).

SETTING THE STAGE: In the last 10 races at Talladega (dating back to 2019), all four of the team’s drivers are in the top seven in stage points earned. Elliott ranks first (107), Byron is second (80), Bowman is sixth (63) and Larson is seventh (55).

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his outlook heading to Talladega Superspeedway: “We always seem to have a fast HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy at the drafting-style tracks with good execution of pit stops, working well with our teammates and having good strategy during the race. We just need to avoid the trouble we seem to get collected in and be there at the end of the race.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for Talladega: “The five team is looking forward to Talladega (Superspeedway), even though our speedway finishing record does not show success for us. At speedways, we always feel like we have a very competitive car capable of running up front, getting some good stage finishes and just executing. Typically, we do the green-flag pit cycles and it’s always fun trying to pit with our teammates and the other Chevrolets. There’s a lot of strategic moves. At the end of the race, it’s always a toss up to how that’s going to go. Unfortunately, a lot of times for us, it doesn’t go well, but our luck is going to turn one of these days. Hopefully, when it does, we’re in a position to have a great day.”​

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset for superspeedway racing: “Superspeedway racing is one of those things that, I don’t know that we all love to do it all the time, but it’s something that I’ve tried to embrace and I’ve tried to try to get better at and put time into. I think it’s easy to look at those events and just kind of skip over them and be like, ah, you know, it’s just a superspeedway race. But they do offer a race win and they offer a lot of points and all those things are still on the line. So, I’ve tried to put emphasis on them. I enjoy going over there (to Talladega Superspeedway). It’s close to home for me.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the opportunities to score points at Talladega: “There’s obviously three laps that pay points, so you’re going to want to be as high as you can get for all three of those. You want to get as many stage points as you can. You want to finish as high as you can and ultimately win stages and win the race. Everybody’s going to try to do the same thing and there’s going to be some different ways to get there. It could depend on how you qualify or where you start, how your car is and what opportunities you have. I don’t think there’s a set roadmap to success, but certainly everybody’s going to try to get as many points as they can.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he approaches the final laps at Talladega: “I don’t think you can really think about when a wreck is going to happen. If Branden (Lines, spotter) says there’s a wreck about to happen or happening, then obviously the urgency goes up to get an inch more or two. It’s really about listening to what he says. He has such a great vision for what is happening and then seeing what the field is doing out the corner of his eye. I try not to think too much about it otherwise and rely on him to tell me. I just race like we’re coming all the way back to the checkered flag. If the caution comes out before that, it’s really just subjective and you deal with whatever happens. If you make a move too early, though, banking on a caution, you could finish somewhere like 10th because you lost momentum.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how to approach racing at Talladega: “We probably have two or three plans that we try to work off of based on what happens. If you have caution-free stages, you’re trying to position yourself for that green-flag pit stop and where you are in the field at that point. No one wants to have fuel saving in a superspeedway race but that’s part of it though sometimes. Depending on how you’re starting a stage, whether you’re in the front or the back, it’s part of it. If you get a caution at the wrong time, fuel savings may not matter but you may not have track position and are stuck in the back. So many things play into it. It’s about give and take. You have to play out all the scenarios and give the driver as many tactics and strategies to put ourselves in the best position to manage the stages and win the race.”
​

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s outlook heading to Talladega: “Things certainly didn’t go as planned last weekend Texas (Motor Speedway), but our team turns to Talladega (Superspeedway) hungry for a strong finish. Our Ally Racing team has certainly seen some good finishes this season and we’re ready to get back on track and compete for another (one). At Daytona (International Speedway), we were really close to a win and that’s what we want. Our No. 48 team has shown we have what it takes to perform well. We just need all the pieces to come together. You never know what’s going to happen at these superspeedways, but hopefully, we can work as a team to come out good at the end of it Sunday.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s approach to superspeedway races: “I think the superspeedway races have been kind of solid for us, even last year when things weren’t going so well. As a company, I feel like Hendrick Motorsports is able to run well working together amongst our teammates at drafting tracks. Our No. 48 Ally Racing team expects to bring another fast Chevy to Talladega (Superspeedway), just like we did at Daytona (International Speedway).”

CHASE BRISCOE
Talladega Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 21
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Back-to-back top-10 finishes have vaulted Chase Briscoe from 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship point standings to 12th heading into the GEICO 500 Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The six-position gain has come via a 10th-place drive April 7 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and a sixth-place run last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. That sixth-place finish in the Lone Star State was Briscoe’s fourth top-10 of the year and his best result in the nine races held so far this season. The driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing is eyeing another solid points tally despite Talladega being a track where drivers often end up pointed in the wrong direction.

● “The Big One” is as tied to Talladega as “Roll Tide” is to the state of Alabama. The mammoth, 2.66-mile oval puts the nearly 40-car field in a 200 mph freight train that always seems destined for derailment. Briscoe, however, has found a way to stay under the radar and come home with solid results and equally solid points hauls. In six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega, Briscoe has only one finish outside the top-15. His average finish of 14.8 is fourth-best among full-time Cup Series drivers, trailing only Chase Elliott (13.6), Todd Gilliland (14.0) and Ryan Blaney (14.5). Briscoe’s best Talladega finish is fourth, earned in last year’s GEICO 500.

● Fourth was also Briscoe’s best result in four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega. In April 2019, Briscoe finished fourth after leading nine laps. It was his only top-10 at Talladega in the Xfinity Series. His other three starts delivered unspectacular, yet safe, results. All were among the top-20, giving Briscoe an average finish of 14.3 in his Xfinity Series career at Talladega.

● Briscoe’s lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Talladega came in October 2017. He qualified a strong fifth but finished 22nd.

● Briscoe first saw Talladega in April 2016 when he made his debut at the track in the ARCA Menards Series. Briscoe qualified a distant 20th but finished the 74-lap race in third. It was the first of nine top-three finishes Briscoe earned that year on his way to winning the ARCA title by a staggering 535 points.

● For the longest time, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway was the track most likened to Talladega. While slightly shorter in length than Talladega, the 2.5-mile oval displayed the same characteristics – pack-style racing and calamitous wrecks. But in 2022 Atlanta Motor Speedway entered the chat thanks to a reconfiguration that turned the 1.54-mile oval into a much tighter version of Daytona and Talladega. Drafting and pack racing are now the name of the game at Atlanta, and when the series raced there nearly two months ago, Briscoe found his groove, juking and jiving all the way to the front where he challenged for the lead before getting collected in a late-race accident. Said Briscoe about that Atlanta race on Feb. 25: “We were able to be up front all day and be super aggressive making moves. I thought we were going to be in a really good spot there, but that’s part of it when you’re racing that tight and everybody is going for it at the end. We were just on the unfortunate side of it today. (The racing) was fun. That was the most fun I’ve ever had here, and I think some of that is just our guys did a really good job of bringing a car that we could be aggressive with and make moves. I’m actually looking forward to coming back here. That was a lot of fun. Guys were just making huge moves and big runs, but we were able to not get close to crashing a lot of times, like we would at Daytona or Talladega.”

● Mahindra Ag North America is in its third year as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team after extending its partnership with Stewart-Haas during the offseason. The multiyear agreement with the NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas continues to feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra offers a range of tractor models from 20-75 horsepower, implements, and the ROXOR heavy-duty UTV. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra Tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Talladega marks the 10th race of the season and you came into this year as the most tenured Stewart-Haas driver. How has it been so far this year with two new teammates in Josh Berry and Noah Gragson?

“It’s been really good. Honestly, it’s probably been my favorite year at Stewart-Haas. All of my teammates are relatively the same age as me. We’re all kind of the same, where we’re at career-wise, and it’s just been a lot of fun from the camaraderie side and just getting to know them better. I just feel like from a teamwork standpoint, we’re way better than we’ve ever been as far as working together. I would say 10 races in we’re farther ahead from a teamwork standpoint, so hopefully we can continue to grow that.”

Six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega and only one finish outside of the top-15. That’s some good, solid consistency at a track where all too often you can leave the race early with your car on a hook. What’s allowed you to be so consistent at Talladega?

“I have no idea. There’s nothing really I do there that I feel is special. It’s just one of those things where luck’s on your side or the man upstairs is looking out for you. We’ve been just fortunate to miss the wrecks there and have good days. Hopefully, with where we’re at from a points standpoint – we’re literally back and forth on this cutline all throughout the season, and Talladega is one of those places where you can lose a lot of points really quickly. Hopefully, we can just have one of those solid days. Obviously we’re going there to win the race, but Talladega is one of those places where if you can just come out of it with a top-15, you’re almost happy just because you didn’t bleed a ton of points.”

Was there anything you learned at Daytona earlier this year that you can apply to Talladega?

“I don’t know if you can learn a whole lot from Daytona. But I definitely feel like Atlanta with just how racey we were and how comfortable I felt in the draft and making moves and being extremely aggressive, I’m going to take that same mentality to Talladega. It’s a little bit different because your balance doesn’t make as big of an impact as it would at Atlanta, but I definitely felt like being on the aggressive side was better than being on the patient side. I feel like I learned a little bit there and just felt more comfortable. That was probably the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in one of those speedway-style races, so hopefully that’ll translate to Talladega.”

So Atlanta also figures into that mix to where it might give you an idea of what you could have at Talladega?

“I don’t think it really translates from a car standpoint. Talladega is such an even playing field for everybody – very similar to Daytona – where at Atlanta the balance of your car definitely comes into play. But just from a standpoint of being comfortable making moves and being aggressive, for whatever reason, at Atlanta the moves just felt like slow motion to me, like everything had slowed down. I’ve never had that happen before, so I’m hoping it’ll be the same at Talladega where everything just kind of feels slower and my mind can process things a little easier.”

What’s the atmosphere like at Talladega?

“It’s probably the most unique one in all of NASCAR. You really just have a party where a race just so happens to be. I mean, they’re there to watch the race, right? But they’re really going there to just hang out, camp out and have a good time. Both of Talladega’s races are at that perfect point of the year for camping, like you have the end of the spring and you have the end of the fall, too. It’s just one of those cool racetracks where everybody’s there to have a good time. If you’re having a bad time at Talladega, I don’t know what to tell you.”

How did racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series prepare you for racing in the Cup Series at Talladega?

“Honestly, I don’t think it really prepared me at all. Just the aggressive level of the Cup Series is so different from what you have in the Xfinity Series. The Cup Series, you have 20 guys who are just really, really good plate racers who know how to make moves and manipulate the air. And on the Xfinity side, you’re only racing against two or three of those guys, and if you put them in the Cup field, they’re kind of on the tail end of those top-20 guys. And the cars drive so differently now, too.”

It seems like there’s always a plan to start the race, and oftentimes it’s driven by the manufacturers. But when the race is underway and variables pop up and split decisions need to be made, how are you able to stick to that plan?

“You stick to the plan because Talladega is one of those places where if you get off the plan, it kind of just ruins your day. Like, you can pit by yourself, but then you’re just hung out to dry. You have to have a plan, but I also I feel like that plan never plays out. You’re constantly calling audibles the whole race because it’s constantly changing. One lap, you might be running 10th, and then you get shuffled and you’re running 28th, and now your plan’s completely different than it was two laps ago. So, you’re constantly calling audibles there. It’s one of those races where the crew chief is super important, and just our communication from an IT standpoint is extremely important when we go to places like that. There are just a lot of variables that go into Talladega.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
Lincoln, Alabama
April 20-21, 2024

DOUBLEHEADER AT ‘DEGA

Coming off yet another tripleheader sweep, Chevrolet’s drivers and teams in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will head to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend to embark on their third superspeedway race of the season. The Bowtie brand sits undefeated in superspeedway-style racing this season, with the manufacturer sweeping the wins across all three NASCAR national series at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in February.

 
CHEVROLET IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

Sunday’s GEICO 500 will mark the NASCAR Cup Series’ 110th race held at Talladega Superspeedway. Chevrolet holds the title as the winningest manufacturer in series’ history at the 2.66-mile Alabama venue, with Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch taking the Bowtie brand to its 44th all-time NCS victory at the track one year ago.

The Bowtie brand’s first trip to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway came with Darrell Waltrip and the No. 88 DiGard Racing Chevrolet in May 1977. A big piece of Chevrolet’s winning legacy at the Alabama superspeedway started in April 1999 when Dale Earnhardt, Sr., drove the famed No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to victory lane – starting an impressive run that saw the manufacturer reel-off 17 wins in 18 races.

Chevrolet has lived up to its winning ways at Talladega Superspeedway during the Next Gen era, with the manufacturer owning wins in three of the four races held at the Alabama superspeedway since the debut of the Next Gen cars at the beginning of the 2022 season. Each victory was earned by a driver from a different Chevrolet organization, including Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (April 2022), Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott (Oct. 2022) and Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (April 2023).

Ross Chastain

No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Apr. 24, 2022

Chase Elliott

No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Oct. 2, 2022

Kyle Busch

No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Apr. 23, 2023

SUPERSPEEDWAY STUNNERS

Chevrolet has undeniably been the manufacturer to beat on superspeedway-style tracks during NASCAR’s Next Gen era. Since the debut of the Next Gen car at the beginning of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 71.4% on superspeedways with 10 victories in 14 races. The Bowtie brand enters the weekend with back-to-back superspeedway victories in NASCAR’s premier series this season, with wins courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (Daytona International Speedway) and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez (Atlanta Motor Speedway).

NASCAR Next Gen Era – Superspeedway Winners

Daytona (Feb. 20, 2022) – Austin Cindric (Ford)

Atlanta (March 20, 2022) – William Byron (Chevrolet)

Talladega (April 24, 2022) – Ross Chastain (Chevrolet)

Atlanta (July 10, 2022) – Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)

Daytona (Aug. 29, 2022) – Austin Dillon (Chevrolet)

Talladega (Oct. 2, 2022) – Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)

Daytona (Feb. 19, 2023) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Chevrolet)

Atlanta (March 19, 2023) – Joey Logano (Ford)

Talladega (April 23, 2023) – Kyle Busch (Chevrolet)

Atlanta (July 9, 2023) – William Byron (Chevrolet)

Daytona (Aug. 26, 2023) – Chris Buescher (Ford)

Talladega (Oct. 1, 2023) – Ryan Blaney (Ford)

Daytona (Feb. 19, 2024) – William Byron (Chevrolet)

Atlanta (Feb. 25, 2024) – Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet)

Suarez became the seventh different Team Chevy driver to reach victory lane at a superspeedway-style track in NASCAR’s Next Gen era, with his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway delivering the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 its 10th superspeedway triumph.

Among those victories, Chevrolet earned no worse than four top-10 finishes in each event – including a manufacturer-leading six top-10s on three different occasions (Atlanta – March 2022; Talladega – April 2022; Atlanta – July 2023) and five top-10s twice (Atlanta – July 2022; Daytona – Feb. 2023).

EYEING DOUBLE-DIGIT ‘DEGA STREAK

Chevrolet is on the horizon of a double-digit win streak in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway. Heading into Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300, the Bowtie brand is sitting at nine-straight NXS victories at the 2.66-mile Alabama venue – a streak that started with a victory by Spencer Gallagher and GMS Racing in April 2018. Within the last six years, seven different drivers have carried the Bowtie brand to victory lane in the series at the track – including two of Team Chevy’s current NXS full-time contenders (AJ Allmendinger – Oct. 2022; Jeb Burton – April 2023).

In the series’ 35-race history at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 65.7% with 23 all-time victories at the track – more than double its current manufacturer competitors combined.

AJ Allmendinger

No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Oct. 1, 2022

Jeb Burton

No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

Apr. 22, 2023

BY THE NUMBERS:

Since the beginning of the 2021 season, the NXS has contested 17 races on superspeedway-style venues, with the Bowtie brand earning 14 victories within that time span. Eight drivers from six different Chevrolet organizations contributed to those victories, led by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill with six NXS superspeedway wins – including Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in February to start the 2024 season.

NXS Superspeedway Winners (Since 2021)

Daytona (Feb. 13, 2021) – Austin Cindric (Ford)

Talladega (April 24, 2021) – Jeb Burton

Daytona (Aug. 28, 2021) – Justin Haley

Talladega (Oct. 2, 2021) – Brandon Brown

Daytona (Feb. 19, 2022) – Austin Hill

Atlanta (March 19, 2022) – Ty Gibbs (Toyota)

Talladega (April 23, 2022) – Noah Gragson

Atlanta (July 9, 2022) – Austin Hill

Daytona (Aug. 26, 2022) – Jeremy Clements

Talladega (Oct. 1, 2022) – AJ Allmendinger

Daytona (Feb. 19, 2023) – Austin Hill

Atlanta (March 3, 2023) – Austin Hill

Talladega (April 22, 2023) – Jeb Burton

Atlanta (July 8, 2023) – John H. Nemechek (Toyota)

Daytona (Aug. 25, 2023) – Justin Allgaier

Daytona (Feb. 19, 2024) – Austin Hill

Atlanta (Feb. 24, 2024) – Austin Hill

TRIO OF TRIPLEHEADER TRIUMPHS

Chevrolet tallied yet another tripleheader sweep last weekend with victories at Texas Motor Speedway by three different organizations: Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1) in the NASCAR Cup Series; Sam Mayer (No. 1 JR Motorsports Camaro SS) in the NASCAR Xfinity Series; and Kyle Busch (No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST) in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Already the only manufacturer to accomplish the feat this season, the Texas trio of triumphs marks the Bowtie brand’s third weekend sweep when all three NASCAR national series are contesting on the same weekend.

The victories were celebrated by an overall near dominate performance by Chevrolet drivers at the 1.5-mile Texas oval – with the manufacturer also claiming the pole, sweeping the stages and leading the most laps in all three events.

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series:

Race Win: Kyle Busch
Pole Win: Nick Sanchez
Stage Sweep: Kyle Busch
Laps Led: Team Chevy Drivers led all 167-laps of the event (Kyle Busch – 112 laps; Christian Eckes – 31 laps; Nick Sanchez – 16 laps; Zane Smith – eight laps)

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series:

Race Win: Sam Mayer
Pole Win: Jesse Love
Stage Sweep: Justin Allgaier
Laps Led: Team Chevy drivers led 154 of 200-laps (Justin Allgaier – 117 laps; Austin Hill – 25 laps; Sam Mayer – fives laps; Parker Kligerman – four laps; Brandon Jones – two laps; Jesse Love – one lap)

In the NASCAR Cup Series:

Race Win: Chase Elliott
Pole Win: Kyle Larson
Stage Sweep: Kyle Larson (Stage One) and Ross Chastain (Stage Two)
Laps Led: Team Chevy drivers led 150 of 276-laps (Kyle Larson – 77 laps; Chase Elliott – 39 laps; Ross Chastain – 33 laps; Austin Hill – one lap).
 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· With 24 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 66.7% with 16 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – six wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – four wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – six wins).

· Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to accomplish a tripleheader weekend sweep in the NASCAR national ranks this season, with the Bowtie brand earning its third tripleheader sweep at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend.

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway:

Kyle Busch – two wins (2023 & 2008)

Chase Elliott – two wins (2022 & 2019)

Ross Chastain – one win (2022)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one win (2017)

· In 109 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 44 victories – including three of the four events since the competition debut of the Next Gen cars (Ross Chastain – April 2022; Chase Elliott – Oct. 2022; and Kyle Busch – April 2023).

· In NASCAR’s Next Gen era, Chevrolet has recorded 10 victories in 14 NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway races – recorded by seven drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.

· Team Chevy’s William Byron is the only driver to have a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – with his victory at Martinsville Speedway marking his 11th all-time victory in the Next Gen Camaro ZL1.

· In 81 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 43 victories – a winning percentage of 53%.

· Within the first three points-paying races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series races season, each Chevrolet organization had already recorded at least one top-10 finish.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 857 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 338
Toyota: 322 (-16)
Ford: 297 (-41)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 295
Toyota: 294 (-1)
Ford: 244 (-51)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 273
Toyota: 240 (-33)
Ford: 224 (-49)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

GEICO 500

Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. ET

(FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Ag-Pro 300

Saturday, April 20, at 4 pm. ET

(FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 JOCKEY OUTDOORS BY LUKE BRYAN CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel heading to Talladega?

“(Laughs) Fine. There’s a lot of one-time winners at that track and I’m in that group, but a lot more wrecks and hurt feelings leaving there and last fall stings really hard. I made an aggressive move and crashed in Stage 1. I want to be running at the end and then we’ll race it out.”

Bubba Wallace said that once he had the mindset of enjoying superspeedway racing that his performance improved. How do you fall into that group? Do you enjoy racing in close quarters?

“I do. In the Truck Series I was the same way; I was so nervous and just trying to survive and I would ride in the back and then I would go race at the end and then I would get torn up. I finally just decided that when I got to a team that was okay with me crashing…that was the other thing, I drove for teams that didn’t want me to crash because that was their opportunity to make money if you could just finish the race – so when I got to the Xfinity Series and the 10 car, they told me to go win and it doesn’t matter if you crash it or not. I’ve crashed a lot on superspeedways but I also have two superspeedway wins (Xfinity and Cup). Not a great percentage but the two wins do go a long way. Yes, I had a mindset change and I agree with Darrell (Bubba) that it makes the week a lot more enjoyable versus dreading going into it.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CAMARO ZL1

Talk about racing at Talladega Superspeedway. What kind of race do you expect we will see at Talladega Superspeedway?

“You can do certain things throughout that race to put yourself in a better position, but it’s one of those tracks you go into knowing that there’s probably a 75 percent chance that you could be in a wreck. You have to take that 25 percent and make it yours. I have Talladega Superspeedway circled on my calendar. I love racing there and I can’t wait to get on track in the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off-Road Chevrolet Camaro. Talladega Superspeedway is a little bit different real estate than Daytona International Speedway. At Daytona, you’re packed in there and it’s hard to get to someone’s inside or outside, and there is less movement in the draft. At Talladega, there’s a lot of movement in the draft, the packs are big and wide, and with the way this package works, there is more two-lane racing around the bottom. It’s going to be interesting to see if we can make that third lane work at some point and move around. You’re kind of holding on at times waiting to see what happens. Everybody is pushing, and you’re hoping you can get through the mess.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1

You’ve had Talladega circled on your calendar since last October. After a tough stretch of races, you’ve got to be eager to see the green flag on Sunday.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back in the Gainbridge Chevrolet this weekend. We’re looking to keep up the momentum we’ve had on superspeedways, so it’s time to shake that monkey off our backs and put together a solid finish like we all know our team is capable of.”

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

How cool was it to win a fuel mileage race last year at Talladega?

“Winning is always cool. You strive to get to victory lane every single weekend and celebrate with your team and it’s great when you get there. I’ve not been known as a great speedway racer, so it was especially gratifying to score the win at Talladega, my first there since 2008.”

Do you anticipate the same kind of race at Talladega that we saw in the Daytona 500 back in February?

“I do think we will see similar racing as we did in Daytona with guys trying to modulate their fuel consumption as best as they can to minimize their time on pit road and make their next stop as short as possible.”

You won a Talladega last spring and ran well at both Daytona and Atlanta earlier this season. Does that give you any optimism entering Talladega?

“There’s definitely some optimism entering the speedway races with RCR. Both ECR and RCR have been strong at the restrictor plate races for as long as I can remember and it’s nice when we can continue that trend like we have last year and again this year.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“Talladega is the place that we all feel like we have equal opportunity. That style of racing has changed, as we learned back in Daytona, especially fuel saving with this car. Our No. 31 Cirkul car was really strong in the first superspeedway race of the year, so I’m excited to get there. I’m also really pumped up to have Cirkul back on the car and hosting them this weekend. Hopefully we can put on good show for them.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at Talladega Superspeedway:

“Things certainly didn’t go as planned last weekend Texas (Motor Speedway), but our team turns to Talladega (Superspeedway) hungry for a strong finish. Our Ally racing team has certainly seen some good finishes this season and we’re ready to get back on track and compete for another (one). At Daytona (Superspeedway) we were really close to a win, and that’s what we want. Our No. 48 team has shown we have what it takes to perform well, we just need all the pieces to come together. You never know what’s going to happen at these superspeedways, but hopefully we can work as a team to come out good at the end of it Sunday.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Harris on racing at Talladega Superspeedway:

“I think the superspeedway races have been kind of solid for us honestly- even last year when things weren’t going so well. As a company, I feel like Hendrick Motorsports is able to run well working together amongst our teammates at drafting tracks. Our No. 48 Ally racing team expects to bring another fast chevy to Talladega (Superspeedway), just like we did at Daytona (International Speedway).

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel after that great run at Texas Motor Speedway?

“I told my team that was the best car we’ve had all year. It’s a bummer that the result doesn’t match the day that we had. It felt great to run and compete in the top five for part of the race and it was just a solid day, in general. Unfortunately, we were on the other side of luck during that late restart. Overall, I’m super proud of my team. That was the boost we needed. I’m looking forward to Talladega.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 ZEIGLER AUTO GROUP CAMARO ZL1

What is the key to a good day at Talladega?

“Of course, the thing is just surviving to the end. I felt like we did a good job with that in Texas and with the Duels at Daytona. Obviously, the Daytona 500 was a different story but I feel like we did everything we possibly could there. I am going try to be a good citizen and help people when I can and, hopefully, people will help me out when they can. We just want to be on the right end of it at the end of the race.”

How do you feel going into this week’s race after your first top-10 finish?

“I feel pretty good. I wish we could take advantage of the metric for qualifying and be able to qualify later, but Talladega is obviously a little different. I am excited to build on that finish and have some positive momentum, especially with Zeigler Auto Group coming on for their first full primary of the year.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1

How would you assess Trackhouse so far?

“We are top five and top-10 on the mile and a half and road courses. The short tracks are where we have the most work to do. I feel like we are just outside the top-10. Hopefully we can close that gap in the next couple of months.”

Are you looking forward to Talladega?

“Honestly, I’m the kind of guy that is looking forward to the next race regardless of where we are racing whether it is on dirt or a superspeedway. I feel like that’s the mentality you have to have. I have learned that if you hate something you will suck at it forever, so you have to change your mindset. In Daytona we ran well, scoring points in every stage including the Duels. I think our Tootsie’s Chevrolet will be just as quick Sunday in Talladega.”

 
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: 6

Poles: 4

Laps Led: 992

Top-five finishes: 19

Top-10 finishes: 33

Stage wins: 7

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 5

· Ross Chastain: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 857 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 747

Laps led to date: 250,167

Top-five finishes to date: 4,317

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,894

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,191

       Chevrolet: 857

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 828                                                           

       Ford: 728

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 183

 

About Chevrolet

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Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 17, 2024) – Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 gener8tor Ford Mustang Dark Horse team travel to the Heart for NASCAR’s first visit to the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

In four previous Cup starts at the 2.66-mile track, Gilliland has three top-12 finishes. Gilliland has shown much speed this year on superspeedways, leading laps at both the Daytona 500 (16) and at the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway (58) for a combined 74 laps lead. Gilliland has also proven to his fellow competitors that he can be trusted as a drafting partner at the superspeedway speeds.

The Cup Series will have qualifying only on Saturday, April 20th at 10:30 a.m. ET on FS1. The 500-mile event will take place Sunday, April 21st at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FOX. Fans can also listen in on the action live from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 38 gener8tor Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“This is a big weekend. Talladega, like any other superspeedway race, is all about surviving and being there in the end. We’ve brought speed to Daytona and Atlanta and we plan on bringing it to Talladega as well. Ryan (Bergenty) and the team have worked all week getting this Ford Mustang Dark Horse ready, I just have to execute and hit my marks.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“This weekend is big for Todd and Front Row Motorsports. Todd has shown much maturity on these superpeedways, the proof is there, we just need to be there in the end. We’re bringing a fast Ford Mustang Dark Horse as usual, Todd just needs to qualify up front and stay out of the chaos. I’m confident we can do that.”

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.

Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 17, 2024) – Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse team head to the 2.66 mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this weekend for NASCAR’s first of two visits to the track.

Talladega has been a great track statistically for McDowell and Front Row Motorsports. For McDowell he has three top-5s and four top-10s in 26 starts, including a third-place finish in the fall of 2022. For FRM, the organization has six top-5s and 20 top-10s, including the historic 1-2 finish with David Ragan and David Gilliand in the 2013 spring race.

McDowell and the No. 34 team will once again have Love’s Travel Stops and their truck care partner, Chevron Delo, racing with them this weekend. Chevron Delo is the maker of top performing heavy duty engine oils, coolants, antifreezes, transmission fluids, gear oils, greases and hydraulic oils.

The Cup Series will have qualifying only on Saturday, April 20th at 10:30 a.m. ET on FS1. The 500-mile event will take place Sunday, April 21st at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FOX. Fans can also listen in on the action live from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops / Delo Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“This weekend is a big one for us. We want to take advantage of it. It’s going to be a real fight for these playoffs spots now throughout the summer. Every race will matter. We have a good chance at Talladega. It’s just a matter of executing, putting ourselves in the right position at the end and being there on the final lap.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“I feel like we have learned a lot about this car to run up front, we’ve showed we have speed at the superspeedways. At the same time, you never know what you will get out of races at Talladega. We just need to keep out of trouble and position ourselves well for the stage ends and race finish.”

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.