Category: NASCAR Cup PR

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
February 23-24, 2024

TRIPLEHEADER AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Coming off a weekend sweep at Daytona International Speedway, momentum is on the side of Chevrolet’s drivers and teams as all three NASCAR national Series will head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for back-to-back weekends of superspeedway-style racing. The second stop of the 2024 season will feature a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) doubleheader on Saturday, February 24, followed by the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, February 25.

This weekend marks two years since Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a massive reprofiling, including a complete repave, increased banking and narrowing of the track width – now providing teams with superspeedway-style racing at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue. Since competing on the revamped configuration, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to win in all three NASCAR national series – earning three wins in four NCS races (William Byron – two; Chase Elliott – one), two wins in four NXS races (Austin Hill) and one win in two NCTS races (Christian Eckes).

 PACING IN THE PEACH STATE

Chevrolet has amassed a series-leading wins record across all three NASCAR national series at Atlanta Motor Speedway – heading into the weekend with 44 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and 10 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.

Newly-crowned Daytona 500 Champion William Byron is the track’s most recent winner in NASCAR’s top division (July 2023). The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native was leading the field at lap marker 185 when inclement weather forced the race to be deemed official. Byron led a quartet of Team Chevy drivers in the top-five, including a podium sweep with Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez (second) and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger (third).

Also coming off a win at Daytona International Speedway, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill is credited with both of Chevrolet’s NXS wins at the reprofiled Georgia venue – earning back-to-back victories in July 2022 and March 2023.

One year ago, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes put Chevrolet back on the map in the NCTS at Atlanta Motor Speedway – delivering Chevrolet its first win in the series at the track since 2016. The victory came in only Eckes’ third NCTS start under the Bowtie banner – marking his first of a series-leading four victories last season.

 MAKING HISTORY

The 2024 NASCAR season-opener weekend started with Chevrolet reaching a milestone feat at Daytona International Speedway. Nick Sanchez and Rev Racing became first-time winners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway – a victory that also earned Chevrolet its milestone 100th NASCAR victory at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway. Fellow Team Chevy drivers William Byron and Austin Hill also picked up victories in their respective series to give the Bowtie brand a weekend sweep at the “World Center of Racing”. Chevrolet – the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway – is now the only manufacturer in series’ history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway more than once – also accomplishing the feat in 2018.

SANCHEZ, CARUTH START 2024 WITH CAREER-BESTS

With just one race in the books for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth have already tallied career-best finishes.

Enduring a caution-filled race and an overtime finish, Sanchez and Rev Racing claimed the victory in the NCTS’ season-opener at Daytona International Speedway – marking the first-ever win for both the driver and the team in the series. The victory came in Sanchez and Rev Racing’s sophomore season in the series, who are now competing as a technical alliance team with Spire Motorsports. Entering his seventh consecutive year with Rev Racing, Sanchez has now won in every series in which he has competed with the team. Sanchez’s previous career-best finish came at Atlanta Motor Speedway last season – finishing in the runner-up position by a mere 0.078-second margin to fellow Team Chevy driver Christian Eckes.

Also embarking on his second season in the series, Rajah Caruth topped his previous career-best sixth-place finish by driving his No. 71 Silverado RST to a third-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. A former teammate to Sanchez at Rev Racing, Caruth has teamed up with Spire Motorsports for the 2024 season as part of the organization’s full-time truck stable. The 21-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native’s rookie NCTS campaign included four top-10 finishes and a 16th-place finish in the series’ final points standings.

BUSCH SET TO MAKE NCTS RETURN

Kyle Busch – the most decorated driver in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ history – is slated to make five starts in the series this season, with his first on tap at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. Busch’s five-race stint in the series will be behind the wheel of the No. 7 Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports, where the Chevrolet driver also serves as a consultant for the organization’s truck series program.

The 38-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, native holds the title as the winningest driver in NCTS’ history with 64 all-time victories in the series. The 2023 season marked Busch’s first time competing in the series under the Chevrolet banner. In four of his five NCTS starts, Busch earned finishes no worse than second, including two victories. Busch’s most recent NCTS start at Pocono Raceway (July 2023) ended with a monumental victory – earning Kyle Busch Motorsports’ milestone 100th and final victory in the series. The Team Chevy driver has made 13 NCTS starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway – compiling six wins, nine top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at the track.

 
NEXT GEN CAMARO ZL1 LEADS IN SUPERSPEEDWAY TRIUMPHS

The 2024 season marks the third year of competition for the Next Gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. Since making its competition debut, the Camaro ZL1 has amassed wins in nine of the 13 superspeedway-style races – earning a winning percentage of nearly 70%. Further proving the strength across the Chevrolet camp, six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams have contributed to those triumphs:

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 20, 2022) – William Byron

 Talladega Superspeedway (April 24, 2022) – Ross Chastain

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 10, 2022) – Chase Elliott

 Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 29, 2022) – Austin Dillon

 Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2, 2022) – Chase Elliott

 Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 19, 2023) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

 Talladega Superspeedway (April 23, 2023) – Kyle Busch

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 9, 2023) – William Byron

 Daytona International Speedway (Feb.19, 2024) – William Byron

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will make its pacing debut for the 2024 NASCAR season this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Fr8 208; the Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s RAPTOR King of Tough 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.

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

William Byron – two wins (July 2023; March 2022)
Kyle Busch – two wins (Sept. 2013, March 2008)
Chase Elliott – one (July 2022)

· In 119 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 44 victories – most recently by the newly-crowned Daytona 500 Champion, William Byron, and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team (July 2023).

· Since the debut of the Next Gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, Chevrolet has won nine of the 13 superspeedway-style races – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams.

· For the second time in history, Chevrolet swept the wins across all three NASCAR national series in the season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway – making Chevrolet the only manufacturer to accomplish that feat more than once.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 852 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: 40
Toyota: 34 (-6)
Ford: 28 (12)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 40
Toyota: 35 (-5)
Ford: 31 (-9)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 40
Toyota: 35 (-5)
Ford: 30 (-10)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series: Ambetter Health 400
Sunday, February 25, at 2:30 p.m. ET
(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series: RAPTOR King of Tough 250
Saturday, February 24, at 5 p.m. ET
(FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Fr8 208
Saturday, February 24, at 2 p.m. ET
(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1

How does it feel to be going to Atlanta this weekend as it’s only the second race of the season?

“It feels a little odd to be going to Atlanta so early in the season since it’s right after Daytona. We usually head out west and then come back to Atlanta. I’ve run second there a couple of times on the reconfigured surface so I feel like I at least have a little bit of an understanding on how to run the track there. It’s not exactly like a Daytona superspeedway but there are elements that feel superspeedway-like. Hopefully we can get the Moose Fraternity Chevrolet in victory lane this weekend.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Camaro ZL1

With the hybrid that is Atlanta Motor Speedway now, what did you have to learn to be successful at that track given the change in the track and change in the car?

“I haven’t been as successful as I’ve wanted to be at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so I’ve got to go to work on that one. In the first race we competed in on the new Atlanta Motor Speedway configuration, we were pretty good. I got turned at the end of the stage, and if we didn’t, we would’ve finished second or third. That was probably one of the best cars I’ve had there. Past that, Atlanta has been difficult because I’ve had some massive hits there.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Celsius Camaro ZL1

Recently, you’ve had a couple really good runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so it seems like a place that’s climbing your list of favorite tracks.

“Since the Atlanta reconfiguration our Spire Motorsports team has had a good handle on it. As the surface has aged over the last several years it will look less like a Talladega and more like a really compacted pack at Charlotte. Handling will be a premium and with no practice we’re hoping we can nail down a good package in our Celsius Camaro. We’ve been in contention here multiple times and we’re going this weekend to try and do the same thing.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on Atlanta Motor Speedway, especially with the relatively new configuration?

“Driving at the new Atlanta configuration is definitely challenging just due to the fact that it’s really, really fast and it’s a mile-and-a-half so it seems like the superspeedway speeds that you get at a mile-and-a-half make everything go by really quick and things happen quick, faster than a superspeedway. That’s definitely the challenging part. Understanding the grip level of what the cars have in the draft and the moves you can make is also pretty challenging. It’s easier for everybody to go fast with it being restrictor plate style racing and everybody being able to hold it wide-open for the most part is what makes it a plate race.”

Last year you won early and often. How important is it to get that out of the way early, then concentrate on what’s next?

“Yeah, no, winning early, man, that’s huge for your season. It kind of sets the tone, gives you a chance to know you’re in the Playoffs. You just have to make sure you keep everything else in order. If you’re getting into the July, August months, and you don’t have a win yet, it gets stressful. That’s not going to be a place where you want to get to.”

You had two top 10s at Atlanta last year. You really took to that track quickly, the reconfiguration, with a different car. What is it about it or are you just easy acclimation?

“We got lucky last year in the fifth-place finish because we stayed out on fuel mileage and then the rain came and gave up that opportunity. Track position is hard to get there. It’s hard to pass. It’s two lanes, two-wide. I felt really good about my car. I felt like I could go to the bottom and rip the bottom better than anybody, but then there was no room to get back in line on the top to get the straightaway speed you need. I kept getting sucked backwards every time I would try to pull out of line and try to make a move. It’s just hard to be patient in those situations and sit and ride.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

“I’m looking forward to another superspeedway-style race in Atlanta this week. I’ve personally never ran this NextGen Cup car at Atlanta, but I can remember the last few years watching as a fan and thinking it looked like absolute chaos. I’m excited to be part of that chaos this year and hopefully in the mix in our No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1, just like we were in Daytona.”

Zane Smith, No. 71 City of Refuge Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on your first Daytona 500 with the Spire Motorsports Team?

“I’m super happy with how our team executed Daytona. I had a really fast WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro and the guys worked hard all off-season to bring a fast car to the track. That was an intense race and we avoided two big crashes, finishing 13th. I learned a lot through that race. We have great momentum heading into Atlanta this weekend and I’m looking forward Sunday.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Premier Security Solutions Camaro ZL1

“We’re hungry and ready to go run after a disappointing day at Daytona. We’re looking at this race as if it’s the first one. There’s nowhere else to go but up from last week. The whole team is ready to go, I can promise you that. We’re lucky enough to have a longtime sponsor, Premier Security Solutions, on our No. 77 Chevrolet this weekend and again next weekend in Las Vegas. Hopefully we can put on a good show for everyone.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on Daytona?

“I was really happy with my race team. They had a great strategy and got us points in the Duels and then in both stages on Monday. I thought this was my best chance to win a Daytona 500. We led in the final 15 laps and it was looking good. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and when that happens there isn’t much you can do. Very proud of my race team.”

You ran second in the second race at Atlanta last year. Drivers call that track a hybrid and why are you so good at it?

“I have good cars. I have good execution from my team, and it’s a lot about being patient. It’s a lot like racing in Daytona. I think things have worked out a few times for us in Atlanta, and every time we go to a road course we are competitive. If you ask William Byron last year how many times he had a car capable of winning a race – 15, 18? – and he won six. I had a car capable of winning a race maybe three times last year. You have to have more shots than that because a winning car doesn’t mean you’re going to win the race. You still have to execute; it has to play out. If you want to win a couple of races, you have to have eight to 10 winning cars. So that is what we were lacking – consistency. One weekend we can show up to a racetrack and we were top five and the next weekend we were 20th. I feel like the 99 team is the most prepared it has been in years.”

 
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: 1
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 62
Top-five finishes: 3
Top-10 finishes: 4

Stage wins: 1

· Chase Elliott: 1 (Daytona)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 852 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 743
Laps led to date: 249,237
Top-five finishes to date: 4,301|
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,865

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,186

       Chevrolet: 852

       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: 180

 

About Chevrolet

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

JOSH BERRY
Atlanta Advance
No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Ambetter Health 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 25
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Josh Berry heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway on the heels of his first Daytona 500, where the rookie started 30th after suffering a mechanical issue in his Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying race. Berry and the No. 4 team finished 25th in the rain-delayed crown jewel event Monday but showed speed throughout the 500-mile race, running as high as second before being collected in an incident on pit road.

● This Sunday, Berry heads to the superspeedway-like Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second points-paying race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. Coming off the Daytona 500, Berry is focused on implementing the lessons he learned from last weekend when he takes to the 1.54-mile Atlanta oval. Berry has made six NASCAR Xfinity starts at Atlanta, four of them on the track that was repaved and reconfigured to facilitate superspeedway-style racing prior to the 2022 season. In those four most recent starts, the driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang has one top-five finish, two top-10s, and has started each within the top-10. His best finish came in July 2022, when Berry took the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Coincidently, that Xfinity Series car was also sponsored by Harrison’s.

● The 33-year-old driver has 47 Xfinity Series starts on intermediate tracks – tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length. Of Berry’s five series wins, four of them have come on intermediate tracks – Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, and twice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

● Berry also has turned laps in the NextGen car at Atlanta when he filled in for an injured Chase Elliott a year ago. In that race – his second time in the NextGen car – he started 21st and finished 18th. Most importantly in that race, Berry experienced drafting and racing the latest-generation Cup Series car on the new Atlanta layout.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers will dive deep into his notebook for Atlanta in preparation for Sunday’s Cup Series race. Childers has called the shots for two wins, five top-five finishes, nine top-10s, and 1,123 laps led at the track. In fact, in Childers’ first race with former No. 4 driver Kevin Harvick in 2014, the duo won the pole position on the old Atlanta layout. They then found victory lane in 2018 after leading 181 laps. Just two year later, Childers and Harvick found their winning combination again and led 151 laps in that event.

● Harrison’s makes its debut on the No. 4 Ford Mustang Sunday, sporting the green and brown colors synonymous with hard work. The green represents grass and farm produce while the brown accents represent dirt and hard-working blue-collar Americans. Harrison’s will be the primary partner for two races this season – Sunday at Atlanta and May 19 during the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. The Spartanburg, South Carolina-based clothing and footwear company has ridden to victory lane on two occasions with Berry in the Xfinity Series – the first at Charlotte in May 2022 and then at Las Vegas in October 2022.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang

You just finished the Daytona 500 – a speedway-style race. Now you’re heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway, which now has a similar racing style. What carries over and what doesn’t from last week at Daytona to this week at Atlanta?

“I think there will be a lot of similarities with the draft, the strategy, and continuing to work on the communication with Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and Eddie (D’Hondt, spotter). The biggest difference at Atlanta is that it’s starting to age a little bit. Hopefully, handling becomes a little bit more of a factor this time around.”​

Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers have won twice together at Atlanta. How much are you leaning on Rodney’s success with Harvick in preparation for this weekend?

“With Rodney’s success there, the only thing that is similar is the location. The reconfiguration and the repave have really changed the racing at Atlanta, so we have a new opportunity to continue their success in the past, but basically on a new layout. I think with the way we could work through the field in Daytona, that gives us confidence heading into the weekend that we can do the same at Atlanta.”​

What does it mean to have Harrison’s on board for the first time this weekend at Atlanta?

“I’m excited to have Harrison’s on board this weekend. They have been a big supporter of mine throughout my career and I’ve had a lot of success with Harrison’s, so hopefully we can continue our luck together and win a race that is pretty close to their home base.”

What are your expectations heading into Atlanta?

“There were a lot of positives coming out of the Daytona 500 weekend. Obviously, we experienced some issues here and there but I thought our team showed a lot of speed and we were able to race up front a good bit. So my expectation is that we can do the same thing and build off our first weekend and continue to race up front. Hopefully, this weekend we can get a better finish than what we had last week because that didn’t represent the race we ran.”

No. 4 Harrison’s Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard

Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Kraus to Compete in Limited Schedule in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1

 LEXINGTON, N.C. (February 22, 2024) – Kaulig Racing announced today that Derek Kraus will make his NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) debut in the No. 16 Western States Flooring Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kraus, who made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts for Kaulig Racing in 2023 and earned three top-10 finishes, will also compete in a limited NCS schedule in the team’s No. 16 Camaro ZL1.

“I’m really excited to make my first Cup Series start with Kaulig Racing, the team that I also made my Xfinity Series debut with!” said Kraus. “I’m thankful to Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice for believing in me, as well as Western States Flooring, a partner that has supported me throughout my career. I can’t wait to get to work with Travis Mack’s group and see what we can do in Las Vegas.”

Although he will make his first NCS start in Las Vegas, Kraus practiced and qualified the No. 16 Camaro ZL1 in 2023 at Richmond Raceway, while teammate, AJ Allmendinger, competed in the NXS race at Road America before flying to Richmond to compete in the NCS race that Sunday.

“We’re excited to have Derek Kraus make his first Cup start with us at Kaulig Racing,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “Not only did he practice in the No. 16 last year for AJ Allmendinger, but Derek is our simulator driver that helps get our setups ready each week. We know what Derek is capable of, and we can’t wait to see what he can do starting in Las Vegas.”

Following his NCS debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kraus will compete in the following races:

• Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway
• AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway
• Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway
• Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway
• NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway

About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Atlanta Advance

Event Overview

● Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 25
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Grady Health Ford Mustang

● Justin Haley will make his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, in the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing (RWR). The 400-mile race marks the debut of new primary partner Grady Health. In six starts at the 1.54-mile superspeedway-style oval, Haley has two top-10 finishes with a best of seventh earned in July 2022.

● For the first time since 2019, the Cup Series will visit Atlanta for round two of the points-paying season. In the four years since, the series followed the season-opening Daytona 500 with the three-race West Coast Swing at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. This marks the third season NASCAR will compete on the reconfigured Atlanta layout that turned the 1.5-mile intermediate track into a venue that produced superspeedway-style racing action like that seen at Daytona (Fla.) International Superspeedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

● In addition to his Cup Series resume at Atlanta, Haley has made six starts at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he’s posted top-10 finishes each time. Three of those were top-fives. His best finish on the current Atlanta configuration was fourth in the July 2023 race.

● The native of Winamac, Indiana, competed in his eighth Daytona 500 Monday after it was postponed Sunday due to rain. Haley started 22nd and made it through the first 60-lap stage without incident. He began the second stage 25th before teaming up with the Ford Performance drivers to form a third line and pushed Joey Logano to the front of the pack. Haley spent 20 laps within the top-three and then stayed in the top-five as the Ford camp began to prepare for green-flag pit stops. Miscommunication during the pit stop left Haley short on fuel and forced him to pit prior to the conclusion of Stage 2, leaving him one lap down to the leaders. He was unable to get back onto the lead lap during the final stage that was nearly caution-free. He finished 26th.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang

● Kaz Grala is set to make his first Cup Series start at Atlanta in the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang for RWR. Grala owns three Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta with a best-finish of 14th in July 2023.

● Atlanta marks Grala’s second event with RWR, his first coming at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the season-opening non-points Busch Light Clash. The 25-year-old driver just missed out on advancing to the Clash feature following an adjustment to the qualifying format due to inclement weather.

● Grala competed in Monday’s Daytona 500 with Front Row Motorsports, racing his way into the event in his Blue Green Vacations Duel qualifying race Thursday. The Boston native started Monday’s race 26th, but he was caught up in a multicar accident on lap five that ended his bid. He was credited with a 38th-place finish.

● N29 Capital Partners returns for its second race with Grala’s No. 15 team. N29 Capital Partners financially supports early stage startup companies that have created products or services that are disruptive in their industry.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● The 2024 drag racing season unofficially kicked off two weeks ago in Bradenton, Florida, during the PRO Superstar Shootout, where RWR’s Clay Millican promptly set fast time in the first round of qualifying with an elapsed time of 3.688 seconds and a speed of 336.49 mph, and then remained atop the leaderboard by securing the No. 1 qualifying position. Millican advanced all the way to the final round of eliminations, a stout performance that highlighted an expanded role this season by longtime partner Parts Plus on the No. 51 Top Fuel Dragster, and the addition of NHRA veteran Nicky Boninfante as co-crew chief.

● In the first racing event of the 2024 season, Cody Ware scored a podium finish Jan. 20 on the 12-turn, 3.56-mile Daytona road course driving a Ligier JS P320 in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge LMP3 class. The following weekend, Ware and teammate Preston Pardus competed in the twin Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup races at Daytona.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

● In 2023, RWR enjoyed three NHRA Top Fuel wins with Millican, two Progressive American Flat Track wins with rider Briar Bauman, and multiple WSX victories with riders Shane McElrath and Joey Savatgy coming off their 2022 WSX championship.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

Atlanta has moved up to the second points race of the season. Is it a bit easier to carry the momentum from Daytona without the West Coast break you’ve typically had in between?

“It can be. The newer Atlanta has more of the superspeedway-type racing now. You still get some pack racing but the runs build a lot faster on the shorter mile-and-a-half track, so it’s a little bit easier but just as risky to try to make a move. We’re already in that headspace and focused on that style of racing, so to go from a superspeedway to a track that races the same is super helpful and makes it a lot easier to stay in that place. We saw at Daytona that we have the speed we need to be up front, so if we can clean up some of the pit road stuff, we can definitely be competitive and carry over what we started there.”

The No. 51 team has been off to an impressive start. A strong run at the Clash in qualifying and the race, and the same just a few days ago in the Daytona 500. There are always some highs and lows when building a team. How are you feeling about the progress made so far?

“I feel like we’re doing a good job. We are definitely showing that changes are happening, improvements are being made. After the Clash, I felt like a lot of guys that have been with RWR for a while saw that we could do this and be competitive and run well. Then we went to Daytona and were running up front. A mistake on pit road was a little bit of a step back that took away from that, but we still did it. We were still showing that we are capable. It’s a good feeling.”

You were excited to work with the Fords on the superspeedways and I think we all saw why. How will that help moving forward?

“Atlanta has a similar style of racing to it, where maybe that teamwork isn’t as crucial, but it can certainly help your effort at the end of the day. Everyone at Ford has been super welcoming. I feel like I have been on the Ford simulator more this year than I had been the previous two years, which is big for me. Everyone has just been so nice and that is refreshing. I am super excited to continue working with them I honestly can’t say enough. It is a scary transition to go to a different manufacturer and a different team, but I don’t know anything that could have been done differently to make me feel more welcome.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

You got a chance to compete in the new Ford Mustang at Daytona. Did that give you enough experience to know what to expect at Atlanta?

“I feel like it did between the Duel on Thursday and the little bit of the race we got to run on Monday. The feel of the car is important and knowing what to expect, but I did get a chance to work with the Fords and I feel really good about that partnership. We’ve seen the Fords qualifying really well at Atlanta, so hopefully we’ll have a good run and be able to stay ahead of anything that may happen early on.”

This will be your second race with RWR this year. How did things go at the Clash, and how is the team adapting to a new driver and new expectations?

“I’m excited to get back into the No. 15 this weekend. We learned a lot in L.A., and I think we’ve learned a lot since then. I feel like there’s a lot of great potential there. The people at Rick Ware Racing and the new tools, the new processes, definitely have the potential to run well. It’s all so new that I don’t know that we’ll be able to plug it in and just go run up front in the first 10 races. That may be ambitious, but I think over the course of the year, and certainly over the course of the next few years, where the team is going and what their plans are, I think absolutely will work. I’m excited to be a part of that so far and definitely look forward to what that could look like later this year when things really start clicking and firing on all cylinders. I think we can do a lot.”

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
ERIK JONES

CLUB NOTES

New Look for JHN: John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE will carry a new paint scheme this weekend as Family Dollar holds its first primary-sponsored race of the season. Additionally, vendor partners Henkel, Oreo, and Purina Dog Chow will have associate sponsor placement on the No. 42 for Atlanta.

Top-10’s for the CLUB in Daytona: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB showed a lot of promise during the DAYTONA 500 with both full-time drivers finishing inside of the top-10. Nemechek and his No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE finished seventh and teammate Erik Jones wheeled his No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE to an eighth place finish. This marks the first time that both drivers scored a top-10 finish in the same race since the acquisition of the No. 42 entry in 2022.

2X Atlanta winner: Nemechek holds the unique accomplishment of being the only active driver to date to win on both configurations at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2016, Nemechek capitalized on a late-race restart where he led the final eight laps to secure his second-career NASCAR Truck Series victory on the old pavement. Last season, he made a thrilling pass with only three laps to go and hung on to win the fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series race of his career.

The DAYTONA 800: Mother Nature forced the postponement of all track activity in Daytona on Saturday and Sunday, and because of that Nemechek endured the longest day of his professional racing career. Nemechek started 10th in the DAYTONA 500 finishing seventh in the No. 42 Dollar Tree Camry XSE. Approximately one hour later, Nemechek switched focus to the Xfinity Series, finishing the day with another seventh-place result. The distance Nemechek drove Sunday is equivalent to traveling by car from Charlotte, N.C. to Boston (with just one rest stop).

JHN doubles down in the ATL: After he qualifies the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE for the NASCAR Cup Series event, Nemechek will make his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the year in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Pye-Barker GR Supra on Saturday.

JHN media avail: Nemechek will hold a desk media availability on Saturday, Feb. 24 where he will speak to reporters in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center at 10:15 a.m.

NASCAR x NFL: This weekend Jones will team up with NASCAR’s Growth and Engagement Ambassador and New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara for a kid-focused event. On Saturday, Feb. 24, Jones and Kamara will take part in a Q&A session. This event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Kids Zone.

AdventHealth hospital visit: In partnership with AdventHealth, Jones will visit AdventHealth Gordon (formerly Gordon Hospital) in Calhoun, Georgia. AdventHealth Gordon in Calhoun, Georgia, formerly Gordon Hospital, is now part of the AdventHealth network of care. They have a world-class hospital team to help heal the body, ease the mind, and lift spirits with expert medical treatments, all while helping more people in the community reach their God-given potential. This visit hits close to home for Jones, as his mother Carol is a nurse.

Making the highlight reel: At this race one year ago, Jones made a bold “Hail Mary” move to the finish as he split the field up the middle moving from 17th to eighth in just one lap. Post-race, he explained how the middle lane opened at just the right time, allowing him to pick up nine positions as he raced to the checkered flag. Jones called the gutsy move one for the “highlight reel” of his career.

Home for Heim: LEGACY M.C.’s simulator and reserve driver, Corey Heim, returns to his home track at Atlanta Motor Speedway to compete in the NASCAR Truck Series event on Saturday. Heim grew up in nearby Marietta, Georgia, and began his career racing legends cars around the 0.25-mile track on the front stretch. In 2022, Heim earned his first career Truck Series victory at AMS in front of a hometown crowd.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE

On the benefit of running double duty on a speedway: “I think laps are laps, and any time you can have extra time on a race track and can draft on a superspeedway is a plus. When you can make moves and put yourself in different places to see how things work out, you’re always learning something. I think that’s something that will help us a good amount going from Saturday to Sunday in our Family Dollar Toyota.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE

On the ‘new’ Atlanta configuration starting to age: “It’s started to take a little bit of age, but that tends to show up more in the July race where there’s hotter conditions. In spring, with it being in February, and probably somewhere in the upper 50s as far as air temps, it’s still gripped up for the most part. When you get in a big pack, you have to lift a little bit and handling becomes an issue. It’s a little bit of a balancing act of how much downforce versus drag you put in the cars, so John Hunter will just have to make smart and efficient choices in the car as will I on the box.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE

On similarities and differences between Daytona and Atlanta: “I think there are quite a few similarities between Daytona and Atlanta, we bring a very similar car and somewhat of a similar package there. The handling in Atlanta is a lot more important than what we fight at Daytona typically, but we still have somewhat of the same mentality. I am hoping to have the same kind of speed and want to the race to play out a bit more in our favor than last week. I think we learned a lot at Daytona that is going to apply, and hopefully, we can execute with that.”

On his reunion with Toyota: “The first race and race weekend back with Toyota went really well. It went particularly well for the crew guys – the car was strong in the draft and in the pack. It had a lot of power which was great, and I am excited to not only get to Atlanta but also some of these 1.5-mile tracks I think we are going to be really strong there with this car. I am excited and ready to get rolling with this season, we have one more speedway here with Atlanta, but I am excited to dive into the meat of the schedule.”

Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE

You are running back-to-back restrictor plate tracks that are very heavy on drafting, where do you see similarities and differences in setups between Daytona and Atlanta? “Between Daytona and Atlanta, they are the same rules with restricted motors and configuration of the car. You are trying to get as much speed as you can in the car for straight-line speed, but in Atlanta, there is going to be more opportunity to lift because you don’t have as much downforce going through the corner. During ideal conditions in Atlanta, we are wide-open through the corner, which is the same as Daytona, but when you get back in the pack and make some racing moves against some other guys, you get into a situation where you have to lift. That becomes the difference for Atlanta, you have to keep all the speed in it but have enough downforce, so you don’t have to lift. That lifting moment is what makes or breaks you in the final restarts of Atlanta that get pretty exciting.”

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.

The King’s Hat location in Atlanta: During the weekend in Atlanta the “King’s Hat” will be on display in the Fan Zone before moving to the front of the NASCAR Cup Series grid on Sunday. There, fans with a pre-race track pass will not only get a chance to see the hat up close. Following the race, the King’s Hat will reside in the Petty Garden between the ticket office and the condominium building on property.

Changing of the guard: On Nov. 15, 1992, “The King” Richard Petty competed in the final race of his storied career in the season-ending event at Atlanta. That day also marked the start of Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR career as he competed in his first race, igniting a career that would change the sport. A record 160,000 spectators attended the race and celebrated Petty’s farewell.

Iconic Petty moments in Georgia: The Petty family has left their mark all over the state of Georgia throughout their 75-year history competing in NASCAR. “The King” Richard Petty, won six times at Atlanta Motor Speedway, including races held in 1966, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, and 1977. Other notable Richard Petty wins in Georgia include four at Middle Georgia Raceway (1966, 1967, 1969, and 1970), three at Savannah Speedway (1964, 1967, and 1970), and two at Augusta Speedway (1966 and 1967). Family patriarch, Lee Petty, won races on the dirt tracks of Central City Speedway (1952), Lakewood Speedway (1959), and Oglethorpe Speedway (1955).

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

ABOUT ADVENTHEALTH: With a sacred mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth is a connected system of care for every stage of life and health. More than 90,000 team members across hundreds of care sites including physician practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health agencies and hospice centers provide individualized, wholistic care. A shared vision, common values, focus on whole-person health and commitment to making communities healthier unify the system’s more than 50 hospital campuses in diverse markets throughout nine states. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com/news.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The Club competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as Club Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

CHASE BRISCOE
Atlanta Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview
● Event: Ambetter Health 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 25
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe got his 2024 season off to a solid start by finishing 10th in the season-opening Daytona 500, held Monday after persistent rain postponed The Great American Race to the President’s Day holiday. It was Briscoe’s 22nd career top-10 finish and his second top-10 in seven career Cup Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

● Atlanta Motor Speedway has been around since 1960, but the Atlanta track Briscoe and his NASCAR Cup Series brethren will compete on this Sunday is only two years old. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured after the final race of the 2021 season. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Drivers competed on the new layout for the first time in March 2022 and the Ambetter Health 400 will be the fifth Cup Series race on the revamped track.

● The Ambetter Health 400 will mark Briscoe’s seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta. His first two starts came on the old configuration, where his best finish was 15th, earned in July 2021. Despite the new layout in 2022, Briscoe equaled that finish in the debut of “new Atlanta” in March, where he started from the pole and led five laps. Fifteenth remains his best career Cup Series result at Atlanta.

● Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series, Briscoe has four other Atlanta starts. He ran three NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the track, each on the old layout, and never finished outside of the top-15. His best result was ninth in June 2020. He made a lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta in March 2017 and finished 25th.

● Riding along with Briscoe this weekend at Atlanta is HighPoint.com, a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions. HighPoint has been a partner of Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing since 2020 when the company supported Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a season-best nine victories and earned Briscoe a promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. Said Briscoe about the partnership: “Even though we race stock cars, there’s nothing stock about what we do. The science of our cars is impressive, but the technology that goes into building our Ford Mustangs and then making them perform is even more advanced. Our IT needs are pretty complex, and we demand a lot from our technology every day, whether it’s at the shop or at the track. HighPoint provides efficiency and security. They’re more than just a sponsor – HighPoint is a partner that helps us perform.” As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business headquartered in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint serves markets in its nearby tri-state region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, please visit HighPoint.com.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

How much does the racing at Atlanta emulate the racing you just experienced at Daytona?

“It’s similar in a sense, but very different in the sense of just how fast things happen. The mental side of Atlanta is, by far, the hardest thing we do all year long. It’s a mile shorter, so while it’s very, very easy to run wide open the whole time when you go to Daytona or Talladega, at Atlanta your car is struggling just to even get close to that. There’s a lot more to the team side of things at Atlanta as far as getting the balance of the car right, and it’s just a challenge for us mentally with how fast things happen and how quickly you have to process things.”

Did Daytona provide some understanding of how you think the racing will be at Atlanta?

“I feel it’s an animal all its own, it’s so different. Maybe you can take the slightest bit from Daytona, but I think it’s hard to really say what you’ve got. I feel like the only thing you can really take out of Daytona is how the new Ford body pushes. It gets pushed, but even that will be a little bit different at Atlanta with just how the runs develop and things like that. It’s hard to say if you’re good at Daytona then you’ll be good at Atlanta, or if you’re bad at Daytona, you’re going to be bad at Atlanta because they are so very different.”

How do you feel about the racing at Atlanta?

“I think it’s the most mentally draining racetrack we have on the schedule. Daytona and Talladega have always been mentally draining, at the end of the day, but you go to Atlanta and things happen four times the speed because you lose a mile with that racetrack. It’s an interesting track because it races like a superspeedway, but it’s still an intermediate. The corners didn’t change. The radius of the corners, all of that is still the same as we’ve always had, so it’s not like a Daytona or a Talladega where your car goes around there wide-open super easily. You’re manhandling the car at all times, so Atlanta is a very challenging racetrack and, by far, the most mentally draining with just how much your brain is trying to process and listen to your spotter. Actually applying what your spotter is saying is hard because things happen so fast there. It’s a tough one, for sure.”

How much does time in the simulator prepare you and the team for Atlanta?

“Sim gives you a decent direction, but it’s hard to say what you’ve really got until you get there. Especially with this new body, our notebook of even what the sim is and what this new body is so small. So I don’t know if you can take a whole lot out of the simulator right now until we get a bigger notebook and really say, ‘Hey, this was better. This is what it’s actually like in real life.’ Atlanta is going to be a tough one, and we don’t have practice there, either. So it’s going to be interesting to see how we’re going to unload there and, hopefully, our HighPoint Ford Mustang drives well in the race.”

There are two new faces at Stewart-Haas in Josh Berry and Noah Gragson. How has the dynamic changed at the shop with the new personnel joining the team?

“I feel like our teams have done a better job of working together. In the past, it was kind of four different teams that worked under one roof, where now it’s four teams kind of collectively working toward the same goal for one organization. All of that has been different and a good change, something that we’ve needed to do, especially in the landscape of the NextGen car. I’m excited to see how it finally goes now that we’ve started racing, but it’s definitely been a totally different dynamic than what I’ve had the last three years, for sure.”

You’re now the most tenured driver at Stewart-Haas. What’s that like?

“We’ve got four guys who, truthfully, are extremely hungry. All four of us only have one Cup win combined, so we all have a lot to prove. We all know what we’re capable of. We’ve all grown up as complete opposites, but we’ve all kind of have grown up the same way by just grinding throughout our career. It’s just different now with not having Kevin (Harvick) and Aric (Almirola) there with how much more I’m going to have to speak up and stand up for things I believe in, so all of that will be interesting and it will be something I learn as I go along, but it’s definitely a different dynamic.”

Even though this is your fourth NASCAR Cup Series season, all of which have been at Stewart-Haas, does this feel like a new start?

“I definitely think the whole organization has hit the reset button. Tony said it in the SiriusXM interview the other week – there’s no need to look back when we’re at the bottom. We’re all motivated. I think every guy and girl in the shop knows that if we don’t figure it out, our job is on the line. He’s already come out publicly and said he’s willing to make changes, so I think that’s good. I think we kind of need that kick in the butt as an organization to have it publicly said, something that I think we all kind of knew was out there but it’s never been said, so I definitely think this year is a little bit of a clean slate. I will say that, just going to the shop, there’s a whole different feel. When I went there last year, it was doom and gloom every time I would go in there and now everybody is excited. Everybody has been ready to go and it gives me that same vibe that we had in 2020, where everybody is excited to go to work. It’s something we haven’t had in a long time there, so I’m excited to see how the season finally stacks up.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com 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

Spire Motorsports at Atlanta Motor Speedway: In 14 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS), Spire Motorsports has logged two top-five and two top-10 finishes with seven different drivers. Corey LaJoie, driver of Spire Motorsports No. 7 CELSIUS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 earned both the organization’s top fives after finishing fifth in March 2022 and fourth last March. The Mooresville, N.C., team fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with LaJoie, and fellow drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
Flag-to-Flag Coverage: The Ambetter Health 400 from AMS will be televised live on FOX, Sunday, February 25 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Pre-race coverage from NASCAR RaceDay on FOX will take the green flag at 2 p.m. EST. The second of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Corey LaJoie – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Corey LaJoie heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) fresh off a fourth-place finish in Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500. LaJoie’s fourth-place effort is the third time the Concord, N.C., native has finished fourth – his career-best in NCS competition. He finished fourth last spring at AMS and again at Talladega Superspeedway last fall.
• CELSIUS is a better-for-you, premium alternative to sugary energy drinks. Made with 7 Essential Vitamins, CELSIUS has the perfect balance of flavor and energy that serves as an awesome pick-me-up for active lifestyles. CELSIUS was created to help people LIVE FIT, exceed their goals and elevate their everyday lives.
• In addition to this weekend’s Ambetter Health 400, CELSIUS will be showcased as LaJoie’s primary sponsor July 7 at the Chicago Street Course and again August 24 at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Celsius was also LaJoie’s primary sponsor last March at AMS when he earned his first career top-four finish.
• Following his fourth-place finish last weekend at the Daytona 500, LaJoie comes into Round 2 of the 2024 NCS championship battle 10th in points.
• The first of two Atlanta races of the 2024 season will mark LaJoie’s 10th career NCS start at the ultra-fast 1.54-mile Hampton, Ga., quad-oval.
• In his nine previous starts at AMS, LaJoie has earned two top fives and logged a 22.4 average finish. The 32-year-old veteran racer has led 19 laps and completed 2,556 of 2,590 laps contested (98.7 percent).

Corey LaJoie Quotes:
Recently, you’ve had a couple really good runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so it seems like a place that’s climbing your list of favorite tracks.
“Since the Atlanta reconfiguration our Spire Motorsports team has had a good handle on it. As the surface has aged over the last several years it will look less like a Talladega and more like a really compacted pack at Charlotte. Handling will be a premium and with no practice we’re hoping we can nail down a good package in our Celsius Camaro. We’ve been in contention here multiple times and we’re going this weekend to try and do the same thing.”

Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Zane Smith will make his 11th career NCS start in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. In 2023, Smith started on the pole in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at AMS and finished 20th. Smith has visited Atlanta four times, but this will be his first time around the speedway in NASCAR’s premier series.
• There are few things in life more important to Smith than NASCAR racing, but during the Atlanta race weekend he’ll put racing aside for a few hours and help at one of his favorite organizations that focuses on transforming lives of Atlanta residents. Smith’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet will carry the City of Refuge paint scheme during the Ambetter Health 400 at AMS.
• Smith will visit City of Refuge on Atlanta’s Westside at 10 a.m. ET Friday to unveil his special paint scheme. The scheme honors City of Refuge and calls attention to the organization’s work, something Smith is passionate about.
• City of Refuge was founded in 1997 with the mission to transform the lives of individuals and communities in Atlanta and beyond. Today the organization resides in a warehouse that was graciously donated in the 30314 neighborhood, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas in the nation. Since inhabiting the warehouse, City of Refuge has served over 35,000. The organization has created several programs designed to impact housing, youth development, health & wellness, and vocation. The City of Refuge is a leader in social transformation and continuously works to empower and equip individuals with the tools to succeed.
• Swing by the AMS Fan Zone on Sunday, as Smith will make an appearance at 10:40 a.m. at the Ambetter Health Activation.
• Start your NASCAR Ambetter Health 400 race day with Speedway Charity Hot Laps sponsored by Ambetter Health and Centene Charitable Foundation. At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Smith will be driving select individuals for three laps around AMS in the official Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car.
• Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports team began their 2024 NASCAR season at the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Smith started 14th and raced his way into the top 10 by the second stage. He was able to avoid two large crashes throughout the race and would take the checkered flag in 13th.

Zane Smith Quotes
What does it mean to you to carry City of Refuge on your car this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“The City of Refuge organization is something that is super important to me. It is special to see community members, organizations and volunteers come together to make an impact on people’s lives. The good work they do across the country continues to amaze me. I look forward to spreading awareness about City of Refuge throughout the weekend in Atlanta.”
What are your thoughts on your first Daytona 500 with the Spire Motorsports Team?
“I’m super happy with how our team executed Daytona. I had a really fast WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro and the guys worked hard all off-season to bring a fast car to the track. That was an intense race and we avoided two big crashes, finishing 13th. I learned a lot through that race. We have great momentum heading into Atlanta this weekend and I’m looking forward Sunday.”

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will make his NCS debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 where Premier Security Solutions will be featured as the No. 77 team’s primary sponsor. Premier Security will serve as the primary partner aboard Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for 10 races in 2024.
• Hocevar’s promising Daytona 500 debut was sidelined early when the NCS Rookie-of-the-Year contender was collected in a Lap 5, multi-car incident. After a strong run Thursday night in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, Hocevar started ninth and was racing with the leaders in the very early goings but extensive damage to his Zeigler Auto Group/Gainbridge Chevrolet forced him to make an early exit from the 66th running of the Great American Race.
• From the famous bricks of Saginaw Street in Flint, Mich., to industrial, residential, and commercial sites across North America, Premier Security Solutions has built an unmatched standard of security. Today, Premier has taken steps to advance technology and utilize new tools to combat theft and become an anti-crime organization. Premier’s Global Security Operations Center is a state-of-the-art facility, working around the clock to protect assets, corporations, schools, and families.
• Premier deploys more than 1,000 guards around the country and protects homes, families, executive-level leaders, and major corporations. Premier’s team of retired law enforcement professionals protects more than 50 school buildings and high net-worth families, delivering an unparalleled level of service. Premier prides itself on a standard of service ensuring its customers receive the protection and peace of mind they deserve.
• Premier Security is a long-time supporter of Hocevar’s career. The Flint, Mich.-headquartered organization has been prominently featured alongside Hocevar dating to his time racing short tracks in the pavement late model ranks.
• The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender has raced at AMS three times in the NCTS. He’s complied a 23.3 average finish and completed 389 of 402 laps contested (96.8 percent).
• The Portage, Mich., driver logged four NCTS wins in 2023 and finished fourth in the division’s championship point standings.
• Hocevar will be featured on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET following each race to discuss his NCS rookie season.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
What do you think it will take to be competitive at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend?
“Of course, handing comes into it a little bit more than a regular superspeedway and maybe at times it’s going to look like an old-style Daytona. We may not need to focus so much on saving fuel. We’re ready for it. We’re confident heading into Atlanta and as a team, confidence goes a long way this weekend.”

Premier Security has supported your career dating back to your days racing late models. What does it mean to have Premier as your primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend?
“Premier going from being on my late models, to the truck with me a few years ago, to then Xfinity and now Cup has just come full circle. There’s no better time than now. We’re lucky enough to have them on our No. 77 Chevrolet this weekend and again next weekend in Las Vegas. Hopefully we can put on a good show.”

You had some tough luck at the Daytona 500, does that change your perspective for this week’s race at all?
“We’re hungry and ready to go run after a disappointing day at Daytona. We’re looking at this race as if it’s the first one. There’s nowhere else to go but up from last week. The whole team is ready to go, I can promise you that.”
From the Top of the Box

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
• Sparks, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native, has been paired with LaJoie since 2020.
• Combined, Sparks and LaJoie have earned three top-five and six top-10 finishes, including a pair of top fours in 2023.

Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Stephen Doran begins his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team during the 2024 season.
• In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
• Since 2012, he has worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar
• The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
• In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

With the disappointment of Daytona behind them, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew are hoping to rebound with a strong run in this weekend’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Since a repave and reconfiguration in 2021, Atlanta’s 1.54-mile quad-oval has become a drafting track much like Daytona and Talladega, the much larger superspeedways on the NASCAR circuit.

Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse, said the team’s speed at Daytona, especially in the Duel qualifying races where Burton contended for the win and wound up fifth in his race, make him optimistic headed into Atlanta.

“Obviously the way Daytona ended for us wasn’t the start to the season we were looking for,” Bullins said of the Lap 6 multi-car wreck that took Burton out of the 500. “We felt like we were really strong at the end of the Duels and had a shot to win and felt like we had a car that could carry that over to Sunday.

“Atlanta will be a similar style of racing, and we will be ready to bounce back.”

Bullins said the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team members need to put the early Daytona exit behind them, since it was due to circumstances not of their making.

“Like I told Harrison we controlled everything we could, and that’s all you can do,” Bullins said.

There will be no pre-race practice at Atlanta other than a 10-minute session after qualifying where drivers can work on pit entry.

Qualifying is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday.

Sunday’s 260-lap, 400-mile race is expected to get the green flag just after 3 p.m., with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 160.

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

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

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

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

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.