Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Spire Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway: In 16 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) Spire Motorsports has logged one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at DIS on July 7, 2019. The Mooresville, N.C.,-headquartered team will field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Daytona 500 with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.

Flag-to-Flag Coverage: The 66th running of the Daytona 500 will be televised live on FOX, Sunday, February 18 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The first of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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

• Corey LaJoie is heading into his fourth full-time season behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in the NCS. 2024 marks LaJoie’s eighth career start in The Great American Race.
• As the series heads to the high banks of Daytona, Chili’s Bar & Grill will serve as the primary sponsor of LaJoie in the prestigious event. Chili’s known for their margarita beverages will showcase their ‘Rita’ branding on LaJoie’s race car as the ‘Catch a Rita’ No. 7 Chevy takes to the track on February 18th.
• Since joining Spire in 2021, LaJoie has finished no worse than 16th in the Daytona 500 with that 16th-place finish coming last February. His other two finishes in the 500 in the No. 7 include a ninth-place finish in 2021 and a 14th-place finish in 2022.
• The 32-year-old North Carolina native had a career year in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023 earning two top-five, three top-10 and eight top-15 finishes while leading a total of 66 laps. LaJoie’s best career finish in NASCAR’s premiere series is a fourth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2023.
• 2024 will mark LaJoie’s eighth start in the Daytona 500.
• LaJoie has two-top 10 finishes in The Great American Race coming in 2020 (eighth) and 2021 (ninth). Overall, in his seven previous starts, he has only finished worse than 18th twice (2017 – 24th & 2018 – 40th).
• LaJoie has led one lap in the Daytona 500, which came in the 2020 race but has led 8 laps total at the speedway in NCS competition. Furthermore, he has completed 86.6 percent of the laps he has attempted (2,205 of 2,546).
• LaJoie’s average finish at Daytona International Speedway is 18.1 with four Top-10 finishes overall.

Corey LaJoie Quotes:
Daytona 500. New season. New opportunity. Obviously Spire made a lot of moves in the last six months and its bursting at the seams. There’s a lot going on. You’re a good speedway racer. Talk about your thoughts as we head towards the Daytona 500.
“It’s the granddaddy. Everybody is pumped up. Everything is new. We’re all excited. New paint schemes. New people coming for different places. Also, bringing in a new partner like Chili’s into the fold is huge for our team. I was texting with (Spire Motorsports co-owner) Jeff Dickerson when we were doing a 12-hour production day with those guys for their TV spot and I said ‘Look at us. We literally went from a white board in the conference room to 150 people and we’re filming a commercial with Chili’s to be on national television.’ It’s a pretty wild journey that we’ve been on. For us to get to a place where a brand like Chili’s would consider partnering with us for the biggest race of the year is something I take a lot of pride in. I’m proud of us. Hopefully we can do a great job for them. They’re investing heavily outside of the partnership with Spire Motorsports to activate the program and hopefully we can continue to grow that.

“Everybody has a chance to win Daytona. With T.J. Bell, my spotter and I have really dialed in what communication we need throughout the race to put ourselves in a good position to try and take advantage at the end. My crew chief Ryan Sparks and I have really worked on strategy in terms of fuel timing of where we need to be and when we need to be there. But, it also comes down to fate. Hopefully we can put ourselves in position to take advantage of a little luck and whatever happens, let it happen.”

The million-dollar question is always when is the right time to make a move and go? Is it three laps to go or two to go? Is it one to go? Is it coming off Turn Four, heading to the checkered flag?
“I think, anymore, you have to go from lap one. These Next Gen cars don’t build runs. It’s hard to get track position. You can’t drive them like the old cars and go from 20th to the lead in three laps. The cars don’t punch as big of a hole in the air as the old ones, so the runs don’t come as quick. The mirrors in these cars are a lot easier to cover. You can see runs coming from further away with the rear-view camera. So, if someone wants to make a move on you, you can cover it easier than you could with the old mirrors and the spotters are so good. They can see energy. The can see things building. That’s why you don’t see a whole lot of mixing, and moving and shaking, because everyone knows how guys are trying to get positions. It’s really a track position game all day. I feel like we have to have the same demeanor about track position at Daytona as we do at Martinsville. We want good track position early and maintain it all day long.

“If you happen to be in position where a wreck catches you up, that’s just part of the deal. I love the fact that we’re in a place now where we don’t have to go in and ride around in the back all day and then try and make something happen with five to go. We can afford to put ourselves in position to win the race. However we see necessary to do that, we can go do it.”

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

• Zane Smith will start his first full-time NCS Season at Daytona International Speedway, debuting his No. 71 WeatherTech Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The Bolingbrook, Ill. company founded by CEO David MacNeil, will be part of the 2024 Daytona 500 serving as the primary sponsor for the Trackhouse Racing development driver.
• For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. Globally renowned for its laser-measured FloorLiner™ and innovative CupFone®, the Bolingbrook, Illinois headquartered company continues to push industry boundaries through superior design, engineering and international brand recognition. More information can be found at weathertech.com.
• On Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EST, Smith will appear for a Q&A at the Midway Stage. Following that Smith will make an appearance at the Chevy Display at 10 a.m. in the midway.
• Smith will join the U.S. Air Force on Friday in a F-16 Fighting Falcons Thunderbird. These Thunderbirds are the same jets that will be flying over track on Sunday, for the start of the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
• Smith made his Daytona 500 debut in 2023 where he started 17th and finished 13th driving the No. 36 car for Front Row Motorsports. Smith competed in eight Cup races but retains his rookie status and will be one of the favorite’s to win the rookie of the year honors in 2024.
• To learn more about Smith, visit his website at www.zanesmithracing.com.
• Sunday will also mark the debut of Stephen Doran as a full-time NCS crew chief. The Pennsylvania native worked as an engineer on Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 4 team in 2023.

Zane Smith Quotes:
What does it mean to have WeatherTech as the primary sponsor of your No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for the Daytona 500?
“You always want a sponsor who does cool things or makes cool stuff and it looks like we got one of the best for Daytona. I’ve already gone to WeatherTech’s website to find things for my personal cars. I feel this paint scheme is the perfect fit for the ‘Great American Race’ and I’m eager to get out on the track to show all the fans. I wish this race started tomorrow.”
Second time ever running the Daytona 500, how do you feel?
“It is a dream come true to race in the Daytona 500, especially with this No. 71 Spire Motorsports team. This is going to be a fun season, but I know it’s going to be challenging, as well. I’m ready to get our year going.”
What are your thoughts on Crew Chief Stephen Doran?
“We laugh about which one will be more nervous at the start. Me behind the wheel or Stephen on top of the pit box. I am very fortunate to have someone like Stephen leading my team. We are going to learn a lot together this year.”

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

• The 2024 season will mark Carson Hocevar’s first full season in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and will make his Daytona 500 debut behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with co-primary sponsorship from Zeigler Auto Group and Gainbridge. The Daytona 500 will mark Hocevar’s first NCS start at Daytona International Speedway.
• Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers. Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,500 people, ranking among the top one percent of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2023. The family-owned and -operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Michigan. Besides these prestigious accolades, Zeigler is also one of Glassdoor’s 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. for 2024, and among Glassdoor’s top 10 U.S. companies for work-life balance.
• Gainbridge Insurance Agency, LLC (“Gainbridge”), a Group 1001 company, is an insurtech which strives to offer products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Gainbridge’s digital-first distribution model underpins its mission to reach all communities, including those that have been historically underserved by the national financial system.
• Hocevar will greet fans and participate in a question-and-answer session at the Chevy display in the DIS midway Sunday, February 18 at 11 a.m. EST.
• Hocevar will be featured on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET following each race weekend to discuss his rookie season.
• Hocevar has competed in three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) races at Daytona International Speedway, earning a venue-best fifth-place finish February 12, 2021. Over those three starts, the Plymouth, Mich., driver hasn’t finished worse than 12th.
• Luke Lambert, a native of Mount Airy, N.C., will serve as Hocevar’s crew chief in 2024. Lambert comes to Spire Motorsports from LEGACY MOTOR CLUB where he guided the team’s No. 42 NCS effort last season, connecting with Hocevar when he drove for the team in eight of the final 10 races of 2023. In 20 NCS races calling the shots from a top the pit box at the “World Center of Racing,” Lambert has collectively led six different drivers to two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Meanwhile, the veteran NASCAR top kick has called four NASCAR Xfinity races at DIS, accumulating two top-three and three top-six finishes. 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.

Carson Hocevar Quotes:
How does your experience racing a truck at Daytona translate to competing in the Daytona 500? Are there any key differences in car handling, drafting strategy, or mental preparation?
“Yeah, unfortunately I haven’t ran this track in a cup car before but drafting seems pretty similar. The people in my ear are going to be the ones I look to. My spotter Tyler (Green) and Luke (Lambert), they’ve both had success on superspeedways. They’re going to really help my learning curve.”

You mentioned learning valuable lessons from your Daytona truck races. Were any of those learnings sponsored, literally or figuratively, by the support of your family and friends who might be returning to cheer you on this year?
“I have so many friends and family coming and with the support of Gainbridge and Zeigler, it’s going to be amazing to have everyone there this weekend. One year ago, I was sitting watching the Daytona 500 envying those Cup drivers who got to race, and now I’m racing in it. It’s super cool to finally have a role in this race and do my best.”
As a fan, what’s your favorite Daytona 500 memory?
“I went to the Daytona 500 as a kid in 2014 when Dale Jr. won and knew then and there that I wanted to race a Cup car on this track. It’s surreal my dream has come true and sometimes I still don’t believe it.”

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 NASCAR Cup Series.
• 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 NASCAR Cup Series 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.

After a disappointing outing in the non-points Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum a week ago, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team are fired up heading into this weekend’s Great American Race – the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

“The Clash is one thing, and I know it’s the first race on the schedule, but there’s something special about loading up to head to the Daytona 500,” said the team’s crew chief Jeremy Bullins, who won the 500 two years ago with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric as his driver and was runner-up in 2017 with Ryan Blaney in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.

“It’s the obvious race on the schedule that everyone wants to win,” Bullins said. “While it’s changed a lot over the years with different cars and rule packages, you never stop getting excited about it.”

“We can’t wait to see how competitive our Mustang Dark Horse is and look forward to having some practice sessions to get the handling dialed in and try to kick the season off with a great finish for this Wood Brothers Racing team.”

The Wood Brothers have a long and storied history in the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race. They have five 500 victories beginning with their win in the 1963 event with Tiny Lund at the wheel of the iconic No. 21 Ford. Trevor Bayne delivered the Woods their most recent 500 victory in 2011.

In between were 500 triumphs with three giants of the sport – Cale Yarborough in 1968, A.J. Foyt in 1972 and David Pearson in 1976.

Preliminary events prior to the start of Sunday’s 66th-annual Daytona 500 kick off with pole qualifying on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 8:35 p.m. Only the top-two starting positions will be determined in this session.

The twin Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races that will determine the remainder of the 500 starting grid will be run Thursday evening, with the first 60-lap, 150-mile race getting the green flag at 7 p.m. The second race will start at approximately 8:45.

Two practice sessions are scheduled, the first on Friday at 5:35 p.m. and the second on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

The green flag for Sunday’s 200-lap Daytona 500 is set to fly just after 2:30 p.m., with Stage breaks planned for Laps 65 and 130.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the preliminary events, with the coverage switching to FOX for the 500.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

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.

NOAH GRAGSON
Daytona Speedweek
Pole Qualifying | Duel | Daytona 500
No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 14:

● Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500

● Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 15:

● Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 18:

● 66th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Noah Gragson comes to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with a new team in Stewart-Haas Racing, but with familiar colors. His No. 10 Ford Mustang carries a similar paint scheme to the one he ran for the majority of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career where Gragson was a 13-time race winner and perennial championship contender. Black Rifle Coffee, Ranger Boats, TrueTimber and Winchester Repeating Arms will adorn Gragson’s car throughout Speedweek and will reappear on the No. 10 Ford Mustang for multiple races in 2024, including the series’ second race – the Ambetter Health 400 Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

● The 66th Daytona 500 will mark Gragson’s third appearance in The Great American Race and just his fourth overall NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. The driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang earned his best Daytona 500 result in his second Daytona 500 start – 24th last year. However, it was the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona where Gragson secured an impressive fifth-place finish. It was Gragson’s first top-five and it came in just his 11th career Cup Series start.

● With only 39 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Gragson is still relatively new to the Cup Series, but he is not new to NASCAR. Gragson spent 2015-2016 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, known today as the ARCA Menards Series. He then ran the full NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule in 2017-2018 before graduating to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In four fulltime seasons (2019-2022) in the stepping-stone division to the elite Cup Series, Gragson won 13 races and finished among the top-10 in points each year, earning the series’ most popular driver award in his final season. Gragson made it to the Championship 4 twice, finishing third in 2021 and second in 2022 with a series-high eight victories.

● Gragson won twice in the Truck Series – Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October 2017 and Kansas Speedway in May 2018 – and finished second in the 2018 championship, where he picked up the Truck Series’ most popular driver award. Those Truck Series results were a continuation of the kind of talent Gragson showcased in the K&N Pro Series. Gragson raced in this developmental league, regionally split into two divisions – K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West – for two years (2015-2016), winning six races between the two entities and narrowly missing out on the 2015 West title by a scant seven points, but handily securing the rookie-of-the-year title.

● Gragson has made 12 starts on the Daytona oval outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has eight Xfinity Series starts and two apiece in the Truck and ARCA Series.

● Gragson’s first career Xfinity Series win came at Daytona in the 2020 season opener. He started 12th and led twice for 15 laps, including the final two, to take the victory over Harrison Burton. Gragson also owns four other Xfinity Series finishes of 15th or better at Daytona, including a third-place drive in the 2022 season opener and a seventh-place finish in August 2021.

● In two career Truck Series starts at Daytona, Gragson got a taste of Daytona’s fickle nature. He completed just one lap in the 2017 season opener before getting taken out in an accident. He then made only 79 of the race’s 200 laps in the 2018 season opener when another multi-vehicle accident ended his day.

● Seventh is Gragson’s best ARCA result at Daytona, earned in the 2018 season opener.

● On-track action for Gragson at Daytona begins with single-lap qualifying Wednesday night when the front row for the Daytona 500 will be set. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for Sunday’s race – follows on Thursday. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions compete in the first Duel and those in even-numbered qualifying positions battle in the second Duel to fill out the remainder of the starting grid for the Daytona 500.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

What is your mindset as you begin your first season with Stewart-Haas Racing?

“I’m excited. We’re going to build our confidence together and build our communication, and just grow closer to each other. Going into Daytona, there are definitely things we want to improve and work on, but I feel really comfortable with this group, and I feel confident with them and believe in them. With all of us coming together to start the season off, I think we’re all in a really good head space with a lot of confidence in each other and in our race team.”

As a kid growing up in Las Vegas, what did the Daytona 500 mean to you, and was competing in the Daytona 500 something you always aspired to do?

“Yeah, absolutely. Being a part of the Daytona 500, it’s the biggest race in NASCAR. So, to make it to the Cup level is a big dream fulfilled, but also to have the opportunity to race in the Daytona 500, it’s just a special day, it’s a special atmosphere at the racetrack. It’s a different feeling walking out, going to driver intros, the drivers meeting, and staying on the grid prerace and looking up at all the fans. There’s a different atmosphere of excitement and it’s a privilege to be a part of it. To be there is special, but to be in the race and a part of the show, it’s very special for a kid who was racing Bandoleros at 13 years old at the biggest bullring, and then to literally the biggest race in our sport, to be a part of that is pretty wild.”

Is there a “pinch me” moment amid all the buildup to the Daytona 500?

“I think the ‘pinch me’ moment is probably the buildup of the whole day, with the atmosphere in the pits and the excitement level, and just all the people is a big part of it. Everywhere is packed with people, from the time you leave the hotel and you’re driving to the racetrack, there’s people everywhere. And that buildup throughout the day of putting your suit on and walking out of the hauler and the whole garage area is full of people, you go to the drivers meeting, that room is packed full of people, more than any other place we go to – all that buildup. You get out to pit road and you can’t even walk because there’s so many people. Being able to just take a moment to stand behind the car and look up into the grandstand, appreciate the moment and say, ‘Dang, this is pretty cool to be a part of.’ I remember watching races as a kid and still watch them, it feels a little different, but seeing the prerace of all the cars lined up and everyone on pit road, and to think that I’m one of those people on pit road and I get to wear a firesuit that day, it’s crazy to think about. Once you get that helmet on and you start the engines and you’re rolling off, down pit road and waving at all the pit crew guys who are standing out there giving you a thumbs up and waving back at you, time kind of stops and you’re focused on the task at hand.”

You scored your first top-five in a Cup Series race at Daytona in August 2022. That race had some chaotic moments and you not only managed to be there at the end, but you capitalized on the opportunity. Walk us through some of the moments in that race where you had to make split-second decisions and zig while others zagged, to ultimately put you in a strong position at the end of the race.

“I definitely had a lot of luck. I didn’t initially have a car capable of contending, so I just rode around in the back and waited for them to wreck. The way we were handling all day – the front tires were bouncing around the racetrack – I was super tight, so I couldn’t hold it wide open. But then we got the red flag for rain and before the race went back to green while we were still under caution, we were able to work on the car and kind of diagnose it during that rain delay. It really made it a lot better when we went back racing. I know there were fewer cars on the track, but it was like a completely different car and we were a contender. I guess the wreck before the red flag was pretty hairy, but other than that, we didn’t really get racing until after that red flag, and it ended up working out for us.”

You were running sixth in the 2022 Daytona 500 but you were caught up in a big wreck close to the end. What happened?

“Five to go, running sixth, passing for sixth and then I was going to have a good shot at a top-five or the win but got clipped with (Kyle) Larson and (Kevin) Harvick. They got me in the right rear as I was passing them through the tri-oval. That was a bummer. It was also going to be a dang good payday, too. That’s a big one, that Daytona 500. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it, but I learned a lot during that race, and that’s really what that race was for, just to learn as much as I could. It was my first-ever Cup race, so to be able to go out there with the big boys and run around and be in the top-10 at the end of the deal, we were close, but not close enough.”

How important is the driver/spotter relationship at Daytona, and what kind of information do you need from your spotter when you’re in a 200 mph freight train?

“It’s extremely important having good communication with your spotter and just having a bond with your spotter and understanding how he communicates things, his language, his tone, all that stuff is very important. Fortunately, you have the Duels to work on that communication if you need to make some tweaks. With Andy Houston, I’ve never superspeedway raced with him before. We’ve had a Late Model race together and the Clash and he’s done exceptionally well, and I feel comfortable and confident with him. But at the same time, superspeedway racing, you’re all tight together and there’s a lot of trust in the spotter, so that’ll be a good first test, the Duels, to see if we need to make some tweaks.”

Drivers are often asked about their strategy in a superspeedway race. But what strategy is there for the entire week of Daytona, where you want to show speed, but also keep a clean car through qualifying, the Duel and then, finally, the Daytona 500?

“For me, you just want to dial in the car during practice and really learn as much as you can about your racecar. So you want to have the thing drive as good as you can while still keeping the speed in it, but also just learning what you can do and what you can’t do, and just learning about the car and how other competitors are and where you’re getting your runs at, just learning about your car, and just getting dialed in and getting laps. For me, it’s always about just getting comfortable with the balance, getting that as neutral as possible, and being able to have as much speed as possible. I don’t know if you’re really holding back or not showing your hand, but I want to go as fast as possible every single lap.”

The first of your 13 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins came at Daytona in February 2020. What are the differences between racing in the Xfinity Series at Daytona and racing in the Cup Series at Daytona?

“There’s a lot that’s different. I got into a rhythm in Xfinity where I treated it like a go-kart race. Every single superspeedway, no matter if it’s Daytona or Talladega, the fall race or the beginning of the year, I went out there and had a very ‘checkers or wreckers’ mentality and I was going to be aggressive from the initial start of the race, going through the restart zone and taking the green flag. The Daytona 500 is different where you have the best drivers out there and you’re kind of taking your time to get up through the field and really being methodical with it and putting yourself in good positions. It’s a very prestigious race, and the old saying is you can’t win it on the first lap but you can certainly lose it, right? So you first have to finish in order to finish first. You want to be there at the end, but just utilizing the whole day, 500 miles, of learning your racecar. And probably the second-to-last pit stop and the final pit stop, that’s when the real race really starts and you’re really working yourself into position. It’s those last two pit stops where it’s really go time and you start getting aggressive.”

Your No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang looks a lot like the Xfinity Series car that you drove to a lot of race victories. You’re an outdoorsman who has a longstanding relationship with these brands. How does it feel to continue with Black Rifle Coffee, Ranger Boats, TrueTimber and Winchester Repeating Arms at Stewart-Haas Racing?

“It’s fun. That paint scheme, we had a lot of success with it, the silver and the orange wrapping up around the nose and the TrueTimber camouflage on the hood and the roof, going over the top of the car. It’s kind of like a rebuilding year for myself, and I think there’s no better paint scheme to have – that was my identity in the Xfinity Series. If you think of our team in the Xfinity Series and what we were able to do, that was our identity. So to be able to have a rebuilding year for myself and kind of re-identify myself, getting back to the winning roots, that’s where we want to be. And with that paint scheme, I love that paint scheme and I think it’s going to be a big hit on the racetrack, and there’s no better way to have success. The first time we ran that paint scheme was at Daytona and we were able to win the race in the Xfinity Series for my first win. So it’d be pretty cool to do it again in the Cup Series.”

Before you compete in the Daytona 500, you’ll be in a Ranger Boat on Lake Lloyd competing to catch bass as part of Darrell Gwynn’s Hot Rods & Reels charity fishing tournament. You’ve already talked about the keys to success in regard to racing at Daytona. What’s the key to success when it comes to fishing at Daytona?

“I’ve done the Darrell Gwynn charity event a couple of times. The first year, we had a lot of success and we were ripping them things up into the boat, left and right. Last year, I don’t know if we even caught one fish on the boat, collectively. The key is to have a good fish-finder – as in boat driver and guide – and being in the right spot and knowing that lake. They have a lot of good guys who volunteer to come down there and bring their Ranger Boats and allow us to go catch fish and have fun. It’s a fun event. It raises a lot of money and we have a good time with our lines in the water and just having a little down time to be able to relax and fish. I enjoy fishing as part of relaxing. Daytona is a heavily scheduled race for us – probably the heaviest schedule that we have, doing a bunch of different appearances – so to be able to go out there and relax, that’s one of the things I like to do in my free time, to go fish and relax and kind of regroup, mentally. It’s a good time to do that at Daytona.”

No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats 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: Steven Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

STATESVILLE, N.C. (February 13, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ today announced a partnership with multi-platinum, GRAMMY® and American Music Award-winning rock band Creed for the 66th running on the ‘Higher’ banks of Daytona. The livery of Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE was unveiled earlier this month by Carvana and is a tribute to “The King” Richard Petty’s No. 43 paint scheme that raced the legendary driver raced in 1964 Daytona 500.

Creed will have associate placement on Johnson’s Toyota Camry XSE as they celebrate their forty-city North American tour, called the “Summer of ’99” Tour. Due to fan demand, the band has extended their tour with an additional twenty dates under the “Are You Ready Tour?” banner. Produced by Live Nation, the tour launches on July 17th and will run through December 5th.

“Unless you have lived under a rock, you know every word to every Creed hit,” said Johnson jokingly. “In seriousness, our partnership with Live Nation is very important to us – last year we had Guns’ N Roses on Erik’s (Jones) car and this season another heavy hitter with Creed. The GNR diecast was NASCAR’s second best-seller last season so I’m proud of our relationship with Live Nation and am happy to welcome Creed ‘With Arms Wide Open’ to the Club.”

LEGACY M.C. released artwork with the addition of Creed’s placement today via the Club’s social media accounts.

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Jimmie and his team at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. Having the Creed logo on a car modeled after the legend Richard Petty’s paint scheme is a new career first for us,” adds Creed.

The official 2024 NASCAR season “tour” kicks off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway for the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18th. Tune in at 2:30 pm ET on FOX, MRN Radio, and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 to see Johnson compete in his 21st DAYTONA 500.

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.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, X, and Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

Leader in the Science of Natural, Hemp-Based Consumable and Therapeutic Products Returns to RCR for Third Year of Partnership

WELCOME, N.C. (February 13, 2024) – 3CHI, a leader in the science of natural, hemp-based consumable and therapeutic products, will return to Richard Childress Racing to build on their pioneering, industry-leading partnership.

In addition to primary sponsorship on the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven by Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Cup Series, 3CHI’s multi-faceted partnership with RCR will include a robust marketing activation, strategic content and communication plan, building on a successful partnership that first began three years ago.

“Our relationship with Richard Childress Racing continues to take 3CHI to higher levels,” said Justin Journay, chief executive officer of 3CHI. “On-track, it’s been fun to see the success of the No. 8 team and Kyle Busch, and off-track it’s been incredibly powerful to showcase the best cannabis company in the world and highlight 3CHI’s vast array of cannabinoid products and science-backed formulations.”

3CHI focuses on bringing technology, innovation, research and development into their industry and has earned thousands of consumer testimonials, pushing the boundaries of what’s conceivable in the cannabinoid world. 3CHI and RCR made history as the first partnership of its kind in sports when they first announced their relationship in 2022.

“Much like RCR, 3CHI has been a pioneer in their industry while focusing on technology and innovation,” said Torrey Galida, president of RCR. “Through their partnership with RCR, 3CHI has been able to highlight their innovative spirit and introduce their products to a new and passionate fan base. We’re proud to continue the relationship in 2024.”

Everything produced by 3CHI follows all federal requirements for full legal compliance. 3CHI’s production and distribution of its products strictly adhere to a policy of safety above all else and sales are for responsible adult use only to consumers aged 21 and older.

For more information and all that is going on at RCR, visit rcrracing.com.

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2024 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch (No. 8 Chevrolet) and 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Jesse Love (No. 2 Chevrolet) and Austin Hill (No. 21 Chevrolet).

The Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevrolet celebrates the restaurant’s position as one of the nation’s top destinations for margaritas, just in time for National Margarita Day on Feb. 22

DALLAS – Feb. 13, 2024 – Chili’s® Grill & Bar, in partnership with Spire Motorsports, is shaking things up in Daytona as they unveil the paint scheme for the Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, driven by NASCAR racer Corey LaJoie. The car’s interactive paint scheme splashes Chili’s famous Presidente Margarita® on the sides of the car in anticipation of National Margarita Day and features nine QR codes.

Fans on the ground and those watching on TV can “catch” LaJoie and the Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevy during race week by scanning one of the QR codes on the car or LaJoie’s fire suit for a chance to win a $10 Chili’s gift card or a VIP trip to see LaJoie race in Austin, Texas on March 24.[1]

“I’ve had some really interesting paint schemes in Daytona, but this one takes the cake – or margarita glass – by giving fans a little token of our appreciation for following our battle on the track,” said Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports’ Driver of the Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevy. “Personally, I’ve been a Chili’s fan for years, I mean, isn’t everybody? But collaborating with Chili’s on this project has only given me more appreciation for the way they do business, plus it’s also increased my chips and salsa intake sevenfold. We’ve had a ton of fun together and I’m excited to give fans a taste of that with the wild ads we’ve created.”

The paint scheme, designed by Jon Marshall & Daughters, celebrates Chili’s Presidente Margarita, though that isn’t the only thing the racecar honors. To acknowledge and celebrate the Chili’s General Managers who work tirelessly to ensure everyone feels special when they visit Chili’s, the names of 1,126 Chili’s General Managers are included on the paint scheme of Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevy.

“Splashing our Chili’s Presidente Margarita on a car at Daytona, just a few days ahead of National Margarita Day, was an obvious choice, but we also knew we couldn’t honor this iconic margarita without acknowledging all the amazing Chiliheads that play a role in making Chili’s a fan-favorite destination for margarita lovers and race fans alike,” said George Felix, Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re so pleased to partner with Spire Motorsports as our companies share the same values, and Corey LaJoie is the perfect embodiment of the Chilihead spirit. We can’t wait to see how the fans react and, of course, to see them try to ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ as the No. 7 Chevy whips around the track later this week.”

“It’s always fun when Spire Motorsports can be part of something unique, and we are incredibly grateful that Chili’s has entrusted our team with representing the brand for the first time at the Great American Race,” said Jeff Dickerson, Spire Motorsports co-owner. “As soon as we began speaking with the Chili’s team, we knew that Corey LaJoie would be the perfect fit. Not only is he an amazing, unflappable talent who knows what it takes to compete at this level but completely embraces the fun of the sport and as a result, has developed a great connection with race fans that will truly make this interactive paint scheme on the Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevy come to life.”

The Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No. 7 Chevy will also be featured in multiple advertisements featuring LaJoie, one in which he introduces the car’s design, including the Catch-a-Rita challenge, and another which will air during the race broadcast. Catch LaJoie in the new Chili’s ads featuring the Chili’s ‘Catch a ‘Rita’ No.7 Chevy, available HERE.

Fans who don’t ‘catch’ a ‘rita during race week can still visit participating Chili’s on Feb. 22 for National Margarita Day to enjoy specials on premium margaritas including the Tequila Trifecta — featuring three premium tequilas, el Jimador® Silver, 1800® Reposado and Jose Cuervo® Gold, shaken with triple sec and fresh sour for just $5 — and the February Margarita of the Month, the StrawEddy — available for $6 and made with Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka, Lunazul Blanco Tequila, strawberry puree and fresh sour. 2

About Chili’s® Grill & Bar
Hi, welcome to Chili’s! We are a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). We are known for our big mouth burgers, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas and hand-shaken margaritas. We take our food seriously – but not ourselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Our passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, our ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across our more than 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories. And Chili’s cares. We host local Give Back Events to support kids, education and hunger and have raised more than $100 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous Guest donations. Find more information about us at chilis.com, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, like us on Facebook or join us on TikTok.

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.

[1] Giveaway Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and DC, who are at least 21 years old as of date of Entry. Begins 9:00 AM ET on 2/13/24; ends 11:59:59 PM ET on 2/19/24. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. For Official Rules and eligibility, visit chiliscatcharita.com. Sponsor: Brinker International Payroll Company, L.P., 3000 Olympus Blvd., Dallas, TX 75019.
[2] Guests must be 21+ to participate in National Margarita Day promotions

Christopher Bell
Daytona 500 Advance
No. 20 Interstate Batteries/DeWalt Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 14: Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)
● Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 15: Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)
● Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 18: 66th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024)
● Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Guess Who’s Back: For just the second time since 2007, Interstate Batteries will return as a primary sponsor for the Daytona 500, sharing space with DeWalt. Interstate Batteries’ primary sponsorship at the Daytona 500 started in 1992 with the inception of Joe Gibbs Racing, its first of 16 primary sponsorships at The Great American Race from 1992 through 2007 with drivers Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, and J.J. Yeley.

● National Battery Day: As coincidence would have it, Sunday, Feb. 18 not only marks the 66th running of the Daytona 500, it also happens to be National Battery Day. To celebrate, Interstate and co-primary sponsor DeWalt will be doing a giveaway to fans on their social media platforms. Interstate Batteries would like nothing more than to finish its National Battery Day celebration in victory lane, a place the company landed in just its second appearance in the Daytona 500 back in 1993.

● Bell will be making his fifth career start in The Great American Race. His first Daytona 500 came in Feb. 2020, driving for Leavine Family Racing. He started 17th in that race and finished 21st after being involved in an accident during one of multiple overtime periods.

● The Dale and Dale Show: With Interstate’s return to the Daytona 500 for the second year in a row, the 2024 edition of The Great American Race is now 31 years removed from the “Dale and Dale Show.” In the 1993 Daytona 500, Interstate Batteries and JGR driver Jarrett beat the late Dale Earnhardt across the finish line with Jarrett’s father Ned in the CBS broadcast booth calling his son’s run to the checkered flag. It was one of the most memorable moments in Daytona 500 and NASCAR history, an exciting call before a live audience on national television. The win was the first of many for JGR, and the first for sponsor Interstate Batteries just a year after its iconic partnership kicked off in 1992.

● The 2024 season marks Bell’s fifth fulltime season in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bell has eight career Cup Series starts on Daytona’s 2.5-mile oval. Of those eight starts, His best career points-paying finish was a strong third-place run in last year’s Great American Race. Bell is looking to build on the momentum of back-to-back appearances in the Championship 4 of the Cup Series Playoffs with the No. 20 team and two-time championship-winning crew Chief Adam Stevens as they look for their first Daytona 500 win and championship together.

● Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series, Bell has made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona. Bell has brought home two top-five finishes and four top-10s in those five Xfinity Series starts.

● To earn a spot in this year’s Daytona 500, drivers must first compete in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for the Daytona 500. Bell has just four career Duel starts on his resume but has brought home top-five finish in all four qualifying races, with a career-best Duel finish of second last February.

● Before drivers compete in the Duel, they race the clock in single-lap qualifying on Wednesday night. The two fastest cars are locked into the Daytona 500 field while the remaining drivers are split between the two Duel races. Qualifiers in odd-numbered positions are in the first Duel and qualifiers in even-numbered positions are in the second Duel.

Christopher Bell, Driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries/DeWalt Toyota Camry TRD

What is your favorite and least favorite parts of the Daytona 500?

“My favorite part of the Daytona 500 is just the big-event feel – it’s a really big race and you can tell that. You have probably the most casual fans that we have over the entire schedule that tune in for the Daytona 500. My least favorite thing is just the style of racing – the restrictor-plate racing is not my favorite. It is what it is. It is the Daytona 500 and it’s the biggest one of the year. It definitely has that big-event feel. We have Interstate and DeWalt along with us this year and we couldn’t be more excited about the race and trying to get those guys to victory lane in our biggest race.”

How much of a help will it be having more Toyotas in the race on Sunday, and in speedway racing in general?

“I think it is always positive to have more cars at speedway races. I think all of us Toyotas are going to do the best we can to help each other, but having two more cars in these races is definitely helpful for us as a whole.”

With no practice before qualifying again this year, how will that change the Duel races, if at all?

“It didn’t change them too much last year. The Duels are the best practice that you can get over the course of the weekend. It is going to be a very valuable test session. If you are good in the Duels, I don’t foresee you doing very much practice between the Duels and the 500, but if you struggle, there are practices in-between to try to work on your car to get it better.”

How much more confident are you and how different do you feel heading to Daytona after the season you had last year?

“I am excited about building off of last year. Daytona is just its own animal, and I don’t really think anything that happened last year will have an effect on what will happen at the Daytona 500. Last year, we were able to finally finish one of these races and finish well, so hoping we can be there at the end and see what happens with our Interstate Batteries/DeWalt Camry.”

Is driver momentum carrying from one season to the next a real thing?

“I think so. Driver confidence is, for sure. There are so many changes throughout the offseason with body design and manufacturers changing their cars, so nobody really knows what we have until we get on the track, and Daytona being a superspeedway is not really indicative of what we are going to see for the rest of the season. The 500 is the ‘Granddaddy of Them All,’ and I’m excited to get the season going and see what we have.”

How do you approach the last laps of the Daytona 500?

“It’s unbelievable. Anyone that has not driven in a Cup Series superspeedway race, I don’t feel like they understand the difference between lap one, even lap 150 to lap 200. The light switch goes off and the intensity just skyrockets, and guys just start pushing and shoving where you are not supposed to be pushing and shoving. The thing I hate about superspeedway racing is you never feel like you are in control in those moments when you are getting pushed around. It changes dramatically in those last couple of laps.”

Do you have a spot that you want to be in those final laps?

“Ultimately, you don’t want another manufacturer behind you because you are going to be left out to dry, but even if it is a teammate, you are not going to just get pushed to the end. The best thing you can hope for in the end is to have a shot. Everyone asks the magic question – would you like to be leading or second going into the last lap? Well both of them are going to have a shot to win, so either one of them is not too bad. You just want to have an opportunity to take the checkered flag and you have to be in the top so many rows to be able to do that.”

No. 20 Interstate Batteries Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Christopher Bell

Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma

Crew Chief: Adam Stevens

Hometown: Portsmouth, Ohio

Car Chief: Chris Sherwood

Hometown: Portsmouth, Virginia

Spotter: Stevie Reeves

Hometown: Speedway, Indiana

Race Engineer: William Hartman

Hometown: Laingsburg, Michigan

Team Engineer: Chris Whitenight

Hometown: Berwick, Pennsylvania

Road Crew Members

Truck Driver: John Maybry

Hometown: Campobello, SC

Mechanic: Wesley Lape Hometown: Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania

Ride and Handling Engineer: Chris Chase

Hometown: Nichole, New York

Truck Driver: Glenn Funderburk

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Bryce Bratton

Hometown: Maiden, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Peyton Moore

Hometown: Buford, Georgia

Jackman: Derrell Edwards

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Tire Carrier: Jake Holmes

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Front Tire Changer: Blake Houston

Hometown: Enochville, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
Feb. 16-18, 2024

ONE AWAY FROM 100

Already the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), Chevrolet has the opportunity to add yet another monumental feat to that legacy – entering the 2024 season-opening weekend with 99 points-paying victories across NASCAR’s three national series at the “World Center of Racing”.

Chevrolet made its presence known early at DIS courtesy of Bob Welborn, who drove his 1959 Chevrolet to the win in NASCAR’s first-ever race held at the Florida superspeedway (Feb. 20, 1959). Throughout the series’ more than 60-year history at the track, the Bowtie brand has earned 50 all-time NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) victories. Exactly one-half of those triumphs have come in the Daytona 500, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. delivering Chevrolet its 25th victory in the crown jewel event last season.

The manufacturer’s success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) at DIS is unmatched – earning 46 victories in 64 races held at the track; a winning percentage of 72 percent. Chevrolet has posted a near-dominant performance in the series at DIS in recent years – collecting the victory in 12 of the series’ past 13 races at the track.

Having a much shorter history at the Florida superspeedway, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) joined the DIS scene in 2000. Three of Chevrolet’s series-leading all-time DIS victories have come in the NCTS – all of which were recorded in consecutive seasons (2016-2018).

 DEFENDING THE CROWN

One of the most prestigious events in motorsports, the Daytona 500, carries a rich history dating back to its inception to NASCAR in 1959. To date, 18 different drivers have delivered Chevrolet a combined 25 Daytona 500 victories – most recently one year ago with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1 team. Stenhouse Jr. and fellow Chevrolet driver Austin Dillon are among just the seven active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with a Daytona 500 victory to their name.

Chevrolet’s Daytona 500 Victories:

Date Driver
February 19, 2023 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
February 18, 2018 Austin Dillon
February 23, 2014 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
February 24, 2013 Jimmie Johnson
February 14, 2010 Jamie McMurray
February 18, 2007 Kevin Harvick
February 19, 2006 Jimmie Johnson
February 20, 2005 Jeff Gordon
February 15, 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
February 16, 2003 Michael Waltrip
February 18, 2001 Michael Waltrip
February 14, 1999 Jeff Gordon
February 15, 1998 Dale Earnhardt
February 16, 1997 Jeff Gordon
February 19, 1995 Sterling Marlin
February 20, 1994 Sterling Marlin
February 14, 1993 Dale Jarrett
February 17, 1991 Ernie Irvan
February 18, 1990 Derrike Cope
February 19, 1989 Darrell Waltrip
February 16, 1986 Geoffrey Bodine
February 19, 1984 Cale Yarborough
February 20, 1977 Cale Yarborough
February 16, 1975 Benny Parsons
February 14, 1960 Junior Johnson

FRONT-ROW FRONT-RUNNERS

Chevrolet has set an unrivaled bar in what is arguably the most important qualifying session of the NASCAR Cup Series season – to claim the pole position for the Daytona 500. A Chevrolet-powered machine has led the field to the green-flag of the “Great American Race” 31 times in the event’s 65-race history – a record more than double the next highest manufacturer competitor. One year ago, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman extended Chevrolet’s active Daytona 500 pole win streak to 11-straight. Taking it one step further, Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson posted the second-fastest qualifying lap to give the Bowtie brand its 21st all-time front-row sweep for the crown jewel event.

 CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY SEASON

In 1984, Rick Hendrick took his passion for automobiles and auto racing and turned it into a business venture by starting Hendrick Motorsports. Now 40 years later, Hendrick Motorsports has become the sport’s most successful organization, with every win and championship recorded in partnership with Chevrolet.

Geoffrey Bodine put Hendrick Motorsports on the map in its founding season – giving the organization its first NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway in April 1984. Fast forward 39 seasons, the Chevrolet organization leads NASCAR’s top division in nearly all major statistical measures with 14 championships, 301 points-paying wins, 246 poles and 1,318,526 laps led. Hendrick Motorsports earned the title as the winningest organization in NCS history in May 2021 when Kyle Larson’s victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway took the team’s all-time win count past the record previously held by Petty Enterprises for more than 60 years. The organization reached its most recent milestone victory last season with William Byron’s playoff win at Texas Motor Speedway giving Hendrick Motorsports its 300th all-time NCS win.

One of the most successful manufacturer-team partnerships in NCS history, Hendrick Motorsports has been a pivotal part in making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR’s premier series. With 851 all-time victories in the series, a Hendrick Motorsports driver has delivered Chevrolet its past five milestone victories in the NCS:

400th NCS win: Sept. 9, 1994 – Terry Labonte (Richmond Raceway)

500th NCS win: Aug. 12, 2001 Jeff Gordon (Watkins Glen International)

600th NCS win: March 25, 2007 – Kyle Busch (Bristol Motor Speedway)

700th NCS win: Nov. 4, 2012 – Jimmie Johnson (Texas Motor Speedway)

800th NCS win: May 23, 2021 – Chase Elliott (Circuit of The Americas)

BUSCH’S CONTINUED QUEST FOR DAYTONA 500 TRIUMPH

Kyle Busch, one of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, still has one crown jewel win left to add to an already storied career – the Daytona 500. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion is on the horizon of his 19th career start in the “Great American Race” this weekend, making Busch even hungrier to earn his spot on the prestigious Harley J. Earl trophy.

The 38-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, native came oh-so-close to the crown jewel win last season. Despite sitting in the top position on lap 200, Busch got caught up in a crash during a double overtime finish, relinquishing his hopes of becoming the Daytona 500 Champion for another year. Another former Richard Childress Racing driver shared the same anguished pursuit for the Harley J. Earl trophy – Dale Earnhardt Sr., who finally captured his first and only Daytona 500 victory in his 20th attempt.

Busch has won every other crown jewel event in NASCAR’s top division, including the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2015 and 2016), the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (2008) and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (2018).

 
FACES IN NEW PLACES

Coming off yet another stellar season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet looks to continue that momentum with an even more bolstered driver lineup for the 2024 season.

New to the Team Chevy family, Sammy Smith will take over the driving duties of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Camaro SS this season. At just 19-years-old, the Iowa native has already been a proven force in the NASCAR national ranks. In his rookie NXS season (2023), Smith claimed his first-career win in the series at Phoenix Raceway – becoming the series’ youngest winner in the track’s history. Securing a berth into the playoffs, Smith wrapped up his rookie campaign with six top-fives, 15 top-10s and a sixth-place finish in the final points standings. Smith joins Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Brandon Jones to complete the four-car JR Motorsports lineup.

 
Also new to the Bowtie brigade is Jesse Love, who will pilot the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS for his rookie season in the NXS. The 18-year-old California native competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, where he notched 10 wins in 20 races en route to the series’ championship title. Love also holds the title as the youngest champion in NASCAR history with his two ARCA Menards Series West Championship (2020, 2021). Love will be joined by the 2023 NXS Regular-Season Champion Austin Hill, who will return to the RCR stable to drive the No. 21 Camaro SS.

 
Kaulig Racing will field three full-time NXS entries this season. Series’ veteran AJ Allmendinger will make his return to full-time NXS competition this season – returning to the wheel of the No. 16 Camaro SS. The 42-year-old California native was a winner in two of NASCAR’s top series last season – earning two NXS victories (Circuit of The Americas, Nashville Superspeedway) and one victory in NASCAR’s premier series (Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course). Allmendinger’s NXS resume includes back-to-back NXS Regular-Season Championships, 17 wins, 50 top-five and 68 top-10 finishes.

Completing the Kaulig Racing trio will be Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Williams. Van Gisbergen took the NASCAR world by storm when he claimed the checkered-flag in the NCS’ inaugural Chicago Street Race – becoming the first driver since 1963 to win in his first career start in NASCAR’s top division. Josh Williams will make the transition from DGM Racing to drive the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS. All three drivers will also make select starts in the NCS this season – sharing the seat of the organization’s No. 16 Camaro ZL1 entry.

 
CARRYING CONSISTENCY

Chevrolet’s drivers and teams put the manufacturer back on the map in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last season. Five drivers from five different Chevrolet teams recorded a combined 14 NCTS wins in 2023 – a record nearly triple its win count from the previous season. Limited changes to the Team Chevy NCTS driver lineup during the offseason will provide for a sense of consistency to carry the momentum into the new season.

The 2024 NCTS field will see a former NCS regular make a run for the series’ title, with Ty Dillon taking over the driving duties for the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Silverado RST. The 31-year-old North Carolina native brings experience to the table with three wins, 20 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes in the series to his name. This will mark the first time in over a decade that Dillon will compete full-time in the NCTS, with his last title bid in 2013 bringing the Team Chevy driver a pair of wins and a runner-up finish in the points standings.

As a part of Spire Motorsports’ expansion in the NASCAR national ranks, the Chevrolet organization will field two full-time NCTS entries this season – tabbing Team Chevy’s Rajah Caruth (No. 71 Silverado RST) and Chase Purdy (No. 77 Silverado RST). The 2023 NCTS Rookie of the Year, Nick Sanchez, will return to the seat of the No. 2 Silverado RST for Rev Racing, with the organization now in a technical alliance with Spire Motorsports. After a runner-up finish in last season’s title hunt, series’ veteran Grant Enfinger has a new home with CR7 Motorsports to pilot the No. 9 Silverado RST. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing has also expanded its lineup to field three full-time entries with Christian Eckes, Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Dye, as well as a part-time entry with Jack Wood.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023)

Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)

William Byron – one win (Aug. 2020)

Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008)

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a Daytona 500 victory:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one Daytona 500 Win (2023)

Austin Dillon – one Daytona 500 Win (2018)

· In 153 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 50 wins, with 25 of those triumphs coming in the “Great American Race”.

· Chevrolet has 99 points-paying wins at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway.

· Chevrolet has captured the Daytona 500 pole a manufacturer-leading 31 times, including an active streak of 11-straight (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman – Feb. 2023).

· Chevrolet has swept the Daytona 500 front-row 21 times in the event’s history, including 11 of the past 13 years (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson – Feb. 2023).

· Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is the only driver in series’ history to sit on the front-row of the Daytona 500 for six consecutive years (2018-2023).

· All behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, Hendrick Motorsports has won a series-leading 16 Daytona 500 poles: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018, 2021, 2023), William Byron (2019), Kyle Larson (2022).

· Since the debut of the Next Gen Cars in 2022, Chevrolet has won eight of the 12 superspeedway-style races in the NASCAR Cup Series – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 851 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS

• Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway.
• Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including:

Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Traverse Z71, Corvette E-Ray 3LZ Convertible, Silverado EV RST, Blazer EV RS, Colorado ZR2 Bison, Silverado 1500 Trailboss, Silverado 2500 Crew ZR2 Bison Diesel, Camaro ZL1 Convertible, Trax Activ, Equinox Premier.

Chevrolet Injector: Blazer RS, Camaro ZL1, Corvette 3LT Z51 Convertible, Corvette Stingray Coupe, Equinox RS, Silverado 2500 HD ZR2 Bison Diesel, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Tahoe RST, Trax 2RS, Blazer RS, Corvette Stingray Coupe 1LT, Silverado 1500 Crew 2LT Trailboss, Suburban Z71, Tahoe High Country.

Chevrolet Experience Center: Blazer RS, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Z06, Silverado EV RST, Firebird 1.

• Fans can also view William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro ZL1 show car at the Chevrolet Racing Display in the Fan Midway.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Thursday, February 15

• Nick Sanchez: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
• Rajah Caruth: 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Friday, February 16

• Ty Dillon: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
• Grant Enfinger: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Christian Eckes: 1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
• Chase Purdy: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• Tyler Ankrum and Jack Wood: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
• Austin Hill & Jesse Love: 1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 17: 8 AM – 5:30 PM

• Josh Williams: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
• Dawson Cram: 1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• AJ Allmendinger: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
• Sam Mayer: 2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Justin Allgaier & Sammy Smith: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
• Brandon Jones: 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Jeremy Clements: 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Sunday, February 18

• Zane Smith: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
• Daniel Suarez: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
• Ross Chastain: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Carson Hocevar: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
• Alex Bowman: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Chase Elliott & William Byron: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
• Kyle Busch: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Shane van Gisbergen: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
• Kyle Larson: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Thursday, February 15: 3 – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, February 16: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 17: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 18: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tune In:

NASCAR Cup Series

66th running of the Daytona 500

Sunday, February 18, 2:30 p.m. ET

FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Xfinity Series

United Rentals 300

Saturday, February 17, 5 p.m. ET

FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Fresh From Florida 250

Saturday, February 16, 7:30 p.m. ET

FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

How does the Daytona 500 make you feel?

“Daytona has all of this buildup but as soon as you hit the track, it all goes away. Once I’m on the track, it’s just another race to me that I’m trying to win. The introductions for the Daytona 500 are unique because you have that long runway that goes out in between the fans and you walk out with another driver past the Daytona 500 trophy. I remember walking out for my first Daytona 500 introduction and every one since. The fact that I’m one of the 40 drivers who has a shot to win the Daytona 500 is an incredible feeling. I was a kid sitting in the grandstands not that long ago. Now, I have a shot to win it. There’s only 39 others. I haven’t won it yet but if I do, it will be incredible.”

What is your 2024 season outlook?

“Sustaining what we’ve accomplished but we also want more. We’ve been able to sustain in 2022 and 2023. So for 2024, we’ll need to evolve. We’ve added more employees, more engineers, Daniel has a new crew chief and we continue to evolve in the Cup Series.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Larson on racing on superspeedways:

“We’ve run well but we just don’t have the results to back it up – whether it was running out of fuel or getting involved in an accident late in the race battling for the win. I watched a lot of video to see what others are doing to make it to the end and hopefully I can do that and battle for the win on Sunday.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1

“It’s the granddaddy & we’re ready to race our Chili’s Chevy Camaro ZL1. It’s really a track position game all day. The cars don’t punch as big of a hole in the air as the old ones, so the runs don’t come as quickly. You can see them coming from further away with the rear-view camera. So, if someone wants to make a move on you, you can cover it easier than with the old mirrors. Spotters can see energy building. That’s why you don’t see a whole lot of moving and shaking, because everyone knows how we’re trying to get positions. We need to have the same mentality about the track at Daytona as we do Martinsville. We want good track position early and need to maintain it all day long. If you happen to be in a position where a wreck catches you up, that’s just part of the deal. We will put our Camaro in position to win the race from the first lap.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1

How special is the Daytona 500?

“Obviously the Daytona 500 is the biggest race of our season, our Super Bowl, so it’s a huge deal. It’s certainly a race that’s high on my bucket list. We were leading last year at mile marker 500 but it didn’t work out. I’ve been so close to winning that race. Maybe one of these days we can check the box and bring home the Harley J. Earl trophy.”

What can you learn in the Duel that will help you in the 500?

“I think one of the biggest things you can learn in the Duel for the 500 is just how fast your car is, working on the balance making sure it’s not too tight, it’s not too loose, and that it drives good. But I think the other thing is working around other cars, seeing how well your car drafts, how well it sucks up to others, how well it pushes, how well it does getting pushed, all of those things. You’re just trying to build the notebook and build the confidence in the car for Sunday.”

Is out front the best strategy to avoid the Big One at Daytona?

“I don’t know if you’re safe anywhere. I think the biggest thing is to just build that confidence in your car and build that camaraderie with other drivers around you to give them the confidence that you’re fast and your car is fast, that they can work with you and that sort of helps you as the race closes. Where opposite of that, if you’re a guy who hangs out in back all day and then you’re there at the end, nobody knows anything about you so they don’t want to hang out with you. It’s like you’ve got to be one of the cool kids and sit at the cool kids table but if you’re not in the cool kids club then they will not work with you as well.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Elliott on what it would mean to win the Daytona 500:

“It would be awesome to check that box. We’ve had a couple of opportunities, but my biggest reason for really wanting to win the (DAYTONA) 500 is because Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) has never won it. He’s from down there (Ormond Beach) and I know it’s a big deal to him. I just think it would be a really cool thing for him. Being a hometown guy like that, he’s come so close, so many times. When you work with a guy like that who has had a lot of success, it is kind of rare to be able to help him achieve something he has not already achieved. That would be a big one.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1

“The Daytona 500 is obviously the biggest race we have in our sport. The emotions, the nerves and everything that come with that as you do all the prerace events and everything the week leading up to it. Last year, we had a great chance to win. It would be a dream come true to win that race and stand in victory lane. We aren’t racing for driver points, so I can be aggressive and hopefully put ourselves in position to win.”

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Byron on his excitement to start the season:

“Technically the season started with the Clash (at the Coliseum) but I’m ready to get to Daytona (International Speedway) and really get the season going. Usually, we start the season with a couple of bad races and then pick up the pace a few races in. This time the goal is to hopefully get off to a better start. We want to be around at the end of the DAYTONA 500, going for a win and then back that up with a solid run at Atlanta (Motor Speedway). I know the team has been putting in the work to have us ready to get going, I’m just ready to go execute.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1

“Anytime you get a chance to go down and be a part of the Daytona 500 weekend, it’s a dream come true, no matter how many times you do it. I’m excited to have an opportunity to do something special with this No. 31 group to kick the season off, and I’m honored to welcome Cirkul to the sport as a majority Cup primary sponsor with our race team. We’re looking forward to what this season will bring.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Bowman on racing at Daytona International Speedway:

“I feel like I learned a lot last year at (super) speedways in general. The Daytona 500 is tough. It’s a long day. There’s a lot of ways to crash and I feel like I’ve shown a lot of those ways to crash. Last year, obviously we finished well (P5) and had a good day with a good result. We’re hoping to improve on that just a little bit and continue to learn, execute and have a good day. I want to put myself in the right position and know what moves I need to make- and not make- so that our No. 48 Ally team can be in contingency there for a win at the end. I’m looking forward to getting back to it at Daytona (International Speedway).”

Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Camaro ZL1

You are heading back to Daytona to start the NASCAR season with the Daytona 500, and this year you are getting a second chance at The Great American Race. What has it been like getting ready for this week?

“Talk about a gift. Any opportunity to race in the NASCAR Cup Series – especially the biggest race of the year – is an incredible blessing. To have the chance to go race in the Daytona 500 is huge. It’s one I have always wanted another shot at since 2021, when we got caught up in that early big one. To do this with Beard Motorsports is really cool. I’m so thrilled about this opportunity and very thankful to the Beard family. I have always watched them at all of the superspeedway races and have respected what they do. They bring really competitive cars to the track. To know that I not only have a shot to go race in the Daytona 500, but to actually have a chance to run up front and compete for the win, is something that I’m really pumped about. I want to go down there and be competitive and I know I can do that with them. Their crew chief, Darren Shaw, has assembled a really good group of people. I don’t take this chance for granted and can’t wait to get to work.”

Will you talk a little bit about this partnership with Beard Motorsports and the opportunity to race with them at Daytona, and even later in the season at Talladega?

“To be able to work with Beard Motorsports is really exciting to me because they have been a part of NASCAR for many years, now, and a lot of people pull from them at the superspeedway races. The Beard family does this as a way of carrying on Mark Beard Sr.’s legacy, and to be a part of that is very special to me because he was the one that really loved racing and they do it to honor him. Getting to know Amie and Linda Beard during these last couple of months has been really cool. They have great Chevrolet Camaros, and to be able to climb behind the wheel of one is an honor for me because they have worked with some talented drivers and provided them the chance to showcase that talent at the Cup level. To be able to do that in the Daytona 500 – our biggest race of the year – is huge. The Beards are very clear on their goals – we are going down to Daytona to have fun, but we have a job to do. We want to qualify into the Daytona 500 and race for the win. I’m very thankful for their family, our partners, and Beard Oil, their family business.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1

“I went to the Daytona 500 as a kid in 2014 when Dale Jr. won and knew then and there that I wanted to race a cup car on this track. Now, behind the wheel of my Chevrolet, that dream becomes a reality, and it’s still surreal. Time to learn from the best, push myself, and see what this car and team can do.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

Are you ready for the Daytona 500?

“Yes, of course. You can’t be a driver in NASCAR and not think about the Daytona 500. Every time you go into the tunnel you get a thrill. This is our most important race of the year. It’s not about points or where you finish. It’s about being a Daytona 500 winner.”

What would a victory in Daytona mean to you?

“Think about it. It’s the biggest race in our sport. It would be my first, Justin Marks first, my friends at Freeway Insurance are going to be our primary sponsor in this race, Pitbull is going to perform the pre-race show, I can go on and on. This would mean a lot to a lot of people. Freeway has been with me a long time and to win a race with Freeway, let alone the Daytona 500 would a reward for all the faith they have shown me over the years. They celebrated with us winning the Mexico race in Los Angeles and that was a blast. I can’t imagine the Daytona 500 win party.”

Are you ready for a return to the Xfinity Series?

“Looking forward to going BIGGIE with Wendy’s on the track Saturday. I’m excited by Xfinity Racing. I’m with a good team at Kaulig Racing and it marks our first race with Wendy’s who is joining Trackhouse Racing this year. I love the Xfinity Series and it’s always fun to get back and race with them.”

It’s been more than a weeks since the Mexico Series victory, how do you feel?

“That was really a great moment for me. I am so proud of the race the Mexico Series put on at the Coliseum and we had so much fun in victory lane. That was really a big deal. I hope one day those drivers get their shot in America like I did.”

 
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)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 851 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 743

Laps led to date: 249,175

Top-five finishes to date: 4,298

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,861

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,185

       Chevrolet: 851

       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.