Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed into this weekend’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway hoping to avoid being swept up in the drama that comes with a cut-off race in the Playoffs.

The ROVAL 400 is the final event in the Round of 12 and there will be pressure on drivers and teams still in the Playoffs to get a finish that will put them in the Round of Eight. After Sunday’s race, the bottom four drivers in the Round of 12 will be eliminated from championship contention.

“One thing about the Playoffs, the cut-off races for each round are sure to provide some drama, and I think the Roval probably tends to be the wildest,” said Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX Imaging team. “Hopefully we can go have a solid weekend with our DEX Mustang Dark Horse and fly below the radar for a good finish.”

In addition to the Playoff-related drama, drivers will have to adapt to some reconfiguration of the 17-turn, 2.28-mile ROVAL. According to a news release from the speedway, two new braking zones have been created. The release stated that “included in the reconfiguration, crews will extend the straight-away coming out of Turn 5 and create a new Turn 6, sending the field toward a much sharper hairpin in Turn 7. On the frontstretch, a sharper apex in Turn 16 of the final chicane will be created.”

Bullins said that’s two big issues for teams and drivers to tackle.

“With the playoff implications and the track configuration changes there will be a lot going on this weekend,” he said. “I feel like we have been making some progress with Harrison on the road courses and hopefully we can put together a good race and come away with a strong result.”

Practice for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time to be followed by qualifying at 2 p.m. USA Network will carry the TV coverage.

Sunday’s 109-lap, 248.52-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2 p.m., with the TV broadcast on NBC.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 25 and 50.

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.

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.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

 The Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course is the next stop on the 2024 tour for two of NASCAR’s top divisions, with the 2.28-mile, 17-turn circuit set to host the Round of 12 elimination race for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. The pivotal postseason doubleheader will determine the eight drivers that will continue in the championship battles for their respective series. Chevrolet is the only manufacturer that has already earned an early berth into the next round in both divisions, with Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith punching a ticket into the Round of Eight in their respective series at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend.

 
Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course:

In NASCAR’s seven-race history at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with multiple wins in both of NASCAR’s top two divisions, with the Bowtie brand heading to the circuit with four NASCAR Cup Series wins and five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins.

Chase Elliott delivered Chevrolet its first Cup Series victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in 2019, with the 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native becoming a back-to-back winner at the circuit in his championship-earning season. Following suit of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson took Chevrolet on three-straight trips to victory lane in 2021 en route to his first career championship title. One year ago, it was road course ringer AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team that drove their Camaro ZL1 to a playoff upset victory.

In the Xfinity Series, Chevrolet earned its first victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in the series’ second appearance at the circuit (2019) – courtesy of a win by Kaulig Racing’s Allmendinger. Since then, it has been an all-Chevrolet victory lane for the series’ record books, with the 42-year-old Los Gatos, California, native collecting four-straight triumphs – recorded from 2019 to 2022. Last year, it was JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer that drove his No. 1 Camaro SS to a playoff walk-off win that ultimately brought the young Chevrolet driver one step closer to his first career Championship Four appearance.

 
By the Numbers on Road Courses:

Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 will mark the 15th traditional road course event in NASCAR’s Next Gen era. The Camaro ZL1 took the checkered flag in two of the three traditional road course events this season – most recently with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson at Sonoma Raceway (June 2024) to give Chevrolet its ninth road course win in the Next Gen era. Larson is one of six different Team Chevy drivers to earn a road course victory in the Next Gen Camaro ZL1, with others including Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (two wins); Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger (one win); Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez (one win each); and Tyler Reddick with Richard Childress Racing (two wins).

BYRON HEADS HOME WITH EARLY PLAYOFF BERTH

Enduring yet another challenging, wildcard race in the Round of 12, the four Hendrick Motorsports teammates will head to the organization’s home track with a strong stance in the playoff standings.

William Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet team earned their second consecutive podium finish of the round at Talladega Superspeedway. Pairing the finish with another strong 48-point day, the 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native was able to snatch the first ticket into the Round of Eight. Looking to add onto his already 74-point cushion over the playoff cutline, Byron heads to a track where he has found a fair amount of success – earning top-10 results in three of his six career starts at the circuit, including a career-best runner-up finish that came one year ago. A strong finish to conclude the second round will set up what could potentially be Byron’s strongest trio of tracks in the series’ postseason, with the Chevrolet driver being a past winner at all three tracks in the Round of Eight.

Byron’s teammates will also enter the season’s second playoff elimination race with double-digit points cushions. Coming off a career-best superspeedway finish, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Chevrolet team moved up one position to third in the playoff standings with a 52-point advantage over the elimination line. The 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native is one of just five past winners in NASCAR’s top division at the North Carolina circuit – recorded in his championship-earning season (2021). Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Chevrolet team currently sit fifth in the playoff standings and 26 points above the elimination line. In his five career starts at the North Carolina circuit, the 31-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native has yet to finish outside the top-10, with the driver leading the series with a 6.4 average finish. Rounding out the top-eight of the playoff standings is two-time ROVAL winner Chase Elliott, with the No. 9 Chevrolet team heading into the weekend with a 13-point cushion over the elimination line.

After a pair of tough races for the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team, Daniel Suarez will take on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course from the 10th position in the playoff ranks (-20 points).

Elliott Looking to Tap Previous Road Course Success

Despite still looking for his first road course victory in the Next Gen era, Chase Elliott has earned the reputation as one of NASCAR’s greatest road course racers. The 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native has seven career road course victories in NASCAR’s top division to his name to lead all active drivers. Two of those victories have come at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, making the 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native the only multi-time winner at the North Carolina circuit. A win on Sunday would not only solidify his spot in the Round of Eight, but also move Elliott to second on the series’ all-time road course wins list, tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart with eight. At the top of that list is career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon with nine career Cup Series road course victories.

SMITH SURGES UP THE STANDINGS

A long-awaited NASCAR Xfinity Series victory with the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team finally came to fruition for Sammy Smith last weekend, with the 20-year-old Johnston, Iowa, native making a last-lap pass in his Camaro SS to take the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway. Entering the second race of the round at a double-digit deficit to the elimination line, the Chevrolet driver turned what was setting up to be a must-win scenario to advance into a surge to the top playoff standings.

With seven positions left up for grabs in the Xfinity Series Round of Eight, three Chevrolet drivers find themselves sitting above the cutline heading into the Charlotte race weekend. Among those drivers includes the pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates, Austin Hill and Jesse Love, both of which hold a double-digit points cushion.

Rounding out the top-eight of the standings is the series’ most decorated road course racer, AJ Allmendinger, with the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS team sitting plus-seven markers over the elimination line. The 42-year-old Los Gatos, California, native has tallied five career victories in the NASCAR national ranks at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, including four-in-a-row in the Xfinity Series (2019-2022). Allmendinger has recorded 11 career road course victories in the Xfinity Series, earning the record as the only driver in series’ history to produce a double-digit win count on road courses.

Van Gisbergen, Mayer Among Potential Frontrunners

Among the four drivers on the outside looking in includes a pair of Chevrolet road course ringers. Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen became a first-time Xfinity Series winner at Portland International Raceway earlier this summer, with the series’ rookie making yet another trip to victory lane just one week later at Sonoma Raceway. The 35-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native ended the regular season as a three-time winner this season, collecting his third trophy on the left- and right-hand turns of the Chicago Street Course.

JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer may have an uphill battle heading into the elimination weekend, but the 21-year-old Franklin, Wisconsin, native has proven to know how to capitalize on the added playoff pressure. One year ago, Mayer entered the Round of 12 elimination weekend at this very same venue in a similar position. But with a boost of confidence from two road course wins earlier that season, Mayer powered his Camaro SS to a walk-off win at the North Carolina circuit to keep his title hopes alive.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· With 80 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 48.75% with 39 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 14 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 10 wins).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course:

Chase Elliott – two wins (2020, 2019)

Kyle Larson – one win (2021)

AJ Allmendinger – one win (2023)

· In 15 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat four times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway).

· Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with multiple wins in both of NASCAR’s top two divisions at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, with the Bowtie brand entering the weekend with four wins in six NASCAR Cup Series races and five-straight wins in six NASCAR Xfinity Series races.

· Chevrolet has earned 19 victories in the past 25 NASCAR Cup Series road course events – dating from Chase Elliott’s victory at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2019, to Kyle Larson’s victory at Sonoma Raceway in June 2024.

· In 14 NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with nine victories – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.

· Chevrolet has recorded 66 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses – starting with Buck Baker’s victory at Watkins Glen International in 1957.

· Chevrolet continues to lead its manufacturer competitors with playoff contenders across all three NASCAR national series, with five drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12; eight drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Round of 12; and five drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Round of 8.

· In 103 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 51 victories – a winning percentage of 49.%.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 865 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: 1134
Ford: 1087 (-47)
Toyota: 1085 (-49)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 1038
Toyota: 999 (-39)
Ford: 905 (-133)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 745
Toyota: 703 (-42)
Ford: 670 (-75)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Round of 12: Elimination Race

Bank of America ROVAL 400

Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. ET

(NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Round of 12: Elimination Race

Drive for the Cure 250 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Saturday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. ET

(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 Busch Light CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on the new reconfigured ROVAL at Charlotte?

“From the pictures I’ve seen, it’s definitely changed. There’s some elevation change and it is blind. You can see a car, I believe, but the track falls away steep enough that you can’t really see it. It gives me a little bit of anxiety because I can’t see the road in front of me. I’ll wait to see how it looks in real life but mentally I’m preparing to not be able to see the track in front of me.”

What do you think about the new hairpin and apex in turn 16?

“I’m still learning. The frontstretch chicane actually does not feel as different as I thought it would. Until I feel it in real life, I won’t really know. The hairpin is wild. I’m still getting used to it. I’m plugging laps away on the simulator but I need more laps. It doesn’t feel natural because its new.”

How much work have you put into refining your road course racing?

“So much work has gone into it. Turning right seems simple, but it’s been something that’s been such a challenge for me. I’ve gone to Skip Barber’s Driving School to learn how to turn right. I’ve leaned on Josh Wise and Scott Speed so much. Chevrolet has taken us out to Spring Mountain and has done schooling with Ron Fellows and the instructors there. It wasn’t any one thing, it was just so many years of trying to learn how to do this.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on the changes made to the Charlotte ROVAL:

“I was able to turn some laps (on the newly configured) ROVAL in the simulator last week. The changes to the track create another passing zone but could also create chaos if drivers make late moves there. With our finish at Talladega, we’re in a much better points position entering this race than years past, but we still have to execute and put together a solid race this weekend.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 MATTRESS WAREHOUSE CAMARO ZL1

Spire has had success at the road courses this season. How do you feel jumping in and running your first road course race in your return to the team?

“We feel good heading into the ROVAL. I get excited because I love road courses and it is a lot of fun to race at them. The Spire cars had a lot of speed at Watkins Glen with all three cars finishing in the top 10, so I’m curious to see where we end up this weekend. I feel like the road course stuff is really good and the team is confident about it. I have a road course background myself, and have ran well at the ROVAL throughout my career. We will see how the new configuration mixes things up. The new re-entrance to the oval should open a new passing zone and make for some physical racing. There’s nothing as special as the Charlotte ROVAL.”

You’ve collected great runs at road courses in your career. Why has road racing come so natural to you?

“I grew up Trans Am racing. I was kind of the first to do the NASCAR-Trans Am crossover, and now it is a huge steppingstone for guys like Connor Mosack and Connor Zilisch. I did a bunch of sports car racing when I was younger. I won at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the Truck Series. I always ran well at the road courses in Xfinity and I have a pair of top fives in the Cup Series at Chicago and the ROVAL. I’ve always been comfortable at those kinds of places.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LENOVO CAMARO ZL1

There have been changes made to the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL configuration. Do you think that will create additional passing zones and improve the quality of racing?

“Anytime there are changes made to a road course I think it is always directed towards creating additional passing zones and improving the quality of racing so hopefully that happens. I think the area of the racetrack before in Turns 6,7 and 8 was always single file, follow the leader, so maybe now you’ll have guys pull out a line and try to make a pass in the hairpin before getting back up on the big track.”

Would you be in favor of changing the course layout of a street course or the ROVAL every few years to mix things up?

“I’m more in favor in going to different, permanent courses then street courses or rovals.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on the changes made to the Charlotte ROVAL:

“I kind of look at it like it’s a new race track, truthfully. That section of the track is going to change the entire flow of the lap there, so I’ve been kind of approaching it as a new track with my preparation. I’ve spent some time in the simulator, just trying to really memorize the track and where the little bumps are. Typically those track scans are pretty good. I think that’s probably one of the best things about the simulator is that a driver can go and get familiar with the track layout; surface content, roughness, so on and so forth. It’s really about all I feel like I can do until we get some time on-track.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 CELSIUS CAMARO ZL1

“It’s always cool to be able to be the defending race winner. The ROVAL has always been special to me and last year’s race is one that I will never forget. I’m excited to get back in the No. 16 Celsius Chevy; hopefully we can go out there this weekend and do the same thing we did last year to gain some momentum for our team.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CONFETTI CAMARO ZL1

Byron on the importance of running well at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his home track:

“I always enjoy racing at Charlotte. It’s nice being at home for the weekend but it’s also nice to have so many friends and family there to watch as well. I’ve been fighting hard to get a win at my home track. I thought we had a shot at the Coca-Cola 600 this year but weather shortened that. Hopefully we can get it done this time instead. I know it would mean a lot to the company as well since the track is literally in Hendrick Motorsports’ backyard. It should hopefully be a good weekend.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“It’s hard to beat racing at home, no matter what level. There are so many things that make racing at Charlotte this weekend so special, including the “Window of Hope” program that all the teams have the honor of participating in. I’m excited to have the support of Cirkul, as well as friends and family at my home track.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman the changes to the Charlotte ROVAL and final race of the Round of 12:

“This weekend on-track at the ROVAL will look a little different with the re-pave. turn seven looks a little bit like you’re making a U-turn on a one-way street, so it’s going to be a little more chaotic for sure. We don’t know how much the simulator is close to real life until you actually go do it, so we’ll see. The 48 is currently sitting good in playoff points, but certainly not close enough for comfort. Our Ally Racing team has been really locked-in throughout the playoffs and we’re going to show up ready to perform in efforts to secure a spot in the Round of 8.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 AMBETTER HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

Are you looking forward to the Charlotte ROVAL this weekend?

“Yes, I really am. I enjoy racing road courses, and I know this isn’t a typical road course but it’s still a pretty fun track. My Spire Motorsports team has had solid runs on road courses this season and I’m confident heading into this weekend. Excited to see how my Ambetter Health Chevrolet stacks up with the rest of the field on Sunday.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1

You earned a career-best finish last time at a road course, and you will be making your first start at the ROVAL this weekend. How do you expect your day to go?

“I didn’t think we were going to run as good as we have on the road courses this year. Luke (Lambert) and everyone at Spire has put a lot of emphasis on the road course package. I think we can run really good. Not only did the No. 77 team run well at Watkins Glen, but the company got all three cars in the top 10. We have a little bit of a question mark since I’ve never been to the ROVAL, but we look to replicate the speed we had at Watkins Glen.”

How does the change in the layout of the course help you in your first start on the ROVAL?

“The reconfiguration and layout change has taken a little bit away from the guys who have experience there. It allows us to approach it with an open mind and no preconceived notion on how the track should be. On the flip side, the guys who have run there before have a couple major areas of the track in which they have to change their approach. Hopefully it takes them a little bit to forget the old and figure out the new while I am catching up on the other areas of the track!”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 CHOICE PRIVILEGES CAMARO ZL1

How do approach this weekend in Charlotte?

“This is a big week for us. We have already put in a lot of work on Charlotte on the simulator. This ROVAL race is going to be different for sure. I think the changes to the track will create passing zones. Right now, our work is in the virtual world. We are doing this on a simulator. Nobody has been running laps in real life. So we are going to find out what these changes mean on Saturday.”

Are you happy with the changes?

“It’s going to be interesting. I am actually happy. I’m happy that SMI and NASCAR are allowing these changes. We have been racing at the ROVAL for six years and it’s been an amazing race, but changes like these will spice things up even more. I’m happy everyone continues to think outside the box and makes the sport even more exciting.”

 
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: 14

Poles: 9

Laps Led: 3,016

Top-five finishes: 60

Top-10 finishes: 124

Stage wins: 21

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 12

· Ross Chastain: 2

· William Byron: 2

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

· Kyle Busch: 1

· Alex Bowman: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 865 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 752

Laps led to date: 252,171

Top-five finishes to date: 4,358

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,984

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,199

       Chevrolet: 865

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 837                                                           

       Ford: 737

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 188

 

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Charlotte ROVAL

Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024
2.28-Mile Road Course
2 PM ET
Location: Concord, North Carolina
TV: Fox logo
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (Race 32 of 36)
RADIO: SiriusXM logo

5 KYLE LARSON
 Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Week: 4th (Talladega)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 3rd (-22)

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Charlotte ROVAL
Races	30	361	5
Wins	5	28	1
Poles	5	21	—
Top 5	12	116	1
Top 10	15	179	1
Laps Led	1,552	9,108	60
Stage Wins	12	62	2
Average Finish	14.0	14.2	17.4

• Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series with 12 top-five finishes this season. He has run a series-high 4,091 laps in the top five through 31 events in 2024 while his 10.28 average running position is a series-best.
• The 32-year-old driver is the only competitor to have eclipsed the 1,000-laps-led barrier in 2024 with 1,552, 634 more than any other driver. His 12 stage wins are two more than anyone else.
• Larson is 52 markers ahead of the elimination line entering the final race in the Round of 12. He has 15 more playoff points than any other driver.
• Earlier this year at Sonoma Raceway, the 2021 Cup champion led 19 laps to capture his fifth career victory on road courses. Larson trails only Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott (seven) in that category among active drivers.
• In 2021, Larson led the final eight laps en route to victory at the Charlotte ROVAL. The No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team overcame an alternator belt issue during the race to secure its third road course triumph of that year – the most ever during a season in NASCAR’s premier series.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
 
Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last week: 29th (Talladega)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 8th (-61)

No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Charlotte ROVAL
Races	31	317	6
Wins	1	19	2
Poles	—	12	—
Top 5	8	101	2
Top 10	15	167	4
Laps Led	214	5,309	109
Stage Wins	1	37	3
Average Finish	11.9	12.9	8.2

• Chase Elliott heads into the final race of the Round of 12 eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, 13 points above the elimination line. He reached the Round of 8 in six of his seven playoff appearances. The 2020 premier series champion is tied for the most wins in elimination races among current playoff drivers with five.
• Elliott has two Cup Series victories on the Charlotte ROVAL (2019 and 2020) and is the only repeat winner. He has the most laps led at the track (109) and is tied for the third-most top 10s (four). Elliott’s average finish of 8.17 on the ROVAL ranks third among competitors with at least four starts and leads drivers that have made all six starts.
• Elliott’s seven road course victories lead active Cup Series drivers and rank third all-time. He also has the best average finish (9.26) among active drivers with at least four road course starts and is tied for the most stage wins (eight).
• In the Next Gen era, the 28-year-old is tied for the most top-five finishes on road courses (seven) and has the second-best average finish (11).
• The Hendrick Motorsports driver has earned the fourth-most points (144) among playoff drivers across the first five postseason events.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
 Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Week: 3rd (Talladega)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 1st

 No. 24 Valvoline Confetti Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Charlotte ROVAL
Races	31	247	6
Wins	3	13	—
Poles	1	13	1
Top 5	10	51	1
Top 10	16	99	3
Laps Led	286	2,907	80
Stage Wins	2	23	—
Average Finish	14.3	15.4	12.5

• After qualifying 16th at Talladega Superspeedway, William Byron finished stage one in third and stage two in fifth before going on to finish Sunday’s race in the third position.
• With Byron’s solid run, he collected enough points to clinch his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native leads the playoff standings, 74 points above the cutoff point.
• So far in the 2024 playoffs, Byron has accumulated 52 stage points – second most – and 172 total points – third most.
• At the Charlotte ROVAL, Byron has an average finish of 12.5 across six starts. Three of those finishes were within the top 10, tied for the fifth most. His 80 laps led are second most and he’s earned 181 points along the way.
• In the Next Gen Era, the 26-year-old driver has two wins on road courses (tied for second) and has a 14.25 average finish.
• In 2024, Byron is tied for fourth with 10 top-five finishes and has 16 top 10s, good enough for third most.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
 Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Week: 16th (Talladega)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 5th (-48)

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Charlotte ROVAL
Races	31	320	5
Wins	1	8	—
Poles	1	5	—
Top 5	7	39	2
Top 10	15	94	5
Laps Led	61	1,362	2
Stage Wins	1	7	—
Average Finish	14.6	19.4	6.4

• Alex Bowman survived a late 28-car incident to finish 16th at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday. The Ally Racing driver climbed to fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, 48 markers behind the leader and 26 to the good entering the last event of the Round of 12 at the Charlotte ROVAL.
• So far in the playoffs, Bowman has earned 13 more points than any other driver (189). He has also acquired the most stage points in the postseason (58). He averaged 25.6 points per race in the regular season but is averaging 37.8 in the playoffs. The 12.2 points-per-race improvement over the first five playoff races is the third-largest by any driver in the stage era. He has advanced to the Round of 12 in all six postseason appearances and the Round of 8 once (2020).
• Bowman is scheduled to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series start for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday. The 31-year-old has a best finish of second (2019) at the 2.28-mile road course.
• This season, Bowman has earned the most points on road courses (146), 16 more than the second-place competitor, including a win at the Chicago Street Course in July. Bowman has the longest active top-10 streak at the ROVAL with five (he did not compete in 2022) and his career average finish of 6.4 is best all time.
• With five races remaining, Bowman has seven top-five finishes, his most in a season since 2021 (eight). His 15 top-10 finishes are more than he had in all of 2023.
• For four years, Bowman and Ally have teamed up to support Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to no-kill animal shelter Lincoln County Animal Services, located in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

Hendrick Motorsports

2024	All-Time	Charlotte ROVAL
Races	31	1,376	6
Wins	10*	311*	3*
Poles	7**	253*	1**
Top 5	37*	1,269*	6**
Top 10	61*	2,173*	15*
Laps Led	2,113	81,870	199*
Stage Wins	16	114	3**

*Most
**Tied for most

• Hendrick Motorsports has won four of the last six road course events with three different drivers.
• The organization has combined to win half of the six events held at the Charlotte ROVAL. A Hendrick Motorsports driver led the most laps in five of those six races.
• All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers will race on Sunday with pink window nets in support of the Erik Jones Foundation’s Window of Hope initiative in support of breast cancer awareness. After the race, each driver will autograph the net and they will be auctioned off Oct. 14 – 21 here. The proceeds will be used to aid early detection and care for breast cancer patients.
• This marks the fourth time all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers made the Round of 12 (2014, 2021, 2022, 2024), the most times any team has advanced four drivers through the opening round.
• Hendrick Motorsports has gone to victory lane 59 times in playoff races, 22 more than any other team. The organization’s 10 wins in 2024 are the most by four over any other team.
• Of the seven drivers to have at least 15 top-10 finishes this season, four drive for Hendrick Motorsports.
• All four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews rank in the top seven in terms of average time for a four-tire pit stop. The No. 9 over-the-wall squad of Chase Elliott leads the organization and is second in the Cup Series at 10.89 seconds.

 
QUOTABLE /
 
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on changes made to the Charlotte ROVAL: “I was able to turn some laps (on the newly configured) ROVAL in the simulator last week. The changes to the track create another passing zone but could also create chaos if drivers make late moves there. With our finish at Talladega, we’re in a much better points position entering this race than years past, but we still have to execute and put together a solid race this weekend.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on changes made to the Charlotte ROVAL: “I kind of look at it like it’s a new race track, truthfully. That section of the track is going to change the entire flow of the lap there, so I’ve been kind of approaching it as a new track with my preparation. I’ve spent some time in the simulator, just trying to really memorize the track and where the little bumps are. Typically those track scans are pretty good. I think that’s probably one of the best things about the simulator is that a driver can go and get familiar with the track layout; surface content, roughness, so on and so forth. It’s really about all I feel like I can do until we get some time on-track.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of running well at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his home track: “I always enjoy racing at Charlotte. It’s nice being at home for the weekend but it’s also nice to have so many friends and family there to watch as well. I’ve been fighting hard to get a win at my home track. I thought we had a shot at the Coca-Cola 600 this year but weather shortened that. Hopefully we can get it done this time instead. I know it would mean a lot to the company as well since the track is literally in Hendrick Motorsports’ backyard. It should hopefully be a good weekend.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the changes to the Charlotte ROVAL and final race of the Round of 12: “This weekend on-track at the ROVAL will look a little different with the re-pave. turn seven looks a little bit like you’re making a U-turn on a one-way street, so it’s going to be a little more chaotic for sure. We don’t know how much the sim(ulator) is close to real life until you actually go do it, so we’ll see. The 48 is currently sitting good in playoff points, but certainly not close enough for comfort. Our Ally Racing team has been really locked-in throughout the playoffs and we’re going to show up ready to perform in efforts to secure a spot in the Round of 8.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Bank of America Roval 400 Advance | Charlotte Motor Speedway
Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, heads into this weekend’s Round of 12 elimination race in 11th place, 29 points below the cut line. He participated in a NASCAR media call about his situation earlier today.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET THIS WEEK WITH THE ROVAL AND IT BEING AN ELIMINATION RACE? “I think it’s a cutoff race and two pretty tragic races to start the Round of 12 here. We kind of have to go in here with the mindset of winning the race, which simplifies things in a lot of ways. It certainly simplifies strategy thoughts and thoughts in preparation for the race. It’s not the situation you want to be in, but it’s something we’re certainly prepared to go after and fight for.”

CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH THE CHANGES WITH THE ROVAL AND PLACES LIKE 6 AND 7 AND THE FRONTSTRETCH CHICANE? “I think both are gonna be something that kind of changes your approach from a driving standpoint. From the race and the flow of the race, I don’t know how much of that all changes, but with the frontstretch chicane basically just really tightening up the radius of that first apex to finish the lap there, and obviously I haven’t done any laps on the racetrack. I’ve done some laps on the Ford simulator, but I definitely see that making it more likely to miss the corner, to be quite frank. You’re just basically taking away your runoff and the ability to have a mistake and maybe kind of just cut the curb. I think the curb strikes are gonna be a lot more aggressive with the car, believe it or not. They’re already pretty aggressive, but I don’t think how useable the curb is, I think is gonna be taken away because you’re essentially making the curb even more perpendicular to the track than it already is, so the approach angle is gonna be a lot different and I think how you have to approach it as a driver is gonna be a little different. How it affects restarts. That is in the middle of the restart zone now, so it seemed like the outside lane had a little bit of an advantage with being able to take that apex and accelerate out of it. What does that do to the left lane? Does it make that even more extreme? Does it equal out both lanes? That’s definitely something we’ll be looking for throughout the weekend.”

HOW DO YOU MOVE PAST WHAT HAPPENED THIS PAST SUNDAY? “I think you kind of just have to move past it. That’s kind of one that was a lot more in hand, not saying a win was in the hand, but a really good finish and really good points were seemingly in our grasp there and definitely changes the outlook for this weekend and the results for our season. That one obviously stings. Kansas was a lot more my fault, which I can process how to deal with those problems and be better at my seat, but the opportunity lost there is definitely a little bit more difficult to deal with, but that’s kind of all part of it. If I had a point for every time I’ve said that’s the way it is or that’s the way she goes over the last 72 hours, I’d probably be above the cut line right now. That’s the way it goes.”

WHAT HAVE THESE FIVE WEEKS BEEN LIKE WITH THE UPS AND DOWNS? “I think from a short-term perspective, a complete 180 for the first round and for the second round, but I think the consistent factor has been how fast our cars have been, how fast we’ve been, how well we’ve performed on track. That’s been an improvement throughout probably our standard of what we’ve been building up to throughout the season, so long-term perspective, I said in our Monday meeting, I was like, ‘I wish the season wasn’t five races left’ because I feel like the way we go about things as a group, success is usually repeatable. When Brian and I have have been able to get things figured out, we’ve put down solid results. On the flip side, when we’ve had something wrong or something we’ve been fighting, that issue is usually repeated until it’s solved and then what we’ve solved is usually repeated until something changes. I’m really encouraged by a lot of what I’ve seen from my team, from myself in the playoffs and in these races, but in the short term the last two weeks really sting. You can’t do anything about it. At Talladega, if you’re going into that race hoping that’s gonna be your big points day, you’re already probably a little bit behind and that was the case. We obviously find ourselves in pretty much what looks like a must-win situation and we’ll just take it in stride and go for it. It’s pretty simple.”

HAVE YOU OR YOUR TEAM LEARNED ANYTHING IN THIS PLAYOFF RUN THAT YOU CAN TAKE TO THE REGULAR SEASON NEXT YEAR? “I think the speed and the performance we’ve had, I think that’s a combination of a year’s worth of work. It doesn’t just happen in one race, it happens with a lot of data, a lot of talking and a lot of conversations – a lot of smart people trying to figure things out. Like I said, a lot of hard work. I don’t think there’s one week or one thing that really clicks for everyone, but I do think, and I say pretty much every time I’m in a playoff media day, you learn the most about yourself and you learn the most about your competitors in the playoff format. I really do like that. I like that mentality because every race, it doesn’t matter if you’re as good as Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin, it is a challenging format that really puts a ton of pressure on even guys that are excelling above the rest. I’m proud of how we’ve handled that. I said it when the playoffs started, there’s quite a few guys on my team in their roles that it’s their first time in the NASCAR playoffs in the Cup Series, so I’m just really proud of how everyone has really stepped up. A lot of things for us haven’t changed mentality-wise and process-wise and they’ve heeded results for us and that, to me, is the best-case scenario. That’s what I want to see out of me and what I want to see out of my team, but, at the same time, I see all these good things and I’m still in a must-win situation. All of that being said, I feel great about the spot my team is in and where I’m at from a long-term perspective and kind of even heading into next year.”

LOOKING AT VEGAS NEXT WEEK. SOME CALL IT THE MOST IMPORTANT RACE OF THE SEASON BECAUSE OF THE PREP TIME FOR PHOENIX IF YOU WIN. IS THAT RACE ANY MORE INTENSE? “I think every playoff race you could make the argument for some reason to have some heightened sense of urgency for somebody, if not most everybody in the field. It kind of just ebbs and flows that way. Talladega looked to be the most important race of my season last week and now that’s Charlotte. That’s the same for me and a couple other guys. It’s no different than guys that think they can not only win the championship, but if they have extra time to prepare for Phoenix, they could be even better. You can look at that for Vegas and some drivers might look at Homestead as their best chance to win and Martinsville – all these places. I just think that more than not every race is – for 50 percent of the drivers in the playoffs, every race is the most important race of their season and that’s why you have mistakes. That’s why you have big, crazy things happen to playoff drivers and cars and teams because the pressure is on.”

DID YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR TOO EARLY BASED ON THIS CONFUSION AROUND THE DVP POLICY? HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE IT MOVING YOUR FORWARD? “For us, we had some broken control arms, so do I know that at the time? Had I inspected the car? No, but at the same time you can go back and forth on what the right thing to do is or isn’t to do, but obviously it was the biggest, most cars collected in a wreck ever and I was just kind of amazed at all of the stranded cars and what that scene was like. I’m sure it was not a very great environment to be one of the safety workers and first responders because that’s just a lot of cars and a lot of damaged cars still trying to move. I think that was the thing that really stood out to me the most was observing all of that as it was.”

AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS, HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD IF YOU’RE PUT IN A SIMILAR SITUATION IN THE FUTURE? “I was put in a similar situation in Daytona in ‘23 with guys telling me I’ve got to get our or move and at that point you either try and argue or plead your case. It’s a social interaction with a human. I mean, there’s a guy standing at your window net telling you that you’ve got to get out and he’s being told by somebody else to do that. It’s not necessarily what he’s saying, so don’t shoot the messenger and you kind of have to manage that a little bit. The moment your window net gets dropped, it’s over, so if there’s anything, you’re a momma bear for your window net more than anything else. And it’s just situational awareness too about what’s happening and how much damage you actually have and how likely is it you’re gonna be able to fix it. You have to play all those things in your head, but the last resort is definitely if you think you have a chance, you’ve got to protect that window net.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WILL GO FOR STAGE POINTS ON SUNDAY OR ARE YOU TOO FAR BACK? “I think, look, if something happens – I think the 45 and the 9 and the 11 in the first stage to where they’re not getting points or they’re out of the race or something like that, I think a lot has to happen for us to not just go for the win. Honestly, if you look at these road course events with how much flipping stages versus race finish and all that, I feel like everyone kind of averages out with a lot more similar points than they would if the race was just run straight up without the ability to flip stages, so I think the opportunity to gain points on road courses or lose points on a road course is pretty average, honestly. So, from that standpoint, 29 points back, I think you just put your best foot forward and go for a win.”

YOU GET TWO 20-MINUTE PRACTICE SESSIONS, HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU TRY OR IS IT JUST GETTING USED TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE TRACK? “I think it worked really well at Watkins Glen when we had this practice format, just between learning the tire. I mean, it’s a new tire for this racetrack, so any time you do that it’s always good to get tire wears and put in a long run. During our normal weeks where we just have 20 minutes of practice, it’s either we unload close and we do a long run, or we don’t unload close and we have to work on it and then have no idea what our fall off looks like until we get into the race. It kind of gives us an opportunity to work on it for the first run and then kind of put laps on tires for the second run ideally, so I think you can even look at it that you could maybe even do a mock run if you really wanted to with two sets of tires, but I think getting used to the track early on, see what your car drives like for the first session, and then the second one expect a lot of long runs.”

• In eight NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) starts on the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS), Spire Motorsports has logged one top-15 and two top-20 finishes with six different drivers. Corey LaJoie earned a team-best 12th-place finish in 2022 Bank of America ROVAL 400. The Mooresville, N.C., team fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The Bank of America ROVAL 400 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, Oct. 13 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 32nd of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Countdown to Green on NBC will take the green flag at 2 p.m. EDT.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Mattress Warehouse Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
• In three previous Cup Series starts on the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Haley has earned one top-five finish. He finished fifth in the division’s 2022 fall visit to the suburban-Charlotte venue. In NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, the 25-year-old racer has also logged three starts on Charlotte’s 2.28-mile road course configuration and notched a series/venue best fourth-place finish in 2021.
• Spire Motorsports will host its second fan day of 2024, Friday, Oct. 11, when the team will open its doors prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, Spire Motorsports relocated from Concord, N.C., to a 77,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Mooresville. Events will run from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., and feature a Ferris wheel, carnival games, food trucks, show cars, raffles, and music from DJ James Stanley. Spire Motorsports’ team retail store will open at 9 a.m. where race fans can purchase team merchandise, diecasts, body panels and race-used team gear. The team’s NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series drivers will be available for autographs from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The first 77 fans in attendance can paint a pumpkin and qualify for special prizes. Giveaways include t-shirts, hats, and gift cards from Chili’s Grill & Bar, as well as tastings from Katz Coffee products. Spire Motorsports is located at 351 Mazeppa Road, Mooresville, NC 28115.
• Serving customers for 35 years, the Mattress Warehouse mission is clear: Improving lives through quality sleep. This is achieved by combining cutting edge technology with the expertise of highly trained sleep professionals, ensuring that every guest finds the perfect fit for their needs. With a commitment to offering the widest assortment of quality brands at unbeatable prices, Mattress Warehouse guests can rest assured that they’ve made a wise investment in their health and well-being.
• MOLECULE engineers cutting-edge sleep solutions that support active lifestyles with deep sleep recovery. Team MOLECULE includes renowned sleep doctors and neurologists, who possess decades of research and experience to help guide development of mattresses, toppers and pillows. Elite athletes like Michael Phelps trust MOLECULE to help them achieve peak performance.
• The veteran racer has collected four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned victories across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
• The 25-year-old is a veteran of 139 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 16 top 10s and led 102 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.
• Last weekend, Haley started 35th and finished seventh in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The spirited effort marked the No. 7 team’s fourth top-10 finish of the 2024 campaign.
• In total, Haley has made 37 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine.
• Haley has signed a multi-year agreement with Spire Motorsports and will pursue NASCAR Cup Series championship honors behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevy in 2025.
• Haley recorded top 10s at Darlington Raceway (May), Worldwide Technology Raceway (June) and Talladega Superspeedway (Oct.) this season. He has paced the field for 29 laps and completed 99.3 percent of the laps contested in 2024.
• Haley, a native of Winamac, Ind., made his Cup Series debut for Spire Motorsports on April 28, 2019 at Talladega Superspeedway on his 20th birthday. He picked up both his and the team’s first win – an upset of practically unprecedented proportions – less than three months later in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro.

Justin Haley Quotes
Spire has had success at the road courses this season. How do you feel jumping in and running your first road course race in your return to the team?

“We feel good heading into the ROVAL. I get excited because I love road courses and it is a lot of fun to race at them. The Spire cars had a lot of speed at Watkins Glen with all three cars finishing in the top 10, so I’m curious to see where we end up this weekend. I feel like the road course stuff is really good and the team is confident about it. I have a road course background myself, and have ran well at the ROVAL throughout my career. We will see how the new configuration mixes things up. The new re-entrance to the oval should open a new passing zone and make for some physical racing. There’s nothing as special as the Charlotte ROVAL.”

You’ve collected great runs at road courses in your career. Why has road racing come so natural to you?
“I grew up Trans Am racing. I was kind of the first to do the NASCAR-Trans Am crossover, and now it is a huge steppingstone for guys like Connor Mosack and Connor Zilisch. I did a bunch of sports car racing when I was younger. I won at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the Truck Series. I always ran well at the road courses in Xfinity and I have a pair of top fives in the Cup Series at Chicago and the ROVAL. I’ve always been comfortable at those kinds of places.”

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

• Sunday will mark Zane Smith’s fourth NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway but only his second start at the Charlotte ROVAL, a 2.28-mile racetrack that is combination of the speedway’s infield road course and 1.5-mile oval.
• Last year, Smith made his first Cup Series start at the ROVAL in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports entry where he started 34th and finished 30th.
• Smith has posted four top 20s this season on road courses, including his highest finishing position of fifth at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in September.
• Last weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Smith started 37th and, after sustaining damage to his Chevrolet in a massive wreck with four laps remaining, went on to finish 21st.
• Smith will sport the Ambetter Health livery on his No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Ambetter Health is on a mission to get everyone affordable, high-quality health insurance. Our drive to break down barriers and help make insurance more accessible to all has made us America’s #1 Marketplace health insurance. Learn more about how we are paving the way to better coverage at ambetterhealth.com.
• Fans can see Smith at the Trackside Live Stage in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone on Sunday at 11 a.m. local time.

Zane Smith Quotes

Are you looking forward to the Charlotte Roval this weekend?
“Yes, I really am. I enjoy racing road courses, and I know this isn’t a typical road course but it’s still a pretty fun track. My Spire Motorsports team has had solid runs on road courses this season and I’m confident heading into this weekend. Excited to see how my Ambetter Health Chevrolet stacks up with the rest of the field on Sunday.”

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

• Carson Hocevar will pilot the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• In last week’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Hocevar rolled off 37th and opted to remain at the tail of the field in hopes to avoid ‘The Big One.’ When the 28-car incident set off with four laps remaining, he received minimal contact that caused a broken toe link. Heads up work by the No. 77 team got the toe link replaced without falling a lap down. He went on to finish the event 14th.
• Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”) has made its mission to deliver pure value to its network of financial professionals with a set of tools and products that help them empower their clients to plan for retirement with confidence. Delaware Life’s focus is delivering a seamless experience that gives clients exactly what they’re looking for: the comfort of understanding, the confidence of transparency, and streamlined products without needless features. Learn more at www.delawarelife.com
• Hocevar will make his first Cup Series start on Charlotte’s ROVAL.
• Last time out on a road course, the Portage, Mich., native earned a career-best third-place finish at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. In four road course events in 2024, he’s averaged a starting position of 18.25 and an average finish of 16.5.
• The youngest NCS driver in the field ranks 21st in the division’s championship point standings, leading the Sunoco Rookie of The Year standings by 88 points. Over the course of the season’s first 31 races, he’s notched one top-five, five top-10 and 10 top-15 finishes.
• Crew chief Luke Lambert called Noah Gragson’s third-place effort in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series event at the Charlotte ROVAL.
• Tune in to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET to hear Hocevar discuss his rookie campaign with host Dave Moody.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
You earned a career-best finish last time at a road course, and you will be making your first start at the Roval this weekend. How do you expect your day to go?
“I didn’t think we were going to run as good as we have on the road courses this year. Luke (Lambert) and everyone at Spire has put a lot of emphasis on the road course package. I think we can run really good. Not only did the No. 77 team run well at Watkins Glen, but the company got all three cars in the top 10. We have a little bit of a question mark since I’ve never been to the Roval, but we look to replicate the speed we had at Watkins Glen.”

How does the change in the layout of the course help you in your first start on the Roval?
“The reconfiguration and layout change has taken a little bit away from the guys who have experience there. It allows us to approach it with an open mind and no preconceived notion on how the track should be. On the flip side, the guys who have run there before have a couple major areas of the track in which they have to change their approach. Hopefully it takes them a little bit to forget the old and figure out the new while I am catching up on the other areas of the track!”

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 Justin Haley and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
• Sparks has led the efforts for Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team since 2021.
• Sparks will focus solely on Competition Director’s duties following the 2024 season.

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

• Stephen Doran is in his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team.
• In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
• Prior to his arrival at Spire Motorsports, Doran 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 campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields 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 drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados 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 April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

This Week in Motorsports: October 7 – 13, 2024

NCS/NXS: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL – Oct. 12-13
NHRA: Texas Motorplex – Oct. 11-13

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 9, 2024) – NASCAR heads to the Round of 12 cutoff weekend for the Cup and Xfinity Series at the Charlotte ROVAL as just five race weekends remain in the 2024 season. Drivers will be faced with a new challenge with the new configuration of the 2.28-mile infield road course this weekend.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back in action as the back half of the Countdown to the Championship begins at Texas Motorplex for the Texas Fall Nationals.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Bell, Hamlin and Reddick above the cutline entering ROVAL cutoff … After a chaotic race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, three Camry XSE Playoff drivers found themselves above the cutline heading to this weekend’s cutoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL to make the Round of 8. Christopher Bell enters the weekend 57 points to the good after a sixth-place finish at Talladega, while Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick are 30 and 14 points above, respectively.

Bell seeks to continue top-10 streak … With his sixth-place result last weekend, Bell now has eight top-10s in the last 10 races, dating back to Indianapolis in July, which has been a big reason as to why he now sits 57 points above the Playoff cutline. He returns to the ROVAL this weekend where he’s finished in the top-10 in half of his starts, including a victory in 2022.

Smith, Creed in ideal positions for cutoff race … Like their Team Toyota Cup teammates, Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed find themselves in great spots heading to the cutoff race this weekend at the ROVAL. Both finished in the top-five at Talladega last weekend, putting themselves 64 and 32 points above the cutline in the Xfinity Series Playoffs. It would mark the first time Smith advanced to the Xfinity Series Round of 8 while Creed aims to make his second Round of 8 Playoff appearance.

Bilicki, Jones return to GR Supras for the ROVAL … Team Toyota welcomes back two ‘road-course ringers’ in Josh Bilicki (No. 19 GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing) and Ed Jones (No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing) to take on the ROVAL this weekend. Bilicki has made 15 Xfinity starts this season, and this will be his second with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota after finishing 12th at Portland back in June. For Jones, this will be his fifth start of the season with Sam Hunt Racing and Toyota, and his first since Watkins Glen. He earned his career best finish of fifth at Portland.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Toyota continues hold on Top Fuel … With just three races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship, Toyota firmly holds down the Top Fuel point standings with Antron Brown continuing to lead after his two wins to begin the Countdown at Maple Grove and Charlotte. Justin Ashley follows Brown in the standings, 34 points back, followed by Shawn Langdon in third, Doug Kalitta in fourth, Steve Torrence in fifth and Billy Torrence sits 10th. In Funny Car, Ron Capps is fourth after his final-round run in St. Louis, followed by J.R. Todd in sixth and Alexis DeJoria in 10th.

Billy Torrence to make 100th career race … As long as he is one of the top 16 Top Fuel dragsters after qualifying, Sunday will mark Billy Torrence’s 100th career race, which would be fitting in his home state of Texas. Over his career, Torrence has eight career victories, in 13 career final round appearances, along with 116 career round wins. His most recent win was at Reading in 2021.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 34TH

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 30TH

CLUB NOTES

EJ Stats: Since its debut in 2018, the Charlotte ROVAL has been a particularly tricky track for the driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE. Out of six starts, Erik Jones has earned one top-5 and one top-15, with a best result of third coming in 2020.

JHN Stats: The North Carolina native has one NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.32-mile road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL that came back in 2020. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) the 27-year-old also has two starts, with two top-10 finishes.

Pink Window Net: This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, all NASCAR Cup Series entries will be sporting a bright pink driver’s window net. This marks the second season that the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) is supporting the “Windows of Hope” program. This program is designed to drive knowledge about breast cancer awareness. All nets will be given to the EJF after the race and auctioned off to raise money for awareness, prevention, and early detection of breast cancer.

A Touch of Color: Throughout the month of October, Dollar Tree/Family Dollar has opted to alter each paint scheme with touches of pink to acknowledge the millions of women who are currently battling, have won their battles and those who have lost their battles with breast cancer. Keep an eye out for these unique paint schemes continuing at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

LEGACY M.C. Fan Day: This Thursday, Oct. 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will host Fan Day at the shop in Statesville, N.C. The event will include autographs, shop tours, show cars, pit crew demonstrations, food trucks, and much more. To find out more information, visit https://legacymotorclub.com/news/2024fanday

Appearances: Drivers of the No. 43 Family Dollar car, Erik Jones and No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry, John Hunter Nemechek will make a trip to the LEGACY M.C. merch rig on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for autographs and photos. Jones will also visit the No. 43 Family Dollar show car at the Blue Cross Blue Shield footprint in the fan zone at 11:05 a.m.

Going for GO.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree Family Dollar has a “Go for G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. Each week throughout the season, the No. 42 and No. 43 will feature one of the local store on the decklid of the Toyota Camry XSE.

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: 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 racetracks across the country.

This Week in Petty History: On October 14, 1949, father of Richard Petty, Lee Petty made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Heidelberg Raceway in Pittsburgh, Penn. On the same date in 2000, the Adam Petty Foundation was established.

The King’s Hat: The King’s Hat was unveiled at Charlotte Motor Speedway back in May. Check out the Speedway’s and LEGACY M.C.’s social channels for activities.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE:

“I feel like our road course program has improved throughout this season; however, we just don’t have the results to show for it because of some bad luck. With this being a cut off race for the playoffs, there likely will be some fireworks. If we can stay out of the mess, hopefully we can get a strong finish and get the ball rolling towards finishing the year out on a strong note.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

“The ROVAL is always a tough place to get around, get your bearings. With the change in the layout, it’s definitely going to be a new learning experience compared to the last handful of years. I think we have some laps on the sim of what’s going to be a good idea of what’s going to be different about the layout and what the challenges are really going to be with it. The new turn is really sharp and really different than what we’ve had before, which was more of a gradual turn onto the banking. It’ll take some laps to get used to and figure out, Hopefully the sim is accurate and comparable and we kind of have a head start on it.”

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway for the YellaWood 500, LEGACY M.C. co-owner, Jimmie Johnson continued his stint with NBC Sports co-hosting the pre-race NBC Countdown to Green with Dale Jarrett and providing commentary and the driver’s point of view throughout the event on Sunday. (Photo by: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)

BROADCAST INFO

CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROVAL 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH @ 2:00 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

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 Jimmie Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. 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.

ABOUT MOBIL 1: For 50 years, Mobil 1 has been trusted by drivers to keep their engines running longer. Our products combine the latest technology and innovation to exceed the toughest standards of vehicle manufacturers and tuning shops—so consumers can get the most out of their time behind the wheel, both on the road and on the track. Turn every day into an adventure with Mobil 1, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand. Learn more at www.mobil1.us or and follow @Mobil1Racing on Instagram and X. Join us. For the love of driving.

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.

NOAH GRAGSON
Charlotte Roval Advance
No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Bank of America Roval 400 (Round 32 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 13
● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval
● Layout: 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 109 laps/252.88 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 25 laps / Stage 2: 25 laps / Final Stage: 59 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The Bank of America Roval 400 Sunday at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval is the fifth and final road-course race on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, finished 34th in the series’ first road-course race of the year March 24 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. He then placed 26th in the series’ second road-course stop June 9 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. On the streets of downtown Chicago for the July 7 Grant Park 165, Gragson finished 14th. In his most recent road-course start Sept. 15 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Gragson finished 11th.

● The Bank of America Roval 400 will mark Gragson’s second career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course nestled inside Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished 23rd in his only Cup Series start at the Roval in 2022 while subbing for driver Alex Bowman in the No. 48 machine from Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman was recovering from concussion-like symptoms stemming from a crash two weeks prior at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

● Despite limited NASCAR Cup Series experience at the Roval, Gragson is still very familiar with the track. From 2019 through 2022, Gragson made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Roval and never finished outside the top-10. In fact, his worst result was sixth in 2021. His best effort was a runner-up drive in 2020 when he led 16 laps. Collectively, Gragson’s average Xfinity Series finish at the Roval is fourth.

● Despite his history at the Roval, Gragson and his counterparts will face a slightly reconfigured layout when they begin turning laps on Saturday during practice and qualifying. From the exit of turn five, an elongated straightaway greets drivers before funneling them into turn six. From that standard, right-hand corner, drivers shoot down another short straight before navigating a super-tight, left-hand hairpin that sends drivers back onto the NASCAR oval in traditional turn one. And then toward the end of the lap as they exit off the NASCAR oval in traditional turn four, drivers will have to navigate a reshaped chicane which will create a harder and more emphatic braking zone before transitioning back onto the frontstretch and crossing the start/finish line.

● Across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Gragson has made a total of 42 road-course starts – seven in Cup, 21 in Xfinity, two in Trucks, two in ARCA and 10 in K&N – amassing four wins, 16 top-fives and 27 top-10s with 167 laps led.

● Gragson’s four road-course wins all came in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, and three were earned in a one-week stretch in September 2016. Gragson swept a pair of K&N Series West races at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele, beating Todd Gilliland on Sept. 10 and then besting him again on Sept. 11 when Gragson took the lead from Gilliland on the last lap. Six days and 2,219 miles later at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, Gragson scored his third straight road-course win, this time in the K&N Series East where he beat Justin Haley. Gragson’s fourth and most recent road-course win was earned in the 2019 K&N Series West race at Sonoma.

● Beef-a-Roo, known for its famously delicious burgers and fresh, quality ingredients, will serve as the primary partner for Gragson and the No. 10 team of Stewart-Haas in the Bank of America Roval 400. Beef-a-Roo is a beloved fast-casual restaurant brand that has garnered a loyal fanbase for its commitment to quality food and community engagement. The Roval is the second of three primary races for the No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Beef-a-Roo debuted with Gragson last weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and will return to his car one more time Oct. 27 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This partnership, facilitated by agency AMG Sport, marks a key step in Beef-a-Roo’s strategy to align with dynamic personalities who resonate with racing fans and support local communities through motorsport. Coinciding with Beef-a-Roo’s partnership with Gragson is the opening of three new locations in October: Manhattan, Kansas; Pittsburgh, Kansas; and Joplin, Missouri. These soon-to-be-opened restaurants will join already established Beef-a-Roo locations in serving a special Noah Gragson-inspired burger throughout the month of October. Gragson’s “Nacho Burger” features a premium beef patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, tortilla chips, jalapenos and taco sauce, all drizzled with melted cheddar cheese. Download Beef-a-Roo’s new loyalty app to earn Beef-a-Roo discounts and the chance to receive VIP giveaways, including Beef-a-Roo/Gragson merchandise. To learn more about Beef-a-Roo and its offerings, please visit www.beefaroo.com.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse

How different is the Roval compared to a traditional road course?

“The infield is more like a road course with off-camber turns, but it’s also like a street course in the infield because it’s so tight in there, and then the oval is just fast and has a back straightaway and front straightaway chicane. For the most part, other than the banking in the corners of the NASCAR turns, it’s like a regular road course.”

The Roval’s layout has been altered a bit. What do you know about it and how will it change the way you drive it?

“It’ll definitely be different just because we got so used to going through that front straightaway chicane. We’re going to have to find different braking markers into there and see if we can push it more or less. I’m assuming you’re going to have to slow down more with them bringing that curve out. And then the infield portion before you get back onto NASCAR turn one, they’ve changed that up. So it’s going to be completely different through those two corners. We’re just going to have to figure it out on the fly.”

That last chicane just before the start/finish line is getting tightened up. Other than slowing you down, how challenging does it make that portion of the track?

“You’re probably going to have to brake earlier just because you can’t carry as much speed through there and straight-line it as much. It’s more of a 90-degree corner, and then you set yourself up for the next one.”

How would you rate yourself as a road-course driver?

“I would probably rate myself, on a scale of 1-10, as a seven on road courses. Not terrible, but always trying to improve. I felt like I picked up road-course racing pretty well and had a lot of success in the Legend Car ranks and Bandoleros, and then moving on up into the K&N Series, I ran really well. I had opportunities to win some Truck races, ran in the top-five a lot and led laps in the Xfinity Series, but never got a win in either Trucks or Xfinity, but was always a contender. But then in the Cup Series, man, it’s challenging, everybody’s good. You used to have the road-course ringers, but now, not so much. I used to take a lot more pride in my road-course efforts coming up through the ranks, but now everybody’s so super good that I’m probably an average guy. I don’t think I’m terrible at it, but I’m not elite at it, either.”

Some guys like road courses, others don’t. Where do you stand when it comes to competing on road courses?

“We used to just have two or three, or maybe only one on the Truck schedule, and my thinking was, ‘Oh man, this’ll be cool, I’ll get to do something different.’ Now there are five road courses – at one point, there were seven on the schedule – so it’s a big chunk of our season. You have to be good at it, but I’d also say it’s just another race where you have to carry the same amount of intensity. It felt a little more unique and special when there was just a limited number of road courses.”

Seven Cup Series starts on road courses and 21 road-course starts in Xfinity, where you finished among the top-five nearly 50 percent of the time, and top-10 all but three times. You’ve had success on road courses, but what makes success on road courses at the Cup level so much harder?

“Cup cars are definitely a lot different to drive than Trucks, Xfinity cars and K&N cars. They’re more like a sports car with the independent rear suspension, so just trying to figure that out – my first-ever road-course race in a Cup car came at the Roval in 2022 and the shifting, everything, is just a little bit different than what you’re used to. The brakes are massive, you can really push the braking zones, and you’re just hustling the car all the way around the racetrack. You can’t hit curbs as much because of the shock limiters where you used to just motor over curbs. They’re a lot more aggressive with the front steering, so you can maneuver very well with these cars, and they respond very well. It’s kind of a mix between an F1 car and one of the old stock cars like the Gen 6 stock car with how you get around these tracks. But with that being said, it’s been a little bit of a change of pace, but it’s been a lot of fun.”

What do you work on to become a better road-course racer?

“I think just constant reps in the sim has been the best for me. I’ve also worked with Carter Fartuch, who’s been a road-course instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School at COTA. Been there for two years now, got a lot of help from him, he’s been a big part of our road-course program the last two years, so that was really good and I appreciate his knowledge. On top of that, just a lot of laps in the simulator seeing where you can try different things and improve your times.”

The current Cup cars seem exceptionally suited to road-course racing to where they’re forgiving and drivers aren’t penalized for mistakes. Because of that, it seems like there’s more rooting and gouging out on the racetrack than ever before. What’s your take?

“I don’t know if it’s harder to pass, but everyone’s really, really close on their lap times, so the final restarts are just chaos. You’ve got to screw the other guy before he screws you on a restart. If you spin him out, so be it, or else you’re going to be the one being spun out. It makes it exciting for the fans, I can say that.”

With track position at such a premium on road courses, can you afford to be nice, or do you need to have a selfish and unforgiving attitude?

“I definitely think it ramps up late in the race. You let guys go in certain areas, like if it’s the middle of the race and there’s no point in abusing your stuff, especially if you’re not the leader or going for the lead, there’s no point. I always felt like there’s time lost to the leader when you’re battling a guy, you’re just slowing each other down. You’re not going to get lapped, but you’re still slowing each other down. If he runs you down, just point him by and let him go because you’re only losing time to the leader.”

How important is qualifying at road courses? Has it become a bit like Formula One where track position is so precious that in order to finish up front, you really need to start up front?

“Absolutely. It’s really hard to pass. Everybody is so close on speed, especially in the Cup Series. With this NextGen car on these road courses, it definitely is somewhat like Formula One, where the winner’s probably going to come from the top-five unless there’s somebody absolutely elite and they messed up their qualifying lap and start deeper in the field. But everyone’s so close that it’s really hard to find that advantage, so between strategy and starting up front, that’s where these races are won.”

No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 8, 2024) – Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team return to the Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) this weekend for the 2.28-mile, 17-turn Roval. Boozy Jerky will partner with Gilliland for the 109-lap event and will debut a new scheme featuring their mascot, Tipsy.

This will be Gilliland’s third visit to the Roval and is looking to best his career-high finish of 23rd at the track. Gilliland has two Top-10 finishes at road courses this season, earning a 10th place finish at the Sonoma Raceway and a seventh-place finish at the Chicago Street Course.

This year, CMS reconfigured the track, extended the straight-away coming out of Turn 5 and created a new Turn 6, which will send Gilliland and the field toward a much sharper hairpin in Turn 7. Additionally, on the frontstretch, a sharper apex in Turn 16 of the final chicane was created.

The NASCAR Cup Series will kick the weekend off on Saturday, October 12th with practice and qualifying at 12:30 pm ET on USA Network. The Bank of America ROVAL 400 is scheduled for Sunday, October 13th at 2:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in via the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 Boozy Jerky Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“I like the road courses. It’s a nice change of pace from the oval tracks we normally run. Our road course program has improved this season, so I think we’ll have a pretty good shot on Sunday. The reconfiguration kind of puts everyone back to “square one”. It’s almost like a new track, and no one knows how it will race. I think that gives us an advantage.

“It’s great to see Boozy Jerky back on our Ford Mustang Dark Horse, and with a new paint scheme, too. Nothing can beat their jerky, everyone on the team loves it.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We have really amped up our road course program this year, and we have shown that at Sonoma and Chicago. Speed can only get us so far, though. We have to qualify upfront, execute all day, and minimize our mistakes. I think if we can do that, Sunday will be a good day.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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