Category: NASCAR Cup PR

THREE CAMRYS IN THE TOP FIVE AT ATLANTA

Busch scores fourth top five finish in the last five events

ATLANTA (June 7, 2020) – Kyle Busch (second), Martin Truex Jr. (third) and Denny Hamlin (fifth) earned top five finishes for Toyota at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race 10 of 36 – 500.5 miles, 325 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Kevin Harvick*
2nd, KYLE BUSCH
3rd, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
4th, Ryan Blaney*
5th, DENNY HAMLIN
18th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
28th, ERIK JONES
31st, DANIEL SUÁREZ
39th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Fudge Brownie Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

How was your race today?

“Our Fudge Brownie M&M’s Camry was pretty decent. We had good speed, you just couldn’t really push too hard. Every time I pushed too hard, it would really hurt my tires in the long run. I think that was for everybody. That last run, I was trying to keep up with those front guys and as soon as I felt like I was pushing too hard and they were inching out on me, I just gave up and decided just to run and try to make sure I didn’t slip a tire and do the best I could without pushing anything too hard. Was able to get Martin (Truex Jr.) at least there at the end. Can’t say enough about all my guys – Adam Stevens (crew chief) and everybody, they’re doing a really good job. We’re working hard and trying to get it all better. Certainly want to give a shout out to TRD, Toyota, Rowdy Energy, Rheem, Stanley and everybody that makes this happen for us.”

The entire Joe Gibbs Racing team was fast today, how was your Camry?

“We ended up second and not too far behind the 4 (Kevin Harvick), who was the best here. Hard to beat him when you come to his home turf if you will – at Atlanta, they’re really fast. Overall, my guys did a great job and they gave me a great M&M’s Fudge Brownie Camry. We were able to keep it up front all day. We had good pit stops all day. I didn’t screw up and speed on pit road today so we’ve got that going for us. I want to give a shout out to Interstate Batteries, TRD, Toyota, Rheem, Rowdy Energy and everybody that makes our stuff possible. Hopefully we can keep building on this momentum and keep rolling.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

What did you need at the end of the race after winning the first two stages?

“The last two or three runs there, we just got too tight. Not sure what happened. The car was really good. The guys did a great job. Auto Owners Camry was fast all day. Got our first two stage wins of the year, which was huge. We just can’t seem to get over the hump at the finishes. With about 25 (laps) to go, I was clicking off some good lap times, but I knew I was pushing it too hard on the right front tire and with about 10 to go, it said, ‘oh hell no more.’ Just ran out of tires at the end and lost second to Kyle (Busch). I figured at that point, I could see the 4 (Kevin Harvick) and was just going to give it all I had and see if there was any opportunity, but he was just too good. Just got too tight at the end. I don’t know why, but we’ll go back and look at it. Hell of a job by everybody and a good, solid day.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your race today and is this a good sign moving forward for the strength of JGR?

“It was okay. Our FedEx Camry got up there on a restart late in stage one. Thought we had a second or third-place car, somewhere in that range. Then we had a bad pit stop leading into the final stage and that took us back to ninth. Just kind of clawed our way back to fifth. We weren’t stellar, the last run of the day was kind of the worst run that we had. Still good enough for a top-five. Pretty encouraged by that and it looked like all of our cars were running a little bit better. Hopefully this is a good sign for us.”

Would you be in favor of the ‘choose’ rule being used in the Cup Series?

“I think so. Guys stopping at the end of pit road is just kind of ridiculous. We’re trying to merge into traffic and guys are literally just stopping. Something or at least give us some options there. It’s not that hard, they do it at every local short track.”

What did it mean to be part of the video and moment in pre-race today?

“It was great to be able to do that and pay our respects for three individuals that lost their lives and come together as a community to listen to people that have been fighting injustice for a long time.”

# # #

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1.5 Mile Quad-Oval
Race: 10 of 38
Event: Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 (500.5 miles, 325 laps)

John Hunter Nemechek
No. 38 YANMAR America Ford Mustang

Started: 18th
Finished: 23rd

Stage One: 29th
Stage Two: 24th
Stage Three: 23rd

John Hunter Nemechek started Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway from the 18th position. Early on, he struggled with the handling in his No. 38 YANMAR America Ford Mustang, noting that he was very loose, to the point of driving “sideways through the corner.” Nemechek lost control and spun coming off of Turn 4 on Lap 94. Thankfully, he avoided contact and sustained minimal damage. The crew made various wedge, packer and track bar adjustments throughout Stage 1, but Nemechek continued to struggle, taking the green- and white-checkered flag in 29th place.

During Stage 2, the No. 38 YANMAR America Ford Mustang continued to be loose, particularly when Nemechek ran the top line around the track. Seth Barbour and the crew attempted to improve the car’s handling with adjustments to tire pressure, wedge and packer during pit stops in Stage 2. Nemechek radioed on Lap 186 that he was “tight on entry and loose off,” and by the end of the run, he said he still needed to be tightened up. He finished Stage 2 in the 24th position and pitted for 4 tires, fuel, and wedge and packer adjustments.

Nemechek started the final stage at the rear of the field, receiving a penalty for removing equipment (fuel can) during his pit stop at the Stage Break Caution. He kept quiet over the radio for much of the stage, but still felt the handling of his No. 38 YANMAR America Ford Mustang was too loose. Nemechek crossed the finish line in 23rd place, two laps down.

Nemechek on Atlanta:

“We had a challenging day in our No. 38 YANMAR America Ford Mustang. Wish we could have had a better result for our partners at YANMAR at their home track. It was a difficult day from the start. We fired off really loose and the car just kind of stepped out on me early on. Managed to avoid contact and damage, and we kept trying to tighten up the handling, but we just couldn’t find that sweet spot. I’m proud of my team for never giving up. We’ll go get ’em in Martinsville.”

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1.54 Mile Quad-Oval
Race: 10 of 38
Event: Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 (500.5 miles, 325 laps)

Michael McDowell
No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang

Started: 36th
Finished: 24th

Stage One: 25th
Stage Two: 28th
Stage Three: 24th

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang took the green flag in Sunday’s Cup race from the 36th position at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Early in Stage 1, McDowell mentioned that his race car was a touch free; something that continued throughout the stage as McDowell noted that he was loose on corner exit. He would finish Stage 1 from the 25th position. Under the caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer made the call for 4 tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment and pulled packer.

During Stage 2, McDowell ran comfortably inside of the top 25 before spinning off of Turn 4 late in the Stage. Thankfully, there was no damage to his No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang and he would go on to finish Stage 2, 28th. Under the Stage 2 caution, McDowell pitted for fuel, 4 tires, an air pressure adjustment, added spring rubber and a wedge adjustment after noting that his car was still on the free side.

During the final stage of Sunday’s Cup race from Atlanta Motor Speedway, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang continued to run inside of the top 25. He would take the checkered flag from the 24th position.

McDowell on Atlanta:

“It wasn’t the day that we wanted for our No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang. We battled hard all day to try and tighten up our loose race car, then unfortunately got spun late in Stage 2 and lost some track position. We had to take the wave-around a few times throughout the day to get back on the lead lap and just didn’t quite have the speed that we had hoped for. All in all, I’m proud of my team for working hard on pit road and I’m very appreciative of Fr8Auctions for coming on board.”

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 7, 2020) – In a 325-lap race that featured just two natural cautions, Ryan Newman picked off multiple positions in the closing laps to cross the line 14th in his Progressive Ford Mustang at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Despite an early speeding penalty – which came on one of three green-flag stops throughout the day – Newman battled back from an ill-handling machine to record the top-15 result, his second straight and fourth since the return to racing. As the laps faded with numerous cars on very old tires, many were forced to pit, but Newman prevailed for the solid result.

Newman – a winner of seven poles at Atlanta – drew 17th in the random draw for starting positions. NASCAR once again set a competition caution for lap 25 with no prior practice or qualifying.

He ran 16th at the time of that yellow, reporting he was too loose early in the Progressive Ford. After service under the break to tighten his machine up, Newman fired off 16th in the stage, which spanned 105 laps. His first green-flag stop came at lap 65 – the first car to hit pit road in the sequence – when he was tabbed for speeding, resulting in a pass-through penalty.

A later yellow at lap 94 would allow Newman to take the wave around, putting him back on the lead lap. He finished the stage 26th, setting up the second 105-lap stage. After firing off too loose, Newman again pitted under green at lap 157 from the 19th position, as the team continued work to tighten up his Ford Mustang.

The race’s final natural yellow flag waved at lap 201 – nine laps prior to the stage end – with Newman running 20th. After a stop for further adjustments, Newman restarted 19th and crossed the line 18th in the stage.

Newman began the final segment 20th, reporting his car had turned to the tight side with 100 to go. After a series of laps under green, the balance ultimately came to Newman as he picked off the final few spots in the closing laps to finish 14th.

The NASCAR Cup Series is back to work in just three short days at Martinsville Speedway Wednesday night. Race coverage kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 7, 2020) – Chris Buescher battled hot and slick track conditions at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon, ultimately bringing the No. 17 Fastenal Ford home to a 22nd-place finish.

Buescher rolled off the grid at the 1.5 mile track 13th but quickly fell to 27th with reports of a loose handling Ford Mustang. The team pitted with a competition caution at lap 25 for fresh tires, adjustments and fuel. The team restarted 27th and by Lap 40 earned three spots to run and maintain the 24th position all the way through green flag pit stops. After falling a lap down, a caution at lap 94 enabled the team to take the wave around and be back on the lead lap. The team pitted one last time in the stage for fuel, a track bar adjustment and fresh tires. After a six-lap shootout, Buescher took the green-white checkered for stage one 21st.

The Prosper, Texas native brought his Ford back down pit road during the stage break for a basic pit stop. The team restarted 18th at the and even gained a position within the first lap of stage two. By Lap 118, Buescher reported a very tight handling Mustang falling back to 20th. When green flag pit stops cycled through the team was scored 23rd. Buescher maintained track position to finish stage two in that same position.

Buescher reported that his No. 17 machine was still handling too tight by the end of the run and was moving all over the racetrack. The team pitted at the stage break for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to the right side. The driver got to work restarting 19th, and toggling back and forth the whole stage from the mid to low 20’s. Unfortunately, adjustments didn’t quite work as planned as the No. 17 team finished 22nd, one lap down.

Buescher and the No. 17 team return to action on Wednesday, June 10 at Martinsville Speedway. Race coverage begins at 7 p.m. EST on Fox Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500
FORD PERFORMANCE DRIVER – POST RACE QUOTES
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2020

FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st – Kevin Harvick
4th – Ryan Blaney
9th – Brad Keselowski
10th – Joey Logano
14th – Ryan Newman
17th – Aric Almirola
19th – Cole Custer
20th – Clint Bowyer
22nd – Chris Buescher
23rd – John Hunter Nemechek
24th – Michael McDowell
25th – Matt DiBenedetto
27th – Corey LaJoie
34th – Josh Bilicki
38th – Joey Gase

KEVIN HARVICK RULES ATLANTA AS HE EARNS SECOND CUP WIN OF 2020

• Kevin Harvick won his second race of the season and 51st of his Cup career today.
• The win is Harvick’s 10th at AMS in NASCAR’s top three series combined (3 Cup, 5 NXS, 2 Trucks).
• The win is Mustang’s sixth of the season, most among manufacturers.
• Ford has won 4 of the 6 Cup races since NASCAR returned to action May 17.
• Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have two wins each this season.
• Harvick is now 12th on the all-time win list, three behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty for 11th.
• This marks the 21st win for Stewart-Haas Racing since joining Ford (Harvick has won 16).
• Today’s win is Ford’s 692nd all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light For The Farmers Ford Mustang — VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW — WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WITH THAT SALUTE AFTER THE RACE? “I didn’t get a chance to show very it good a couple years ago with my gloves on, so I made sure I took my gloves off this year. Obviously, my first win came for me here at Atlanta and this is just a race track that I’ve taken a liking to, and you always come back and have those memories and now you want to celebrate everything that Dale Earnhardt did for this sport. To come here and be able to do that with wins and go to victory lane is pretty special, so I just have to thank everybody from Busch Light. We’ve got corn all over our car this week, so Busch Light for the farmer’s campaign. Go buy those corn cans so we can donate $100,000.”

THIS CAR WASN’T A WALK IN THE PARK THE WHOLE RACE. WHAT DID IT TAKE TO GET YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? “They had a great pit stop. We got a restart on the bottom and they got my car to take off. I was able to get track position and then once I could get through those first 10 laps and my car was freed up enough to where I could get in a rhythm and really start hitting my marks, and then by about lap 25 I could start driving away. I’m just proud of everybody from Busch Light and Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing. Thank you guys for everything. Hunt Brothers Pizza, Fields, Mobil 1, Jimmy John’s. I know I’m gonna forget somebody. Haas, everybody who helps us on this car and you the fans. We appreciate everything you guys do for us.”

HOW COOL IS IT TO GET A BIRTHDAY WIN FOR YOUR CREW CHIEF? “That’s pretty cool. We struggled most of the day with our car and he definitely earned his birthday present today. They did a great job adjusting on our Busch LIght Ford. I’ve got to thank everybody from Hunt Brothers Pizza and Jimmy John’s and Mobil 1 and Ford for everything that they do for this program. It’s one of my favorite tracks for sure and I love to win here.”

HOW ABOUT THAT VICTORY LAP? YOU WERE HOLDING THREE FINGERS OUT THE WINDOW. “There’s so many thoughts going through my mind that day and everybody was confused, and to be able to celebrate how much Dale Earnhardt has meant to this sport at a race track where I got my first win because he wasn’t in the car is pretty awesome.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Autotrader Ford Mustang — “It was an up-and-down day for us. We kind of started off the race just a little bit too free. We adjusted the car in really well in the middle part of the race and then got too tight at the end. We just kind of missed it a little bit. I’m not sure exactly where I lost it, but the middle of the race I felt we were gonna win because we were so fast. Driving through the field after I got a pit road speeding penalty, which is a real bummer. I’m not real sure what happened there because I thought I was going slower than my lights, but apparently I wasn’t, so that kind of put us back. All in all, I don’t know if we could have beat the 4 car, but in the middle of the race I felt like we were right there with them. It seemed like he was pretty good there at the end, so it just didn’t come together for us today. Sometimes you run these races and you don’t have no practice and you say, ‘Oh, perfect. Don’t change a thing.’ And then sometimes you run them and you don’t have practices and you say, ‘Man, if I’d have just had one practice I could have dialed it in a bit better.’ It just kind of felt the later of the two, but some lessons learned and we’ll apply them and move forward.”

SOME GUYS HAD ISSUES WITH THE HEAT AFTERWARDS. HOW WAS IT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE? “It was pretty much what you would expect for being in Atlanta in June. It was hot and muggy. It could be worse, so I’m not gonna complain. I’m glad we’re able to race, so we’ll take what we can get there, but a long race — 500 miles, a tough track to get around. You’ve got to really work the wheel and probably the first really, in my estimation, hot race of the year. Usually, it’s the Coke 600 or some of that stuff, but the Coke 600 this year was unusually cool for May, so this was probably the first hot race we’ve had this year. Everybody just kind of feeling it a little bit. I’m good, but a couple of the others that weren’t, so maybe they need to eat some more steak and potatoes and drink some more Miller Lite. I don’t know.”

THE VIDEO MESSAGE BEFORE THE RACE SEEMED TO BE WELL-RECEIVED. ON THE FLIP SIDE IS IT TIME FOR NASCAR TO REVIEW THE CONFEDERATE FLAG ISSUE? “I only salute one flag and that’s America’s. I recognize that that flag might mean something different to different people, but it doesn’t mean United States of America to me. But I’m not gonna tell people they need to get rid of it. That’s not my right either, but I certainly don’t salute it or respect it, or probably anyone else who feels the same way, but, at the end of the day it’s not our call.”

THE CHOOSE CONE CAME UP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. IS THERE ANYTHING NASCAR CAN DO ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE GAMESMANSHIP SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING? “This is why it’s so hard for NASCAR because I just wish they went back to single-file restarts. That would be the best way to fix it. I thought that was a fair way or racing. That’s what our sport was brought up on and there weren’t any of those types of games, but what do I know?”

HOW HAVE THE EVENTS OF THE LAST 10 DAYS IMPACTED YOU? “I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I have all kinds of answers, but I think I can agree to listen and try to appreciate other perspectives and, more than anything else, just have empathy. I’ve been guilty and probably still am guilty a lot of times of not doing the best job of having empathy, but in these situations I think it’s really important and I can tell you that there ain’t no fun in seeing everything that’s been going on and I wish we could fix it. We’ve spent the last 300 years as a country trying to fix it and we still ain’t got it right, so I guess that means we’ve got to keep working. Will I have the answer? No, but I think it starts with kind of owning your own box, your own 10 square feet so to speak. If you can’t make a problem better, certainly don’t make it worse. Sometimes I think we make it worse and don’t know we’re making it worse and that’s why it’s important to listen.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang — “We started off pretty far off, to be honest with you, and just really, really loose for the first three or four runs of the day and really wasn’t going anywhere. We were kind of going backwards and then we finally started making some good headway there the second run of the second stage there and were able to close in and finish second in the second stage, which is good. We had a good pit stop and got us out fourth and from there on out just tried to manage our tires. I didn’t think I had anything for the 4 or the 19 or the 18. They were pretty good, but I felt like a fourth or fifth-place car and that’s where we ended up, so I was really proud of the effort in making our car a lot better throughout the day. That was really big gains that we did.”

HOW WERE THE CONDITIONS FOR YOUR TODAY? “It was hot. It was kind of muggy. All that stuff, but the sun wasn’t really beating down a lot today, but it was just kind of warm out. It’s a tough track. It’s a very demanding track. It’s worn out. It’s a long race, especially if you’re loose like I was. I’m kind of worn out, to be honest with you. It was a long day at the office, but it’s just a tough race being the length and how difficult it is to get around here, but, like Brad said, it could always be worse. It could be raining.”

THE VIDEO MESSAGE BEFORE THE RACE SEEMED TO BE WELL-RECEIVED. ON THE FLIP SIDE IS IT TIME FOR NASCAR TO REVIEW THE CONFEDERATE FLAG ISSUE? “It was really great for the drivers to get together and correlate putting that video out. Jimmie Johnson was a big part of that, along with Bubba and Suarez and everyone else who was part of the video. I thought it was really nice what NASCAR did today and had a moment of silence. I didn’t see what Steve Phelps said. I believe Steve was talking and I didn’t hear what he said, but as far as the confederate flags go, they had that trade your flag in and I think everyone has their beliefs. It’s tough, but I don’t really enjoy it because sometimes I feel like the people that wave them mean the negative when they wave them and that’s not cool. Yeah, I’d love to not see them at the race track, honestly, because it doesn’t make everyone comfortable, so that’s kind of where I stand on that. Bring your 50 stars flag. I think that would be way better.”

THE CHOOSE CONE CAME UP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. IS THERE ANYTHING NASCAR CAN DO ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE GAMESMANSHIP SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING? “I’d love the choose cone. At certain tracks I think it would be really neat. Maybe you don’t do it everywhere, but some of the places where it’s maybe dominant on one lane for the restart at least, you could kind of maybe have some people take a chance. I’d like to see it. I thought it’s a neat idea, for sure. We may not have it everywhere, but I wouldn’t mind it being in place.”

IS THIS AS MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE BETWEEN TWO LANES HERE AND BRISTOL, AND HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE IT WITH WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE AT MARTINSVILLE? “Especially on the 550s you’re gonna have, it’s a lot of the pushes and things like that and what you get. There are tougher places than others. Here it’s hard for the top lane to get rolling. It’s just kind of how the pavement is and it’s just slick compared to the bottom so you have jumble ups. The 550s have always been wild, but the choose cone, I think, is a great option that we can think on. I think it would be really neat. Maybe play with it for the All-Star Race. That would be pretty cool.”

IS THIS AS MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE BETWEEN TWO LANES HERE AND BRISTOL, AND HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE IT WITH WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE AT MARTINSVILLE? “I’ve never had too much of an issue on the physical wear. Yeah, you get tired a little bit. I was a little tired. I felt like I was swatting bees or out with Paul Bunyan chopping down trees all day. I thought it wasn’t too bad, but I agree with Joey. If you have been doing nothing during this pandemic, you might be hurting a little bit, but try to stay up on it the best you can and keep hydrating and try to be in the best shape you can.”

HOW HAVE THE EVENTS OF THE LAST 10 DAYS IMPACTED YOU? “It’s tough to really be in the shoes of people that have been discriminated against, not only the past 10 days but for a very long time. The best we can do is learn and I’m fortunate to have a lot of friends that have been growing up in a different part of town or haven’t been as fortunate as me, and I’ve learned a lot from them, not only the past 10 days but for a long time just understanding. I actually walked around in Charlotte earlier this week during the day with some buddies and was in a couple of the peaceful protests and just seeing and talking and learning about it. That’s just something that you want to get involved with and support your fellow human being. We all have to treat each other equally. It kind of disgust me when the race thing comes up and people hate a person for being a different pigment, and not judging them by their character. That’s just something that I can never understand, but it’s nice that I think a lot of people are really supporting it and it has a lot of traction behind it, and I thought today what they did on the frontstrech was a really good gesture to show how much we support them.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang — HOW WERE THE CONDITIONS? “Slick. Atlanta. Like normal, which is awesome and a lot of fun. We started up front there and I was able to maintain some decent track position and then had a not-so-good restart on the top side, spinning our tires coming to the end of the first stage, which put us in a bad spot going down pit road. We hit and crashed with a car exiting their pit box aggressively and I was already three-wide on the bottom and had to move up to not get hit on the inside and ended up getting some damage in the right-rear. We tried to fix it and still felt like we kind of had a parachute, so we fixed it better and at that point we’re starting the final stage of the race and it’s really hard to pass. It was just a really good long run car is where we were at, so those last 20 laps of the race we were hauling the mail, just a little too little too late to get back up there. I know it feels like a long race, but I wouldn’t have minded another 100 miles to that one. I felt like I had a really good car and something I could probably go up there and compete, especially on the long haul, maybe not the short run, but on the long haul that thing was special. Just a little bit short. We still got a top 10, but wish it was better.”

THE CHOOSE CONE CAME UP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. IS THERE ANYTHING NASCAR CAN DO ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE GAMESMANSHIP SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING? “Do it everywhere, every track. It doesn’t matter. It’s necessary in today’s world or racing. That’s my opinion, and I think we can all do it because I know Blaney and I did it when we were like nine years old racing Bandolaros and Legends cars and we can handle it. I’ve been saying it for years. I’ve had the conversation multiple times, please, please. I think it’s necessary.”

IS THIS AS MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE BETWEEN TWO LANES HERE AND BRISTOL, AND HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE IT WITH WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE AT MARTINSVILLE? “I just think with the 550 package when you come to race tracks like here and Charlotte and those types of places there is definite lines that are better than others, and you’re gonna go to Martinsville and there’s usually a lane there better than any other one. No matter what track you go to they’re gonna have a dominant lane. What’s that worth? Put a choose cone there and that’s kind of a fun game at that point? Are you willing to give up two rows to start in the preferred lane? I don’t know. That’s a fun thing. It’s something for us to work on, that’s for sure. You’d have to study it. Do you take the risk and move up three rows and you take the shot of maybe finding a hole.”

HOW IS THE BODY REACTING TO ALL THIS RACING AND WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING AS FAR AS TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF? “I think that this whole COVID-19 thing, those who looked at it and said it’s a vacation, they’re probably paying the penalty at this point. The ones that continued to work and said, ‘We’re gonna show up better than we did when this whole thing started’ are probably the ones that are feeling good right now. We all knew we were going to be racing a lot in a short period of time, so having that on the forefront of your mind you can’t take a break over that period of time and fall out of shape.”

HOW HAVE THE EVENTS OF THE LAST 10 DAYS IMPACTED YOU? “Obviously, when something like this is happening the first thing you want to do is educate yourself. All of us are from different areas…

At so many protests people are just looking to be heard and all you can do, and basically what you owe them is to listen and learn, and understand what’s going on as much as possible. Like I said, I’ll never be able to completely understand because of the color of my skin or where I grew up – those type of things — but you can try to understand the best you can. And I guess that’s the impact of what’s going on for me is just, whether it’s talking to Bubba or watching the news, which is skewed six different ways depending on which channel you watch, but just trying to learn at this point is the biggest thing with an open heart.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 5, 2020

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, spoke with media via video conference to discuss his thoughts going into the Atlanta race weekend, discussions he has had with Bubba Wallace and other drivers about what is currently going on in the United States, and more. Full Transcript:

JUST TO KICK OFF, WE SAW THE PRESS RELEASE WHERE ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY WAS RE-NAMING A GRANDSTAND AFTER YOU AND YOUR CAREER IN NASCAR. GIVE US A FEW THOUGHTS ON THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU.
“It means a ton to me. To have my name be on the grandstands there at the speedway, alongside all the other greats, is just super meaningful to me. My final full-time year in Cup is a little different than I imagined; our whole world is different than we imagined with Covid. I know there were other plans to kind of go with the events in Atlanta this weekend that won’t be seen through, but it’s still amazing to have my name on the grandstands there. I’ve seen a few pictures and I can’t wait to see it in person on Sunday.”

I KNOW YOU’VE DONE A LOT OF STUFF THROUGH YOUR FOUNDATION, GIVING TO SCHOOLS, AND I THINK BUBBA WALLACE SAID YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO HIM THIS WEEK. I’M CURIOUS, I KNOW YOU’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RACING SEASON, BUT HAVE YOU STARTED THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO OR POTENTIALLY COULD DO IN REACTION TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOCIETY?
“Yeah I think just generally, that’s the big question I have for myself right now. I’m trying to learn and educate myself and really listen during these times. I find the more I listen, the more I learn. There is a lot of noise out there right now obviously, but when you sit down and listen, you realize a lot of the injustices that take place across a broad spectrum. As a figure of our sport and somebody that’s just a citizen that cares in this country, I feel like for me personally, it’s really time to listen and I look forward to the journey it takes me on and the ways I can be active.”

BUBBA MENTIONED HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH YOU THIS WEEK AND HE MENTIONED THERE WAS AN IMPACT ON HIM WITH HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. HOW DID THE CONVERSATION WITH BUBBA IMPACT YOU?
“We are all so busy – our industry is so busy. You just don’t know what people deal with and Bubba has been a great friend of mine. I’ve been in conversation with him with some of the depression issues that he’s battled over the years that he’s been able to share publicly. Things that drivers talk about and the challenges we have in our teams, our jobs, relationships, life and things like that – he and I have always had an open line of communication and talk on a deep level. To start, I just called to check in with him. I just wanted to know how he was doing. In that phone call, I learned a lot about him, his family and the things that they’ve been through. His cousin was killed while he was young, to learn that story, I just had no idea. I had no idea the challenges he’s been faced with. It’s part of that listening stuff that I mentioned earlier. I have many friends of color and race, and just checking in with them and understanding. Just curious, how are you? How is this impacting you? That’s been a great learning point for me during these times.”

YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT LISTENING AND THAT’S A VERY IMPORTANT THING AT THIS TIME. AS NASCAR BEING ONE OF THE FEW ACTIVE SPORTS OUT THERE, I THINK THERE’S A QUESTION OF IS THERE SOMETHING MORE THAT CAN BE DONE IN A MORE UNIFIED WAY?
“That’s a great question. I think for those of us that ask ourselves ‘is there more that we can do’, that’s the start of it. I think that’s, ultimately, what a lot of the protestors far and wide want to ignite in people – do you think you can do more? And when that really hits inside of you, will you act on it. I do think there’s time to do stuff this weekend. There’s a lot of discussion going on behind the scenes with many drivers with our sport, the leaders of sport. (inaudible)”

AFTER BRISTOL, YOU MENTIONED HOW YOU FELT A YEAR AGO AT ATLANTA WAS A BIT OF A WAKEUP CALL FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, BUT YOU WERE EXCITED TO GO BACK THERE BASED ON THE SUCCESS YOU SAW AT FONTANA. I’M CURIOUS, WITHOUT GIVING AWAY TOO MANY TRADE SECRETS, WHAT IS IT YOU FELT LIKE YOU GUYS FIGURED OUT FROM LAST YEAR?
“Atlanta is just so abrasive that if you have any imbalances in your race car, you’re over-working a particular corner or you have the wrong shock package or aero concept, whatever it is, it’s going to show up. That track is so abrasive. You get one lap with grip and then everything from there is downhill. We were able to really understand just how far off we were. That was in a lot of areas and I think we quickly addressed the mechanical grip issues that we had and our Hendrick cars were more competitive throughout the year. I feel like the 9 car did an amazing job of really putting some speed in their car and being consistent and getting to victory lane. So, they were the high-water mark for the HMS cars and we’re all trying to get there. And then you add in during the off season, how the Chevrolet’s were allowed to build a new car. That was the final piece that we were missing. We were able to get mechanical grip in the car, but it came at a huge penalty for drag and the car wasn’t very efficient. After NASCAR did a lot of research and taking all manufacturers to the wind tunnel, they were able to put some new quality back into the build of the bodies. You add the new efficient race car that we have, the new efficient Camaro that we have, with our journey last year on the setup, we have great cars. I still think that we, as a company, have a little bit to gain on the tracks where we trim out more. Michigan would be an example of that. But when you look at Atlanta, Darlington, Fontana, these tracks with a lot of wear and require a lot of downforce and grip, we seem to have a really strong package right now.”

YOU’VE BEEN SO GENERIOUS, AS FAR AS FUNDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY, DO YOU SEE EDUCATION AS ONE WAY PEOPLE CAN GET A SET UP THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THAT POSITION BEFORE?
“Education has been a really important. Chandra and I both grew up in public school systems. We understand the diversity in the public school systems, we understand the challenges in the public school systems. And to us, we’ve always felt that starting with kids is the most important part of the equation. The earlier you start, the more hope you have for change in education and knowledge, and ultimately, better citizens in the country. Citizens of the world, understanding culture abroad. Education has been very important to us and I think, in general, should be a point of focus. It has been for us. As I look into the future at what I do when I’m not a full-time racer, it’s a little unclear right now where I take the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. But our focus has been on children for a reason and we really feel like we can make change and really effect individuals’ lives if we start young enough.”

HAVE YOU FOUND WAYS, DESPITE WHAT’S GOING ON, TO SAVOR THE MOMENTS AT THESE RACE TRACKS KNOWING IT COULD BE YOUR LAST TIME THERE?
“Yes and no. This weekend will be a track that I won’t see again, potentially, as a race car driver. I’m excited to have the moment with the grandstands being named after me, granted there’s no fans there to celebrate it with (laughs). It’ll be interesting to see how I feel being at the track this weekend, but knowing we have so many races left and we’ll be coming back to these tracks, it hasn’t been on my mind. Fontana was out of this world – what an emotional and special moment that was to go back to my home track for the final time, have fans in the stands and the full experience. I guess I’ve been riding that high. I’m just happy to be back at the track. My head space has been back to some normalcy and back to racing.”

BEFORE YOU TALKED TO BUBBA, DID YOU FEEL LIKE ‘I’M JUST A DRIVER, WHY WOULD SOMEBODY CARE WHAT I SAY’? DID YOU RE-THINK YOUR IMPACT IN GENERAL ON ANY ISSUE AS A SPORTS FIGURE?
“No – I feel like I’ve spoken up on issues through my career. I feel like if you speak up on an issue, you really need to believe it in your heart and see it through at that point. You’re going to receive pushback from anyone on any topic on the other side (inaudible). I’ve let my passion, my desire to learn and understand and have a voice kind of lead me through my journey.”

WITH RACING HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW, FAST AND FURIOUS, IS IT EASIER FOR YOU FOR THE ONE LAST TIME OR IS IT HARDER GIVEN HOW THE SCHEDULE IS?
“I’ve really enjoyed it. My job entails just the part that I love the most about my job, which is racing. The corporate obligations have really slowed down; it’s now basically some zoom calls to be with fans or sponsors. Here we are doing media and I’m in Oklahoma at my in-laws. So, I’m able to really enjoy the part that I love the most, which is driving and we’re racing twice a week. I’ve enjoyed the schedule and the challenges that have come with it.”

HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT GEORGE FLOYD AND THE PROTESTS? HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THE DAYS FOLLOWING?
“I saw it through social media. I typically don’t have the news on with kids and such in the house – we’re just not big TV people. So, I learned through watching on social media. I was definitely pulled to making statements and wanted to share my point of view. I feel like in my position and who I am as an individual, I want to have a voice and I want to stand up for injustices. So, I’ve been trying to find my voice. I think part of that journey is to educate myself. I’ve been very deep in that and trying to learn and educate – on the phone with friends of mine, like Bubba Wallace, other friends of color and race that I’ve known through the years just checking in. Just trying to understand and asking them deeper questions that haven’t come up in our relationship so far. To learn and understand just how far and wide my friends have dealt with issues is helping me find my voice and have clarity in the situation and all the noise that’s out there. I know there’s a lot going on in the media, so I found in my opinion, the best route is to talk to my friends of color and understand their perspective to help me understand my perspective and find my voice, ultimately.”

IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT LOSING FANS OR FOLLOWERS BASED ON WHAT YOU POST OR WHAT STAND YOU TAKE?
“It’s a sensitive topic, but I think you’ve got to follow your heart and post what you believe in. It’s hard to live your life worrying about other people. You have to let your passions in your life shine through and the things that you believe in. You need to follow that. And for me, ultimately, I’ve felt the need to have a voice in this and I’m still trying to find that voice. So, I’m being pulled this way more than I have in other times and there’s just something inside of me that makes me feel like I need to do it.”

WE’RE SEVERAL RACES INTO THE PROTOCALS AND THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO RACE. WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST OR STRANGEST PART OF IT FOR YOU?
“For me, it’s been the cadence or rhythm that you have with the individuals on your team. Normally when the green flag drops at a race, as a group, you have a sense of what your challenges are going to be that day. You’ve had practice, you’ve had qualifying, you know what to be prepared for. And to go cold turkey off the truck, you just have no idea where the day is going to take you and what challenges you’re going to deal with. Certainly, I’ve had that on my side as a driver and the crew members that prep on the car and maintenance, the adjustments on pit stops, the crew guys over the wall hitting the lug nuts and how much of a rhythm that is for them – everything is just cold turkey. It’s a really interesting head space that first stage, if not to the second stage, of just trying to find out where you’re at. So, that’s been an interesting one for me.”

WITH THE FANS NOT THERE, HOW ANXIOUS DO YOU THINK EVERYONE IS INSIDE THE GARAGE TO JUST HAVE SOME FANS THERE?
“At least everybody that I’ve talked to, we just want to be safe. Of course, we understand these are trying times and different times, it is awkward at track and we all wish fans were there, but we just want to be safe. So, we’re happy to be in an industry that is back working and we’re able to do our jobs again. So, as long as we’re doing it and doing it safe, we don’t want to regress, so I think everybody’s head space is about doing the right thing and being safe.”

THE CHOOSE CONE HAS BEEN A TOPIC THAT KEEPS COMING UP HERE AND THERE. I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT – WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
“Yeah, I’m definitely in favor of it. We’ve been kicking it around for years back and when we had a more formal driver’s council, it was always topic that came up. We hope that it comes into play and if you watch from about 15th on back on a restart, everybody is just choosing where they want to go anyhow (laughs), so it would be nice to have that be a part of the format. I only see it helping. When you’re on tracks where track position matters in a sense of lanes, it’s going to look like it does right now. You get to Martinsville, you’re going to have cars pick the inside lane for safety. And then someone from deep in the pack is going to try to take the outside lane and see how it plays out. I really don’t see it being a problem. I think it simplifies restarts for us and, honestly, a lot of drivers grew up in a series that has choose cones. So, it’s not something we really have to teach or educate ourselves on. I think it could be a win-win for everybody.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with 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.

Richard Childress Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway … In 147 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and three pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in the Cracker Barrel 500 on March 11, 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Hampton, Ga.-based track under the RCR banner. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization also has captured three NASCAR Xfinity Series victories with drivers Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Elliott Sadler.

COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection

Catch the Action … The Folds of Honor Quick Trip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, June 7, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Atlanta 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live Saturday, June 6, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s Symbicort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Atlanta Motor Speedway … In seven NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is 11th in 2016.

SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at MySymbicort.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Atlanta Motor Speedway is another track where the asphalt is among the favorite of the drivers, am I right?
“Exactly. We make sure when we go to Atlanta Motor Speedway that we don’t pray for rain. We don’t want any rain because it’s going to be a long day drying that place. It is old. It weeps, but I’m glad they’ve kept it the same. It’s a place that drivers love because you know its going to be slick and over time you might be able to find some grip by moving around or changing your line and being disciplined with the throttle.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Roland Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Atlanta Motor Speedway … This weekend, Tyler Reddick will be making his debut NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Reddick has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and one top-five finish at the 1.5-mile speedway. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track, including one top-five finish from 2015.

About Roland … Roland DGA Corporation serves North and South America as the marketing, sales, distribution and service arm for Roland DG Corporation. Founded in 1981 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Roland DG of Hamamatsu, Japan is a worldwide leader in wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, personalization and vehicle graphics markets; engravers for awards, giftware and ADA signage; photo impact printers for direct part marking; and 3D printers and CNC milling machines for the dental CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, part manufacturing and medical industries. For more information, visit rolanddga.com.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
Is there much you can take from somewhere like Las Vegas Motor Speedway to Atlanta Motor Speedway, knowing the two tracks are very different despite being the same length?
“There’s really nothing you can take from Las Vegas to Atlanta. However, I do think there are a lot of things that we have done in the Xfinity cars at Atlanta to capitalize on speed that can apply this weekend. Atlanta is all about managing tires, even with all of the downforce we do have and where the horsepower is at in these Cup cars. You have to be smart and really understand how to manage your car from Lap 1 to Lap 45, which is about how far you can go on a set of tires. Tires will be our best friends this weekend. Atlanta is a weekend that kind of got away from us last year in the Xfinity Series, so I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend. We were running down the leader last year with seven laps to go, but then a caution came out and we got shuffled back on the restart, so I’m looking forward to another shot at Atlanta in our No. 8 Roland Chevrolet.”

This Week’s No. 21 Death Wish Coffee Chevrolet Camaro at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Anthony Alfredo will return to the seat of the Richard Childress Racing No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro as the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits Atlanta Motor Speedway. Alfredo will be making his debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2019.

Welcome, Death Wish Coffee … In 2012, Death Wish Coffee Co. started a small coffee shop in Saratoga Springs, NY. Founder Mike Brown saw a need for coffee that was both strong and delicious to serve his groggy morning customers. After creating the perfect blend of beans and combining it with his unique roasting technique, the ‘World’s Strongest Coffee’ was born. Today, thousands of people trust Death Wish Coffee to wake them up and keep them going every day. For more information visit deathwishcoffee.com.

Death Wish Coffee’s Mission … Our mission is to fuel you wherever you go. Death Wish Coffee is made by passionate people for passionate people, and our carefully selected, perfectly roasted coffee beans produce a bold, highly caffeinated coffee blend. We strive for the best tasting and highest quality organic and fair-trade beans in every bag. Our processes are USDA certified and we have committed to sustainability throughout our products. We offer a 100%, no-BS guarantee: If this isn’t the strongest coffee you’ve ever tried, we’ll gladly give you a refund.

ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTE:
Atlanta has an extremely abrasive surface. How important will tire management be this weekend and do you think that will play into your favor?
“Tire management will play a huge role in being able to have a successful run at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. I learned a lot about how to take care of my tires early in a run at Darlington Raceway. Atlanta is one of my favorite racetracks after making my NASCAR Truck Series debut there last year. I am typically strong at worn out racetracks where tire management is vital, so hopefully that will translate to success for us. I’m also proud to be representing Death Wish Coffee on our No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend. It’s going to be a lot of fun to go back to Atlanta with a little more experience under my belt. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together with my Richard Childress Racing team.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
HAMPTON, GEORGIA
JUNE 7, 2020

ATLANTA FOR RACE #10:
After the March visit to Atlanta Motor Speedway, which was the first venue on the schedule to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NASCAR Cup Series will make its return to the track Sunday, June 7th, with the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

The 325-lap, 500-mile race at the 1.54-mile quad oval will mark the tenth event on the revised 2020 schedule. The Series’ return to the speedway will be a one-day show without fans in attendance. With no practice or qualifying, owner points and a random draw will set the starting lineup. By virtue of the random draw, Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE, will be leading the field to the green. Here is a look at Team Chevy’s top-20 starters:

1st Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE
8th Alex Bowman, No. 88 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE
12th Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE
15th Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
16th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Symbicort Camaro ZL1 1LE
19th Matt Kenseth, No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1 1LE
20th William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE

CHEVROLET LEADS THE WAY
Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer at Atlanta Motor Speedway in NASCAR Cup Series competition with 40 victories. The Bowtie brand has also registered 25 pole starts, 190 top-five and 378 top-10 finishes. Dale Earnhardt is the most successful driver at the track with nine victories, all behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS
Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in 1960. Fireball Roberts, driving a Pontiac, won the inaugural race from the pole on July 31. The GM brand won four of the initial five races at the track. Chevrolet claimed its first win in October 1962 with Rex White behind the wheel of an Impala.

TAKING IT IN STAGES
Recent Charlotte Motor Speedway race winner Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE, leads all drivers with five stage wins so far this season. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, No. 88 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE, is second with four stage wins. Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams with 10 stage wins this season.

BOWTIE BULLETS
· Victories by current Chevrolet drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway include:
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE, has five wins (2004, twice in ’07, ’15 and ’16)
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE, has three wins (2002, ’09 and ’10)
· Atlanta is one of eight tracks on the 2020 schedule where Chevrolet has earned 40 or more wins. The others: Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
· Chevrolet team, Hendrick Motorsports, leads the way in wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway with 12: Jeff Gordon (five), Jimmie Johnson (three), Darrell Waltrip (one), Jerry Nadeau (one), Kasey Kahne (one) and Ken Schrader (one).

TUNE IN
FOX will telecast the 325-lap race live at 3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, June 7. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 3rd IN STANDINGS
“The track hasn’t changed a ton these past few years. It has a lot of wear to it, a lot of character and a lot of bumps. There is a fine line of getting your car right. I’m excited about that. As a team we’ve had a lot of dialogue in trying to get our NAPA Chevy dialed in without having any practice, which is tough. I have a lot of confidence in my guys being able to get us close and giving us enough adjustability to where if we do miss it, one way or the other we can work on it throughout the race. I’m just looking forward to the race, obviously it’s my home track and any time you go to your home track you want to do good.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGS
BOWMAN’S THOUGHTS ON GOING TO ATLANTA:
“Atlanta should be a good track for our team. Our 1.5-mile program is really good right now and I feel confident that we can continue that momentum from Charlotte. This track is one where you have a lot of options. It’s worn out and you can move around a lot, which gives drivers a lot of choices. Everyone appreciates options, so this weekend should be a good one.”

BOWMAN’S THOUGHTS ON HIS NEW SHOES FOR ATLANTA:
“I have some new shoes this weekend for Sunday’s race. It is always special in Atlanta when we support the Chase Elliott Foundation and their “DESI9N TO DRIVE” program. Justin Mingo, 14 years old, designed some awesome blue shoes with red flames. Hopefully we can get Justin’s shoe design to victory lane.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 SYMBICORT CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 16th IN STANDINGS
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS ANOTHER TRACK WHERE ASPHALT THERE IS AMONG THE FAVORITE OF THE DRIVERS, AM I RIGHT?
“Exactly. We make sure when we go there, we don’t pray for rain. We don’t want any rain because it’s going to be a long day drying that place. It is old. It weeps, but I’m glad they’ve kept it the same. It’s a place that drivers love because you know it’s going to be slick and over time you might be able to find some grip by moving around or changing your line and being disciplined with the throttle.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGS
“Atlanta is a tough track. You have to take care of the right front tire there, or the right rear, whichever one seems to be wearing out the most. I think any time you get a chance to pass a car and get ahead of them you need to take it, but it’s a fine line of how hard do you push it versus taking care of your tires so you’re there in the end. You just really need to manage your equipment the best you can to have a shot. It’s a long 500-mile race and it’s physical. You have to do the best job you can to keep yourself mentally and physically in contention.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 ROLAND CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 18th IN STANDINGS
IS THERE MUCH YOU CAN TAKE FROM SOMEWHERE LIKE LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY TO ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY, KNOWING THE TWO TRACKS ARE VERY DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING THE SAME LENGTH?
“There’s really nothing you can take from Las Vegas to Atlanta. However, I do think there are a lot of things that we have done in the Xfinity cars at Atlanta to capitalize on speed that can apply this weekend. Atlanta is all about managing tires, even with all of the downforce we do have and where the horsepower is at in these Cup cars. You have to be smart and really understand how to manage your car from Lap 1 to Lap 45, which is about how far you can go on a set of tires. Tires will be our best friends this weekend. Atlanta is a weekend that kind of got away from us last year in the Xfinity Series, so I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend. We were running down the leader last year with seven laps to go, but then a caution came out and we got shuffled back on the restart, so I’m looking forward to another shot at Atlanta in our No. 8 Roland Chevrolet.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 NOS ENERGY DRINK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 21st IN STANDINGS
“I’m ready to get to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. While the track layout may be similar to Las Vegas and Charlotte, the old surface is so hard on tires that it creates an entire new strategy for the race. I feel like we’re really getting into a groove now that we’re back to racing consistently, and we have had great speed in our Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE. This is the first weekend that NOS Energy Drink will be on the No. 47, which is always special for me as they’ve been a great partner throughout my career. Both our Charlotte car where we finished fourth and our Bristol car where we were running in the top-10 before an accident ended our day early, they were two of the best cars I think I’ve had at two very different tracks. No matter what, I feel like I can make a decision and put our car where I want it to go and we’ve been able to gain track positions. Running 500 miles at Atlanta is always a challenge, but I know we will have a really fast No. 47 NOS Energy Drink Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend.”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 22nd IN STANDINGS
THOUGHTS GOING INTO ATLANTA WITH YOUR INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM?
“Atlanta Motor Speedway has been a place that Richard Petty Motorsports has struggled at as a team. It has always been the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series season, and we never really got a good balance. This year, we have had a couple of intermediate tracks under our belt. We have some good notes to look back on.

“We will go to the Atlanta Motor Speedway and come with a different package than we have in the past based off of our intermediate races earlier this year.”

JERRY BAXTER, CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 43 MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1 1LE
“We’re taking the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 McDonald’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to the Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. It is the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE we ran at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway – and we finished in the sixth-place with it. We have been doing some updates on it as the season has rolled-on. Atlanta Motor Speedway has quite a bit of tire fall-off, so we need to focus on having pretty decent long run speed. “Bubba” ran the simulator on Monday, so hopefully we can continue the momentum that we have built over the last few weeks.”

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 27th IN STANDINGS
IS THERE A WAY THE CAR CAN BE SET UP AT ATLANTA TO REDUCE THE TIRE WEAR FACTOR?
“Atlanta is old, abrasive and wears on our car and tires very hard. I think everybody’s goal in Atlanta is to make sure that you don’t wear your tires faster than the guy in front of you. One thing that always helps is adding downforce to your race car. If you keep the car pushed into the track more, you’re not sliding and creating more friction. Also, if you take air out of the tires that will help the pressure in the tires create friction as well, but there are limits to all of this. NASCAR keeps us reigned in to a certain point, so our GEICO team has to adjust little details across our Camaro to make sure we’re beating those guys in front of us.”

DOES ATLANTA NEED TO LOOK AT NEW PAVEMENT? IT’S BEEN 26 YEARS NOW ON THE SAME SURFACE.
“Yeah, I know. No matter when they do it, all the drivers are going to be upset. There is a certain point where they have to do what’s best for the track and I think once they decide to repave it, they should maybe dozer the whole thing and change it up. Maybe make it a short track or a road course, do something different. I don’t think we need more mile and a half tracks, I think we need to change up. If they want to get more and more people to Atlanta, they need to look at something different.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 30th IN STANDINGS
“Finally, I feel like a little bit of luck is on our side as we head to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend in the No. 37 Kroger Camaro. Our teammate has had a lot of speed since we’ve returned to racing, and I think we’ve been able to work together on some great notes heading into the race on Sunday. This is only my second Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and we were running in the top-10 before an accident ended our day early. Atlanta is so rough on tires and your tire strategy that it really gives us a new angle setup-wise than we’ve seen at some of the other intermediate tracks we’ve run at. I’m happy that we finally have some luck and momentum on our side, but the key is to be consistent and keep moving forward with the No. 37 Kroger team.”

MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 32nd IN STANDINGS
“Atlanta is about as racy as it gets for high-banked intermediate tracks. The pavement’s wore out, there are a lot of bumps, and at times can be very line sensitive. It’s a track I have always really enjoyed racing at and I’m excited to get back. Every week has been a new challenge for me to get acclimated and up to speed, and this will be another one. Chad and the guys have been bringing great cars to the track and we are looking for a mistake-free solid race, and a good result.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 39
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

Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 31
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

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

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

2020 STATISTICS:
Wins: 2
Poles: 3
Laps Led: 911
Top-five finishes: 15
Top-10 finishes: 34

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 788 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 717
Laps led to date: 235,217
Top-five finishes to date: 4,029
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,316

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

General Motors: 1,122
Chevrolet: 788
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65

Ford: 791
Ford: 691
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 145

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with 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.