Category: NASCAR Cup PR

BRISTOL, Tenn. (May 31, 2020) — After a promising start and another stage point collected with a 10th-place finish in the second stage of Sunday’s 500-lap race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chris Buescher and the No. 17 SUNNYD team’s bid at a strong finish came to a halt when the No. 17 Ford contacted the wall and cut a tire midway through the event, ultimately resulting in a 23rd- place finish.

Buescher rolled off the grid at the .533-mile oval in 19th battling a tight handling condition. The No. 17 team made their first trip down pit road with the competition caution at lap 20 for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. The team had to revisit pit road to switch out a transponder at lap 25 and got back on track for the restart in 25th. Buescher toggled between 25th and 29th until the next competition caution at Lap 60. The SUNNYD team made an air pressure adjustment at the caution and restarted 27th, which is where Buescher took the green-white checkered flag in stage one.

The Prosper, Texas native reported that his Ford was handling tight. After pitting for tires, fuel, grill tape and an air pressure adjustment the team restarted 24th for the second stage at lap 136. Buescher maintained track position, working his way up to 22nd until a caution flag waved at Lap 199. Still reporting a tight handling Ford, Buescher also said his car was improving as the team pitted for an air pressure adjustment along with more tires and fuel. The adjustments at the caution paid off as the team restarted 18th. Strategy played out after a couple more cautions helped Buescher work his way up to 15th. At lap 229, the driver narrowly avoided a huge wreck that red flagged the track for about 12 minutes. The team elected to stay out, restarting 12th with 15 to go in the stage. Another caution flag waved just a few laps later, but Buescher and the No. 17 team stayed out to gain track position. When the green-white checkered flag waved for stage two, the SUNNYD team crossed the line 10th, earning one stage point.

Buescher reported that his No. 17 machine was still handling tight, so the team pitted at the stage break for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The driver got to work, restarting 20th, but then hit the wall twice at Lap 265 to bring out the caution. The team pitted twice during the caution to assess the damage and got back on track, 28th and four laps down. Unfortunately, the damage was too much to escape as the No. 17 team finished 23rd, four laps down.

Buescher and the No. 17 team return to action next Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FOOD CITY PRESENTS SUPERMARKET HEROES 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BRISTOL, TENNESSEE
MAY 31, 2020

RACE #9 AT BRISTOL:
In the revised 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the 60th running of the historic Food City 500, the ninth race of the season, will be held Sunday, May 31st at the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 266-mile, 500-lap race on the famed all-concrete high-banks will be held without spectators in attendance.

In honor of those serving on the front lines within the supermarket industry of the United States and around the world, the event has re-badged as the Supermarket Heroes 500.

BOWTIE BULLETS
· Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 45 all-time wins and 39 poles in 116 races at the track known as the ‘World’s Fastest Half-Mile’, more than any other brand.

· Of active Team Chevy drivers, Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, is a six-time winner at Bristol (’02, twice in ’03. ’04, ’06, & ’18) and Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, has won twice (’10 & ’17)

· The most recent Chevy pole winner is Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE, (April ’19). Elliott’s 2019 pole holds the track’s current qualifying record with a time of 14.568 (131.713 mph).

· To-date, Chevrolet has also scored 209 top-fives, 432 top-10’s, and has led 23,613 laps around the .533-mile coliseum-style track.

· In 1971, Charlie Glotzbach captured Chevrolet’s first win at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was also the first NASCAR Cup win for Monte Carlo. With the aid of relief driver, Friday Hassler, the duo clocked an average pace of 101.074 mph throughout the caution-free, 500-lap race. That speed record still stands today.

SCORECARD:
With Chase Elliott’s Thursday night victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Alex Bowman’s win at Auto Club Speedway on March 1st, two Team Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE drivers have now secured spots in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs that will determine the 2020 champion. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Elliott and Bowman, are currently ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the point standings.

STARTING ORDER:
With no qualifying for the event, the starting line-up has been determined by a random draw. Five Team Chevy drivers will start in the Top-15:
Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE – starts 6th
Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Camaro ZL1 1LE – starts 11th
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE – starts 12th
William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro Zl1 1LE – starts 13th
Matt Kenseth, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1 1LE – starts 14th

TUNE-IN:
The Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway gets underway on Sunday, May 31st at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage will air on FS1, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 3rd IN STANDINGS
ELLIOTT ON CHARLOTTE WIN:
“We battled hard and finally got our car good enough there at the end. I’m not sure that we had it exactly perfect, but the guys did a great job making good adjustments and good pit stops there to put us in a position, and I think the race going long played into our favor as compared to what Kevin (Harvick) had to work with. Just had some good fortune and things went our way. Just appreciate all our partners for sticking with us. Finally good to get a Kelley Blue Book win. That’s our first win together, so hopefully many more.”

ELLIOTT ON HOW HE FEELS PHYSICALLY AFTER THREE RACES IN FIVE DAYS:
“I feel really good. I feel like I tried to stay biking and doing things throughout those two months off, and honestly coming back and going back to Darlington where it was hot and then coming into the 600, it kind of just threw us back right to the wolves, and I think that was really a good thing just to really get some hot races and some long races in right off the bat and just jump right to it. I feel good, and I’m certainly tired, it’s been a long week, but I’m going to rest these next couple days and get ready for Bristol. I am looking forward to going and hopefully having a good run.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM/ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 4th IN STANDINGS
BOWMAN ON BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
“Bristol is strong track for us, but you have to have good track position. It’s tough to bounce back if you get down on track position, but this No. 88 team is great at figuring out exactly what we need here. We have had some decent finishes here in the past, so I know that we can do that again on Sunday.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM/ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE
IVES ON BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
“Bristol is a strong track for the 88 team. We have had our struggles with the flatter short track, but that does not include Bristol. We hope to continue to build our momentum this Sunday and execute all race long.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 16th IN STANDINGS
“Bristol is going to be very complicated, in my opinion the biggest issue is going to be the track. When that track is green and has no rubber on it, is very low on grip. With the traction compound on the bottom lane , it needs traffic to work it in. So, to show up cold turkey with the setup required to be competitive for the first stage is going to be way different than the setup you will need to win the race. It’s going to be a tough challenge on the teams, pit road is going to be important, and minimal adjustments during a pit stop are key since we are short manned over the wall. In order to raise the track bar, change the wedge or pull a spring rubber it takes so long – and unfortunately, we will probably need adjustments like that as the race wears on. From a technical standpoint – this race is going to be the most difficult so far. The car will have to have some adjustability built in.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 ALSCO UNIFORMS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGS
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS KNOWN FOR BEING A TOUGH TRACK. HOW DO YOU FEEL ENTERING YOUR FIRST CUP SERIES START THERE WITH NO PRACTICE OR QUALIFYING?
“It’s going to be tough on Sunday. Bristol is one of the toughest tracks to go around when it doesn’t have rubber and heat on it. I’ve ran Truck races there through my career, and when we’re one of the first ones on the track, that first hour of practice, you can’t really learn much. The traction compound is slick – you go down in there to try to use it and you almost spin out. You run the middle, and that’s about it. Man, the first hour or so of practice you can’t get up in that either because it’s slick, and you almost wreck. I remember the first time they put traction compound down at Bristol, I went out for practice and I was in the middle of it, so we were OK. But I wanted to try the bottom, so I went down there, got loose and couldn’t go anywhere. I realized that wasn’t going to work, so I went up to try to use the top and I drove it straight into the fence. Given that experience, I’m worried that the start of Sunday’s race is going to be very chaotic. I don’t know how that’s going to go. There’s only one groove, and we’re going to be starting double-file, so that’s going to be very interesting.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 18th IN STANDINGS
“The race at Bristol will probably bring the biggest unknowns during all of this with it being a short track, fast and a rhythm track. I had good runs going last year; we just needed some luck. I also had success there in iRacing during the time off so hopefully some of those trends and knowledge of the track will carry over. You need to be good at running the top groove there – it is really important. You also need to be patient when running the bottom and running in the PJ1 (track compound). It’s a dynamic track for that reason and you always have to be on your toes for sure. Hopefully we can get a good starting spot there and run up front to avoid some of that.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 20th IN STANDINGS
“I feel really good about Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway in our Kroger Camaro. JTG Daugherty Racing has had some really good runs at short tracks such as Bristol in the past, and we have some similar setups for how I like to race short tracks versus what’s been run before. The feel that I have in this race car is better than any that I have had in my Cup cars throughout my career. I know I saw that in our race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday night where I could put my car where I wanted to and it did a lot of the things that I was asking it to. It’ll definitely be different at Bristol knowing that our first ‘out of breath’ lap will be the first lap of the race. Normally we get that in practice, but it will be the same for everyone. The biggest unknown is the top groove that would get rubbered up in practice, and won’t before the race. It’ll be nerve wracking, but we’ve had a couple second-place finishes at Bristol and I’m looking forward to bringing our momentum from Charlotte to Bristol this weekend and continue moving forward.”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 23rd IN STANDINGS
“It takes a lot to be successful at the Bristol Motor Speedway. You have to have the awareness; I think that is probably the biggest thing. You get a hundred laps in, you are sunk-down in the seat, and you can’t really see what is ahead of you. If you are in the entry of Turn 1 and there is a crash off of Turn 2, you have to be ready for it and the spotter has to be on top of it.

“It is really a team effort when you go to the Bristol Motor Speedway. The team has to have a good set-up. It goes back to awareness. You just have to be capable of putting yourself in the right spot at the right time. When the groove starts to move up, you have to be able to move up and be competitive. Richard Petty Motorsports has always been good at the bottom and once it moves to the top – we’ve never been super great. So, our team will have to work on that. You have to be able to adapt really well.”

JERRY BAXTER, CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 1LE
“We have the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Victory Junction Camaro ZL1 1LE ready to go. We’ve been showing pretty consistent speed over the last few events, so that’s a good thing. Going into Bristol Motor Speedway, that’s one of Bubba’s favorite tracks, so we’re looking forward to getting the Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet a good finish this weekend.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 BUSH’S BEANS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 30th IN STANDINGS
“Bristol Motor Speedway is a track that I always circle on the schedule for us. I’ve obviously had a lot of success there, winning in the Xfinity Series as well as in the Modified Series. It’s no secret that our 2020 season has been hindered by bad luck. We’ve had some pretty fast cars and running where we want to be, and just haven’t been able to finish it off with things that have been out of our control. Without any practice, we have to expect the unexpected. The VHT compound can make the bottom groove really slippery to start, but putting 40 cars out there at once might speed that process of bringing in the top lane and bottom lane up a little bit. I think the field has been a lot closer since we returned to racing, with everyone on one playing field of just lining up and racing. Our random draw hasn’t left us with the greatest starting position, but we have 500 laps to figure it out and move our BUSH’S Beans Camaro to the front.”

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: 823
Top-five finishes: 14
Top-10 finishes: 29

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 788 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 717
Laps led to date: 235,129
Top-five finishes to date: 4,028
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,311

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

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

Ford: 790
Ford: 690
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.

Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 175 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Richard Childress Racing has earned a total of nine race wins at Bristol Motor Speedway, including seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization also has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, including four with Kevin Harvick and one each with Jeff Green, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick.

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 Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 31, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Cheddar’s 300 presented by Alsco at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Monday, June 1, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Austin Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 12 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He posted his best finish of fourth in August 2016. He is a former winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track.

SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Bristol Motor Speedway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway 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:
What do you think about racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“Man, they can’t mess Bristol Motor Speedway up, truthfully. Bristol is Bristol, and it doesn’t matter what lane you are in, it is good racing. I enjoy going there. Bristol is just a hardcore track where you need some drivability that you have built into the car mechanically. I look forward to Bristol each year.”

Tyler Reddick at Bristol Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway during this Sunday’s Supermarket Heroes 500. Reddick has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, winning last fall’s race there with crew chief Randall Burnett, along with two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts, with two top-five finishes at Bristol.

About Alsco … Alsco is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business, founded in 1889, that was recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the linen and uniform rental industry. Celebrating over 130 years of business, Alsco provides linen and workwear rental services to customers that include restaurants, healthcare, automotive industry and industrial facilities. With over 180 locations and more than 20,000 employees, Alsco provides world-class service to over 355,000 customers in 14 countries. Learn more at alsco.com.

Watch with Cheddar’s … Reddick and his No. 8 team are excited to tune in to the Cheddar’s 300 on Monday, June 1, and watch RCR’s Xfinity team try to capture the win. To celebrate the race, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is offering 15 percent off all online to go orders with the offer code RACEDAY placed on 6/1. With scratch-made favorites like Santa Fe Spinach Dip served with house-fried tortilla chips or Cheddar’s signature hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, fans can enjoy a taste of the race at their Cheddar’s 300 watch-parties. Or pick up one of Cheddar’s new Family Bundles and feed your whole pit-crew like a bundle of Slow-Smoked Baby Back Ribs that comes complete with 2 family-sized sides and 6 of your favorite Honey-Butter Croissants. Terms & conditions apply. Visit cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full offer details.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
Bristol Motor Speedway is known for being a tough track. How do you feel entering your first Cup Series start there with no practice or qualifying?
“It’s going to be tough on Sunday. Bristol is one of the toughest tracks to go around when it doesn’t have rubber and heat on it. I’ve ran Truck races there through my career, and when we’re one of the first ones on the track, that first hour of practice, you can’t really learn much. The traction compound is slick – you go down in there to try to use it and you almost spin out. You run the middle, and that’s about it. Man, the first hour or so of practice you can’t get up in that either because it’s slick, and you almost wreck. I remember the first time they put traction compound down at Bristol, I went out for practice and I was in the middle of it, so we were OK. But I wanted to try the bottom, so I went down there, got loose and couldn’t go anywhere. I realized that wasn’t going to work, so I went up to try to use the top and I drove it straight into the fence. Given that experience, I’m worried that the start of Sunday’s race is going to be very chaotic. I don’t know how that’s going to go. There’s only one groove, and we’re going to be starting double-file, so that’s going to be very interesting.”

This Week’s No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Bristol Motor Speedway … Myatt Snider will look to back up a strong top-10 performance as the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits the half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway. Snider will be making his Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2018.

About TaxSlayer … TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million state and federal e-filed tax returns in 2019 and processed $12 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

Tax Day … The IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline for 2020. Tax Day is now July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and applies to all taxpayers. For up-to-date information and advice, check out TaxSlayer.com/blog.

Save Now … When you file with TaxSlayer, the savings are around every turn. All the deductions, all the credits, and all the money you deserve comes back to you in your refund. Start for free at TaxSlayer.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
After a strong top-10 performance at Charlotte, what kind of momentum can you and your team bring into a place like Bristol Motor Speedway?
“We had great speed in Charlotte and performed really well together as a team. I am thankful for all the hard work my crew chief Andy Street and our entire Richard Childress Racing team has put into producing these fast TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaros. The speed we’re bringing to the racetrack gives me that much more confidence heading into Bristol. This will be my last race with RCR until the end of the year, so I really want to go out and have our best performance yet this weekend. I can’t wait to slay it at the Last Great Colosseum with my No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro.”

BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY (0.533-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: BRISTOL, TENNESSEE
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE NINE OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3:30 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, MAY 31 (FS1/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

​
​ ​ ​
​

Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season
3rd in standings
8 starts
1 win
1 pole position
4 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
280 laps led

Career
157 starts
7 wins
9 pole positions
48 top-five finishes
79 top-10 finishes
2,124 laps led

Track Career
8 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
3 top-five finishes
4 top-10 finishes
199 laps led

UNSTOPPABLE AT CHARLOTTE: Chase Elliott notched his seventh career NASCAR Cup Series win Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway where he led the final 28 laps on the oval and secured his fifth playoff berth in his fifth full-time season. The 24-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver became the fourth-youngest in history to record seven Cup victories, which have come on six different racetracks, and the fifth-youngest to record 15 NASCAR national series wins.

MILESTONE WIN: Elliott’s win Thursday night altered NASCAR’s record book. He became the eighth driver to win a Cup Series race for car owner Rick Hendrick on the Charlotte oval, making Hendrick Motorsports the first team in history to field eight different winners at one racetrack. The performance also marked Hendrick Motorsports’ 60th Cup victory at a 1.5-mile venue, extending the team’s all-time record. The Charlotte oval became the third track where Hendrick Motorsports has recorded at least 20 points-paying Cup wins, and the organization is now 10 away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time record of 268 victories.

TAKE A BOW: Elliott’s win capped off wild week in which he finished a disappointing second in Sunday’s 600-mile race on the Charlotte oval after leading 38 laps and then won Tuesday night’s Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at the track. His truck victory with GMS Racing made him the 10th driver in history to win at least three races in each of NASCAR’s three national touring series.

NINE’S A CHARM: On Sunday, Elliott will make his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the ninth race of the 2020 season. In his first eight appearances at the 0.533-mile oval, the driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has collected three top-five finishes, four top-10s and one pole award (April 2019). He also ranks fourth in average finish (11.5) of drivers with more than six Bristol starts since 2014. In addition, Elliott has posted a top-10 finish in all five of his NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track.

OUT FRONT AT BRISTOL: In eight Cup-level starts at Bristol, Elliott has led 199 laps. It represents his fourth-highest total of laps led at any track behind only Dover International Speedway (294), Phoenix Raceway (249) and the Charlotte oval (224). Elliott has led laps in six of the eight races run thus far in 2020.

LAST TIME AROUND: In their most recent visit to Bristol in August 2019, Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team collected top-10 results in each stage and led a total of 33 laps en route to a fifth-place finish.

FIRST EIGHT: After eight Cup races in 2020, Elliott is third in the driver standings. He ranks third in laps led (280) and has collected four top-five finishes, five top-10s and one pole award (Phoenix in March). The Dawsonville, Georgia, native holds the third-highest average running position for the season (8.16), and his three stage wins in 2020 are one behind teammate Alex Bowman for the series lead.

BRISTOL KNOW HOW: Primary sponsor NAPA AUTO PARTS will once again be featured on Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The familiar blue, white and yellow scheme will be on track for 26 races in 2020. Earlier this year, it was announced that NAPA AUTO PARTS and Hendrick Motorsports will continue their partnership through 2022. Click here to read the full release.

GUSTAFSON HITS 30 AT BMS: On Sunday, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 30th NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. In his previous 29 events atop the pit box for five different drivers (Elliott, Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon) at the Tennessee track, he has collected nine top-five finishes, including a win and two runner-up results, and 799 laps led. The win came in 2007 with Busch.

BEHIND THE 9: Gustafson is trying his hand as a host in a new Hendrick Motorsports video series called “Behind the 9” in which he interviews each member of the No. 9 crew. Fans are able to learn about where they came from and the role they serve on the team, with each bringing a unique personality and skillset. Episodes are released every Tuesday on the Hendrick Motorsports Facebook page and YouTube channel. The most recent episode features gas man John Gianninoto.

​
​ ​ ​
​

William Byron
No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
18th in standings
8 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
15 laps led

Career
80 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
18 top-10 finishes
309 laps led

Track Career
4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

SHORT TRACK STATEMENT: When William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, hits the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, he will do so coming off his best-ever short track finish in the NASCAR Cup Series. Byron secured a career-best result on a short track with a runner-up performance in the October 2019 playoff race at Martinsville Speedway. He will tackle the series’ other half-mile track, Bristol, on Sunday.

HISTORY REPEATING: With finishes of 18th, 23rd, 16th and 21st in four career Bristol starts, Byron might seem like a longshot winner on Sunday – but he doesn’t have to look far for inspiration. Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon drove the No. 24 Chevrolet to finishes of 17th, 20th, 22nd and 32nd in his first four Bristol races. In his fifth start there, the NASCAR Hall of Famer started second, led 205 laps and went to victory lane.

THE KN-OLOSSEUM: Set to call the shots for his 37th NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway and third with driver Byron, No. 24 team crew chief Chad Knaus brings a hefty notebook to the venue known as “The Last Great Colosseum.” The seven-time champion crew chief has two pole awards and two wins in his Bristol career with the most recent victory coming in April 2017 with Jimmie Johnson. Knaus has 12 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s to his credit at the notoriously challenging short track.

BRISTOL FLAMES: When the NASCAR Cup Series stops at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will again feature the iconic Axalta flames. In 2020, Axalta is the 22-race majority partner of the No. 24 team. The company’s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports was recently extended, taking one of the most enduring partnerships in sports through 2027.

TENNESSEE HOME: Chris Burkey, the pit crew coach for the Nos. 9 and 24 teams, hails from Greeneville, Tennessee, which is only 47 miles southwest of Bristol Motor Speedway. Burkey played football for North Carolina-based Wingate University where he eventually started a college football coaching career that spanned 1992 to 2005 and included tenures at East Tennessee State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2005, he joined the NFL’s Miami Dolphins as a scout under head coach Nick Saban. Looking for a new challenge, Burkey transitioned to NASCAR in 2009 when he was hired as a developmental pit crew coach for Hendrick Motorsports. In 2014, he was named head coach for the Nos. 5 and 24 teams.

​
​ ​ ​
​

Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 44 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
16th in standings
8 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
3 top-10 finishes
28 laps led

Career
659 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
228 top-five finishes
367 top-10 finishes
18,862 laps led

Track Career
36 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
21 top-10 finishes
914 laps led

RECENT BRISTOL BRILLIANCE: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, has turned in strong performances as of late at Bristol Motor Speedway. Among drivers to compete at Bristol since 2014, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has the best average finish (9.33) at the 0.533-mile venue. He has recorded only one finish outside the top 10 since April 2017 (six races) at the Tennessee short track.

THE KEY TO TENNESSEE: With two career victories, Johnson knows what it takes to prevail at Bristol. In April 2017, he led 81 laps after starting 11th en route to his most recent win there – and the 82nd of his storied NASCAR Cup Series career. The El Cajon, California, native has led 914 career laps at the half-mile venue where he has one pole award, 12 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s.

LONG RESUMÉ ON SHORT TRACKS: Johnson, 44, owns 14 career short-track wins, which is the second-most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers, and has earned multiple victories on all three active short tracks on the circuit: Martinsville (9), Richmond (3) and Bristol (2).

CLT IN THE REARVIEW: Johnson’s 919.5 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway were filled with ups and downs. A second-place finish in Sunday’s 600-mile event was disqualified due to a technical failure. On Thursday night, he drove from a last-place starting position to finish 11th in his final points race on the Charlotte oval.

ON THIS DATE: Johnson has won the last two Cup Series races held on May 31. Both victories came at Dover International Speedway – in 2009 and 2015.

JJF’S HELMET OF HOPE: Now in its 13th year, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation’s Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program assists non-profits that directly support K-12 public education. In 2020, non-profits that provide services to school-age students who have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis are also eligible to be nominated. Until 3 p.m. ET on Friday, June 5, individuals 18 and older can nominate qualified organizations to receive a $25,000 grant, a Blue Bunny Ice Cream party and their logo featured on Johnson’s helmet during a 2020 NASCAR Cup Series race. A total of five organizations will be selected as 2020 Helmet of Hope grant recipients. Since the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program launched in 2008, more than $1.3 million has been awarded to 121 charities. Visit helmetofhope.org to nominate a charity.

​
​ ​ ​
​

Alex Bowman
No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 27 Resides Concord, North Carolina

2020 Season
4th in standings
8 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
2 top-10 finishes
369 laps led

Career
161 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
28 top-10 finishes
843 laps led

Track Career
8 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
2 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

​
​ ​ ​

LEADIN’ LAPS: Prior to 2020, the most laps Alex Bowman led in a single season was 200, which he accomplished in 2016 (10 races) and 2019 (36 races). In eight events this year, the driver of the No. 88 ChevyGoods.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has led 369 combined laps, including 164 on Sunday and 51 on Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. If he leads another 106 laps in 2020, Bowman will surpass his number of laps led in all previous years combined since he entered the NASCAR Cup Series (2014-2019). In the four events since NASCAR’s return to racing, the Tucson, Arizona, native leads all drivers in most laps led (256) and has the best average running position (8.11). He has the second-best average running position for the entire season.

TAKING THE STAGE: Bowman leads the NASCAR Cup Series in stage wins this season. He won his first career stage earlier this year at Auto Club Speedway, where he earned his first victory of 2020. On Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he won the first two of four stages and finished second in the third, capturing two valuable playoff points. On Thursday night at Charlotte, he won the race’s second stage, giving him a league-leading four in 2020. He is currently ranked fourth in NASCAR’s projected playoff standings.

BOWMAN AT BRISTOL: Bowman has eight previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway with two top-10 results. His best performance at the half-mile Tennessee venue came in 2018 when he brought home a fifth-place finish after 500 laps in the spring race.

IVES’ EXPERIENCE: On Sunday, No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives will call his 11th Cup Series race at Bristol. In 10 previous events, he has two top-five finishes and four top-10s with a best finish of second in 2016 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. In 2013 and 2014, Ives was a NASCAR Xfinity Series crew chief at JR Motorsports where his drivers led 59 laps and claimed one top-five finish and three top-10s in four races. As an engineer for driver Jimmie Johnson from 2006-2010, he was part of one win, two pole awards and eight top-10 finishes at Bristol.

BOWMAN LOOKS TO POLISH OFF BRISTOL: Sunday’s Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway will mark the first time associate partner Adam’s Polishes will be featured on the No. 88 ChevyGoods.com Chevrolet in 2020. Adam’s Polishes produces high quality products for auto detailing enthusiasts. In January, Hendrick Motorsports announced its partnership with ChevyGoods.com, which includes primary sponsorship of Bowman for 26 events. Associate brands that will be featured throughout 2020 are Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero.

DEALS ON DEALS: During the month of May, customers can visit ChevyGoods.com and receive 20% off any Adam’s Polishes product with the code “CHEVYGOODS.” In addition to the discount, customers can use code “FREESHIP” to unlock free ground shipping on all Chevy accessories on the site.

THE OTHER SIDE OF BOWMAN: Last week, Motorsport.com released its latest diary piece from Bowman. The driver of the No. 88 Camaro talks about inking a one-year extension with Hendrick Motorsports, his performance at Darlington and what it means to run a special scheme at Charlotte. He also answered some fan questions. Read it by clicking here.

​
​ ​ ​
​

Hendrick Motorsports

TEN TO GO: Thanks to Chase Elliott’s win Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports is now within striking distance of one of NASCAR’s most hallowed records. It was the 258th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series victory for car owner Rick Hendrick, putting his organization 10 away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time team mark of 268. Elliott is one of 18 different drivers who have won for Hendrick Motorsports since its first season in 1984. Car owner Hendrick holds the all-time records for Cup Series championships (12), pole positions (226), top-five finishes (1,078), and top-10s (1,850).

BACK TO FORM: Through eight NASCAR Cup Series events in 2020, Hendrick Motorsports has led 692 laps – or 33% of all laps raced – which is the most of all organizations. Team Penske is second (512), Stewart-Haas Racing third (478) and Joe Gibbs Racing fourth (250). The fewest laps led by Hendrick Motorsports in a 2020 race is 28 at Darlington Raceway on May 20.

STAGING A COMEBACK: Hendrick Motorsports has won eight of 17 stages through eight NASCAR Cup Series races in 2020. The organization won eight stages in all of 2019 (36 races).

ABOVE AVERAGE: On May 24, NASCAR ran the longest race in its history with a 607.5-mile overtime event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. At the end of the 405-lap marathon, the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers occupied second through fifth in average running position with Alex Bowman at 3.93, Elliott at 6.87, William Byron at 6.95 and Jimmie Johnson at 7.18. Martin Truex Jr. had the race’s best average running position at 2.76.

BLISTERING BRISTOL: Hendrick Motorsports has won 11 times at Bristol Motor Speedway with a record six different drivers. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon earned five victories there, while Johnson has two on his long resumé. Darrell Waltrip, Terry Labonte, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne have each earned one Bristol win for car owner Hendrick. Waltrip was the organization’s first winner at the half-mile track in 1989.

LAPPING THE FIELD: Hendrick Motorsports has led nearly 6,000 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway, the most among active NASCAR Cup Series teams. The organization’s 5,935 laps led rank second all-time to Junior Johnson and Associates, which led more than 8,000 circuits at the half-mile track.

MAKING A POINT: Two Hendrick Motorsports drivers are in the top four in the NASCAR Cup Series standings after eight races in 2020. Elliott ranks third followed by Bowman in fourth. Bowman’s four stage wins lead the series, while Elliott ranks second with three. They each have already secured 2020 playoff berths by recording a victory this season.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 258 race victories, 226 pole positions, 1,078 top-five finishes and 1,850 top-10 finishes in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 69,500 laps since 1984. With Bowman’s victory at Auto Club Speedway, the organization has won at least one race in 35 consecutive seasons, the longest all-time streak.

​
​ ​ ​
​

QUOTABLE /
Driver Chase Elliott on his NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte:
“We battled hard and finally got our car good enough there at the end. I’m not sure that we had it exactly perfect, but the guys did a great job making good adjustments and good pit stops there to put us in a position, and I think the race going long played into our favor as compared to what Kevin (Harvick) had to work with. Just had some good fortune and things went our way. Just appreciate all our partners for sticking with us. Finally good to get a Kelley Blue Book win. That’s our first win together, so hopefully many more.”

Elliott on how he feels physically after three races in five days:
“I feel really good. I feel like I tried to stay biking and doing things throughout those two months off, and honestly coming back and going back to Darlington where it was hot and then coming into the 600, it kind of just threw us back right to the wolves, and I think that was really a good thing just to really get some hot races and some long races in right off the bat and just jump right to it. I feel good, and I’m certainly tired, it’s been a long week, but I’m going to rest these next couple days and get ready for Bristol. I am looking forward to going and hopefully having a good run.”

Crew chief Alan Gustafson on Hendrick Motorsports working through COVID-19 challenges:
“It’s not been easy. We’ve had to work through split shifts and social distance circumstances and all types of the things that everybody has had to go through with COVID, and it’s been tough. That’s something I’m really proud of, not only Hendrick Motorsports but certainly the (No.) 9 guys – there’s a group of guys on the (No.) 9 team that typically go on the road, and ultimately they can’t go on the road anymore based on the roster, so those are the guys who are working tirelessly at the shop to prepare these cars, so everybody back there is doing an amazing job, and to bring cars like this to the track is a true testament to their ability, and I’m really proud of that and super proud of everybody at (Hendrick Motorsports). We’ve all stuck together. We’ve all fought through it. We’ve not had the years we wanted the last three or four and we’ve stuck together and kept fighting and kept fighting, and now I think we’re getting to a position where we can contend.”

Gustafson on the challenges of Bristol:
“I love Bristol. It’s a great track. It’s a lot of fun. But it’s got its own unique challenges, and it’s got its own unique circumstances. I don’t really feel like there’s much from any of the tracks that we’ve raced that’s going to correlate to Bristol. It’s its own animal. I’m excited to get there and race it, and the dynamic of the track changing and rubber and the grip compound and no practice and all that’s going to be – it’s going to be significant there. That’ll be a pressure cooker. It’ll be fun.”

Driver William Byron on the challenges of racing Bristol without practice and qualifying:
“The race at Bristol will probably bring the biggest unknowns during all of this with it being a short track, fast and a rhythm track. I had good runs going last year; we just needed some luck. I also had success there in iRacing during the time off so hopefully some of those trends and knowledge of the track will carry over. You need to be good at running the top groove there – it is really important. You also need to be patient when running the bottom and running in the PJ1 (track compound). It’s a dynamic track for that reason and you always have to be on your toes for sure. Hopefully we can get a good starting spot there and run up front to avoid some of that.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson on the challenges of competing on a green racetrack at Bristol:
“Bristol is going to be very complicated. In my opinion, the biggest issue is going to be the green racetrack. When that track is green and has no rubber on it, it is very low on grip. With the traction compound on the bottom lane, it needs traffic to work it in. So to show up cold turkey with the setup required to be competitive for the first stage is going to be way different than the setup you will need to win the race. It’s going to be a tough challenge on the teams. Pit road is going to be important, and minimal adjustments during a pit stop are key since we are short-manned over the wall. In order to raise the track bar, change the wedge or pull a spring rubber, it takes so long, and unfortunately we will probably need adjustments like that as the race wears on. From a technical standpoint, this race is going to be the most difficult so far. The car will have to have some adjustability built in.”

Driver Alex Bowman on Bristol Motor Speedway:
“Bristol is strong track for us, but you have to have good track position. It’s tough to bounce back if you get down on track position, but this No. 88 team is great at figuring out exactly what we need here. We have had some decent finishes here in the past, so I know that we can do that again on Sunday.”

Crew chief Greg Ives on Bristol:
“Bristol is a strong track for the (No.) 88 team. We have had our struggles with the flatter short track, but that does not include Bristol. We hope to continue to build our momentum this Sunday and execute all race long.”

Toyota Racing – Adam Stevens
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

BRISTOL, Tennessee (May 29, 2020) – Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Adam Stevens was made available to media via videoconference prior to Sunday’s race:

ADAM STEVENS, Crew Chief, No. 18 Skittles Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are the challenges in getting a race car setup for Bristol?

“It’s a long list, my friend. The biggest thing with Bristol is how much the track changes through the weekend. Now, all of that is going to be consolidated to just to race. Normally you end up, or start your sims and setup very close to how you ended the race, and with the track being green and not much rubber down, and the PJ1 being generally slick until it gets warmed up, you need to do a couple things to get through that part of the weekend and kind of undo them as the weekend goes. But, we’re not going to have the luxury of the track changing the 30, 40 or 50% it would from the start of practice to the end of practice and then starting the race from there. We’re going to go through that whole entire swing just in the race only. It’s going to be an absolute handful probably the first 50 or 100 laps of the race. To be your best at the end of the race, you’re going to have to find a way to navigate through that.”

How would evaluate your team in the first stretch of races back?

“In general, I would say we’re not as competitive as we’d want to be. We haven’t executed like we’ve wanted to. We’ve managed to get a couple good finishes in there, managed to get a couple poor finishes – the poor finishes were probably more poor than what they needed to be because of mistakes or circumstances we fell into during the race. The first Darlington we started in the back when I failed tech then went to the back fixing damage, hand the jack bleed down on a stop and then we weren’t very fast on top of that. All of that adds up to a pretty poor finish. Second Darlington was okay, not good enough to win, but in the mix there at the end. The first Charlotte was okay, felt like we didn’t have enough to win and really wanted to try to move the needle and work on the things that were holding us back. We attempted to work on all those things and just found a whole new set of problems to hold us back instead of fixing the old problems. Didn’t really, once we had the flat tire we got stuck laps down and that was the end of the day with no opportunity to get back on the lead lap. Only one wave around opportunity and then no real lucky dog chances. The car was also damaged at that point, too. Overall, it’s been a disappointing start, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. You have stretches like that and I think we need to get our program a little better and then internally as a team we have to do better.”

How pivotal do you view Bristol given Kyle Busch’s success there?

“I wouldn’t say it’s pivotal. If we don’t go to Bristol at all it’s not going to change the potential to win the championship or have a good run – it doesn’t really change anything. If we go there and underperform, that will be disappointing because it is a strong track for us. Last year, we weren’t great with that package and I don’t remember where we finished in the spring, in the fall we weren’t very good – we won in the spring, didn’t we? They all run together. In the fall, we weren’t as good as we wanted to be, and I think we still finished in the top five or somewhere. It is a good track. Not having practice and having to survive that track swing and not having that ability to work on our car, which none of us do, just seems like it’s been a bigger determent for our team than it has for others.”

What has the work load been like these last few weeks?

“I’ll start with the track – the track is the easy part. We don’t have a full roster, but we’re not practicing. We’re not even setting up scales. You are just fixing whatever tech issues you have and putting it on the line. There’s really not a lot to do other than push the car through tech and glue up lug nuts and things like that. We have the full pit crew obviously. The big change has been behind the wall. We’re down three or four guys, so everybody who is at the track has to do something behind the wall with the exception of myself. Some teams the crew chief is coming off the box to do something. That’s been taking some getting used to, but not something the fans would really notice. With no practice and no qualifying other than the one race, there’s not much work to do. The track has been the easiest adjustment. In the shop, running twice a week is a lot, even with no practice. When you threw in Charlotte there where we qualified, everybody had to prepare a backup car. You’re doing a lot of work in a very short amount of time. The shop is on restricted hours. I won’t get into the intimate details of all the restrictions we’re under. We’re separating people, we’re separating groups. I have my team split in two. For guys who go to the track and those that don’t. They are sanitizing every night, and everybody has to be out at a certain time where before you just work until you are done. Now you’re having to really micromanage the time. We have to get here at a certain time to checking and be screened and we have to leave at a certain time so they can clean the shop and make sure everybody stays healthy. It’s quite an adjustment, and then to throw in another race each week, with half the staff working on the car at any one time roughly, it’s a lot. You’re asking people to do more for one, you’re asking people to do jobs they don’t normally do when you split your road crew in half. There’s a lot of checking and double checking to make sure all the details are right, and it has been quite a burden. I think you will hear that from a lot of crew chiefs and teams, and an adjustment we hadn’t been planning for when the year started.”

Do you like the mid-week race for the long term?

“I think if you’re going to have a weeknight race, this makes it a little bit more bearable from a car prep standpoint because you’re not worried about qualifying, you’re not worried about making mock runs in practice, you’re not making a practice plan and you’re not preparing a backup car. To shoehorn a race in midweek, I think this format is okay. Personally, do I like it or not like it – I haven’t put much thought into it really. I understand why we’re in this situation because we have to get these races in. That’s important for all of us. I do like the opportunity to work on my car and make it better in practice. I’m missing that right now, especially with some of the races we’ve had. If that’s the direction the sport goes, then we’ll just have to adapt.”

Will it be good to have breathing room once the series gets past Bristol?

“Yes, for sure. There’s quite a few of my crew guys who have been worn out here and spread pretty thin. They could really use a day or two off for sure, and they’re going to get that early in the week. We have a race in Atlanta with no practice, so the prep is down, but no midweek race in there is what you’re alluding to. That will make it a lot more palatable next week. Next week will probably be a week to get caught back up and assess where we’re at and maybe do a little bit more leg work on some of the future races so we can be a little bit more ahead. For certain there’s a large group of guys who need a day off.”

How has Kyle Busch been with racing so much since the series return to racing?

“I think it’s pretty normal, really if you think back at the history of his career. He tends to run about every race he can get in. That list has gotten shorter through the years with all the restrictions. It is pretty normal. More seat time is probably generally better for him. If it’s more laps on the track that makes him happy, it makes me happy.”

Has the attention Kyle Busch has received from running so many races had any carryover on your program?

“That’s hard to say from my seat. I don’t know, that’s a better question for him. I don’t know how it can’t have some. He’s just a human, a man with a brain so some of that stuff has to linger somewhere in there. There’s a potential for that, for sure. Whether I sense that or notice that, I can’t say that I do. It’s a possibility.”

Is it a blessing in disguise having condensed schedules with racing’s return?

“No, it doesn’t really make much difference. A lot of the things we think we need to work on, they take time to fix. Some of them are just purely setup issues which don’t take anytime, it’s just a matter of making a different decision. Every time you go to the track it’s a new set of circumstances. The track conditions are always different. The starting position might be different, time of day is different. Everything is a little bit different. It is nice to always get back to the race track. All of us road guys, travel guys, that’s where we feel most comfortable anyway. Like I said, it’s such an adjustment not having practice and not having an opportunity to prove your concepts and refine your concepts – it’s really taken some getting used to.”

Is Kyle Busch anxious to get back to the track?

“One thing that’s different about this deal, drivers aren’t coming into the shop. All of our contact is limited to text, email and phone calls. Normally I’d spend an hour or two after each race and break things down, and we’re still doing that, but we’re doing that remotely. You lose something in that exchange. A lot of the ancillary stuff you might talk about like the question that was just asked is not something I could get a feel for or haven’t thought to ask because we are just trading facts and figures and thoughts, we’re not really spending much time on any of the ancillary stuff.”

Does anything change for the team and Kyle Busch going to Bristol this weekend?

“What makes Kyle (Busch) good at Bristol doesn’t change. He’s just so good at adapting what he’s doing behind the wheel to suit how the track is changing. Hopefully he’ll get to showcase more of that this weekend. This package is a lot like the 2018 package. There are quite a few differences to 2018, too. They really changed the aero balance and what you’re going to have to do with the mechanical balance to sort that back out. No different than 2019, it was completely different than ’18 and still he found his way to the front. It’s the track and the nuances of the track and how that changes and the fact that it changes is what makes KB shine there. He can make time on the bottom, in the PJ1, he can make time around the top when that’s the place to be and he’s not scared to move around and really is exceptional at getting through the lapped traffic as well. If you had to circle a place to get your mojo back, this would probably be it.”

# # #

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SUPERMARKET HEROES 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 29, 2020

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE, spoke with media via teleconference to discuss his fourth-place finish in the Alsco Uniforms 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, looking towards the next race at Bristol Motor Speedway, and more. Full Transcript:

IT WAS A FUN RUN THAT YOU HAD LAST NIGHT. WALK US THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE AND THE NIGHT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
“Yeah, for us, it was just really good to just have a smooth race with really no issues. Obviously, the first race back at Darlington, I kind of ruined our day early. Then, the second Darlington, we had some issues that we couldn’t fix while we were in the race. Charlotte, the Coca-Cola 600, the first run, we ran up to tenth. I felt really good about it. After we came to the pits, we had some issues again that we had to get over and just didn’t really have the speed after that first run. We felt like what we had in the car was really good and I liked the way it drove at the beginning of the 600. So, we just kind of worked on that and made sure that we limited all of our mistakes and got all of our issues figured out. Brian (Pattie, Crew Chief) and the boys did an awesome job with that. From the drop of the green flag, I felt really good about how our Kroger Camaro ran. For us, it was just huge to get a good run in and pass a lot of really good cars. We ran decent at Vegas and got a good finish on pit strategy. But last night, it was just nice to be able to run up front, pass a lot of really good cars and actually catch the leaders there at a few points towards the end of the race. All-in-all, a great night for us and really looking forward to hopefully carrying that momentum, show what we are capable of and be able to do that more and more often.”

WITH THE WAY THAT THIS SEASON HAS GONE, FOUR RACES WITH YOUR NEW TEAM, A TEN-WEEK BREAK, THEN BACK, I’M WONDERING IF IT’S MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR A NEW TEAM TO FIND A RHYTHM?
“Yes and no. We semi had a rhythm going to start the year. I felt like we still had some things to kind of work through. But you sit around for a long time and you’re trying to think of new ways to make your car faster. Then, I go out and make a huge mistake and we didn’t learn anything at Darlington, so that was a rough way to kick it back off. Some of those things that we were working on, if we would have had practice, we definitely would have found some of those issues that we had at the second race at Darlington and the first race at Charlotte. But now, I think we have it under control. We’ve figured out what issues we had and I feel really good about where we are after the way yesterday went. No issues, still things to work on. I don’t really feel like the new team coming back is hard to get in that rhythm, it was just I made a huge mistake that kind of got us off because we could have learned a lot I felt like in that first Darlington. It kind of put us a race behind, so we could have maybe figured out our issues a race earlier and had two good Charlotte races.”

YOU’VE HAD SUCCESS AT BRISTOL BEFORE. HOW MUCH ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SUNDAY AND WHAT YOU THINK YOU GUYS CAN DO THERE?
“I feel really good. I know (Chris) Buescher when he was here, they had some really good runs at Bristol. Our setups, looking at what we normally run versus what they ran here, are pretty similar. So, I feel good about that. The feel that I have in this race car I feel like is better than really any of the feel that I had in my Cup cars over my career so far. I felt like last night was a car that kind of reminded me of when I raced the Xfinity Series on the 1.5-mile tracks – I could kind of put my car where I wanted to and it did a lot of the things that I was asking it to do. So, I’m looking forward to getting that to Bristol knowing that we’ve had good runs there. We’ve had chances to win there. It would be nice to be able to get up and go lead some laps, and contend for a win there as well.”

YOU GET YOUR FAIR SHARE OF CRITICISM FROM PEOPLE WHEN YOU DO MAKE A MISTAKE, LIKE AT DARLINGTON, AND SOCIAL MEDIA IMMEDIATELY JUMPS ON IT. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE LOWS OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE LAST NIGHT?
“Yes and no. The frustrating part is that I just need to get more consistent, not make those mistakes and not give people reasons to run their mouth. But it’s all part of it, that’s the things you have to take with the sport. Anytime you have a lot of fans watching and definitely fans of different teams, you’ll have people run their mouth. But you just have to stick to what you know, stick to your team, know that you bring your friends with you to the race track, and know they’re the ones around you supporting you. Honestly, I think that’s one thing that I get out of working out so hard – it doesn’t just physically prepare you for the race, but mentally just keeps you focused on what you need to focus on. I know for me, I definitely need to get more consistent. I look back at my years in the Xfinity Series, it didn’t start off great, but when our cars were right, I felt like I was able to do a lot with them, be more consistent, contend for wins, win and run up front. If we keep having cars like we had last night, I feel like I can make less mistakes, but also be aggressive and still get a lot out of the race car, and try and keep those haters off the internet as much as possible.”

ONE OF THE DRIVERS SAID TO US THIS MORNING THAT THE FIRST LAP AT BRISTOL CAN BE NERVE-RACKING FOR ANY DRIVER, EVEN IF YOU HAD YOUR CAR DIALED IN. DO YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY, CONSIDERING WHAT THIS MAY BE LIKE WITH NO PRACTICE, NO QUALIFYING?
“Practices at Bristol, kind of that first run, you get out of breath, you almost have to remind yourself to breathe. But we’re all going to be doing that at the same time now. I think for us, the biggest unknown is normally we’re able to run the top of the race track in during practice. You kind of get two grooves going, people aren’t too scared to venture high early in the race. But now, with no practice, you’re not going to have those runs up there to lay the rubber. It’ll be nerve-racking, for sure. I think everybody is going to kind of take it a little bit easy, probably not going to do what I did at Darlington on the first lap. Just kind of let the race play out. Everybody is going to be hoping they get a good draw. That’s another reason why the race last night was important for us. After the last three, we slipped in points quite a bit and we were kind of in that third group of drawing for positions. Now, we put ourselves in that second group. Hopefully, we can draw towards the front of that and get a good starting position so we don’t feel like we need to be in a hurry. The leaders come fast at Bristol and that’s always a nerve-racking thing as well.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ALL THE COVID-19 PROTOCOLS THAT NASCAR HAS PUT IN PLACE HAS GONE?
“Yeah, it’s definitely smooth. I think any updates that they’ve had, they’ve sent it to us and everything has gone really smooth as far as on the driver side. I haven’t heard any complaints from the crew guys or really anybody. I feel like everybody has been doing a good job and just accepted it. It might not be comfortable wearing a mask, but it’s part of what we have to do. It’s cool that our sport is back up and running, and being able to get our season back going. I know there are a lot of other sports that wish they could be doing the same thing. NASCAR has done a great job of working with the government and the states to make sure we are capable of going racing at the race tracks that we need to race at.”

YOU’RE AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER, IT’S WHAT YOU DO. WHERE IS THE LINE AT BRISTOL BETWEEN FINESSE AND AGGRESSION IN YOUR MIND?
“I think you just have to feel out your race car and feel out the race track. You’ll have the bottom lane, the top lane, the middle – it’s just a race track you just have to get a feel for where you want your car to work, knowing that top lane will eventually come in and be the fast way around. But knowing that you might have to run the bottom on restarts and through traffic. So, really it’s just going to be feeling your car out until that competition caution that we generally have with no practice and just make sure that you give your crew chief as much information as you can to make sure when that pit stop comes that we can make the right adjustments to be good after that.”

HOW DO YOU THINK THE FIELD WILL BE PULLING OFF AT BRISTOL? TOTALLY DIFFERENT TRACK THAN DARLINGTON OR CHARLOTTE.
“No, I think it will be about the same. Probably the weirdest thing I feel like at Bristol would be no fans because the grandstands are so close to the race track. That will be a different feeling kind of walking down into the stadium with nobody yelling at you or cheering for you, so that’ll be different. But all-in-all, I think everybody is going to be in kind of the same mindset and just trying to feel everything out.”

ALL THESE RACES IN A CONDENSED SCHEDULE, IT’S BEEN PRETTY WELL RECEIVED IT SEEMS LIKE AMONG THE YOUNGER DRIVERS. YOU AS A DRIVER WHO HAS BEEN AT THIS FOR A FEW MORE YEARS THAN SOME OF THE YOUNGER DRIVERS, DO YOU LIKE IT?
“Obviously, since we’ve been back going, it was nice to be able to jump back into the race car at Darlington on Wednesday after our issues on Sunday. We had issues at Darlington with our race car on Wednesday, so it was nice to get back in on Sunday. I enjoy it as far as that goes, but to me, I just like to race. I like to be in the race car. Practice and qualifying doesn’t do it for me as much as getting out and competing in the race, as far as we’d be in the car on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But really there’s nothing like going out and racing. I enjoy racing as much as possible. I like the Sunday – Wednesday schedules; I wish would could kind of keep doing that. I’ve never been a fan of shortening the season because I just like to race. I’m going to try and sprinkle some more dirt races in when I can, if NASCAR lets me (laughs). For me, I enjoy the racing aspect of it. I love being in the race car as much as possible. Like probably the other crew chiefs said, the guys at the shop definitely have a lot more work, as far as getting cars ready week in and week out. So, that’s always been probably the biggest question mark of running these mid-week races to catch up our schedule is the toll that it’s taking on the crew guys. But it’s all been well received, they enjoy it and they love us back racing.”

I KNOW THAT YOU AND KYLE LARSON ARE PRETTY CLOSE. HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING TO HIM AT ALL AS THE SEASON IS RESUMING AND HOW HE’S DOING?
“Yeah, he’s obviously got a big adjustment and it’s totally different than what was his schedule and life before everything went down. He’s glad to be racing, definitely misses being in the Cup car and competing at this level. He’s just been hanging out with his family and going dirt racing. It’s a big adjustment, but he seems to be doing alright.”

COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WAS THERE ANY POINT WHERE YOU FELT LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A STRONG RUN IN THIS MID-WEEK RACE AT CHARLOTTE OR DID YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA PRESSURE ON YOURSELF TO DELIVER THAT, KNOWING HOW YOU HAD SLIPPED IN THE POINTS?
“Yeah, it’s was very important. Like I said, the first Darlington obviously was kind of written off. The second Darlington, we learned a lot. Didn’t have the run that we wanted, but knew that there were some big issues that we needed to fix. Coming into Charlotte for the 600, we felt like we fixed all those issues and we kind of had some different issues come up that we weren’t expecting. So, I felt like we learned a lot those two races that we could get everything smoothed out and ready for that mid-week race at Charlotte. Knowing that it was a short race, you had to be on your game from the start and we were. I told the boys that we needed a good run going into Bristol, my favorite race track, knowing that I really like the way these cars drive. And if it drives as good at Bristol as it has at these other race tracks, I feel like we’re going to have a shot at a win. I wanted a good solid top-15 run, no issues, no mistakes and it turned out to be way better than that. So, we’re looking forward to hopefully carrying that momentum into Sunday.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT RUN, FINISHING IN THE TOP-FIVE AND THE SPEED YOU HAD, IS THAT THE POTENTIAL YOU SAW WHEN YOU JUMPED OVER TO JTG DAUGHERTY FOR THIS YEAR?
“Yeah, definitely. Looking at the equipment that they have here, the people, the parts and pieces, the Hendrick power, the new Chevy Camaro body – I feel like those are all really good things to put together. Bringing my crew chief Brian Pattie over, bringing Mike Kelley over, with a lot of knowledge and a lot of experience to work in, they jumped right it. I felt like they’ve been working with these guys for a long time and it’s only been a short amount of time. So, I feel like we are definitely capable of running in the top-ten. I feel like last night was definitely a night that we hit it right. We had a really good car and I hope we can continue to run top-five and contend for wins. But I definitely feel like we can run top-ten with everything that we have right here. We have to do that – we have to limit my mistakes, limit the issues that we’ve had and just have good, smooth, solid nights, and I think we can run top-ten.”

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.

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Supermarket Heroes 500
Date/Time: Sunday, May 31/3:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 500 laps/266 miles
Track Length: 0.533 miles
Track Shape: Oval
2019 Winner: Kyle Busch

Express Notes:

Charlotte Recap: Denny Hamlin finished second in Thursday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the #11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota, in the 312-mile event won by Chase Elliott. Hamlin was fifth with less than 30 laps to go, but moved toward the front in the closing laps, crossing the finish line just one spot short of his third victory of the season. Hamlin started 29th and battled in the first two segments trying to gain track position. The FedEx crew kept gaining spots on pit road and Hamlin picked off positions on the track to finish 12th in Stage 2. Once the final segment started, Hamlin was one of the fastest cars on the track. He lined up second alongside then-leader Kevin Harvick for the final restart, but fell back to fifth early in the run. Later in the run, Hamlin was able to work back to second by the time the checkered flag flew. The finish kept Hamlin in eighth in the point standings.

Bristol Preview: The series moves to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Supermarket Heroes 500. This action-packed track has favored Hamlin in the past with two wins, and nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a pole position and victory during the NASCAR Cup Series’ last visit to the half-mile track in August. He will look to secure his third career victory in Thunder Valley this weekend as the Cup Series stages its fifth return-to-racing event in 15 days.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Races: 28
Wins: 2
Poles: 4
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 14
Laps Led: 697
Avg. Start: 13.6
Avg. Finish: 14.4

Hamlin Conversation – Bristol:

With a victory in your last trip to Bristol, do you have extra confidence heading there this weekend?

“We have confidence in our team at every track. But, yes, we definitely know we can run well at Bristol, and we certainly proved that the last time we were here. Things will be a little different this time with no practice or qualifying, but we still feel like we can get our FedEx Camry to the front.”

How odd will it be racing at this stadium-style track with no crowd noise?

“It will definitely be weird. Bristol is synonymous with noise. But we know NASCAR is doing the right thing with all these safety protocols, and they’re trying to get fans back as soon as it’s safe to do so. I hope all the fans tune in on TV to watch what is sure to be a typically exciting Bristol race.”

FedEx Express – Along For The Ride at Bristol Motor Speedway: FedEx Express is pleased to recognize the team members at the HHHA station in Hilton Head Island, S.C., for their exceptional performance by featuring the letters HHHA on the B-post of the FedEx #11 at the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. HHHA ranks among the top 10 stations in the Southeast Region year-to-date and has been the top-ranking station three separate months since June, most recently in December during the busy Peak season. The dedicated team of employees consistently strive to deliver outstanding service and meet the FedEx on-time delivery commitments efficiently and safely as evidenced by a year-over-year reduction in vehicle accidents and worker injuries.

Team: No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 266 miles, 500 laps, Stage Lengths: 125-125-250

Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

· Following four races in the Carolinas as part of NASCAR’s return to the track, the focus shifts to ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ in Bristol, Tennessee, as the NASCAR Cup Series battles for 500 laps Sunday afternoon.

· Following action at Bristol, the NCS will enjoy its first midweek off since the return before heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 7 for the 10th points race of 2020.

· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview

· Ryan Newman found himself in the top-15 at the start of the final stage in Thursday night’s 208-lap event from Charlotte Motor Speedway, before crossing the line 17th in the Roush Performance Ford.

· The starting lineup for Bristol will be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Newman and the No. 6 team are 21st in owner points, meaning he will be in the same group alongside teammate Chris Buescher to draw for starting spots 13-24.

Newman Historically at Bristol Motor Speedway

· Newman makes his 37th start at Bristol on Sunday, where he carries an average finish of 15.4. He has 19 top-10 finishes overall including two top-fives.

· Newman’s best finish at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ came in the fall of 2004 when he finished second after starting fourth. He also finished fifth in the 2015 spring event. In the last five events overall, Newman has three top-10s and an average result of 9.6.

· The 19-year Cup Series veteran crossed the line ninth in last season’s spring event and followed that with an 11th-place run in the fall. He has an overall average starting spot of 12.2 with three career poles (2003, 2004, 2001).

· Newman has an additional nine combined starts in the Xfinity and Truck series, winning in NXS action back in 2005. He earned the pole in the NXS in 2006 and finished 10th or better in five NXS starts overall. He recorded a fourth-place result in the No. 2 truck in 2009.

Scott Graves at Bristol Motor Speedway

· Graves will call his ninth NCS race at Bristol on Sunday. With an overall average finish of 14.5, he led Newman to a ninth-place run in the 2019 spring race.

· Graves also called seven Xfinity Series events at Bristol dating back to 2012, recording one top five with Chris Buescher (2015) and two additional top-10s with Buescher (2014) and Daniel Suarez (2016).

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Bristol:
“I’m for one excited to get back to a short track and see what we’ve got at Bristol this weekend, one of my favorite tracks we go to. Our team put together a couple solid runs last year and proved we had some raw speed, so we are looking forward to improving on that this weekend. Glad to have Castrol on the car, my first race with them this season, and excited to put on a good run in our Castrol Ford.”

On the Car
Castrol returns to the No. 6 machine this weekend for its second race of 2020. The high-performance lubricant brand signed as the team’s official oil partner in January and will serve as the primary for select races in 2020.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves customers and consumers in over 140 countries in the automotive, marine, industrial and energy production sectors. Our branded products are recognized globally for innovation and high performance through our commitment to premium quality products, highly responsive services and cutting-edge technology. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please visit www.castrol.com/us.

Team: No. 17 SunnyD Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 266 miles, 500 laps, Stage Lengths: 125-125-250
Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

• Following four races in the Carolinas as part of NASCAR’s return to the track, the focus shifts to ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ in Bristol, Tennessee, as the NASCAR Cup Series battles for 500 laps Sunday afternoon.
• Following action at Bristol, the NCS will enjoy its first midweek off since the return before heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 7 for the 10th points race of 2020.
• Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.  But don’t postpone your forextrading.

Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview

• Track position proved to be key in Thursday’s 208-lap event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as Chris Buescher crossed the line 22nd in his Fastenal Ford.  Learn online trading at onlinetradings.co.za and position yourself better in the market.
• The starting lineup for Bristol will be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Buescher and the No. 17 team are 20th in owner points, meaning they will draw for a starting spot in positions 13-24.

Buescher Historically at Bristol Motor Speedway

• Buescher will make his 10th Cup start at Bristol on Sunday. In nine prior starts, he has an average finish of 23.4 with one top-10, a fifth-place finish in the summer of 2016.
• Buescher most recently finished 17th last summer in the No. 37 machine, and also finished top-20 a year prior (19th) in 2018.
• He has an average starting position of 24.1, including a career-best 12th-place finish in 2016.
• In five Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, Buescher has three top-10 runs, including a career-best third in 2015.

Luke Lambert at Bristol Motor Speedway

• Lambert will be atop the box for his 16th NCS race at Bristol on Sunday. In 15 prior starts, he has five top-10s with a career-best fifth in the spring of 2015 with Ryan Newman. His average finish is 15th.
• Dating back five events at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile,’ Lambert has finished 12th or better in all but one race, including a 12th-place run with Daniel Hemric last summer.
• Lambert is a former winner at Bristol in the NXS, bringing home one of his four career Xfinity wins back in the 2012 spring race. He and Elliott Sadler started fourth in the No. 2 machine and led the final 36 laps for the victory.

QUOTE WORTHY

Buescher on racing at Bristol:
“I’m excited to get down to my favorite track in Bristol. The 17 crew and the guys at the shop have some good notes in years past at that track. We feel pretty good about our short track program and we’re looking forward to unloading on Sunday and proud to have SunnyD back on the car.”

On the Car
Iconic brand and thirst-quenching favorite SunnyD returns to the No. 17 machine this weekend at Buescher’s favorite track, Bristol Motor Speedway, in the brand’s second race of 2020.

About SunnyD
The iconic SunnyD® brand is owned by Harvest Hill Holdings, a Brynwood Partners owned beverage company. The 54-year-old SunnyD® brand is a leading chilled juice drink in the U.S. In addition to the SunnyD® brand, the company markets the Juicy Juice®, Little HUG®, and Daily’s® beverage brands. Harvest Hill’s products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S. and Canada.