Category: NASCAR Cup PR

It has again been a stunning NASCAR season as we have reached the final race. Denny Hamlin enters as the favorite and has been well supported with punters using the latest pa online casinos offers. This is little surprise as he sits top of the overall rankings and was the recent winner of the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The final race will be the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, 17th November.

1) Denny Hamlin

Many peoples idea of the overall winner following a very impressive season to date. The 38 year old now appears to be in the prime of his career and will be looking to finally win the championship, following falling agonizingly short back in 2010. He drives for Toyota racing and has accumulated 5000 points from his 35 starts. This includes six wins and 19 top five finishes.

2) Kevin Harvick

The 43 year old is another who is battling it out for the title going into the final race. He has had an incredible career in the sport, that includes him winning both the Sprint Cup series and the Xfinity series. He has also accumulated 5000 points from his 35 starts, winning four and 14 top five finishes. Harvick drives for the Ford team.

3) Martin Truex, JR

The American drives for Toyota and is another driver who has had an incredible career in the sport. He won this championship back in 2017 and is also a two-time NASCAR Xfinity series champion. The 39 year old is another driver going into the final race with a chance of picking up the title. Martin also accumulated 5000 points from his 35 starts, winning seven races with 14 top five finishes.

4) Kyle Busch

The 34 year old enters the last race following a second placed finish at the CAN-AM 500. He is another who drives for Toyota and was the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide series champion. Kyle picked up the 2015 NASCAR Sprint cup series championship. This season he has accumulated 5000 points from 35 starts, winning four races and finishing in the top five on 16 occasions.

5) Joey Logano

The 29 year old drives for the Ford team and in 2015 became the second youngest Daytona 500 winner in history. He also has had a fantastic season but just missed out on the opportunity to drive for the championship in fifth spot. He picked up 2344 points from 35 starts, winning two races and finished top five on 11 occasions.

The season-ending Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway often is a time for mixed emotions.

A long season that began back in February is coming to a close, and often there will be changes to the sport and its race teams before the new season comes around.

For Paul Menard, this weekend marks the end of his 16-year, full-time driving career.

After Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400, he’ll turn the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Mustang that he’s driven for the past two seasons over to Matt DiBenedetto and head off into a new phase of his life.

As much as he’d like to treat this weekend like any other in his career, Menard knows that isn’t a realistic expectation.

“Honestly, I’m trying to take it as just another race,” he said. “But I know that will change when I get down to Homestead.

“I’ll probably get emotional at some point, but I’m still down there to drive the car and try to get the Wood Brothers their 100th win.”

Menard said the NASCAR community has been a big part of his life since he decided to pursue a career at the top levels of the sport.

“The people are what I’ll remember most,” he said. “I’ve been in North Carolina for 16 years and met a lot of great people and made a lot of friends.”

He counts the members of the Wood family among those that have meant a lot to him.

“Eddie and Len are like father figures to me,” he said. “And Leonard always has a smile on his face and a story to share.

“I’ll always cherish my time with them.”

Eddie Wood said that for him and his family the feeling is mutual.

“We had a great couple of years together, and we are sad to see Paul go,” Wood said. “But we understand and support his decision. He’ll get to spent more time with his wife and children at an important time in their young lives.”

Wood also said Menard leaves a strong legacy in NASCAR.

“He’ll be remembered for his professionalism and for all he and his family have done for this sport.

“Paul will always be a part of our family, and we’re honored to have his picture hanging in our museum in Stuart along with all the other drivers who have driven our cars over the years.”

Qualifying for the Ford EcoBoost 400 is set for Saturday at 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time, and the race is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on NBC.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers
Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

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

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 36 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, NOV. 17 (NBC/MRN/SIRIUSXM)

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Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 23 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2019 Season
11th in standings
35 starts
3 wins
4 pole positions
11 top-five finishes
15 top-10 finishes
601 laps led

Career
148 starts
6 wins
8 pole positions
44 top-five finishes
74 top-10 finishes
1,844 laps led

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

NAPA AUTO PARTS: The primary blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme will grace the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the final race of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Atlanta-based company served as the majority sponsor for Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team for a total of 26 NASCAR Cup Series races this year.

THIS SEASON: With one race remaining in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott and the No. 9 team have collected three victories (Talladega, Watkins Glen, Charlotte road course), 11 top-five finishes, 15 top-10s and 601 laps led – a career high. Elliott also reached the Round of 8 in the NASCAR playoffs for the third consecutive season.

PHOENIX RECAP: For the third consecutive year, Elliott went into the final race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs needing a win to guarantee his spot in the Championship 4. Elliott ran inside the top five for much of the penultimate race of the year, but a win eluded the driver of the No. 9 at ISM Raceway. On Lap 166, a cut tire sent Elliott into the outside wall while running in the top three. The resulting damage ended the No. 9 team’s day early and put an end to the quest to compete for a title at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

ELLIOTT AT 1.5-MILE TRACKS: Elliott will make his 45th start on a 1.5-mile track this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In his previous 44 starts on the track length, he has led 428 laps. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native scored his first 1.5-mile track win last October at Kansas Speedway. Along with that win, Elliott has collected 15 top-five finishes – three of which are runner-up results – and 24 top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks. For this season, Elliott holds the seventh-highest average finish of all drivers (11.3).

GUSTAFSON AT HOMESTEAD: This weekend, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 15th race from atop the pit box at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In his previous 14 races at the venue, Gustafson has collected one win (2012 – Jeff Gordon), three top-five finishes, seven top-10s, and 220 laps led. The Ormond Beach, Florida, native also started from the pole position in 2014 with Gordon.

VOTE FOR ELLIOTT’S 2020 HOOTERS SCHEME: Hooters is looking ahead to 2020 and giving fans a big responsibility. The No. 9 team partner is asking fans to make their pick from four options for Elliott’s 2020 No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet. The schemes have titles like Daytona Beach Sunrise, Night Owl, Mean Streak and Wingin’ It. After fans make their #Designthe9 vote, they can enter their email address for a $5 off a $25 purchase coupon. The winning scheme will be unveiled in January 2020. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 22. So, get voting!

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William Byron
No. 24 Axalta Flames of Independence Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 21 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
9th in standings
35 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
13 top-10 finishes
233 laps led

Career
71 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
17 top-10 finishes
294 laps led

Track Career
1 start
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led

NOT DONE YET IN 2019: While there is still one race remaining in William Byron’s sophomore NASCAR Cup Series season, the difference a year has made for the driver of the No. 24 is enormous. In 2018, Byron’s best finish was a sixth-place result compared to two runner-up finishes in 2019 (Daytona 2, Martinsville 2). He collected four top-10 finishes during his rookie campaign compared to to five top-five finishes and 13 top-10s so far this season. He has also nearly quadrupled his laps led from 61 in 2018 to 233 in 2019. Byron has collected five pole awards during his sophomore campaign, including being involved in all seven Hendrick Motorsports front-row sweeps, en route to improving his average starting position of 17.6 from a year ago to 12.5. He’s also improved his average finishing position nearly eight full spots from 22.1 to 14.2. Making the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time this year, Byron advanced to the Round of 12 and now sits ninth in points – the highest of the Hendrick Motorsports cars – compared to 23rd in the points standings at the end of last year.

AXALTA’S FLAMES OF INDEPENDENCE: For the final race of the 2019 Cup Series season, Axalta Coating Systems will return to Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. However, Axalta Racing announced that they would change things up a bit for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. As a special thank you to fans, the Axalta Flames of Independence scheme that Byron raced in the July race at Daytona International Speedway will return to close out the 2019 season. Still sporting the iconic Axalta flames, the No. 24 will instead have a pearl-white base coat with red and blue ombre flames traveling down the sides of the car. To see the Axalta Racing announcement with Byron, click here.

HEADING TO HOMESTEAD: Heading into the final race of the season, Byron is set to make his second Cup start at Homestead-Miami Speedway. During last year’s event, he suffered a flat tire in the closing stages of the race, leaving him with a 24th-place finish. Despite misfortune during his Cup Series start, the sophomore driver has two other starts under his belt at the track in NASCAR – one in the Xfinity Series and one in the Truck Series. In 2017, he started sixth and went on to finish third, locking up the Xfinity Series championship in the process. In 2016, he started on the pole for the Truck Series race and led 31 laps en route to the win at the 1.5-mile speedway.

MILE-AND-A-HALF METRICS: Across 10 races at 1.5-mile tracks this season, Byron has an average finish of 12.3 – ranking 10th overall in the Cup Series. In the last seven 1.5-mile track races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s average improves to 12.0 – the seventh-highest average.

PHOENIX IN THE PAST: After qualifying 18th last weekend at ISM Raceway, Byron began to steadily march his way through the field, running within the top 10 for the majority of the race. However, a loose wheel during his final green-flag pit stop forced the No. 24 Hertz Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 back down pit road for a second time, falling off the lead lap in the process. Trying to make up ground in the closing laps, Byron climbed back to finish the race in the 17th position.

HERTZ ULTIMATE RIDE SWEEPSTAKES: In conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports, Hertz is introducing a new “pace car” to its fleet with a limited-edition custom 2020 Camaro ZL1 and 2020 Camaro SS. Available to be reserved beginning mid-October 2019, customers have the opportunity to rent the custom Camaros fashioned in the signature Hertz yellow and black color scheme with custom wheels, interior badging and full performance upgrades outfitted by HMS. In conjunction with the program rollout, customers can celebrate the debut of the limited-edition Camaros by participating in The Hertz Ultimate Ride Sweepstakes – beginning Sept. 18, through Nov. 15, 2019 – for a chance to win a 2020 Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS. Five finalists will also win an exclusive driving experience in Charlotte. Click here for more information on the Hertz-Hendrick custom Camaro program.

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

2019 Season
18th in standings
35 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
3 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
131 laps led

Career
650 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
227 top-five finishes
364 top-10 finishes
18,834 laps led

Track Career
18 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
11 top-10 finishes
102 laps led

SEASON FINALE: Jimmie Johnson heads to the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend 18th in the point standings. He owns one win at Homestead, a thrilling victory in 2016 in which he captured his record-tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship.

MILE-AND-A-HALF WINNER: Johnson is the NASCAR Cup Series’ all-time wins leader on 1.5-mile tracks with 28 trips to Victory Lane. Second all-time is Johnson’s former teammate Jeff Gordon with 17 victories, followed by Kevin Harvick (16), Tony Stewart (15), Dale Earnhardt (14), Kyle Busch (13), Brad Keselowski (13) and Martin Truex Jr. (12).

SILVER LINING: Johnson has performed well at Homestead-Miami Speedway under the tremendous pressure of the race deciding the season champion. He has one win, five top-five finishes and 11 top-10s at the 1.5-mile track in his career. He has led 102 laps around the South Florida venue and scored two pole positions.

ALLY HAS DONE IT RIGHT: Some fans attending the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway are going to enjoy the same beach amenities they would get visiting South Beach in Miami thanks to partner Ally Financial. Homestead-Miami Speedway and Ally have teamed up to offer the first-ever motor sports infield beach party – and it is sold out. The Ally Beach is the first ticketed beach area in motor sports and is the first of its kind across all sporting venues throughout the country. The 20,000-square-foot beach is located in the speedway’s infield, inside of Turn 3 sitting on the seven-acre lake that spans the width of the backstretch. The ticketed area will feature a DJ, food, entertainment, paddleboards and kayaks. Ally is also partnering with Homestead-Miami Speedway for the 2020 event at the track.

DANIELS’ MOMENTUM: Since Cliff Daniels took the reins as crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet after the 21st race of the season, he has helped the team score four of its 12 top-10 finishes.

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Alex Bowman
No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 26 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
12th in standings
35 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
7 top-five finishes
11 top-10 finishes
200 laps led

Career
152 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
10 top-five finishes
25 top-10 finishes
474 laps led

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

NATIONWIDE’S FINAL RIDE: Nationwide will adorn the hood of Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the very last time this weekend during Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The blue and white Nationwide colors first adorned the No. 88 Chevrolet back in 2014 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel. Since 2014, this iconic brand has had its logo on the hood of the No. 88 machine at every NASCAR Cup Series track with the exception of Sonoma and Chicagoland.

WELCOME TO MIAMI: Bowman has four starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 26-year-old driver’s best finish of 16th came in 2016 while he was filling in behind the wheel of the No. 88 machine for Earnhardt. Out of 1,069 total laps in those four events, Bowman has completed 99.2 percent. The Tucson, Arizona, native has one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the 1.5-mile track. In 2016, Bowman drove the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports and brought home a 14th-place finish after qualifying eighth in the Xfinity race.

1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: So far this season, Bowman has the third-best average finish in the Cup Series, 9.3, on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length. It is the best average of all Chevrolet drivers. In the last seven races on 1.5-mile tracks, Bowman’s average finish is 7.0, which leads the series. All five of his best finishes on tracks of that length have come in the last seven events. Exactly half of his 10 career top-10 finishes have come on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Bowman was the first Chevrolet driver to get a win at a 1.5-mile facility this season when he claimed the victory at Chicagoland Speedway in June.

IVES AT MIAMI: For the fifth time in his NASCAR Cup Series crew chief career, Greg Ives will call the shots for the No. 88 team this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s best finish at the track came in 2016 with Bowman behind the wheel when the team finished 16th. Ives’ best qualifying effort at the track came in 2015 when Earnhardt qualified ninth for the 267-lap event. The crew chief’s resume includes two starts in the Xfinity Series at the Florida-based facility, where his best finish of 17th came in 2014 with Chase Elliott. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of two pole awards, two top-five results and four top-10s.

CAREER YEAR: It is safe to say that the 2019 season has been Bowman’s best campaign to date. The 26-year-old captured his first Cup Series victory in June at Chicagoland after leading 88 laps. This season, he has more than doubled his total of three top-five finishes from 2018, securing seven in 2019 with one race remaining. The driver has currently tied his number of top-10 finishes from a year ago with 11. Last season, Bowman led 71 laps, while this year he has totaled 200 laps led, tying his season-best from back in 2016. At the end of 2018, Bowman’s average finish was 17.0. This season, he is on track to have an average finish of 14.5 or better. Not only did he qualify for the Cup Series playoffs once again this season, he was able to advance to the Round of 12 for the first time in his career.

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Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT HOMESTEAD: Hendrick Motorsports has earned two wins, three pole positions, 15 top-five finishes, 31 top-10s and 543 laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The organization’s first win at the 1.5-mile track came courtesy of Jeff Gordon in 2012, when he led the final 13 laps of the race en route to Victory Lane. The most recent Hendrick Motorsports win at the Florida venue came in the 2016 season as Jimmie Johnson clinched his record-tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series title. At least one Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished inside the top 10 at Homestead for 17 consecutive races, the longest streak all-time at the track. The last Homestead race without a top-10 finisher from Hendrick Motorsports was in 2001 when Terry Labonte led the organization to the checkered flag in 11th.

WINNING THE LAST RACE: A Hendrick Motorsports driver has won the final race of a season on six different occasions. The first season-finale win belonged to Geoffrey Bodine at Riverside in 1984 and the most recent belonged to Johnson at Homestead in 2016.

1.5-MILE TRACK SUCCESS: Hendrick Motorsports’ 59 wins on 1.5-mile tracks are the most all-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. In 2019, the organization’s average finish of 12th on tracks of that length ranks second only to Joe Gibbs Racing, which holds an average finish of 10.9.

SEASON IN REVIEW: With just one race remaining in 2019, Hendrick Motorsports has won four times this season, the organization’s 28th season with at least four wins. Hendrick Motorsports has won at least one race in each of the past 34 seasons, which is the all-time record for consecutive years with a victory. Overall, it’s the 35th different season in which the organization has found Victory Lane, with Petty Enterprises the only team to beat that feat with 36 seasons. The 2019 season began with the organization becoming the first-ever to qualify 1-2-3-4 for the Daytona 500, capturing its record 13th Daytona 500 pole in the process. The organization has won the pole in 36 percent of the Daytona 500s in which it has competed, including five straight. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the organization fielded three drivers in the playoffs for the third straight season.

PILING UP POLE POSITIONS: After securing just two poles in 2018, Hendrick Motorsports has amassed 10 pole positions this year, which leads all teams with one race remaining in the season. It’s the fourth-highest total the organization has earned in a single season, tied with the 1995 campaign. Hendrick Motorsports’ record for poles came in 1986 with 16, followed by 12 in 2007 and 2009, and 11 in 2008 and 2012. This year marks the 22nd consecutive season in which the organization has amassed at least two pole positions.

SWEEPING UP: This year, Hendrick Motorsports has tied its most-ever front-row sweeps in a single season with seven. In fact, the seven front-row sweeps are tied for the most in a single season in the modern era with the organization’s seven in 1986.

LEADING LAPS: In 2019, Hendrick Motorsports has more than doubled its total of laps led from a season ago. Last year, the organization’s drivers tallied 497 laps led. After last weekend’s race at ISM Raceway, the 2019 total has been brought to 1,165 laps up front with one race remaining in the season.

2019 VS. 2018: When comparing this season to 2018, Hendrick Motorsports has improved its win total by one, its number of drivers that won by one, its poles by eight, its top-five finishes by 10, its top-10 finishes by four, its laps led by 668, its average start by 2.8 positions and its average finish by 1.7 positions. When looking at 1.5-mile tracks alone, the organization’s average start has improved 4.9 positions from 2018 and its average finish is 7.5 spots better.

MOST POPULAR DRIVER: Voting for this year’s Most Popular Driver award presented by Hooters is officially open. Last year, Chase Elliott took home the trophy. Fans can vote for one driver per day from now until Dec. 4 at noon ET, and votes shared on Twitter and/or Facebook count double. The recipient of this year’s award will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards banquet in Nashville, Tennessee.

ENGINE BUILDER SHOWDOWN: Named for legendary Hendrick Motorsports engine builder Randy Dorton in 2004, the annual Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown celebrates its 18th edition Nov. 20-21 on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports. Annually, 12 Hendrick Automotive Group Master Certified Technicians are paired with 12 Hendrick Motorsports engine department team members in a two-round, two-day competition to see which duo can build a fuel-injected, 358-cubic-inch Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series engine in the quickest time with the fewest number of penalties. With 243 parts to assemble, each and every moment matters in the quest for a perfect build. It is the biggest event between Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group and has become a tremendous way to recognize excellence within both organizations. Coverage begins Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 9 a.m. ET on HendrickEBS.com.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 256 race victories, 225 pole positions, 1,071 top-five finishes and 1,838 top-10 finishes in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led nearly 69,000 laps since 1984.

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QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on moving from ISM Raceway to Homestead:
“I feel like we were in a good position to run solid (at ISM Raceway). I’m not sure why we had a tire go down. I think that’s what happened, at least; it seemed like it. It’s unfortunate. Like I said, these last three weeks have been pretty rough. So, hopefully Homestead goes better and we can get prepared good for next season and get a good notebook for next year.”

William Byron on racing at Homestead:
“I love Homestead. It was instantly my favorite track. It wasn’t my favorite when we tested there because it was so hot. When I went there and ran the truck race though and won, it instantly became one of my favorites. I love the progression of the track and finding the balance of being aggressive versus saving the right side of your car. It’s just a really cool race. I’m really excited to go back to Homestead this weekend and see how it compares to my previous races there. I think it should be a really fun race overall.”

Jimmie Johnson on his 2019 season:
“This has been a year of growth for me both professionally and personally. I enjoy the brotherhood our No. 48 team has created. I’m proud of what all we have accomplished and we are focused on closing this season out with a great performance. The racing is always pretty incredible at Homestead – it’s a multi-groove track – so it should be a great weekend.”

Alex Bowman on one final race with Nationwide:
“Going into this weekend is a little bittersweet. With this being Nationwide’s final race on our Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, we definitely want to go out and try to get them one final win. This 88 team hasn’t given up. We may not be racing where we want to be on track, but this team keeps digging. The Hendrick Motorsports team back at the shop has been working hard on our cars for this weekend, so hopefully we can unload with some speed and get it done on Sunday to finish out the 2019 season strong.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FORD ECOBOOST 400
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA
NOVEMBER 17, 2019

BOWTIE BULLETS:
AIMING FOR STRONG FINISHES
Chevrolet drivers will be seeking to complete the 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season with a strong finishing kick at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1, is 23 points out of fifth place in the standings. He has an average finish of 8.5 in six trips to the 1.5-mile racetrack, with a best start of seventh in 2017. Aiming for top-10 finishes in points are William Byron (ninth), Chase Elliott (11th), Alex Bowman (12th) and Kurt Busch (13th).

REMEMBERING 2016
Career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, drove from 14th on the starting grid to victory in the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series playoff finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch his seventh driver championship and tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most in series history. In 35 starts over the season, Johnson recorded four wins, 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.

NEMECHEK TO BREAK RECORD IN CAMARO ZL1
Joe Nemechek, No. 15 Royalteakcollection.com Camaro ZL1, will break a tie with Richard Petty for most NASCAR national series starts. Petty made 1,185 starts, all in Cup, in his career. Nemechek, 56, has competed in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series (68 starts since 1996), Xfinity Series (444 since 1989) and NASCAR Cup Series (673 since 1993). “I have been doing this for 29 years, which is a long time and I still love it,” he said.

SEASON HIGHS
Team Chevy drivers earned 15 poles, led by William Byron with five. The second-year driver is third among drivers at 99.46 percent of laps completed (9,934 of 9,988). Chevrolet drivers have posted 118 top-10 starts and 108 top-10 finishes.

TUNE IN
NBC will telecast the 267-lap race live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 17. The NBCSports Gold app will stream the race and live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

BY THE NUMBERS:
* Victories by current Chevrolet drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
 Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, has one win (November 2016).
 Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, has one win (November 2002). At 24 years, 3 months, 3 days, he is the youngest winner at the racetrack. He is also the last winner from the first starting position.
* Johnson needs one win to tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84) for fourth on the all-time list.
* Johnson and Busch are tied for the most starts among active drivers with 18 in the 20 races at the track.
* Johnson started from pole in 2007 and ’09 at the track.
* Chevrolet has won the playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway four times and a Chevrolet has started from the pole five times.
* Ty Dillon, No. 13 GEICO Camaro ZL1, has been running at the finish in the past 44 races – tops among current drivers.
* Chevrolet has surpassed 100 top-10 finishes for the season.
* Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 – 6th in STANDINGS
“We’re not heading to Homestead the way we wanted to, but we’re still just as focused on running upfront and winning the race. I’m proud of what our team accomplished up to this point; we learned a lot during the playoffs, and overcame a lot throughout the year, to be really consistent and competitive in the second half of the season. We’ve been really good at Homestead and statistically have been one of the strongest cars there each race, and our whole group wants to prove we can get the job done and win. It should be another exciting event, and I hope we’re in the mix for the win at the end of the race.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA FLAMES OF INDEPENDENCE CAMARO ZL1 – 9th IN STANDINGS
“I love Homestead. It was instantly my favorite track. It wasn’t my favorite when we tested there because it was so hot. When I went there and ran the truck race though and won, it instantly became one of my favorites. I love the progression of the track and finding the balance of being aggressive versus saving the right side of your car. It’s just a really cool race. I’m really excited to go back to Homestead this weekend and see how it compares to my previous races there. I think it should be a really fun race overall.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CAMARO ZL1 – 12th IN STANDINGS
“Going into this weekend is a little bittersweet. With this being Nationwide’s final race on our Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, we definitely want to go out and try to get them one final win. This 88 team hasn’t given up. We may not be racing where we want to be on track, but this team keeps digging. The Hendrick Motorsports team back at the shop has been working hard on our cars for this weekend, so hopefully we can unload with some speed and get it done on Sunday to finish out the 2019 season strong.”

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 – 24th IN STANDINGS
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PROGRESSIVE BANKING AT HOMESTEAD?
“I like it honestly. It has been a place that I’ve been able to find a line, a way around the racetrack that works for me. Every other year we’ve been really good there. Last year we weren’t overly strong, so I’m looking forward to this being our year to go back and run good again. We have been kind of hit or miss there, but I’m proud of the direction that our mile and a half program is going with the finishes that we have. Hopefully we can finish out the season with an exclamation point and an emphasis on the mile and a half. That is somewhere that we have wanted to improve a lot and since we’ve been trending in the right direction, it would be nice to finish out with a good finish at Homestead.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 MYBLU CAMARO ZL1 – 25th IN STANDINGS
“I really enjoy racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. I have always had solid runs at that track, even though I haven’t won a race there, I always performed well there. I love the grid of having to chase the racetrack throughout the weekend. This will be my first time there in a Cup car, so it is going to be that much more strenuous trying to keep up with it. It is hard to top what Homestead-Miami Speedway brings for the racers and the fans. It will be a little bittersweet that this will be the last time – for the foreseeable future – that it will be the final event of the season. Hopefully, we can go down there and have a solid day and go out in style with my last ride with this No. 8 team. We also have the Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle on the line this weekend, so if we can have a solid day and stay ahead of Ryan Preece it should all work out. I’m looking forward to finishing off strong with this group of guys and this is a good track to do just that.”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 – 28th IN STANDINGS
GOING INTO THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON, WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF THE WEEKEND TO CARRY MOMENTUM FOR YOUR TEAM INTO 2020?
“Homestead-Miami Speedway is big to continue the momentum. With the off-season, you have a little bit of time to let that settle. I think looking-back on what Richard Petty Motorsports has done since halfway through the season, around the Coca-Cola 600 weekend, we have really stepped-up our program. I think there’s a lot to look back on and learn from; mistakes on our end and how can we clean that up going into next year. Making sure we are in tip-top shape to start the Homestead-Miami Speedway weekend is important.

“It is a little bit different schedule format next year. It will be a little different to adjust to that. Instead of going from the DAYTONA 500 to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, it’s Daytona straight to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That will be a little different, but I think just getting into a rhythm early and trying to continue on that momentum is very important.”

Chevrolet Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2018): 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 (1949-2018): 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)                      

2019 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    
Wins: 7
Poles: 15
Laps Led: 2,096
Top-five finishes: 45
Top-10 finishes: 108

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 786 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 714
Laps led to date: 234,306
Top-five finishes to date: 4,014
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,280

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

           General Motors: 1,120
           Chevrolet: 786
           Pontiac: 154
           Oldsmobile: 115
           Buick: 65

           Ford: 786
           Ford: 686
           Mercury: 96
           Lincoln: 4

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

           Toyota: 142

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.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Ford EcoBoost 400
The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Date: Sunday, November 17
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 267)

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Ford EcoBoost 300
The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Date: Saturday, Nov. 16
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 3 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Next Race: Ford EcoBoost 200
The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Date: Friday, Nov. 15
The Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 201 miles (134 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on lap 134)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

By The Numbers: Homestead-Miami Speedway

1 – Tony Stewart is the only driver in series history to win at the famed 1.5-mile speedway in his first appearance (1999).

2 – Number of times the Busch pole-winner has won the race – 2001, Bill Elliott and 2002, Kurt Busch

3 – Number of Busch poles at Homestead-Miami Speedway by Denny Hamlin – most all-time

6 – Number of times the winner of the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway has won the title during the Playoff Era; including the last five seasons in the elimination-style format of the Playoffs (Tony Stewart, 2011; Kevin Harvick, 2014; Kyle Busch, 2015; Jimmie Johnson, 2016, Martin Truex Jr., 2017, Joey Logano, 2018).

12 – Number of Playoff races at Homestead-Miami Speedway that were won by Playoff contenders; three times a non-Playoff contender has won season finale: Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).

14 – Number of different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway; led by Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart with three each.

14 – The most cautions in a single Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (11/21/2004; the inaugural Playoff race in Miami)

14 – Number of different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch pole winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

15 – Number of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted (2004-2019).

15 – The worst finish by the eventual series champion in a Playoffs race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (it happened three times: Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012).

19 – Most Homestead-Miami Cup starts – Matt Kenseth

20 – Total number of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

18-20 – The degrees of banking in all four turns of Homestead-Miami Speedway.

22 – The age of the youngest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Award winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Joey Logano (11/18/2012 – 22 years, 5 months, 25 days).

24 – The age of the youngest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Kurt Busch (11/17/2002 – 24 years, 3 months, 13 days).

26 – The greatest number of lead changes in a single race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (11/20/2011).

38 – The lowest starting position by a race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Denny Hamlin, 2009).

46 – The age of the oldest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Award and race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Bill Elliott set both records in 2001 (11/11/2001 – 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).

73 – Total number of NASCAR national series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, second-most by a track in the state of Florida: MENCS (20), NXS (24) and NGOTS (23).

150.0 – The highest score in driver rating scale, considered a perfect performance, and has only been accomplished at Homestead-Miami Speedway once, in 2010 by Carl Edwards.

267 – Number of laps scheduled for this weekend’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Homestead Heroes: Recent Title-Clinching Performances

Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will mark the conclusion of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Below are how the last nine season finales at Homestead-Miami Speedway turned out:

2010 – Jimmie Johnson Tracks Down Denny Hamlin For Fifth Straight Title

Denny Hamlin held a comfortable 15-point lead on Jimmie Johnson for the championship heading into the season finale. However, Hamlin could not close out the title. Hamlin damaged his Toyota with an early-race spin and finished 14th as a result. Kevin Harvick, who was third in points entering the race, finished third. Johnson placed runner-up to take home his fifth consecutive championship.

2011 – Tony Stewart Wins Third Championship In Epic Race

Trailing leader Carl Edwards by three points entering the 2011 finale, Tony Stewart virtually needed a win to capture the title – especially considering that Edwards ultimately finished runner-up in the race.

Stewart drove to the front from the back of the field twice and edged out Edwards to get to Victory Lane.

The pair finished the season tied in points, but Stewart held the tiebreaker over Edwards of most wins during the season (five to one).

2012 – Brad Keselowski Fends Off Jimmie Johnson For First Championship

Brad Keselowski entered the 2012 season finale 20 points ahead of second-place Jimmie Johnson in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.

Keselowski, who won two Playoff races to help put himself in championship-clinching position, didn’t produce his best performance with a 15th-place showing.

But problems in the pits for Johnson caused the five-time champion to finish 36th and helped Keselowski secure his first championship, as well as the first title for Team Penske.

2013 – Jimmie Johnson Closes In On Earnhardt And Petty With Sixth Title

After building up his points lead on the strength of six wins, 16 top fives and 23 top 10s, Jimmie Johnson needed to finish 23rd to capture his sixth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Following an incident on a restart just shy of the 200-lap mark, Johnson ended up 23rd when it all sorted itself out.

By the end of the race, he worked his way up to finish ninth, earning Hendrick Motorsports a record 11th championship.

2014 – Harvick Rides To Two ‘Do Or Die’ Victories To Earn First Series Title

Kevin Harvick started the penultimate race of the 2014 season needing a win to get into the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. He dominated the contest, leading 264 laps to earn the victory and a spot in the Championship 4. After playing mind games throughout Homestead week with the rest of the field, Harvick held off runner-up Ryan Newman to earn his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title.

2015 – Kyle Busch Overcomes Injury For Improbable Comeback

Just ninth months after breaking his right leg and fracturing his left foot, Kyle Busch edged out defending champion Kevin Harvick for the Homestead race win and his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after sustaining his injuries in a crash in the season-opening race NASCAR Xfinity race at Daytona. He came back to win five races and cement his name in NASCAR history.

2016 – Johnson Ties Series Record With Seventh Championship

Jimmie Johnson proved once again to not count him out in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. He won his way into the Round of 8 with a victory at Charlotte, then took the checkered flag at Martinsville to punch his ticket to Homestead. He provided a walk-off win at Homestead to capture his seventh championship, tying Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series record.

2017 – Martin Truex Jr. Earns First Championship

Driving for the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing Team, Truex turned a career best season into a championship for the ages. His victory in the Homestead finale was a personal best eighth on the year. He led the final 34 laps and held off a hard charging Kyle Busch by .681-seconds to earn the trophy hoist. It was an emotional victory with team owner, Barney Visser recovering from a recent heart attack back in Denver and Truex’s longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex trackside after a year of major medical obstacles.

2018 – Joey Logano Wins First Championship

After qualifying for the Championship 4 in the Round of 8 opening race at Martinsville Speedway, the 28-year old Logano headed to Homestead-Miami largely considered the “underdog” to 2018’s “Big 3” – Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick. The threesome (Busch, 9, Harvick, 8 and Truex, 4) won 21 of the first 35 races in 2018. However, the Team Penske driver grabbed his opportunity and took it to the Big 3, winning the season finale by a sizable 1.7-seconds over Truex, Harvick and Busch and taking his career first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship trophy – Team Penske’s second.

Familiar Faces

This will be the third consecutive year that Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. have advanced to the Homestead-Miami Speedway Championship 4 round. This marks the second time in NASCAR’s Playoff era that three of the four title contenders were championship eligible in consecutive years. It marks the fourth consecutive time that three of the four drivers vying for the big trophy are former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champs.

Harvick won the 2014 championship, Busch in 2015 and Truex in 2017.

A Spoiler At Homestead?

Since the introduction of the “win and you’re in” elimination-style Playoff format, the eventual champion has won at Homestead-Miami Speedway each of the five years (Kevin Harvick, 2014; Kyle Busch, 2015; Jimmie Johnson, 2016, Martin Truex Jr., 2017 and Joey Logano, 2018). Still, a driver out of championship contention can win the race.

There is plenty of motivation. Jimmie Johnson won the race in 2016 en route to his record-tying seventh Cup title. He is looking to snap a career long 94-race winless streak. This season marks the first time Johnson didn’t qualify for the Playoffs and he’d love nothing more than to end it in Victory Lane.

Logano is the defending race winner and reigning champion and having just missed a shot at defending his title – fifth best after the previous Playoff round, motivation is not an issue.

In addition to Logano and Johnson, both previous Homestead winners, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson claims Homestead-Miami Speedway as his favorite track.

The 27-year-old NASCAR Next alumnus finished runner-up at Homestead in 2016 after leading a race-high 132 laps and placed fifth at the 1.5-mile track in 2015. After a breakout season in 2017, when he set career highs in wins (four), top fives (14), top 10s (19) and average finish (13.6), Larson team struggled in 2019. But he won his first race (at Dover, Del.) in two years during the Playoff push and arrives in South Florida fresh off a fourth place run at Phoenix. He’s led 322 laps at Homestead in the last three Playoff races seeking his first Cup win at the track.

And Larson does have a win in the sun at Miami – in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He took the checkered flag in 2015 after finishing third in 2013 and second in 2014 in the Xfinity Series races.

Atop the Leader Board

All five Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions crowned since the elimination-style Playoff format was introduced in 2014 earned their title by taking the checkered flag. In four of those years (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018), second place in the standings finished second in the race.

That means there’s a lot of pressure on this year’s Championship 4 to win, or at least finish very close to the front, to secure the title.

Denny Hamlin leads the Championship 4 in top-five finishes in 2019 with 19, followed by Kyle Busch’s 16. Busch has the most top 10s on the year with 26 and Martin Truex Jr. has the most victories (seven).

Hamlin, making his first Playoff appearance since 2015, leads the champion foursome as the only multi-time Homestead winner, taking the checkered flag in 2009 and 2013. Harvick, however, leads the four title contenders – in fact the entire field – in average finish (5.643). Truex is next with a 9.154, followed by Hamlin (10.571) and Busch (17.429).

Best of the Rest

In 2018, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Aric Almirola raced his way to fifth place in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points standings – a career-best showing for the Tampa native and an example of the motivation that remains even for those drivers who did not advance to the Championship 4.

As the points stand now, Joey Logano sits in fifth place with a 23-point advantage over sixth place Kyle Larson and a 41-point edge over Logano’s Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney in seventh. Larson’s best career championship standings was eighth place in 2017. Blaney’s top finish in the standings was ninth place in 2017.

As for the top non-Playoff drivers from this season, Jimmie Johnson and Daniel Suarez have been battling for the 17th position since the Playoffs began. As of now, Suarez holds a 16-point advantage on Johnson heading into Homestead, where Johnson won the race in 2016 and has 11 top-10 finishes.

Johnson had been ranked 17th for four weeks until the Playoff race at Martinsville where the seven-time Cup champion suffered the first of two consecutive sub 30th-place finishes. He was 38th at Martinsville, Va. and 34th at Texas.

Suarez has not finished better than 30th in two Cup Series starts at Homestead. His best career Cup championship finish – in two seasons – was a 20th-place finish in his 2017 rookie season so he would appear in good shape to set a new high this week.

Rookies Race for the Checkered Flag

Richard Childress Racing driver Daniel Hemric and JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ryan Preece have kept the Sunoco Rookie of the Year crown battle intense and it remains competitive even heading into the season’s final race at Miami.

Hemric is ranked 25th in the championship standings only 10 points ahead of Preece in 26th place.

Their primary season statistics read similarly. Hemric won a pole position (at Kansas-2) and has one top-five and two top-10 finishes – his best outcome a seventh-place finish at Talladega-1. His best career finish at Homestead is a fourth place in the 2018 Xfinity Series championship race there last year. He was fifth there in 2016 NASCARA Gander Outdoors Truck Series finale.

Preece’s best rookie showing this season was a third place at Talladega-1. He also has a previous top five effort at Homestead, finishing fifth in the Xfinity Series finale there in 2017.

Team:                         No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:                 Brian Pattie
Twitter:                        @Stenhouse17Team, @stenhousejr, and @roushfenway

ADVANCE NOTES

Stenhouse at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Stenhouse has seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS) with an average starting position of 15.3 and average finishing position of 23.7.

So far in the 2019 MENCS season, Stenhouse Jr. has scored one top-five and three top-10 finishes and led 108 laps.

Last Year at Homestead

After restarting in the 13th position for the second 80-lap stage, the two-time Xfinity champion worked his way up to the 12th position when the caution flag waved on lap 139. During the caution, crew chief Brian Pattie elected to bring the Fastenal Ford to pit-road for four tires, fuel, and a chassis adjustment in hopes to help with front turn. Stenhouse lined up in the 12th position for the 16-lap shootout to the end of the stage but fell to 16th by the time the green checkered waved due to lacking overall grip.

After the team made multiple changes to the Fastenal Ford as the race went from day to night, Stenhouse continued to battle an ill-handling machine forcing him to settle with a 16th -place finish in the season finale.

Fastenal Racing Fan Club

Make sure to go join the new Fastenal Racing Fan Club to receive exclusive content and prizes.  https://www.fastenalracing.com/fanclub.html

On the Car

Fastenal is currently in its eighth season as a primary partner in the MENCS for Roush Fenway. They spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping over to the No. 17 entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Florida Native

Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie is from Zephyrills, Florida, which is about 4 hours from Homestead-Miami.

Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Homestead:

“I always look forward to Ford Championship weekend. Our intermediate program has continued to improve over the year. My main goal is to have a solid weekend in my final ride in the No. 17 Fastenal Ford.”

Roush Fenway Heads to Homestead to Close Out 2019

The 2019 NASCAR season comes to a close this weekend in the Sunshine State as Roush Fenway Racing and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) hit the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway for 400 miles Sunday afternoon. An RFR Ford has visited victory lane 11 times at HMS, including seven times in the Cup series.

Homestead-Miami Speedway
Sunday, Nov. 17 | 3 p.m. ET
NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
· Ryan Newman, No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang
· Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

Welcome to Miami

Roush Fenway has 167 combined starts at HMS, totaling 11 wins (7 MENCS, 3 NXS, 1 NCWTS), 50 top-fives, 72 top-10s and eight poles. RFR drivers have led 1,842 laps at the 1.5-mile track over the years, logging more than 53,000 miles.

Tale of the Tape

Roush Fenway has started 81 MENCS races at Homestead, recording a total of seven victories, 22 top five finishes, 29 top-10 finishes, four poles and has led 1,109 laps. Former Roush Fenway driver Carl Edwards earned the organization’s most recent win at the 1.5-mile oval in 2010.

Five Straight

Roush Fenway earned five consecutive victories in the MENCS at Homestead from 2004-2008 with drivers Matt Kenseth (2007), Edwards (2008) and Greg Biffle, who won three consecutive races from 2004-2006.

Miami Nights

In 57 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Homestead, Roush Fenway has earned three wins, 22 top-fives, 32 top-10s and two pole positions. Edwards recorded the most recent victory at Homestead in the 2008 season finale.

Curtain Call

Dating back to 1988, Roush Fenway has earned the victory in the final event of the season on nine separate occasions. Former Roush Fenway driver and NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Mark Martin earned wins in the 1991 and 1994 MENCS season finales at Atlanta Motor Speedway to go along with the organization’s seven MENCS victories at Homestead.

Roush Fenway Homestead Wins
1998 Burton NXS
2002 Busch Cup
2004 Biffle Cup
2005 Biffle Cup
2006 Biffle Cup
2006 Kenseth NXS
2006 Martin Truck
2007 Kenseth Cup
2008 Edwards Cup
2008 Edwards NXS
2010 Edwards Cup

By the Numbers at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles

81 7 22 29 4 20655 1109 18.1 16.7 30982.5

57 3 22 32 2 11271 540 11.6 11.5 16906.5

29 1 6 11 2 3912 193 12.2 14.7 5868

167 11 50 72 8 35838 1842 14.9 14.6 53757

Richard Petty’s Roadtrip Sweepstakes, in Partnership with Club Wyndham, features chance to win car valued at $70,000 and signed by NASCAR legend Richard Petty, additional vacation prizes

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 12, 2019) – Club Wyndham ®, the nation’s largest vacation club, wants you to hit the road next summer and has teamed up with Richard Petty to provide the ultimate road trip ride – the Club Wyndham 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS, custom built by Petty’s Garage. Travelers can enter Richard Petty’s Roadtrip Sweepstakes,in Partnership with Club Wyndham now through May 5, 2020, for a chance to win the custom Camaro, vacation stays at Club Wyndham resorts and more.

Six sweepstakes finalists will enjoy the trip of a lifetime to Charlotte, North Carolina where they will meet Richard Petty and NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. Each of the finalists will receive a key to the Club Wyndham Camaro, but only one lucky driver will be able to unlock the custom car and speed off with the grand prize.

The Club Wyndham 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS was built by the crew at Petty’s Garage – the premier destination for custom performance builds – exclusively for the sweepstakes. One-of-a-kind enhancements made to the car include racing-inspired features, such as a custom spoiler and window etching, sport wheels and tires, Magnaflow Catback Competition Series Exhaust, Elbach pro lowering springs and many other features to make a one-of-a-kind ride.

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• Travelers and race fans can enter to win and check out this custom ride in person at several Petty’s Garage Mobile Tour events, car shows, festivals and fan events in:
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• Phoenix, Arizona, March 6 – 8, 2020
• Homestead, Florida, March 20 – 22, 2020
• Ft. Worth, Texas, March 27 – 29, 2020
• Richmond, Virginia, April 17 – 19, 2020
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Club Wyndham celebrates a lifetime of adventure by helping vacation club owners unlock new cities, new experiences and new destinations. With access to more than 220 resorts in a variety of destinations that offer more experiences for travelers in the places they want to travel, Club Wyndham gives its owners the chance to check off the next adventure on their bucket lists. Multi-bedroom suites come complete with fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining areas, washer/dryers, and outdoor grills to sample the local cuisine.

Families who would like to experience all that the club’s resorts have to offer but are not yet owners can book a stay in a spacious suite through vacation rental agency Extra Holidays. In celebration of Richard Petty’s Roadtrip Sweepstakes, in Parternship with Club Wyndham, travelers can take advantage of 15 percent off stays at selected Club Wyndham resorts via Extra Holidays now through December 31, 2019, when they book with the code VACAY19.

EXTRA HOLIDAYS OFFER DETAILS: Book & Travel by December 31, 2019. Mention code VACAY19. Two-night minimum length of stay required. Valid for new reservations only. Reservations are subject to availability. Reservations are not valid over holidays and special events. Cannot be combined with any other offer. All monetary amounts are noted in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted.

About Club Wyndham
Club Wyndham celebrates a lifetime of adventure by helping our vacation club owners unlock new cities, new experiences and new destinations. Whether you’re stepping in or stepping out, Club Wyndham gives you the chance to try something new. And at the end of a long day, our resorts are your safe place to land. No matter where you go or what you do once you are there, our front door will be open and a friendly face will be waiting, ready to welcome you. Club Wyndham is your front door to the world. Club Wyndham is part of Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership and exchange company (NYSE:WYND), with more than 220 resorts that offer a contemporary take on the timeshare model – including vacation club brands Club Wyndham®, WorldMark® by Wyndham, and Margaritaville Vacation Club® by Wyndham. For more information, visit http://www.clubwyndham.com. Connect with us on Twitter: @ClubWyndham; Facebook: @ClubWyndham; and Instagram: @ClubWyndham.

About Richard Petty Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes valid to legal US residents age 18 and older. No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your odds of winning. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Retail value of the prizes ranges from $550 USD- $70,000 USD depending on prizes won. Sponsored by: Petty’s Garage, 311 Branson Mill Rd., Randleman, NC 27317. Prizes provided by Club Wyndham. Club Wyndham is a registered mark, licensed for use by Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Inc. View Official Rules for complete entry details.

About Petty’s Garage
Founded in 2008, Petty’s Garage is a high performance speed shop owned by “The King” Richard Petty. Headquartered in Level Cross, North Carolina, Petty’s Garage occupies the legendary Petty facility that produced winning stock cars for more than 50 years. Petty’s Garage specializes in performance upgrades, restorations, luxury personal builds, custom builds, supercharged engines, paint and body, exhaust upgrades, brake systems, custom interiors, tires and wheels, custom fabricated projects, and corporate builds. If you can dream it, Petty’s Garage can build it.

For more information on Petty’s Garage, please call 336-498-3745 or visit www.pettys-garage.com.

Michael McDowell on Homestead
9 Starts | 1 Top-10
Best Finish: 10th
“I can already tell this weekend will be a mixed bag of emotions with it being the season finale and [my teammate] Ragan’s last race. Homestead always provides an exciting show for the fans. As a driver, there isn’t really a preferred lane, so you have a lot of options and can run all around the track. Obviously we’re not in the Playoffs, but we’ll do everything we can to help land a Ford Mustang (hopefully ours) in Victory Lane. It’s great to have Love’s Travel Stops and Luber Finer with us to close out the season. I’m grateful to the support they’ve shown our team throughout this year and their entire partnership.”