Category: NASCAR Cup PR

NASCAR Cup Series Press Release

  • CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Ty Dillon Breakout Session Highlights

    CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Ty Dillon Breakout Session Highlights

    MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
    GANDER RV 400
    TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
    MAY 3, 2019

    TY DILLON, NO. 13 TWISTED TEA CAMARO ZL1 Media Breakout Session Highlights:

    INAUDIBLE:
    “Running against the wall has been more and more important each year. But we throw this new package at it and I don’t know what that’ll look like. Whether we get a lot of drafting, which could be very key in determining the race. I hope we do it. I think it will be a really fun race. I’m excited for that. Every week is a different monster than we’re figuring out. I think Kansas is going to be a really good one.”

    THERE IS TALK THAT WITH SUCH HIGH SPEEDS, WE MAY BE APPROACHING A DANGER ZONE WITH THE CARS AND SAFETY. AS A DRIVER, WHAT DO YOU FEEL?
    “I feel the same way. I think it’s not a good speed, at least for a race. I think if it’s a different kind of series, maybe; but I think it’s gotten too fast. I think it’s going to be tough to put on a good race. But we’re all going to go out here and do the best we can. But, if something out of your control happens and you hit the wall at some of these speeds in qualifying, we’re getting into the danger of people are going to get hurt. And, I don’t think it’s a very smart thing.”

    WHAT’S YOUR OPINION OF SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING? DO YOU PREFER THAT OVER GROUP QUALIFYING? DOES THAT CHANGE YOUR OVERALL APPROACH TO QUALIFYING?
    “Yeah, the mindset is going to be a little bit different, obviously. There are some things I feel like that we picked up on with the group qualifying that helped us. I like that. It was a different game. It’s all called qualifying, but it’s all been different. I’ve actually never done single car qualifying in Cup. I think the only time I did it was in Trucks my first year. Ever since then, It’s been group. But I think the theory is still the same. You go as fast as you can and do what you can. I think it’s up to the fans whether they want excitement or not. I thought the group qualifying was fun and exciting, but I think this is what everybody was wanting to see.”

    YOU WON SOME STAGES THIS YEAR. HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
    “Yeah, those were big moments for our team. Big boost of momentum, and, just great for our overall growth as a team. I don’t think anybody expected us to have two stage wins. I think we’re only in a group of four or five drivers that have two stage wins. We’re proud of that. We have a lot of room to still grow, but to accomplish things we have accomplished, I feel pretty good.”

    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.

  • CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Alex Bowman Breakout Session Transcript

    CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Alex Bowman Breakout Session Transcript

    MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
    GANDER RV 400
    TEAM CHEVY BREAKOUT SESSION TRANSCRIPT
    MAY 3, 2019

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CAMARO ZL1, met with media and discussed Sunday’s race at Dover, practice speeds, and qualifying procedures and more. Full Transcript:

    WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING BACK TO SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING?
    “I am kind of glad to be back to it and I am glad to be able to just do it once as opposed to three times. Sitting there and trying to find a hole is not that much fun for a driver. So, I understand why we had to do it and I get it for the fans. It’s probably not as good of a show as group qualifying, but it will be exciting here for sure.”

    I ASKED KYLE BUSCH IF THE SPEEDS HAVE REACHED THE DANGER ZONE AND HE SAID WITHOUT QUESTION. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE REACHED THE DANGER ZONE?

    “I think that we are paid to go fast. We are supposed to be the 40 best race car drivers and doing our jobs. Part of our job is to go fast. I am not going to complain about going too fast by any means, but we are definitely pretty quick.”

    MANY DRIVERS HAVE SAID IT’S GOING TO BE A PHYSICAL RACE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

    “Its always a physical race here. This place is the most physical place we go in my eyes except for the road courses. There are higher G forces and a lot going on and it’s a long day.”

    DO YOU THINK IT FAVORS YOU WHEN IT GETS PHYSICAL?
    “I hope so. I have been trying to get to that point and I have been working really hard to be in better shape all year and hope to get to a point where it does favor me. There is a reason that Jimmie Johnson has won so many times here. Its because he is probably the leader of that group.”

    DO YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE GETTING ON AND OFF PIT ROAD HERE?
    “Absolutely. You always have to practice it here because it’s a really tough pit road to get onto. We will practice that tomorrow and hopefully be good at it on Sunday.”

    WE GO TO KANSAS NEXT WEEK; CAN YOU PREVIEW WHAT WE MIGHT SEE THERE?
    “I think Kansas will be a place that showcases our new rules package. More so than a lot of places that we have been. If we are going to get the pack racing that everyone is craving, then that is a place where we might be able to do it. So, it will be interesting to see, and I will be excited to get there.”

    IS IT BECAUSE THE TRACK IS WORN OUT A LITTLE BIT?
    “Its not really worn out because they paved it about six years ago now. So, it’s fairly new pavement. Compared to a lot of places we run, its really high grip. It’s really the only fresher repave that has more than one groove. You can move around a lot and the top comes in really well.”

    WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE AT AS FAR AS RUNNING DOVER?
    “I feel like I have run well here in the past, especially in the Xfinity car. Last year we didn’t really get the results we deserved in the Cup car. I enjoy this place and its pretty cut and dry as far as how you drive it. You just have to get your car where you need it to, to be successful.”

    WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH THE NEW PACKAGE THAT YOU HAVE NOTICED THIS YEAR?
    “There is a lot more on throttle time and a ton more grip in the cars.”

    WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHT ON SINGLE CAR QUALIFYING? DOES IT CHANGE YOUR APPROACH?
    “Yeah, I mean you only get one chance at it and you have to get it all in one run. There is no saving your tires over the course of three runs. So, you just have to get it all in one shot.”

    WHAT ABOUT THE SPEEDS HERE, IS IT TOO FAST?
    “I don’t think there really is such a thing as too fast. But it’s really fast and it’s going to be hard to pass and super tough to race. But I am all for it.”

    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.

  • CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Jimmie Johnson Press Conference Transcript

    CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Jimmie Johnson Press Conference Transcript

    MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
    GANDER RV 400
    TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
    MAY 3, 2019

    JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1, met with media and discussed his enthusiasm and success at Dover, the new qualifying rules beginning today, on-track speeds, and more. Full Transcript:

    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY IS CELEBRATING ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY THIS SEASON. BEING THE DRIVER WITH THE MOST WINS HERE, TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THIS TRACK AND WHAT IT HAS MEANT FOR YOUR CAREER
    “Clearly, I’m very biased about this race track. I think it’s the best one out there. I think all drivers can appreciate just the challenge that comes with this track, the banking, the speed, the transitions from the straightaways through the corners. I noticed on social media before we got here that drivers and crew members and crew chiefs were all talking about how much they love coming here. it’s just a very unique challenge and a totally different race track than anything else we race on.”

    YOU SAID AT MARTINSVILLE THAT A LOT OF CHANGES AND RULES TO THE CARS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR ADVANTAGE. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IF THAT’S DONE THE SAME THING HERE? AND IF SO, HOW SO?
    “Over the years I feel like here, we’ve probably stayed in the game more than other tracks. We won here a couple of years ago, I feel like we were one of the best cars here last year, but had something weird break on the car before we took to the track for the race. I feel like here, the vertical loading, and we’ve talked about this a little bit, I think with the media, but our cars have always performed well at Hendrick Motorsports with high-vertical loading and this track certainly has a lot of that. Martinsville seems like it’s slipped away from us a little bit, performance-wise, but at Dover, we seem to come back here and repeat each time.”

    DO YOU PREFER SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING OR WERE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE WITH GROUP CAR QUALIFYING AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO BRING TO THE TABLE AS A DRIVER TO GET THE BEST OUT OF THAT LAP?
    “Selfishly, I think my stats would show that single-car qualifying I perform better in those moments. So, that brings a little optimism to this new format, but whatever we need to do. I’ve been doing this long enough now that I’ve seen all types of formats and variations. And, I really don’t have an opinion either way. I just hope the fans enjoy it and it puts on a good show for television.”

    WE SAW A GREAT PERFORMANCE BY THE CHEVYS AT TALLADEGA. THEY WERE FAST ON THE SPEED CHART IN FIRST PRACTICE. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE BOWTIE BRIGADE ONCE WE GET TO KANSAS AND WE’RE LOOKING AT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AERO PACKAGE AND ENGINE PACKAGE COMBINATION?
    “I think we’re all trending in the right direction and getting better each and every week. As you pointed out, that’s just a totally different rules package for the Kansas race. Personally, I look at our success at Texas and think that the 1.5-mile format and rules package, Hendrick Motorsports has improved and is doing better. So, I’m optimistic and certainly very happy to be at a track that I love so much. And, I feel like we can hopefully string together a couple of really strong weeks here.”

    KYLE BUSH WAS IN THE MEDIA CENTER EARLIER AND VOICED SOME CONCERN OVER JUST HOW FAST THE CARS ARE GOING AROUND HERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPEEDS? WHAT DO YOU FEEL THAT LINE IS?
    “I’m not sure what his exact comments were, but from a safety standpoint I don’t have big concerns from a Sunday in-race opportunity to pass, the type of racing we’ll see on Sunday, I am nervous about that. The faster we go, the harder it is to pass and the wider the race track needs to be. The critical areas around this track are pretty narrow. And there’s really one groove around the bottom most years I’ve been here. So, the tall spoiler, the higher speeds, I think that’s going to make the cars very difficult to really pass the car in front of you. So, from that standpoint, I think track position is important and that’s where my concerns are.”

    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.

  • Toyota MENCS Dover Quotes — Kyle Busch

    Toyota MENCS Dover Quotes — Kyle Busch

    Toyota Racing – Kyle Busch
    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
    Dover International Speedway – May 3, 2019

    Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch was made available to the media in Dover:

    KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Pedigree Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

    I was curious about Raphaël Lessard, if you were impressed with his speed yesterday in practice.

    “I didn’t get a real good sense how practice went from any of my guys. Overall, just saw that he was at the top of the sheets first practice. That is always kind of difficult to tell sometimes how that exactly happens. I think they made a mock run at the end of first practice so I think that is what put them up there. It is all about the lap tracker and consecutive laps, consistency and things like that. We talked a little bit this week about coming here and being prepared for it, so it was nice to be able to help him out and get him up to speed a little bit to see that they had speed at least. I hope they can do a good job. This is the biggest track he has ever seen or been on and the fastest he has ever gone; it will be a big learning experience for him.”

    In practice that you just finished, 23 cars went faster than the track record. Do you feel that increase in speed going around here?

    “There is no questions you feel that going around here. It is really fast. Probably, I don’t know, probably too fast for here. The faster we tend to go in the middle of the corner doesn’t always produce the best racing. We will see how that translates. It is going to be big numbers in qualifying obviously. But we will see how that translates into the race. I am not overly excited about it. We will just have to fight through it and see what happens.”

    Judging by first practice and how fast were you going, what are your expectations for qualifying?

    “I guess it is a good thing that I had my media availability, because I would not be coming in here after qualifying judging by how fast our car goes. Obviously, not where we want to be. Slower than we want to be. It would be nice to be closer to the front. But speeds are just really, really fast.”

    Looking ahead to next week, what are some of the challenges racing up in Kansas?
    “Going to Kansas next week, it is a little further on my radar. It is a night race, so it is cool to be able to race on Saturday night, and have Sunday off. The challenge to Kansas is just going to be what it takes with this new package and the faster speeds. Or I guess, we won’t be faster at Kansas, you have the 550 package there. We will see what that is going to be. Is it going to be wide open or is the draft going to be in affect? Where is the groove going to be? Typically it has been on the high side where the banking is the highest, so that is kind of what you look at going to Kansas.”

    What does it mean to you to race on Memorial Day weekend? How do you feel about the military and everything that happens in Charlotte?

    “We have the All-Star race in between. Memorial Day weekend in Charlotte is a big weekend. It is huge for our sport and NASCAR, and for what the red, white and blue means to all of us. Being able to help support the military on Memorial Day weekend is a lot of fun. It is nice that the NASCAR initiative has grown over the year with NASCAR Salutes and the NASCAR program having a person’s name on our cars, on our windshields, and we can honor that family if they choose to come to the race track. The last couple of years, they have had their family there, and we have been able to honor them. Fortunately last year, I was able to get that first win and go to victory lane and they were there, so it was cool to do. It is an unfortunate situation that only one guy gets to win, but there is the opportunity to celebrate unique lives that paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

    How much off throttle time do you have?

    “For the qualifying laps here you were not fully off of the throttle. You just kind of roll out to about 20%, hold it for about 200 feet, and then start feeding it back gas as quick as you can in order to be able to get the run of the corner into the straightaway. Lots of on throttle time. You are never all the way off of it.”

    You said the speeds are probably too fast. What is too fast? Where would you draw the line?
    “You pretty much know as a driver what too fast is. If you have a problem here with the speeds we are carrying into the corner, it is going to hurt. The faster you go, the harder you are going to hit the wall. The INDYCAR guys were flying around here, and they don’t come here anymore, because it was too fast, too dangerous for them. Eventually, there comes a point where it becomes too fast for a stock car too. Whether that is or not, I guess that is people other than myself to think, but I would much rather appreciate racing and being able to race at a more tolerable speed than we are going right now.”

    Are we approaching the danger zone here?

    “No question.”

    Any significance to you become the first driver in almost 30 years to have 10 top ten finishes to start the year?

    “It is good; it is cool. It is kind of on our mind right now; going into every week, we want to win. That is what we strive to do every time we hit the track. We thought it would come to an end last week at Talladega and it was close. We were right on the verge, but we made it through another one. We have the opportunity this weekend to go to the Monster Mile and try to come out of here with another top 10 finish. Last week, we had Talladega that was working against us, and no disrespect to my sponsor, Pedigree, they are fantastic people and fun to work with, but I do not think I have finished in a Pedigree race car the last five times I have raced in one. Hopefully, we can finish, and if we can, hopefully, we finish in the top ten.”

  • CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Chase Elliott Press Conference Transcript

    CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Chase Elliott Press Conference Transcript

    MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
    GANDER RV 400
    TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
    MAY 3, 2019

    CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA BRAKES CAMARO ZL1, met with media and discussed Sunday’s race at Dover, his victory the previous week at Talladega Superspeedway and more. Full Transcript:

    WHAT’S YOUR REACTION, FEELING AS A DRIVER TO SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING?
    “It’s fine; I would say probably a good thing overall. It’s just simplifies a lot of stuff, which I think is good. It’s the way I learned to qualify and kind of got started and I’m sure like everybody else did. The group qualifying is fine, I think it will be fine at road courses and probably makes more sense at those places anyway. You just don’t think about it. When it’s your turn you go and if you don’t like it get over it.”

    ARE THE SPEEDS APPROACHING A DANGER ZONE? DO YOU AGREE?
    “You’re paid to go fast so let’s go fast. It’s not fun hitting something real hard anytime you do and certainly isn’t going to feel good when you do it at these speeds. Definitely it’s physical for sure and I think this is going to be a very physical race on Sunday, especially if the sun comes out and it’s hot. It’s fast. Is it too fast? Like I said, this is our job, what we sign up for and I think it is what it is.”

    YOU WON AT KANSAS LAST YEAR. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF DRIVING THERE AND WHY DOES IT SUIT YOUR DRIVING STYLE?
    “Kansas has become a cool place. I think as it has aged that outside lane has really prevailed and I think that will continue to be that way. I think it’s going to be a top lane-dominant racetrack as it continues to wear and age, and as time goes on even more than it already is. So that makes it difficult. It’s hard to make a lot happen in a hurry when everybody is riding the wall and up in those top grooves. That’s the challenge of it is trying to pass and move forward. It’s a difficult thing to do when everybody is griping the top.”

    DOES THE CHANGE IN THE SPEED CHANGE HOW YOU ATTACK THE TRACK OR CHANGE HOW YOU STRATEGICALLY LOOK AT IT?
    “I don’t think it really changes the strategy, but it’s definitely fast for sure. You’re always going to drive to that limit, whatever it is, until you’re as uncomfortable as can be basically. I don’t think it changes the strategy, but it’s definitely quick.”

    WHAT WAS THE FUNNEST THING THAT HAPPENED AFTER YOUR WIN LAST WEEK?
    “Just having my mom and grandma at the racetrack on Sunday was the coolest part. Mom missed all the wins last year and my grandmother doesn’t hardly get to any races; she’s in her 80s and likes to watch on TV so it’s rare for her to be there. That was a very special deal. They are hard enough to win much less important people like that in your life to be there and enjoy it with you.”

    CHEVROLET LOOKED SUPER FAST DURING THIS FIRST PRACTICE. DOES THAT GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE HEADING INTO SUNDAY?
    “You’d rather be fast than slow, I guess. It definitely never hurts anything. It’s still too early to tell; qualifying practice is always a little different than race practice and certainly the race on Sunday. Like I say all the time, you’re still going to have to beat the same crowd on Sunday no matter what. The good drivers and teams are still going to be the guys to beat no matter what they’re driving, but I did think it was encouraging to see the Chevys have some good pace. Like I said, I’d rather be there than the opposite position.”

    ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND NASCAR HONORS ALL THE MILITARY AND DRIVERS HAVE A MEMBER ON THEIR CAR. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HONOR THE MILITARY, ESPECIALLY NASCAR SEEMS LIKE THEY DO IT A LOT?
    “I don’t know of us doing that is even saying thanks enough. I think a lot of times there are certain situations that we don’t see but you hear stories of men and women who are serving overseas or whatever they have a chance to watch the races. If that’s providing entertainment for them in a way to check out of what they have going on and get their current situation off their minds and enjoy a race or a football game or baseball game of whatever it is, I think it’s great. I feel like they’ve embraced us a lot and have shown a lot of support to us even watching overseas, the very least we could do is show the appreciation we do. At the end of the day, what we do is not even enough. Always look forward to the 600.”

    THE CARS ARE FASTER THIS WEEKEND. DO YOU SEE THAT CHANGING THE COMPLEXION OF GETTING INTO SOME LONG GREEN FLAG RUN?
    “We already kind of had that here, so I think track position is going to be huge. I think it’s going to be difficult to go up and get to a guy’s bumper. It already was, but I think it’s going to be magnified even more. Track position is going to be massive. Having good pit stops, good restarts, being in the right lane on the restart could make or break your day.”
    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.

  • Toyota MENCS Dover Quotes — Martin Truex Jr.

    Toyota MENCS Dover Quotes — Martin Truex Jr.

    Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
    Dover International Speedway – May 3, 2019

    Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to the media in Dover:

    MARTIN TRUEX JR, No. 19 SiriusXM Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

    What are your thoughts on single car qualifying?

    “It’s definitely a change of mindset. It’s kind of going back, I feel like quite a while now since we’ve done this and it’s just a dramatic change in just the way you approach it mentally. You get one shot at it now. You work through practice and you do everything you can to make one fast lap – you only need one fast lap, not three like we used to with three rounds. It’s definitely a lot different and I think the pressure is higher. It’s easier to screw up. You only get one crack at it. Just trying to think back to years ago how we used to do it and try to pull from that.”

    How much less off-throttle time is there here at Dover this weekend compared to last year?

    “Considerable amount – more throttle today than we’ve had here ever. A bunch of cars beat the track record today by a considerable amount. I can’t explain to you how fast it feels, it’s pretty hairy out there. Pretty wild ride, a lot of fun, but you really have to attack and we went faster every time we hit the race track without really doing a whole lot to our car. Just trying to figure out where the limit is because it’s something we just haven’t done here before like this. Typically, I’m at my best when the track slows down and gets rubbered in so this is pretty extreme situation of a day for me trying to get ready to qualify.”

    Do you feel the speeds are dangerous and do you expect the racing to be impacted?

    “There’s no question it’s going to be harder to get close to someone as fast as we’re going. There’s no way around that, that’s simple science. I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s really fast and obviously you don’t want to hit anything. It’s a race car so there’s always danger involved I guess.”

    How special is this race track to you?

    “It’s a great place and such a unique race track. One of my favorites to come to for sure. It’s called the Monster for a reason, it’s mean and it’s fast and it’s big. It’s kind of crazy. I really enjoy it and I’ve been coming here a long time. Ran the Busch North car here back in the day and things like that. My family owned a car here in the Busch Series so definitely a special place for me, not far from where I grew up and always look forward to coming back here and being on the East Coast.”

    How much do you keep up with the local sports teams in Philadelphia other than the Eagles?

    “I know they’re doing well, I don’t watch a whole lot of basketball to be honest with you. I like baseball a lot, but I don’t get to watch that much either. Stay pretty focused on racing this time of year.”

  • Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net – Dover International Speedway – Race Advance

    Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net – Dover International Speedway – Race Advance

    Race 11 of 36:
    Coming off his season-best finish of 11th at Talladega, Corey LaJoie and the Go Fas Racing team head to Delaware, the site of this weekend’s Gander RV 400. The Charlotte, NC-native owns a top-10 as well as a top-15 at the Monster Mile, finishes he earned in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Dover International Speedway, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, marks the third weekend of 2019 that the Keen Parts colors will be plastered on the No. 32 Mustang.

    Fans of the longtime GFR supporter can stay up-to-date on giveaways, promotions, and more by connecting with them on social media. The business, owned by Tom & TJ Keen, can be found on Instagram & Twitter @KeenParts and on Facebook under “CorvetteParts.net” and “Keen Parts”.

    Corvettes are all they do, so whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. For your Corvette exterior, they got you covered bumper-to-bumper. They even have emblems, moldings, grilles, bumpers and brackets, fiberglass, exterior trim and weather stripping. For the interior, they have steering wheels, seats, dash pads, consoles, carpeting, door panels, seat belts, interior trim and fasteners. Under the hood, they’ve got it all from air cleaners to exhaust systems, air conditioning, radiators, and valve covers all the way down to the decals and correct fasteners to bolt it all back together. For more information, please visit www.corvetteparts.net
    or call 1-844-Tom-Keen.

    Don’t miss the action at the one-mile track – the Gander RV 400 will be broadcast on FS1 on Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 PM ET.

    Last weekend at Talladega for the No. 32 Schluter Systems team:
    The Schluter Systems team qualified 36th for the 500-mile event. LaJoie was able to slither through a multi-car crash on lap 10 to ultimately end Stage One 14th with a conservative strategy. The 27-year-old continued to race much of Stage Two in the top 20, hanging onto the back of the pack to avoid any potential calamity. When the flags were displayed to signal the end of Stage Two, the No. 32 was 19th. Avoiding another pileup, LaJoie concluded the day with an impressive 11th-place result. He currently holds the 29th-spot on the standings.

    LaJoie on the upcoming weekend at Dover International Speedway:

    “Dover is called “The Monster Mile” for a reason. It can be a track that really tests different components on the car because of the high-load on the cars. It’s a really fun track to race and it will definitely be interesting with the new package that NASCAR has introduced this season. I’m hoping we can continue moving up the points race with the positive momentum from Talladega and give the whole CorvetteParts.net/Keen Parts group a great finish.”

    Corey LaJoie Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Dover International Speedway:
    Starts: 3
    Average Start: 36th
    Average Finish: 34th

    Best Finish: 30th (2018)

    About Our Team:

    About Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net:
    Corvettes are all they do, so whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. For your Corvette exterior, they got you covered bumper-to-bumper. They even have emblems, moldings, grilles, bumpers and brackets, fiberglass, exterior trim and weather stripping. For the interior, they have steering wheels, seats, dash pads, consoles, carpeting, door panels, seat belts, interior trim and fasteners. Under the hood, they’ve got it all from air cleaners to exhaust systems, air conditioning, radiators, and valve covers all the way down to the decals and correct fasteners to bolt it all back together. For more information, please visit www.corvetteparts.net
    or call 1-844-Tom-Keen.

    Get Corey LaJoie Updates:
    To get live updates during the race weekends follow @coreylajoie on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to give Corey a “like” on Facebook – “@CoreyLaJoieRacing”. For a detailed bio and updated in-season statistics, please visit www.coreylajoieracing.com .

    About Go Fas Racing:
    Go Fas Racing (GFR) currently fields Ford Mustangs in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for driver Corey LaJoie. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, GFR has competed in the NASCAR’s premier series since 2014; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers, including past champions. To find out more information about our team please visit www.GoFasRacing.com.

  • Newman, No. 6 Team Look for Four Straight his Weekend at Monster Mile

    Newman, No. 6 Team Look for Four Straight his Weekend at Monster Mile

    Team heads into Dover Ranked 13th in Points; Riding Wave of Momentum

    CONCORD, N.C., (May 2, 2019) – Ryan Newman and the No. 6 team head into the Monster Mile of Dover this weekend looking for their fourth consecutive top-10 finish of the season. Fresh off a season-high seventh-place finish last weekend at Talladega, spirts are high for the No. 6 crew, which just announced a new partnership last weekend with Mazola Corn Oil.

    “I’m proud of what we are building together as a team this year, (crew chief) Scott Graves, myself and the guys,” said Newman. “I think if you look at our package and the history of Roush Fenway Racing, the six car and our sport – it’s proven to be a very competitive car and I’m happy to be able to make steps in that direction to be more competitive.”

    A top-10 finish this weekend for the No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford would mark the best streak for the historic No. 6 since NASCAR Hall of Famer and former Roush Fenway driver Mark Martin piloted the car in 2006.

    Newman, in his first season behind the wheel of the iconic Ford, began the season with an average finish of 18th through the opening six races. Since that time, the veteran driver has finished an average of ninth with results of 11th (Texas), ninth (Bristol), ninth (Richmond) and seventh (Talladega).

    In that stretch alone, the 2003 Driver of the Year has recorded stage points in three out of four events. Overall, Newman has four stage finishes inside the top-10 in 2019 for a total of 23 stage points.

    The team understands it still has work to do, but Newman has been pleased with the effort through the season’s first 10 races.

    “We are making steps in the right direction,” added Newman. “It’s been a new situation for me. Not just with Roush Fenway, but a new rules package, new manufacturer and many other factors. But, I’ve been pleased with our progress and we will continue to work at it each week and get better each week and we will see just how competitive we can be as the season progresses.”

    About Roush Fenway Racing
    Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition. Moving into its 32nd season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram, and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.

  • WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair Named Honorary Pace Car Driver for Coca-Cola 600

    WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair Named Honorary Pace Car Driver for Coca-Cola 600

    • World-renowned WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair will serve as the honorary pace car driver for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Flair, a Charlotte native, will lead the field to green before the 60th running of NASCAR’s toughest test of man and machine
    • Fans can buy tickets to the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 – with kids 13 and under getting in for $10 to each race with adult ticket purchase; Tickets and camping are available online or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267)

    CONCORD, N.C. (May 2, 2019) – Charlotte Motor Speedway is set to host its two biggest races of the year… and they’re going to do it with “Flair!” Eight-time WWEWomen’s Champion Charlotte Flair – a native of Charlotte, North Carolina – will assume honorary pace car driver duties for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26.

    The WWE royalty will lead a field of NASCAR stars including Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and more before the green flag drops on the iconic event.

    Flair has won more women’s titles than any superstar in WWE history and is the daughter of 16-time world champion Ric Flair. Flair also became the first female superstar in WWE history to main event a singles match on Raw, SmackDown LIVE and a pay-per-view.

    FOX will carry the Coca-Cola 600. Additionally, FOX will become the new broadcast home for WWE SmackDown LIVE starting Friday, Oct. 4. Fox Sports 1 will also be the new home of a Tuesday-night WWE studio show which will cover all the happenings in the WWE universe.

    Prior to the green flag, Coca-Cola 600 ticketholders can also enjoy a FREE pre-race concert featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Cheap Trick.

    TICKETS: 
    Coca-Cola 600 and Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race tickets, camping and upgrades are available by visiting charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets or calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 13 and under get into each race weekend for just $10 with adult ticket purchase.

    KEEP TRACK:
    Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebookfan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

    ABOUT WWE
    WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG, family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 27 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

    Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

    ABOUT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
    For 60 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard in motorsports entertainment for fans of all ages. Known as America’s Home for Racing, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the heart of NASCAR country. Visitors can attend one-of-a-kind race spectacles including the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, Coca-Cola 600 and Bank of America ROVAL™ 400; take behind-the-scenes speedway and race shop tours; explore the NASCAR Hall of Fame and drive an 800-horsepower stock car. Through every event and every decade, Charlotte Motor Speedway puts FANS FIRST with a never-ending commitment to enhance the fan experience. That tradition continues with unmatched value through affordable tickets, unparalleled pre-race entertainment and more opportunities for fans to see their favorite drivers. For all the latest news and information, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com, follow on TwitterFacebook and Instagram or download the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

  • CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Team Chevy Advance

    CHEVY MENCS AT DOVER 1: Team Chevy Advance

    TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
    GANDER RV 400
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
    DOVER, DELAWARE
    MAY 5, 2019

    BOWTIE BULLETS:

    MONSTER AT THE MILE:
    Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, holds the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series record with 11 wins – all in a Chevrolet — at Dover International Speedway, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

    CATCHING UP TO 100:
    The Gander RV 400 will mark the 99th MENCS race at Dover International Speedway, which opened in 1969. In addition to Johnson’s record 11 wins, other Chevrolet drivers hold track distinctions: Chase Elliott the youngest winner (22 years, 10 months, 9 days on Oct. 7, 2018) and Jeff Gordon the youngest pole winner (23 years, 10 months, 0 days on June 4, 1995).

    TEAMMATES TO THE END:
    Elliott led Alex Bowman across the finish line to complete a 1-2 Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet sweep April 28 at Talladega Superspeedway. The previous 1-2 Chevrolet finish was by Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace in the 2018 Daytona 500. Rookie of the Year contender Ryan Preece placed third at Talladega. The previous 1-2-3 Chevrolet sweep was by Johnson, runner-up Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick in the 2016 season-concluding race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    TIES TO THE NO. 48:
    Of the 1,529 MENCS races since 1949 that the No. 48 has been on the side of a car, Chevrolet leads the way with 1,114, (including Johnson’s 625), and 86 wins. After speaking with Johnson about racing history, IndyCar driver JR Hildebrand recently announced that he would drive the No. 48 Chevrolet in the May 26 Indianapolis 500 in honor of the late Dan Gurney, who was the first of three drivers to have won races in sports cars (1958), Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963 at Riverside) and Indy cars (1967). Gurney recorded five career NASCAR Cup victories and three pole starts.

    TUNE-IN:
    FS1 will telecast the 400-lap Gander RV 400 live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, May 5. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    BY THE NUMBERS:

    • Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship.
    • Team Chevy drivers have scored 780 wins and 704 poles in MENCS competition.
    • Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 40 wins, including six in a row from 2013-15, in the 98 races at Dover International Speedway. GM brands Pontiac (6), Buick (3) and Oldsmobile (2) have also contributed wins. Victories by current Team Chevy drivers:
      Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, has 11 wins.
      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Brakes Camaro ZL1, has one win.
      Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, one win.
    • Johnson paces active drivers with 2,710 laps led at Dover in 28 races.
    • Elliott has an average finish of 4.3 in six races at Dover.

    QUOTABLE QUOTES:

    AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 AAA CAMARO ZL1 – 14th in Standings
    DOES DOVER JUST DRIVE LIKE A GIANT BRISTOL OR NOT SO MUCH? “Not so much. There’s a lot of aero stuff that comes into play at Dover because you’re going so fast. We tested at Dover, so I’m pumped about that. You see different lines come into play as the rubber builds up. On the long run you can start running way up by the fence and find some speed so that’s always fun when you can move around and find speed on the long run and people fall off as you run. It’s a good place to go.”
    HOW HARD IS THAT WHEN YOU PICK UP RUBBER DURING THE CAUTIONS?
    “Yeah it’s just a process that we go through every week that we have to try and balance our car around. It can get difficult at times, but Dover is a place where it’s fun.”

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE SMALL BUSINESS – 15th in Standings
    ON LAST WEEKEND’S FINISH: “I am happy for Chase (Elliott) and Hendrick Motorsports for getting the win in Talladega, but dang I wish it was our Nationwide car that was sitting in Victory Lane at the end of that one. We were so close last weekend, but that last caution just didn’t work in our favor. Greg (Ives) and the guys put a great superspeedway car together and we were good right off the truck. Getting 18 stage points was huge for the standings. That was my career best finish in the Cup Series, so we are getting so close to that first win.”
    ON DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY: “Dover is tough for sure. It is physically demanding on your body and your car throughout the 400-laps. There is a lot of elevation change getting into the corner. The track changes from run to run with how the rubber lays down. It is interesting how that works being a concrete track, but the track is just ever changing.”

    JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 – 16th in Standings
    “Last weekend at Talladega was just bad luck. We had a great car all weekend so it’s a shame we didn’t get a chance to really race. I’m so proud of Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet for the 1-2 finish with Chase and Alex. I’ve had Dover circled on the calendar for a while. It’s going to be different – lots of throttle and probably more like the 2015 rules package that we had there. I’ve loved that place since I raced in the ASA series, I’ve always run well there so I’m excited to get there. Last time there we had a freak mechanical issue before we even started the race and didn’t have a chance to get into the mix. It’s the site of so many good memories for me, I can’t wait.”

    WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 – 19th in Standings
    DOVER LOOKS LIKE A GIANT BRISTOL BUT DOES IT DRIVE THAT WAY TOO? “No, not at all. The difference in Dover and Bristol I think is that at Dover you almost fall down into the banking and then you pick up the banking in the corners. Where at Bristol you’re driving into the banking and almost constantly turning around there like you’re in a bowl. The only real similarity in the two tracks is how the tires feel because of the concrete surface and how the tires wear and pressure builds. Otherwise they’re pretty different places.”
    DOVER IS KIND OF A PHENOMENON WHERE YOU PUT DOWN SO MUCH RUBBER UNDER GREEN BUT UNDER CAUTION YOU PICK IT ALL RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN ON YOUR TIRES. DOES THAT MAKE THE FIRST FEW LAPS OF A RESTART DICEY? “It definitely does. I think the first initial restarts in the race are pretty normal but as the rubber builds the longer the race goes and then gets picked back up, the first two lanes are really, really grippy for a few laps. Outside that second lane there isn’t a lot of grip though because that’s where the rubber and dust build up and never gets picked back up. It’s a very interesting race track in how the rubber builds up but never really sticks except sometimes towards the very end of the race.”

    CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 DEGREE CAMARO ZL1 – 23rd in Standings
    “I’ve always liked racing at Dover International Speedway, even winning a ‘Miles the Monster’ trophy when I was running in the Xfinity Series. Dover is a track that has all the feelings of Bristol Motor Speedway with the banking in the corners, but then you get even more of a ‘hold-your-breath’ feeling when you come out of the corner and into the straightaways. We’ve had some really strong runs throughout the last few weeks at JTG Daugherty Racing, and especially on short tracks, but have had horrible luck that take us out of contention. We’re doing all of the right things and heading in the right direction, and I’m excited to get to Dover and continue that momentum in our No. 37 Degree Camaro ZL1.”

    RYAN PREECE, NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 – 24th in Standings
    “Coming off of a great weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, I’m really looking forward to getting to Dover International Speedway and seeing what kind of speed we have in our Kroger Camaro ZL1. This season has been full of highs and lows so far. But, hard work and never giving up always prevails. Dover is definitely a track I’ve had circled on my list. I’m a short-track guy, and Dover plays right into that with the speeds and feels of an intermediate track. It’s also almost a home race for me being so close to Connecticut, so I’m excited to have a lot of family members and friends attend for support. We’re heading in the right direction, and finishing third last weekend certainly helps that and gives our Kroger team that extra boost of confidence we need. As long as we execute right off the truck and hit our stride from the beginning, we’re going to be in good shape on Sunday at Dover.”

    DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 – 26th in Standings
    DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY LOOKS LIKE A LARGER VERSION OF BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY. DOES DOVER DRIVE AT ALL LIKE BRISTOL AND IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN CARRY OVER FROM THE BRISTOL RACE IN APRIL? “Yes and no. Dover has some tendencies that correlate, but it is also its own animal. Dover features some of the most constant loads and speeds we carry throughout a run. Bristol tends to rubber up more and changes a lot over the course of a run. Dover does the same, but they just do it in two totally different ways. It is fun because it is challenging. You can overlay some of the things you do as a driver but in the grand scheme of things you have to have a different package for Dover than you do at Bristol to go there and be successful.”

    HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS NEW AERO PACKAGE WILL IMPACT THE HANDLING AND FEEL DURING THIS WEEKEND’S EVENTS AT DOVER? “It is going to be extremely fast and we’re going to experience a ton of load with this package this weekend at Dover. I know that is what all of us at RCR are preparing ourselves for – that’s what we feel is going to be the case. Austin Dillon was able to take part in the Goodyear tire test there a few weeks ago, so we have a lot of good notes and data to go off of heading into the weekend. Talking with Austin about what he learned, it seems that once the tires get hot and rubber is laid down, the handling tendencies are just sped up and magnified because the speeds are so high. Just like all racers will say, we need to be better when we show up there on Friday for practice than we were at the test. I believe this package is going to be really fast and really crazy from the driver’s seat.”

    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: 1
    Poles: 5
    Laps Led: 533
    Top-five finishes: 9
    Top-10 finishes: 27

    CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
    Total Chevrolet race wins: 780 (1949 to date)
    Poles won to date: 704
    Laps led to date: 232,788
    Top-five finishes to date: 3,978
    Top-10 finishes to date: 8,199

    Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

           GM: 1,115
           Chevrolet: 780
           Pontiac: 155
           Oldsmobile: 115
           Buick: 65
    
           Ford: 780
           Ford: 680
           Mercury: 96
           Lincoln: 4
    
           Chrysler: 466
           Dodge: 217
           Plymouth: 190
           Chrysler: 59
    
           Toyota: 128

    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.