Category: NASCAR Cup PR

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE: NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
May 17-19, 2024

 NASCAR AT NORTH WILKESBORO

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will kick off back-to-back race weekends in North Carolina with a trip to the historic – and freshly repaved – North Wilkesboro Speedway. One of racing’s oldest tracks, the .625- mile oval was revitalized and returned to the NASCAR schedule last season after a 27-year hiatus.

NASCAR’s premier series will trade in points for a potential payday as North Wilkesboro Speedway will host the NASCAR All-Star Race for the second-straight season. For the NCTS, the race for the playoffs continues as the second-half of the regular-season takes the series to the North Carolina short-track for the Wright Brand 250 – the 10th race of the season.

LOCKED-IN

To be automatically eligible for the NASCAR All-Star Race, a driver has to meet the following requirements: Winner of a points-paying event in 2023 or 2024; full-time drivers who are past All-Star Race winners; or full-time drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series championship. There are 17 drivers that are already locked into Sunday’s All-Star Race, with the top-two finishers in the All-Star Open and the fan vote winner completing the 20-driver lineup for the main event.

Team Chevy drivers occupy eight of the 17 spots that are already secured for the 40th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race. That list includes representation from five different Chevrolet organizations:

· Hendrick Motorsports: Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron
· Trackhouse Racing: Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez
· Richard Childress Racing: Kyle Busch
· Kaulig Racing: AJ Allmendinger
· JTG Daugherty Racing: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro Speedway

Since the series’ inaugural event at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1949, the .625-mile oval has hosted 93 points-paying races for NASCAR’s top division, with Chevrolet earning a trip to victory lane a series-leading 32 times. The Bowtie brand’s first North Wilkesboro triumph came with Jack Smith in the 1957 Wilkes 160. The manufacturer also owns the series’ final two points-paying races at the North Carolina short-track – courtesy of a season sweep in 1996 by Hendrick Motorsports’ Terry Labonte (April) and Jeff Gordon (Sept.).

En route to eventually becoming the winningest manufacturer in series’ history, Chevrolet’s 300th all-time victory in NASCAR’s top division came on the hallowed grounds of North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Bowtie brand earned the milestone victory in the First Union 400 on Apr. 20, 1986, with Dale Earnhardt, Sr., behind the wheel of the legendary No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. The iconic driver/owner pairing went on to win their first of six championship titles that season.

CHEVROLET COMMANDS

ALL-STAR CROWNS

The 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race will mark the 40th running of the annual non-points paying race. Chevrolet owns a commanding lead in All-Star Race wins over its manufacturer competitors with 21 triumphs in the event, including the inaugural race in 1985 with Darrell Waltrip. Since 2019, Chevrolet drivers have earned the one-million-dollar grand prize in four of the last five All-Star events – each recorded at a different venue:

May 18, 2019: Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
July 15, 2020: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Bristol Motor Speedway)
June 13, 2021: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Texas Motor Speedway)
May 21, 2023: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (North Wilkesboro Motor Speedway)

The four winningest drivers in All-Star Race history each earned their victories behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine. Topping the all-time wins leaderboard is seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johson with four All-Star Race wins. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson closely follow Johnson with three wins each.

ONE YEAR AGO…

It was an all-Larson victory lane in NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway last season. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion pulled a double duty weekend at the .625-mile North Carolina venue – kicking off the weekend behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Starting from the eighth position, Larson progressively navigated his Silverado RST to the front – ultimately taking the lead for the first time near the halfway mark of Stage Two. The 31-year-old California native went on to take the stage win and lead a total of 138 laps to collect his third career NCTS victory.

One day later, Larson posted yet another dominating performance en route to the checkered-flag and the one-million-dollar grand prize in the 39th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race. Taking the green-flag from the 13th starting position, an early-race pit road penalty forced Larson to move to the rear of the field for a restart on lap 21. Within the following 35 laps, Larson maneuvered his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 through the 24-car field to take the top position on lap 55 – ultimately leading all but one of the final 146 laps en route to the victory. The victory marked Larson’s third career triumph in the event – with each of those wins coming at three different tracks. Larson now sits second on the NASCAR All-Star Race wins list, tying NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Sr., with three wins in the event.

Harvick’s Return to the Driver’s Seat

While Kyle Larson will be making his qualifying attempt for the Indianapolis 500, Kevin Harvick will return to the driver’s seat to practice and qualify the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1 in his absence. Harvick retired from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the conclusion of the 2023 season – a 23-year career that saw 60 wins in NASCAR’s top division.

More than half of Harvick’s NCS wins have come behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, with the Bakersfield, California, native earning a combined 35 victories in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and Stewart Haas Racing. Harvick also became a champion in NASCAR’s top division with Chevrolet – taking the title in the 2014 season.

PAGING A NEW POINTS LEADER

As the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series enters the second-half of the regular-season, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes continues to prove to be a title contender. In nine races this season, the 23-year-old New York native has collected a series-leading eight top-10 finishes – most recently recording a fourth-place result at Darlington Raceway to regain the top position in the series’ driver points standings. Eckes heads into the North Wilkesboro race weekend as an automatic favorite for the win. In the two NCTS races contested on a short-track this season, it was Eckes that picked up the victory (Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway).

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Wright Brand 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race.

· Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 21 NASCAR All-Star Race victories, including four of the past five events:

2019: Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
2020: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Bristol Motor Speedway)
2021: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Texas Motor Speedway)
2023: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (North Wilkesboro Motor Speedway)

· With 33 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 60.6% with 20 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – seven wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – six wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – seven wins).

· In 85 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 44 victories – a winning percentage of 51.8%.

· Team Chevy’s William Byron is the only driver to have a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – with his victory at Martinsville Speedway marking his 11th all-time victory in the Next Gen Camaro ZL1.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 858 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS:

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Blazer RS, 1500 Crew 2LT Trailboss, 2500HD Crew ZR2 Bison Diesel, Colorado ZR2, Tahoe High Country, Corvette 3LT Z51 Convertible.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Sunday, May 19

· Carson Hocevar: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

· Kyle Busch: 4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

· William Byron: 4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

· Friday, May 17: 1:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

· Saturday, May 18: 8 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.

· Sunday, May 19: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 477
Toyota: 470 (-7)
Ford: 438 (-39)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 410
Toyota: 397 (-15)
Ford: 345 (-65)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 348
Toyota: 310 (-38)
Ford: 285 (-63)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR All-Star Race

Sunday, May 19, at 8 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Wright Brand 250

Saturday, May 18, at 1:30 pm. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 Busch Light FLANNEL CAMARO ZL1

Why is it important for you to run in other series besides the Cup Series?

“I’ll be driving in the truck race and its a great opportunity for me to get laps in at North Wilkesboro since I’ve had very little track time there. Any time I can get laps in at a track, I look at it as a very good thing. It’s made even better this weekend because we won in the truck last weekend at Darlington. It would be awesome to get another win for Al Niece.”

How unique is the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro?

“The goal is the same, which is to win, but the event has a different feel. From the track not having a tunnel and you have to watch for when the track crossover gate opens or you’ll be on the wrong side at the wrong time. To driver intros with the pit crew guys and the various other elements with the qualifying pit stops and things like that. At the end of the day though, we want to win and so does everyone else.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1

There are no points on the line this weekend and you’re looking to race for a big pay at one of NASCAR’s most storied race tracks. What’s your plan to get into the All-Star Race?

“North Wilkesboro is going to be fun. I haven’t made a big push for the fan vote this year because I want to drive my way in there through the All-Star Open and earn our spot. The new asphalt will change how it races and how we approach our set up. No points on the table this weekend, so it’ll be elbows up with our Gainbridge Chevrolet.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LENOVO CAMARO ZL1

What did you learn last year at North Wilkesboro that you can apply for this race?

“I think the only things you learned at North Wilkesboro last year were where the outside wall is and I think the apron in Turns 3 and 4 is the same. That’s about it. I think everything else has changed. The asphalt has changed and they moved the inside wall some. It’s going to be a completely different race.”

North Wilkesboro has been repaved. How do you prepare to race on the new surface when you haven’t been able to test there?

“I think the preparation for how to get ready for that race is now going to be based off of the notes and the test that happened there. Our Chevy key partner teammate William Byron did the test there so we’re relying on him and his notes and the video capture that they got and being able to just kind of watch and listen to the throttle on time and the things they did when they were there.”

This year’s All-Star race will have several new features including a tire strategy element. What effect do you think that will have in the race? Do you think it has the potential to make the racing better?

“I don’t know if the tire strategy will really play into fact as much as people think because we all know when the strategy will be when you want to put those tires on. We all have to start the race on the option tires, we all know we’re probably going to want to finish on those tires, so the two other sets that you’re going to have you’re probably going to run one of those sets in the middle of the race. I don’t know that it’s really going to create much pit strategy separation. The race isn’t long enough for that.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 LEAFFILTER / CAMPERS INN RV

“Really special to be able to go to North Wilkesboro and be locked in the All-Star Race after our victory last year. I don’t know what to expect with the new repave; it was really slick last year in the Cup car, but that will be completely different. More than anything, to be a part of the All-Star Race knowing that we earned it by winning last year means so much to me. Points obviously don’t matter, just a night to go out there and give ourselves a chance to win the race and a million dollars.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 POPPY BANK CAMARO ZL1

“Friday going into practice will be the first time I’ve even seen the track at North Wilkesboro. I’m definitely looking forward to having a chance at racing our way into the main event. Competing in the All-Star race is a huge honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway:

“It (North Wilkesboro Speedway) is a cool place for sure. I didn’t get to run there last year due to my injury so I’m excited to go to North Wilkesboro (Speedway) and get to hit the track. We’ve obviously got to race our way into the main event, so hopefully we can do that for Ally and Hendrick Motorsports. Our pit crew has been strong all year so I’ve got faith in them too. Hopefully we can put all the pieces together and race for a shot at one million dollars this Sunday.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Harris on racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway:

“This weekend looks a little different for us, we have to put our car in the show. We are not taking this week off by any means. Fortunately for us though, the No. 24 (William Byron) had a strong tire test there (North Wilkesboro) and those guys always come back with phenomenal feedback for us. We are really happy with some of the direction that that set us up with on our short-track program in general. We look forward to trying to execute a good weekend and see if we can roll off and get locked-in to the All-Star.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

What do you think about being able to run any tire at North Wilkesboro this weekend and how that combination might work, plus having to race your way in?

“I think it’s awesome! I mean obviously the elephant in the room is that the short tracks have been a struggle and I think anything is great to try to learn and make it better and I think this is the perfect opportunity to do that. There has been some conversation with the softer tire being made from the rain tire rubber and I’ve heard how much faster it is and obviously, the fall off. What we want is tire fall off. So, I’m excited to see how that is but just having options is going to be great. It’s going to be an exciting weekend!”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 NASCAR DAY GIVEATHON CAMARO ZL1

What do you think the keys are this weekend with all the different tire options and the unknowns with the repave?

“Qualifying is the biggest thing, being able to be out front early will be huge. Everybody is going to get super close once everyone figures it out, so its’ just the guys who unload really good, really early, will have the edge.”

Would it mean more if you raced your way in this weekend or won the Fan Vote?

“Probably more so to race my way in but if you get in with the fan vote, it shows you still did a lot, and I would be extremely proud of that. I look at this weekend as more of a practice. We still want to work on our race package and we’re still building and still learning. We’re still pretty new, especially me, in that shop. If we get in, I am almost looking at it like a free race to learn and grow which would be huge for everyone involved.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on the All-Star Race this weekend?

“It’s a lot of fun. Last year was the first time I was at North Wilkesboro and it was amazing. It was like going back in time with the fans so close and racing on the short track. It was very very cool. Fans told me they grew up going to that track so it meant a lot to them to bring it back. It was special for them. It’s funny I didn’t know Wilkesboro existed five years ago. So, I learned about its history and the sport’s history. We are going to go there Sunday and fight for a trophy. The money is great, but just like the old days, we really want the trophy. All of us started racing not for the money but for the trophy.”

How beneficial is it to have three consecutive races at home?

“It is really nice. Last weekend, I drove to Darlington on Saturday and Sunday, we will drive to North Wilkesboro this weekend for the All-Star Race and we are home in Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. It is really nice to be able to sleep in your own bed especially for my crew guys. This is an exciting time of the year for everyone in NASCAR. I am always looking forward to this stretch of the season. We can spend some extra time with friends and family.”

BAYLEY CURREY, NO. 41 AUTOVENTIVE / PRECISION SILVERADO RST

Without having any laps here on the new surface, how valuable is your experience in the simulator going to be?

“It’s everything. I feel like sim time is huge, especially at the races where we only have a 20-minute practice. We’ll have a full-length practice here this time, so that will help us, but definitely going to be leaning off that. Sim time is important everywhere, but especially at a new track like what we have this week.”

MATT MILLS, NO. 42 J.F. ELECTRIC / UTILITRA SILVERADO RST

With your short track racing background, how fun is it to go back to your roots and race at a track like North Wilkesboro?

“This track will be really cool for me; I’ve had this race circled on my calendar. I haven’t ever been there before, but I’ve always wanted to race there because of all the nostalgia and history that the place has. I didn’t get to run last year on the original pavement, but seeing how fast everything looks to be here now on the new pavement through testing, I think it’s going to be pretty cool. I think short tracks are definitely more in my wheelhouse than other tracks.”

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 45 NC GOVERNOR’S HWY SAFETY PROGRAM SILVERADO RST

How big of a benefactor will it be to get these extra reps in on the repave before the All-Star race?

“Track time on any given weekend is always important, but especially here with it being the first race held on the repave. Last year was fun getting to race at North Wilkesboro for the first time, but the conditions are obviously going to be different. For me, that makes running the truck race that much more important. We’ve got some good momentum after last weekend and I think our guys will have another good shot to contend again.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

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

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 7

Poles: 5

Laps Led: 1,321

Top-five finishes: 26

Top-10 finishes: 49

Stage wins: 8

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 7

· Ross Chastain: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 858 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 748

Laps led to date: 250,496

Top-five finishes to date: 4,324

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,910

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,192

       Chevrolet: 858

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 829                                                           

       Ford: 729

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 185

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and 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.

JOSH BERRY
North Wilkesboro / All-Star Race Advance
No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: NASCAR All-Star Open | NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points races)
● Time/Date: 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 19
● Location: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway
● Layout: .625-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 100 laps/62.5 miles | 200 laps/125 miles
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● For the first time in Josh Berry’s NASCAR Cup Series career, he is attempting to make the non-points All-Star Race as a full-time premier series competitor. The 33-year-old rookie made his series debut with a pair of races in 2021, then filled in as a substitute driver at 10 races in 2023 – eight with Hendrick Motorsports and two with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. Berry did have the opportunity to race his way into last year’s All-Start Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway via the All-Star Open that preceded it, and the short-track aficionado did just that. He qualified second in the injured Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports entry and won the 100-lap shoot-out on the .625-mile oval. As a result, Berry earned the 22nd starting spot for the 200-lap All-Star Race, from where he climbed his way to 15th by race’s end.

● Last Sunday, Berry notched his best finish since taking over the reins of the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, a third-place run in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Speedway. His previous best of 11th this season came in the March 31 race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. Berry’s achievement at Darlington was all the more impressive as it came from the 33rd starting position. He quickly maneuvered through the field to finish 17th in the first stage, then continued his forward momentum in the second stage, in which he finished 12th. Berry’s third-place result is the best finish for the No. 4 team since the May Darlington race last year, when Kevin Harvick finished second. Additionally, Berry’s 30 positions gained made him as the biggest mover in Sunday’s race at the “The Lady in Black.”

● During this week’s All-Star festivities at North Wilkesboro, Berry will also turn laps on Wednesday night behind the wheel of the No. 4B KHI Late Model, owned by former No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. Berry has a history of running well in the No. 62. During the offseason, he teamed up with his current crew chief Rodney Childers to run a pair of races, the first at Florence (S.C.) Motor Speedway last November, and the second at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway two weeks later. Berry started on the latter race, dubbed the 2023 Fall Brawl, on the pole and he finished third.

● During last year’s All-Star Race weekend, the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Ford bore the No. 29 en homage to the retiring Harvick’s car number during the first 13 years of his Cup Series career driving for Richard Childress Racing. Harvick started his final All-Star Racing 15th and finished 18th.

● Berry’s third-place finish at Darlington vaulted him into the points lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 19 markers ahead of Carson Hocevar. Berry is currently ranked 21st in the overall Cup Series standings.

● Harrison’s returns to the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend, sporting the green-and-brown colors symbolic of hard work. The green represents grass and farm produce while the brown accents represent dirt and hard-working, blue-collar Americans. The Spartanburg, South Carolina-based clothing and footwear company has ridden to victory lane on two occasions with Berry in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – the first at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May 2022 and the second at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October 2022.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Coming off a strong run at Darlington to a short track where you raced your way into the All-Star Race last year in the No. 48, how do you and the No. 4 team continue to build on the momentum?

“I think the biggest thing our group is focused on is just continuing our process and maximizing the things we can control. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and the guys at the shop have built really fast Ford Mustang Dark Horses for every short track we have gone to, which gives me a ton of confidence heading to North Wilkesboro. If we just stick to our process, prepare the best we can during the week, and go have a clean day, there’s no reason we can’t advance to the All-Star Race and do really well.”

How does running Late-Model races between the Cup Series races help you on Sundays? Is it more for fun, or do you use those races to sharpen your racing skills?

“Any time you can get more laps at a track we race at in the Cup Series, it helps. We have the simulator with Ford that gives us a pretty good idea of what we can run, but nothing beats being behind the wheel of a racecar and putting in time. I enjoy Late-Model racing, and being able to get more time in ahead of the All-Star Open will only help me learn the track, some of the little details that a simulator can’t show, and also just give me a chance to go have fun, right? These races are still ones we want to compete in and try to win, but ultimately, we want to have fun while we do it. It’s kind of double-sided – part fun and part practice.”

How do you think the different tire options is going to help the racing this weekend?

“It is interesting to me. I think it gives the field some opportunity to try different things and be aggressive at different points in the race, but it’s hard to say without any practice. I like the idea and I hope it makes for a good race, but without any prior experience, I think it is just hard to say it will go one way or another.”

How important is it that Goodyear continues to try new compounds and get aggressive with its experimenting this year?

“I think we all need to applaud NASCAR and Goodyear for trying something different. That is something we have all asked for and they certainly have taken some pretty significant steps to get in a better place with the tire wear. I think the All-Star Race is a great place to try things because it won’t impact our points standings and we can really use it as a chance to learn what can work and what can’t. So, yeah, I am all for Goodyear taking a stab at it and giving us something new and different.”

No. 4 Harrison’s Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 15, 2024) – It’s All-Star weekend for the 34 team as Michael McDowell races for a million dollars at North Wilkesboro Speedway, with a new, local sponsor.

The Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, will be on the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, as well as Truist and the Charlotte Knights Charities, the philanthropic base of the Knights, for the 200-lap event.

This will be McDowell’s third All-Star Race appearance; he has raced in the 2021 and 2022 versions of the event finishing 12th and 15th, respectively. McDowell is automatically qualified for Sunday night’s event by winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course race last August.

The festivities of All-Star Weekend kick off Friday night, May 17th with practice and qualifying starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. Saturday, May 18th will feature Heat Races to determine the field for the Sunday night show, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET. Starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 19th the evening will include both the All-Star Open and 200-lap All-Star race. All the coverage will be televised on FS1 and available on SiriusXM Channel 90 and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 34 Charlotte Knights Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“I’m excited to have a local, hometown team, like the Charlotte Knights, on our Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the All-Star Race. NASCAR does a great job promoting this event and making it a fan favorite. To have the chance to race for a million dollars with a winning organization loved by the fans, is awesome.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We’re excited to be in the All-Star race, it’s a fun event and always nice to have a chance to race for a million dollars. Coming off back-to-back Top-10s, we’ve definitely got the momentum on our side to have a good race. It will be interesting to see how the repave and tire selection plays a factor, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 15, 2024) – Todd Gilliland and Long John Silver’s are back together this weekend for the All-Star race at the North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.

Gilliland will have to race his way into the main event. Gilliland will compete in Sunday’s All-Star Open in hopes of advancing to the All-Star race on Sunday night. The Open will be a 100-lap race.

The festivities of All-Star Weekend kick off Friday night, May 17th with practice and qualifying starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. Saturday, May 18th will feature Heat Races to determine the field for the Sunday night show, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET. Starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 19th the evening will include both the All-Star Open and 100-lap All-Star race. All the coverage will be televised on FS1 and available on SiriusXM Channel 90 and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“The All-Star race is always a fun event. It’s kind of like the kickoff to the 600 with all the activities surrounding the weekend. We’ll have to race our way into the main event, but with the momentum we have building, I don’t see why we can’t.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“With a million dollars on the line, I definitely want to make it into the main event. Todd (Gilliland) and the team have a lot of good momentum right now, and I think we’ll give the fans a good showing of what were about. I am confident going into this weekend.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 24th

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 27th

CLUB NOTES

The “Double”: It was recently announced that LEGACY M.C. co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is joining NBC Sports for their motorsports coverage in four upcoming races in 2024. Johnson will contribute to pre-race and race coverage of NBC Sports’ presentation of the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on May 26 on NBC and Peacock. Johnson previously joined NBC in the network’s coverage of “The Month of May” and the Indianapolis 500 in 2021. Johnson was crowned the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after competing in the event for Chip Ganassi Racing where he started 12th and finished 28th. Additionally, Johnson will serve as an analyst on NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage of the events at Daytona Superspeedway on Aug. 24 and Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 6, one of three playoff races in the Round of 12. He will also contribute to NBC Sports’ coverage for select NASCAR races in which he is competing this year, including the NASCAR Cup Series Championship from Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10.

EJ All-Star: Over the years, Erik Jones has had seven NASCAR All-Star weekend appearances, with his first coming back in 2017. Of those, Jones has made the NASCAR All-Star race a total of four times with some memorable moments through the years. Jones and the No. 43 Family Dollar LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team looks to transfer this weekend through the NASCAR All Star Open for their shot at $1 million dollars.

JHN Returns: John Hunter Nemechek will return to the North Wilkesboro Speedway 0.625-mile oval this weekend for the first time since running an Allison Legacy Racing Series car at the 0.625-mile paved oval more than 12-years ago. This weekend he will be turning his first laps around the North Wilkesboro Speedway behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup Series car. It will be the 26-year-old driver’s second attempt at a NASCAR All-Star Open event.

Throwback: Last week during Nemechek’s Race Hub appearance, he announced that this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Weekend will feature a special scheme on the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entry will dawn a Harry Gant scheme with the iconic green, white, and gold colors. One of the 18 career wins the Taylorsville, N.C., NASCAR veteran collected came at the North Wilkesboro Speedway on September 29, 1985.

OLIPOPPIN’ with Luke Combs: Last week, two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and multi-platinum award winning country music star Luke Combs released a teaser for his new song, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”. In credits for the music video, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s Nemechek was listed with a starring role thanks to the partnership with OLIPOP. The song and official music video will be released Thursday, May 16 at 8:00 a.m. ET on Luke Combs’ official channels at www.lukecombs.com and shared through John Hunter Nemechek’s social media outlets. Check out a tease of the music video now by visiting, HERE.

May with the EJF: May marks an important month for the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) as it represents melanoma awareness month. The EJF focuses on three key pillars: early cancer detection and prevention, childhood literacy, and animal welfare. For a full list of events with the EJF in May, click here.

Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will honor store #9617 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go For G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season. Store #9617 is located in North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Thinking of DC8: All LEGACY M.C. entries will run decals through the Charlotte Motor Speedway race in support of the Dollar Tree Distribution Center 8 (DC8) in Marietta, Oklahoma. DC8 was impacted by the devastating tornadoes that hit the Oklahoma region last weekend. Although the distribution center was severely damaged, fortunately, none of the 456 associates employed by the distribution center were injured by the disaster.

Fan Vote: Fans can vote for their favorite LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver to make it in the NASCAR All-Star race by visiting www.NASCAR.com/fanvote. Fans are eligible to vote up to five times per day.

Celebrating Mother’s Day: Jones and his mother, Carol, sat down with NASCAR on Fox’s Shannon Spake at the townhome the young driver moved to when he first left Michigan. Click here to check out the Mother’s Day feature.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek

Driver of the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

With this weekend being a non-points race and knowing you need to finish top two or win the NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote to lock into the All-Star race, do you take a more aggressive approach?

“Some will probably take a more aggressive approach, some may not take as an aggressive approach, but you definitely want to run as good as you possibly can and finish top two to get in; I mean who doesn’t want to have a shot to go race for $1 million in the All-Star race.”

What are you doing to prepare for this track?

“I ran North Wilkesboro on the old pavement back in 2010 or 2011 in an Allison Legacy car, it’s definitely changed a lot since then, and now with the repave, it sounds like there’s a lot of grip, so I’m not exactly sure what to think about it, everyone’s in the same boat of going there and having to jump in and adapt really quick and hope that the setup is where they need it to be.”

What do expect the racing to be like with the new pavement vs. what you saw and heard last year in the return to the track?

“I think there’s going to be a lot of grip, not sure if we’re going to be able to move around a lot or if [the groove] is going be right along on the bottom. It definitely is going to be interesting; last year, there was grip in the patches that they put down and not a lot of grip elsewhere on the racetrack, so it is definitely going to be completely different. Last year, they had rain, so who knows, could be in for a very exciting weekend.

Ben Beshore

Crew chief of the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

NASCAR is returning to North Wilkesboro this weekend. With no points on the line, and knowing you need to finish in the top two of the open or win the NASCAR All-Star Fan vote, do you take a more aggressive approach than what you may during a regular season event?

“Yes, for sure. Qualifying will be important, and with the race being a shorter distance than normal, we will focus on short-run speed. “

With new pavement down on the 0.625-mile oval, what type of racing do you feel we’ll see?

“I think we’ll have to see how practice goes. Typically, repaved tracks take a while for the groove to widen out, so it may be very hard to pass unless a second lane comes in.”

What would it mean to make the NASCAR All-Star race?

“It would mean a lot to the team from a confidence standpoint. We were able to race our way into the Clash in February and hope to do the same this weekend. “

Erik Jones

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

How do you feel about the track’s repave going into this year’s All-Star Open race?

“North Wilkesboro this year looks a little bit different, this year it looks like we are going to have to race our way in, so that will be our first challenge, and the track is going to be quite a bit different this year with the repave. We will go through and learn that during practice and see what we need out of the race car with that, but we had a good car there last year during the race, and we were able to run up in the top 10, sixth and seventh place most of the day. So, I am excited to get back; it is a really cool race and a really cool atmosphere. I think North Wilkesboro is a great place for the All-Star race now, and hopefully, we can race our way in and go run well in the All-Star race.”

Dave Elenz

Crew chief of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

Will your strategy change at all because you’re in the open race this year, and how do you think the repave will change the racing style?

“Last year, it was pretty exciting to be able to go to North Wilkesboro. The old pavement provided quite a few challenges; we really didn’t know what we were going to have until we got there. This year we will have another challenge with the repave, but it should be a little more consistent and easier to get a hold of. I think the repave will provide some interesting opportunities for tire strategies, and the “open” will be a little more interesting because it will be a short race, so you’re going to want to go all out and make it to the end. It will be interesting to see how the tires play out on the repave and what the fall-off is going to be like.”

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.

Lee Petty at NW: Lee Petty has three wins at North Wilkesboro Speedway, all coming consecutively, as he swept the 1959 and spring race of 1960. Petty drove the No. 42 to 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, and 265 laps led. The elder Petty had an average start of 8.5 and an average finish of 7.1 across his 20 starts.

The King at NW: Richard Petty has 15 wins at North Wilkesboro Speedway, taking his first victory in 1962 and his final in 1981. “The King” won three in a row on two occasions, sweeping the 1962 season and the spring of 1963. Ten years later, Petty again won three in a row, sweeping the 1972 season and the spring race of 1973. Across his 66 starts at the historic short track, Petty has 33 top-five, 42 top-10’s, , and has led 5,315 laps along the way.

Kyle Petty at NW: Kyle Petty had a great career at North Wilkesboro Speedway, earning seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. Petty led 155 laps in 32 attempts at the 0.625-mile speedway with an average start of 15.0 and an average finish of 15.9. He also earned the pole position in the fall of 1990.

Three Generations of Racers: Three generations of Petty’s have a dominant LEGACY at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Lee, Richard, and Kyle totaled 18 wins, four pole positions, and 5,735 laps led. The three combined for 118 starts at the track, earning 52 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes in the Cup Series, establishing themselves as one of the most dominant families for 75 years in the history of the sport.

King’s Hat: The North Wilkesboro “King’s Hat” display will be unveiled on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the main gate in the Fan Zone. The display will remain in the Fan Zone throughout the weekend for fans to see throughout the race weekend.

BROADCAST INFO

NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY May 19th @ 5:30 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit DollarTree.com

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com

RYAN PREECE
North Wilkesboro / All-Star Race Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: NASCAR All-Star Open | NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points races)
● Time/Date: 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 19
● Location: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway
● Layout: .625-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 100 laps/62.5 miles | 200 laps/125 miles
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece is headed to North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway this weekend to compete for a spot in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race. The driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing will have to race into the main event by finishing in the top-two positions during Sunday’s undercard All-Star Open. NASCAR returned to North Wilkesboro after a 27-year hiatus for last season’s All-Star event. Preece qualified eighth and finished fourth in last year’s All-Star Open, falling just two spots short of advancing to the main event.

● Preece is known for success on short tracks similar to North Wilkesboro. He made a name for himself racing on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which competes on racetracks 1 mile or less. He clinched the championship in 2013 and has 26 career Tour wins. His two career NASCAR Xfinity Series win both came on short tracks – the .87-mile Iowa Speedway in Newton on July 29, 2017, and the half-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on April 14, 2018. In the April 2023 NASCAR Cup Series race on the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Preece qualified on the pole and led 135 of 400 race laps. He also finished fourth at the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway in the July 2023 Cup Series race, marking his best result of 2023. Preece’s ninth-place finish last month at Martinsville remains his best result thus far in 2024.

● Preece arrives at North Wilkesboro after starting 26th and finishing 17th in last Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. It was his sixth top-20 finish this season and the 10th time in 13 races he finished better than he started. This weekend’s All-Star event provides drivers and teams with a break from the points-paying season. The regular season will resume on Memorial Day Weekend with the traditional Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Preece currently sits 28th in the driver standings with 192 points.

● Joining Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang for the second consecutive All-Star Open is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation. HaasTooling.com allows CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

North Wilkesboro has been paved since last season’s All-Star Race. How do you envision it will affect the race compared to last season?

“With North Wilkesboro’s repave and all the improvements to the racetrack, some of that takes away from the tire fall-off. However, at the same time, I had the opportunity to go there earlier this year to do a tire test, and it’s still the same North Wilkesboro that all of us love. It should be an exciting weekend from both a competition and entertainment standpoint.”

What’s your mindset heading into the weekend, as you will have to race your way into the main event via the All-Star Open?

“This is the weekend where no points are on the line. We’re looking to bring as much speed as possible and race for the money. It’s over a million dollars on the line, so it’s a really big deal for a lot of us. Having a strong performance there can certainly give you a boost when we go back to points racing at Charlotte next week.”

What are your thoughts on North Wilkesboro hosting the All-Star Race and being on the schedule in years to come?

“Going back to North Wilkesboro, a track that was closed for many years, seeing the improvements that have been made to the facility is really good to see. It really has been a resurrection. It’s been a resurrection of the town and the racetrack. North Wilkesboro is an important place for our sport and certainly an important place for our sport to continue to be and grow with into the future.”

What would it mean for you to race your way into the All-Star Race?

“Someone like myself who’s a big short-track racer and grassroots type of guy, getting into the All-Star Race and being a part of that event would be huge for me and my career. Having an opportunity to race for a million dollars would be nice, as well.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
All-Star Media Advance | Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is coming off a ninth-place finish in last weekend’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. He took part in a media call earlier today to discuss the progress his team has shown since the season started and what his expectations are for this weekend’s All-Star Open.

JUSTIN HALEY, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW GOOD WAS DARLINGTON? “It’s something I feel like we’ve been working towards throughout the season. At the start of the season we had some struggles just with a new crew chief, new spotter, new pit crew, just kind of the issues you probably don’t realize moving to a new team that are quite so significant as they are, just having everyone mesh together, and I feel like over the past two weeks we’ve started to execute how we feel like we should be able to and Darlington was another step at that. I feel like our cars have been fairly competitive and quite quick recently, and I feel like the balance is what I like. I just feel like it’s taken longer than what we wanted to reach this point of having relative speed to be able to compete for top 10s and in the top 15 area, but I feel like that’s where we should run every once in a while, so the speed is starting to get there.”

DOES THE PERFORMANCE AT DARLINGTON GIVE YOU ANY EXTRA MOMENTUM THAT YOU CAN RACE YOUR WAY INTO THE ALL-STAR RACE? “Yeah, of course. Kansas, we were right on the cusp of a top 10 as well before the caution came out and we took four instead of two. That was a difficult call there, but the past few weeks I feel like we’ve had top 10 speed or at least top 15 to the field throughout the race, and I feel like our car has been quick in the race – not maybe in qualifying – but we’ve brought really good race cars and I’m kind of following through with RFK and what they’re doing and kind of leaning on them has been beneficial. I’m super proud of every one at Rick Ware Racing. I feel like we’ve got a good shot this weekend, so we’ll just go and try to do our best and go from there.”

HAVE THE SOCIAL VIDEOS BEEN FUN OR UNCOMFORTABLE TO PROMOTE YOURSELF? “I said this yesterday with the professional and the personality side of things. You’re expected and held to a level of professionalism when you’re in our sport and it’s hard to cross that over to the personality side of things. This has been a great spot for me to break out and show some personality in a professional setting. It’s definitely been cool for me, especially like this week at Darlington. Just leaving the racetrack there were a lot of fans screaming “HaleYes” and things like that, so the reaction from the fans at the track is more than I ever expected and it kind of realizes what we’re doing. You can do it and you can post it and it’s all cool, but until you have the fans interact with you it really validates what you’re doing. I feel pretty good about it going into Sunday.”

HOW MANY TAKES ON ALL THAT STUFF? “I’m a one shot kind of guy. If I don’t do it in the first take, I will mess up the rest of the takes forever, so we filmed twice. We did it at Bristol and a little bit at Kansas. It was fun. I love working with Rick Ware and True Speed on it, so it’s super fun with great ideas. Hopefully we can start to show a little bit more of it.”

CAN YOU GIVE MORE INSIGHT INTO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH RICK WARE? “Rick has a lot of race teams so he’s always flying around. Usually, if there’s an NHRA event or a flat track event, he will be there for parts of the weekend. He normally shows up for Sunday unless the dragster is doing really well or something. I’d say we have a close relationship. We try to have lunch every once in a while and talk. He’s always in our competition meetings and trying to bring value to what we’re doing, so it’s definitely a close relationship. I like how hands-on he is. It’s a little bit different for me to have a team owner that’s here every day and who really encapsulates himself on the competition side of the team as well. It’s been cool. Rick gave me this opportunity to continue my Cup Series career, so I definitely appreciate him and his family.”

HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING THAT WILL HELP MOVING FORWARD FROM A TEAM BUILDING ASPECT? “He definitely spreads himself and then also Robby Benton not only is over the NASCAR stuff as well, he kind of spreads himself to all the teams, so it’s kind of a group effort. I haven’t been to another one of his racing series races because we obviously race every weekend, but he’s definitely successful in all of his forms. We’re just trying to take the Cup Series side of things and prove that we can get it to a spot where it’s pretty competitive.

WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE MOVE TO FORD AND THE CHALLENGES SO FAR THIS SEASON? “It’s tough for me to comment on it just because it’s all new to me and I really don’t know what was in the past and what’s new now. For me, it’s definitely different with engines coming from Roush Yates. We struggled a little bit with that in the start of the season with different procedures and things that they require compared to what I was used to. I probably got that figured out and got past that. The Ford body, I guess you could say they’re all relatively close within NASCAR’s parameters. To be truthfully honest, I feel like every car I’ve driven this year has been balanced well. We might lack speed here and there, but I couldn’t pinpoint what that is, but I feel like all the cars I’ve driven are well. I don’t know if that’s Ford aero balance or just my car doing a really good job with the setup, but it’s hard for me to comment because I don’t have a place of maybe where they were in the past. It’s all so new to me that I’m just trying to get a firm grip on it.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU LEAN ON YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF JUMPING TEAMS? “Every team has a different style and the way they go about it. You have different people and relationships and sponsors and things like that, so I don’t really feel like it was a tough transition. It was probably more than I thought it was going to be just because I was in a place for so long and with a race team for so long. I knew everyone’s names and relationships and everything, so it’s the unexpected things. It’s different shift points or RPMs in an engine, or remembering certain engine procedures and learning names and learning how to talk and debrief with your crew chief and just stuff like that. That was all brand new to me. I didn’t have a single similar thing that I have had for the past few years in Cup racing or racing in general. Everyone was new, except my motorhome driver. You’re just taking a leap of faith and betting on yourself and hoping it works out. I feel like, again, it probably took us longer to climb the mountain than we expected, but I feel like we’re at a height now where we can compete. I feel like we’re trying to start filling the potential that I feel like we’re capable of, so if we just keep working hard. It’s obviously a tough sport and one race isn’t gonna change anything, so we have to go out and continue to do it. I said yesterday when someone asked me where this ranked on races that I remember, I really can’t rank it because there’s always next week. Last week really didn’t matter at this point. We’re focused on North Wilkesboro.”

THIS PERFORMANCE CAME AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE REGULAR SEASON. HOW DO YOU BUILD ON THAT MOMENTUM? “We’ve showed speed at a lot of racetracks. Again, I feel like the month of April to May was kind of where we started to show speed at Bristol and COTA and Dover and Kansas. The 15 car has been quick as well with Kaz behind it. I feel like Kaz has been doing an awesome job for as little experience he has. I feel like he’s been crushing it as well. It’s not only just my car that’s running good, I feel like as a team we’re elevated and leaning on each other. We’ve got to keep working. The car we brought last week probably wouldn’t even be able to compete later in the year because of how fast the Cup Series grows. The cars are always getting faster and evolving and little stuff is happening, so it’s all in the details and we just have to keep working. You can’t just say, ‘OK, that car was fast, leave it together and we’ll run it in three months,’ because in three months the car probably won’t be competitive compared to the field. The field is always moving and getting faster and that’s where the smaller teams might struggle is just keeping up with the fast pace and the millions and millions of dollars that the big teams spend. It’s all in the details and we’re trying to refine those.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK AND WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO WIN THAT? “I feel like it’s definitely cool for maybe a smaller organization like us because I feel like we probably have a better chance than what we would in a regular season playoff. If we have a string of good races, it could be pretty big for us. I like it. I think it’s fun. Hopefully, it drives a little bit more attention and maybe makes it get a little more exciting for the middle of the season races that are just kind of trickling along. It’s definitely an improvement. I like to see the innovation the sport has taken recently and it should be fun.”

THERE ARE A LOT OF QUALITY DRIVERS AND TEAMS IN THE OPEN. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO GET THE FAN VOTE IF YOU DON’T RACE YOUR WAY IN? “Obviously, it would be cool. I looked at the Open yesterday and didn’t realize there are more cars in the Open this year than there are in the All-Star Race. It’s definitely a competitive field and a lot of big names. We just have to go out and bring our best performance. It’s definitely gonna be a little tricky this year with the repave and things like that and tire selection, but we’re just gonna have to keep working forward. I’m not trying to rely on the fan vote. I don’t think anyone is, but it would definitely be cool to win that.”

IF NASCAR GAVE THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT WINNER A PLAYOFF SPOT, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT THINGS AND DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD GIVE A TEAM LIKE RWR A BETTER CHANCE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS OR WOULD IT JUST MAKE THE BIG TEAMS DO MORE DURING THOSE FIVE? “Both, probably. I think it’s a great idea. I don’t think NASCAR would probably pay much attention to the idea, but I don’t mind it. I feel like the more opportunities there are for a playoff spot, the better it is for the position I’m in right now. I don’t mind the idea. I feel like either way the five races are gonna be tough. There’s a lot of competition every week, but those five will kind of be capitalized similar to the Dash 4 Cash in Xfinity.”

This Week in Motorsports: May 13 – 19, 2024

· NCS/NCTS: North Wilkesboro Speedway – May 17-19
· ARCA EAST: Flat Rock Speedway – May 18
· NHRA: Route 66 Raceway – May 17-19

PLANO, Texas (May 15, 2024) – NASCAR is back at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, where the Truck Series holds its 10th race of 2024, and the Cup Series runs its annual All-Star race. The ARCA Menards Series East is at Flat Rock Speedway for its second consecutive race weekend. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back in action after a few weeks off, heading to the Midwest and Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NCTS

Four Camry XSEs top 10 in points … With a week between its next points-paying race, half of Toyota’s full-time Cup Series drivers are currently in the top 10 of the points standings. Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing continue to be the lead Camry XSEs in points, sitting in second and third, respectively. The two are joined inside the top 10 by their teammate, Ty Gibbs (seventh) and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (sixth).

Toyota seeks another All-Star triumph … A win on Sunday for one of the Toyota Camry XSEs would mark the third for Toyota in NASCAR’s All-Star race. The manufacturer captured its first All-Star race victory in 2015 with Hamlin, as well as another event win in 2017 with former Toyota driver Kyle Busch.

Heim, Gray brothers leading Toyota Tundras … After last weekend in Darlington, three Toyota Tundra TRD Pros continue inside the top 10 of the Truck Series points. Corey Heim sits in second position, only 14 points behind of the top spot. His TRICON Garage teammates, Taylor and Tanner Gray, join him in the top 10 in fifth and ninth positions.

Butterbean makes Trucks debut … In the opportunity of a lifetime, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage this Saturday in his Truck Series debut. The Virginia native and CARS Tour racer will look to go back-to-back at North Wilkesboro as he was victorious in the CARS Tour race last year, one of his four victories on the season en route to a second-place finish in the series standings.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series East

Toyota Camrys take on Flat Rock … The ARCA Menards Series East heads to Flat Rock Speedway in Monroe, Michigan, for its fourth race of 2024. For Team Toyota, Gio Ruggiero and Toni Breidinger will pilot Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports, and William Sawalich will once again run for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sawalich and Ruggiero sit just five and six points behind the series points lead entering the weekend.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Toyota racers at the top of points standings … After a few weeks off, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back on track with Team Toyota drivers off to strong starts in 2024. In Top Fuel, Toyota’s six drivers own the top six points standings positions, with Justin Ashley atop the points after his victory at Charlotte three weeks ago. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd remains in second position, with Ron Capps in sixth and Alexis DeJoria in seventh entering the sixth race of the 2024 season.

Toyota’s Top Fuel streak … This weekend in Joliet, Toyota’s Top Fuel dragsters look for their seventh straight victory, a streak that dates back to the 2023 season’s final round at Pomona last November. Team Toyota has six chances at victory across its driver lineup, including Antron Brown who seeks his sixth overall win at Route 66 Raceway in his NHRA career.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

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