TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROAD COURSE
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
SEPTEMBER 30, 2018
BOWTIE BULLETS
INAUGURAL MASTERY:
Chevrolet has won seven inaugural races at the current 24 tracks on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS). When it comes to new venues, Chevrolet drivers and teams adapt quickly and over the years have been the best at tackling new challenges, winning more inaugural races at the current tracks on the Cup Series docket than any other manufacturer. Chevrolet drivers and teams won inaugural events at Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway (oval), Chicagoland Speedway, Watkins Glen and Indianapolis Motor Speedway
OVAL SUCCESS:
When it comes to the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, no other manufacturer has had more success at the Concord, North Carolina track than Chevrolet. The Bowtie Brand has a record 45 victories around the 1.5-mile oval, including the inaugural World 600 in 1960. Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of seven tracks (Atlanta, Bristol, Darlington, Daytona, Martinsville, and Talladega) on the current MENCS schedule where Chevy has 40 or more wins.
MILESTONE ALERT:
The next MENCS pole award a Chevrolet driver captures will be Team Chevy’s 700th pole in NASCAR’s premier division, more than any other manufacturer competing at NASCAR’s top level. Thus far in 2018, Chevrolet drivers have captured five poles at the Daytona 500, Dover, Sonoma, July Daytona and most recently at Bristol Motor Speedway.
CHEVY ROAD COURSE RECAP:
Watkins Glen and Sonoma Raceway are the other two road courses on the current 24- track MENCS schedule. Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer at both road course tracks with 11 victories around the 1.99-mile Sonoma track and 18 trophies from the finger lakes region where Watkins Glen is nestled including the most recent road course win at the 2.45-mile course with Chase Elliott earning his first career Cup Series victory.
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
The inaugural Charlotte Roval will be the third races in the first round of the 2018 Playoffs. Of the five Chevrolet drivers in contention to earn this year’s championship, four Bowtie Branded drivers go into what many are calling the biggest ‘wild card’ race of the 10-race Playoffs above the cutoff line. Only seven-time series champion and career-long Chevrolet driver, Jimmie Johnson is one of the four drivers sitting below the cutoff line. Johnson is six points out of moving on to the Round of 12. No Chevrolet Playoff contender is ‘safe’, but all five Chevrolet drivers have an opportunity to move ahead to the Round of 12 with strong runs this weekend at the Roval.
TUNE-IN:
The Bank of America ROVAL 400 is scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 30 at 2:00 pm, ET. Live coverage can be found on NBC, PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
FOR THE FANS:
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display located in the Fan Midway Area at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Fans can check out great a great assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Display including: Cruze Hatchback Premier, 2019 Bolt Ev, 2019 Trax Premier, 2019 Traverse Premier, 2019 Corvette Stingray, 2019 Equinox Premier, 2019 1500 Silverado All Star Edition, Malibu, 2019 Tahoe Premier, 2019 2500 Silverado LTZ ,2019 Colorado, 1500 Silverado High Country, Camaro ZL1
At the Chevrolet Display, fans can view the No. 8 Camaro ZL1 show car and the No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Camaro ZL1 show car
Also, on display is a Chevrolet R07 racing engine complete with electronic fuel injection. Fans can also see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet Performance at their local Chevrolet dealer or at accessories.chevrolet.com
Other activities at the Team Chevy Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids
TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:
Saturday, Sept. 29th
11:00 a.m. – Matt Tifft
11:15 a.m. – Tanner Berryhill
Sunday, Sept. 30th
10:15 a.m. – Regan Smith
10:45 a.m. – Kyle Larson
10:55 a.m. – Ryan Newman
11:15 a.m. – Ty Dillon
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Fri. Sept. 28th – 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sat. Sept. 29th – 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and Sun. Sept. 30th – 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHEVROLET DRIVERS IN PLAYOFF CONTENDERS:
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CLOVER/FIRST DATA CAMARO ZL1 – 7TH IN STANDINGS
“This weekend’s race should be interesting, for sure. We tested at the Roval and were pretty fast, but like a lot of teams also wrecked a car. My guys do a really good job of getting our cars ready to race, no matter how we unload, so with a lot of unknowns this weekend I’m sure they’ll be working hard to get our Chevy where it needs to be for Sunday. I don’t really know what our strategy will be, but with this weekend being a cut-off race and a race on a new track, I’m sure things will be intense and exciting for the drivers and the fans. We’re looking decent in the points heading into the weekend, so hopefully we can have a good race and move on to the next round of the playoffs.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 SUNENERGY1 CAMARO ZL1 – 9TH IN STANDINGS
“I think that survival will be key there and hoping that you can just not crash by yourself. I mean, heck, I spun out a couple of times by myself and a lot of guys have gone off track not even racing anybody. Just lining up and getting in line and making laps and trying to be solid. I don’t know, we will see where we stack up pace wise when we get there and then we can adjust how we want to approach the race.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW CAMARO ZL1 – 10TH IN STANDINGS
“The whole track is treacherous. There are places where you can bust your tail at any given moment. Being over-aggressive can gain you speed, but it also can take you out if you end up jumping a curb. For me, the passing opportunities are the slow area in Turn 7, where there’s a slow left-hander, and going into Turn 1. I think Turn 1 will be a pretty good passing zone. Truthfully, I don’t think anyone really knows yet what to expect for the Roval.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 – 11TH IN STANDINGS
“The Charlotte oval is one of my favorite places. I wish we were going there, but it’s something new and unique. NASCAR is always trying to make the racing better, so it’s cool to see.”
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S FOR PRO’S CAMARO ZL1 – 14TH IN STANDINGS
“The Roval is such an unknown. All I have to go on from is our test session and we actually had a really good test in July, so maybe there’s a chance for us to get a win. It’s going to be exciting for the fans, could switch up the playoff picture for sure. Even though we had a solid night in Richmond, we are still on the outside looking in, but will just go there and give 100 percent and do what we can. It’s been one of those years, but we are going to go down swinging to the bitter end. Hopefully we can survive to see another round.”
CHEVROLET DRIVERS NOT IN PLAYOFF CONTENTION:
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 GRAINGER/AMERICAN RED CROSS CAMARO ZL1 – 17TH IN STANDINGS
“There are places where you can gain and lose the most time in and it’s the places where you are going really, really, fast to really, really slow. The key is to get through them as clean as you possibly can. The infield part of the course is a challenge, too. For me, the biggest adjustment is getting used to the last two corners. I think they are the most challenging.
“My first impression of the Roval when we tested was it still needed a little bit of work in a couple different areas. I know they were working to keep people honest on the back straightaway. It’s going to be what it’s going to be. It’s going to be a very important race in the Playoffs and it’s new to our sport. Any time we can do something new and exciting is a good thing. We want to try and make the best of those situations when turning an oval into a road course. It doesn’t happen every day. It’s not going to be a true road course. It’s a Roval. I’ve got experience at Daytona and it’s considered to be a Roval. I just want to make the best of a situation. The only thing we know for sure is there is going to be a winner.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1 – 22ND IN STANDINGS
“This will be a tough one. It’s going to be unusual because we’ve always run on the oval at Charlotte in the fall. The temps are going to be a little cooler than when we tested the ROVAL in July, so the track will be different. Hopefully, we can just survive the whole race and see what happens at the end. The road courses have been solid for us this year – we qualified in the top 10 in both and had some good results, so hopefully we can lean on those notes some, but at the same time, this is going to be a completely different beast.”
CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 MAPLE CHEERIOS CAMARO ZL1 – 23RD IN STANDINGS
“I think the only thing we can expect at the Roval this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway is that anything can happen, and anything will happen. I’m really excited to see how it’s going to go. During the test over the summer months, it really gave us a decent idea at what it’s going to take to be fast around there. I love how different it is from anything else we race on, and that we’re all going to go in there with a clean slate, even though it’s a cutoff race for the Playoff drivers. It’s really going to be a race where we don’t know what to expect, and that makes it all the more exciting. I love the idea behind it, and every turn is going to be unique. We’re going to have to try and keep our Maple Cheerios Camaro ZL1 clean through the infield, so that we still have some speed running through the oval corners. Then, you have to get slowed up to make it through the frontstretch chicane, and do it all over again on the next lap. It’s a long race, and anything can truly happen here. Being the first one, there is always going to be room for improvements, but we’re all in it together and will find out when we get there.”
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 KROGER CLICKLIST CAMARO ZL1 – 24TH IN STANDINGS
“Racing the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend is going to be interesting. The whole course is going to be challenging, but I think the chicane on the back straightaway is going to be one of the biggest challenges. We enter there at 175 or 180 mph and you’re pointed at a tire barrier on the exit, and that was just by ourselves during the test in July. One of the keys to running well is going to be making the beginning of the corner better than the exit. In general, I think track position is going to be critical. It’s going to be tough to pass anywhere on the track. Tires are going to be important as they started to go away pretty quick during the test. But, I think in the infield, passing is going to be tough. You’re going to see that fine line between bouncing off each other in the infield to make a pass, and still needing aerodynamics in our Kroger ClickList Camaro ZL1 to get through oval corners. That’s going to be critical to making sure you’ve still got all the fenders on the car. It’s going to be a fun race and I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s great they gave us something different, especially during the Playoffs, to break up the schedule and make it a cutoff race for the Playoff drivers. It’s going to be exciting to watch, for sure.”
DARRELL ‘BUBBA’ WALLACE, NO. 43 WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CAMARO ZL1 – 27TH IN STANDINGS
“It’s cool because it’s different, and it’s a different challenge for everyone. We’re ready to go back to the track with World Wide Technology on our Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 again. They have been great partners, so we’re looking forward to seeing them. On the track, it’s going to be exciting. A lot of guys will have different strategies, because of the playoffs, but I don’t think anyone really knows for sure what to expect.
“I plan on running my own race. We have our own goals and that’s to get the best finish at the end. It’s a race that’s going to have to take some patience and being smart.”
TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 – 29TH IN STANDINGS
“The Roval is going to be a challenge. It’s going to be unique. I think there will be a lot of different strategies in how teams attack the weekend. It’s a fun change, and I’m glad that NASCAR is trying something different with it. I know that there have been mixed opinions on the Roval, but we haven’t raced it yet. It could end up being a really great race. I tested it a couple of months ago with my GEICO Camaro ZL1 and felt pretty comfortable. But, it is definitely challenging. There is no room for mistakes, and I think that’s going to cause the most issues for people.”
REGAN SMITH, NO. 95 PROCORE CAMARO ZL1 – Filling in for Kasey Kahne
“Heading into the ROVAL this weekend, I know that there are several guys not looking forward to it, but I would happen to be one of them that is excited for it. We don’t have any playoff points or anything like that to worry about, so it’s just a matter of going out there to get the best finish we can, while running as hard as we can. Road racing to me has been one of my favorite things to do over the years. It doesn’t matter if it’s a ROVAL, a true road course, or a street course. I just enjoy road course racing and the challenges it presents of going left and right, trying to make the race car as good as you can in every corner, while compromising in other corners in order to get the best lap times possible. I’m pumped up heading into this weekend. Last week was a struggle at Richmond. We just didn’t start the weekend off well and struggled from that point on, so I’m looking forward to going out and getting a little redemption after what we’d call a sub-par performance and having some fun on Sunday.”
DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 SMOKEY MOUNTAIN HERBAL SNUFF CAMARO ZL1:
“Last fall, I was able to take part in the Goodyear tire test on the Roval, and that was my first time in a Cup car. I was getting acclimated to the Cup car, plus going through the motions of participating in my first tire test period. You’re going through the course, giving feedback, they’re moving the chicanes back and forth, it was really early in the development of the Roval and a lot has changed since then. I didn’t get to participate in the last two Cup tests at the Roval, but I do have laps and I do have an idea of shift points and the little things that take time when you go to a new racetrack to figure out. It is going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. I think the biggest things I take away from what I have experienced and learned from our teammates’ test there this year are the lack of runoff room around the track and that makes the driver tip-toe around the track. You are going to have to be on it just to make sure you can keep your race car in one piece to have something to race with by the time they pay a check at the end of the day. If I wasn’t in both races, I would be in the grandstands watching because it’s going to be entertaining and fun to watch.”
Chevrolet Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2015): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-2015)
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 – 2016): 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 – (in 2007)
2018 STATISTICS:
Wins: 2
Poles: 5
Laps Led: 1,255
Top-five finishes: 30
Top-10 finishes: 80
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 777 (1949 – to date)
Poles Won to Date: 699
Laps Led to Date: 232,056
Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,962
Top-10 Finishes to Date: 8,148
Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 1,112
Chevrolet: 777
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 772
Ford: 672
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Chrysler: 466
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 122
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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.
