LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: LAS VEGAS
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 30 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 7 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 (NBCSN/PRN/SIRIUSXM)
Chase Elliott
No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia
2020 Season
5th in standings
29 starts
2 wins
1 pole position
11 top-five finishes
17 top-10 finishes
669 laps led
Career
178 starts
8 wins
9 pole positions
55 top-five finishes
91 top-10 finishes
2,513 laps led
Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
3 top-10 finishes
82 laps led
SWEET 16: The NASCAR playoffs Round of 16 concluded on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway where Chase Elliott garnered a seventh-place finish in the 500-lap event. In the three races of the round, the driver of the No. 9 collected the most stage points (35) and had the best average running position (5.37) of all drivers. Elliott led a total of 139 laps and picked up one top-five finish and two top-10s in the three events.
PLAYOFFS CONTINUE: For the fifth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott has advanced to the Round of 12 of the playoffs. Of the three tracks in the second round (Las Vegas, Talladega, Charlotte road course), Elliott has won at both Talladega and the Charlotte road course.
UNIFIRST TAKES VEGAS: On Sunday, UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing customized work uniform programs, corporate attire and facility service products, will serve as the primary sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team. It will be the final race of the season that UniFirst will be the primary partner and have its updated green corporate logo adorning the No. 9 Chevrolet. In 2016, Hendrick Motorsports and UniFirst announced an eight-year partnership. UniFirst is the Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, supplying work clothing and uniforms to the team and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, which is the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States. Most recently, it was onboard for Elliott’s All-Star Race win at Bristol Motor Speedway in July.
LAST 10: Over the last 10 races in the 2020 season, Elliott is tied for the most top-10 finishes (eight) in those events. He also won at the DAYTONA Road Course, posted four top-five results and led a total of 218 laps in the last 10 races.
ELLIOTT THROUGH 29: In 29 starts in 2020, Elliott has accumulated career bests in laps led (669), runner-up results (three), top-five finishes (11), stage points (235) and stage wins (seven). His 17 top-10s are tied for a personal best and his two wins are the second most for him at the 29-race mark.
LAS VEGAS STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his previous seven starts, he has collected two top-five finishes and three top-10s. Earlier this season at the 1.5-mile track, Elliott led 70 laps and won both Stage 1 and Stage 2. Unfortunately, a flat left-rear tire sent him into the wall, causing enough damage to put him a lap down and ultimately finished 26th.
RIDING WITH ELLIOTT: This weekend at Las Vegas, Elliott will have a special moniker featured on his No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet. Dr. David Elkowitz’s name will be over the driver’s door as part of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and NASCAR Foundation’s initiative to showcase those who have fought bravely against cancer. Dr. Elkowitz hails from Smithtown, New York, and was nominated by his wife Stephanie. A die-hard Hendrick Motorsports fan, Dr. Elkowitz continued teaching his medical students at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell despite undergoing 12 weeks of intense chemotherapy.
1.5-MILE STATS: Chase Elliott will make his 54th start on a 1.5-mile track this weekend as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his previous 53 starts on the same track length, he has led 617 laps. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native scored his first 1.5-mile track win in October 2018 at Kansas Speedway and most recently won at Charlotte on May 27. Along with those wins, Elliott has collected 18 top-five finishes – five of which are runner-up results – and 28 top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks. So far in 2020 on 1.5-milers, he has led a career best in laps led (189).
GIVE A HOOT: On Wednesday, the No. 9 Hooters Give A Hoot Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that Elliott will pilot at Texas Motor Speedway in October was unveiled. The special black and pink scheme promotes Hooters’ Give A Hoot campaign that supports the fight against breast cancer. Everyone can join Hooters in the fight against breast cancer and #GiveAHoot by purchasing specially produced pink No. 9 merchandise at Hooters.com and the Chase Elliott Store. A portion of sales will benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading cancer research funding organizations, as well as other local beneficiaries through Hooters Community Endowment Fund and Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund. For more information or to donate visit Hooters.com/Give.
William Byron
No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina
2020 Season
14th in standings
29 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
97 laps led
Career
101 starts
1 win
5 pole positions
8 top-five finishes
27 top-10 finishes
391 laps led
Track Career
5 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
27 laps led
STILL FIGHTING: While William Byron’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff run came to an unfortunate early close after an on-track incident at Bristol Motor Speedway, there are still seven races left in the 2020 season. With points resetting after the Round of 16, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native now sits 14th in the standings with the opportunity to gain additional positions in the remaining events.
LOOKING FOR LUCK: When the No. 24 Axalta Chevy ZL1 1LE unloads for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it will mark Byron’s sixth Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway. Out of those five previous starts, Byron has a best qualifying effort of 11th in the February race earlier this year and a track-best finish of seventh in September 2019. However, the 22-year-old driver’s stats at Las Vegas don’t accurately represent the strength the No. 24 team has displayed there. For example, in February, Byron finished sixth in Stage 1, fourth in Stage 2 and restarted second for the two-lap shootout to the end. Unfortunately, contact with another competitor on the restart left him with a tire rub and a 22nd-place finish, despite running inside or near the top five all race.
KNAUS’ KNACK: Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be veteran crew chief Chad Knaus’ 22nd race on top of the pit box at the west coast track. In his previous 21 starts at the 1.5-mile track, Knaus has three wins, all coming with Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team, ranking him second for most victories to crew chief Paul Wolfe, who has four.
AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: Making their return since the doubleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway in August, Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After this weekend’s race, Axalta will have one more race with Byron in 2020 at the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. In 2020, Axalta is the 22-race majority partner of the No. 24 team. The company’s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports was recently extended, taking one of the most enduring partnerships in sports through 2027.
REMEMBERING DAVID OLIVER: Earlier this month, the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and the NASCAR Foundation partnered together to recognize those who have battled cancer and support Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month by auctioning off the space above the driver-side door to honor a cancer hero. For this weekend’s race, Byron will have David Oliver riding on board his No. 24 Chevy, who was nominated by Kelley Earnhardt-Miller. Working in motorsports early on, Oliver began his career racing at local dirt tracks before pursuing his dream career in NASCAR. For over 30 years, Oliver worked as a mechanic at championship-caliber teams, including Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. He was a part of the championship teams of Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth. Unfortunately, Oliver lost his battle to Synovial Sarcoma in June of this year.
Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 45 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina
2020 Season
17th in standings
28 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
9 top-10 finishes
102 laps led
Career
679 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
231 top-five finishes
373 top-10 finishes
18,936 laps led
Track Career
21 starts
4 wins
0 pole positions
7 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
595 laps led
GAMBLING IN VEGAS: At the race in February at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson started 18th and quickly moved into contention. He finished ninth and seventh in the first two stages and a two-tire stop gamble by crew chief Cliff Daniels saw Johnson finish the event in fifth place, recording his seventh top-five at the racetrack on the outskirts of “Sin City.”
LEADING THE PACK: As Johnson heads to Las Vegas for the final time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, he leads all current drivers with most wins at the 1.5-mile track with four. One of the most iconic races Johnson won at Vegas was the coveted 150th cup win for Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick. Once Johnson secured the checkered flag, all four Hendrick Motorsports teams and drivers went to the flamboyant victory lane to celebrate with Johnson and then-crew chief Chad Knaus. The duo posed with heavyweight belts, which was the track trophy at the time, and traditional Vegas showgirls.
A RIDE FIT FOR A ‘COUNT’: Ally Racing recently brought together Johnson, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and Las Vegas-based custom car personality Danny “The Count” Koker to share in their love for racing, music and cars. Koker, creator of the show “Counting Cars,” and Johnson filmed a four-episode content series showcasing the legends discussing car design and livery of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event. The car was unveiled this week and Johnson will sport a Count Kustoms decal as a thank you to Koker. For more information and to watch the weekly episodes, go to AllyRacing.com.
BRISTOL HONORS JJ: Last weekend, Bristol Motor Speedway recognized the historic accomplishments Johnson, a winner of two Food City 500s at “The Last Great Colosseum,” with a 5K trail surrounding BMS property named in his honor. The “JJ 5K Trail at Bristol Motor Speedway,” located on the track property, is a 3.2-mile course and marked trail that highlights Johnson’s career accomplishments at Bristol and in the NASCAR Cup Series. It will open in 2021 and be available to all guests who are attending events at the iconic Northeast Tennessee venue. In addition to the trail, the track, in partnership with Trek (bicycles) and Food City, will also donate 48 bicycles in Johnson’s honor to children through Santa Pal in Bristol, Virginia, and other charities that receive support from BMS’ chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. Johnson met with track president Jerry Caldwell before the race on Saturday to accept the honor.
HONORING A CANCER HERO: In conjunction with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet will have a “Cancer Hero” whose name will ride along with Johnson on Sunday at Las Vegas. Rajean Lowenstein lived in Casselberry, Florida, and was nominated by her sister, Nida Diekmann. Lowenstein, a mother of four children, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1994. She fought and survived for 13 years before passing away in 2007 at the age of 46. Diekmann described her sister as her hero and said, “She won the fight, cancer didn’t win. She accomplished what she wanted and, for that, she will forever be my hero.” Lowenstein battled hard and was able to see all four children graduate before she passed.
PIT CREW REMAINS STRONG: Heading into the 30th race of the 2020 season, the No. 48 pit crew are some of the top performers on pit road. The crew, consisting of veterans Calvin Teague, Brandon Harder and Kyle Tudor as well as Allen Stallings and Donnie Tasser, has averaged a 14.34 on pit road, which ranks 10th among all teams in the NASCAR Cup Series. Led by pit coach Jon Carvin, the No. 48 crew also pits for Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, who currently is third in the point standings with three wins this season.
Alex Bowman
No. 88 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 27 Resides Concord, North Carolina
2020 Season
7th in standings
29 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
389 laps led
Career
182 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
13 top-five finishes
36 top-10 finishes
863 laps led
Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led
SITTING IN SEVENTH: Coming off a 16th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend, Alex Bowman clinched a spot in the Round of 12 for the third consecutive year. Bowman now sits seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings going into this weekend’s race in Las Vegas. The Tucson, Arizona, native is 58 markers behind the leader. In the Round of 16, Bowman earned 109 points in three events, which is the sixth-highest number of points earned by playoff drivers. He also earned the fifth-highest amount of stage points with 29 and averaged the fifth-best running position of 9.88.
BOWMAN IN VEGAS: The 27-year-old driver of the No. 88 machine has seven previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Las Vegas track. Bowman’s best qualifying effort of ninth came in the fall race in 2018 and his best finish of sixth came in the fall event in 2019. Earlier this season, Bowman placed 13th after capturing stage points in each of the two stages. In his lone start at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Bowman finished eighth after qualifying 18th for the 200-lap event in 2013.
RIDING WITH PA: On Sunday, there will be a new name above the door of the No. 88 LLumar Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway thanks to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s “Cancer Hero Program.” Kenneth Chase, a native of Sebago, Maine, lost a nine-year battle with cancer on August 25, 2020. Known to his six grandchildren as “Pa,” Chase was a dedicated NASCAR fan. He and his wife of 54 years, Esther, went annually to New Hampshire Motor Speedway with their grandchildren by their side. On the weekend of what would have been his 77th birthday, Chase will be riding on board the No. 88 machine in Vegas with Bowman.
1.5-MILE STATS: The No. 88 team has four stage wins this season, which is tied for sixth overall in the NASCAR Cup Series. Three of these stage wins came at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The sixth-year Cup Series driver won three out of five total stages at Charlotte in May, which is the most stage wins by one driver at a 1.5-mile facility this season. Bowman has led 221 laps this season on 1.5-mile tracks, which is more than his career total (189) prior to 2020.
ROLLING THE DICE: Greg Ives will call his ninth Cup Series race at Las Vegas this weekend for the first event in the Round of 12. In eight previous events at the 1.5-mile facility, the crew chief has one top-five and three top-10s with a best finish of fourth in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ives has two starts in the Xfinity Series at the track, which includes one top-five with Chase Elliott in 2014 and one top-10 with Regan Smith in 2013. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of three wins and four top-five finishes at Las Vegas.
LLUMAR IS BACK: LLumar is back on board the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for their final primary event this season. Eastman Performance Films, LLC joined Hendrick Motorsports back in 2018 as a primary sponsor of Alex Bowman and the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE through 2020. The sponsorship features the LLumar brand of window film and paint protection film on board Bowman’s machine. In February, Hendrick Motorsports and LLumar unveiled the 2020 scheme that will run on track this season.
DEALS, DEALS, DEALS: During the month of September, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on various accessories on its website. Customers can receive 10% below MSRP on all Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero accessories purchased online. Use code CHEVYGOODS to receive the discount at ChevyGoods.com.
Hendrick Motorsports
HIGH ROLLERS: Hendrick Motorsports heads into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with good odds of success. The team has hit the jackpot with five wins there, which ties it for the second-most in the series. Its six runner-up finishes, 22 top-fives and 1,455 laps led are all “Sin City” track records. The organization’s 40 top-10 results are tied for the most ever at the 1.5-mile venue.
50-50 ODDS: Sunday’s race at Las Vegas will fall on Sept. 27, which historically has been good time to bet on Hendrick Motorsports. Since its inception in 1984, the team has competed in four NASCAR Cup Series events held on the date with victories in two of them. Driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Darrell Waltrip won at Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1987, and Jimmie Johnson won at Dover on Sept. 27, 2009. In the other two Sept. 27 races, Jeff Gordon finished second at Martinsville in 1998 and Hendrick Motorsports place three cars in the top 10 at New Hampshire in 2015.
STRAIGHT FLUSH: Hendrick Motorsports has placed at least one car inside the top 10 in the last 11 NASCAR Cup Series races, which is one away from matching the team’s longest streak of 2020. Its Chevrolet race cars have also led laps in seven straight races, the best active streak by any organization.
HOT HAND: Since the inception of the format in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports has 44 NASCAR Cup Series playoff wins – 16 more than any other team. The organization has scored at least one playoff victory in a record 15 different seasons, missing only 2017. A series-topping seven different drivers have won a playoff race for Hendrick Motorsports.
ALL IN: Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 260 race victories and holds the all-time records for championships (12), pole positions (226), top-five finishes (1,092), top-10s (1,885) and laps led (70,146) in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Including 2020, the organization has won at least one race in 35 consecutive seasons, the longest-ever streak. Hendrick Motorsports is eight wins away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time Cup record of 268.
QUOTABLE /
Driver Chase Elliott on returning to Las Vegas:
“Las Vegas is a track that went pretty well for us earlier this season. Obviously, a lot has changed since then, but I am really looking forward to getting back. This is an important time for the UniFirst since we are still in the playoffs. Hopefully it goes well and we run like we did in the spring.”
Elliott on advancing to Round of 12:
“I’m definitely excited to move on in the playoffs and proud of the effort of my team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. I hope this next round is good for us. It’s definitely not going to get any easier as it goes.”
Driver William Byron on returning to Vegas since the pandemic:
“It’s crazy to think how far things have evolved since we went to Vegas earlier this year. It was just the second race of the year and before everything changed with the pandemic. That race, we had a lot of speed even though everything was still new and fresh for the year. We had a fast car and we just have to continue that when we get Vegas this weekend.”
Byron on how the track can change this time of year:
“The track definitely does change, even with a slight change in temperature. We’re used to going to Vegas at the beginning of September when it’s still really hot. I think being closer to the end of September it will have started to cool off a bit. That will make it unique for us, especially with the late start time Sunday. This race is going to have some different elements that everyone will need to overcome.”
Driver Jimmie Johnson on his favorite Las Vegas memories:
“Las Vegas has always been a great place to race. I have had some highs and lows there – which is fitting since it’s the gambling capital of the world. Winning the 150th for Hendrick Motorsports was one of the best memories over the years. I love to go out there and cycle on a Saturday afternoon and there are so many great places to experience the area close by the track. We didn’t have anything go our way last weekend in Bristol. It’s frustrating, but we have to stay optimistic. I feel in my heart we can win one of these last races. We just need some luck.”
Driver Alex Bowman on making it to the Round of 12:
“Clinching a spot in the Round of 12 last weekend in Bristol was exactly what we needed to do as a team. Although we didn’t have the greatest finish last week, it was something that was completely out of our control. We have some strong tracks in the Round of 12 that will be good for us. Our main goal this season was to make the Round of 8 and I really feel like this team is on track to do that. We have to continue putting solid races together and getting strong finishes.”
Bowman on going back to Las Vegas:
“Las Vegas is a strong track for us. We ran really well in the spring event this season, so I am ready to get back to the track this weekend. Our intermediate program at Hendrick Motorsports is really strong and we need to have a strong race this weekend. Greg (Ives) and the LLumar team have been working extremely hard on our cars and I really think it is showing.”
