TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
2023 Daytona Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
February 15-19, 2023
SETTING THE STAGE FOR 2023
Chevrolet drivers and teams across NASCAR’s three national series will head to the “World Center of Racing” – Daytona International Speedway – where the Daytona Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth will officially wave the green flag to not only start the 2023 season but also the celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary.
Chevrolet’s storied history at the famed 2.5-mile, high-banked Florida superspeedway expands across all three NASCAR national series. The Bowtie brand has amassed 96 all-time combined victories at the track in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS), making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer at Daytona International Speedway in NASCAR history. The manufacturer’s two most recent wins at the track came in August 2022, when Team Chevy’s Austin Dillon and Jeremy Clements swept the NCS and NXS regular-season finales.
EYES ON #25
The Daytona 500 champion will become a part of the sport’s history, with the winning driver’s name earning a spot on the prestigious Harley J. Earl trophy following Sunday’s race.
Chevrolet – the winningest manufacturer in NCS history – has recorded 49 victories in NASCAR’s premier series at Daytona International Speedway. Of that manufacturer-leading win count, 17 different drivers have recorded a combined 24 Daytona 500 victories for Chevrolet:
RACE FOR THE FRONT ROW
The 2022 Daytona 500 saw Chevrolet take its Daytona pole streak to double digits, with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team giving the Bowtie brand its 10th consecutive pole – and 30th all-time – in “The Great American Race”.
To add onto the manufacturer’s impressive qualifying statistics in the crown jewel event, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman powered his No. 48 Camaro ZL1 to second-fastest on the speed chart, giving Chevrolet a sweep of the Daytona 500 front row for the 20th time in the event’s history, including 10 of the past 12 years. Bowman’s front-row feat made him the only NCS driver in history to sit on the Daytona 500 front row for five consecutive years (2018-2022).
CAMARO SS LOOKING FOR SEVEN IN A ROW
The NXS will hit the high banks of Daytona International Speedway on Saturday with the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300” to kick off its 33-race schedule. Chevrolet is coming off a strong season in the series, collecting 24 wins (a winning percentage of 73 percent on the season) as the manufacturer claimed its 24th NXS Manufacturer’s Championship. The title marked the eighth NXS Manufacturer’s Championship for the Camaro SS since becoming Chevrolet’s flagship race car in the series in 2013, including a streak of the past six consecutive years.
There will be a couple of new drivers welcomed into the Team Chevy family in the NXS this season:
· Brandon Jones takes over the No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro SS in 2023. The 25-year-old Georgia native will enter his eighth full-time season in the series. The young driver advanced to the NXS Playoffs Round of 8 for the past three consecutive seasons. Jones joins Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Sam Mayer to complete the four-car JR Motorsports lineup.
· Making the jump from the NCTS, Chandler Smith takes on his first full-time NXS season in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS. The 20-year-old Georgia native contested the NCTS full-time the past two seasons while he also made three starts in the NXS series in 2022. Smith will race alongside teammate Daniel Hemric, who returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS.
NEW TO THE LINEUP
The NCTS starts its 2023 season Friday at Daytona International Speedway with the NextEra Energy 250. In the series’ 28-season history, Chevrolet has collected 10 Manufacturer’s Championships, including the series’ first four in consecutive seasons (1995-1998). Chevrolet also leads the series in wins, with the manufacturer heading into the 2023 season with 262.
The Bowtie brand looks to add onto its legacy in the series with a strong lineup of young talent across the Chevrolet teams.
· GMS Racing expands to a three-truck team in 2023, with the lineup including a series veteran and two Rookie of the Year contenders. Grant Enfinger returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 23 Silverado RST for his second full-time season with GMS Racing. The 38-year-old Alabama native is coming off a playoff run in his first full-time season with the Chevrolet team, ultimately finishing seventh in the final points standings. Enfinger will be joined by teammates Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Silverado RST, and Daniel Dye, No. 43 Silverado RST. Both of the young talents are coming off a strong campaign in the ARCA Menards Series, with Dye and Caruth ending the season second and third, respectively, in the final points standings.
· Continuing its alliance with GMS Racing, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing fields two Silverado RSTs this season. Joining the Bowtie brigade for the first time in his career, Christian Eckes takes over the driving duties of the No. 19 Silverado RST. The 2023 season will mark Eckes’ third full-time NCTS season with the 22-year-old New York native making the playoffs the past two consecutive seasons. Jake Garcia will contest his NCTS rookie season with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, piloting the No. 35 Silverado RST starting at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March following his 18th birthday. Chase Elliott, 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and fellow Chevrolet driver, will fill Garcia’s seat in the series’ season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
· Making the transition to the Team Chevy family, Kyle Busch Motorsports will field two full-time teams in the NCTS in 2023. The organization’s No. 4 Silverado RST team will compete for the NCTS Driver’s Championship this season with Chase Purdy behind the wheel of the Chevrolet-powered machine. The organization’s second entry, the No. 51 Silverado RST, will compete for the NCTS Owner’s Championship. Driver’s Edge Development driver Jack Wood will compete in a minimum of 10 races for the team, with his first start taking place at Daytona. Wood will compete alongside team owner, Kyle Busch, and a lineup of other Chevrolet drivers throughout the season.
· Rev Racing is climbing the ranks into the NASCAR national level, fielding one full-time team in the NCTS in 2023. Nick Sanchez will compete in his first full-time season in the series, piloting the No. 2 Silverado RST. A familiar face to Rev Racing, Sanchez spent the past five years competing with the organization as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. The 21-year-old Florida native is coming off a season that delivered him the 2022 ARCA Menards Series Champion title.
THE RETURN OF ‘SEVEN-TIME’
Career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson retired from full-time NCS competition at the end of the 2020 season, leaving a legacy of 83 all-time wins and seven championships in NASCAR’s premier series. The 47-year-old took the NASCAR world by storm during the offseason, taking on an ownership role in the re-branded LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.
The 2023 season also sees Johnson make his return to the driver’s seat in NASCAR’s premier series, running a limited schedule in a third entry for the organization. Johnson, veteran crew chief Todd Gordon, and the No. 84 Camaro ZL1 team will make their debut this weekend as the team looks to race their way into one of the four open spots in the Daytona 500. Johnson’s career includes three NCS victories at Daytona International Speedway, two of which came in the Daytona 500 (2006, 2013). Only five times in series history has a driver swept the Daytona 500 and the NCS summer Daytona race in a single season, with Johnson accomplishing that feat in 2013.
VYING FOR A SPOT
A handful of non-chartered cars will take their shot at qualifying for one of the four open spots to complete the 40-car Daytona 500 field, including a group of notable Chevrolet drivers. Competitors joining Johnson on that list include:
· Conor Daly, No. 50 The Money Team Racing Camaro ZL1 – A familiar face in the Team Chevy NTT INDYCAR Series driver lineup, Conor Daly is set to make his first attempt at qualifying for the Daytona 500. Daly has made only four career starts in NASCAR’s national ranks, including his NCS debut at the Charlotte ROVAL last season behind the wheel of the No. 50 The Money Team Racing Camaro ZL1.
· Chandler Smith, No. 13 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1 – On top of competing in his first full-time NXS season in 2023, Smith also will make his debut in NASCAR’s premier series. The young driver is slated to make five NCS starts with Kaulig Racing this season, with his first coming in an attempt to qualify for this weekend’s crown-jewel event.
· Austin Hill, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – NXS Chevrolet driver Austin Hill is gearing up to make six NCS starts this season with Beard Motorsports and the No. 62 Camaro ZL1 team, including the Daytona 500. Hill has made one career start in NASCAR’s premier series, but is no stranger to victory lane at Daytona International Speedway. In his rookie season with the NXS, Hill drove his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS to the victory in the series’ season-opener at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway (February 2022).
SHINING ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS
Chevrolet drivers proved their strength in superspeedway competition last season. In four NCS appearances on superspeedways in 2022, the Camaro ZL1 made its way to victory lane in three of those events. Those triumphs included a sweep of the NCS races at Talladega Superspeedway for Ross Chastain (No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – April 2022) and Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – October 2022), plus Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1) captured the NCS regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway (August 2022).
BOWTIE BULLETS
· NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at Daytona International Speedway:
Jimmie Johnson – 3 (February 2006, February 2013, July 2013)
Austin Dillon – 2 (February 2018 & August 2022)
Kyle Busch – 1 (July 2008)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 1 (July 2017)
Erik Jones – 1 (July 2019)
Justin Haley – 1 (July 2019)
William Byron – 1 (August 2020)
· Active NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet drivers who have recorded a Daytona 500 victory:
Jimmie Johnson – 2 (2006 & 2013)
Austin Dillon – 1 (2018)
· Of the 151 appearances made by NASCAR’s premier series at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 49 wins, 52 poles, 226 top-fives, 454 top-10s, and led 8,118 laps.
· Of Chevrolet’s 49 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins at Daytona International Speedway, the manufacturer has recorded a series-leading 24 Daytona 500 victories.
· Chevrolet has won 96 times at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway.
· Chevrolet has captured the Daytona 500 pole win a manufacturer-leading 30 times, including the past 10 consecutive years (most recent: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, in 2022).
· Chevrolet has swept the Daytona 500 front row 20 times in the event’s history, including 10 of the past 12 years (most recent: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, and Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, in 2022).
· Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is the only driver in series history to sit on the Daytona 500 front row for five consecutive years (2018-2022).
· All behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, Hendrick Motorsports has won 15 Daytona 500 poles, the most of all teams in the NASCAR Cup Series: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018, 2021), William Byron (2019), Kyle Larson (2022).
FOR THE FANS
· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Daytona International Speedway.
· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: Tahoe Z71, Blazer RS, Colorado ZR2 Desert Boss, 1500 Crew ZR2, 2500HD Crew LTZ Carhartt, Blazer EV SS, Camaro ZL1, Corvette Z06.
· At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car.
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER APPEARANCES AT THE DISPLAY:
Friday, February 17
· Lavar Scott & Andrés Pérez de Lara: 11:30 a.m.
· Chase Purdy & Jack Wood: 11:45 a.m.
· Nick Sanchez: 12 p.m.
· Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth & Daniel Dye: 12:15 p.m.
· Matt DiBenedetto: 12:45 p.m.
· Christian Eckes & Jake Garcia: 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 18
· Blaine Perkins & Gray Gaulding: 9:45 a.m.
· Justin Allgaier & Brandon Jones: 10 a.m.
· Jeremy Clements: 10:15 a.m.
· Josh Berry & Sam Mayer: 1:45 p.m.
· Austin Hill: 2:15 p.m.
· Sheldon Creed: 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 19
· Daniel Suarez: 9 a.m.
· Justin Haley: 10:15 a.m.
· Noah Gragson: 10:30 a.m.
· Erik Jones: 10:45 a.m.
· Austin Dillon: 11 a.m.
· Ross Chastain: 11:15 a.m.
· Chase Elliott: 11:30 a.m.
· Kyle Busch: 11:45 a.m.
· Kyle Larson: 12 p.m.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
· Thursday, February 16: 2 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
· Friday, February 17: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
· Saturday, February 18: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
· Sunday, February 19: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
TUNE IN:
· NASCAR Cup Series – 65th running of the Daytona 500; 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19 (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).
· NASCAR Xfinity Series – ‘Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300’; 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 18 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).
· NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – NextEra Energy 250; 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, February 17 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Ross Chastain, No. 1 AdventHealth Camaro ZL1
What are your goals for this year?
“I just want to be competitive. I have the desire to compete and I don’t want to get beat. It started with the Clash and it will end in Phoenix in November.”
Is there anything you’re more focused on this year compared to last?
“Qualifying is something I’m focused on for this year. I’ve really struggled with it throughout my career and being a teammate with Daniel, he sets the bar. So that’s definitely something I’m looking to improve on.”
How much do you look forward to coming to Daytona?
“I love it. It’s the sign of a new season going down there in February. We’ve worked hard all off season and it’ll be nice to get back in the routine and enjoy a little Florida sunshine. I grew up going to the July race at Daytona so I have fond memories of being at the track as a kid with my family.”
Can you talk about the difference this Daytona is going to feel like versus the 2022 Daytona?
“To start the season last year, so many things are different in all different aspects. I was with a different team; we had the new generation of the car and there were so many unknowns with that. Last year, the season certainly didn’t get off to a smooth start, but we stuck with it and regrouped with everyone and ended up with a great result to end the season. I think it goes to show that if you keep trying and put the effort in, you can make a difference.”
Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1
Larson on the 2023 DAYTONA 500:
“I’m excited to get going. It’s definitely a historic year with NASCAR’s 75th anniversary. I’m glad I’ve won one of the championships out of the 75 years. It’s pretty cool to think about your name on a fairly short list of champions. I would love to add my name to the winner’s list at Daytona.
That’s our biggest race.”
Cliff Daniels, Crew Chief, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1
Daniels on what winning the pole at the DAYTONA 500 means to Mr. Hendrick:
“I think what it represents to him is everyone in the company working together and really trying to put our best foot forward to start the season. With all of the newness and change that it (a new season) brings from rules, to people, to resources and technology. Can we be the ones to put our best foot forward in outright car speed? There’s not any quirkiness to how you qualify at Daytona (International Speedway). It is straight up car speed. You either got it or you don’t. I think that’s why it’s always meant a lot to him. He’s mentioned it to us again this year, He certainly wants the pole at Daytona.”
Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1:
How odd is it to not have any practice time before qualifying for one of the biggest races of the season?
“So to me I feel like the no practice thing is sort of the new norm, so it’s not really that big of a deal. And every time we always show up to the restrictor plate tracks anyways with Daytona and Talladega, and somewhat Atlanta now, we literally go out there on the racetrack and try to make sure that our travels are good, that the car is off the racetrack and not bottoming out and stuff like that. But we typically try to stay out of getting in a pack so we don’t have a practice crash and get our car tore up. To me it’s kind of smart, just don’t give us drivers an opportunity to tear stuff up.”
Is the Duel one of the most nerve-racking races of the season?
“I don’t think the Duel is really that bad. To me, obviously, you want to win it and start further up front for the race on Sunday, but the same thing as no practice time is that is your practice and it’s in race conditions and you’re around other cars. There is that chance for getting your stuff torn up and being crashed so I think it’s probably more nerve-racking for the crew chiefs and team guys because they don’t want to have to pull a backup out or go to work and have to rebuild another car. Definitely more stress on them.”
What can you learn in the Duel that will help you in the 500?
“I think one of the biggest things you can learn in the Duel for the 500 is just how fast your car is, working on the balance making sure it’s not too tight, it’s not too loose, and that it drives good. But I think the other thing is working around other cars, seeing how well your car drafts, how well it sucks up to others, how well it pushes, how well it does getting pushed, all of those things. You’re just trying to build the notebook and build the confidence in the car for Sunday.”
How special is the Daytona 500?
“Obviously the Daytona 500 is the biggest race of our season, our Super Bowl, so it’s a huge deal. It’s NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary season so it’s especially cool having that opportunity to race in this season. I remember the history of the 50th anniversary season watching that on TV in 1998 so it’s really cool to be a part of 75th and the Daytona 500 would love to win. I’ve got that last box to check and that’s to bring home that Harley J. Earl trophy.”
Is out front the best strategy to avoid the Big One at Daytona?
“I don’t know if you’re safe anywhere. I think the biggest thing is to just build that confidence in your car and build that camaraderie with other drivers around you to give them the confidence that you’re fast and your car is fast, that they can work with you and that sort of helps you as the race closes. Where opposite of that, if you’re a guy who hangs out in back all day and then you’re there at the end, nobody knows anything about you so they don’t want to hang out with you. It’s like you’ve got to be one of the cool kids and sit at the cool kids table but if you’re not in the cool kids club then they will not work with you as well.”
Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
Elliott on racing in the DAYTONA 500:
“This is a tough race. A tough race to be in position (to win). I feel like you can do all the right things and it still does not go your way. Hopefully, this is the year we can get it done. We’ve had a few good opportunities at it in the past, but it just hasn’t gone in our favor so far.”
Alan Gustafson, Crew Chief, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
Gustafson on getting your car right for the Daytona 500:
“Once you race in the Duels, you’re going know what your car has. You’re going to know your ailments and what you need to improve. You won’t be racing in the same temperature conditions as Sunday, but you’re still going to have a good understanding of what you have, and you’ll have a couple of days to try to improve that during practice.”
Gustafson on the team’s outlook for 2023 and the sophomore season of the Next Gen car:
“Going into 2023, we have a baseline now for all the tracks and we know individually we need to improve at those tracks. Overall, it’s always the same areas – you want a faster car, you want a better strategy, you want better execution, better pit stops. I think we know the detail now on what it’s going to take to do that, but so does everybody else. It’s going to take a lot of work and effort to get that extra 10%.”
William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1
Byron on his thoughts for this year’s DAYTONA 500:
“I think we have some good momentum from the Clash that can get us excited for Daytona (International Speedway). While nothing correlates between those two tracks, we executed just about everything we needed to as a team. Now we’re going to a place where Hendrick Motorsports is known for having fast cars and being up front. I’ve been lucky enough to be contending for the lead in the DAYTONA 500, and I have the summer Daytona win under my belt. I just haven’t been able to avoid the misfortune in the 500 to be there at the end. I think if we can keep the car clean all race Sunday, we definitely will have a shot at the win and I want that for this No. 24 team.”
Rudy Fugle, Crew Chief, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1
Fugle on the No. 24 team’s goals for the 2023 season:
“Keep climbing and stay hungry. If you’re looking behind you, people are trying to catch you and you’re looking the wrong way. We’re focused on continuing to climb forward and make that championship race. That’s our big goal for 2023 and what we’re striving for. William (Byron) has grown a lot and has experienced a lot. He’s ready to reach that point. This team is ready for it. We’re ready to tackle this season. We’ve learned a lot with these cars and we know that things will ebb and flow like they did last year with other teams learning things along the way. We just want to make sure to hit those high points at the right time in the year.”
Justin Haley, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1
“After a really good showing at the Clash in LA, I’m looking forward to getting to Daytona. This NextGen car is definitely more difficult on the speedways and requires just a whole different style of drafting and bump drafting that you need to do in order to be good. Speedways take a lot of luck, but also a lot of discipline to stay running up front at the very end when it matters the most. Hopefully my teammate AJ (Allmendinger) and I can help get Chandler (Smith) in during the duels to be able to work together during the big show and be there at the end.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger Cottonelle Camaro ZL1
Stenhouse Jr. on sponsor engagements and game plan:
“Race weekends are busy and that’s good for us because we want our sponsors to engage in our sport and use the full potential of their partnership. Race mornings are busy. Actually, it’s really a busy week/busy weekend. It’s part of it and it’s what we are used to doing. We know that just about every race weekend is similar. You do your appearances; you get a little time to yourself and then get ready to race. Your race homework is done Friday/Saturday, and you have your game plan set for the race. When you get in the race car, it’s time to execute the game plan. Nothing Sunday morning really changes what I do as soon as I get strapped into the No. 47 Kroger/Cottonelle Camaro. When I get strapped in, it’s go time.”
Stenhouse Jr. on the key to Daytona 500:
“If something happens on track, and you let it kind of fire you up, you tend to make more mistakes. So, staying calm is a big part of the Daytona 500.”
Stenhouse Jr. on having no practice before the Duels:
“The battles during the Duels are going to be intense and fun to watch for fans. For us, we got enough data last season for the No. 47 Kroger/Cottonelle Camaro that I feel comfortable going into the Duels with no practice. I feel that the cars that ran each week, and the drivers that were in those cars are probably fine. It’s those cars that have new drivers in there or guys that haven’t raced this car at all, that will be interesting to see.”
Stenhouse Jr. on the Daytona 500:
“Daytona doesn’t owe us one, but we have unfinished business.”
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
Bowman on going for his sixth consecutive front row start at the DAYTONA 500:
“Going for my sixth front row start at the DAYTONA 500 is something that is on my mind for sure. We have a lot of really smart teammates back at the shop building fast race cars and I owe all my speed and starts to them. I have had a lot of great starts at the (DAYTONA) 500, so this year the goal is to have a great finish at a superspeedway and kick off the season with a big win.”
Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
Harris on his takeaways from the Clash at the Coliseum:
“All of the things that we tried to execute as far as the team gelling and going through the first weekend went well. To be able to go through multiple sessions and have speed on top of that was a real positive takeaway for us. I thought Alex (Bowman) did a great job for us and kept our car out front and had us in a position to compete for a win. Overall, it was a successful weekend that set the stage for what our year will look like.”
Austin Hill, No. 62 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Camaro ZL1
Ready or not, the 2023 NASCAR season is upon us. How does it feel to be heading back to Daytona and getting the season started at the World Center of Racing?
“I’m super excited to get the year kicked off at Daytona. We had a really good season last year in the Xfinity Series, running consistently inside the top-five and starting the season off with a win at Daytona. Being the defending race winner on the Xfinity side is going to be cool to see if we can repeat. We seem to have a lot of success on the superspeedways, so hopefully we can use that momentum to our benefit. Then, having the opportunity to run the Cup car adds to the level of excitement I have going into this Speedweek in Daytona. I’ve never driven a Cup car on a superspeedway, so that is going to be a challenge – a good challenge – and one that I look forward to. Our Beard Motorsports Camaro has to make the show, whether that’s on time in qualifying or racing my way in through the Duel. The first step is to see how qualifying goes on Wednesday night, and then if we have to go into the Duel not being locked in, we will see how that unfolds. I’m going to approach it with the same mindset I have on the Xfinity side – to stay aggressive all race long and see where we end up.”
What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to run these six races with Beard Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series this season?
“As a kid growing up in this sport, getting the chance to run a NASCAR Cup Series car is the ultimate dream. Obviously I had the opportunity last year at Michigan to make my first start and I was so thankful to Richard Childress for giving me that chance. And now I have an even bigger opportunity with the Beard family and the Beard Motorsports team. I’ve gotten to talk over the phone with Amie Beard, and we’ve talked about her mom Linda and the men and women at Beard. We haven’t been able to meet face-to-face yet, and we will do that this week in Daytona, but I feel like I know them pretty well already. You can tell they’re super excited and stoked to be trying to make it into the Daytona 500. I think they may even be more excited than I am if that’s even possible. They seem like they really love superspeedway racing. And although it’s something that I didn’t necessarily enjoy until last year, I’ve really started to enjoy it more. And it’s just an honor to be able to race for Beard Motorsports and try to make it into the Daytona 500.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Camaro ZL1
Are the expectations higher in 2023?
“The expectations are definitely higher than last year. Last year, our team was working very hard. We didn’t know where that would take us, but we were hoping it would take us somewhere good. I feel like now, it’s a little bit different because we know what we’re capable of doing. We know that we’re capable of winning and we know that we’re capable of racing with some of the teams that have been doing this for a long time. We have to go out there and just continue to work because in my opinion, if we do exactly the same thing that we did last year, it won’t be enough. Everyone is always evolving, so we have to continue to work and show up every weekend with the best that we can do.”
What is the Daytona 500 like?
“It’s an incredible event. Such a cool experience. It’s amazing it was sold out so early in January. I can’t wait to go to Daytona and put on a show for everyone.”
What strategy do you have for Thursday’s Daytona Duels?
“The Duels before the Daytona 500 are so nerve-racking. That’s the car you are going to be racing for 500 miles on Sunday. You just want to try to make sure you keep your car in one piece. The last thing you want is to wreck it and go to a backup. So, in the Duels, it’s very important to be aggressive but be smart and learn from that race heading into the Daytona 500.”
What is it like the moments before the Daytona 500?
“Sometimes when I am taking pictures in front of my car my mind is already focused on the race. People will ask me about something we talked about before we get in the car and I can’t remember because I was so focused on the race.
When I climb in the car at Daytona I think the first thing I think of is how very thankful I am to get this opportunity. We have so many good things happening in my life, with Trackhouse, (fiancé) Julia (Piquet), the people around me. There is so much hype, so many people in the grandstands and so many people around the car that you can’t even see the cars around you when you jump into the car. Once I get into the car, I try to reset my mind and get going. It takes a little bit of time. Once I get to that point, it’s 100 percent focus on the race and what we must do on the track.”
Predictions for 2023?
“I feel like I am going to be able to accomplish so many things with this team this year. This is going to be our best season yet.”
Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Silverado RST
The new season brings upon a new set of opportunities. You’ve got some new teammates at GMS Racing, but for the most your core group will stay the same. Talk about some of your goals for 2023.
“I’ve got a couple new teammates this year with Rajah and Daniel. I’ve known both of them for about a year now and we all respect each other. I know we will work well together. The core group on our No. 23 Chevy stayed the same, and I feel we are in the best shape we’ve ever been in entering the season.
Superspeedway racing is something I always look forward to, and our GMS guys have put in the time to build us a very nice truck for this year. It is especially great to continue the long relationship with Champion Power Equipment and we are all pumped to get the season started. I can’t thank GMS Racing and Chevrolet enough for putting in the hard work over the off season, and having confidence in our team. As a team we are looking to take advantage of the great opportunity that we have this year, and not leave anything on the table. It all starts Friday night.”
Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST
Over the off season, you made a big move over to GMS Racing to compete in your first full-time season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. You have some previous truck races under your belt, but never at a super speedway, so what have you done to prepare yourself for Friday?
“I’ve done a lot of preparation over the winter getting ready for my first superspeedway start in a truck. From watching a previous race broadcasts to relying on past experience from not only some members on my team, but even other drivers and individuals that I’ve gotten to know in the racing industry. Honestly, spending time on iRacing has helped me a lot; with the updated aerodynamic model that the Cup Series cars just received, they share a lot of similar characteristics to how these trucks work together in the draft, so I’ve been practicing a lot on there. I’ve been trying to keep up with the repetition just so I can be as plugged in as possible, so when it comes time to head to Daytona I’ll be ready to go so I don’t feel like as much of a rookie. I’m looking forward to a great year with my No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation team and know we will have some fast GMS Racing Chevrolet teammates to work with the entire race.”
Daniel Dye, No. 43 GMS Racing Silverado RST
This is a special weekend for you as you get to make your NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut in front of your home town crowd, what does this race mean to you personally?
“This race is going to be super cool to get started in Daytona in front of the home crowd. You know, racing at Daytona is just one of those things that I’ve always wanted to do, and I got to do it last year in the ARCA Menards Series, but to come back and do it in the NASCAR Truck Series this year is going to be really cool. I don’t think there’s any better place to start than at Daytona, and getting to run in front of my friends and family is going to be really special. We’ve been putting in a lot of work to make sure that I can make those guys proud down there, and I’m thankful to have the support of everyone that has come on board with our GMS Racing team this week and for the entire year as a whole. I’ll do everything I can to keep the No. 43 Chevy up front throughout the race and have a good time doing it.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2022): 41
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
Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2022): 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)
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 833 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 734
Laps led to date: 245,544
Top-five finishes to date: 4,221
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,712
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,167
Chevrolet: 833
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 820
Ford: 720
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 170
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.
