TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Atlanta Motor Speedway
The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series will head back to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, with the doubleheader event featuring the opening race of the 2024 playoffs for NASCAR’s premier series with Sunday’s Quaker State 400. This weekend marks NASCAR’s second journey to Hampton, Georgia, this season, with the 1.54-mile venue hosting the second stop on the 2024 schedule – an event that saw Daniel Suarez (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS) and Kyle Busch (NCTS) deliver Chevrolet a tripleheader sweep.
FIVE CHEVROLET DRIVERS SET FOR PLAYOFF COMPETITION
With the NASCAR Cup Series’ regular season complete, five Chevrolet drivers have earned a playoff bid and the chance to compete for the coveted championship title: Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman, and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez. The 2024 season marks the 10-year anniversary of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination-style playoff format for NASCAR’s premier series. Since 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in postseason competition each season, with the manufacturer continuing that trend as it competes for its 34th NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championship.
The Round of 16 features a trio of tracks that sets up what is arguably one of the most challenging and unpredictable rounds of playoff competition. In addition to the superspeedway-style oval of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the series’ playoff contenders will face the 2.45-mile road course of Watkins Glen International and the half-mile short track of Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite the tracks’ unique challenges, Chevrolet’s playoff contenders have fared well at each venue of the opening round during the Next Gen era – highlighted by wins in four of the five events at Atlanta, as well as back-to-back wins at Watkins Glen.
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings
Victories: 4
Top-Fives: 10
Top-10s: 13
Laps Led: 1,088
Average Finish: 13.6
Stage Wins: 10
Of Note:
- The 2024 season marks Larson’s eighth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
- Larson has made it to the Championship 4 twice, including his championship-earning season (2021) and, most recently, in 2023.
- During the playoff era (2004-present); Larson leads the series in multiple playoff race wins in a single season with five in 2021 (Bristol, Charlotte ROVAL, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix).
- Nine of his 27 career NASCAR Cup Series victories have come in the playoffs.
- Larson has at least one victory at eight of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (three wins), Watkins Glen (two), Kansas Speedway (two), Bristol Motor Speedway (one), Charlotte ROVAL (one), Homestead-Miami Speedway (one), Martinsville Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one).
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings
Victories: 3
Top-Fives: 8
Top-10s: 12
Laps Led: 259
Average Finish: 14.6
Stage Wins: 1
Of Note:
- The 2024 season marks Byron’s sixth consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
- Bryon’s career-best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs came last season during his first career appearance in the Championship 4 – finishing the season third in the final points standings.
- Byron has scored 11 of his 13 career NASCAR Cup Series victories during the Next Gen era.
- Byron has at least one victory at six of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Atlanta Motor Speedway (two wins), Martinsville Speedway (two), Homestead-Miami Speedway (one), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one), Watkins Glen (one).
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 7th in Playoff Standings
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 7
Top-10s: 12
Laps Led: 213
Average Finish: 11.6
Stage Wins: 1
Of Note:
- The 2024 season marks Elliott’s eighth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
- Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 three times in his career, with his first coming in his championship-earning season (2020).
- Elliott has scored seven of his 19 career NASCAR Cup Series victories in the playoffs.
- Elliott has at least one victory at seven of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Watkins Glen (two wins), Talladega Superspeedway (two), Kansas Speedway (one), Charlotte ROVAL (one), Martinsville Speedway (one), Atlanta Motor Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one).
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 11th in Playoff Standings
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 2
Top-10s: 6
Laps Led: 143
Average Finish: 18.3
Stage Wins: 1
Of Note:
- The 2024 season marks Suarez’s second career appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
- Suarez’s career best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series standings came in 2022 – earning 10th in the final points standings.
- Suarez has two career NASCAR Cup Series victories – both of which were earned in the Next Gen era.
- Suarez earned his playoff berth in the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the track that will open the Round of 16.
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 12th in Playoff Standings
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 6
Top-10s: 12
Laps Led: 14
Average Finish: 15.4
Stage Wins: 0
Of Note:
- The 2024 season marks Bowman’s sixth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
- Bowman has advanced to the Round of 12 in each of his NASCAR Cup Series playoff appearances – making it to the Round of Eight in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
- Bowman has one victory at two of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (one win) and Martinsville Speedway (one).
Larson, Elliott Eyeing Second Title
Experience pays dividends in playoff competition, and Chevrolet’s Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have just that. The pair of Hendrick Motorsports teammates are two of just six former NASCAR Cup Series champions that remain in title contention. Of the 36 different drivers that have won a driver championship in NASCAR’s top division, only 17 have gone on to become multi-time champions – most recently accomplished by Joey Logano (Ford) in 2022. Elliott and Larson each earned their championship titles in their first career appearance in the Championship Four, with Elliott taking the title in 2020 and Larson delivering Hendrick Motorsports back-to-back championships in 2021.
Opening Round Rankings
With the playoff standings reseeded, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with all of its title contenders sitting above the cutline heading into the opening playoff round. Despite getting edged out for the regular season title by just one point, Kyle Larson has found his way back to the top position of the playoff standings heading into the Round of 16. Despite missing the Coca-Cola 600, the 2021 champion earned the top-seeded spot after collecting a strong bank of playoff points throughout the regular season – garnering a series-leading four wins and 10 stage wins thus far. Among the tracks that make up the 10-race playoff schedule, Larson has found victory lane at eight of the venues – two of which he will return as the series’ most recent winner (Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway).
CHEVROLET AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
The start of the Next Gen era in 2022 also marked the debut of the “new” Atlanta Motor Speedway. Undergoing a massive reprofiling following the series’ July 2021 date, the 1.54-mile oval saw a complete repave, increased banking and narrowing of the track width – ultimately producing superspeedway-style racing. Since competing on the revamped configuration, Chevrolet continues to be the only manufacturer to win in all three NASCAR national series at the track with wins in four of five NASCAR Cup Series races; three wins in five NASCAR Xfinity Series races; and two wins in three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. Most recently, the manufacturer made it to victory lane in all three series when NASCAR took on the Georgia venue for the second points-paying race of the season – courtesy of victories by Daniel Suarez (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS) and Kyle Busch (NCTS).
RCR RALLYING WITH RECENT SUCCESS
Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch came just .361 seconds away from the win and a playoff berth at Darlington Raceway – ultimately taking the checkered flag with a runner-up result in the Cook Out Southern 500. Despite the heartbreak of narrowly missing his chance to compete for his third championship title, Busch’s second-place finish adds onto a recent resurgence for Richard Childress Racing.
Returning from the two-week Olympic break, Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Chevrolet team put their names back on the map – collecting top-10 finishes in each stage en route to the team’s return to victory lane for the first time in two years. Busch and the No. 8 Chevrolet team continued to build on the organization’s momentum with a string of three consecutive top-four finishes, including back-to-back runner-up results. The four-race stretch of success marks the first time since 2014 that Richard Childress Racing has earned top-fives in four consecutive events in NASCAR’s top division. Momentum within both teams tabs the Chevrolet organization as a top contender to be a potential playoff spoiler throughout the final 10-race stretch.
XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFF OUTLOOK WITH THREE-TO-GO
Still in the regular season grind, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is on the horizon of the final three opportunities for drivers to either win or point their way into the playoffs. Mirroring the Cup Series’ opening round; Atlanta Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Bristol Motor Speedway will determine the final four drivers that will complete the series’ 12-driver playoff field. Chevrolet returns to the trio of tracks as the series’ defending winner at each venue with victories earned by its current playoff contenders, including Austin Hill’s victory at Atlanta (Feb. 2024), Sam Mayer’s victory at Watkins Glen (Aug. 2023), and Justin Allgaier’s victory at Bristol (Sept. 2023).
Among the eight drivers that have already clinched a playoff bid include five from the Chevrolet camp: JR Motorsports’ Allgaier and Mayer; Richard Childress Racing’s Hill and Jesse Love; and Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. Heading into the Atlanta race weekend, three of the four remaining positions above the playoff cutline are currently occupied by the Bowtie brigade, with AJ Allmendinger sitting 10th (+105 points), Parker Kligerman in 11th (+44 points) and Sammy Smith in 12th (+10).
Netting his eighth consecutive top-10 finish of the season, Allgaier left Darlington Raceway one race closer to earning his second career regular season championship title – maintaining a 28-point advantage over the series’ defending champion, Cole Custer, in second.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet will pace the field for the doubleheader race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Focused Health 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Quaker State 400.
· With 67 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 47.8% with 32 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 12 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
William Byron – two wins (July 2023; March 2022)
Kyle Busch – two wins (Sept. 2013, March 2008)
Daniel Suarez – one win (Feb. 2024)
Chase Elliott – one win (July 2022)
· With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez became the seventh different Chevrolet driver to park the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 in victory lane at a superspeedway-style track.
· The 16 superspeedway-style races for the NASCAR Cup Series in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 10 victories.
· In 120 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 45 victories – most recently by Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez in Feb. 2024.
· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in the playoffs each season.
· In 98 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 48.98%.
· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 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 Atlanta Motor Speedway, where fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:
Saturday, September 7
· AJ Allmendinger: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
· Chase Elliott: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
· Josh Williams: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Sunday, September 8
· Corey LaJoie: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
· Carson Hocevar: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
· Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 11:45 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.
· Austin Dillon: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
· Saturday, Sept. 7: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
· Sunday, Sept. 8: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 944
Toyota: 929 (-15)
Ford: 908 (-36)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 852
Toyota: 823 (-29)
Ford: 743 (-109)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 637
Toyota: 593 (-44)
Ford: 563 (-74)
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Quaker State 400
Sunday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. ET
(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Focused Health 250
Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. ET
(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1
Thoughts on Atlanta?
“Drafting has proved to be really important at Atlanta with this version of the car. I’ve run pretty well there with this configuration of the track and this car. The racing is even a little bit different from our superspeedway races even though drafting is a huge part of it. It’s kind of wild to think that’s how Atlanta is now. I’ve got a couple of second-place finishes at Atlanta and it would be awesome to drive into victory lane in the WWEX Group Chevy.”
What are your goals now that the playoffs have started?
“Obviously, we want to be in the playoffs, that’s the goal every year but we’re not laying down. We are still going out to win races. I feel like we’ve had more speed in the car here lately which is important and will certainly help us in our effort to win in the last 10 races of the season. I’ve got a great group of people at Trackhouse who are focused on getting back to victory lane and I can’t wait to get there.”
COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1
You have had opportunities to win at Atlanta. Do you like your chances this weekend?
“We had a really great run last week at Darlington and we are starting to build some momentum. I’m excited to get to Atlanta with our Gainbridge Chevy to see if we can’t finish what we started with our P4 in 2023.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL CAMARO ZL1
One of the best complete weekends that you’ve had this season was at the spring race in Atlanta. That must give you and the team confidence going back there this weekend.
“Absolutely it does. We had a game plan on what we needed to be better and we came back with more speed and a lot better car for the spring Atlanta race this year. I’m hoping that that same amount of notes and success translates to the face this weekend.”
You have top five finishes in the last two Atlanta races. What does it take run well there?
“Atlanta now takes a lot of speed but also a car that handles well. You have to pick through the right line at the right time and get yourself in a spot that you can log some laps through the middle stages of the race and not get caught up in a crash when cars start to handle differently and mistakes are made.”
Earlier this year at Atlanta, you picked up a lot from the first round to second round in qualifying. How rare is that?
“I would think that qualifying and picking up speed from round to round is very rare. When you’re at speedway qualifying scenarios, it’s a little easier to pick up because all the oils and bearings get hot and everything just moves a little bit more freely, so you should go a little faster on the second round. Tire wear and fall off is not something that you’re worried about with the newer surface yet.”
Would you prefer to have the races at Daytona and Atlanta spread out further apart in the schedule?
“I don’t think that the schedule of races with Daytona and Atlanta or Talladega all being closer together make much of a difference. For me, I just plan to go wherever they tell me the next race is.”
DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1
“Atlanta is a track I really enjoy. We had a really fast No. 31 Chevy at the first race there earlier this season and ran up front. These superspeedway-style tracks are ones that Kaulig Racing excels at, so I think we have an opportunity to do well and improve on our last finish there.”
ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 AMBETTER HEALTH CAMARO ZL1
How do you feel about going to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time this season?
“In February, we had a great run but unfortunately our race ended early. I’ve had some success at this track in the Truck Series and I’m looking forward to going back there this weekend and seeing what we can accomplish. Excited to have Ambetter Health back on board my Chevrolet for 400 miles. The car looks awesome!”
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1
You will be racing against 16 drivers battling for a championship. Do you race those competitors any differently?
“Not at all. Yes, they have a lot on the line, but I’ve never raced anyone differently because of the point in the season or who the driver is. We’re all trying to race for a win, for points, our team and sponsors. I try not to focus on it too much. My spotter isn’t up there saying to let someone pass because they’re in the playoffs, so I really don’t pay attention to it.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 QUAKER STATE CAMARO ZL1
As the most recent winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway, are you excited for that to be the first race in the playoffs?
“I think that’s something that’s pretty cool. That definitely brings some extra energy and excitement into our playoff run. So yeah, that’s exciting. Hopefully we can have a good run.. hopefully a win. That would be awesome. We just need to push hard, work hard, and hopefully we can give them a run for their money.”
What do you remember about the finish of that race?
“It’s everything about working together, mainly with your manufacturer. The Fords were very strong. If you put the Fords together, they were going to be very strong. My job was to try and split them, and I did a good job with that. But with that being said, Austin Cindric was not really helping me because he knew I was going to make a run on his teammate. It was a little bit tricky. Luckily, things worked out for us. The No. 23 (Bubba Wallace) gave a good push to the No. 8 (Kyle Busch), and that put him in the position to have a run at the No. 12 (Ryan Blaney). I was able to stick with the No. 8 to get a run on him, as well.
Honestly, to me, Atlanta (Motor Speedway) is almost like a chess match. You just have to be very strategic with your moves. You have to be fast. Everything happens so quick. But yeah, it’s just very important to work with your manufacturer.”
How is Atlanta Motor Speedway different from the bigger superspeedway-style tracks, like Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway?
“It’s similar, but it’s different. Everything happens so quick. The pushes and stuff; they do happen similarly, but everything happens so quick and you have to have a very good handling car. The corners are tighter, so you have to have a very good handling car, as well.
It’s not a superspeedway, but it’s not a mile-and-a-half anymore. It’s a hybrid and I think because of that, we all love it. It’s just a very different kind of race track. I’m biased, but personally, I enjoy it.”
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: 11
Poles: 7
Laps Led: 2,220
Top-five finishes: 47
Top-10 finishes: 100
Stage wins: 16
· Chase Elliott: 1
· Kyle Larson: 10
· Ross Chastain: 1
· William Byron: 1
· Shane van Gisbergen: 1
· Daniel Suarez: 1
· Kyle Busch: 1
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 750
Laps led to date: 251,375
Top-five finishes to date: 4,345
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,960
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,196
Chevrolet: 862
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 835
Ford: 735
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 188
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.
