Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 29, 2022
1.5-Mile Oval
6:00 PM ET
Location: Concord, North Carolina
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (14 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN
5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 9th
No. 5 HendrickCars.com Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
MAKING HISTORY: Last year in the 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson led 327 of 400 laps from the pole position and swept the stages to capture Hendrick Motorsports’ record-breaking 269th NASCAR Cup Series victory. The win kickstarted a stretch of four consecutive victories for the driver of the No. 5 entry that included a win in the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race.
GREAT COMPANY: Larson was the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 1998 to win the 600-mile event at Charlotte and the championship in same season. Only five drivers have accomplished this feat: Gordon (twice), Dale Earnhardt (twice), Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty and Larson.
NEW TRADITION: In May 2021, Charlotte Motor Speedway began taking the previous year’s winner of their 600-mile event to Arlington National Cemetery for the Laying of the Wreath Ceremony at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Earlier this month, last year’s race winner Larson and the team’s vice chairman Gordon participated in the ceremony at the Virginia cemetery. Learn more about the visit by clicking here.
OVAL OFFICE: In 12 points-paying starts at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval, Larson has one win, one pole position, two top-five finishes and five top-10s. In 2019 when the annual All-Star Race was held at Charlotte, the Elk Grove, California, native won the Open to gain entry into the All-Star Race, then led the final 13 laps to capture the victory in the exhibition race. Larson also won the Open in 2016.
FAMILIAR SIGHT UP FRONT: During his 2021 championship year, Larson set the record for most laps led during a season on 1.5-mile tracks with 1,317 circuits at the front of the field. This season on all lengths of tracks, he is tied for second for most races led with 10 – the most he has ever led through 13 races in his career. The reigning Cup Series champion has led at least one lap in the last five races, which is tied for the longest active streak in the Cup Series.
SECOND IN COMMAND: Larson ranks second this season in top-five finishes with six, trailing only Ross Chastain who has seven. Larson has a victory at Auto Club Speedway, runner-up finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, fourth-place finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt) and Talladega Superspeedway and a fifth-place finish at Richmond Raceway.
WON.5 MILERS: Prior to his victory at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas track in March 2021, Larson had scored nine runner-up finishes – the most all-time without a Cup Series victory – in 71 career starts on 1.5-mile tracks. The 29-year-old driver now has four victories in the last 11 races held on tracks of that length.
TWICE AS MUCH: Since his first race with Hendrick Motorsports at the beginning of 2021, Larson leads the Cup Series with four victories on 1.5-mile tracks. Kurt Busch and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron are the only other drivers (both with two) to post multiple wins on that length of track during that span.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND REMEMBERANCE: This Memorial Day weekend, the No. 5 team will honor U.S. Army Specialist (Spc.) Rel Allen Ravago IV, who was killed at age 21 while serving in Iraq in November 2003. Ravago was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Attending the event this weekend at Charlotte are Jax Young, who served with Rel and was his very close friend, and Lynda Sullivan, Young’s fiancée.
OUR PATRIOTS: This weekend as we honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry a special patriotic paint scheme. To view the paint scheme and to learn more about the company’s commitment to hiring veterans, click here.
HOME RUN: This weekend at Charlotte, Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team will wear their “home” white uniforms. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships nearby, and the Charlotte metro area is home to more than 24 of them. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 1st
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available in the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, May 28, at 5:45 p.m. local time.
QUEEN CITY RÉSUMÉ: Chase Elliott is set to make his 11th NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. In his previous 10 races at the 1.5-mile track, the 26-year-old driver has finished in the top-five in half of those starts, including three runner-up finishes and a victory in the 208-lap Thursday night event in 2020. In all, he has six top-10 finishes and has led for 246 laps.
600 STATS: In Elliott’s three most recent starts in the 600-mile race at Charlotte, Elliott has earned an impressive average finish of 2.67 with the help of two consecutive runner-up results. He’s led 103 laps across those three races and has a worst finish of fourth. In last season’s 600-miler, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native spent 350 of 400 laps running in the top-two positions including 22 laps as the leader. He ultimately finished second to teammate Kyle Larson.
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Halfway through the regular season, Elliott continues to hold the Cup Series points lead, now by 52 markers over Ryan Blaney. Including a tie earlier in the season, this marks the ninth consecutive race week the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has been atop the standings. Through 13 races, Elliott and the No. 9 team have nine top-10 finishes – tied for most in the series – and lead the field with an average finish of 10.77.
1.5-MILE PERFORMANCE: This season on 1.5-mile tracks, Elliott has two top-10 efforts in three starts, finishing ninth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and sixth at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Earlier this month, he was on his way to a third top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway when a flat left-rear tire caused him to spin, taking him out of contention. In 68 points-paying starts on mile-and-a-half facilities, Elliott has led 881 laps and earned two victories (Charlotte and Kansas), 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 37 top-10s. His average finish of 12.69 is second-best among active drivers.
EIGHT FOR NINE: In Elliott’s last nine starts on 1.5-mile ovals, he’s finished inside the top-10 eight times, including three runner-up results and has an average finish of 7.67 – best of all drivers during that span in each of those categories.
REMEMBERING A HERO: In Sunday’s Memorial Day weekend race at Charlotte, the windshield of Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will showcase the name of U.S. Army First Lieutenant (1st Lt.) Noah Harris. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Harris was a platoon leader for the 3rd Infantry Division. The Ellijay, Georgia, native was part of a mission to rescue some Iraqi Police who were pinned down and in the process of that mission on June 17, 2005, he was killed at the age of 23.
SPEEDY STOPS: The No. 9 team currently owns the best average time for four-tire pit stops at 11.708 seconds through 13 races in the 2022 Cup Series season. The team is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.
NAPA KNOW HOW: This weekend, NAPA AUTO PARTS will trade out its normal blue, yellow and white scheme for a patriotic look on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in honor of Memorial Day. Get a look at all angles of Elliott’s ride for this weekend here.
A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will get flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15, and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 4th
No. 24 Liberty University Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
HALFWAY THERE: Halfway through the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, William Byron is continuing to have a career-best year. In 13 races, Byron has scored two wins, four top-five finishes with 569 laps led, three stage wins and 13 playoff points accumulated. The wins, laps led, stage wins and playoff point totals are his most through 13 races in his Cup Series career. He is currently fourth in the driver point standings and is locked into the Cup Series playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
LEADING THE FIELD: With 13 races complete in 2022, Byron has led laps in 10 of them – tied for the second-most with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. His 569 laps led are the most by a driver this season. He has also spent the most laps running in the top-10 (2,379) as well as the most laps running within the top-five (1,610). The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has also picked up 13 playoff points – the most by any driver so far this season.
1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. Since the start of the 2021 season, Byron has two wins, one runner-up finish, five top-fives, and nine top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks. He also has three stage wins with 411 laps led on tracks of that length and an average finish of 8.17.
HOME SWEET HOME: Cutting his teeth in the racing world in Charlotte, North Carolina, Byron is one of only a handful of drivers who was born and raised in the “home of NASCAR.” After visiting U.S. Legend Cars International headquarters in Harrisburg, North Carolina, with his father in 2012, Byron found himself behind the wheel for the first time the next year competing in the Young Lion Division. Winning 33 of the 69 legend car events he ran across the United States in 2013, Byron went on to lock up the U.S. Legend Car Young Lions National championship and the Thursday Thunder Young Lion championship at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Progressing to the Legend Car Pro Division the next season, Byron also signed with JR Motorsports’ developmental program at the same time. From that point on, Byron hasn’t slowed down any as he climbed the racing ranks before ultimately making it to the top level of NASCAR as a Cup Series rookie in 2018.
CUE CHARLOTTE: In his Cup Series career, Byron has five starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval, with four of them being the 600-mile event on Memorial Day weekend. In just his second start at Charlotte in 2019, Byron became the youngest pole sitter for the 600 at the age of 21 years, 5 months, and 24 days. In his five total Cup Series starts, Byron has one pole award, one top-five finish and two top-10s with 61 laps led at his hometown track, including a track-best finish of fourth in last year’s race. Other than his five Cup Series starts at Charlotte, the 24-year-old driver has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts as well as one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start.
RUDY RUNS CLT: Sunday will mark crew chief Rudy Fugle’s second time on top of the pit box for the 600-mile event at Charlotte. In last year’s race, Fugle led the No. 24 team to a fourth-place finish after running within the top-five for 372 of the 400 laps. Aside from his one Cup Series start, Fugle has 10 other starts at Charlotte on his résumé, with all but two of those coming in the Truck Series. The Livonia, New York, native has collected two wins (2013 and 2019), four top-five finishes, and six top-10s. In fact, his Truck Series drivers completed all 1,077 laps run in those races with 310 laps led. One of those truck starts came with Byron in 2016, when the duo led 25 laps en route to a 10th-place finish.
LIBERTY U PATRIOTIC SCHEME: Liberty University will be back on William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend for the prestigious 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, as a part of NASCAR’s annual NASCAR Salutes program, the Liberty University Chevy will sport a special patriotic paint scheme as a part of the 600 Miles of Remembrance to honor those who have served and continue to serve to defend our country. The special scheme includes an American flag Liberty University logo on the hood of Byron’s machine, as well as stars and stripes on the front and rear quarter panels. To see Byron’s scheme for this weekend’s race, click here.
HONORING ARMY SFC RONALD A. GRIDER: As a part of the No. 24 Liberty University patriotic paint scheme for this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Byron’s Chevrolet will feature a tribute to U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (Sgt. 1st Class) Ronald “Aaron” Grider. He was a Purple Heart recipient as well as three-time Bronze Star Medal recipient. Grider was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Like Byron, who is in his junior year at Liberty University, Grider was a Liberty student as well, enrolled in its online program, pursuing a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies.
HOME TRACK FEEL: In addition to this weekend’s race being Byron’s at home track, a couple other members of the No. 24 team also claim this as their home track including mechanic Jacob Bowman, from Pilot Mountain, fueler Landon Walker, from North Wilkesboro, and jackman Spencer Bishop, from Pinehurst.
48 Alex Bowman
Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 8th
No. 48 Ally Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
TEXAS IN THE REAR VIEW: After qualifying 20th for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway last Saturday, Alex Bowman battled back and took home yet another top-10 finish this season. He finished the first stage in 18th, the second stage in 10th and the third stage in 15th before crossing the finish line for the All-Star Race in sixth. While no regular season points were awarded in the exhibition event, Bowman’s valiant effort allowed him to continue to build on his front-running consistency this year.
TOP DOG: Through 13 races in the Cup Series season, Bowman has tallied eight points-paying top-10 results. This stands as his best mark in that category at this point of a Cup season in his career in NASCAR’s premier league. Prior to this season, Bowman’s 2021 performance was his best, with five top-10s through 13 races. He did not get his eighth top-10 finish until race 16 at Sonoma Raceway. Only Kyle Busch and teammate Chase Elliott have more top-10s this season, with nine each.
BOWMAN ON 1.5-MILERS: Bowman is one of three Cup Series drivers to have top-10 results at all 1.5-mile venues this season. The 29-year-old driver won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, placed 10th at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, and crossed the finish line in ninth at Kansas Speedway in May. Ross Chastain and Martin Truex Jr. also had top-10 finishes at all those tracks, but Bowman is the only one of those drivers with a win at a 1.5-mile track this season.
LEADING THE WAY: Bowman has the third most-laps led in the last three 600-mile races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, leading the field 177 times. He follows Truex, who led the field for 203 laps and teammate and 2021 race winner Kyle Larson, who has led 327 circuits at the venue.
IVES AT CHARLOTTE: Crew chief Greg Ives will make his 12th points-paying start as a crew chief in the Cup Series at Charlotte this Sunday. The Bark River, Michigan, native has two top-five finishes and five top-10s. Last time at the 1.5-mile venue, Ives and Bowman notched a fifth-place result.
PACK THEM UP: On Wednesday, Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Racing team paired with volunteers from primary sponsor Ally to pack more than 2,000 care packages for the United Service Organizations (USO). Divided among two packing stations, approximately 60 volunteers were able to put together packages with snacks, candy, and hand-written notes. To learn more about the event, click here.
OUR HERO: This Sunday, the No. 48 Ally Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will adorn the name of fallen soldier Specialist (Spc.) Matthew E. Baylis, U.S. Army. He joined the military in August 2005 after his high school graduation and was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq from Fort Benning, Georgia in 2006. Spc. Baylis was a machine gunner, responsible for providing cover fire for his fellow soldiers. On May 31, 2007, his platoon came under heavy fire in Baghdad and his platoon leader was hit. Spc. Baylis started providing cover fire, allowing the other soldiers to save the platoon leader and take cover. The platoon leader survived; however, Spc. Baylis was fatally hit while seeking cover. For his courageous action, Baylis was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Matthew’s stepmom, Kerri Baylis, is an Ally employee and nominated her stepson to be on the No. 48 Ally Chevy. Additionally, Ally will be donating to The Specialist Matthew Baylis Memorial Fund, which helps veterans and children of veterans with educational costs/needs.
NEARING 100,000: Hendrick Motorsports needs to lead 305 miles to cross 100,000 miles led. To date, the organization has led 99,695.90 miles in its storied history with 1,238.43 miles led coming this season. In last year’s race on Charlotte 1.5-mile layout, Hendrick Motorsports led 559.5 of a possible 600 miles.
HISTORICAL HIGHS: In this race last year, Hendrick Motorsports earned its 269th NASCAR Cup Series win to pass Petty Enterprises to become the all-time winningest team in Cup history. All four Hendrick Motorsports cars placed in the top-five marking the first time in the history of the Memorial Day weekend event that a team had four drivers finish in the top five. Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott’s 1-2 finish was the third instance that teammates finished in the top two in this 600-mile race.
BLACKJACK: Hendrick Motorsports has 21 wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway among nine drivers, which are tied (with Junior Johnson and Associates’ 21 wins at Bristol Motor Speedway) for the third-most Cup Series victories at any one particular track by an organization. The team also holds the top-two spots on this list with its win totals at Martinsville Speedway (27) and Dover Motor Speedway (22). Interestingly enough, Hendrick Motorsports has won at both Martinsville (with William Byron) and Dover (with Elliott) this season.
ENDURING STRENGTH: The 600-mile race at Charlotte is a test of everything – machine, pit crew and driver. The longest race on the Cup schedule has been won 12 times by Hendrick Motorsports – that’s more than the second- and third-place teams on the list combined (Richard Childress Racing with six wins and Petty Enterprises with five).
DEEP SIX: Six drivers have won this race in the team’s history. Jimmie Johnson’s four wins (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014) as part of his track-best eight wins serve as the team high and are followed by Jeff Gordon with three wins (1994, 1997 and 1998). Darrell Waltrip was the first Hendrick Motorsports driver to win this crown jewel event and he won it in back-to-back years (1988 and 1989). Casey Mears (2007), Kasey Kahne (2012) and Larson (2021) each have one win.
FLASH BACK: Since last year’s race on the Charlotte oval, Hendrick Motorsports has won 17 of the 35 points-paying races (a 48.6% winning percentage) held in the Cup Series. That mark is one less than the combined total by every other team in Cup over the same span.
MIDWAY MARK: At the midway point of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Hendrick Motorsports has five wins in 2022 – the most in the series. The organization is the fastest to have its entire four-car lineup win in one season as it achieved that in the first 11 races of the season.
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on win in this race last year: “That was so cool to get Mr. (Rick) Hendrick that historic win. It wasn’t spoken about, but I think every team wanted to deliver that win for him and we were fortunate enough to be the ones who did. Hopefully, we can have the same type of performance this weekend. Track position will be important, so a good qualifying session on Saturday helps a lot for Sunday.”
Larson on Fan Fest at Hendrick Motorsports: “This will be my first one as a Hendrick Motorsports driver. It’s great they are opening up campus again to the fans and it’ll be great to see them all out there this weekend.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on if there will be big swings from daytime to nighttime racing in 600: “I don’t really know. Yes, there will be some swings from daytime to nighttime, but the biggest swings with this Next Gen car may be due to track position. Your car tends to get ‘free’ when running up front because of all the air on the car. Back in traffic, when there is not much air on the car, you tend to get tight. It’s a different balance requirement depending on where you are in traffic. There will be some changes based on daytime to nighttime racing, but the bigger swings or adjustments may be when you are out front versus running in traffic.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on honoring U.S. Army First Lieutenant Noah Harris: “Racing on Memorial Day weekend has always been something that’s meant a lot to me. While I didn’t know Noah (Harris) firsthand, after reading his story and his commitment to his country, obviously it speaks for itself, but he was just a standup individual. He was devoted to his country from a very young age, and I think for that we’re always grateful. He was a standup young man who gave his life serving our country and protecting us here at home. It’s an honor to be carrying his name on my NAPA Chevy this weekend.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for the longest race of the year: “There’s not as much for us to prepare for with this new car than in years past. You’ve just got to make sure you’re taking care of your car because it is such a long race. You’ve got to make good decisions, be around at the end and not get crashed. The field typically thins itself out with people making mistakes or having issues. We’ll see how it goes. Racing on Memorial Day weekend is always something I enjoy, so I’m looking forward to it.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway means to him: “Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway is always special for me. I grew up watching races here as a fan, I raced Legend cars on the quarter-mile and have raced there in every series of NASCAR for the most part. It’s a hometown race for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports as well. You always want to run good when the shop is literally across the street. Winning the 600 would already mean so much given the history of this race, but it would carry even more meaning for myself. We ran well in last year’s 600, the biggest difference will be with the Next Gen car. I think we have some good notes on mile-and-a-half tracks so far this year, and with how long the race is, it gives us time to adjust throughout the race if we need to.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what he expects for the race at Charlotte: “Even though we have raced at two mile-and-a-half track in a row now, I think we can take the most away from the race at Kansas (Speedway). We had a fast car that weekend and I think with how the race played out, we could have had a shot to be there in the end, or at least finish top five. About the only thing we can apply from last weekend’s race at Texas (Motor Speedway) is that they applied the resin in the upper lanes. That will effect the handling of the car throughout a run, especially going from day to night like we will during the 600. It’s a long race though and you want to make sure you keep up with how the track changes so you don’t fall behind early on.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what it means to carry the name of U.S. Army Specialist Matthew E. Baylis for the race on Memorial Day: “It is an honor to be able to have Spc. Baylis on the No. 48 Ally Chevy this weekend. Hearing about the bravery he had to join the Army after the events on 9/11 and then to serve our country and give the ultimate sacrifice, it is my privilege to be able to have him ride along this weekend. Hopefully, we can get him into victory lane and have his family join us in remembering him for the hero he was.”
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on being in Charlotte this weekend: “With the race being 600 miles, you have to plan your stops as strategically as you can. We expect a lot of tire wear with fall off so that will play into more of a tire strategy, but we also need to be prepared for a fuel mileage race to break out as past races have been won that way. All in all, we are confident we have learned a lot this year about the new car on 1.5-mile tracks and will be ready to go compete like we do every weekend.”
