TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Martinsville Speedway
The white flag for the 2024 NASCAR season will fly this weekend as all three NASCAR national series will head to Martinsville Speedway for the final race of the Round of Eight. Chevrolet enters the elimination weekend as the only manufacturer to have an early championship bid in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, with CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger, Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill keeping the Bowtie brand undefeated in the Round of Eight in both divisions. In the NASCAR Cup Series, Chevrolet returns to the Virginia short-track with the momentum from a podium sweep in the series’ spring appearance at the track – recorded by Chevrolet’s three remaining playoff contenders William Byron, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:
The oldest and shortest track on the circuit, Martinsville Speedway’s rich history dates back to the NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural season (1949), with Sunday’s XFINITY 500 marking the series’ 152nd appearance at the track. Chevrolet paces its manufacturer competitors with 61 all-time triumphs in NASCAR’s top division at “The Paperclip”. Nearly half of those victories have come in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, who is also the series’ winningest organization at the track with 29 victories. The organization’s current quartet of drivers have earned victories in five of the past eight Cup Series races at the track, dating back to Chase Elliott’s walk-off win in the Round of Eight elimination race in his championship-earning season (2020). William Byron is a two-time winner at the Virginia short-track (2022 & 2024), with Alex Bowman (2021) and Kyle Larson (2023) each earning a victory.
BYRON LEADS CHEVROLET IN FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP PUSH
The checkered flag in Sunday’s 500-lap race at Martinsville Speedway will determine the final two drivers that will compete for the coveted NASCAR Cup Series championship title. The series’ most recent Martinsville winner, William Byron, leads the charge for the Bowtie brand heading into the elimination weekend – sitting fourth in the standings with a seven-point advantage over the cutline. Former series champions, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, find themselves on the outside looking in – occupying the fifth and eighth positions, respectively, in the playoff rankings. On top of each owning a victory at Martinsville Speedway, the trio of Hendrick Motorsports drivers will return to the Virginia short-track following a podium sweep in the spring event.
Byron Back to Defend
There’s no greater confidence than returning to a track as the defending winner, and William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team have just that heading into the Martinsville race weekend. In five races in the Next Gen era at the track, the 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native has tallied three top-10 results, including two trips to victory lane. The driver most recently took home the coveted grandfather clock earlier this season to cap-off Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary weekend. While sitting above the elimination line, Byron is no stranger to feeling the playoff pressure in the Round of Eight. One year ago, a double-digit points cushion quickly diminished after the team struggled to find pace throughout the weekend. But the combination of continued adjustments from atop the pit box and an all-out fight behind the wheel was enough for the No. 24 Chevrolet team to point their way into the Championship Four.
Larson Finds Martinsville Success with Hendrick Motorsports
The Round of Eight has been nothing short of a rollercoaster for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. At Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson found himself in the 34th position following a cut tire near the midway point of Stage One. But to no surprise, the Cliff Daniels-led team turned the misfortune into what could have been the ultimate comeback. Larson was back in position to battle for the lead with just 12 laps remaining in the race, but an unsuccessful attempt to pass then-race leader, Ryan Blaney, put the former series champion out of contention – resulting in a 13th-place finish and a drop in the standings to fifth position. A valiant effort to recover from a tough Round of Eight proves that you can’t count out the No. 5 Chevrolet team. While Martinsville Speedway hasn’t always been Larson’s best track early in his career, pairing with Hendrick Motorsports has given him a statistical turnaround at the Virginia short-track. In seven starts with Hendrick Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway, Larson has posted five top-six results, including a win and two runner-up finishes in the Next Gen era.
Elliott Channeling ‘Must-Win’ Confidence
Despite still facing a ‘must-win’ situation to fight for their second championship title, Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team put together a strong 49-point race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to prove they are still in the fight. Another boost of confidence for the Alan Gustafson-led team comes from past experience in a similar position during the 2020 season. Also entering the elimination race with a double-digit deficit, Elliott led nearly half of the race en route to his first victory at Martinsville Speedway and his first berth into the Championship Four – ultimately paving the way to his championship title.
HOCEVAR CLOSING IN ON ROOKIE TITLE
Heading into the Martinsville race weekend, Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar has the opportunity to complete an early clinch of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year title. With 34 races complete, the 21-year-old Portage, Michigan, native holds a monstrous lead in the standings with a 110-point advantage over second-place Josh Berry. Hocevar has been the top-placing rookie in 14 races this season. The Chevrolet driver has tallied six top-10 results thus far in his rookie campaign – recorded on three different track configurations, including four different intermediate ovals, a short-track and a road course.
HILL TAKES CHEVROLET TO SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP BERTH
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill made one of his most memorable trips to victory lane last weekend – earning his fourth victory of the season and a ticket to his first Championship Four appearance. The 30-year-old Winston, Georgia, native earned the first playoff berth of 2024 with his victory in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. Hill went on to sweep the pair of races at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway, with his victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway making Hill the series’ winningest driver this season. The No. 21 Chevrolet team delivered the Bowtie brand its second automatic bid into the Championship Four, with Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger securing his spot in the championship-deciding race with a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Allgaier Leads in Fight for Final Two Spots
Four Chevrolet playoff contenders are left to vie for the final two positions in the Championship Four. Leading the charge for the Bowtie brand is JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, who will enter the elimination weekend ranked third in the playoff standings with a 35-point cushion over the cutline. Despite a disappointing opening round, the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native has turned his postseason performance around in the Round of Eight – driving his No. 7 Camaro SS to a pair of top-10 results, including a podium finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. While already sitting in a favorable points position, Allgaier also has past success at Martinsville Speedway on his side – earning the victory and a Championship Four berth at the track one year ago. The veteran is the only driver among the remaining playoff contenders that have found victory lane at “The Paperclip”.
Jesse Love, Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith sit in the sixth through eighth positions, respectively, in the playoff standings and are faced with a ‘must-win’ situation. The trio of young Chevrolet drivers are coming of strong performances in the series’ spring appearance at the Virginia short-track, each earning top-10 results.
ENFINGER BUILDING CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTUM
With a combination of experienced strategy calls from atop the pit box and veteran moves behind the wheel, Grant Enfinger took the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway to keep the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet team undefeated in the Round of Eight. The second-half of the season has proven Enfinger’s true championship potential – earning nine top-10 results in the past 11 races, including two wins and six podium finishes. This season will mark Enfinger’s third Championship Four appearance, with the Chevrolet driver coming off his career-best points finish of second last season. Enfinger could be setting up for his best shot yet at the championship title. Crew chief, Jeff Stankiewicz, knows what it takes to call a championship-winning race at Phoenix Raceway – previously leading Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet team to the title in 2020.
Eckes Adds to Top-10 Streak, Points Cushion
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes is one step closer to turning a career season into his first appearance in the Championship Four. Earning his 19th straight top-10 result of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native was able to build his points cushion to 38-markers heading into the elimination weekend. Among the three playoff contenders that have a Martinsville victory to their name includes Eckes, who drove his No. 19 Silverado RST to the win in the series’ last appearance at the track (April 2024).
Also eyeing a victory for a Championship Four berth includes Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth (fifth; -22 points), McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum (seventh; -41 points) and Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez (eighth; -43 points).
THAT’S A WRAP ON 2024 ‘MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER’ CAMPAIGN
For the 14th consecutive year, Chevrolet has partnered with the American Cancer Society and its ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative. The specially-themed pink Camaro SS served as the official pace vehicle for two NASCAR Cup Series races during the month of October, including Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For every caution lap the pink Camaro SS completed, Chevrolet will make a donation of $350 (up to $50,000) to the American Cancer Society to honor the ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative.
Heading into the Homestead race weekend, the running total sat at $8,400 following the first race of the campaign at Talladega Superspeedway. With 30 laps made under caution during the Cup Series’ penultimate race of the Round of Eight at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet will contribute an additional $10,500, bringing the campaign’s total to $18,900 for 2024.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· With 87 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 50.6% with 44 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 18 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 11 wins).
· In 16 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat four times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway).
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway:
Kyle Busch – two wins (2016 & 2017)
William Byron – two wins (2022 & 2024)
Kyle Larson – one win (2023)
Chase Elliott – one win (2020)
· In 151 NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 61 victories and 57 pole wins – both of which are series-leading records.
· In 106 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 49.1%.
· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1240
Ford: 1195 (-45)
Toyota: 1195 (-45)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1158
Toyota: 1098 (-60)
Ford: 999 (-159)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 785
Toyota: 736 (-49)
Ford: 705 (-80)
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Round of Eight: Elimination Race
XFINITY 500
Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. ET
(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Round of Eight: Elimination Race
National Debt Relief 250
Saturday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. ET
(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Round of Eight: Elimination Race
Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200
Saturday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. ET
(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1
What do you think about Martinsville?
“I like Martinsville and can’t wait to get there this weekend. Obviously, it’s a special place for me because of the wall ride, but it’s a great, old track. It’s great to drive up there from Mooresville, walk down the hill into the track and have a hot dog after the race. It’s certainly important to get a good qualifying spot because it’s such a small track and the pace is quick.”
It has been a couple of years now, but it’s still talked about and will be forever, but what made you decide to ride the wall at Martinsville?
“I thought about a lot of the negatives in my head and none of them seemed really bad, so I did it. I hope it’s a single line item in a long list with all kinds of wins and different things.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
Larson on Martinsville Speedway:
“We’ve got a win and a couple second-place finishes I think at Martinsville since I joined Hendrick Motorsports. It’s not always been a great track for me, but I think that Hendrick Motorsports has a great package for the track and it has definitely helped me. Hopefully, we can battle for stage wins and the victory on Sunday.”
JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 OPTIC GAMING / GAINBRIDGE SPORT CAMARO ZL1
How do you look to flip your recent momentum and end the season on a high note?
“The season is coming to an end fast and I’m motivated to get the momentum rolling on the No. 7. It has been a learning experience to this point, but I feel if we unload a fast OpTic Gaming/Gainbridge Camaro on Saturday, we have a shot at a great day on Sunday.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1
How important was it to participate in the recent tire test at Martinsville Speedway? Are you pleased with the tire compound chosen for this race?
“Anytime you’re able to get that added track time is definitely beneficial. Track time is limited this day and age with not much practice and no open tests for everyone. I think we learned a few things at the test that will hopefully help us at the race. I feel like the tire compounds that were chosen are going to be better than what we had before.”
How rewarding would it be for you to put together a strong run at Martinsville Speedway?
“It would certainly be nice to get back on track with a good short track package and find some success at Martinsville again. I feel like my notes and laps at the recent test from Martinsville should help pay dividends for our team and have a strong run.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
Elliott his mentality heading into this weekend’s elimination race:
“I try hard not to overthink the situation. To be candid, we’ve been in this spot before, so it’s not like this is the first time I’ve been through this or had to experience this. Having done that before and been in this spot, I think that it gives you a little bit of a sense of peace and just kind of knowing how to handle it and knowing that your team can get it done.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1
Byron on racing at Martinsville Speedway:
“It’s a place that I know everyone at Hendrick Motorsports puts a lot of emphasis on being competitive at. I know last fall isn’t what we wanted and I’m hopeful that when we go back this time in the fall we’re really competitive. We know what the mission is for the weekend and it’s our job to execute and make it happen.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
Bowman on racing at Martinsville Speedway:
“I think we probably should have finished a little better than eighth there (Martinsville Speedway) in the spring. We kind of got run over every which way at the green-white checkered (flag). I think we can be strong there, for sure. Obviously cheering hard for my Hendrick Motorsports teammates to go make the Champ. 4. We are doing everything we can to go run up front and maybe come home with a trophy. I love Martinsville. It’s become an entirely different animal with this Next Gen. car. It will be interesting to see what this new soft tire does too- it’s supposed to have a lot of fall off. If it falls off like predicted, we will see a lot of green flag pit stops, which we rarely see at Martinsville (Speedway).”
ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1
After Homestead, what can you look forward to at Martinsville this weekend?
“We had a lot of positives at Homestead. I think the positive momentum will continue in Martinsville this weekend. Last Sunday, we were making progress until the contact with the wall, but that’s just part of racing. My Spire Motorsports team never gives up and they work hard to give me a fast Focused Health Chevy Camaro each week. I’m really looking forward to finishing the season strong with these next two races.”
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 PREMIER SECURITY CAMARO ZL1
The short tracks have had a learning curve for you this year. How do you look to flip the narrative this weekend at Martinsville?
“I am still learning and getting my feet under me at short tracks like Martinsville. It’s hard to make up ground when you lack grip, and aggressive moves can easily damage the car. On mile-and-a-half tracks, I can manipulate the air to my advantage, even if I lack grip. You can’t do that as easily at short tracks, so I rely on the car’s strength. Our team’s overall strength can compensate for my lack of experience at the short tracks. We’ve been strong on all track types recently, so I’m confident in our ability to run well at Martinsville and closing out the year strong.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY OUTDOORS BY LUKE BRYAN CAMARO ZL1
What are your thoughts on Martinsville and Phoenix?
“These races in Martinsville and Phoenix are important races to us. They say you are only as good as your last race so with the off-season coming up we want to close this season out well and have a good feeling about going into next year. Last year we qualified well in Martinsville with top-10s so we need to do that again on Saturday. I feel like we have had good race cars and expect that again on Sunday.”
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: 15
Poles: 10
Laps Led: 3,265
Top-Five Finishes: 67
Top-10 Finishes: 138
Stage Wins: 22
· Chase Elliott: 1
· Kyle Larson: 12
· Ross Chastain: 2
· William Byron: 2
· Shane van Gisbergen: 1
· Daniel Suarez: 1
· Kyle Busch: 1
· Alex Bowman: 1
· AJ Allmendinger: 1
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 866 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 753
Laps led to date: 252,420
Top-five finishes to date: 4,365
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,998
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,200
Chevrolet: 866
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 838
Ford: 738
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 189
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
