TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Charlotte Motor Speedway
October 9-11, 2026
Chevrolet arrives at Charlotte Motor Speedway for a Chase weekend that will have a different look from recent seasons. For the first time since 2017, NASCAR’s fall weekend at “America’s Home for Racing” will return to the track’s oval as all three of the sport’s national touring series will continue their title runs on the traditional 1.5-mile layout. The Craftsman Truck Series will open the weekend Friday with the Ecosave 200, followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Blue Cross NC 300 on Saturday and the Cup Series’ Bank of America 400 on Sunday.
Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson and Sheldon Creed will once again lead their respective series into the weekend from atop the points standings. Officially meeting the halfway point of the Cup Series Chase, Larson’s title-defending run continues to be nothing short of impressive with the Team Chevy driver leaving Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a 2.2 average finish and the largest points lead of the postseason. In the O’Reilly Series, the Bowtie brigade continues to hold the top-six spots – led by Creed, who despite a disappointing west coast outing, still maintains a double-digit points lead.
Chevrolet’s Cup Series History at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
Chevrolet has been part of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s story from the start. The Bowtie brand won the inaugural Cup race at the track in 1960 with Joe Lee Johnson, and over the series’ 128-race history competing on its oval configuration, the manufacturer’s winning ways have led to a series-leading 49 victories. 27 of those triumphs have come in the track’s crown jewel event, the Coca-Cola 600, including each of the last two with Ross Chastain (2025) and Daniel Suarez (2026).
LARSON EXTENDS POINTS LEAD, TOP-FIVE STREAK
It was a true championship-caliber performance by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Despite a turbulent day that saw them go a lap down in the opening stage, the Cliff Daniels-led team rallied right back into race winning contention late to finish second and extend their streak of top-five finishes in the Chase to five. The result aided in a double-digit gain in his points lead, carrying a 40-point advantage over Denny Hamlin into the Charlotte race weekend. He boasts a 2.2 average finish through the first-half of the postseason, including two wins and four-straight results within the top-two. Larson has one victory on the Charlotte oval in his Cup Series career, which came in his first championship-earning season (2021) where he swept all four stages and led 327 of 400 laps of the Coca-Cola 600 to take the crown jewel win.
BYRON LOOKING FOR A BREAKTHROUGH AT HOME
There’s no sweeter spot to breakthrough into victory lane for the first time this season than at your home track, and that’s exactly what’s on the mind of Charlotte native, William Byron. The Team Chevy driver returns home with a solid baseline of consistency after a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway extended his top-10 streak in the Chase to four-straight, an effort that also kept his results on 1.5-mile tracks this season all within the top-10. His prowess on intermediate ovals has largely been demonstrated within his recent history at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He’s ranked third-best in the series with an average finish of 9.6 in the Next Gen era at the track, including a string of three-consecutive top-three finishes in the 2023-25 Coca Cola 600’s. His ninth-place result in this season’s spring race further extended his record to four-straight top-10s at the track. In his past four outings on the track’s oval, his other notable achievements include one pole win, four stage wins and a combined 423 laps led.
CREED STAYS IN COMMAND
Heading into the fifth stop of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series nine-race postseason schedule, Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed continues to lead Team Chevy into a sweep of the top-six of the points standings. Despite a disappointing finish just outside the top-10 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he still managed to add on to his points lead to now sit at a 19-point advantage over JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil.
But it was Hendrick Motorsports’ Corey Day that was the star of the show in Las Vegas. The young Team Chevy driver put on a career-showing at the Nevada-based oval that included a pole win and a career-high 136 laps led en route to his third win of the season. Cashing in on a monstrous 75-point day, he was able to cut his points deficit from 92 to 41 points from the lead. The 20-year-old made his first-ever start on the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval just this spring, an effort that ended with a solid top-five result.
LOVE CLOSES IN AND RETURNS TO CHARLOTTE AFTER A NEAR-MISS IN MAY
The reigning NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Champion, Jesse Love, was also able to cut into Sheldon Creed’s points lead at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – finishing third to trim his deficit from 41 points to 21. Now sitting third in the standings, the momentum adds to the fuel for redemption for the Richard Childress Racing driver’s return to Charlotte Motor Speedway. In the track’s spring race, he led a handful of laps late before having to settle for a runner-up finish when rain brought the event to an early end. He’s finished inside the top-10 in all six 1.5-mile races this season, with his Charlotte result leading the way.
ECKES MAKING MOVES, RECENT CHARLOTTE STANDOUT
Christian Eckes, driver of the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, was the biggest mover in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase standings after Kansas – climbing three spots from eighth to fifth. Forced to start 25th after qualifying was cancelled due to rain, he showed speed early in his Silverado RST before charging to a second-place finish and his fourth-straight podium appearance at the track. With another 1.5-mile track on deck, Eckes also carries momentum from his most recent appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In May, he earned top-two points in both stages, led 33 laps and posted the race’s fastest lap on the way to a sixth-place finish. That added on to an already solid resume at the oval that includes an active streak of four-straight top-10 finishes. The remainder of the series’ postseason schedule presents a strong set of tracks for the Team Chevy driver where he’s earned wins at both Phoenix Raceway (one win – Nov. 2023) and Martinsville Speedway (two wins – 2024 sweep).
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Sunday’s Bank of America 400 will mark the second of five races in Chevrolet’s ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ campaign, where Chevrolet will donate $1,500 for each Team Chevy driver that earns a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series race. With four top-10 finishers in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the current contribution total is $6,000 heading into the Charlotte race weekend.
· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
Daniel Suarez – one win (2026)
Ross Chastain – one win (2025)
Kyle Larson – one win (2021)
Chase Elliott – one win (2020)
Austin Dillon – one win (2017)
· In 128 NASCAR Cup Series races held on the oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chevrolet leads the series with 49 victories, including back-to-back Coca-Cola 600 wins with Ross Chastain (2025) and Daniel Suarez (2026).
· Since the 10-race postseason format was introduced into the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, Kyle Larson is now just the second driver in history to earn top-five results in the first five races. He’s earned a series-best average finish of 2.2 through the first-half of The Chase, leading the next-best title contender, Austin Cindric, whose average finish is 8.0.
· With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.
· With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.
· In 174 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 75 victories – a winning percentage of 43.1%.
· Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.
· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 889 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Bank of America 400
Sunday, Oct. 11, at 3 p.m. ET
USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Blue Cross NC 250
Saturday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. ET
CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Ecosave 200
Friday, Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. ET
FOX, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
You seem to do really well at that Charlotte Motor Speedway. You also won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race there in May, but what makes you so good at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Fast cars, I can’t look past that. It’s the first track I’ve been able to fortunately win at in all three of the national series for Truck, O’Reilly and Cup. Definitely good memories, a lot of losses. I mean, to say we’ve won three races means we’ve lost a whole lot more. So there’s been some humbling times, but I can’t look past winning the Coke 600 last year, and trying to go and win another oval race there is top of the list. I mean, just what that would mean for us as a team and me personally to drive back into victory lane is everything we’re trying to do. If the race car handles like it did last year at 600, we’ll have a shot.”
I guess this goes without asking, you were a fan to see the Charlotte Oval back on the fall schedule rather than the Roval, correct?
“Yeah, I would have wished it was an oval track last year. From the high of winning the 600 in May on Memorial Day Sunday, to the agony of falling out of the then playoffs last year at the Roval, by two huge mistakes on my part. So it wasn’t actually on the track that caused me the issue, it was pit road and just big errors that took us out of advancing to the round of eight a year ago, and then you double down on that and not even make the chase this year is tough. But yeah, Charlotte was one of my coolest core life memories that I’ll take with me for the rest of my days. So yeah, glad to be on the Oval and back on the circle track.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Let’s go back to your first NASCAR Cup Series win. It was the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. You’re battling the great Jimmie Johnson. Describe that feeling coming off Turn 4 knowing that you’ve got enough fuel and you’re about to win your first race and it’s a Crown Jewel?
“I just remember the sense of relief, and thinking ‘wow, we won a race at the highest level of NASCAR. I remember tracking Jimmie Johnson and just knowing what we were battling, the chess game that we were playing on fuel. I had watched so many laps of Jimmie around Charlotte Motor Speedway, and how, you know, precise he was with his line in Turns 1 and 2. I just remember arching Turn 1 as late as possible, and coming off the corner, and Jimmy pulling to the side, out of gas. It was like ‘okay, here we go. Now, we just need to get to the checkered flag,’ and then we were able to do it.”
What is that feeling like when you see the checkered flag first at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“There’s nothing better than looking in your mirror and knowing everybody’s behind you and you’re coming to the checkered flag. It’s a great feeling.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
You’re heading back to Charlotte, where you won in May. How do you feel about returning to the oval layout after competing on the ROVAL in recent years?
“I’m looking forward to being home this weekend and getting back to Charlotte. I’m glad we’re back on the oval. We had a great race there in May, so hopefully we can go back, have a good car and put together another strong weekend.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts on Charlotte Motor Speedway?
“Charlotte Motor Speedway is where so much of my life was started and was created. So many special things that mean so much to me happened. I met my wife here at this track when we were little and have got to bring my kids now. So, this is a very special place. The only thing is I haven’t got to victory lane in the big cars. I’ve won everything. I’ve won at the dirt track. I’ve won at the little track. I’m ready for my shot here in the big victory lane.”
Do you enjoy the oval or “ROVAL” layout?
“I’ve always loved high-speed 1.5-mile ovals because you’re constantly balancing execution, tire wear, and pure corner speed. The road-course setups force you to make a lot of compromises with the car, whereas running the oval lets us lean on raw speed and strategy. The racing on 1.5-mile ovals with this Next Gen car has been incredible—it gives you multiple lanes to work with and real opportunities to pass.”
Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
The Lucas Oil red scheme will return this weekend, with the company saving the iconic Lucas Oil blue scheme for Brexton Busch. What are your thoughts about the look of the car?
“It looks great. Red is my favorite color. Growing up, blue was my favorite color, but it has slowly turned into red. Kyle (Busch) meant so much to our sport and team, and a lot of folks think of the blue Lucas Oil scheme when they think of Kyle’s time at RCR. He had a hand in designing that car. His first win at RCR came in the Lucas Oil blue, and his last race was in it. And now to top it all off, it’s something that Brexton can have down the road if he wants it. Keeping the blue Lucas Oil design in the Busch family is really neat, just to keep the legacy going with it. When I saw the red scheme in person for the first time though, I thought the car felt like me. Hopefully, we can have a good race on Sunday and start my own path with the red now.”
Describe the challenge of running double duty every weekend between the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series.
“Before I was working five or six days a week and now, I’m working seven days a week. There is something every single day, so I technically don’t have a day off. It’s great getting the extra reps, so I’m not complaining about the laps on both Saturdays and Sundays. The preparation work is really tough. The average person probably doesn’t understand how different the Cup car is from the O’Reilly car. How you make speed, where the downforce is, your lift points, and your braking points are all different. I still remind myself that it has a steering wheel, gas, and brake pedal, but everything else is different. It takes 20-30 laps to get readjusted and settled into the other car. We are making the most of it and while it’s hard, I’ve found a good balance with the schedule.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
“We are a tight-knit team, and we enjoy accomplishing things people may not expect from us,” said Stenhouse. “That connects naturally with BEYOND RESILIENCE. You prepare, take the risk, learn from what happens and come back ready to achieve more.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
“My racing career and, really, my passion for racing started at Charlotte. It was in ‘Winter Heat’ and ‘Summer Shootout’ in Legend Cars, racing in the semipro division. To have started racing at Charlotte in one of the smallest forms of racing, both literally and figuratively, to now racing at the pinnacle of stock car racing at Charlotte, is really cool. It’s something I always think about every time I drive through the tunnel and into the infield.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
This the first time Charlotte has not raced on the ROVAL since 2017, what are you expecting to see and learn from the spring?
“Being a road course guy, I hated seeing the ROVAL go. We’ve had some competitive speed on the oval the last few years and we’re looking to maximize that. Obviously, Daniel (Suárez) won the Coca-Cola 600 which was huge for our organization and that gives us a little added confidence going into this weekend. That confidence is super helpful after this stretch of 1.5-mile tracks, which haven’t gone exactly as we hoped. Regardless, 400 miles at Charlotte will be fun. The race is going to feel much shorter, so having track position early will be crucial if we want to maximize our day. Off the track, Charlotte is a busy week with appearances and our Fan Day on Friday, but it’s great to be home while having some friends and family join us. Hopefully, we can run up front so Spire (Motorsports) can sweep the Charlotte races this season.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Charlotte marks the third mile-and-a-half in a row and it’s obviously a home race. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?
“It is business as usual. If anything, it is exciting for us just because it is a good one for us. We restarted on the front row of the Coca-Cola 600 last year when we blew up, then Daniel (Suarez) and the No. 7 team got the win, so the whole shop is excited to get. Add in the home race aspect and all the families that will be there, and it can be a really special weekend.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
How long did it take you to get hydrated after the Las Vegas race on Sunday? The high temperature on race day was in the mid-90s.
“It was warm, for sure. I drank a couple bottles of water on the plane ride home and I still don’t think I’m completely hydrated. My best guess is I probably lost seven pounds and I haven’t quite replenished that yet. I need to do a better job getting some water and some fluids in me after the race. I think the humidity usually is what makes it so tough and it was pretty it’s dry heat out there so it wasn’t too bad.”
What is different about Charlotte versus other mile-and-a-half racetracks?
“Charlotte is different for sure. The bumps in Turns 3 and 4 are something you have to really pay attention to. You have to be really diligent with the line at that end of the track. If you’re going to the bottom, you have to get your left side on that painted line at the bottom of the racetrack. I feel like the groove always widens out. You’re able to run up by the wall and all the way down at the painted line and that provides a good show for the fans. It’s a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. I think Charlotte is one of the best tracks we go to. Charlotte is ‘s where I grew up, so I’ve always got some friends and family there, so hopefully we can have a good day.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturer Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 44
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2025
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, 2024, 2025
Driver Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 34
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)
Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29
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, 2025
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2026 STATISTICS:
Wins: 8
Poles: 6
Laps Led: 2,380
Top-Fives: 52
Top-10s: 107
Stage Wins: 21
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 889 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 772
Laps led to date: 259,114
Top-fives to date: 4,488
Top-10s to date: 9,258
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,223
Chevrolet: 889
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 855
Ford: 755
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 219
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.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
