TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Phoenix Raceway
October 16-18, 2026
NASCAR’s three national touring series are set to make their final trip to the West Coast of the season for a race weekend at Phoenix Raceway, and Chevrolet will arrive with a Chase contender in front or in the hunt in every garage. Boasting a 2.8 average finish in The Chase, Kyle Larson will return to the site that delivered his second championship title with a 49-point lead, and he’ll look to extend that margin once again in Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Sheldon Creed narrowly maintains the points lead, pacing a tight battle that sees the top-six Team Chevy drivers sitting within a 59-point margin of each other heading into Saturday night’s Timberland PRO 200. Chevrolet’s top Craftsman Truck Series Chase driver, Christian Eckes, has finished second in back-to-back postseason races and sits fourth, 88 points behind the lead, as the division opens the weekend Friday night in the Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 Powered by POET.
Chevrolet’s Cup Series History at Phoenix Raceway:
Chevrolet has been a part of Phoenix Raceway’s story since Dale Earnhardt, Sr. delivered the Bowtie brand’s first win in just the series’ third appearance at the track (Nov. 1990). Over the Cup Series’ 60-race history at the one-mile oval, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 27 victories. That total includes a record-setting streak of 10 straight, earned by six different drivers between 2005 and 2010, and a sweep of the 2023 events with William Byron (March) and Ross Chastain (November). The desert has also been a place of championship celebrations for the brand with three title-clinching performances alongside Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2025 & 2021).
LARSON CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY
Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team will return to the site of their title-earning campaigns, Phoenix Raceway, with the points lead intact after yet another impressive postseason performance. Though a sixth-place finish at Charlotte snapped his run of top-five finishes, it was still a strong day for the reigning champion. He drove to a points-earning run in both stages, including the Stage One win, and led a race-high 97 laps to build onto his points lead once again to now sit at a 49-point advantage heading into the final four race stretch of The Chase. Through six Chase races, he’s maintained a record-setting 2.8 average finish. Larson has one Cup win at Phoenix, the 2021 victory that clinched his first championship. He’s strung together four-straight top-five finishes at the desert oval, including a pair of third-place results that came in last season’s championship race and the series’ spring stop in March.
CREED ATOP TIGHT TOP-SIX BATTLE
Just 59 points separates the top-six drivers in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings, all of which come from the Chevrolet camp. Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed still leads the way, though his advantage has shrunk to two points over the reigning champion, Jesse Love. While Creed faced early-race woes at Charlotte after wall contact led to extended time on pit road for repairs, the No. 00 team rebounded to finish third. The West Coast native has found a sense of consistency at Phoenix Raceway, earning top-10 finishes in eight of his 10 O’Reilly Series starts at the track.
Love Returns to a Special Place
Jesse Love returns to the track where he clinched his first O’Reilly Series championship, and he arrives in a position to take a shot at the points lead. The reigning champion earned a runner-up finish and a 54-point race at Charlotte to close the gap to just two points behind leader Sheldon Creed. Phoenix has been a key part of Love’s career. He clinched his two ARCA Menards Series West titles there in 2020 and 2021; earned his first career top-five finish in the O’Reilly Series there in March 2024; and made the trip to victory lane to collect the title in last year’s championship race. He has posted a top-10 in all five of his O’Reilly Series starts there, most recently tallying a second-place finish in the spring event after leading a race-high 114 laps.
Day on a Roll
Corey Day has turned his first full-time O’Reilly Series campaign into true title potential. With back-to-back wins at Las Vegas and Charlotte, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has been able to make up an impressive 85 points over the last two races to now sit third and just seven points back from the lead. Day’s fourth win of the season didn’t come without a fight, where he had to rally from the back of the field after a pit road penalty at the conclusion of Stage One.
Allgaier’s Deep Desert History
Looking to turn a six-win season into a second title, Justin Allgaier heads to Phoenix with some much needed momentum after a solid fourth-place run at Charlotte brought him within 15 points from the lead. Allgaier is a three-time winner at the one-mile oval, with his most recent coming in March when he led the final 11 laps to earn his first victory of the season. Also earning his first O’Reilly Series championship at Phoenix, the title came the hard way as he fell a lap down midway through the race before rebounding to finish second and beat the other three championship finalists. The result started an active streak of four-straight top-five finishes at the track that he will bring into the weekend.
ECKES HEATING UP
Christian Eckes and the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet are hitting their stride just at the right time, racking up back-to-back runner-up results to make yet another position gain up the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase Standings. Now sitting fourth, 88 points behind the leader, the Team Chevy driver heads to a track that could be a good place to make a breakthrough performance. Eckes’ one Phoenix victory came in the 2023 finale race. That win is part of a solid resume at the track that includes top-nine finishes in five of his six Truck Series starts.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500 will mark the third 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. The current contribution total is $9,000 heading into the Phoenix race weekend.
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway:
Ross Chastain – one win (2023)
William Byron – one win (2023)
Kyle Larson – one win (2021)
Chase Elliott – one win (2020)
· In 60 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded 27 victories, including a record-setting streak of 10 straight – earned by six different drivers between 2005-2010.
· With a sixth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson holds an average finish of 2.8 in The Chase – a feat that sets the record for the best average finish by a driver through the first six races of the postseason in NASCAR’s premier series.
· 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 175 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 75 victories – a winning percentage of 42.9%.
· 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
Freeway Insurance 500
Sunday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. ET
USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Timberland PRO 200
Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET
CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 Powered by POET
Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET
FS2, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What is it like going to Phoenix knowing it’s not the Championship race this year like it has been in the past?
“For sure it’s going to be different. I mean, races with the Championship 4, that was a very unique thing that we’re not going to experience again in this current format. Phoenix got that race for several years and it had a different feel. I remember flying out there as part of the Championship 4 in 2022. I’ll never forget all that. It was one of the few times in my life I paid for wi-fi on the plane because I had a lot of texts and emails to respond to and I took those four plus hours and responded to a lot of people on my way to Phoenix. After we lost, I’ll be honest, I did not buy the wi-fi on the trip home (laughs). I just sat in silence and sulked as we finished second in the points that year. But to get a win there back in 2023 when it was the last race of the season, that was really cool and special. It was a huge win for me and I remember enjoying victory lane and going into the off-season as the most recent winner.”
At what point in your career did you find that ability to move on and not dwell on results?
“I mean it came with the success around 2018, and I started meeting with Josh Wise when it was just him out back at Ganassi. There was the physical side, but he was trying to make the couple of us that were working with him be strong enough to go perform in NASCAR. The way he explains things and talks to me and the way that we talk through things has just opened my eyes to a different outlook, and that’s what he’s really good at. You don’t leave Josh’s office ever feeling sad, and it’s not a fake pump up either. It’s truly a way to look at whatever the issue is. After a bad race, with a little bit of time, I can switch on to the next one. It does make it important for me to finish the season strong because I want to go into the off season feeling good since there isn’t a next race to reset to and focus on until the next year. I’m pretty fortunate that I’ve been taught the ability to switch the last race and its results off and focus on the next one.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?
“Phoenix Raceway is a tough place. We’ve worked really hard on getting good finishes at the track, but it’s one of those places where you hit on the setup or you don’t. It’s a very challenging short track, but everyone on the No. 3 Dow Arm & Hammer Chevrolet team loves a good challenge. It’s a fun track for drivers because the track is so unique. You try and turn it into a short track, but the aero platform in the car really matters. One end of the track is flat, one end is banked, and you’re just trying to get the car neutral in both. You have to constantly work on improving there, but we’re always optimistic.”
How much do you think you’ll be able to take from the Spring Phoenix Raceway race and apply to this weekend?
“I would say some things will probably change, but not a whole lot. We just need to take good notes. Anytime we go to a track, we’re going to be writing notes and talking about ways we can get better and improve. There’s always something you can learn and take to the next event.”
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“Consistency wasn’t something we had throughout the regular season, but we’ve been really consistent during The Chase, and I’m proud of everyone’s effort. I think our race cars have gotten a little better, and the pit crew has been solid and consistent all year. Having a slightly faster race car has allowed me to be a bit calmer behind the wheel, which helps with consistency. Cliff [Daniels] and the engineers have also done a really good job with strategy and calling races. The combination of all those factors has been good and has translated into results.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
You’re returning to Spire Motorsports for the 2027 season. How pumped are you to continue building with this team, and what are your expectations heading into next year?
“I’m really excited to continue with Spire Motorsports. I believe in this team and, more importantly, the people behind it. We’ve made a lot of progress this year and it’s been rewarding to see how much we’ve grown together. Making the Chase was an important milestone for us and I think it shows what we’re capable of as a team. There’s a lot of talent and determination within this organization and I truly believe in the direction we’re heading. We’ve built a strong foundation, and I’m looking forward to continuing that momentum and seeing what more we can accomplish together.”
What can you take from the spring race at Phoenix to help you this weekend?
“We had good speed here in the spring and learned a lot that we can take into this weekend. We’ll go back through our notebook, look at what worked well, and try to build on that to be even stronger this time around. We’re looking forward to having Freeway Insurance with us for the Freeway Insurance 500 and hopefully put together a solid weekend.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?
“We feel pretty confident and solid with our mile-and-a-half program. I think it’s the short track program with this new horsepower package—where we don’t have any notes from last year—that’s been a tough one for our team to develop and grow. We’ve been working really hard and I feel like we have improved, but that’s one area we can get better. Going back to Phoenix will be a big weekend for us to get one last crack at this short-track package before Martinsville Speedway. We want to learn as much as we can for our race team, and hopefully make the most of the opportunity. I love racing at those two speedways, and we want to have strong weekends at each of them.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Phoenix has historically been a challenging track, but after a respectable finish in the spring, what are you taking away from that previous performance?
“I guess the only thing I could say about Phoenix is that we were better there in the spring than we’ve been in the past. Hopefully we can carry over some of the things we’ve learned at other racetracks, like Iowa Speedway for instance, and build on what we did at Phoenix earlier this season. Honestly, it’s a track I enjoy when we’re decent at it. It’s a fun racetrack to drive, but it definitely hasn’t been one of our best throughout our history at Kaulig Racing. We’re looking to change that and have a good run.”
What are your expectations heading into Phoenix?
“It felt like we’d been making progress until Charlotte (Motor Speedway), so that was surprising. We’ll go on to Phoenix and do our best. I think if we could run in the top 20 there, that would be a positive, especially since we did a pretty good job there in the spring. So, we’ll see.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
“We’re looking forward to getting back on track at Phoenix this weekend with Beyond Resilience returning to the No. 47 Chevrolet. It’s great to have them on board for back-to-back races, and we appreciate their continued support. Phoenix is a unique track where track position and having a good balance throughout the race are really important. Hopefully we can take what we learned last weekend at Charlotte, build on it, and put together a strong run for Beyond Resilience and everyone at Hyak Motorsports.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
“Phoenix has always been a difficult racetrack. It’s not really a short track because it’s so wide and so fast. It kind of blends the lines of an intermediate, downforce-style track into a short track. Like a short track, we’re doing a lot of shifting at Phoenix, and there are different ways to approach the corners in regard to how many times you’re shifting and where you’re shifting. Loose is fast at Phoenix, and the setups there are very aggressive. You’ve got to run the car mechanically free, so you never feel good around Phoenix. Even though it’s only a 312-lap race, it feels like a very long 312 laps.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What makes Phoenix such a dynamic track?
“I feel like Phoenix is unique in its own way. With the ability to run the dog leg, you can see five-wide restarts and different lanes which makes for fun racing. There’s also a lot of intensity being late in The Chase and the season is winding down. It is a grueling season. You get to the end, and you don’t want the last couple of races to be that gut shot where you just feel like you’ve lost steam. You want to go out with good momentum, but it is going to be different going to Arizona and not ending the season there. We have shown a lot of speed here in the last few runs with Spire Motorsports, and I am hoping we can capitalize on this weekend. We will have a lot of friends and family coming to the race, so I am excited to see them and hopefully put on a good show based on the notes we have put together earlier this year. I think finishing strong across the last few weeks is really important as we build momentum going into the 2027 season and that momentum can be huge with good runs at Phoenix and Talladega.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Your results at Phoenix don’t reflect the speed you’ve displayed. How can that change this weekend?
“We have been fast at the flat tracks. We were pretty good at Gateway, which has similar characteristics, so we feel good about it. We have qualified really well there the last couple years, just haven’t necessarily gotten the finishes for one reason or another. Hopefully, we are up front and have an opportunity to get a good finish.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
The No. 88 Chevrolet will have a special version of the Jockey 150th Anniversary paint scheme at Phoenix, carrying the message “For the Generations.” What does that mean to you?
“I’ve had the chance to drive the 150th anniversary car already this season, but the Phoenix scheme carries an added message with ‘For the Generations.’ It connects 150 years of Jockey providing comfort and care for families with a focus on helping protect the next generation, which makes this one especially meaningful. I’m proud that we can use the No. 88 and this race weekend to help bring more attention to the partnership between Jockey, One Mighty Fortress Foundation and A21.”
What are your thoughts entering Phoenix this weekend?
“I love racing at Phoenix. That track is awesome and the restarts are crazy. I feel bad for the spotters having to call however many wide you are, how many are outside of you and how many are inside. It’s always chaotic there. The track is wide and there’s a lot of room to make moves, move around, and change the balance of your car. I love visiting that part of the country.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Do you enjoy racing at Phoenix Raceway?
“I really like Phoenix (Raceway). It’s a very tough track, flat but a lot of line variations and things you can do to explore. It’s one of my tracks that I like and starting to get better at. We had a pretty good race there in the spring. It was adventurous, we had an up and down day and finished 11th with the brake pedal falling off, so that wasn’t fun (laughs). The track changes so much, how you can move all over the place. It’s always a fun track to race at.”
Since missing the Chase, are you and the team using the last part of this season to prepare for next year?
“Yeah, obviously it’s disappointing to miss the Chase. We had a pretty rough Daytona and since then we’ve been struggling for a bit, but I think it’s for a reason. Like I said, we’ve been trying a bunch of stuff and trying to learn and get better for next year. I’m glad we’re thinking outside the box, but now hopefully we can start making more speed and find some things that work well and carry that with us into next season.”
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: 2,477
Top-Fives: 52
Top-10s: 109
Stage Wins: 22
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 889 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 772
Laps led to date: 259,211
Top-fives to date: 4,488
Top-10s to date: 9,260
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: 220
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.
