Official Release

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have launched a disaster relief fund with the goal of raising $500,000 in two weeks to support hurricane victims.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Finishing Position: 1st - What does it mean to you to win tonight? “It means everything to me. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, this is a throwback to my history – this is for Roy Hendrick, Bugs Hairfield, Wayne Patterson, Eddie Johnson, the short track guys that I grew up watching."

Going into Richmond Chase Elliott is the highest driver in points without a win. There are currently still two positions open as there have been 14 different winners thus far in 2017. Elliott is seventh in the standings, two points ahead of Matt Kenseth (Toyota), who is the second highest driver in points without a win. Jamie McMurray ninth in the standings and only one point behind Kenseth. Elliott and McMurray will both have to finish ahead of Kenseth in order to claim the final two Playoff spots.

KURT BUSCH – No. 41 Monster Energy Ford Fusion – WHAT WAS THE KEY TO GETTING TO THE FRONT? “It was good pit strategy. I was hoping for one more yellow. If there was a yellow with 30 to go, we were a really good car on short run speed. That was the longest run at the end and those guys caught us on their fresher tires, but just to be in position to win the Southern 500 is great. I didn’t quite get the job done, but third is really nice for a big, marquee race.”

As has been the case in the Verizon Verizon IndyCar Series since Chevrolet rejoined the Series in 2012 the Driver/Team as well as Manufacturer championships will come down to the season-ending race at Sonoma Raceway. Josef Newgarden came into the Grand Prix at the Glen with a 31-point lead in the standings in his quest for his first Series’ championship.

Fifth Third Bank (NASDAQ: FITB) has renewed its relationship with Roush Fenway Racing as primary sponsor on the No. 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford with driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in a multi-year deal.

Recap: Joey Logano started 10th and raced his way to second in the No. 22 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Ford Mustang in the Sportclips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway. Logano led a race-high 58 laps on his way to the runner-up finish, including down the backstretch on the white flag lap as he battled race winner Denny Hamlin through into turn 3.

KEVIN HARVICK – No. 41 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang – DESCRIBE THE EBBS AND FLOW TODAY? “Yeah, we had a great Hunt Brothers Ford. I want to thank Hunt Brothers and Fields and Bad Boy Off Road, Ford, Morton Buildings, everybody from Stewart-Haas Racing and Haas Automation for just letting us run this thing. It just didn’t wind up working out there at the end. I wound up on the bottom and I kept my foot in it over there, got loose underneath the 20. We weren’t the strongest for five or 10 laps and that didn’t really work out with that short run there at the end and we got stuck on the bottom. We got loose and then we got freight-trained, but just a great car. It wound up being a great race and that’s all you can ask for.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats 40th Anniversary Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing - Starting Position: 2nd - How did your Camry feel our in qualifying? “Feels good. That was definitely a good, successful qualifying session for us. It – we thought we were off a little bit the first round then just kept working on the car and kind of adjusted the driving style a little throughout all three rounds and we ended up second. So seems like we’ve been second a lot this year and it’s been a good number for us and hopefully it’ll be a good one tomorrow night.”

KEVIN HARVICK – No. 4 Busch Beer Ford Fusion – POLE WINNING PRESS CONFERENCE – “It feels pretty good. We’re on the pole. It’s been a good start to the weekend for us and the car is driving good and we w’re able to put three laps together. Everything is going well.”