KANSAS CITY, Kan: Life is good for Greg Van Alst at the moment.
Van Alst’s recent performance at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway was a true testament to his unwavering determination and resilience. Despite a challenging race, he showcased his grit by securing his second top-10 of the 2024 ARCA Menards Series season and an impressive eighth-place finish in the General Tire 150.
This achievement, along with his consistent efforts, has allowed the Anderson, Ind. native to maintain a strong position in the ARCA championship point standings as he prepares for the first intermediate track of the season at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, May 4.
Van Alst’s race at the Monster Mile was a true test of his and his Van Alst Motorsports team’s mettle. Led by crew chief Jim Long, they displayed resilience and strategic prowess, not only recovering from being lapped early in the race but also finishing on the lead lap, sitting just one point behind a sophomore ARCA Menards Series driver.
“Dover was a true test of our resilience. Despite the challenges, we managed to finish in the top-10 and keep the car intact,” shared Van Alst. “As a car owner and driver, I couldn’t ask for more. I’m eager to move on from Dover and head to Kansas Speedway, a track that has grown on me in the ARCA schedule.”
The 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway certainly holds a bit of sentiment for the ARCA Menards Series veteran. In the spring of 2021, Van Alst secured his first career top-10 finish in The Sunflower State with a seventh-place effort.
Since his notable seventh-place finish in the Land of Oz in the spring of 2021, Van Alst has been a force to reckon with in the ARCA Menards Series. His impressive track record includes a significant win at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2023, along with five top-five and 20 more top-10 finishes.
With a firm commitment to competing for the ARCA Menards Series championship this year, Van Alst is returning to Kansas Speedway with a clear goal. He’s not just aiming for another top-10 finish; he’s also eyeing the opportunity that a clean day of competition will allow him to re-secure the ARCA points lead for the second time in 2024.
“We’ve been relentless in our pursuit of perseverance in the past couple of weeks and month,” affirmed Greg Van Alst. “Fortunately, our No. 35 race vehicles have sustained minimal damage, allowing us to gain a slight edge. But we’re not complacent. We’re hungry for improvement, and we’re determined to get better.
“We know that our hands are tied a little bit with the equipment and limited resources we have to work with, but we are trying to keep our heads held high and just focus forward.”
Van Alst admittingly admits that his all-volunteer team has suffered speed on the intermediate tracks throughout his ARCA career. While he certainly has the speed to contend for a top-10 finish, Van Alst and his gang want more.
To help them find more speed, Greg and company will partake in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series open test at Kansas Speedway, where he hopes five hours of on-track time will prove to be extremely beneficial for not only Saturday afternoon’s Tide 150 but the upcoming General Tire 150 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 24.
“If we are able to find something that allows us to pick up a tenth or more during the open test on Friday, it’s a small victory for us,” explained Van Alst. “For us, this five hours of track time is crucial. We can use the time to try new things or revert back to the old.
“We want to survive Kansas Speedway this weekend and look ahead to Charlotte with a positive finish, where I hope we can capitalize on points and then reset and prepare for the short tracks, which is where I think our team excels most.”
This weekend, the family-owned team welcomes CB Fabricating as the primary partner of the team’s No. 35 Ford Fusion for 100 laps of action.
Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.
In addition to CB Fabricating, Zaki Ali (Injury & Criminal Trial Attorney; 1-888-649-1-ALI), Norton Transport and Top Choice Fence will serve as associate partners for Van Alst’s 43rd career ARCA start.
“The ARCA season is a continued grind and I’m super blessed to have CB Fabricating back on board as the primary partner this weekend at Kansas,” sounded Van Alst. Chris Barkdull and CB Fabricating have been our primary partners for every ARCA race I’ve run at Kansas, so it’s great to have them back in that role, as well as our other partners.
“We just need to do what we did last year and that was to have a drama-free race and bring home a top-10 finish. If we can do that, we should be in a good spot to either take back the ARCA points lead or keep it still within arm’s reach.”
Since 2002, Van Alst has 42 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, one win, five top-five and 21 top-10 finishes.
For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
The Tide 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the fifth of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice is set for Saturday, May 4, from 9:25 – 9:55 a.m. Group qualifying will begin at 10:10 a.m. The race is set for later in the day, scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities.
For a lot of people, purchasing a new car is a pretty huge investment. Even though it’s for sure worth every penny, it still doesn’t erase the fact that you’ll be paying for it in the next couple of years.
That’s precisely why you shouldn’t take things lightly when it comes to this but make sure to make a well-informed decision that you’re not going to regret in the future. In other words, you must take certain things into consideration before you make a purchase.
But what are the most important ones? This may be confusing for the first-time buyers, but don’t worry. We have your back and with the help of these useful tips, you’ll avoid making any mistakes along the way.
Which Car Is Perfect For Your Needs?
Do you know why you want to buy an automobile in the first place? Is this your first auto and you just want to have a vehicle that’s going to “serve” you whenever it’s necessary? Will you be using it on a daily basis, or occasionally?
Is it intended solely for you, or for your family members too? These are all the questions that need to be asked and answered if you want to determine the type of car you are searching for. Once that’s figured out you can focus on other relevant elements.
There are many different features that could potentially come with a vehicle. Of course, these things can vary. But it’s up to you to decide what is considered a priority if you want to pick the right car.
Once the type (and its purpose) is determined, you can start doing your homework to see what’s at your disposal as far as this is concerned. When we say this, we refer to different models and their prices.
If you aren’t familiar with a specific model, then make sure to go through online reviews to see if it’s worth your money and time.
Find The Right Car Dealership
It doesn’t matter whether you are planning on obtaining a new or used automobile, what matters is to start thinking about the car dealership you’ll be contacting. Just like with auto, there are certain things that need to be considered as well.
For starters, think about the financing options you’ll be opting for. Will you choose a bank, lender, or financing option that is provided at the dealership? A few days ago, we heard that a VW dealer in Perth offers excellent financing options, along with a vast selection of vehicles. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t need to be this dealership.
Whatever you choose just be sure to take the above-mentioned factor into account, and most importantly, that it’s reputable and trustworthy, because if it isn’t, you’ll be only wasting a substantial amount of money only to be fooled by it.
Just like with cars, in these instances, it’s also important to do your homework to check the previous experience people had with it. If there’s no rating, or most of them are negative, then it means they aren’t ethical.
On the flip side, if most of them are positive, then you should definitely consider them, but still, take everything they say with a grain of salt. No matter who you pick, it’s always wise to be careful.
Budget, Budget, Budget
Unless you are extremely rich, you must be very cautious in terms of your budget if you want to avoid overspending. According to some seasoned financial experts, they suggest that your total car-related costs shouldn’t be more than twenty percent of the income you receive each month.
This typically refers to the maintenance, car insurance, gas, and other expenses. Therefore, spending no more than fifteen percent of your salary on a car loan is considered acceptable. And of course, don’t forget to include other costs that you are usually having each month
If by any chance you conclude that acquiring a new car may not be such a great idea (due to your financial situation) then it doesn’t instantly mean that you shouldn’t purchase an automobile at all.
On the contrary. There’s another alternative that’s good too! We’re referring to the used autos. Now, we know that you may be skeptical about it, but keep in mind that used cars nowadays are in excellent condition and can serve you for many, many years, unlike used vehicles that were sold twenty or more years ago.
That’s exactly why you definitely shouldn’t perceive this as a worse option, but rather as something that’s currently more suitable for you in terms of finances.
Electrical Automobiles May Not Be A Bad Idea
More and more people nowadays decide they want to lead a life that’s eco-friendly. And when they say this, it means that every aspect of their lives should move towards this type of lifestyle, including the auto they are driving.
That’s why many people gladly opt for electric cars, although there are still those who aren’t too thrilled about them and would rather select gas-powered vehicles. Why is that? Well, that’s because electrical automobiles are pricier and because of the range, meaning that their electrical car will not “survive” longer distances due to its battery.
Even though all these worries completely make sense, you need to remember that electrical vehicles that were invented several years ago and the latest models are definitely not the same. Just like many other things, these cars are evolving as well.
For starters, they aren’t as expensive as they used to be, plus their batteries last much longer in comparison to the older models.
Don’t Forget Its History
While you are comparing different automobiles and their prices, another factor that you should take into account is their history. If you have its VIN number, then you can easily get a vehicle history report from Carfax and/or AutoCheck. In fact, a plethora of dealerships can also provide you with a history report.
Photo by Nordic Overdrive
We can only imagine how happy and excited you are because you’re about to purchase a brand-new car. That’s great news for sure, however, in order to avoid having any regrets, please don’t forget to consider the tips that were written today.
In today’s hyper-connected world, social media marketing (SMM) is not just an option; it’s a necessity. For brands looking to carve out their niche in the digital space, leveraging SMM panels can be a game-changer. In my experience, this tool stands out as a robust solution, helping marketers amplify their social media presence efficiently. Let’s learn how this panel can transform your social media strategies.
Understanding the SMM World Panels
SMM World Panels offer a suite of services designed to enhance engagement on various social media platforms. You can boost your follower count on Instagram or increase your tweet engagement. Social media panels provide a range of features that cater to the diverse needs of digital marketers.
Why Choose the SMM Panels?
Here is why diving into the world of SMM world panels could be the right choice for your social media efforts:
Cost-Effectiveness
An SMM World Panel offers its services at competitive prices, making it highly accessible for small businesses and startups often limited by budget constraints. This affordability ensures that even entities with modest marketing funds can use advanced social media tools to enhance their online presence effectively.
Wide Range of Services
SMM World Panels offer a comprehensive array of services including likes, shares, followers, and views, catering to the diverse needs of people. This service range supports multiple aspects of social media campaigns. Therefore, this makes it a versatile choice for marketers aiming to boost digital presence efficiently.
User-Friendly Interface
With an intuitive dashboard that simplifies navigation, making it accessible even for beginners. This user-friendly design ensures that all users can manage their social media enhancement tasks effectively and without hassle.
Time Efficiency
The panel’s rapid service delivery guarantees that marketing campaigns advance without any interruptions, which is essential for maintaining momentum in the ever-changing social media landscape. This swift execution allows businesses to capitalize on trends and engage with audiences in real-time, thereby enhancing campaign effectiveness and ensuring timely responses to market dynamics and consumer interactions.
How to Utilize the SMM World Panels Effectively
To make the most out of the SMM World Panels, here are some practical tips based on my personal experiences:
Set Clear Objectives: Before initiating campaigns, define what you aim to achieve. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness or boosting sales, having a clear goal helps you choose the right services. For example, aim to increase Instagram followers or drive more traffic to your website.
Start Small: Test the waters by starting with smaller campaigns to gauge the effectiveness of the services.
Analyse and Adapt: Utilize the analytics tools provided by the panel to monitor the impact of your campaigns. Understanding what works and what doesn’t allow you to refine your strategies.
Real-World Examples
In my experience, businesses have thrived by using the SMM World Panels. For example, a local bakery saw its online orders double after using the panel to actively promote its posts and better engage with its customers.
Similarly, a new clothing brand significantly grew its social media following and sales by using the panel to boost its online presence and interact with potential buyers. These cases show how the panel can meet diverse business needs and significantly improve engagement and sales results. If you are a small brand owner and cannot find the best one yet, click here to explore the SMM World Panel.
Monitoring and Adjusting Strategies
To stay ahead in the competitive world of social media, continuous monitoring and adjustment of your strategies are essential. The SMM World Panels are designed to facilitate these adjustments by providing comprehensive tools that help you refine your approach based on real-time data and competitive insights. Here’s how an SMM World Panel can assist:
Performance Analytics: Access detailed analytics to see how your campaigns are performing and where adjustments are needed. This includes metrics on engagement rates, reach, and overall effectiveness of your posts and ads, allowing for data-driven decision making.
Competitor Analysis Tools: Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing with advanced competitor analysis tools. These tools help you track their campaigns, understand their strategy, and adjust your tactics accordingly to ensure you stay competitive in the market.
Leveraging these features allows you to not only maintain but also enhance your social media presence by constantly evolving your strategies to meet market demands and consumer behaviour changes. This proactive approach ensures your social media efforts are aligned with industry trends and audience preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the SMM World Panels boost social media engagement?
The panel utilizes advanced systems to boost your visibility and interaction on social media through both organic methods and paid promotions, all customized to fit your specific requirements. These systems work by examining how users interact with content and adjusting how it’s presented, helping to improve your reach and engagement effectively across different social media channels.
Are the SMM World Panels suitable for all social media platforms?
Yes, they offer services for various platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more, making it a versatile tool for comprehensive social media strategies.
Can the SMM World Panel help with targeted advertising?
Yes, it provides targeted advertising options that help you reach specific demographics, increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
How quickly can I see results from using the SMM World Panel?
It depends on the service, but it usually takes 24 hours to see your results. If you request an increase across all your accounts, these are the long-term effects of using a social media panel, so please be patient while you create engaging content.
Millions of people are often involved in car accidents yearly. As per reports, 35,766 people in the USA were injured or died in car accidents in 2023. A number of them could only lead to minor injuries, but some have severe outcomes that bring about physical, emotional, and financial disarray in their lives.
In this case, it is important that one seeks support from a car accident lawyer. These are legal persons who specialize in matters concerning car accidents and collisions. This article will show how a car accident lawyer can help you after an accident.
Lawyer Will Evaluate Your Case’s Legal Merit:
It is important to evaluate your case’s legal merit before filing it. To evaluate it, we must go through all the aspects of the case. It includes police reports, eyewitnesses, and hospital documents related to health status during treatment following the accident.
A car accident lawyer can better evaluate and prove your legal complaint’s viability. They can offer advice on the best steps to get the best solution to your situation by examining if there is a good reason for suing. And, if you have faced a car accident recently and need a good lawyer, click here; we will provide the best one available.
Gather evidence and build strategy:
The skilled car accident lawyer will gather and analyze concrete evidence to build a strong legal strategy for your car accident case. It involves various categories of evidence collection and reviews such as photographs taken at the scene, surveillance tapes showing what happened around the time of occurrence, including any other photos or footage from the CC camera, if any are available, in addition to eyewitness accounts where applicable.
They will also investigate medical records, accident reports, and any other necessary documentation to determine the severity of your injuries and the issues that were going on when the accident happened. A car accident attorney can create a strong case by collecting and reviewing these pieces of evidence personalized to the specific information about your occurrence. Thus, your possibility of having a favorable result will be increased.
Communicate with insurance companies:
Communication with insurance companies is very important to settle the deal. A car accident lawyer will talk to the insurance company regarding your rights and interests, thus acting on your behalf. They draft formal written documents like demand or settlement letters and speak directly with the adjusters.
A good car lawyer will know the tricks insurance providers use in reducing compensations and can use this knowledge to maneuver during communication. With good communication skills towards these institutions, attorneys specializing in road accidents machinability of their suits while ensuring their clients get all due amounts.
Negotiate for fair compensation And advise you on settlement offers:
A car accident attorney is responsible for negotiating fair compensation on your side, which means analyzing your injuries, damages, and other kinds of losses resulting from an accident. He communicates the damages and any loss sustained due to the accident to the insurance firm, using this information to ensure a fair settlement representing all your losses.
Because of their understanding of personal injury law and their experience dealing with such cases, they can provide you with informed guidance. A car accident legal advisor sets out claims, ensuring their best interest remains upheld during negotiation.
Represent you in court hearings:
Besides advising on settlement proposals, an important aspect a car accident attorney can perform is appearing at court proceedings on your behalf. When discussions with the insurance firm do not lead to a just settlement, they will engage in the necessary legal procedures for filing a suit and supporting your interests in a court of law.
They will collect evidence, interview witnesses, and lay a solid foundation to justify your demand. They will put your matter across appropriately to a judge and jury using their substantive understanding of trial advocacy effectively advocating to get what you deserve. Throughout the court processes, the auto accident attorney shall negotiate on your behalf through the intricate legal systems to see that you are neither denied justice nor a possibility of winning.
Final Verdict:
A car accident lawyer can offer valuable help and stand by you during a tough and overwhelming situation. This can assist in understanding the complex legal procedure and ensure you get your rightful claim for damages and injuries.
With their expertise and experience, a car accident attorney can significantly better the result of your case. And at the same time relieve some of the stress and weight off your shoulders every time an accident occurs.
Spartanburg, SC – Jeremy Clements Racing and Alliance Driveway Solutions are set to pay tribute to the legendary Robert Pressley during this year’s official Darlington Throwback weekend at the famed Lady in Black, Darlington Raceway.
The JCR / Alliance Driveway Solutions Chevy will sport the classic black and gold paint scheme used by Pressley’s former team; The Alliance Tractor-Trailer Training Centers, during the late 80s and early 90s. This livery helped Pressley “The Bent Creek Bandit’ secure two Darlington wins, and nine total Xfinity Series wins, making it a fitting tribute to the racing icon. To make the event even more special, JCR has partnered with Super Lube out of Asheville, NC, one of Robert’s previous hometown associate sponsors.
Additionally, Alliance will also be a co-primary partner at Portland with Impel Union and will be the principal partner for the season finale at Phoenix. Plus, Impel Union, Fox Sports Spartanburg, The Racing Warehouse, and RE Goodson will serve as associate sponsors. The Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 race is set to take place on Saturday, May 11th on the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, known as the Track Too Tough to Tame.
“This Throwback is so cool! When Tate and LJ first told me about it, I was like, Heck yeah, this is gonna be a home run! Alliance has been amazing to us over the past two years, so I’m stoked to honor Robert Pressley. The scheme is just perfect, they even got Super Lube of Asheville, one of Robert’s old partners, on the deck lid. It’s gonna be such a great Throwback and Mother’s Day weekend. Now all we gotta do is take home that checkered flag!” Clements said.
The Chevy Camaro SS #51 will also proudly feature logos of its other supportive associate sponsors, including Nordic Logistics, Workforce OHSS, Elite Towing, Whitetail Smokeless, Matman Designs, Carolina Driveline, ZMAX Race Products, E3 Spark Plugs and Dynamic Paintware.
RACE PREVIEW
Track: Darlington Raceway Race: Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 Date: Saturday May 11th, 2024 Broadcast Information – TV: 1:30 pm EST on FS1
FAST FACTS
Best Start 12th – 5/2021 Best Finish 6th – 5/2021 18th career start at Darlington
JCR TEAM
Team: No. 51 Crew Chief: Mark Setzer Manufacturer: Chevrolet
ABOUT ALLIANCE DRIVEAWAY SOLUTIONS
Alliance Driveaway Solutions has over 18 years of experience in the heavy truck and transportation industry. We operate in all 48 states and Canada. No distance is too far. We excel in ensuring that our customers are more than satisfied with their shipments. At Alliance Driveaway Solutions, we don’t treat you just as a customer but rather as an operating partner. Our advanced state-of-the-art dispatch system ensures that we are with you every step of the way. Alliance Driveaway is American-owned and operated. Visit Alliancedriveway.com for more information.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has inked a multiyear contract extension to continue to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry for JTG-Daugherty Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series division.
The news comes as the 36-year-old Stenhouse from Olive Branch, Mississippi, is currently campaigning in his 12th full-time campaign in NASCAR’s premier series and fifth with JTG-Daugherty Racing, where he is ranked in 27th place in the current driver’s standings and has recorded two top-10 results through the first 11 events on the 2024 schedule. Currently, his highest on-track result is a fourth-place run at Talladega Superspeedway that occurred two weeks ago.
“When I joined this team in 2020, I knew both the team and I were capable of putting the No. 47 in Victory Lane,” Stenhouse said. “Although I wish it came sooner, winning the Daytona 500 last year proved that we can win together. We have a fantastic group of guys at the shop, great management, solid partners, and an ever-improving program. I’m very excited to continue my relationship with the team. I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised to see what we have in store for the future.”
Stenhouse, a two-time Xfinity Series champion (2011-12) and the 2013 Cup Series Rookie of the Year, joined forces with JTG-Daugherty Racing in 2020 after spending the previous seven seasons competing for Roush Fenway Racing. He commenced the season on a strong start by winning the pole position for the 62nd running of the Daytona 500. Three years later, Stenhouse won the Great American Race amid two overtime shootouts, which made him the 42nd competitor to win the Daytona 500 as he recorded both the first 500 victory and the second Cup career victory for JTG-Daugherty Racing. The victory also tallied Stenhouse’s total in the Cup circuit to three after he previously won the Daytona summer event at the Talladega spring event in 2017.
Stenhouse’s 2023 Daytona 500 victory enabled both him and JTG-Daugherty Racing to make the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs, which marked their second time making the postseason battle for the series’ championship. They would end up in 16th place in the final driver’s standings.
As a JTG-Daugherty Racing competitor, Stenhouse has achieved one victory, one pole, three runner-up results, eight top-five results, 22 top-10 results, 220 laps led and average finishes within the top-25 category as he strives to return to the Playoffs in 2024.
“I am looking forward to continuing with Ricky [Stenhouse Jr.] as our driver of the No. 47,” Gordon Smith, team owner of JTG-Daugherty Racing, added. “He has been an asset to our team on and off the race track since joining us in 2020. Winning the Daytona 500 was a huge accomplishment for our small team, and I know we have more trips to Victory Lane in our future with Ricky at the wheel.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s next NASCAR Cup Series start of the 2024 season is set to occur at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, for the AdventHealth 400. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to occur this Sunday, May 5, and air at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.
COREY HEIM for ERIK JONES OWNER POINT STANDINGS: 23rd
JIMMIE JOHNSON
CLUB NOTES
EJ Update: As announced earlier today, Erik Jones has been cleared to race by doctors and approved to return by NASCAR, but out of an abundance of caution, the team has opted for Jones to rest for another event. Corey Heim will drive the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE at Kansas Speedway this weekend. Jones will attend the race at Kansas Speedway to support crew chief Dave Elenz and the No. 43 team and plans to return to the driver’s seat next weekend at Darlington Raceway – a track where he has two NASCAR Cup Series victories.
Last Kansas: Jones and the No. 43 earned the highest finish for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB last season. Jones qualified 19th at Kansas Speedway in the Fall and progressively moved up on the day. By the conclusion of regulation, Jones was on the front row with Dave Elenz, making the bold decision to take two tires before the overtime restart. Jones started the two-lap shootout from the second position, earning the highest finish in the short history of LEGACY M.C. with a third-place result.
AdventHealth 400: Primary partner AdventHealth has the entitlement for this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway. The AdventHealth 400 will feature trackside activations in hopes of promoting whole-person care and sun safety.
Sun Safety: The Erik Jones Foundation and AdventHealth have teamed up to bring back the Sun Bus for this weekend’s race. The Sun Bus is a mobile skincare unit used to detect skin cancer while educating visitors on sun safety. Last year, during championship weekend, the Sun Bus ran more than 250 screenings, finding 65 suspicious for skin cancer, one of these on Jones. Once the Sun Bus team finds anything suspicious of skin cancer, their team will refer the patient to a medical center in their hometown for treatment options.
Heim holds his own: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB reserve driver Corey Heim made his Cup Series debut in Dover, filling in for Jones. Heim qualified 32nd for the 400-mile contest and quickly learned the nuances of the NextGen car, making 72 green flag passes, ranking second in the race only behind Christopher Bell. Heim finished his first Cup Series Race 25th.
Seat time: Johnson is back in the seat for this weekend’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas marking his first back-to-back appearance on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit since 2020.
Winning pedigree: LEGACY M.C. co-owner Johnson and competition advisor Matt Kenseth know how to win at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Johnson has three wins, three pole positions, nine top-five and 19 top-10 finishes, leading 601 laps across his 29 starts. Competition advisor Matt Kenseth has two wins, seven top-fives, 13 top-10s, and three poles leading 774 laps across the 27 starts he made at the 1.5-mile speedway in his NASCAR Cup Series career.
EJ First Start: Kansas Speedway holds a special spot in Erik Jones’s heart. He made his first NASCAR Cup Series start there in 2015 as he filled in for Kyle Busch. At age 18, Jones qualified 12th and led one lap before finishing 40th. Ironically, that day, Jimmie Johnson edged out Kevin Harvick for one of his three wins at Kansas.
Nemechek at Kansas: John Hunter Nemechek has two victories in three attempts at Kansas Speedway in the Xfinity Series. Nemechek has an average start of 11.7 and an average finish of 3.3. Nemechek has never finished outside of the top-10 in the Xfinity Series at Kansas, leading for 218 laps.
Three in a Row: Nemechek had three consecutive poles at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Truck Series, starting with the fall race in 2022 and sweeping both races in 2023. Nemechek has only finished outside the top 10 once across his six attempts at the track, earning four top-five and five top-10 finishes. In his most recent Truck Series attempt in 2022, Nemechek led 88 laps from the pole and brought the checkered flag home.
First of Many: Heim took home his first-ever ARCA win at Kansas Speedway in October 2020. After starting 9th, Heim moved up as quickly as possible, finding the front row less than 20 laps into the race. From there, Heim never backed down, leading for 82 of the possible 100 laps, marking his first of nine ARCA wins.
Double Down: Heim will perform double duty this weekend while also running in the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage. Heim has an average start of 8.0, and an average finish of 11.5 in four Truck Series attempts. Heim has led 71 laps across three of his four races at the 1.5-mile track, earning two top-five and three top-10 results. Heim only owns one finish outside of the top-10 at Kansas Speedway.
Thinking of DC8: All LEGACY M.C. entries will run a decal this weekend in support of Dollar Tree Distribution Center 8 (DC8) in Marietta, Okla. DC8 was impacted by the devastating tornadoes that hit the Oklahoma region last weekend. Although the distribution center was severely damaged, fortunately, none of the 456 associates employed by the distribution center were injured by the disaster.
Family Dollar Gold Star: Partner Dollar Tree will honor store #8396 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go For G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season. Store #8396 is located in Independence, Mo.
Homecoming: Director of Pit Operations Chris Hall is a native of Springfield, Mo., and Kansas Speedway is his home track. Hall returns to the track that he called “The Motherland,” where he will have friends and family in attendance to cheer on their native son.
CLUB QUOTES
John Hunter Nemechek
Driver of the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:
“Kansas is one of my favorite places to go to. Just being able to run multiple lines and run the top as the racetrack rubbers up you can move around quite a bit. As a driver it’s nice to have a lot of options and I have had success there in everything I have driven so far. It’s a track that suited my style pretty well over the years. We learned a lot at Vegas and Texas as far as our intermediate package goes, so I’m looking for improvement from there and a good finish in the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry.”
Ben Beshore
Crew chief of the No. 42 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:
“Kansas is a little more similar to Vegas without the bumps where you tend to migrate more towards the wall quicker, it’s a little warmer than the first Vegas race. Kansas is a pure mile and a half, somewhat smooth, where you are just ripping every lap to get as much as you can out of the car every lap. John Hunter is very good at managing a car at Kansas so we are looking forward to this weekend.”
Corey Heim
Driver of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:
“My first Cup race was a great learning experience. Dover was certainly a tough task to make my first start, but I’m looking forward to Kansas, where I have a lot more seat time in other series. I’m grateful to LEGACY M.C. for giving me another shot this week while Erik is recovering.”
Dave Elenz
Crew chief of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:
“Kansas has always been a fun track for me. My first Cup Series win in the sport came there in 2003 with John Hunter’s dad, Joe Nemechek. So, that place has always been pretty special for me. It has been a fun track. There are a lot of options for tire strategy, potentially two tires to get to the end of the race. We won that race back in 2003 on two tires, so hopefully, we can do the same thing this week.”
Jimmie Johnson
Driver of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:
“Kansas is a really fun racetrack. Having a car with versatility that can run from the white line to the wall is important. You need the team to be hitting on all cylinders but for a driver, it’s a really fun racetrack, one of the best mile-and-a-halfs on the circuit and I am excited to be able to race it twice this season. Toyota has been really strong there the last few years and its an honor for me to be racing the AdventHealth Toyota in the AdventHealth 400.”
Jason Burdett
Crew chief of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:
“I’m happy with the progress we have made in the last two races and the goal is the same, to finish the race, and to improve across the board. We made some strides in Texas and understanding what we need to come to the racetrack with setup-wise and build on key learnings.”
PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY
ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.
KP at KS: Kyle Petty made seven starts at Kansas Speedway starting in 2002, one year after the track opened. Petty led two laps in his first attempt driving the No. 45 for Petty Enterprises.
This Week in Petty History: Ritchie Petty made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega Superspeedway on May 2nd, 1993. Ritchie ran the No. 53 for his father, Maurice Petty; he qualified 34th and finished 25th, running alongside his cousin Kyle, who finished 18th on the day.
Grand Marshal: “The King” will be honored as the Grand Marshal for this weekend’s AdventHealth 400, taking responsibility for the most famous words in racing and other pre-race festivities for the first race weekend in Kansas of the 2024 season.
BROADCAST INFO
KANSAS SPEEDWAY SUNDAY May 5th @ 3:00 PM ET
ABOUT OUR PARTNERS
ABOUT AdventHealth: With a sacred mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth is a connected system of care for every stage of life and health. More than 90,000 team members across hundreds of care sites including physician practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health agencies and hospice centers provide individualized, wholistic care. A shared vision, common values, focus on whole-person health and commitment to making communities healthier unify the system’s more than 50 hospital campuses in diverse markets throughout nine states. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com/news
ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit DollarTree.com
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com
FIVE FOR 5: Last Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson led 39 laps en route to a runner-up finish. That marked his fifth top-five finish of 2024, tops in the NASCAR Cup Series. Larson continues to lead the points standings, 15 markers ahead of the competitor in second place.
ON THE POINT: The 2021 Cup Series champion has topped the points standings after six of 11 races in 2024. He is the only driver to lead after three consecutive events and his current streak is at four.
OUT FRONT: Larson has led at least one lap in eight of 11 races this season for a total of 570 – 35 more laps out front than the nearest competitor. He has led 2,476 of 7,293 laps raced on 1.5-mile tracks – which is 34% – since joining Hendrick Motorsports and last year he led 184 laps at Kansas Speedway, 87 more than second place in that statistical category.
STAGE LEFT: The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has six stage victories through 11 races this season. If Larson wins a stage this weekend at Kansas, he will become the first driver to win seven stages through 12 races during a season in NASCAR’s premier series. The Elk Grove, California, native has won 32% of all stages run on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen car (11 of 34).
MILE-AND-A-HALF MUSCLE: With wins in two of the last four races on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson is one of four drivers with multiple victories in the Next Gen era on tracks of this length. Since 2022, he has the most wins (three) and second-most points (592) on this track length behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (600). This season, Larson has a win on a 1.5-miler (Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March), led the most laps (258) – 205 more than the next competitor – and scored the second-most points (86).
STREAKING: Larson has posted a top-10 finish at Kansas in all four starts in the Next Gen race car at the 1.5-mile track. His streak of five consecutive top-10s at the Midwest track is tied with one other driver for most among active drivers. If he secures another top-10 this weekend, it will tie his personal career-best of consecutive top-10 finishes at a single track (Phoenix Raceway). Over 18 starts at the Kansas City, Kansas, track, Larson has one win (October of 2021), seven top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. His 639 laps led at this track are his fourth-most at any Cup Series track on the schedule and among all drivers at the 1.5-mile facility.
STANDBY: Last week at Dover, it was announced that Kevin Harvick would be the standby driver for Larson if the 31-year-old driver was unable to participate in practice at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday, May 17, because of commitments with the Indianapolis 500. Due to NASCAR rules, there are no other scheduled plans for Harvick to fill in for Larson the remainder of the weekend.
HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: This Sunday’s race is a home race for the HENDRICKCARS.COM team. The Kansas City, Kansas, area has three Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Respectively, the No. 5 driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HENDRICKCARS.COM home race this season, there is a unique hat released the week of the race and only available for sale on the trackside merchandise haulers or available to win on HENDRICKCARS.COM. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be available to the public. This week’s Kansas-themed hat will be revealed Thursday and can be seen here.
WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 3rd
No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
FOUR IN FIVE: The No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team has been on a heater over the last five NASCAR Cup Series races. Driver Chase Elliott has propelled the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to four top-five results, including a win last month at Texas Motor Speedway. In the premier series’ most recent race (at Dover Motor Speedway), the 2020 Cup Series champion started 29th and rallied to a fifth-place result, earning top-10 finishes in each stage. Elliott’s average finish in those five races is 5.80, the best among the Cup Series field.
RUNNING STRONG: Elliott has posted impressive numbers in 2024. After 11 races, he sits third in the points standings, just 33 markers behind the leader, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Elliott has secured one win (Texas) and is in a six-way tie that includes teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman for the second-most top-five finishes (four). He ranks fourth in laps run in the top five (954) and top 10 (1,893). Additionally, Elliott holds the second-best average finish (10.27) and the fourth-best average running position (10.80) among series regulars.
KANSAS RUNDOWN: This weekend, the Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway, where Elliott won in the fall of 2018. He led 44 laps en route to the win. Across his 16 premier series starts at the 1.5-mile oval, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has six top-five finishes, 10 top-10s and 249 laps led. He’s finished seventh or better in eight of his last 11 starts at the 1.5-mile venue, including seventh and sixth-place results last season. Elliott’s six top-five results are tied for his second-most at a track (with Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway) on the Cup circuit and his 10 top-10s are also tied for his second-most (with Dover and Michigan International Speedway).
1.5-MILE PERFORMANCE: In 80 career Cup Series starts on mile-and-a-half tracks, Elliott has three victories (Kansas in 2018, Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2020 and Texas earlier this year), 23 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 39 top-10s. He’s paced the field for 1,080 laps on this track length in his Cup career. This season on 1.5-mile tracks, Elliott is tied for the second-best average finish with Byron (6.50) and has the third-most points earned (75).
NEXT GEN NUMBERS: Since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, Elliott has earned six wins, placing him in a three-way tie for the fourth-most victories. In that span, he holds the best average finish (12.38), just ahead of Byron.
GUSTAFSON AT KANSAS: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson will call his 33rd Kansas race in his 20th season as a Cup Series crew chief. In his previous 32 starts at the track with five different drivers (Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Elliott and NASCAR Hall of Famers Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon), Gustafson has accumulated two wins – one with team vice chairman Gordon (2014) and one with Elliott (2018) – 10 top-five finishes, 18 top-10s and 367 laps led.
FOUR TIRES FAST: On lap 84 at Texas, the No. 9 pit crew laid down the fastest four-tire pit stop (9.076 seconds) of the 2024 season, according to data from Racing Insights. The over-the-wall squad has remained the same since 2018 and currently holds the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (10.750 seconds) this season. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).
BACK HOME: Semke, the No. 9 jackman, hails from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, less than 40 miles from the track in Kansas City, Kansas. Semke was a part-time bounty hunter before stepping on the football field at the University of Kansas in 2012. The 31-year-old was a defensive lineman for the Jayhawks for three years. Semke signed with Hendrick Motorsports in October of 2016 and joined the No. 9 team in 2018.
GET UP AND GO: NAPA Auto Parts is back as the primary partner on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Kansas, marking the 12th time the Atlanta-based company’s colors have been onboard Elliott’s Cup Series ride in “The Sunflower State.” This weekend, NAPA’s special, white-based scheme returns for its third race of the 2024 season. After its debut at the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in February, the look returned for the March race at Circuit of The Americas. Look at all the angles of the white No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 6th
No. 24 RAPTOR Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
24 IN ’24: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season has been impressive. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native is tied for the series lead in wins (three), is in a six-way tie for second in top-five finishes with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman (four) and a two-way tie for the most top-10s (seven). He’s spent 708 laps running in the top five (ninth-most) and 1,526 laps in the top 10 (sixth-most). Byron is also fifth in average finishing position among series regulars (12.09) and sixth in the 2024 Cup Series points standings after 11 races.
NEXT GEN DUO: Since the Next Gen Cup Series car was introduced in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle have a series-leading 11 wins. Byron also has the second-best average finish (13.11) behind Elliott in the Next Gen car. Overall, Fugle and Byron rank fourth for the most wins by an active driver and crew chief pairing with 12 victories.
1.5-MILE MAGIC: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. Since the start of 2021 (not counting races on Atlanta Motor Speedway after its reprofiling for 2022), he has three wins, two runner-up finishes, 10 top-fives and 18 top-10s in 25 races on 1.5-mile tracks. In the Next Gen car, Byron has two wins (second to teammate Kyle Larson’s three) and has collected 600 points on mile-and-a-half tracks – the most of all drivers. He also has five consecutive top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks – the longest active streak by a driver – and eight top-10s in his last nine races on that track length. This season alone, Byron is tied for the sixth-most points on 1.5-milers (63), tied for the second-best average finish (6.50) with Elliott and is one of only two drivers to finish in the top 10 in both of those races.
MIDWEST MOJO: Byron has 12 Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway. While he faced bad luck in his first three races there, he has turned that around. In his last nine starts at the 1.5-mile track, Byron has collected one pole award, two top-five finishes and seven top-10s (second-most among all drivers in that span). It is also the track where Byron has the most top-10 finishes in his premier series career (seven), tied with Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE KANSAS: Looking to make his seventh start as a Cup Series crew chief at Kansas, Rudy Fugle’s six Cup Series races at the Midwest track have resulted in one pole award, one top-five finish, four top-10s and 101 laps led with the No. 24 team. Aside from those six Cup Series starts, the Livonia, New York, native has 12 previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with 10 coming in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. In those 10 Truck Series starts, Fugle’s drivers have started from the top spot four times, led 391 laps, collected two wins (2016 and 2018), five top-five finishes and six top-10s. His 2016 win came with Byron, who captured his first Truck Series victory in their fourth start together.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 11 races in the 2024 season, the No. 24 pit crew has been one of the best on pit road. The five-person crew ranks third for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.980 seconds). The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).
RAPTOR® TOUGH: For the first time since his win at Circuit of The Americas, Byron will sport his RAPTOR paint scheme that will run the majority of the season on the No. 24 Chevy. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of items, including truck beds, lawnmowers, outdoor furniture and more. With 16 pre-mixed colors available, it’s easy to personalize anything you want to protect. RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores and online retailers. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 RAPTOR Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.
48 ALEX BOWMAN
Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 9th
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
DOVER DOWNLOW: Alex Bowman made his 300th start in the NASCAR Cup Series last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway. The 31-year-old driver spent the majority of the race in the top 10. Approaching the end of the second stage, Bowman raced from the runner-up position, competing for the stage win with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Upon the checkered flag at the “Monster Mile,” Bowman finished eighth for his second straight top-10 result.
MOVING UP THE STANDINGS: Following the 11th race of the season, Bowman gained a spot in the Cup Series driver points standings, currently ranking ninth, 108 points behind the leader, Larson. Bowman has four top-five finishes this year, placing him in a six-way tie for second with teammates Chase Elliott and William Byron. It is also the driver of the No. 48’s most top-fives through 11 races in a season. The Tucson, Arizona, native has also earned six top-10s, which ranks tied for third-most in the series with two competitors and it is also his second-most top-10 results at this point in a season (his most are seven in 2022). Bowman holds the eighth-best average finish (13.64) among drivers who have started every points-paying race.
CRUNCHING KANSAS NUMBERS: Kansas Speedway has been one of Bowman’s strongest tracks in the Cup Series. In 16 starts, he has three top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish in the spring of 2019. These results place the 1.5-mile track in a four-way tie (alongside Bristol Motor Speedway, Circuit of The Americas and Las Vegas Motor Speedway) for housing Bowman’s second-most top-five finishes at a single venue in the Cup Series behind Dover (five). Bowman’s eight top-10 finishes are his most at any track on the schedule. Additionally, he has led the field for 183 laps at “The Sunflower State” track, his third-most laps led at any track, trailing only Charlotte Motor Speedway (228) and Phoenix Raceway (195).
THROWBACK REVEALED: On Tuesday, Ally released the No. 48 team’s scheme for the “Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR” at Darlington Raceway. The No. 48 Ally Throwback Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will compete at the South Carolina track on Sunday, May 12. The blue and yellow scheme pays tribute to the early seasons of the championship-winning, NASCAR Hall of Fame duo of driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus in the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. The scheme celebrates this iconic car number’s past and the success that has followed during Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary in the sport’s premier series.
PIT ROAD ALLIES: The Ally Racing pit crew moved up a spot to claim the sixth-fastest average four-tire stop this season (11.186 seconds). The five-person crew is composed of Andrew Bridgeforth (rear-tire changer), Jacob Conley (fueler), Brandon Grier (tire carrier), Allen Holman (jackman) and Donnie Tasser (front-tire changer).
CLOSE TO HOME: Conley, the team’s gasman, is from Omaha, Nebraska, and considers both Kansas Speedway and Iowa Speedway his home tracks on the circuit. Both tracks are approximately two and a half hours from his hometown. The 34-year-old played four years of collegiate football at Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, before being recruited by the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew department. Conley has been with the 14-time championship-winning organization for 12 years and this year marks his eighth season with the No. 48 team. Outside of racing, Conley enjoys spending time with his wife, three kids and two rescue dogs.
FIRST LAP RETURNS: Ally’s First Lap program returns this weekend in Kansas. In its second year, the program focuses on introducing motorsports to new fans. In honor of May being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Ally will host members of the National Association of Asian American Professionals’ Kansas City chapter this weekend at the track. These first-time race-goers will receive a tour of the garage and the No. 48 hauler, an exclusive pre-race experience, meet Bowman and other Hendrick Motorsports key personnel and much more.
ADOPT A PET IN KANSAS CITY: Looking to adopt a fluffy friend? Visit the Pet Resource Center of Kansas City this weekend, located less than a 30-minute drive from the track. For a fourth consecutive year, Bowman and Ally are supporting Best Friends Animal Society and their vast network of partners. The pair is committed to a combined weekly donation of $4,800 to a Best Friends network partner local to each weekend’s race.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS /
2024
All-Time
Kansas
Races
11
1,356
36
Wins
5*
306*
8**
Poles
4*
250*
6*
Top 5
17*
1,249*
44*
Top 10
23*
2,135*
82*
Laps Led
892
80,649*
2,116*
Stage Wins
7
105
7
*Most **Most (tie)
FABULOUS 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Among the categories that the organization holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for are all-time wins (306), poles (250), laps led (80,649) and championships (14). Their next top-five finish will be its 1,250th and mark the first time that a team has reached that milestone.
HENDRICK HOMECOMING: On May 24 and 25, Hendrick Motorsports will hold “Hendrick Homecoming.” The free fan event, taking place over the same weekend as the Coca-Cola 600 and Indianapolis 500, will celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary and feature autograph sessions with past and present drivers, games, displays, giveaways and more. For more information on the schedule of appearances (as they are announced) and how fans can register to enter the raffle for autograph sessions, click here.
WINNING TRIO: In 2024, William Byron (three wins), Chase Elliott (one win) and Kyle Larson (one win) have combined to tally five wins through the first 11 races of the season. The Concord, North Carolina, based squad has won at least five races in a year in 22 of the last 24 seasons. The five-victory start to this year matches the team’s second-best start (in 1997 and 2022), with 2007’s eight wins through 11 races as the best start to a campaign in organizational history.
SCORING STAGE WINS: Since the advent of stage racing in 2017, Hendrick Motorsports has two of the three drivers that have recorded six stage wins through the first 11 races of a season. Byron earned six stage wins in 2023 and Larson joined that list with a stage victory at Dover Motor Speedway last Sunday. No driver has ever had seven stage wins through 12 races.
PIT POWER: Based on Racing Insights data, all four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews rank in the top six among Cup Series teams for the fastest average four-tire pit stop. The No. 9 pit crew tops the board (10.750 seconds), followed by the No. 24 pit crew in third (10.980 seconds), the No. 5 pit crew in fourth (10.983 seconds) and the No. 48 pit crew is sixth (11.186 seconds).
POWER IN THE PLAINS: With eight wins, the team is tied for the most victories among all Cup Series organizations at Kansas Speedway. Team vice chairman Jeff Gordon won the first race at the track in 2001 and earned three wins in total at the 1.5-mile oval. Jimmie Johnson also posted three wins at the Kansas City, Kansas, venue. Elliott and Larson each have one triumph. The team’s 2,116 laps out front at the facility are also the best among all teams in the series.
HEY HEY HEY: Last year in the two races at Kansas, the team tallied a series-best three top-five finishes, six top-10s and 246 laps led. Larson finished in the top five in both events, while Elliott placed in the top 10 in each race. Byron scored a pole and a top-five finish in the spring, while Alex Bowman earned a top-10 in the fall. Larson (81) and Elliott (71) ranked third and fifth, respectively, in points scored.
KICKING IT AT KANSAS: Kansas has hosted four Cup Series races since the debut of the Next Gen car in 2022. In that span, Larson is one of two drivers to finish inside the top 10 in each race. Bowman has finished in the top 10 in all three races he’s run — he missed the spring race last year due to an injury. Over those four races, Larson has the most laps led (213) and Bowman has the third-most circuits out front (107). Since 2022, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are in the top 10 of average finish at the 1.5-mile track (among drivers with more than one start) — Larson is second (4.00), Bowman is third (7.66), Byron is fifth (10.00) and Elliott is 10th (13.25). When it comes to points per race, the quartet is also all in the top 10 at Kansas — Larson ranks second (38.5), Bowman is sixth (33), Elliott holds down seventh (32.5) and Byron sits 10th (30.5).
NEXT GEN NUMBERS: Team owner Rick Hendrick’s seven wins on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen car lead all organizations in the Cup Series, with the next closest teams having three triumphs. Two of those victories have come in both races this season on 1.5-mile tracks, with Larson at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Elliott at Texas Motor Speedway. Since 2022, Larson has a series-best three wins on 1.5-mile tracks, while Byron has had two victories and they are two of the four drivers with multiple victories on that track length. Bowman and Elliott have each had one triumph on this track length in this period. Over the last 11 races on 1.5-milers, Larson and Byron are the only repeat winners. In addition, Byron (600) and Larson (592) rank one-two in points earned on 1.5-milers in the Next Gen era.
SWEEP SENSATIONS: In four of Hendrick Motorsports’ seven Next Gen wins on 1.5-mile tracks, a driver has swept the stages en route to the win. Larson did this in all three of his victories on 1.5-mile tracks (Homestead-Miami Speedway in October of 2022 and Las Vegas in October of 2023 and March of 2024) and Byron accomplished it in one of his wins (Las Vegas in March of 2023).
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what he looks for at Kansas Speedway: “Kansas (Speedway) is a track where I’ve run well since my first trip there. You can run the wall, which is the line I prefer. The tire fall off means you are searching all over the track for grip.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what have been the keys to success at Kansas for the team: “We’re excited to go back to Kansas (Speedway). It’s a place that Kyle (Larson) always runs really well and our team seems to click really well at an intermediate track of that style. You can move around. There’s a lot of lanes. Kyle does a good job of running by the wall and it is just a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully, we can make the right adjustments throughout the weekend, keep up with the track, watch Kyle move all over the place and have a good, fun race. It will certainly be about executing at the end. There always seems to be a late-race yellow and if we can put ourselves in position, hopefully we will have a good day.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what makes Kansas a good track to race at: “I enjoy going to Kansas (Speedway). I think that the track has really aged well since they did the repave. It’s a place that offers some room to race and has some different lanes to choose from. That is really all you can ask for from a driver’s perspective is just to have some options, so we’re not all married to the same spot all the time on track.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s gains on mile-and-a-halfs: “Mile-and-a-half tracks are certainly a place that we needed to improve upon and yeah, so far, so good. Kansas (Speedway) has been a strong track, historically for us. Hopefully, we can take the improvements we’ve made over this season at the mile-and-a-halfs, apply them to Kansas, get a really good result, be competitive and race at the front all day. Even though we’ve been good there, I certainly don’t take it for granted. We’ll work hard at it.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Kansas: “Kansas (Speedway) is a place where you spend a lot of time running up against the wall, which is always a risk. I feel like it’s a track that has had a lot of great finishes lately due to tire fall off and how easily the balance of cars can change throughout the run. Restarts are intense and you can really fan out to pick up positions. At the same time, you don’t want to go too hard early on, so you can save some of what you have to have something left on the long run. I think that’s why the finishes end up being so close in the end because you see a lot of late-race charges from those who saved.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of the next stretch of races: “Starting this weekend, the upcoming stretch of races before the two-week break are all a build up to the playoffs. These are all mainly mile-and-a-half or high-speed tracks that you will then see again in the playoffs. You want to make sure you’re continuing to learn and grow and getting better, so you’re bringing your best cars when it counts. At the same time, this stretch of races has new tracks but also tracks with repaves, so there are still a lot of unknowns. Some setups may transfer over some weeks, but the races in the next month hold the most opportunities for notes that will carry over after the summer stretch.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the roots of his success at Kansas: “Kansas (Speedway) was one of the first intermediate tracks I got to race at way back in the ARCA (Menards Series). I got a lot of laps there and for whatever reason, have been pretty naturally successful there right off the bat, even in the (NASCAR) Cup (Series) car. Obviously, we haven’t won there, but we’ve had a lot of good days there. I’m looking forward to getting back to Kansas. It’s a fun racetrack that I enjoy going to.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s momentum heading to Kansas: “I think our team has had some good intermediate runs this year. Our No. 48 Ally Racing team has carried mostly good momentum the past couple of months and we don’t expect anything different this weekend at Kansas (Speedway). I’d say Kansas is easily one of Alex (Bowman)’s top-five (performing) tracks. I know he really enjoys going there, has had some good runs and led some laps. We expect to go compete in the top five this weekend and aim for a shot to win.”
Charlotte, NC (May 1, 2024) – Erik Jones and the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) will kick off Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month this weekend at Kansas Speedway and continue to educate fans throughout the month of May, concluding the month-long campaign at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Established in 2021, the Erik Jones Foundation has three main pillars, one of which is early cancer detection and care. Jones has a personal connection to Melanoma after losing his father to the disease in June 2016. He made Melanoma a specific focus and developed a relationship with the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) after learning about the organization and its emphasis on prevention, awareness, diagnosis, and treatment. More recently, EJF has added additional partnerships to expand its programming to engage with individuals and directly encourage early detection and care.
This weekend at Kansas Speedway, the Erik Jones Foundation will be onsite with partners The Sun Bus, AdventHealth and Castle Bioscience to provide race fans with free skin cancer checks, educational materials and sunscreen samples. The Sun Bus will be open in the Kansas Speedway Fan Zone both Saturday and Sunday. Fans can sign up online for the free skin screenings or stop by The Sun Bus to sign up and meet with physicians and clinicians to learn about melanoma.
“I’m really proud of the work that we have been able to do with our foundation over the last few years in skin cancer,” said Jones. “We started as simply providing materials and sunscreen to fans at the racetrack, and through the relationships with our partners like MRF, The Sun Bus and AdventHealth, we are now able to take it a step further and provide skin checks at the track and help fans who may not have gone to have a check up on their own.”
Following the Kansas Speedway weekend, the Erik Jones Foundation will continue to educate fans about the importance of skin checks and early detection throughout the month of May through social media posts. The Foundation will conclude the month at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where EJF is partnering with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB sponsor Dollar Tree and Family Dollar and its supplier Edgewell Personal Care to hand out sunscreen samples and sun safety materials to fans enjoying the Memorial Day race weekend.
“Our melanoma efforts are significant to us. First, because they honor Erik’s late father, but maybe more importantly, because we know they are working,” said Brent Nickola, Erik Jones Foundation’s Executive Director. “Last November, we conducted nearly 250 cancer screenings at Phoenix Raceway and identified dozens of cases of suspected skin cancer. In the month that followed the event, we received messages from fans who were grateful because we helped find their cancer before it was too late. I am confident we are saving lives with this program.”
Established in 2021 by Byron, Michigan native and NASCAR driver, Erik Jones, the Erik Jones Foundation has three main pillars: igniting children’s passion for reading, encouraging early cancer detection and care, and promoting animal welfare. The three areas of focus all have a special meaning to Jones and have each played a role in his life.
SALISBURY, N.C. (May 2, 2024) — Faction46 will head to the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway this weekend with a familiar scheme, but with a new face calling the shots for Thad Moffitt and the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado team. NASCAR veteran Steve Gassman will assume crew chief responsibilities for the first-year team looking for their first top-10 finish of the season.
Clean Harbors and its Safety-Kleen brand will return as the primary partner to the team in Kansas. Clean Harbors, North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services, will be making their second of now three primary races with the team. Performance Plus Motor Oil and HPC Industrial, additional Clean Harbors companies, will also share space on the truck and be promoted by Moffitt and the team.
Moffitt hopes for the same partnership, but a new face atop the pit box will change his luck this season.
“First, I have to thank Clean Harbors for continuing to support me and the team,” said Moffitt. “They know it is difficult to start a new team, but they are really supporting this effort and I am glad they are back with us in Kansas.
“After a few weeks off, it’s time to start with a new approach. Steve (Gassman) has been with the team all season, and this will be a seamless transition and we just need something to shake up our results. I think there have been a lot of times that we have shown what this team can do, but we have not seen the result. That is where Steve can come in and make his mark.
“Sometimes it just takes a small spark or change to make things all come together as we all want it. Kansas is our first time to see if the change is best for us moving forward.”
Faction46 and Moffitt continue with support from Best Working Wipes, Centramatic, Customers Bank, Joe Jurgielewicz and Son – America’s Tastiest Duck, Induction Innovations and Pristine Auction.
The new Faction46 team can be found online at www.faction46.com and on social media on Twitter (@TeamFaction46), Instagram (@TeamFaction46), TikTok (@TeamFaction46), and on Facebook and YouTube.
