TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Homestead-Miami Speedway
With the playoff schedule finally aligned across all three divisions, the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series will convene and head south to Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the 1.5-mile Florida venue is set to host the second race of the Round of Eight. The weekend will get underway with a doubleheader on Saturday featuring the Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series, where Chevrolet’s playoff contenders will look to join their manufacturer teammates – Grant Enfinger and AJ Allmendinger – in the Championship Four. The Cup Series will take center stage on Sunday as Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott vie for the second guaranteed spot in the title race.
Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
In 25 all-time NASCAR Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet has earned seven trips to victory lane – each recorded with a different driver. Among those includes two Team Chevy playoff contenders, William Byron and Kyle Larson, who took their Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet’s to the win in back-to-back seasons (Byron – Feb. 2021; Larson – Oct. 2022). This season marks the 19th year that Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted a playoff race, with its most notable stint coming between 2004 – 2019 when the venue hosted the series’ season finale race. Over that time span, three drivers took Chevrolet to the victory and a driver’s championship including Tony Stewart (2011), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Jimmie Johnson (2016).
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet leads the way with 14 all-time triumphs at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Among those victories includes an active streak of three-straight, with JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer returning as the series’ defending winner at the track (Oct. 2023). Other recent notable wins at the south Florida oval came in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, when Tyler Reddick and Richard Childress Racing drove their Chevrolet-powered machine to back-to-back victories and championship titles.
One year ago, Carson Hocevar and Niece Motorsports put Chevrolet back in victory lane in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time in 10 years. The victory – Chevrolet’s sixth all-time at the track – also delivered the Chevrolet driver his first career appearance in the series’ Championship Four.
ALLMENDINGER, ENFINGER SET FOR TITLE FIGHT
Entering the second race of the Round of Eight, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with a driver already locked into the title-deciding race for both the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series. Most recently, it was Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger that drove his No. 16 Camaro SS to its first victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – skyrocketing from seventh in the playoff standings and a double-digit points deficit to a guaranteed ticket into Xfinity Series’ Championship Four. In similar fashion, Grant Enfinger opened the Craftsman Truck Series’ final round with a trip to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway with his first win this season, as well as the first-ever triumph in the series for team owner Codie Rohrbaugh and CR7 Motorsports.
NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO
The trend of dramatic round opening races continued at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. Chevrolet’s William Byron was one of just a handful of remaining title contenders that put together a strong day at the 1.5-mile Nevada venue – accumulating 48 points en route to his fourth-straight top-four finish. Despite still sitting fourth in the playoff standings, Byron was able to build a double-digit points cushion, with the Rudy Fugle-led team heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 27-point advantage over the elimination line.
The opportunity to drive to a season sweep at Las Vegas Motor Speedway quickly turned into an uphill battle for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. A set of issues in Stage Two soon found the team two laps down near the midway point of the race. To no surprise, the Cliff Daniels-led team progressively found their way back to the lead lap – ultimately entering the top-15 with 60 laps remaining in the race. Salvaging an 11th place result, Larson was still able to add a few points onto his already double-digit cushion, with the former series champion now ranked third in the playoff standings and 35-points above the cutline.
Among those playoff drivers with a dismal day in the Round of Eight opener included Chase Elliott, who was an innocent bystander in a wreck early in Stage Two. Falling to a 53-point deficit to the elimination line, the 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, is no stranger to capitalizing on ‘must-win’ situations. A career moment for Elliott came in 2020 when the Hendrick Motorsports driver turned a 25-point deficit into a ticket to his first appearance in the Championship Four with a victory at Martinsville Speedway – ultimately leading to his first championship title. When it comes to Homestead-Miami Speedway, consistency is key for Elliott and the No. 9 Chevrolet team. In his eight career starts at the 1.5-mile Florida venue, Elliott has earned results no worse than 15th, with his best finish of second also coming in his title-earning season.
Five of the remaining title contenders have found victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including Chevrolet’s William Byron and Kyle Larson, who took Hendrick Motorsports on back-to-back trips to victory lane in 2021-2022.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO
With already one position clinched in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Championship Four, Chevrolet moves on to Homestead-Miami Speedway with five playoff contenders left vying for an early berth into the title-deciding race. Joining fellow Chevrolet driver, AJ Allmendinger, in the top-four of the playoff rankings includes JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier. Despite a challenging start to postseason competition, the No. 7 Chevrolet team had a much-needed turnaround performance to open the Round of Eight. Allgaier tallied a 53-point day – the second-highest among the playoff drivers – en route to a podium finish. The 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native now sits second in the playoff standings and 32 points above the cutline – a cushion exactly double the next ranking driver. Just two remaining title contenders are past Homestead-Miami Speedway winners, one of which includes JR Motorsports Sam Mayer, who returns to the track as the series’ defending winner.
Mayer’s History of Walk-Off Wins
In his young career, Mayer has been no stranger to making the most out of playoff pressure. For back-to-back seasons, the 21-year-old Franklin, Wisconsin, native earned his ticket into the Round of Eight with a walk-off win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. In 2023, Mayer made his first career appearance in the Championship Four, which also came after a momentous win. As the series ventured to Homestead-Miami Speedway one year ago, Mayer entered the second race of the round ranked sixth in the standings with a double-digit deficit to the playoff cutline. The Chevrolet driver proceeded to add onto an already career season by collecting his first oval victory and his first shot at the series’ title. Returning to the track as the defending winner, Mayer and the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team have found themselves in a similar position – currently sitting seventh in the playoff standings and 23-points below the elimination line.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO
Sitting idle for two weeks, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to playoff competition at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 marking the penultimate race of the Round of Eight. Chevrolet’s Grant Enfinger is the only playoff driver that will head to the 1.5-mile Florida oval with a sense of relief after already earning his spot in the Championship Four with his win at Talladega Superspeedway. Regular Season Champion, Christian Eckes, has finished no worse than sixth in postseason competition thus far, with the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway ranked third in the playoff standings and 29-points above the elimination line. While on the outside looking in, a trio of Chevrolet drivers still have the opportunity to point their way into the title-deciding race with Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth in fifth (-5 points); Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in seventh (-20 points); and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top-eight (-23 points).
Eckes Seeks Redemption at Homestead
Christian Eckes returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway looking for redemption after a heartbreaking end to his championship title run last season. In 2024, the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has put together a career year – earning three trips to victory lane en route to his first career regular season championship title. Eckes has tallied top-10 results in all but one of the 20 Truck Series races this season. The Chevrolet driver is riding the momentum of nine straight top-six finishes, seven of which have been podium results. In four career starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Eckes has earned three top-eight finishes.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet will pace the field in the tripleheader race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Baptist Health 200;
The Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300; and
The specially-themed pink ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400.
· With 84 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 50% with 42 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 17 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 10 wins).
· In 15 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat four times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway).
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
Kyle Busch – two wins (2015, 2019)
Kyle Larson – one win (2022)
William Byron – one win (2021)
· On NASCAR’s current non-drafting intermediate ovals, ranging from 1.25 to 1.5 miles in length, Chevrolet owns a winning percentage of 50 percent in the Next Gen era with 16 victories in 32 races.
· In 105 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 49.5%.
· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
FOR THE FANS
· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where they can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:
Saturday, October 26
Team Chevy Truck Series Drivers:
· Rajah Caruth: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
· Christian Eckes: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
· Grant Enfinger: 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
· Nick Sanchez: 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
· Corey Day: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Team Chevy Xfinity Series Drivers:
· AJ Allmendinger: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
· Justin Allgaier: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
· Sam Mayer: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
· Sammy Smith: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
· Brandon Jones: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
· Josh Williams: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
· Shane van Gisbergen: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Sunday, October 27
· Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.
· Justin Haley: 10:55 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
· Daniel Suarez: 11:10 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.
· Carson Hocevar: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
· William Byron: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Friday, October 25: 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 26: 9 a.m. – end of Xfinity Series Race
Sunday, October 27: 10 a.m. – end of Cup Series Race
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1208
Ford: 1160 (-48)
Toyota: 1155 (-53)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1118
Toyota: 1064 (-54)
Ford: 964 (-154)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 745
Toyota: 703 (-42)
Ford: 670 (-75)
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Round of Eight: Race Two
Straight Talk Wireless 400
Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2:30 p.m. ET
(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Round of Eight: Race Two
Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300
Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. ET
(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Round of Eight: Race Two
Baptist Health 200
Saturday, Oct. 26, at 12 p.m. ET
(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
CHEVROLET IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES: QUOTABLE QUOTES
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS / TRACKER BOATS CAMARO ZL1
What are your thoughts on Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“I love racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It’s my favorite track that we race at. Homestead-Miami Speedway is a driver’s racetrack. It’s so much fun to run right up against the fence. You have to be disciplined in how you drive and save your tires. It’s an epic race. It’s always intense. We can move around in the corners to find the best line and it’s a track that’s been good to me in my career. We ran well at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year and finished fourth in 2022. The Miami atmosphere is just one of the things I love about this time of year, and I can’t wait to get on track in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
Larson on Homestead-Miami Speedway:
“I look forward to racing at Homestead-Miami – I just really love that track. We only get to go there once a year, whereas a lot of intermediates we go to twice a year. I wish we could go there twice because I just love the track. So yeah, I look forward to going there because, one, I love it, and we’re really, really fast there. And yeah, it’s just a good track for us.”
JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 CHILI’S CATCH-A-RITA CAMARO ZL1
Across the garage, Homestead is one of the most-endeared tracks to race at. Why is that?
“Homestead is a fun place to race. The tire falloff is severe, which makes for lap time variability. The various grooves allow you to make time, no matter how your car drives. I haven’t gotten the results I’ve hoped for there, but I think we can turn that around this weekend. It is really cool to have Chili’s aboard, and I hope I can put on a show for them.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 REBEL BOURBON CAMARO ZL1
How challenging is practice at Homestead? There are so many different lines you can use to improve the balance of the car but you only have 20-minutes of track time.
“You have to go into practice at Homestead with a gameplan. There are so many different lines you can run at Homestead and we have such a short time frame that it can certainly be challenging for sure. The line that you’re going to use for the race is going to be significantly different that the line you use for qualifying so figuring out both of those with the short amount of time you have is very, very difficult.”
How different is racing in the daylight at Homestead compared with track conditions at night?
“Track conditions at Homestead in the daytime are significantly different than what the conditions will be at night. I have always been much stronger at Homestead racing at night than during the day.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
Elliott on the team’s outlook following Las Vegas:
“Going into the Round of 8, our mindset was we’re going to have to win to have a shot in Phoenix, so what happened at Las Vegas doesn’t really change that. It was unfortunate because our NAPA Chevy was really, really good and I think we would have potentially had a shot at it there at the end if we hadn’t got caught up in that incident. The fact that we had speed though gives me confidence heading into Homestead this weekend. Our team is fully capable of winning. We just need to go and execute.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1
Byron on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
“We’re always really good at Homestead. It’s just trying to be the best car. We’ve focused a lot on that in the Chevy simulator this week. I feel like we’re in a really good spot as a team. Hopefully we can go in there with a good baseline setup and we can work through and build off of it through the weekend to be that best car.”
DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1
“We’re feeling confident heading to Homestead this weekend. I have not been there in the Next Gen car, but it’s a track I have always enjoyed. We’ve really been working on our intermediate track package, and the speed has shown.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
Bowman on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
“With a top five at (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway), our Ally Racing No. 48 team is still pushing hard for a strong finish to the season. Homestead is a place I’ve been working hard at in the simulator to improve. I’ve had a couple better finishes for myself in that last handful of races there but certainly nowhere near where I want to be yet. Hopefully that practice will pay off and we can execute a solid race on Sunday as a team.”
ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 WELLCARE CAMARO ZL1
How are you feeling about your first Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend?
“I’ve always looked forward to going to Homestead. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half, and even though we haven’t gotten the best results at the intermediates this year, we’re coming off a top 10 at Kansas. That definitely gives us some positive momentum heading into the weekend. I’m excited to have Wellcare on board my Chevrolet and to go 400 miles on Sunday! Still a lot to accomplish in the final three races this year.”
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 ZEIGLER AUTO GROUP / LOJACK CAMARO ZL1
You have had success at Homestead in the past. How does that help your confidence heading into the weekend.
“I’m excited to get back to Homestead. I’ve ran really well at Miami in the trucks and it is a fun track overall. I didn’t get to run the Cup Series race there last year, but was able to watch and learn some things. Winning a race at a track helps build your confidence. Luke (Lambert) and everybody at Spire likes this racetrack, and Luke even won the XFINITY race a couple years ago with Noah (Gragson). So yeah, we’re pretty excited.”
The high line has been the preferred line at Homestead. Do you still see that as the case, or has the Next Gen car allowed the other lines to make just as much ground?
“I don’t know if running against the fence is the end all be all. I feel like with this car, you can move around a bit more. With the old car, you had to bang it against the fence. I think the best line is probably going to be around the fence, but at the same time, it’s super easy to knock a toe link out or bend up the suspension. I’m ready to get to practice and figure out what the best lines are going to be for me and my No.77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevy.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2023): 42
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023
Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2021): 33
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2024 STATISTICS:
Wins: 15
Poles: 10
Laps Led: 3,177
Top-Five Finishes: 66
Top-10 Finishes: 133
Stage Wins: 22
· Chase Elliott: 1
· Kyle Larson: 12
· Ross Chastain: 2
· William Byron: 2
· Shane van Gisbergen: 1
· Daniel Suarez: 1
· Kyle Busch: 1
· Alex Bowman: 1
· AJ Allmendinger: 1
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 866 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 753
Laps led to date: 252,332
Top-five finishes to date: 4,364
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,993
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,200
Chevrolet: 866
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 838
Ford: 738
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 188
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
