JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Phoenix Advance
Event Overview

● Event: Shriners Children’s 500k (Round 4 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 10
● Location: Phoenix Raceway
● Layout: 1-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 312 laps/312 miles (502 kilometers)
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 127 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Fraternal Order of Eagles Ford Mustang

● Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing (RWR), returns to Phoenix for his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at the track with long-time partner Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.). Haley and F.O.E. have a long history of success in NASCAR. His first Cup Series victory, at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in July 2019, was in the black-and-yellow F.O.E-branded No. 77. In all three of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins, Haley was behind the wheel of an F.O.E. entry for GMS Racing.

● In six Cup Series starts at the Phoenix mile oval, Haley has a best finish of 17th earned in March 2022. He also owns two top-five and four top-10 finishes in six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix.

● Nearly half of Haley’s 13 Cup Series top-10 finishes have come on intermediate tracks. In 44 starts on tracks more than a mile in length and less than 2 miles, Haley has two top-fives and six top-10s.

● The Fraternal Order of Eagles is an international non-profit organization uniting fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills and promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope. The F.O.E. donates more than $10 million a year to local communities, fundraisers, charities and more. As part of its philosophy, the F.O.E. gives back 100 percent of monies raised in the form of grants. Fundraisers are conducted for eight major charities, including kidney, heart, diabetes, cancer and spinal cord injury funds, a children’s fund, memorial foundation and the Golden Eagle Fund.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang

● Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse, will make his 11th NASCAR Cup Series start and first at Phoenix when he takes the green flag Sunday in the Shriners Children’s 500k.

● Grala’s most recent start at Phoenix was the November 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, when he started 24th and powered to a 10th-place finish for Sam Hunt Racing. He has five Xfinity Series starts at the track with two top-15 finishes, as well as two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts with a best finish of fifth in 2017.

● Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Grala drove his N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse to a 31st-place finish after running inside the top-20 in Stage 2. The RWR Ford Mustang Dark Horse showed plenty of speed, running top-10 lap times late in the final 102-lap stage, but a brush with the wall in the last 10 laps ultimately dropped Grala outside the top-25.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● This week sees RWR competing across four different motorsports disciplines – NASCAR, NHRA, AFT and IMSA – in two different time zones.

● Of course, RWR has its two NASCAR Cup Series entries – the No. 15 with Kaz Grala and the No. 51 with Justin Haley – in the Shriners Children’s 500k on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

● NHRA Top Fuel driver Clay Millican begins the 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season in Gainesville, Florida, at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Thursday through Sunday. A three-time event winner for RWR in 2023, Millican competed in the PRO Superstar Shootout Feb. 8-10 exhibition event in Bradenton, Florida, where he set fast time in the first round of qualifying with an elapsed time of 3.688 seconds and a speed of 336.49 mph. He then remained atop the leaderboard and secured the No. 1 qualifying position before advancing all the way to the final round of eliminations.

● The Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) season kicks off Thursday and Friday with a doubleheader at Daytona. RWR looks to add to its AFT win total with Briar Bauman in Mission SuperTwins, and Kody Kopp and Shayna Texter-Bauman in AFT Singles. Bauman and RWR took home two wins in 2023.

● After a podium finish in the season-opening race of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge LMP3 class Jan. 20 at Daytona, RWR’s Cody Ware is back in his Ligier JS P320 for two races this weekend in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Ware will have a shot at two more podiums as he will race twice on Saturday with two 45-minute races around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn layout on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the LMP3 class of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

There’s a new short-track package that will debut at Phoenix. How are you feeling about it now that you’ve had a couple of races under your belt in the Ford Mustang Dark Horse?
“Luckily, I tested the new short-track package last year at Richmond and I’m excited for it. I feel like Phoenix is the track it’s meant for, so we’ll see how it goes. We’ll have a long practice there, so it’ll be good to have that time to work with the team a little bit more and try out more than we’d be able to in the shorter sessions. I think what I’m most looking forward to is kind of being on the same page as other teams when we unload. Typically, we’re going up against those bigger teams that have all the data they could need but, in this case, we’re all starting with the same thing, so it might give us a fighting chance to start.”

You ran well on the short track at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in February. Does that have you looking forward to more of the short-track races that are coming up?
“I’m not quite sure. The track we raced on in L.A. is so unique. It’s tough to know what is going to happen at some of these places before we get there. In years past, I really favored the intermediate tracks because that’s where the last team I was with was strongest, and I feel like knowing what works best for a team is really the deciding factor as far as where I’m excited to go. Last year, RWR did really well at New Hampshire, so they’ve had good results on short tracks and I think we’ll be able to use some of that. Things are still coming together, so I don’t know that we can focus too much on the type of track we feel is best for us. We’ll get there eventually, but right now it’s all still about the little things that we can improve on each week.”

There are still a lot of things being worked through with a new team, new manufacturer and new car. How do you manage your expectations from week to week?
“The Cup Series is ultracompetitive, and obviously we’re all racing the exact same car nowadays. Week to week I feel like you do have to manage your expectations, which I think I’m pretty good at. Going to a smaller team, you have to realize the tasks that you’re taking on – you’re not signing with a mega team. But it’s been a lot of fun and I feel like I thrive in this environment. It’s the environment I’ve been in my entire career. I enjoy the process of going to the racetrack and running well, especially this year with RWR. Every time we’ve gone to the racetrack and been competitive, when I go back to the shop and all the crew guys are really amped up and excited and thankful that you’re driving that racecar to the front. It’s been cool to see and to show these guys that have been at RWR for a long time that their hard work and passion and effort can pay off. That we can run up front and be competitive has been pretty cool to see.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

A twist to the usual weekend schedule is a 55-minute practice session on Friday at Phoenix. How does that extra time on track benefit you and the No. 51 N29 Capital Partners team?

“Additional practice definitely helps close the gap for teams like ours, so I’m looking forward to having some time to work on our Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Phoenix. Limited practice puts an emphasis on simulation and your notebook from prior races, so for a smaller team like ours that’s new to a lot of these resources, it’s hard to unload and be exactly where we want to be. The longer session will give us some time to dial in our car for the race, but also to build our notebook with adjustments we can use at future events.”

While Phoenix is technically an intermediate track, it races similar to some of the short tracks you’ll visit later in the year, and you’ve had some decent runs on short tracks in the Xfinity and the Truck Series. Does that experience give you a little bit of confidence going to some of these tracks for the first time in the Cup Series?

“I grew up racing at short tracks and road courses, so I always feel a little more confident coming to tracks with more tools in the driver’s hands. The last time I raced a Truck at Phoenix was a top-five finish, and the last Xfinity race I did there was a top-10, so I feel good about my preparation for this weekend. Hopefully we can make the most of it and grab another great finish for RWR.”

It’s hard to judge progress early in the season, but now that you’ve been on a track other than a superspeedway, how do you feel things are progressing with RWR?

“I’ve been pleased with our speed so far at RWR. We have the pace to move forward through the field and contend for top-15 finishes, so it all comes down to details and execution. There is a lot of ‘new,’ still, at the team and certainly for myself, but when we hit our stride and reach our full potential, I believe we can run in the front half of the field.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Phoenix Raceway
Avondale, Arizona
March 9-10, 2024

CHEVROLET REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN NASCAR CUP SERIES, TRUCK SERIES

With three consecutive tripleheader weekends complete, Chevrolet’s drivers and teams have made a strong and early statement across NASCAR’s three national series. The Bowtie brand has earned victories in eight of the nine points-paying events in the NASCAR national ranks this season – remaining undefeated in both the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS).

In the Cup Series:

Kyle Larson became the third Team Chevy driver to reach victory lane this season – posting a near dominate performance in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 en route to the win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 31-year-old California native swept the stage wins and led an impressive 181 laps in the 267-lap event to extend Chevrolet’s win streak to three-straight in NASCAR’s premier series. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron and fellow Team Chevy driver Daniel Suarez have also each earned a victory and a playoff berth this season.

A victory in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 would not only extend Chevrolet’s win streak to four-straight this season, but also match its season-opening win record from 2023. In NASCAR’s Modern Era (1972-2024), a manufacturer has swept a season’s first four races on five different occasions with Chevrolet owning four of those feats (1995, 2001, 2010, 2023).

In the Truck Series:

Rev Racing and Spire Motorsports have proved to be a force to be reckoned with this season – driving Chevrolet to three-straight trips to victory lane in the NCTS. Most recently, Team Chevy’s Rajah Caruth earned his first career NCTS victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – just two days after landing full-season support from HENDRICKCARS.COM. Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez and Kyle Busch have also each earned a NCTS win this season to keep Chevrolet undefeated as the series heads into its first off-weekend of the season.

This year marks the second time in Chevrolet’s history in the NCTS to win the first three races of a season – last accomplishing the feat in the series’ inaugural season (1995) when the manufacturer claimed eight consecutive victories.

 
BOWTIE BRIGADE BOOSTING IN EARLY-SEASON SUCCESS

While three-for-three in NASCAR’s top division, Chevrolet’s undefeated win record is also accompanied by strong results across the Chevrolet camp this season. In just three points-paying races, Chevrolet’s six full-time organizations have already earned at least one top-10 finish – further proving the continued growth and strength within each organization under the Chevrolet banner.

“It’s been a solid start to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season with three consecutive wins,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “In addition, each Chevrolet team has already earned a top-10 finish in the first three Cup Series races. The early on-track performance is a result of the preparation and execution by our drivers and teams, while working closely with Chevrolet’s NASCAR Competition Engineering group.”

Two Chevrolet teams have claimed victories in the series’ first three events, including Hendrick Motorsports with two (William Byron and Kyle Larson) and Trackhouse Racing with one (Daniel Suarez). Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch has been a stout contender each weekend – highlighted by a third-place result in the photo-finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. recorded his season-best finish of sixth at Atlanta Motor Speedway, while also scoring valuable stage points in two of the series’ three races this season. In similar fashion, AJ Allmendinger put Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 Camaro ZL1 in prime track position in Stage Two of the Daytona 500 – scoring top-10 stage points en route to a sixth-place finish in the ‘Great American Race’. Spire Motorsports also recorded its season-best finish at Daytona International Speedway courtesy of Corey LaJoie’s fourth-place result. The No. 7 Camaro ZL1 driver has also collected stage points in two events, including Daytona and Las Vegas.

 
DEFENDING IN THE DESERT

Chevrolet returns to Phoenix Racing with a series-leading 27 NASCAR Cup Series victories – two of which came after a Team Chevy sweep last season courtesy of wins by William Byron (March) and Ross Chastain (November).

The series’ first stop at the one-mile Arizona oval in 2023 saw Byron drive his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 to the victory – the second of his series-leading, and career-best, six wins on the season. The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native returned to Phoenix Raceway for his first-career appearance in the series’ Championship Four – ultimately ending the season with a fourth-place finish in the race and a third-place finish in the final points standings.

Despite narrowly missing a spot in the NCS Championship Four, Chastain still left Phoenix Raceway with a trophy after taking the win in the series’ season-finale. The victory – his second of the season and fourth all-time in NASCAR’s premier series – made Chastain the first non-championship contender to win the season-finale race since the inception of the current playoff format in 2014.

 
CAREER WEEKEND FOR CARUTH

Rajah Caruth had a weekend to remember at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – driving his No. 71 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST to his first career pole win before ultimately claiming the victory to become a first-time winner in the NASCAR national ranks. Caruth – a former graduate of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program – has been behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine throughout the entirety of his racing career. The 21-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native previously competed with Rev Racing in the ARCA Menards Series (2022) before making the jump to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023 – completing his rookie season with GMS Racing.

Since joining forces with Spire Motorsports this season, Caruth has finished in the top-eight of each race – including a third-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. The victory also delivered Caruth a guaranteed spot in the series’ 10-driver playoff field for the first time in his career.

Drive for Diversity Graduates Finding Success with Team Chevy in NASCAR National Ranks:

The 2024 season marks the 20th anniversary of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. With just three races complete for NASCAR’s three national series, four graduates of the program have already earned victories in their respective series this season – all of which come from the Chevrolet camp. 

Nick Sanchez claimed the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win in the series’ season-opener at Daytona International Speedway – marking his first career victory in the NASCAR national ranks. The 22-year-old Miami, Florida, native participated in the Drive for Diversity Program from 2017 to 2022 – winning the 2022 ARCA Menards Series Championship with Rev Racing before making the jump to the NCTS with the Chevrolet organization. Sanchez’s rookie campaign in the series concluded with an impressive sixth-place finish in the final points standings and the title as the 2023 NCTS Rookie of the Year.

One week later, Daniel Suarez came out victorious in the iconic three-wide finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Suarez, who was a part of the Drive for Diversity’s Class of 2013, is now a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner – both of which were recorded under the Chevrolet banner. His history-making first NCS victory came at Sonoma Raceway in 2022 – a win that made Suarez the first Mexican-born driver to win in NASCAR’s premier series.

Rajah Caruth added his name to the list at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend after driving his No. 71 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST to his first-career NCTS victory. Caruth joined the Drive for Diversity Program in 2018 – competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series in 2022 before joining GMS Racing to complete his rookie campaign in the NCTS last season. The victory made Caruth the third Black driver to win at the NASCAR national level, joining Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace.

Kyle Larson became the fourth Drive for Diversity Program graduate to tally a win this season with his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A member of the Class of 2012, Larson made history as the first graduate of the Drive for Diversity Program to win a NCS Championship title. The 31-year-old Elk Grove, California, native has only competed with Chevrolet throughout his career in the NASCAR national ranks – building a resume of 24 NCS victories, 14 NXS victories and three NCTS victories.

 
TEAM CHEVY TOPS IN ALL STANDINGS

Heading into the Phoenix race weekend, Chevrolet holds the top position in both the driver and manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series. Earning wins in eight of the nine races thus far, the Bowtie brand leads its manufacturer competitors by 19-points in the NASCAR Cup Series, three-points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 17-points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

In each series’ driver points standings, six Team Chevy drivers hold a spot in the top-10. Former champion Kyle Larson took over the top position of the NCS points standings following his Las Vegas victory – leading fellow Team Chevy drivers William Byron, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez in the fourth through eighth positions, respectively.

Austin Hill’s phenomenal start to the season – including two wins and a fourth-place finish – has put the Team Chevy driver at the top of the NXS standings with a 22-point lead. Drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations sit in the top-10, with Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger in fourth; Hill’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Jesse Love in seventh; and JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Brandon Jones in the eighth through 10th positions, respectively.

Making his return to the Chevrolet camp this season, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum has shown early speed this season, earning two top-10 finishes – including a runner-up finish at Las Vegas – to take the top position in the NCTS points standings. Ankrum leads 2024 race winners Rajah Caruth (fourth) and Nick Sanchez (fifth); and fellow Team Chevy drivers Bret Holmes, Christian Eckes and Grant Enfinger in the eighth through 10th positions, respectively – giving five different Chevrolet organizations representation in the top-10 of the standings heading into the series’ off-weekend.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Phoenix Raceway. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s ‘Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200’; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500.

· Chevrolet has recorded wins in eight of the nine points-paying races in NASCAR’s three national series this season – remaining undefeated in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway:

Kyle Busch – three wins (2019, 2018, 2005)

Ross Chastain – one win (2023)

William Byron – one win (2023)

Kyle Larson – one win (2021)

Chase Elliott – one win (2020)

· In 55 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 27 victories – including a sweep of last season’s races with William Byron (March) and Ross Chastain (November).

· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series with 13 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Phoenix Raceway – all of which have been recorded with Chevrolet. Nine different drivers have contributed wins to the record including: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Larson (2021) and William Byron (2023).

· With just three NASCAR Cup Series races complete, each Chevrolet organization has recorded at least one top-10 finish.

· With its victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend, Chevrolet continues the streak of earning at least one win in the NASCAR national ranks each race weekend since the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course events in October 2023.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 854 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 120
Toyota: 101 (-19)
Ford: 97 (-23)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 113
Toyota: 110 (-3)
Ford: 88 (-25)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 120
Toyota: 103 (-17)
Ford: 95 (-25)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Shriners Children’s 500

Sunday, March 10, at 3:30 p.m. ET

(FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200

Saturday, March 9, at 4:30 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1

How did the Phoenix win at the end of the season carry you through the off season?

“It made a lot of things in the off season a lot easier than they have ever been. I’ve spent so many off seasons just trying to set my ride up, set my team up, sponsorships up, it’s a total 180 from that. It’s almost indescribable.”

What kind of flipped the switch for you at Phoenix last year?

“I don’t think it was a switch, it felt like it was a progression of what we had been working on and we were getting better at the end of the year. We had a few chances to win earlier than that and to finally put it all together there was big.”

You were one of the first people to Rajah Caruth in victory lane, what made you want to congratulate him?

“I’ve seen the work he’s put into it and it was cool to see him get a win. From his entry into the Chevy program and seeing him showing up – he’s one of the early ones there – he hasn’t wavered through all of the losing, and we lose way more at this stuff than we win. I was happy for him and went to see him in person in victory lane because a text wouldn’t have been enough.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 MORGAN & MORGAN CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?

“Phoenix Raceway is a tough short track and one of those places where you hit it, or you don’t. This track is challenging. I’m looking forward to it though because it’s such a fun track for drivers. It could be a good place for the No. 3 Morgan & Morgan team.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GROUP 1001 CAMARO ZL1

“We’ve had a pretty good run to start out the season. We’ve been competitive everywhere, so that definitely says a lot about all of our off-season preparation. Our Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro has been fast every time we unload. Ryan Sparks and all my guys are working hard and they’ve hit on the right things early in the year. Confidence is high.

I’m looking forward to getting to Phoenix this weekend and seeing what we have. We tested there in December and learned a lot so we expect to put that effort to good use this weekend. I’m proud to have Group 1001 on board this weekend, to recognize Women’s History Month and carry the names of all the women they’re honoring.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 ZONE CAMARO ZL1

Is there a fine line at Phoenix between hitting the setup and running well versus being really off the mark?

“Phoenix has always been a tricky track to hit the proper setup and making sure that you are fast. Kevin Harvick has had a really good time of being able to hit that ever since the repave at this track where I feel as though I might have been better at the old surface but have still seen success in Trucks, Xfinity and Cup winning races.”

How does having the practice session on Friday change your strategy for the weekend?

“Anytime you’re able to get a little bit more practice should allow you time to dissect the car and make the necessary changes that you think you need as a driver to be able to have a good race car. I felt like we had a pretty decent race car there last fall when we had the added practice and if it weren’t for getting set behind on pit road, we would have had a pretty good race.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at Phoenix Raceway:

“We are super excited to have Best Friends back at Phoenix (Raceway). It’s always exciting to run the pet themed schemes and it will definitely be a busy weekend with Ally and their activation in the fan zone. I look forward to trying to go for a good run there (Phoenix Raceway), it’s been awhile since we had a great day at Phoenix (Raceway). Hopefully we can change that this weekend.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1

Harris on racing at Phoenix Raceway:

“I think most teams and manufacturers have a lot of questions heading into this weekend at Phoenix (Raceway) with the new aerodynamics package. The (Hendrick Motorsports) No. 5 team tested there (Phoenix Raceway) late last year so we have some decent data to look at. Really, having that 50-minuite practice will be key for us to have a shot to tune the car in relative to our normal short practice weekend. We look forward to that and Alex (Bowman) has had some good runs there (Phoenix Raceway) earlier in his career. For us, any change in package is a new opportunity to help exploit that.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1

You and (Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race winner) Rajah Caruth both have unconventional paths to get into NASCAR. You can share in the difficulties it takes just to get to this level. Can you speak on his victory?

“You have no idea how happy I was for him. He’s a great young man. Not just a very talented race car driver, but also very dedicated. We get to see each other almost every week, training or doing different things, and I like him a lot. I consider him a friend. He knows this, and will know this, but the first win is always the most difficult one to get. I’m sure he’s going to win at least a few times this year. He’s very disciplined and he works hard. He’s been strong the last few weeks. I’m very happy for him. Obviously he made history being the third African American driver to win in the NASCAR national series, and he’s very special. He’s also a graduate of the Drive for Diversity program, just like myself, Bubba Wallace and many others. So very happy that we’re seeing good talent from the Drive for Diversity program coming to a national series and being successful.”

Back-to-back examples of the Drive for Diversity program working?

“Of course. I mentioned this a week or two ago, that the Drive for Diversity program has changed quite a bit since Bubba Wallace and myself were there 10 years ago. 10 years ago it was very good, we had a good opportunity. It was a good program. But today, it’s a great program, and I’m very happy to see that. 10 years ago, it was a great program to give you an opportunity for the K&N Series and the ARCA series. But to make the jump to a national series, it was very difficult. You had to be lucky and you have to be very, very good to get an opportunity. Today, the Drive for Diversity program is so involved in the Truck Series and that’s very special, very special because giving an opportunity to these young guys like Rajah (Caruth) and Nick Sanchez to get an opportunity in the Truck Series and perform at a very competitive level. We didn’t have that 10 years ago, so I’m very happy for them. I’m very happy that the Drive for Diversity program continues to grow and continues to get better.”

At Phoenix Raceway, they’re going to have the “Viva La Fiesta”. Just curious to hear your overall excitement for that event and the importance of that cultural presence and impact over there.

“Yeah, of course. I think that every time that I come to the west coast to Las Vegas, Sonoma, Auto Club Speedway was very, very big.. Phoenix and Los Angeles – it’s amazing to feel an incredible amount of support from the Latino community, and I feel very, very proud to be the face of this community in the Cup Series. We embrace it and I’m very happy that the race tracks embrace it with us, as well. The “Viva La Fiesta” in Phoenix is just a small example of that. We’re going to be having a great time in Phoenix.”

 
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: 3

Poles: 0

Laps Led: 354

Top-five finishes: 7

Top-10 finishes: 11

Stage wins: 3

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 2

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 854 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 743

Laps led to date: 249,529

Top-five finishes to date: 4,305

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,872

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,188

       Chevrolet: 854

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 828                                                           

       Ford: 728

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 180

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

In 16 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races at Phoenix Raceway, Spire Motorsports has logged one top-20 and two top-25 finishes with seven different drivers. Corey LaJoie, driver of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Group 1001 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 earned the organization’s lone top 20 after finishing 18th on November 6, 2022 in NCS season finale. The Mooresville, N.C., team fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with LaJoie, and fellow drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
The Shriners Children’s 500 from Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, March 10, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The fourth of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR RaceDay’s pre-race coverage on FOX will take the green flag at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Corey LaJoie – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Corey LaJoie will make his 14th NCS start at Phoenix Raceway behind the wheel of the Group 1001 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500.
• In honor of Women’s History Month, Lajoie’s Group 1001 Chevrolet will feature more than 450 names of women who are employed by Group 1001. Colton Herta’s No. 26 Gainbridge entry will also showcase the same initiative this weekend at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.) NTT IndyCar Series race.
• With a commitment to service and community transformation, Group 1001 supports education and sports initiatives that improve lives. With a commitment to service and community transformation, Group 1001 supports education and sports initiatives that improve lives. In 2022, Group 1001 became a majority stakeholder in Parity, a brand sponsorship platform committed to closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports. Currently, 48 percent of Group 1001’s sponsorship dollars support women’s sports.
• Group 1001 is a collective that empowers companies to create positive growth. Our insurance and annuities are easy to understand and accessible to all. Our online investing platform gives individuals control over their savings. Our technology and innovation help companies succeed. And our strategic partnerships bring people together through education and sports.
• In 13 previous starts at the one-mile, Avondale, Ariz., oval, LaJoie has an average start of 29.2, an average finish of 30.9, led 12 laps and has completed 3,149 of the 4,067 (77.4 percent) laps contested.
• LaJoie earned a venue-best 18th-place finish in the 2022 NCS season finale.
• Last March, LaJoie started 28th and finished 26th in the United Rentals Work United 500.
• Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, LaJoie started 17th but ultimately finished 32nd. The third-generation racer was a fixture in the top 10 throughout the first two stages of the Pennzoil 400 until a late-race, on-track incident left him one lap off the pace when the checkered flag flew.
• LaJoie is currently 17th in the NCS championship point standings, five points outside 15th, while just 21 markers separate him from the top 10.

Corey LaJoie Quotes
It’s been a good start to the year. You’ve been competitive every week. Now, you’re headed to Phoenix and that will be the fourth different style track for the fourth week in a row. What are your thoughts as the NASCAR Cup Series heads into Round 4?
“We’ve had a pretty good run to start out the season. We’ve been competitive everywhere, so that definitely says a lot about all of our off-season preparation. Our Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro has been fast every time we unload. Ryan Sparks and all my guys are working hard and they’ve hit on the right things early in the year. Confidence is high.”

“I’m looking forward to getting to Phoenix this weekend and seeing what we have. We tested out there in December and learned a lot so we expect to put all that effort to good use this weekend. I’m really proud to have Group 1001 on board this weekend, to recognize Women’s History Month and carry the names of all the women they’re honoring. It’s incredible what Group 1001 is doing to elevate all the women who play key roles within the company. Pretty cool to be part of that.”

Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Zane Smith is no stranger to Phoenix Raceway where he logged a victory and three top-five finishes in four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts, and a fifth-place finish in his only NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at the one-mile oval. Smith clinched the 2022 NCTS title with a win at Phoenix.
• Smith finished 31st in his lone NCS start at Phoenix Raceway.
• Smith will carry the No. 71 primary sponsor, Focused Health, Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Focused Health is a National Health Insurance agency founded by industry veterans with over 60 years combined industry experience. Primarily focused on the government programs space, Focused Health partners with payors and employers to deliver health insurance solutions for individuals and families. For more information visit AtFocusedHealth.com.
• Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Smith started 24th before an early brush with the wall left him with a 36th-place finish. Smith finished eighth in the NCTS race Friday night in Las Vegas.
• Sunday marks his fourth NCS start for Spire Motorsports and 13th career start in NASCAR’s premier division.
• Fans can pre-order Focused Health No. 71 Zane Smith merchandise at shopzanesmith.com.

Zane Smith Quotes
What are your thoughts on Phoenix this weekend?
“I’m ready to go. The last two race weekends haven’t gone our way and I’m ready to learn from that and show what the No. 71 team has to offer. Phoenix is a track I know very well, I know how to win there. So, I’m looking forward to being back at that track and competing.”
Stats show you have done super well at Phoenix Raceway in the past, does that boost your confidence going into this weekend?
“It doesn’t boost my confidence because the Cup Series is so different from the Truck Series. I know the Phoenix track well and it is a track I like to race at, so I’m excited to get there and race again, especially with this No. 71 Spire Motorsports team. My team works hard everyday to bring a fast Focused Health Chevy Camaro to the track.”

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
• Hocevar secured his first top 15 of the year in last Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 21-year-old racer started 14th, was consistently fast throughout the event, and came away with a respectable 15th-place finish.
• Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”) has made its mission to deliver pure value to its network of financial professionals with a set of tools and products that help them empower their clients to plan for retirement with confidence. Delaware Life’s focus is delivering a seamless experience that gives clients exactly what they’re looking for: the comfort of understanding, the confidence of transparency, and streamlined products without needless features. Learn more at www.delawarelife.com
• Hocevar is currently 25h in the NCS championship point standings, highest amongst the three Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year candidates.
• In five previous NCTS starts at Phoenix Raceway, the Portage, Mich., native has logged two top-10 finishes.
• Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 will mark Hocevar’s second career NCS start at the one-mile desert oval. He qualified 22nd and finished 19th in last fall’s NCS season finale.
• Hocevar’s crew chief Luke Lambert earned his first NCS race win with driver Ryan Newman in the March 19, 2017 Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway. In 371 races a top the pit box, Lambert has called 26 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s premier division. Lambert also called Noah Gragson’s 2022 NXS win at the Avondale, Ariz., race course.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
Last week was your first top-15 of the season. What’s your outlook heading into this week’s race at Phoenix?
“Outlook is to do just what we did last week. Control what we can control and that is bringing the best race car we can, running the best race and adapting to what’s thrown at us. I feel really confident going to Phoenix and I’m excited to get to the track.”
First short track of the season – how are you feeling coming off two super speedways and a 1.5-mile?
“Phoenix is kind of mile and a half and a short track mixed so I feel comfortable and especially with Spire being a part of the test in the winter. I think we will have another strong showing.”
As the season progresses, are there any upcoming tracks that you’re particularly excited about or anticipate will be especially challenging?
“No, not really. I feel like we really don’t have a weak part in our game yet as a driver and as a team with Luke (Lambert) and I feel comfortable going anywhere on the schedule. Excited to keep building week to week.”
From the Top of the Box

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
• Sparks, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native, has been paired with LaJoie since 2020.
• Combined, Sparks and LaJoie have earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes, including a pair of top four in the 2024 Daytona 500.

Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Stephen Doran begins his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team during the 2024 season.
• In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
• Prior to his arrival at Spire Motorsports, Doran worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar
• The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
• In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Shriners Children’s 500 Advance | Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is coming off a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gragson participated in a media call earlier today to talk about that event as well as what lies ahead this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR START? “They’ve been alright. They’ve been good, but what satisfies me probably the most is how we’ve been able to deal with the challenges and adversity that come our way. Obviously, Atlanta was a tough weekend overall with wrecking on lap one and then going into Vegas negative in points, so seeing how we rebounded was really big for me and stood out in my mind, so I’m really proud of our team and being able to show an effort of coming back after a tough weekend and tough week leading into Vegas, so the rebound was big and then to be able to hopefully roll on with this momentum is good as well, coming off a sixth-place finish at Vegas.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS RACING WITH FORD SO FAR AND WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO DOING WELL AT PHOENIX RACEWAY? “It’s been a lot of fun to work with Ford so far. A lot of the OEM’s are all the same, but they’re different. From the simulators, they’re all pretty close, and the motors I feel like are all pretty close. I’ve never been able to really feel too big of a difference, but they’ve been strong so it’s been fun getting to know the Ford camp and not only the group of drivers, but just seeing how they go about the superspeedway stuff. It’s always been tough to race against the Fords on the superspeedway and now being a part of it and seeing how they go about things, I felt like we’ve had speed, so that’s a good thing. I like the way the car drove in Vegas and it’s been good so far. No complaints. Phoenix is a fun racetrack, but challenging with both ends being different. That makes it a challenge for a driver and a team to get the car balanced right. You might be good on one side or the other and vice versa, you might struggle on the opposite side of the racetrack. With that being said, it’s important to get the car dialed in during practice as good as you can on both side and get the corners connected, so I like Phoenix. It’s always a fun race. It’s one of the closest hometown races for me, a lot of fans that I’ve been able to make memories with and relationships over the past handful of years. I see them a lot and Phoenix as well. That’s always a lot of fun. The fan support is awesome there and then it sets us up for the championship race, which is really important, so I think you might see a lot of guys trying stuff this first race every year and then in order to learn something for the championship race that’s where everybody wants to get to and have a good showing to end the year off, so it’s a fun racetrack, challenging and it’s a fun city as well.”

HAVE YOU FELT THE PRESSURE OF PEOPLE SAYING THE SHR TURNAROUND IS ON YOUR SHOULDERS? “No. I don’t really feel any pressure. I think it’s because I feel like I have a lot of trust in the organization as a whole and I feel like they have a lot of trust in me. I know it’s still early, but I’m just making relationships and developing those in the shop over the past two or three months has been good. To be able to have that support in the shop takes pressure off myself. They’ve been saying on matter what the department is they’re like, ‘Hey, we’ll rebuild the race cars. We just want you to be out there hauling ass and going to the front.’ So, that gives me confidence that I have the trust and the support from every department inside the shop, and that’s big as a driver to have – not only the trust and support, but the respect of every individual at the race team and vice versa. I have the respect and trust in those guys as well and we’re gonna continue to grow as an organization.”

WHAT ABOUT THE MOTIVATION COMING OFF THAT SIXTH-PLACE FINISH? “I think we had good speed, but I also want to see where we’re at at Phoenix and I won’t really know, so it does feel good. There is a little extra confidence in the tank leading into Phoenix, but, at the same time, you’re only as good as your last run, so once we get on track at Phoenix the Vegas run doesn’t really matter. We can talk about it all week, but once the tires hit the racetrack it’s a new opportunity, so we’ve been working hard this week to get in position to run good at Phoenix hopefully, but we just want to become better and learn throughout practice. It’s still very early in the season and I think our expectations are pretty realistic. We want to finish better than we start and we want to improve all day. If we can do that, no matter if it’s a sixth-place finish or if it’s we ran 18th all day and finished 14th that’s still good in my mind because we made improvement and we finished better than we ran all day. Everybody is really pumped up and excited to get to Phoenix and to have that support and everybody’s motivation and confidence, they’re excited to go to work and that makes me feel good as a driver.”

WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT TAKING ON THE BRISTOL CONCRETE IN A CUP CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME? “I’m excited. I’ve never been on the concrete in Bristol in a Cup car, so I’m excited for it. It’s not one of my best tracks. I know we have two wins there in Xfinity and it’s always a lot of fun, but my confidence level going to Bristol is probably lower than most tracks for whatever reason. Even though we’ve had success, it just always seems like it’s a little different, especially with the spray being laid down and with how it rubbers up. I’ve been doing a lot of hard work to learn that track and, really, Kyle Larson was probably the turning point around there when we were in Xfinity in 2022. I spent all week talking to him leading up to the fall race there and just picking his brain on how to run the top lane and just figure out how to get around there. I also listened to Kyle Busch when we were in the trucks. He’s very good around that place, so I feel like I probably should have more confidence on that track. I love going there always, especially now that it’s concrete. I was probably a participant when it was the dirt race, so I have a little bit more confidence going for the concrete race.”

DO YOU FEEL THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HISTORY AT BRISTOL WHEN YOU’RE BEHIND THE WHEEL? “Yeah, always. It’s just a special place no matter if it was my first time there in the K&N Series or walking in the last time I was there for the dirt race . It just has a different atmosphere. It has a different feel. It is a special place. There’s no place really like it. When people ask me where they should go if they’ve never watched a race, I always tell the Talladega if they like to have a lot of fun or Bristol if they really like a cool atmosphere and a cool race, a cool racetrack that’s really unique. I always love going there and enjoying it.”

DO YOU FEEL QUALIFYING COULD BE AN ISSUE GOING FORWARD OR WAS IT A ONE TIME THING AT LAS VEGAS WHEN YOU SAID YOU UNDER DROVE THE CAR? “No, I think the preparation has been good, but also at the same time I don’t really know how the cars are gonna drive and we don’t have a notebook built up yet. I’m sure when we go back to Vegas I’m gonna know, but these handful of race to start the year it’s still gonna be a lot of learning and learning how these cars drive and handle and how our practice balance ends and how big of a swing we need to make and how far we just think a qualifying adjustment needs to be. WIth that being said, it is gonna take a little bit to knock the rust off at a lot of these tracks qualifying, but I felt really confident going into practice, but after Preece went to a backup car I knew I just had to manage a lap and didn’t carry as much throttle as I needed to, which ultimately hurt us and put us in a back qualifying spot. If I could have redone it five minutes later, I would have definitely run a much faster lap, I think, but that was the position you’re in. You only get one time. It’s gonna take a few weeks to keep learning and figure out how much balance we need to make and how much throttle I need to carry.”

WHEN A TEAMMATE IS GOING TO A BACKUP DOES THAT IMPACT THE REST OF THE TEAM WHEN THEY GO TO QUALIFY? “Yeah, I think just trying to be smart for the company overall. I’ve already gone to one backup car in the Duel, which sucks. I think I’ve only been in three backup cars in my career, I think two at the Roval – maybe four – two at the Roval and one at Portland and one at Daytona, so I don’t like doing that at all just because it’s not the car you’ve been massaging all week going down to that racetrack. The backup car, it’s pretty close but it’s not as massaged I guess you could say, and then at the same time it’s just a lot of money and resources that you don’t want to crash. You don’t want to wreck at all. It definitely is in the back of my mind. ‘Hey, let’s just get through here unscathed and we’ll go race tomorrow.’”

HOW MUCH WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU HAD AND TAKING YOUR TIME AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE TRYING TO GET TOO MUCH OR OVERDRIVE THE CAR? “The amount of pace we had in practice allowed me to be patient. The amount of pace we had in the race allowed me to patient because I knew, ‘Hey, if I’m in a position to make a pass and if I don’t get that pass complete, I know there’s gonna be another opportunity, where last year we might not have had that pace and I felt like I had to attack that one time – like I only had one opportunity and most of the time I’d mess it up and I was driving over my head. When you have a fast car, it allows you to be more patient. I feel the most comfortable I’ve felt and the most patient I’ve felt this year just because they do have speed and I know there’s plenty of opportunities to make those passes. ‘Hey, if I don’t get them this corner, let me re-try and mount a run and I’ll have an opportunity the next lap. That definitely gives me a lot of confidence as a driver and I feel like I have that this year.”

DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OVERALL WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR? “Yeah, I think if you would have asked me that before this season started, I would have said no I don’t feel comfortable in a Next Gen car at all, but all this year and this past weekend especially, because that was our true first real race other than a superspeedway, I feel really comfortable. It’s the most comfortable I’ve ever felt by a long shot inside the race car, and I told our crew that after the race. It’s like, ‘Man, I feel like I can feel every corner of this race car.’ I could feel how the tires were loading, where I couldn’t feel it last year. It was evil to drive. That allows me to be a lot calmer and a lot more patient and allows me to give better feedback, too, because you’re only worrying about one or two things. We were pretty close the way we unloaded this past weekend. ‘Hey, I’m a little loose here. I’m a little tight here,’ and there’s two or three things that you’re trying to fix in practice, where last year I would get out of the car and I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t even know where to start because there’s like 10 different things going on,’ and it was hard to pick the priority to fix because there were nine or 10 different issues throughout a lap where you’re like, ‘Man, it’s hitting the left-rear too hard, but then I’m getting loose. I’m tight here.’ This year, you only have like two or three things – at least we saw at Vegas – that it allows you to really pick the priority and focus on, ‘Hey, we’re either too loose on entry or we’re a little tight on exit.’ What do we want to fix, instead of 10 different issues, which was really challenging last year because I didn’t know what to prioritize. I don’t want to say it’s easier, but it’s simpler if anything so far this year.”

WHAT DO FANS NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON AND WHAT A DRIVER EXPERIENCES IN A CRASH, AND WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR AT TIMES? “I just think how hard these hits are and how different each hit is. I’ve had some really big hits in Xfinity cars, but I would take those over probably even just pancaking this car, like if you get up out of th3 groove and you right side the thing into the wall off the corner, which wouldn’t normally be a hard hit, it’s a really hard hit in the Cup car – the Next Gen car. The stack ups on restarts, you don’t even feel it in Xfinity, but in the Cup car you’re like, ‘That hurts.’ I think the car is a lot more rigid, and I will say that NASCAR has made some big improvements to the car from where it was when it first started, but, at the same time, I feel like they’re not, I want to say this respectfully, we still probably could make more improvements because it is tough as a driver. When you see those big crashes like in the old car and the Xfinity cars, you think of Michael McDowell’s big flip, a lot of things come off that car and that all is taking energy away from the driver. When it’s stiff, the hits feel so much harder in the Cup car because it’s going directly to your body, where when things fly off the car and the car crumbles, that’s absorbing a lot of that energy and the driver is not feeling it, it dissipates that, so the stiffer and the less bent up the car looks after a wreck, the more the driver is gonna feel it. It might not look hard from the grandstands, but I’m telling you they’re really hard. I know last year when I had that brake rotor explode into turn one at Gateway, I was like, ‘Man, that’s a hard hit.’ I felt alright. I was a little foggy after the race, but I felt alright, and then as the days progressed I felt worse and worse and worse. I got to Wednesday feeling worse than I did on Tuesday, and Tuesday feeling worse than I did on Monday, and then I was like, ‘Man, something might be wrong.’ And that ultimately led me to the decision to sit out a week because I had never felt that before. Normally, I got better. I appreciate NASCAR’s effort to make it safer, which they have over the past two years from when this car was introduced, but they still hurt way worse than any wreck I ever had before the Next Gen car.”

SO WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE ACCIDENT AFTER ACCIDENT? IT SEEMED LIKE LAST YEAR YOU WERE THE UNFORTUNATE MAGNET A NUMBER OF TIMES. “You’re physically in pain, which makes you the week after week you’re just digging yourself in a hole and you’re trying to do everything right and you land Sunday night after and you’re like, ‘OK, let’s regroup. Let’s go back to the racetrack and rebuild our confidence.’ And if you wreck again it’s like it just wears on you week in and week out, and then mentally you start just getting down about yourself. I wasn’t me last year at all for a number of different circumstances, but at the same time wrecking is never fun and it really hurts in these cars, so I think we put a lot of work into our safety over this offseason. I feel good inside the race car. I even wrecked at Daytona this year in the Duel and I felt good. I wrecked at Atlanta on lap one and I felt fine after that wreck. The only one that’s been where I’m like, ‘That kind of hurt,’ was the stack up on the restarts at the Clash. They kind of hurt my head a little bit, but it’s better than it was. I don’t think anybody will truly understand what it feels like to hit in one of these cars unless you do it.”

WHAT GOES INTO GETTING BETTER THROUGH AN ENTIRE RACE? “I think it’s clear communication with your team and it’s ultimately minimizing the mistakes. Everyone is so close that if you can minimize the mistakes, we probably passed a lot of cars just on speed and being able to outwrap them on the racetrack, but also just not making mistakes on pit road, just having a clean, solid day and I think that’s what we had this past weekend, and, really, Greg Zipadelli came up to me before the race and he said it best. He said, ‘We just need to minimize the mistakes as much as possible.’ And that’s all this has turned into these days and it made me think, ‘Man, you’re right.’ You see guys sliding through their pit boxes or speeding on pit road, just worrying about those fine little details and those small victories of not overdoing it. There’s definitely a line where you’d be under doing it if your pace on pit road, too slow in the box, too slow leaving the box where it could cost you, but also being too aggressive it’s a really fine line on what’s enough and what’s too much, but, at the same time, it’s just about having smooth, solid days and putting yourself in position to capitalize on it and just being around there. I was listening to some podcast and they were saying that if you put yourself and you can run in the top five, eventually you’re gonna have an opportunity to be up front. I think they were talking to Rajah about that on some podcast and they were right. If you minimize the mistakes and you put yourself in position, eventually you’re gonna have opportunities and I think that’s what we had this past weekend.”