NASCAR CUP SERIES
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TOYOTA OWNERS 400
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING REPORT
MARCH 31, 2024

 Larson Leads Chevrolet to Top Four Sweep in Qualifying at Richmond Raceway

• Kyle Larson claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series pole win of the season at Richmond Raceway – posting a best-lap of 22.438 seconds, at 120.332 mph, in his No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1.
• Chevrolet drivers posted the four fastest times in the final round of qualifying to sweep the first two rows of the starting lineup for tomorrow’s Toyota Owners 400, with Larson leading Chase Elliott in second, Ross Chastain in third and Alex Bowman in fourth.
• This marks Larson’s 17th pole in 338 career starts in NASCAR’s top division, two of which have come at the .75-mile Virginia short-track.
• Larson extend Chevrolet’s series-leading pole win record at Richmond Raceway, with the feat marking the Bowtie brand’s 48th all-time NASCAR Cup Series pole at the “Action Track”.
• The feat marks Chevrolet’s second NASCAR Cup Series pole win of the 2024 season, and the manufacturer’s 745th all-time pole win in NASCAR’s top division.
• FOX will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP:
POS. DRIVER
1st Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCar.com Camaro ZL1
2nd Chase Elliott, No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL1
3rd Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Camaro ZL1
4th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1 – Pole Win Media Availability Quotes

When you were in here earlier, you said you don’t come in here with the highest of expectations. How about now?

“Well it helps the confidence, for sure. So yeah, I mean practice went well and qualifying went good. I’m not expecting to win, but I think we have a No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy capable of contending. We have a pit stall to go along with it now, which helps. Just need to execute a good race and see where the results end up.”

Brad Keselowski said he felt like he could tell more of a difference here with the package than at Phoenix Raceway – maybe following a trailing car, it was a little bit easier to get up and try and make a pass. I know it was a limited sample size, but were you able to tell a difference and did you think it was any better?

“Honestly, I’ve kind of forgotten that we had a different package. I’d have to think about it a little bit more. I don’t know.. nothing really stood out to me. I passed (Joey) Logano.. I think that was about it. I just kind of moved up and got out of his wake, so I never really followed anybody, necessarily, in the same tracks. So I don’t know.. I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll learn more when we get to racing.”

How about the tire falloff – are you feeling that? Does it matter if you feel it because now you’re going to be racing at night?

“No, I mean you always feel it here. I was surprised to start practice – which I was in Group A, but the grip was really high for 10 to 12 laps. And then it kind of got to a normal state, where yeah – you could spin your tires really easy. Your entry got really loose. So it turned into normal Richmond. But yeah, I think the pace – I don’t know what the pace will do. It’s been awhile since we’ve raced here at night. I would assume it would be a little bit quicker on the short run, but then fall off to a similar spot. We’ll see.”

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TOYOTA OWNERS 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 30, 2024

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Richmond Raceway.

Media Availability Quotes:

In the Hendrick Motorsports Museum, there’s a big sign that says ‘Race to 300’, and now it says ‘304’ above it. I’m curious.. what would be the next big thing for Hendrick Motorsports or do you have any sense of what the next big sentimental moment would be?

“I think the race at Martinsville Speedway for the 40th season is a pretty big deal. That’s been a big deal over the offseason, with all the paint schemes and everything. I think trying to win a championship in the 40th year is probably a huge deal. So yeah, I think just some of the milestones this year, in general. I don’t now about race win numbers, but obviously getting to 400. Hopefully I’m here for that and can contribute more. But I think those are the big ones.”

What did you learn about yourself at Martinsville Speedway last year? For some of us, seeing what you did – be almost delirious and pull out the finish the way you did. When the season was ended and it got quite, what did you take from that because it was a victory for you, personally, to come through that?

“Yeah, I mean just the wear and tear of the playoffs and the season. Just tried to reflect on that race and what we could do better to not be in that position again; not to be kind of limping across the finish line as a collective group, whether it be the car, myself, the heat and all those things. We’ve done a lot of work to be better in those areas. With the heat – we’re actually trying a new helmet fan this week, so I feel like we’re on the right track with all that stuff. And then we’ve done a lot of work on the car to be better on short-tracks, so hopefully all of those things apply this weekend. That’s the goal – try to show up here with speed; have some pace on our side, have some handling to maneuver and just have a good, solid race. That’s the goal and Martinsville is obviously the big test.”

I’m more looking at the challenge, you know from you to come from on the other side of that. Some guys would have just thrown up their hands. The drive it took you to get through that moment just spoke so much about your character.

“Yeah, I’ve always been really resilient. I think it’s easy to look at me and say that I’m a pretty quiet guy and pretty reserved. But I played football since I was in fifth grade and every time I put the helmet on, I had resilience and wanted to hit people.. I played defense. I feel like my coaches knew that about me, and Rudy (Fugle) knows that about me. Once I put the helmet on, it’s pretty tough to get to me and affect me. So I feel like I’m resilient and that is throughout the whole race team. I feel like our whole race team is just gritty and hard-nosed.”

Last weekend, Rudy Fugle was very blunt about the struggles you guys have had at Richmond and Martinsville. Can you give me a better sense of why that may be.. whether it’s the setup of the car, or any other potential issues?

“Yeah, I mean it’s just one of those places we go to that we just don’t have an idea of how it’s going to go. So anytime you go to a track and you don’t really have a notebook that you feel confident on – we’ve had some good races here, but we’ve never shown up here knowing that we can run an easy top-10 or compete for a win. And not that we go anywhere thinking it’s going to be a cake walk, but you go to certain tracks and know that you have a great notebook, like going to COTA or going to Watkins Glen. I feel like this is one of those places where we’re still trying to build that solid notebook, but I feel really good going into this race because we had a great test a couple of weeks ago. We’ve done some different things with our preparation, so I feel good. But until we get on track, we really don’t know and it’s probably one of the few places that is like that for us.”

Following up on that notebook, does it throw a wrench into the works with the new short-track package and not knowing for sure how that will race?

“I don’t really know… like no, we don’t really focus on the package that much, in terms of how it changes our preparation. I think we maybe overestimated the difference there at first, so honestly we’re just trying to do the same things and just adapt to whatever the handling issues are. A lot of people have asked me – is it easier to pass.. is it harder. I don’t really care; I just want my race car to go fast. So that’s all I care about. I just want us to be faster than everybody else. The fast guys can usually pass people.”

As the most recent road course winner, this is especially good for you. The fact that Long Beach has even been rumored to maybe being a venue.. do you like the idea of adding street races or road races to the schedule, or do you like the balance that we have now between oval and road courses?

“Yeah, I like the balance of what it is right now. I think we can’t really oversaturate it. I like that we have four or five road courses. When we started to go to five or six, I knew that I had to become a better road course racer. I always had speed on road courses, but then it became a big priority.

I don’t know.. I like the traditional tracks that we go to, and I think our schedule is fine the way that it is. I think this year is probably the most traditional it’s been with having so many short-tracks in a row and we’re kind of back to the roots there.

I don’t know.. I’m going to go race wherever they tell me to go. But I think it’s a good balance right now.”

With you being such a popular driver within the simulation world, how do you feel about that.. how innovative it is and how we have so many new drivers going from sim straight up to the ranks? With you driving the No. 24 car, which is legendary within itself, how do you feel about the 40th anniversary and just continuing that legacy?

“Yeah, as far as the sim racing part – I think that’s just continuing to grow and evolve.

The 40th anniversary – I’m really excited for it. I’m excited for our Martinsville scheme that we have. I think it looks amazing. I saw it in the shop this week and feel really excited for that race, in general. We’ll have a lot of Hendrick Motorsports employees and family members out there, so I know it’ll be a huge deal.”

We’ve talked a lot this week about tire conservation. Being one of the younger guys but also coming up racing some late models on some really worn out race tracks – how do you feel your skill set is positioned, in terms of tire wear and conserving tires over the course of long green-flag runs like we usually see here?

“Well you can only manage your tires when your car is balanced and fast, so I think the whole debate a couple weeks ago about who’s saving tires the most – it’s the guys who have pace and reserve to use. But yeah, I mean when I got to late model races – we’ve had success at a lot of late model races and it just typically comes down to how good my car is driving; how can I manage my tires to be good at the end and if my car is driving good.

Yeah, it’s fun. When you have a fast, good-handling car, you can kind of ride third or fourth and push it at the end and really pour it on. I don’t know.. I kind of like going all-out, all the time, but I do like fall-off. I think that we need to have some advantage to the first four or five laps – putting damage on your tires and putting a half-second of lap time together against the field. Like there needs to be a difference in if you go super hard at the beginning and paying for it. But like I said, you have to have pace and reserve, and you have to have a good-handling car. That’s just racing. And the guys that have that are going to have an advantage on tires at the end of a run.”

You mentioned your notebook for this particular track. Does it change at all, given the fact that Sunday’s race is going to be at night, as opposed to recent years when it’s been in the daytime?

“Yeah, I mean we really don’t know what it’s going to be like. We have a notebook from 2018 and 2019, to just look back on what the track did. But it’s really hard to know with this car. It has very different traits. I feel like it’s going to be a learning curve throughout the race. The race is going to start at 7:00 p.m., so you’re going to be in some daylight for the beginning stage and then it’ll kind of transition. So it’s just going to be about trying to keep up with the track. But I’m excited it’s a night race. I think short-tracks belong under the lights. It’s exciting to see the rotors glow. If there’s contact and things, it’s a little more exciting, I think.”

Winning at Daytona and COTA, just talk about the momentum heading into tomorrow night’s race.

“Yeah, I mean we’ve got momentum, for sure. But just trying to stack the weeks together is the big thing. We don’t want to have one good week, one bad week and one good. So we just want to kind of be boring; be mellow and have really solid runs when we don’t win. If we’re in a position to win, we want to obviously capitalize. But I think the big thing is try to stack some thirds, fourths, fifths; some laps led. A 10th-place finish isn’t a bad thing, so just have those solid days, and when you look at the results sheet, it looks like nothing happened.”

When did the history of Hendrick Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway really become engrained into you?

“Yeah, I mean just growing up as a fan of the sport, I think it was easy to tell that Martinsville Speedway was their place. It was a track that they dominated. And really then learning about the history of Geoff Bodine winning there, and then learning about the tragedy; just tying it all together and understanding the real history there. It’s deep, right? It’s been a really important place for decades. Every time we go there, I think there’s an emphasis to run well, but especially this year.”

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.

Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

RICHMOND, Va. (March 30, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are your thoughts on the potential add of Long Beach to the NASCAR schedule? Are you happy with the current balance on the NASCAR schedule?

“I personally like the balance now. I don’t know what the infrastructure costs of us building a Chicago, surely it was a lot. It almost seems like you could build a short track about anywhere as well – just temporary asphalt and walls, things like we have at the Clash. I would like for us to stick to what we are versus going to too many road courses.”

What are the differences between day racing and night racing at Richmond Raceway?

“There hasn’t been from what understand. For as long as I’ve been doing it, it is still Richmond. It still wears out tires quite a bit. Maybe the tire wear is slightly less, but if anything, this new tire has more wear than our previous Richmond tires have had. I do still think it is going to be a best handling car and driver type of thing that will matter.”

Are you intentionally fostering the relationship with Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace with their social media posts together?

“It’s not intentional, no. I would say we let those guys be themselves and the sponsors are comfortable with them. That is why they’ve signed up with them. No, nothing intentional. It’s just kind of who they are.”

Did putting the entire organization on the Netflix show help the continued growth?

“We had those discussions early and when Netflix asked, how much access would be given to 23XI, I considered it very much the same of what I gave them – to bring all of the personnel around and say hey, this is what I expect you to do, as far as giving access, and they did that. It was a good for the narrative of the show.”

How important is it to win the pole at Martinsville?

“It’s big at Martinsville for sure. It’s not as big as Phoenix, but it is close – in that vicinity. I don’t know how many pole winners have finished in first, I don’t know the numbers exactly, but it is certainly an advantage, especially if you have a good pit crew that is very solid and is not going to make mistakes, you are probably going to gain a spot or two each time you go in the pit area. It is certainly an advantage.”

What does it mean to compete at your home track this weekend?

“I’m excited for this race. All week I’ve been excited to get here and kind of see where we stack up. Certainly, with the history we have here over the last three or four races here at Richmond, being in contention. I feel pretty strongly about it. I would say that this is one that historically that I’ve always been good at, JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) has always been really good at, and then with the momentum it seems like our cars have, and our manufacturer – hopefully, we can tack on that little extra speed that we’ve shown here lately.”

Have you put any thoughts or pitfalls of sports betting in NASCAR?

“There are certainly positives for the sport on it. If you look at most sports fans that watch any given game – it is usually because they have some sort of action on it. You only have only one home team, or favorite team that you root for. There is dozens other of games going on – and this is talking about other leagues – so when you are sitting at home and you are seeing what other game is on, it is most likely not your favorite team, so how are you going to have an invested interest in those other teams that you are watching? It is through sports betting. I think it contributed to the rise of other sports and could do the same thing for NASCAR as well.”

What would you like to see in the potential second season of the Netflix show cover?

“I think just really getting into the technical side of it – what you saw was the drivers and their personalities and whatnot, but you didn’t see is what makes those cars go around in circles and what makes this driver better than the other and what makes this car better than the other. I think those are important stories to tell, because at a basic level, I think they hit all of the marks really well, but it is getting maybe more technical into why this team or why this driver might be better than others. I would like to see that.”

Have you given NASCAR any suggestions on the next year’s schedule?

“They don’t ask us any of that stuff. They just come out with the schedule.”

Is there a place you would like to go?

“Not off hand. I haven’t really thought of it first hand, but certainly, more ovals.”

Does Martinsville victories mean anymore to you knowing the emphasis Hendrick Motorsports puts into it?

“It doesn’t. It obviously means a lot to them for important reasons, but if you are able to beat them – which doesn’t happen often at that track – you’ve got everything going. You’ve got to have the pit crew because you have to qualify well. All of those things really matter. The short track at Martinsville is just a beast on its own. I can’t corollate it to any other short track. We don’t heavily brake at any other short track that I can think of. Tight corners. It is just very different than the flowy Richmond type short track. They’ve just been good there forever, even before I was in the Cup Series. Jeff Gordon – those guys were dominating it, then Jimmie Johnson, he took over and started dominating it. It’s just a track they’ve got figured out. Maybe it was a track they tested at, way back in the day, because you used to be able to test just anytime you wanted to, and maybe it was a track they spent a lot of emphasis on, but certainly – emotions are probably always high going into a Martinsville weekend and that just adds a little of pressure to the drivers to know that they’ve got to step up.”

You are racing in your hometown this weekend. What does that mean to you?

“I love it. This is a track always where we are starting to get into the swing of the tracks where we are going to be contenders every week. This kind of kicks off that part of the schedule. I think we all kind of know where we are at now. We are six races in. We know what our strengths are. We know what our weaknesses are, and now we just have to capitalize when we go to tracks like this that we are always contenders. It is going to be an execution game. It is not going to be a speed game. We will have that. It is making sure we execute. With the pit crew I have this year, they’ve been on it. I feel like our speed has been as good as it’s ever been. We are running inside the top-five more than we ever have, even though we have not finished there quite yet. I feel pretty good about it. I’m anxiously waiting for the next hour.”

How does having a win already change your approach?

“It doesn’t really change my approach. I think if I were kind of a notorious bubble guy, that is always on the bubble, then it would certainly give me some relief, but with team like this should never be on the bubble any year. I don’t treat it any different other than we certain bonus point goals throughout the season. For us, we would like to at 14 points in the next three races. We’ve got six right now, so we’ve got to get on it.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TOYOTA OWNERS 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 30, 2024

 KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Richmond Raceway.

Media Availability Quotes:

The fact that Long Beach has even been rumored to maybe being a venue.. do you like the idea of adding street races or road races to the schedule, or do you like the balance that we have now between oval and road courses?

“I don’t know.. I hadn’t really put too much thought into it. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t really mind it. I think Long Beach would be cool because it’s a nice area. Yeah, I would be OK with it.”

In the Hendrick Motorsports Museum, there’s a big sign that says ‘Race to 300’, and now it says ‘304’ above it. I’m curious.. what would be the next big thing for Hendrick Motorsports or do you have any sense of what the next big sentimental moment would be?

“I don’t know.. probably a championship in the 40th season. I think that would put Hendrick Motorsports at 15 championships, as well, so maybe that would be the one closest to chasing. I didn’t even know 80,000 laps (led) was a thing until leading into Phoenix. I’m sure there are other milestones that I haven’t really heard about yet. I think all of us would love to win a championship in the 40th season.”

As the defending winner of Martinsville Speedway next weekend, when did you guys really feel like you got your skill level to a point where Martinsville was just comfortable and it became repetitive?

“It’s still not (laughs). Honestly, it’s still not comfortable for me. I still don’t really feel I can run like consistent, comfortable laps with a rhythm. Yeah, I won last year, but it’s still not a good track for me. I don’t go there and dominate like I have at a lot of other race tracks. But we happened to win there last year, so that was really neat and something I’ll never forget. It was something that I never thought I would do. I still have a lot of room for improvement there to be a consistent contender.”

With the way all the Hendrick Motorsports cars seem to be running so well right now, does that kind of elevate your game because you know, in addition to Joe Gibbs Racing, most of your competition is going to come from within?

“I don’t know.. I think honestly just try and focus on yourself, and focus on trying to put together the best race possible for you and your team. Yeah, we’re quick every weekend, which is great. But yeah, I think because of that, you’re not really losing too much focus.”

We’ve seen over the years, especially on the dirt side, you just get bombarded by fans, and it seems like you’ve really embraced that. What has gone into your willingness to give a lot of yourself to fans anywhere you go?

“I don’t know.. I think I understand that I’m a draw. I remember being a kid – going into the pit area and wanting autographs from drivers and stuff. They always took the time for me, so I try my best to take my time for every fan that stops by my hauler after the races. Sometimes I’m there for 20 minutes.. sometimes I’m there for two hours signing.

I don’t know.. I just enjoy it. I enjoy feeling like I’m making an impact on the event; the promotion and just the sport, in general. It’s cool. It gets overwhelming during the night sometimes, but I try my best, for sure.”

Now that the sports betting flood gates have opened in a lot of places now. It has the potential for growth for a lot of sports and getting people interested. Have you ever put any thought towards the pros and cons of what that could mean for NASCAR and racing, in general?

“No.. no, I haven’t. I haven’t yet. I don’t gamble on sports, so I think maybe if I gambled on sports, I would have an opinion on it.

Yeah, I don’t do any gambling, but I do think, or I would assume, it would be good for the sport overall, just because you would attract probably a bigger audience.. a new audience that maybe hadn’t paid any attention to NASCAR racing. And a younger, I would think, audience, as well.”

A lot of drivers seem to list Martinsville Speedway as one of their tougher tracks, although it’s the shortest, slowest, etc. Where would you put it on your list of tough places that you have to race at?

“Yeah, I would say it’s up there. It used to be probably the toughest track for me, and still probably is in the top two or three toughest places. Honestly, here at Richmond (Raceway) and Martinsville (Speedway) are probably both up there, which is surprising that I’ve won a couple Cup races here and a Cup race at Martinsville, just because they are so difficult on me. They just don’t really suit my driving style. They don’t suit kind of the style that I learned growing up in sprint cars and stuff. I think everybody assumes with a short-track.. like sprint cars race on short-tracks, so it must translate 100 percent. But the driving style at a sprint car track is more like an intermediate – fast speeds, not a lot of brake. Where at Martinsville and Richmond, you’re like slowing down and trying to hit this mark all the time, which is difficult for me. So yeah, it’s tough.”

Does it surprise you that Bubba Pollard came in here and led practice for his first time out in these cars?

“No, I guess not really. I knew he’d be good and all that. I hadn’t really paid attention (to practice), I had just read a tweet on my way in here that he was quickest, and then I see that he’s like last in qualifying. So I don’t even know.. I’m assuming that car has enough points to make the race, or I hope it does anyways.

I’m just interested to see how his race goes and all that. He’s one of the best short-track racers that I’ve ever heard about. I don’t think I’ve ever raced with him, but the little bit of attention that I’ve paid to pavement late model racing, he seems to be the best. I’m excited to see how he does. Hopefully he can drive from the back to the front and get more opportunities.”

Obviously this time last year, you won the Toyota Owners 400. What is your approach coming into this race this weekend?

“I don’t know. As I’ve mentioned, it’s a tough place for me, so I don’t ever really come here with the highest of expectations.. more so just because of me. Talking to my team and stuff – we won the spring race, but we were really bad in the fall race. So I think we’ve come here with a much different approach for car setup. I’m just excited to get on track in practice and feel if it translates and if we’re really quick or not. And then kind of evaluate from there and set goals for the race. As of right now, I just don’t know what to expect. But I’m excited for the challenge and ready to get going.”

What approach did your team have going into this year versus last year, even though the tracks may have changed?

“I’m not sure. As far as our team, it hasn’t really changed too much since I got there four years ago. We’ve had a couple of guys come and go, but overall, our team has been pretty much the same since I started there. The pit crew, there’s only one guy different. And then on our team, I think there’s two or three guys now that have changed.

Cliff Daniels, my crew chief, and the leader of the team – he does a great job of assembling people and leading our team. I feel like our communication is great within the team, especially during the race. Every team is trying to improve every week. Look at how you did, whether it be good or bad from the race before, and try to improve on it. That’s our goal every week, and sometimes that looks different week-to-week on what needs to be improved. But I feel like our team knows the areas to work on.”

Was there anything in the celebration after the win at Martinsville, or in the days following, that made you realize just how important Martinsville is to Hendrick Motorsports?

“I would say not any more than what I already knew. I understood the significance of Martinsville (Speedway) long before I ever got to Hendrick Motorsports. You could see it when any of their teams won, what that place meant to them. So when I got to come to Hendrick Motorsports, I knew about Martinsville and all that, and I hoped that I would win there some day to add to the legacy there.

I think Cliff (Daniels) and myself, both, probably never expected me to win there, so that made it really good. The first win there is talked about a lot, but the tragedy, I feel like, is not mentioned often.. at least personally to me. But it’s always on everybody’s minds anytime we get ready to go to Martinsville. Yeah, I’m sure all of that makes us want to win there, or have a good run there, even more than other tracks probably.”

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.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway… In 188 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored nine wins, led by Dale Earnhardt’s five victories (1985 – spring, both races in 1987, 1990 – fall, and 1991 – spring). Kevin Harvick won three times (2006 – fall, 2011 – fall, and 2013 – spring), while Clint Bowyer scored his first short track victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond (2008 – spring). The team owns 39 top-five and 76 top-10 finishes in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Richmond.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Richmond Raceway… RCR has seven victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway led by Kevin Harvick’s five victories. RCR has racked up 32 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes at Richmond entering Saturday afternoon’s race.

Catch Saturday’s Action… The Richmond 250 at Richmond Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, March 30 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action in Richmond… The Richmond 400 will be televised live on Sunday, March 31 beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Richmond Raceway… In 19 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond Raceway, Dillon’s best finish is fourth (Fall 2020). His six top-10 finishes at the track include a pair of consecutive sixth-place finishes (April 2019 and September 2018). In his most recent appearance at the track in July 2023, Dillon finished ninth after starting 17th. He has 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond Raceway, acquiring two top-five finishes, seven top-10 finishes, and one pole award.

Fun Fact… Dillon’s career-first NASCAR Xfinity Series start came at Richmond Raceway in 2008 driving the No. 21 Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Chevrolet for RCR with crew chief Shane Wilson calling the shots. Dillon, who finished 26th in the race, went on to earn an Xfinity Series championship for RCR in 2012.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Team Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE®, an AstraZeneca product, at Richmond Raceway. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about Austin Dillon and his family’s personal connection to the brand at Breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

What are your expectations for Richmond Raceway this weekend?

“I am looking forward to racing at Richmond Raceway with my No. 3 team under the lights. Richmond Raceway is one of the top short tracks in the country. It is a fast, fun track, and it can also be challenging for drivers to keep up with track conditions throughout the night as the rubber lays down and temperatures drop. It’s a track that we’ve been consistently good at over the years. Last summer we finished ninth. It is very difficult to keep the car balanced the entire time. In the beginning, I disliked Richmond Raceway for a long time, but as time passed, I have grown to enjoy racing there and have come to appreciate it.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Richmond Raceway… Kyle Busch enters this weekend’s race with six NASCAR Cup Series victories at Richmond Raceway in 36 previous starts – the most by any active driver – and is tied for third on the all-time win list at the track. The driver of the Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet leads all active drivers at Richmond in several statistical categories: top-five finishes (19), top-10s (28), most lead lap finishes (35) and average finish (7.08). Busch has 11 top-10 finishes in the last 12 races at the Virginia short track. The Las Vegas, Nev., native has also enjoyed much success at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, claiming six wins in 23 starts.

The Points Chase… Busch enters Richmond fresh off a ninth-place finish one week ago at Circuit of the Americas. He used his second top-10 finish of the season to jump up three positions in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, moving into 13th-place, just 21 points outside the top-10.

All But One… Busch has been running at the finish in all 36 previous Cup Series races at Richmond. In fact, he has completed all but one lap in those events, completing 14,428 of a possible 14,429 laps. Those completed laps equal 10,821 miles.

Welcome Rebel Bourbon… Bardstown, Kentucky-based Rebel Bourbon will make their debut as a primary sponsor in NASCAR this weekend at Richmond Raceway with Richard Childress Racing on the No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Busch. Rebel is the official bourbon of Richard Childress Racing and the award-winning bourbon will be Busch’s primary sponsor on multiple races during the 2024 and 2025 NASCAR Cup Series seasons.

About Rebel® Bourbon… Distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky, by Lux Row Distillers Master Distiller John Rempe, Rebel Bourbon features a wheated mash bill that is true to its original recipe dating back to 1849. Known for its smoother, sweeter flavor, highlighted by delicious caramel and vanilla flavor notes, Rebel celebrates the “Rebel spirit in all of us” – especially those who embrace freedom, defiance and a little attitude. In 2023, Rebel Bourbon 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Double Platinum ASCOT award. The brand’s Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded gold medals at the 2023 SIP and ASCOT awards.

About Luxco®… Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco® is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP® Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers®, home of Ezra Brooks®, Rebel®, Blood Oath®, David Nicholson® and Daviess County®; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery®, maker of Yellowstone® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case® Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch® Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor®, Exotico® and Dos Primos®; and Ross & Squibb® Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where Remus® Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union® Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Penelope® Bourbon, Everclear® Grain Alcohol, Pearl® Vodka, Saint Brendan’s® Irish Cream, The Quiet Man™ Irish Whiskey, Green Hat® Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

You have completed all but one lap in 36 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond Raceway (14,428 of a possible 14,429 laps). How do you view that accomplishment?

“Well, it makes me mad that I missed out on that one lap. I see that accomplishment as a pretty cool stat that probably not a lot of drivers have at different racetracks. It makes sense considering that Richmond is probably one of my better statistical tracks on the circuit.”

Last July you qualified third and finished second at Richmond Raceway, one of your better performances on a short track. Did you find something setup-wise in that race that will help you run well this coming weekend?

“We qualified second and finished third and felt like we had some good ideas going into that race and they seemed to pay off and work well for us. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for some of the other short tracks we went to last year. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Richmond Raceway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Richmond Raceway this Saturday. The 19-year-old has never seen the .750-mile D-shaped oval in person and Saturday’s practice session will mark his first lap on the surface.

Strong Start for the Rookie… Love has come out of the newcomer gate strong, notching two top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway and Circuit of The Americas and showcasing a dominate performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway before running out of fuel on the final restart. Love has completed 99.9% of the laps competed (743 of 744) and led the field for a total of 191 laps.

ROTY Leader… With five races complete, Love continues to extend his lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings. The Menlo Park, California native currently holds a 58-point lead over second-place Shane van Gisbergen.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What are your thoughts heading into your first race at Richmond Raceway?

“Simulator has been good, and I have it relatively figured out for never racing there yet. It seems like a weird short track that requires discipline, which is one of my strong suits. When I’m locked in, I can be very disciplined, and it’s one of the hardest things that I’ve worked on this year – to stay in control and be disciplined behind the wheel. I have a good mindset of that going into the weekend. We made big gains on the handling in the simulator and having Stockman (crew chief) here has helped. He’s really good at making the front-end work, which is something that is needed for Richmond, so hopefully that will translate on the track for both me and Austin (Hill).”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Richmond Raceway… Austin Hill has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond Raceway, earning a best finish of ninth place in 2023. In addition, Hill has competed in two NASCAR Truck Series events, notching one pole (2020) and two top-10 results (2020 – 2021), and three ARCA Menards Series East races, posting one win (2015) and three top-10 finishes (2013 – 2015) at the Virginia short track.

Top-Five Streak Rolls On… Hill is the only Xfinity Series driver who has finished inside the top-five in each of the opening five races. The 29-year-old won at both Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, secured a pair of fourth-place results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway, and finished in the runner up position last week at Circuit of The Americas.

Points Leader Again… With a second-place result at Circuit of The Americas, Hill returned to the lead in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings. The Winston, Ga. native has a nine-point lead over second-place Chandler Smith.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

You had success at Richmond Raceway early in your career. What is your outlook heading back to a short track and what do you need out a car to run up front this weekend?

“I feel good about going to Richmond Raceway, because I won there in an ARCA Menards Series East car and I’ve had success there in the Truck Series even if the finishes don’t show for it. We always ran well, but something crazy would happen at the end of the race. You want to have a long run car there, not a short run car, because a lot of times Richmond goes green for a while – 75 lap stages and you can go green the entire time. Last year, our No. 21 team was able to improve from our rookie season together, but we still left with work to do in order to compete for the win. Hopefully with the things that we’ve learned in the simulator since then, we can take another step in the right direction.

To have a successful day, we need to have long run speed, manage entry as best as possible, have turn in the middle and then drive off. The drive off is crucial. You need drive off in order to not burn up the right front or right rear and go to the limit of the tire without slipping those right sides. That’s the key to having tire life at the end of a run.”