Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 22, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Peach State and the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Showing much improvement with the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse, both Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland proved they are a force to be reckoned with at high speed, drafting tracks.

McDowell and Gilliland look to make up lost points after their finish in Monday’s Daytona 500, using the same drafting techniques to secure stage points and hopefully the win. McDowell returns to the 1.5-mile track after a fourth-place finish last summer, his best finish at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gilliland will make his fifth career start at the track, building on momentum after leading a career-high 16 laps last week.

Track activity will begin with qualifying on Saturday, February 24th at 11:30 a.m. ET. The Ambetter Health 400 will take place Sunday, February 25 at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FOX. Fans can also listen in on the action live from Sirius XM and the Performance Racing Network.

No. 34 Benebone Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“I’ve always believed being up front is best in these races. We just need to have a great handling Benebone Ford Mustang Dark Horse, because you need to be able to make moves. With the racing grooves, you must be fast and handle well in both, and that’s what we’ve been working on for this weekend and hope we can run up front.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We are looking forward to rebounding at Atlanta, we had a great finish in the second race there last year and showed a lot of speed in Daytona before our issues. The team has built just as good of a car for this weekend, and we expect to be able to run up front again. Hopefully we can stay up front and avoid any issues that take us out of the race, the front is the safest place to be.”

No. 38 Georgia Peanuts Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“I’m excited for Atlanta, especially after leading laps at Daytona. I get to carry that momentum from the (Daytona) 500 to another high-speed, drafting track. I know Ryan (Bergenty) and the team will bring me a fast Georgia Peanuts Ford Mustang Dark Horse, I just have to go out there and execute.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“Drafting plays a big role in Atlanta just like it did at Daytona. Todd (Gilliland) showed that he can be trusted as a drafting partner at these high-speed, high-stress tracks and proved that he deserves to be up front. I liked what we had in Daytona, but unfortunately got caught up in the “Big One”. We’ll make up for it this weekend.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway… In 162 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and three pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Hampton, Ga., track under the RCR banner (1984-fall, 1986-fall, 1988-spring, 1989-fall, 1990-spring, 1995-fall, 1996-spring, 2000-spring). The Welcome, N.C., team has 30 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes at Atlanta and has led a total of 3,020 laps at the 1.54-mile oval.

RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway… RCR has recorded five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway, led by Austin Hill (2022 and 2023) and Jeff Burton (2006 and 2007). Kevin Harvick (2013) also has a victory at Atlanta with RCR. RCR as an organization has racked up 16 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes over a span of 60 starts at the Peachtree State track.

Catch the Action… The Atlanta 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, February 24 beginning at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, February 25 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance 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 Atlanta Motor Speedway… In 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is a sixth-place effort in March 2021. In four NASCAR Xfinity Series and four NASCAR Truck Series races at the Georgia oval, Dillon has earned seven top-10 results and never finished worse than 11th-place.

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 Atlanta Motor Speedway. 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 QUOTES:

With the hybrid that is Atlanta Motor Speedway now, what did you have to learn to be successful at that track given the change in the track and change in the car?

“I haven’t been as successful as I’ve wanted to be at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so I’ve got to go to work on that one. In the first race we competed in on the new Atlanta Motor Speedway configuration, we were pretty good. I got turned at the end of the stage, and if we didn’t, we would’ve finished second or third. That was probably one of the best cars I’ve had there. Past that, Atlanta has been difficult because I’ve had some massive hits there.”

What is your plan for tackling Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend?

“I think this time around, it’s coming up with a game plan. When you don’t have a game plan going into one of these races that you can’t truly commit to, you kind of get stuck in the middle and you don’t know what you’re doing, and it usually doesn’t turn out good. You’ve got to be committed to strategy and stick to that strategy. That’s a part of speedway racing. Am I going to go all out and try to lead every lap or am I going to ride around and make a charge? You can’t just be in the middle trying to figure it out. Sometimes that works, but I feel like you need to be decisive on which one of the two places you want to be. Atlanta has been really weird, and it’s still changing. I think the track with another winter on it, it could be slicker. But we’re going to be there when it’s probably cold and we’ll have grip. You’ll be in between trying to take as much downforce and drag out as you can. We just haven’t been great there yet, but we’ve just got to figure it out.”

You’ve talked about Atlanta Motor Speedway being a hybrid and taking a massive hit there, but is the crashing the same? Meaning, there’s usually not a single-car crash at Daytona. Is it the same way at Atlanta?

“If you’re involved in a wreck, it’s going to suck either way. Atlanta is similar to crashing at Daytona. The field did spread out on the long green flag run in the second race when pit stops started happening. But it seems to kind of yoyo back together.”

What did you learn from Kyle Busch last year during his first full year at RCR?

“I think just his competitive nature. He truly eats, sleeps, and breathes racing. When he’s not at a NASCAR track, he’s at a dirt track with his son, Brexton, and racing when Brexton isn’t racing. He is just a competitor, and he’s very good at explaining what he wants in the racecar. What we need to do to get better. He’s one of those people that at all costs, he’s trying to make things better.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch enters this weekend with two wins (2008 and 2013), nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He scored a fifth-place finish in his most recent NASCAR Cup Series start at the track in July 2023. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet won the pole at Atlanta in 2018 and ranks second among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at the 1.540-mile speedway with 558. He has three victories in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at the Hampton, Ga., track and six victories in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Solid start to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season…Busch has enjoyed a solid start to the 2024 Cup Series season. He scored a second-place finish in the Busch Light Clash (his third top-three finish in three seasons). This past weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Busch posted a 12th-place finish in the Daytona 500 in a backup car. He is eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series driver points, 17 points behind the leader.

Did You Know? Busch is the youngest winner in Cup Series history at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch was 22 years, 10 months, and 7 days old when he won the spring event in 2008. The Las Vegas, Nevada native also leads all active drivers with 22 lead lap finishes at the 1.54-mile oval.

Meet Kyle Busch…Busch is scheduled to visit the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen location in McDonough, Ga., at lunchtime on Friday to bring recognition to Cheddar’s new weekday lunch specials. Starting at $8.59 and featuring items like a Classic Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Pot Pie, Cajun Chicken Bowl and Philly Cheesesteak, guests can skip the drive-thru or the brown-bagged lunch for a classic homestyle meal at a comforting price. Cheddar’s has steadily grown its relationship with Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing, and the No. 8 team each year of their partnership. Kyle and his family have also embraced Cheddar’s as a meal fit for champions, with their homestyle favorites frequenting the Busch family’s dinner table. And to kick off a memorable meal, every guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen – Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X , and Instagram.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Atlanta Motor Speedway, especially with the relatively new configuration?

“Driving on the new Atlanta Motor Speedway configuration is definitely challenging just due to the fact that it’s really, really fast and it’s a mile-and-a-half, so it seems like the superspeedway speeds that you get at a mile-and-a-half make everything go by really quick. Things happen quick, faster than a superspeedway. That’s definitely the challenging part. Understanding the grip level of what the cars have in the draft and the moves you can make is also pretty challenging. It’s easier for everybody to go fast with it being restrictor plate style racing and everybody being able to hold it wide-open for the most part is what makes it a plate race.”

Last year you won early and often. How important is it to get that out of the way early, then concentrate on what’s next?

“Yeah, winning early is huge for your season. It sets the tone and gives you a chance to know you’re in the NASCAR Playoffs. You just have to make sure you keep everything else in order. If you’re getting into the July, August months, and you don’t have a win yet, it gets stressful. That’s not going to be a place where you want to get to.”

You had two top 10 finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway last year. You seemed to take to the track reconfiguration quickly with a different car. Is there an element of the track that works with your driving style or can you acclimate quicker than others?

“We got lucky last year with the fifth-place finish, because we stayed out on fuel mileage and when the rain came, it gave us that opportunity. Track position is hard to get there. It’s hard to pass with two lanes running two-wide. I felt really good about my car. I could go to the bottom and rip the bottom better than anybody, but then there wasn’t any room to get back in line on the top to get the straightaway speed you need. I kept getting sucked backwards every time I would try to pull out of line and make a move. The confidence I had in my car was net hurting me. Just hard to be patient in those situations and sit and ride.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Saturday. The 19-year-old has never seen the 1.54-mile oval in person and Friday’s qualifying session will mark his first lap on the surface.

First Pole, First Stage Win… During Love’s Xfinity Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, the Menlo Park, California native earned his first career pole position, putting the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet on the front row for the season opening event. Love led the most laps (34) and captured his first career stage win.

Did You Know? Love is the third youngest pole winner in Xfinity Series history at Daytona International Speedway and just the 14th driver to claim the first starting position in their series debut.

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 QUOTES:

Describe your NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona International Speedway.

“I thought it was a productive debut. It was nice to get our first pole, win a stage, and lead the most laps. The stage point that we earned could go a long way in a few months, so I’m glad to have a playoff point secured already. It was pretty cool to edge my teammate, Austin Hill, at the line to win the stage. At the same time, I do think he cut me a little bit of a break to let me have a moment of glory. After we lost our track position at the end of Stage 1 – which was part of our overall plan – I wanted to be aggressive and get back to the front as fast as I could. I thought I made smart decisions that were aggressive but calculated from a timing perspective. I just got a bad push from the No. 20 and that spun us around. Looking back on it, I’m not sure if I should have put myself in that spot, but there were a lot of good cars in the line that I was in, and we were rolling on the bottom. Traditionally on superspeedway races, you are safest out front so I wouldn’t take any of it back. In the future knowing how fast of a car I had though, I could have been more patient.”

What did you learn at Daytona International Speedway that you can apply to Atlanta Motor Speedway?

“For Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend and when we go back to superspeedways later this season, the key is going to be putting myself in safe positions. With how fast my Whelen Chevrolet was in Daytona, I could have been safer than other people and still had the same result. The goal for this weekend is to do the same thing as Daytona though, except not get wrecked and have a better outcome. I need to be aggressive. Hopefully, we will be able to sit on the pole again and keep that first pit stall. From there, we will try to stay out front. At some point we will lose track position and when that does happen, I need to take my time a little more than Daytona. The racing at Atlanta is a little less tight than Daytona, so I can be safer with my moves, still go forward, and be in position to have a shot at the win at the end. In the back of my mind, I can be more passive than others and still get to the front with how fast our No. 2 car is.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, earning two wins and a second-place finish while piloting the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet. Hill has led at least one lap in each of his four starts, totaling 204 laps pacing the field. In addition, Hill has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Hampton, Georgia facility, posting one pole (2019), two top-five (2020, 2021) and three top-10 results (2019-2021).

Three-Peat at Daytona… After starting from the second position, earning a stage win, and capturing the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway, Hill is now the back-to-back-to-back victor of the season opening event in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. With the win, Hill has successfully locked himself into the Playoffs for the third time in as many years.

Did You Know? Hill is only the fourth Xfinity Series driver to win at least three consecutive February races at Daytona International Speedway, joining Dale Earnhardt (five), Tony Stewart (four), and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (three).

Defending Race Winner… Hill enters Atlanta Motor Speedway as the defending race winner. Last spring, the No. 21 Chevrolet started from the third position, led 103 of 163 laps, and captured the victory at Hill’s home track. This marked Hill’s third victory of the 2023 season, where the then-sophomore driver won three of the first five events.

Georgia Boy Returns Home… Hill is a native of Winston, Georgia, sited 60 miles from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 29-year-old started his motorsports career racing bandolero and legends cars on the frontstretch quarter-mile oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hill’s family continues to live in the Peachtree State and will be in attendance for Saturday’s race.

Bennett Home Race… Located a short 15 minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bennett Transportation and Logistics’ headquarters are based in McDonough, Georgia. Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2024, Bennett Family of Companies will have over 250 guests on site to watch Hill compete. The No. 21 Camaro features Bennett’s special anniversary logo and gold accents throughout the design.

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.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, February 24 at 2:10 p.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to make an appearance at the Bennett Family of Companies display in the Fan Zone at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet and get an autograph from the defending race winner.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

What will it take for you to get win number three at Atlanta Motor Speedway? Similar racing to Daytona International Speedway, but not the same.

“A lot of what is going to determine our outcome is how our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet drives with the new rule change of adding slits to the back glass. We did see the car drive differently at Daytona when in the pack and when leading up front. Knowing the car handled differently at Daytona, determining what it is going to take to make it handle well at Atlanta is a big question. Are we going to need the car to be looser or tighter? We won’t know those answers until we get into the race and through Stage 1, to truly see how our car is driving. With no practice and only one or two laps of qualifying, there will be a lot of learning happening in Stage 1. The more that you can learn early is going to propel you through Stages 2 and 3 to put yourself in the right position at the end. If we can get the car driving well, it will put us in a good position to win the race.”

Atlanta has hard winters and hot summers, so you don’t know what the pavement will be like when you hit the track. Without having practice, how hard do you send it into Turn 1 during qualifying?

“My team and I have talked about this quite a bit leading into this weekend. We are going to unload the same way we have for the last two years, since it has worked for us. Our car traditionally handles well at Atlanta. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but it does handle well. The one thing that does help us is from what I’ve been seeing with the temperature is it’s not going to be hot. It’s going to be on the cooler side, which is going to add grip to the track. Going into qualifying, the job is simple – hold it wide open and don’t lift. You have to be 100% throttle and hope it sticks. If it doesn’t, you have to be ready to catch it. How much of an angle you take on entry during qualifying is going to be a decision made on the fly once we determine how our car will handle.”

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024
1.54-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Hampton, Georgia
TV: Fox logo
Event: NASCAR Cup Series race (2 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM logo PRN logo

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: T-6th

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

DAYTONA RECAP: On Monday during the rain-delayed DAYTONA 500, Kyle Larson was involved in a multi-car incident on lap 192 but recovered to finish 11th in the 200-lap race. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who led seven laps in the season-opening event, is tied for sixth in the points standings and 17 markers behind the leader (Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron).

ALMOST IN ATLANTA: At Atlanta Motor Speedway, Larson has led the most laps (423) of Cup Series drivers without a victory. He also has two runner-up finishes at “The Peach State” venue – in 2017 and 2021. Atlanta is eighth among tracks where Larson has led the most laps.

STARTING STRENGTH: Larson has started in the top 10 in 10 of the last 11 races on drafting-style tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta). His streak of 10 consecutive was snapped last weekend at Daytona when he posted the third-fastest qualifying time but started 17th in “The Great American Race” after finishing ninth in the first Duel at Daytona race on Thursday night.

SINCE JOINING HENDRICK: Larson, who began racing for Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and delivered the Concord-based organization its record 14th Cup Series title later the same year, has amassed 17 Cup victories over that span. Byron, winner of last weekend’s DAYTONA 500, now sits second in that statistical category with 10.

HIGH LIMIT RACING: The 2024 High Limit Racing Series began with a weather-delayed event on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at East Bay Raceway Park in Florida. Larson, the inaugural series champion in 2023, won the season-opening event. He will compete for the Midweek Money Series championship in the No. 57 entry sponsored by HENDRICKCARS.COM.

CLIFF’S NOTES: No. 5 crew chief Cliff Daniels and Larson have teamed up for 16 wins since Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 – the third-best total among active driver and crew chief pairings. Daniels and Larson have teamed up to accomplish those wins in 101 races while the best active combination has posted 19 victories in 174 starts.

HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: With Hendrick Automotive Group operating nine dealerships in the Atlanta area, Larson and the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM crew will wear their white “home” fire suits for the first time in 2024. For its home races (15 total this season), sponsor HENDRICKCARS.COM releases a unique cap, which are for sale trackside and available to win on HENDRICKCARS.COM. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public the week of the race. This week’s ATL hat was released today and can be found here.

ATLANTA AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS & BEYOND: The extended Atlanta market is home to nine Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships including Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buford, Rick Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Duluth, Gwinnett Place Honda, Rick Hendrick Buick GMC, Mall of Georgia Mazda, Mall of Georgia MINI and Honda of Newnan. By visiting HENDRICKCARS.COM, customers not located in Georgia can choose from any of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealerships nationwide. Shopping from the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model, and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 4th

No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

SETTING THE STAGE: In Monday’s DAYTONA 500, Chase Elliott claimed the very first stage victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season, capturing a coveted playoff point in the process. While the 28-year-old driver earned a 14th-place finish in the 500-mile event, he led 13 laps on the day and earned enough points to leave the track fourth in the Cup Series points standings.

WINNER WINNER NO. 9: This weekend, NASCAR’s premier series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway, Elliott’s home track. In the 2022 summer race at “The Peach State” track, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native drove to the win after starting from the top spot and sweeping the first two stages. In all, Elliott led 96 of 260 total laps en route to the popular victory. That day, he became the second Georgia-born driver to win at Atlanta, joining his father Bill Elliott, who is a five-time Cup Series victor at the track.

CHASE IS TOPS: Since the reconfiguration of Atlanta before the start of the 2022 season, Elliott leads all Cup Series drivers in average finish (6.67) on the 1.54-mile track across three starts (he missed last year’s spring race due to injury). In fact, since the start of 2022, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has led a total of 125 laps at the Hampton, Georgia, oval.

DRAFTING STRONG: Elliott is one of only two drivers with multiple victories on drafting-style tracks since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, second only to Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (with three). In addition to his win at Atlanta, the six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner emerged victorious at Talladega Superspeedway in October of 2022. For his career, he has three wins on drafting tracks, first earning a triumph at Talladega in April of 2019.

AG IN GA: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 28th Atlanta Cup Series race in his 20th full-time season atop the pit box. Gustafson has two wins at the track – the first he earned on the old configuration with Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon in 2011 and the second with Elliott in 2022. Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer, led 146 of 325 laps en route to his historic 85th victory, which placed him third on the all-time Cup Series wins list. Across 27 starts, Gustafson has 419 laps led, five top-five finishes and 11 top-10s with five different drivers (Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin, Gordon and Elliott).

DYNAMIC DUO: Elliott and Gustafson are in their ninth season together and are currently the longest active driver and crew chief combo in the Cup Series garage. The duo is ranked second among active pairings with 18 points-paying victories. Gustafson and Elliott earned their first Cup Series title in 2020 and the team captured the regular-season championship in 2022.

HOME GAME: Four of Elliott and the No. 9 team’s partners are based in Georgia, with NAPA Auto Parts, Hooters, Kelley Blue Book and Coca-Cola all headquartered in Atlanta. This weekend, the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 makes its 2024 debut for its first of three races this season. Get a look at all the angles of the Hooters Chevrolet here.

WHEN CHASE WINS, YOU WIN: Fans can visit Hooters on Mondays after Cup Series races this season and ask their server for free fried pickles (with a drink purchase) when Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team finishes in the top 10. If the No. 9 team wins, customers receive 10 free wings with any 10-wing purchase. Get more details at hooters.com/racing.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 1st

No. 24 Raptor High Heat Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Raptor High Heat Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 10 a.m. local time.

DAYTONA 500 CHAMP: William Byron won the 2024 DAYTONA 500 to become the latest champion of “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway. Before the race, Byron had to start at the rear of the field for going to a backup car from damage sustained in his eighth-place finish in the second Duel at Daytona race. The 26-year-old driver overcame that and scored stage points in both stages. On the final restart with four laps to go, Byron lined up second and controlled the inside lane. He surged to the point position and then held off a host of challengers in the closing laps, including Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, for the victory. The win also came on the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports’ first start. It is Byron’s 11th victory in the NASCAR Cup Series and his second Cup Series points win at Daytona.

KING OF THE QC: Byron’s victory in the DAYTONA 500 saw him become the first Charlotte, North Carolina, native – NASCAR’s hub – to win the crown jewel race. There have been 19 winners of the prestigious race from North Carolina, but none hailed from the Queen City before Byron’s win.

WHAT’S IN A NUMBER: With his win at Daytona, Byron continues to extend the history and legacy of the No. 24. The iconic car number is third on the all-time list with 104 Cup Series wins, trailing only the No. 43 (200 wins) and the No. 11 (231 wins). Four of the No. 24’s wins have come in the DAYTONA 500 – Byron in 2024 and team vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon in 1997, 1999 and 2005. All of Byron’s 11 premier series wins have come in the No. 24, while Gordon accounts for 93 wins in the number.

TWO FOUR SANDWICH: Byron has nine Cup starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with four occurring on the 1.54-mile track after its reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. He has two victories in those four starts and has paced the field a series-high 171 times over that span. Byron was the first winner on the newly configured track in March of 2022 and the most recent in July of 2023.

DRAFT DAY: When it comes to drafting-style tracks (Daytona, Atlanta and Talladega Superspeedway), Byron normally runs upfront. He has four wins on this type of track – Monday’s DAYTONA 500, his first Cup Series victory at Daytona in August of 2020 and two wins at Atlanta. He has also led 230 laps at drafting tracks since the start of the 2022 season. In fact in the Next Gen era (since 2022), Byron (three) and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott (two) are the only repeat winners on drafting-style tracks.

STREAKING: Byron’s five straight top-10 finishes on drafting tracks is the longest active streak in the Cup Series. It also marks the longest streak by a Hendrick Motorsports driver since Ken Schrader had five straight in 1994 and 1995. During this stretch, Byron has won twice (Atlanta 2023 and the 2024 DAYTONA 500) and posted a runner-up finish (Talladega in October of 2023).

NEXT GEN DUO: Since the introduction of the Next Gen Cup Series car in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle have a series-leading nine wins. The duo leads Hendrick Motorsports teammates driver Kyle Larson (seven wins) and crew chief Cliff Daniels (six wins).

RUDY RUNS THE ATL: Sunday will mark Fugle’s sixth race at Atlanta in the Cup Series and his fifth after the track’s reconfiguration. In four starts since the beginning of 2022, the crew chief of the No. 24 Raptor High Heat Chevrolet has led Byron to two victories. Fugle has seven additional national series starts with six of those coming in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. In those six Truck Series events, he has a pair of wins, four top-five finishes, five top-10s and a pole.

RAPTOR® TOUGH: At Atlanta, Byron will sport a special paint scheme with the No. 24 Raptor High Heat Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating that is designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of items, including truck beds, lawnmowers, outdoor furniture and more. With 16 pre-mixed colors available, it’s easy to personalize anything you want to protect. RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores and online retailers. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Raptor High Heat Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 30 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 2nd

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

CAREER-BEST D500 FINISH: Alex Bowman missed the front row for the start of the DAYTONA 500 for the first time in seven years but still holds the record for the most consecutive front-row starts (2018-2023) in the event. Bowman finished third in the first Duel race to earn the seventh spot on the grid for the 66th running of “The Great American Race.” At the end of the 500-mile race, the 30-year-old driver raced neck-and-neck with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the lead. Ultimately, the No. 48 team was scored as the runner-up, which was both Bowman’s second consecutive top-five finish and a career-best result in the iconic race.

DRAFTING SUCCESS: Bowman has two second-place finishes on drafting-style tracks without a win, tied for the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. He finished second to a Hendrick Motorsports teammate both times – first to Chase Elliott at Talladega Superspeedway in April of 2019 and most recently to Byron in Monday’s DAYTONA 500. The No. 48 team is hoping to draft a successful race strategy for this weekend in “The Peach State.”

STRONG START: In their second year together, Bowman and crew chief Blake Harris are looking to better their fast start from the 2023 season. Last year, the pair opened with a fourth-place run in the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum and then three straight top-10 finishes to open the points-paying part of the schedule – including a fifth-place result in the DAYTONA 500. This year, the No. 48 team placed sixth in the Clash before Monday’s second-place finish at Daytona International Speedway.

ATLANTA ARCHIVES: The Tucson, Arizona, driver finished in the top five in the last two races at Atlanta Motor Speedway on the old configuration. Since the track was repaved and reconfigured just ahead of the 2022 season, Bowman has one top-10 finish at the 1.54-mile track.

“WIN YOUR WHEELS” SPEEDSTAKES: Ally is constantly looking for ways to be an Ally to No. 48 fans and what better way than rewarding Ally Nation fandom with a new car – specifically a special edition Chevrolet Camaro! To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, a limited line of Hendrick Motorsports 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro street cars will be sold exclusively through select Hendrick Automotive Group Chevrolet dealerships. One lucky fan will win a 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE. Enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar or visit the Ally Fan Zone at select tracks, the next being at Phoenix Raceway. The promotion will end Sept. 20, 2024.

FIRST LAP: This Sunday, Ally Financial, the Official Consumer Bank of NASCAR and primary sponsor of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team, will bring its First Lap program to Atlanta for the first time. The program, which is in its second year, focuses on introducing motorsports to new, diverse fans with track tours, driver meet-and-greets and other customized experiences. This weekend, Ally will be hosting Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Atlanta. LISC is the nation’s leading community development investment organization that focuses on creating and supporting inclusive communities of opportunity across the United States.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

Hendrick Motorsports

2024	All-Time	Atlanta
Races	1	1,346	70
Wins	1*	302*	17*
Poles	0	246*	5
Top 5	2*	1,234*	65*
Top 10	2**	2,114*	102*
Laps Led	24	79,781*	3,642*
Stage Wins	1**	99	5**

*Most **Most (tie)

FABULOUS 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Among the categories that the Rick Hendrick-owned organization holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for are all-time wins (302), poles (246), laps led (79,781) and championships (14). With its win in the 2024 DAYTONA 500, the organization has now won at least one race in each of the last 39 seasons.

1-2 FINISH IN DAYTONA: William Byron and Alex Bowman finished first and second in the 2024 DAYTONA 500 and the result came on the 40th anniversary to the day (Feb. 19) of Hendrick Motorsports’ first start. This was the fourth time in team history that Hendrick Motorsports swept the top-two spots in “The Great American Race” and the win is the ninth in the event for the organization (which is tied with Petty Enterprises for the most wins by a team in the DAYTONA 500). The Rick Hendrick-owned team also became the first to win the Harley J. Earl Trophy in five decades.

SIGN OF THE FUTURE: In three of the last six instances that Hendrick Motorsports has won the DAYTONA 500, the driver that was victorious in the event went on to win the championship in the same year. Team vice chairman Jeff Gordon accomplished this in 1997 and Jimmie Johnson did it in 2006 and 2013.

PEACH STATE POWER: Hendrick Motorsports has seen eight of its drivers win at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the most among all organizations. Gordon and Johnson each won five times at the Georgia oval. Byron has two wins at Atlanta. Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott have one victory apiece. Gordon (23 years, 7 months and 8 days) and Byron (24 years, 3 months and 20 days) stand as the second and fourth-youngest Cup Series winners in track history.

GEORGIA ON THEIR MINDS: Hendrick Motorsports has been to victory lane 17 times at Atlanta. The total is the most among all Cup teams and is the fifth-most for the organization at any track. Martinsville Speedway (28), Dover Motor Speedway (22), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21) and Pocono Raceway (19) are the only venues where Hendrick Motorsports has more wins.

DRAFTING DOMINANCE: Hendrick Motorsports has 33 all-time wins on drafting tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta), which is 13 more than the next-best teams. Three of those victories have come at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue since its reprofiling ahead of the 2022 season. The team also has 16 wins at Daytona and 14 at Talladega.

RECONFIGURATION ROUNDUP: Since Atlanta reconfigured to a drafting track ahead of the 2022 season, Hendrick Motorsports has found great success. Over the last four races there, the Concord, North Carolina, team has the most wins (three) and led the most laps (301). Byron and Elliott swept the 2022 Cup races and Byron won the rain-shortened summer race in 2023. Since the reprofiling, Byron and Elliott rank first and third, respectively, in laps led and have led 29% of the laps run.

NEXT GEN NUMBERS: Hendrick Motorsports has been strong on drafting tracks in the Next Gen era. Since 2022, the organization has the most wins (five), top-10 finishes (19) and laps led (584) on that track type. In addition, Byron and Elliott are the only repeat winners on drafting tracks in the Next Gen era.

WINNER WINNER: With 22 Cup Series wins, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in the Next Gen car. Three of the team’s drivers rank in the top five in victories. Byron is first (nine wins), Kyle Larson is second (seven wins) and Elliott is in a five-way tie for third (five wins).

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing on superspeedways: “One of these (drafting-style) races it will all come together for us. Our cars are definitely showing speed – we just need to make it to the end with track position. Cliff (Daniels, crew chief) and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization have done a great job with strategy and putting us in position. I hope it continues this weekend.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on last weekend and speedway racing: “I thought we did a good job of executing the race to get the car upfront. We just lost track position at a crucial time on Monday, but who knows. If we had kept it, we could have been in the eye of the storm and been involved in the “big one” in a bigger way. We’ll go into Atlanta (Motor Speedway) with the same mindset of executing well the entire race to give Kyle (Larson) the best opportunity to battle for the win.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway after the DAYTONA 500: “I wasn’t a huge fan of that when we just had one event there, but I think having two events (at Atlanta Motor Speedway), it has a really nice balance to it. I think it’ll be a nice mix because the weather, with what it’s going to be in February versus what it’s going to be when we come back in the playoffs is going to be totally different. And I think you’ll be surprised at how different the race might look between those two. So, I think the big thing is just having two events and I feel like that is a positive. There’s been a lot of work and a lot of effort put in at the track for not just the competitors but for the spectators too. Personally, I’m a little biased, but I think they deserve two races and I’m looking forward to going there twice.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on takeaways from Daytona International Speedway heading into another drafting-style race weekend: “Daytona (International Speedway) was smooth. Our Chevrolet had a lot of pace and drove really well. The execution was good by everybody and the team and strategy and Chase (Elliott). I think getting back in that groove of drafting and how to exploit good finishes from that was good. I think we learned a few things we can apply to Atlanta (Motor Speedway). It’s pretty different from Daytona. The biggest unknown for Atlanta is the surface. The surface is new, so you kind of expect that the first year it’s going to be okay, but that it should kind of consistently lose grip and get slicker. So what kind of race are we going to see? That’s the biggest question.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how it feels to be a DAYTONA 500 Champion: “It’s still pretty surreal and it’s starting to set in now just experiencing all the different things that come with being a DAYTONA 500 winner. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You don’t know if you’re ever going to have a chance to win that race again. It’s made for a short week this week to get ready for the next race but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Byron on what he thinks this year has in store for the No. 24 team: “We need to continue the course we’ve been on. Last year was really valuable, getting to Phoenix (Raceway) and having a chance to race for a championship. This year, the hunger and drive are really high. We have a lot more to accomplish. This is a good start and we have a lot to be proud of but we want more. We always want more and that starts this weekend in Atlanta.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on if winning the DAYTONA 500 has set in yet: “It’s amazing. What a race. I can’t believe it. It’s a special one especially to see all the excitement from everyone involved. It just means so much. We haven’t won this race at Hendrick Motorsports in 10 years, so it’s a big deal. I’m proud of William (Byron), I’m proud of my guys and just everyone here. It still really hasn’t set in after a couple of days.”

Fugle on what he expects for this weekend at Atlanta: “Overall, the track has given up a lot of grip since the repave. It’s a whole different animal. Its got a lot of character already and the cars are lifting a lot. I think we will have a little less, if not the same, amount of grip from the summer. Either way, it’s going to be hard to drive. The cars were hard to drive in the summer and it made for some awesome racing. It reminded me of the late 2000’s Daytona (International Speedway) where you had the packs and big drafts but it was impossible to stay wide open all the way around and two wide. I think it will be a lot like that this weekend.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his strong start to the 2024 season: “Last week at Daytona (International Speedway), I think the No. 48 team really showed that we have what it takes and are ready for 2024. Blake (Harris) and our Ally team put together a fast car and we executed a great race strategy – the timing just didn’t workout for us in the end. We still had a strong finish and we plan to carry that momentum to the next drafting-style track this weekend at Atlanta (Motor Speedway) with another fast Chevy. Our heads are held high.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the No. 48 team’s momentum heading to Atlanta: “We have good momentum right now. We’re sitting better in points (second) than we were compared to last year. The No. 48 team is starting off as good, or better, than last year and we’ll try to carry our momentum from Daytona (International Speedway) into Atlanta (Motor Speedway). We had a really strong spring race (in 2023) but didn’t have the finish to show for it. We got shuffled trying to make some moves in the last couple laps. We were strong in the second race too. Alex (Bowman) drove into the top five several times and then just ended up getting crashed without the finish that we wanted. Hendrick Motorsports has really fast cars in Atlanta. Our company has won three of the last four races there since the repave, so our team has this one circled as a track that we want to go back to and run strong at.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
February 23-24, 2024

TRIPLEHEADER AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Coming off a weekend sweep at Daytona International Speedway, momentum is on the side of Chevrolet’s drivers and teams as all three NASCAR national Series will head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for back-to-back weekends of superspeedway-style racing. The second stop of the 2024 season will feature a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) doubleheader on Saturday, February 24, followed by the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, February 25.

This weekend marks two years since Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a massive reprofiling, including a complete repave, increased banking and narrowing of the track width – now providing teams with superspeedway-style racing at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue. Since competing on the revamped configuration, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to win in all three NASCAR national series – earning three wins in four NCS races (William Byron – two; Chase Elliott – one), two wins in four NXS races (Austin Hill) and one win in two NCTS races (Christian Eckes).

 PACING IN THE PEACH STATE

Chevrolet has amassed a series-leading wins record across all three NASCAR national series at Atlanta Motor Speedway – heading into the weekend with 44 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and 10 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.

Newly-crowned Daytona 500 Champion William Byron is the track’s most recent winner in NASCAR’s top division (July 2023). The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native was leading the field at lap marker 185 when inclement weather forced the race to be deemed official. Byron led a quartet of Team Chevy drivers in the top-five, including a podium sweep with Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez (second) and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger (third).

Also coming off a win at Daytona International Speedway, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill is credited with both of Chevrolet’s NXS wins at the reprofiled Georgia venue – earning back-to-back victories in July 2022 and March 2023.

One year ago, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes put Chevrolet back on the map in the NCTS at Atlanta Motor Speedway – delivering Chevrolet its first win in the series at the track since 2016. The victory came in only Eckes’ third NCTS start under the Bowtie banner – marking his first of a series-leading four victories last season.

 MAKING HISTORY

The 2024 NASCAR season-opener weekend started with Chevrolet reaching a milestone feat at Daytona International Speedway. Nick Sanchez and Rev Racing became first-time winners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway – a victory that also earned Chevrolet its milestone 100th NASCAR victory at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway. Fellow Team Chevy drivers William Byron and Austin Hill also picked up victories in their respective series to give the Bowtie brand a weekend sweep at the “World Center of Racing”. Chevrolet – the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway – is now the only manufacturer in series’ history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway more than once – also accomplishing the feat in 2018.

SANCHEZ, CARUTH START 2024 WITH CAREER-BESTS

With just one race in the books for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth have already tallied career-best finishes.

Enduring a caution-filled race and an overtime finish, Sanchez and Rev Racing claimed the victory in the NCTS’ season-opener at Daytona International Speedway – marking the first-ever win for both the driver and the team in the series. The victory came in Sanchez and Rev Racing’s sophomore season in the series, who are now competing as a technical alliance team with Spire Motorsports. Entering his seventh consecutive year with Rev Racing, Sanchez has now won in every series in which he has competed with the team. Sanchez’s previous career-best finish came at Atlanta Motor Speedway last season – finishing in the runner-up position by a mere 0.078-second margin to fellow Team Chevy driver Christian Eckes.

Also embarking on his second season in the series, Rajah Caruth topped his previous career-best sixth-place finish by driving his No. 71 Silverado RST to a third-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. A former teammate to Sanchez at Rev Racing, Caruth has teamed up with Spire Motorsports for the 2024 season as part of the organization’s full-time truck stable. The 21-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native’s rookie NCTS campaign included four top-10 finishes and a 16th-place finish in the series’ final points standings.

BUSCH SET TO MAKE NCTS RETURN

Kyle Busch – the most decorated driver in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ history – is slated to make five starts in the series this season, with his first on tap at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. Busch’s five-race stint in the series will be behind the wheel of the No. 7 Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports, where the Chevrolet driver also serves as a consultant for the organization’s truck series program.

The 38-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, native holds the title as the winningest driver in NCTS’ history with 64 all-time victories in the series. The 2023 season marked Busch’s first time competing in the series under the Chevrolet banner. In four of his five NCTS starts, Busch earned finishes no worse than second, including two victories. Busch’s most recent NCTS start at Pocono Raceway (July 2023) ended with a monumental victory – earning Kyle Busch Motorsports’ milestone 100th and final victory in the series. The Team Chevy driver has made 13 NCTS starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway – compiling six wins, nine top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at the track.

 
NEXT GEN CAMARO ZL1 LEADS IN SUPERSPEEDWAY TRIUMPHS

The 2024 season marks the third year of competition for the Next Gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. Since making its competition debut, the Camaro ZL1 has amassed wins in nine of the 13 superspeedway-style races – earning a winning percentage of nearly 70%. Further proving the strength across the Chevrolet camp, six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams have contributed to those triumphs:

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 20, 2022) – William Byron

 Talladega Superspeedway (April 24, 2022) – Ross Chastain

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 10, 2022) – Chase Elliott

 Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 29, 2022) – Austin Dillon

 Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2, 2022) – Chase Elliott

 Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 19, 2023) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

 Talladega Superspeedway (April 23, 2023) – Kyle Busch

 Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 9, 2023) – William Byron

 Daytona International Speedway (Feb.19, 2024) – William Byron

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will make its pacing debut for the 2024 NASCAR season this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Fr8 208; the Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s RAPTOR King of Tough 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

William Byron – two wins (July 2023; March 2022)
Kyle Busch – two wins (Sept. 2013, March 2008)
Chase Elliott – one (July 2022)

· In 119 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 44 victories – most recently by the newly-crowned Daytona 500 Champion, William Byron, and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team (July 2023).

· Since the debut of the Next Gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, Chevrolet has won nine of the 13 superspeedway-style races – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams.

· For the second time in history, Chevrolet swept the wins across all three NASCAR national series in the season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway – making Chevrolet the only manufacturer to accomplish that feat more than once.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 852 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: 40
Toyota: 34 (-6)
Ford: 28 (12)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 40
Toyota: 35 (-5)
Ford: 31 (-9)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 40
Toyota: 35 (-5)
Ford: 30 (-10)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series: Ambetter Health 400
Sunday, February 25, at 2:30 p.m. ET
(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series: RAPTOR King of Tough 250
Saturday, February 24, at 5 p.m. ET
(FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Fr8 208
Saturday, February 24, at 2 p.m. ET
(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1

How does it feel to be going to Atlanta this weekend as it’s only the second race of the season?

“It feels a little odd to be going to Atlanta so early in the season since it’s right after Daytona. We usually head out west and then come back to Atlanta. I’ve run second there a couple of times on the reconfigured surface so I feel like I at least have a little bit of an understanding on how to run the track there. It’s not exactly like a Daytona superspeedway but there are elements that feel superspeedway-like. Hopefully we can get the Moose Fraternity Chevrolet in victory lane this weekend.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Camaro ZL1

With the hybrid that is Atlanta Motor Speedway now, what did you have to learn to be successful at that track given the change in the track and change in the car?

“I haven’t been as successful as I’ve wanted to be at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so I’ve got to go to work on that one. In the first race we competed in on the new Atlanta Motor Speedway configuration, we were pretty good. I got turned at the end of the stage, and if we didn’t, we would’ve finished second or third. That was probably one of the best cars I’ve had there. Past that, Atlanta has been difficult because I’ve had some massive hits there.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Celsius Camaro ZL1

Recently, you’ve had a couple really good runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so it seems like a place that’s climbing your list of favorite tracks.

“Since the Atlanta reconfiguration our Spire Motorsports team has had a good handle on it. As the surface has aged over the last several years it will look less like a Talladega and more like a really compacted pack at Charlotte. Handling will be a premium and with no practice we’re hoping we can nail down a good package in our Celsius Camaro. We’ve been in contention here multiple times and we’re going this weekend to try and do the same thing.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on Atlanta Motor Speedway, especially with the relatively new configuration?

“Driving at the new Atlanta configuration is definitely challenging just due to the fact that it’s really, really fast and it’s a mile-and-a-half so it seems like the superspeedway speeds that you get at a mile-and-a-half make everything go by really quick and things happen quick, faster than a superspeedway. That’s definitely the challenging part. Understanding the grip level of what the cars have in the draft and the moves you can make is also pretty challenging. It’s easier for everybody to go fast with it being restrictor plate style racing and everybody being able to hold it wide-open for the most part is what makes it a plate race.”

Last year you won early and often. How important is it to get that out of the way early, then concentrate on what’s next?

“Yeah, no, winning early, man, that’s huge for your season. It kind of sets the tone, gives you a chance to know you’re in the Playoffs. You just have to make sure you keep everything else in order. If you’re getting into the July, August months, and you don’t have a win yet, it gets stressful. That’s not going to be a place where you want to get to.”

You had two top 10s at Atlanta last year. You really took to that track quickly, the reconfiguration, with a different car. What is it about it or are you just easy acclimation?

“We got lucky last year in the fifth-place finish because we stayed out on fuel mileage and then the rain came and gave up that opportunity. Track position is hard to get there. It’s hard to pass. It’s two lanes, two-wide. I felt really good about my car. I felt like I could go to the bottom and rip the bottom better than anybody, but then there was no room to get back in line on the top to get the straightaway speed you need. I kept getting sucked backwards every time I would try to pull out of line and try to make a move. It’s just hard to be patient in those situations and sit and ride.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

“I’m looking forward to another superspeedway-style race in Atlanta this week. I’ve personally never ran this NextGen Cup car at Atlanta, but I can remember the last few years watching as a fan and thinking it looked like absolute chaos. I’m excited to be part of that chaos this year and hopefully in the mix in our No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1, just like we were in Daytona.”

Zane Smith, No. 71 City of Refuge Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on your first Daytona 500 with the Spire Motorsports Team?

“I’m super happy with how our team executed Daytona. I had a really fast WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro and the guys worked hard all off-season to bring a fast car to the track. That was an intense race and we avoided two big crashes, finishing 13th. I learned a lot through that race. We have great momentum heading into Atlanta this weekend and I’m looking forward Sunday.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Premier Security Solutions Camaro ZL1

“We’re hungry and ready to go run after a disappointing day at Daytona. We’re looking at this race as if it’s the first one. There’s nowhere else to go but up from last week. The whole team is ready to go, I can promise you that. We’re lucky enough to have a longtime sponsor, Premier Security Solutions, on our No. 77 Chevrolet this weekend and again next weekend in Las Vegas. Hopefully we can put on a good show for everyone.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on Daytona?

“I was really happy with my race team. They had a great strategy and got us points in the Duels and then in both stages on Monday. I thought this was my best chance to win a Daytona 500. We led in the final 15 laps and it was looking good. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and when that happens there isn’t much you can do. Very proud of my race team.”

You ran second in the second race at Atlanta last year. Drivers call that track a hybrid and why are you so good at it?

“I have good cars. I have good execution from my team, and it’s a lot about being patient. It’s a lot like racing in Daytona. I think things have worked out a few times for us in Atlanta, and every time we go to a road course we are competitive. If you ask William Byron last year how many times he had a car capable of winning a race – 15, 18? – and he won six. I had a car capable of winning a race maybe three times last year. You have to have more shots than that because a winning car doesn’t mean you’re going to win the race. You still have to execute; it has to play out. If you want to win a couple of races, you have to have eight to 10 winning cars. So that is what we were lacking – consistency. One weekend we can show up to a racetrack and we were top five and the next weekend we were 20th. I feel like the 99 team is the most prepared it has been in years.”

 
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: 1
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 62
Top-five finishes: 3
Top-10 finishes: 4

Stage wins: 1

· Chase Elliott: 1 (Daytona)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 852 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 743
Laps led to date: 249,237
Top-five finishes to date: 4,301|
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,865

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,186

       Chevrolet: 852

       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.