Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, March 3, 2024
1.5-Mile Oval
3:30 PM ET
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series race (3 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 11th

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

JACKPOT IN VEGAS: Last October, Kyle Larson won the opening race in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs to secure a berth in the Championship 4. The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 swept the stages at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and led a race-high 133 laps.

21 HITS IN LAS VEGAS: In March of 2021, the Elk Grove, California, native, led 103 laps en route to his first victory for Hendrick Motorsports in just his fourth start for the organization. Larson would record 10 wins – plus the NASCAR All-Star Race – that season en route to capturing Hendrick Motorsports’ record 14th Cup Series championship.

WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS: In Larson’s 15 starts at Las Vegas, he has two wins, seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s, four stage wins and 447 laps led. The 2021 Cup Series champion has finished in the top two in four of his six Las Vegas starts with Hendrick Motorsports and has led 26.10% of the laps raced (421 of 1,613) in that span. Larson’s 421 circuits out front is his second-most at any track since joining the Rick Hendrick-owned organization ahead of the 2021 season. Since the start of the 2022 season, he has led the most laps (223) at the Nevada venue in the Next Gen car.

NOT SO AVERAGE: The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet has the best average finish of drivers who have competed in at least four events at the 1.5-mile Nevada track. Larson has a 9.87 average finish in his 15 starts – one of only three drivers with a sub-10 average finish.

WEST COAST REPRESENT: Larson has six West Coast wins in the Cup Series, which ranks him tied for third among active drivers and tied for ninth all-time. He has two wins at Las Vegas, two wins at Auto Club Speedway and one win each at Phoenix Raceway and Sonoma Raceway.

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 102 races while the best active combination has posted 19 victories in 175 starts.

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. From the convenience of home, Hendrick Automotive Group 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. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 6th

No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

ATL REWIND: Chase Elliott earned a 15th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway. After starting from the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion overcame multiple incidents to salvage the top-15 result, earning a stage point in the process.

POINTS UPDATE: Through two races in the 2024 Cup Series season, Elliott and the No. 9 team sit sixth in the points standings, just 12 markers behind the leader. The 28-year-old driver has already garnered one playoff point after capturing the first stage win of the year during the DAYTONA 500.

LET’S GO TO VEGAS: Elliott has 13 Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with three top-five finishes, five top-10s, three stage wins and 178 laps led. His best finish on the 1.5-mile oval was a runner-up effort in the fall of 2021. Elliott missed last spring’s race at the Las Vegas track due to an injury. The six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner also has three starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series there, finishing all of them inside the top five.

MILE-AND-A-HALF NUMBERS: Elliott will make his 79th premier series start on a 1.5-mile track this Sunday in Las Vegas. In his previous 78 races, he’s led 1,041 laps. The 2020 Cup Series champion has two career victories on mile-and-a-half ovals, coming at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the spring of 2020 and Kansas Speedway in the fall of 2018. Along with his two wins, Elliott has collected 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 38 top-10s on 1.5-milers.

BETTIN’ ON ALAN: This weekend, No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 26th race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his 20th Cup Series season atop the pit box. In his previous 25 races at the 1.5-mile oval, the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has garnered six top-five finishes, 10 top-10s and 187 laps led. Gustafson has posted two runner-up efforts at the track – the first with Kyle Busch in the crew chief’s first start on the desert oval in 2005 and the second with Elliott in 2021.

LLUMAR RETURNS: LLumar, a trusted brand of automotive window tint and paint protection film manufactured by Eastman Performance Films, LLC, will have its colors carried on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Las Vegas. It’s the first of two races that the brand is serving as a primary partner during the 2024 season. The red-based scheme will also take to the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. Get a look at the 2024 edition of the No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 here.

REUNITED: Later this year, Elliott will reunite with his former crew chief Greg Ives for two Xfinity Series races. The duo won the 2014 Xfinity Series title during Elliott’s rookie season at JR Motorsports, a Hendrick Motorsports affiliate. As announced on Tuesday, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native will be behind the wheel of the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports’ Xfinity Series program at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 25, and Darlington Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 31.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: T-2nd

No. 24 Z by HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WINNING WAYS: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is off to a career-best start. Following his win in the prestigious DAYTONA 500, Byron rallied to collect a 17th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway after being collected in an on-track incident. He now sits tied for second in the 2024 Cup Series points standings – the highest he has ever been at this point in the season (his previous best was 17th after two races in 2019). He has 11 Cup Series wins, with 10 coming since the start of 2021 – second to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (17).

1.5-MILE MAGIC: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. Since the start of 2021 (not counting races on Atlanta after its reprofiling for 2022), he has three wins, two runner-up finishes, nine top-fives and 16 top-10s in 23 races on 1.5-mile tracks. In fact, in 2023, Byron led the series in wins (two, one each at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway) and points collected (303) on that track length. He also has three consecutive top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks, which is the second-longest active streak.

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).

LUCKY IN LAS VEGAS: When the No. 24 Z by HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 takes the green flag for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas, it will mark the 26-year-old driver’s 13th Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway. This time, Byron returns as the defending winner from last year’s spring race. In his victory, Byron swept the stages and led a race-high 176 laps en route to the overtime victory ahead of teammates Larson and Alex Bowman. Including his win, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has two consecutive top-10 finishes at Las Vegas – tied for the second-most currently with Larson. In fact, Byron has led 185 laps at Las Vegas in the Next Gen car which ranks second behind Larson (223).

VIVA LAS RUDY: Returning to Las Vegas for the seventh time with the Cup Series, Fugle is confident heading to a venue that he has had success at before. In his six Cup Series showings, Fugle has one win (coming in this event last spring), two top-five finishes, four top-10s and an average finish of 8.67. The Livonia, New York, native has called the shots for 11 additional national series races at the track with 10 of those coming in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He has collected one win (March 2019), four top-five finishes, six top-10s, three pole awards and 238 laps led in those Truck Series events. With Byron in the Truck Series in 2016, the duo qualified 10th and raced to a fifth-place finish at the 1.5-mile venue.

Z BY HP IS BACK: On Tuesday, Hendrick Motorsports unveiled Byron’s No. 24 Z by HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2024 season. Z by HP will be a primary partner for two races this year – this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and then again in the playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. HP takes pride in providing innovative, high-performance solutions that empower high-performance teams and that is encompassed with their new paint scheme. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Z by HP 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: T-9th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

VEGAS VICTORY: Alex Bowman earned his most recent NASCAR Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6, 2022. During that spring race, Bowman won the first stage and led 16 laps. He was running fourth at the time of the late-race caution and the team utilized a two-tire pit strategy that put him on the front row for the final restart. At the checkered flag, he proved victorious earning his seventh win in the sport’s premier series. The No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 visited victory lane in Bowman’s third start with Ally as his primary sponsor at this track.

LAS VEGAS LOOK BACK: The Tucson, Arizona, native has made 13 Cup Series starts at the intermediate-style Nevada track. In those starts, Bowman has one win, three top-five finishes, four top-10s and has led 23 laps. All but two of those starts in “The Silver State” have been with the 14-time Cup Series championship-winning team, Hendrick Motorsports. This weekend will be Bowman’s sixth start at the track with Ally boasted as his primary partner.

WEST COAST WINS: Bowman has two West Coast wins in the Cup Series with victories at Auto Club Speedway in 2020 and Las Vegas in 2022. These two victories rank him tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the seventh-most West Coast wins amongst drivers entered in this weekend’s race.

1.5-MILE LOWDOWN: Bowman’s win at Las Vegas is one of five in the Next Gen era for Hendrick Motorsports on 1.5-mile tracks, which is the most of any team. He is one of 10 drivers to win on a track of that length since the Next Gen car debut in 2022. In Bowman’s career, he has two wins on 1.5-mile tracks with the other being his first Cup Series win at Chicagoland Speedway in 2019.

BEST FRIENDS IS BACK: Together, Ally and Bowman have supported Best Friends Animal Society since 2021. In 2024, both are committed to a combined donation of $4,800 per week to a local Best Friends network partner. In Las Vegas, that beneficiary is Homeward Bound Cat Adoptions. If you’re in the area for the race weekend, be sure to stop by their adoption center to see their fluffy friends up for adoption. All cats and kittens are spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccines and microchipped.

“WIN YOUR WHEELS” SPEEDSTAKES: To celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary, 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 can win a 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE through the Ally “Win Your Wheels fueled by HendrickCars.com” sweepstakes. Enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar or visit the Ally Fan Zone at select tracks, the next being at Phoenix Raceway (March 9-10). The sweepstakes will end Sept. 20, 2024.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2024	All-Time	Las Vegas
Races	2	1,347	32
Wins	1**	302*	9*
Poles	0	246*	2
Top 5	2**	1,234*	32*
Top 10	2**	2,114*	54**
Laps Led	41	79,798*	2,224*
Stage Wins	1	99	10*

*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 (79,798) 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.

XFINITY SCHEDULE SET: On Tuesday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that it will enter 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro with primary sponsorship from HENDRICKCARS.COM. William Byron (four races), Chase Elliott (two races), Kyle Larson (two races), Alex Bowman (one race) and Boris Said (one race) will compete in the entry. Brandon McSwain, who is the lead engineer on the No. 24 Cup Series team, will be the crew chief for Byron’s four races. 2014 Xfinity Series champion crew chief Greg Ives will handle the remaining six races. The schedule kicks off next weekend with Byron at Phoenix Raceway.

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.

FINE NINE: With wins in the last three spring races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Larson’s playoff race victory in October of 2023, Hendrick Motorsports has tallied nine wins at the 1.5-mile track. That mark leads all Cup Series teams. Johnson’s four victories are a team-high, while Larson has two wins. Bowman, Byron and Gordon each have one win. The five drivers to win at the Nevada venue are also the most by one team.

TRIP SWEEP: In last year’s spring race, Byron, Larson and Bowman took the top three spots in the finishing order. The trio combined to lead 241 of the 271 laps in the event. It also marked the fourth time (with 2005, 2007 and the spring race of 2022 being the others) that the team took at least the top-two spots in a race at Las Vegas. This race was also one of three occurrences in its storied history where the team swept the top three spots in an event (the DAYTONA 500 in 1997 and the top-four sweep at Dover Motor Speedway in 2021 are the others).

VIVA LAS VICTORY: In last year’s two races at Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsports led 69.70% of the laps run (375 of 538). Both race winners (Byron in the spring and Larson in the fall) swept the stages en route to their victories.

STAGE SAVANTS: Over the last eight races at Las Vegas (dating back to 2020), Hendrick Motorsports has earned 10 of the 16 stage wins. Larson has four, Elliott picked up three, Byron tallied two and Bowman notched one. The team’s 10 stage wins at Las Vegas are its most at any track on the schedule.

SETTING THE STAGE: The next stage win for Hendrick Motorsports will be its 100th in the Cup Series. Elliott has the most stage wins at Hendrick Motorsports with 37, followed by Larson (32), Byron (21), Bowman (six) and Johnson (three).

WEST SUCCESS: Of the last 18 races on the West Coast, nine have resulted in victories for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson has five wins, while Byron scored two and Bowman and Elliott have one each. The team’s 44 wins on the West Coast are the most in the series by 21 over the next highest team.

NEXT GEN NUMBERS: The Concord, North Carolina-based team’s five wins on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen car lead all teams in the Cup Series. Since 2022, Byron and Larson each have two victories on 1.5-milers and are two of the four drivers with multiple victories on that track length. Bowman has one triumph.

GROB SIGNS ON: Hendrick Motorsports and GROB Systems have teamed up for a synergistic partnership to bring precision 5-Axis GROB machines to the campus of the 14-time Cup Series champions. GROB has been a developer and manufacturer of machines and production lines for over 90 years and its North American headquarters are located in Bluffton, Ohio.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his past success at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Hendrick Motorsports: “It was a close one last fall, but it was cool to hang on to win and earn a place in the Championship 4. Another great moment was getting that first win (at Hendrick Motorsports) with the 5 team (in 2021) – with the paint scheme that honors Ricky (Hendrick). We’ve run well at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway), won stages and races, so it’s definitely a track I look forward to racing at.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Las Vegas after two drafting-style tracks to begin the season: “Our team process and execution at Daytona (International Speedway) and Atlanta (Motor Speedway) were good – although the results aren’t there on paper – and going to (Las) Vegas is another good test of that. When we look at the race last October, yeah, we had a good car but there were one or two cars that were better than us that we need to close the gap on – especially on the long runs. The track conditions are going to be different, but we know we have to take a step to get better and hopefully, we have addressed that.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, reflecting on adversity faced due to his injury last year: “It was definitely not fun sitting out and kind of watching the show go on. I had never had any serious injury or serious broken bones before last year and certainly never had surgery before. I had never been through that process before. As you get going and you start physical therapy and all those things, there are parts of it that are tough when you are trying to build strength back in muscles that have been dormant for a month or better. That part was a challenge.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on heading to Las Vegas: “Las Vegas (Motor Speedway) hasn’t been a great track for us as of late, but our team has been focused on improving our mile-and-half program. This weekend is our first true test to see where we stack up after the offseason. I’ve been really proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far through the first two races. The finishes may not reflect that, but we earned a solid amount of points, had fast pit stops and were able to get a stage win. To make it through those back-to-back superspeedway races and sit sixth in points is huge. Hopefully, we can continue that positive trend this weekend.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the keys to this weekend at Las Vegas: “We hope to be a little bit better this weekend. We always hope that though. We won the first race at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway) last year and then in the second race we had good short run speed but not long run speed. That’s something we’ve been working on this offseason and I think this is a race that the team has had circled to get back to. We want to keep the momentum going that we already have and these next few races coming up are crucial.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of this stretch of races to the playoffs: “If you think about it, usually we have a few weeks at the start of the season where the races don’t really apply to the playoffs. This year, though, we’ve raced Atlanta (Motor Speedway) and then we go Las Vegas (Motor Speedway), Phoenix (Raceway) and Bristol (Motor Speedway). That’s four playoff races in a row with all of them being super, super important. We have to be on our game to get as much information as we can to be ready for when the playoffs come.”

Fugle on what he expects for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas: “Right now it looks like it’s going to be pretty cold Sunday in (Las) Vegas, so it’ll be pretty gripped up with a lot of throttle. I think at the beginning of a run you’re going to be able to run wide open. It’s going to lose a ton of grip, though, and you’ll see cars get really, really loose over a run. That’s where you will see those comers and goers. The last race there I think is the perfect example of that. It’s also supposed to be really windy this weekend, so we’ll watch that. It could affect how you break the corners apart since the wind will be blowing one direction on one side and the opposite on the other. That will hurt your handling. It should be exciting to watch though.”
​Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his comfort level at Las Vegas: “I’m excited for this weekend at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). I went to the simulator this morning trying to get dialed in. There are places we are starting to get pretty consistently good at and (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway) is one of them. We scored a podium finish last spring and then I did crash there last fall, but hopefully, I won’t do that again. It would be awesome to get the No. 48 team and Ally another win there. I look forward to going back and getting back to where we should be running. Getting back to victory lane, winning races, making the playoffs and contending for a championship is really this year’s goal.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his outlook for this weekend at Las Vegas: “We had a couple of really fast cars there last year. Obviously, being a part of Hendrick Motorsports’ 1-2-3 finish in the spring was great. We had a fast car again in the fall and got ourselves in the top 10 before we wrecked. I expect to go back there with speed. It’s a good track historically for Hendrick Motorsports and we hope to kick off our intermediates the right way.”

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Las Vegas Advance

Event Overview
● Event: Pennzoil 400 (Round 3 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 3
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Ohanafy Ford Mustang

● Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing (RWR), partners with Ohanafy for his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Ohanafy is at the forefront of innovative technology built specifically for the beverage industry.

● In six previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Haley has one top-10 finish with a best of eighth earned last March. Overall, Haley has led 16 laps at Las Vegas and has completed all but 12 of 1,613 laps possible.

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

● In addition to his Cup Series resume at Vegas, Haley has made six starts at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he’s posted four top-10 finishes.

● Last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Haley and the No. 51 team ran as high as eighth after suffering damage in a multicar accident in the opening laps of the race. Haley spent a majority of the race running well inside the top-15, his Ford Mustang strong on the long runs. The 24-year-old was vying for a top-10 finish before the final green-flag pit stops and a late-race restart hampered his ability to advance higher than his finishing position of 20th.

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

● Kaz Grala is set to make his first Cup Series start at Las Vegas in the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang for RWR. Sunday’s race on the 1.5-mile oval will also be his first Cup Series start on a true intermediate track and follows a 14th-place finish on the superspeedway-style 1.54-mile layout at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

● Grala owns three Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas with a best-finish of 16th in March 2018 and three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts with a best-finish of fifth in September 2017.

● Grala’s 14th-place finish at Atlanta last Sunday was his third top-15 in the Cup Series. His best result remains a sixth-place effrort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway earned in April 2021.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● The 2024 drag racing season unofficially kicked off two weeks ago in Bradenton, Florida, during the PRO Superstar Shootout, where RWR’s Clay Millican promptly set fast time in the first round of qualifying with an elapsed time of 3.688 seconds and a speed of 336.49 mph, and then remained atop the leaderboard by securing the No. 1 qualifying position. Millican advanced all the way to the final round of eliminations, a stout performance that highlighted an expanded role this season by longtime partner Parts Plus on the No. 51 Top Fuel Dragster, and the addition of NHRA veteran Nicky Boninfante as co-crew chief.

● In the first racing event of the 2024 season, Cody Ware scored a podium finish Jan. 20 on the 12-turn, 3.56-mile Daytona road course driving a Ligier JS P320 in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge LMP3 class. The following weekend, Ware and teammate Preston Pardus competed in the twin Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup races at Daytona.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

● In 2023, RWR enjoyed three NHRA Top Fuel wins with Millican, two Progressive American Flat Track wins with rider Briar Bauman, and multiple WSX victories with riders Shane McElrath and Joey Savatgy coming off their 2022 WSX championship.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

You started the points-paying season with two superspeedway-style races. What do you expect from the No. 51 team in the first race on a true intermediate track at Las Vegas?

“The intermediate tracks can be some of the toughest to figure out. I’ve had some good runs at Vegas, so hopefully I can give some feedback that will help us get to a good place for the race. The two tracks we’ve been at don’t really compare to what is coming next. Las Vegas and Phoenix will give us a good idea of what we’ve really got. The more time we have working together at the track, the more we are going to learn, no matter where we are racing.”

You’ve had a strong start to the season, and you say time at track has been beneficial to building strong relationships within the team. Is there one thing that is on the to-do list for improvement?

“I’ve been super fortunate to have fast racecars. There is still a lot we need to work on. We have to look at this as a new team even though RWR has been around for a while. With new people, we’re still working through communication and a lot of the little things to build things up to where they need to be. It’s hard to do a lot of that at the shop, away from the track, so we’ve had to work through some of that as it comes up during a race. I think the way we worked through a lot of what happened at Atlanta was good and shows we’re on the right track.”

Have there been moments in these first three races that have made you feel like things are headed in the right direction?

“Getting back from Daytona and seeing the shop guys – the ones who have really been the framework for RWR over the years – they were really excited. That was probably one of the coolest things that has happened so far and it just continues. We go to Atlanta and run in the top-10 – it just shows all these guys that it’s worth it. All the work, the frustration, it’s all worth it. It takes time, but we’re getting there.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

Las Vegas will be the first true 1.5-mile track you visit. Is there anything that can be carried over from last weekend’s race at the 1.5-mile, superspeedway-style track at Atlanta?

“I actually think we learned a few things we can use at Las Vegas. Atlanta races differently, but it’s still similar to the mile-and-a-half tracks in some ways. It’ll be nice to have a practice session and be able to work on some stuff instead of just jumping into the race. Seat time and working through things at track are where we are going to learn the most. If we can get a good start on the intermediate tracks early in the season, it gives us something to build toward to be competitive later in the season.”

How are you feeling about the progress of moving to the Cup Series fulltime with a team that is rebuilding?

“I think everyone is doing a great job. It’s always a work in progress. We will never reach a point where we’re content, but I think going back to the Clash, we’ve shown what everyone at RWR can do. We’ve got good cars, good people and the more we race, the better we’re going to get.”

After opening the 2024 season on two drafting-style tracks, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a traditional intermediate-length track.

Crew chief Jeremy Bullins said he’s looking forward to Sunday’s Pennzoil 400, particularly in light of the team’s performance in a difficult drafting race this past Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In that race, Burton and the team managed to escape several on-track incidents and run in the top 10 for much of the event, then rally from a late incident to finish 11th.

That was an important turn-around after Burton was eliminated from the season-opening Daytona 500 in a Lap 6 multi-car melee.

“We finally had some luck on our side last week, avoiding major damage in the accidents we were involved in,” Bullins said. “It was definitely nice to have some luck on our side headed to Las Vegas, but our plan is to have the speed in our Mustang Dark Horse to go have a good race.”

The fact that the Pennzoil 400 is the first of many races on intermediate-length (around 1.5 miles in length) is not lost on Bullins.

“Being the first race of the year that’s not a speedway race will be a good test of our cars,” he said. “We also can see where the field stacks up and what we need to work on.”

Bullins believes he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will unload a fast Ford at Las Vegas.

“I feel like this team has put a lot of work in to be prepared, and we’re excited to see where we stack up,” he said.

Practice for the Pennzoil 400 is set for Saturday at 11:05 local time (2:05 Eastern Time) to be followed by qualifying at 11:50 (2:50 Eastern). FOX Sports 1 will carry the TV broadcast.

Sunday’s 400-mile, 267-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 80 and 165.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.