5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 8th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TALKIN’ TEXAS: Kyle Larson started 11th in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. In stage two, he scored his fifth stage win of the season and now has 24 playoff points. While battling for the lead with 19 laps to go, Larson was involved in an on-track incident that brought an end to his race. He is now eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series driver point standings, two points above the elimination line with two more races in the Round of 12. Larson’s 99 laps led at Texas moved him to the series lead (897) in that statistical category this season. In addition, his stage win moved him to second all-time with 47 stage wins.

PUSHIN’ THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS: In the Round of 16, Larson earned the best average finish all-time in the opening round of the elimination playoffs and the second-best average finish through the first three playoff races all-time (2.33). During the playoffs, the 31-year-old driver has the most laps run in the top five (976) and is second in laps led (273), average running position (6.66) and most laps run in the top 10 (1,130).

THE ROAD TO PHOENIX: The 2021 Cup Series champion is no stranger to navigating the championship road to Phoenix Raceway. Larson has earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs seven times and won at five of the remaining six playoff tracks. With victories at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix, Talladega Superspeedway is the only track remaining at which the driver of the No. 5 has yet to win.

TURNING TO TALLADEGA: This weekend, the Elk Grove, California, driver returns to Talladega. In his 17 Cup Series starts at the 2.66-mile track, Larson has led 53 laps, with 40 of those circuits out front coming in his last three runs there. His best finish at a drafting track came at Talladega in April 2022 when he earned a fourth-place result.

IN 2023: This season, Larson leads the way in top-five finishes (13) and is in a five-way tie for the third-most top-10s (15). He’s also third in average running position (11.38) and laps run in the top five (3,160). In addition, he has the second-most laps run in the top 10 (4,653). Larson ranks second-best on restarts, based on data from Racing Insights.

FAST TIMES ON PIT ROAD: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew now has the second-fastest average four-tire pit stop time of the season at 11.110 seconds. The group has two of the nine fastest four-tire pit stops this year. The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).

HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: This Sunday’s race at Talladega marks the 14th home race for the HendrickCars.com team this season. The Birmingham/Hoover, Alabama area is home to three Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Respectively, the No. 5 driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HendrickCars.com home race this season (15 total), there is a unique hat released the week of the race and only available for sale on the trackside merchandise haulers or available to win on HendrickCars.com. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public. This week’s Alabama-themed hat will be revealed Thursday and can be seen here.

WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? One lucky winner will win his ride. Fans can donate now to enter a drawing for a chance to take home the Z71 Crew Cab 4WD package with custom features and styling. This special sweepstakes raises funding for the Kyle Larson Foundation’s “DRIVE FOR 5” campaign that supports youth, families and communities in need. The campaign is nearing its fundraising goal of $500,000. Click here to check out this sweet custom ride and enter to win today. The drawing closes on Sunday, Dec. 3, and the winner will be chosen on Monday, Dec. 11.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 27 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 17th

No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

RELIVING THE MOMENT: Chase Elliott heads to Talladega Superspeedway as the defending winner of the fall NASCAR Cup Series race. The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 led a total of 10 laps that day. He finished third in the first stage and won stage two before ultimately taking the lead again on the final lap to capture his 18th career Cup Series win. It was Elliott’s fifth victory of the season and his second series win on the high banks of Talladega, making it the fourth track at which he has earned multiple Cup victories. The win locked him into the Round of 8 in the Cup Series playoffs. Elliott eventually went on to advance to the Championship 4 for the third consecutive season, ultimately finishing fourth in the series standings.

WORTH FIGHTING FOR: Last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, the No. 9 team made headway in its quest for the owner championship. After entering the Round of 12 at Texas in the 12th position, Elliott and the No. 9 group earned points in each stage, propelling them to ninth in the owner playoff standings. They are now just two points below the elimination line with two races remaining before the owner playoff field is narrowed down to eight.

CUT TO THE CHASE: Elliott has a history of being strong on drafting-style tracks in the Cup Series. Across his last 16 Cup starts on tracks of that type (Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2022, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega), the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has two victories – second only to teammate William Byron – and two runner-up finishes, which are tied for second-most. His impressive six top-five finishes and average finish of 11.25 in that span are tops in each category. The 27-year-old driver’s 10 top-10 results and five stage wins are tied for best in the series, while Elliott’s 269 laps led are the third-best mark across those 16 races. In his Cup Series career, he has three wins on drafting-style tracks: Talladega in 2019 and 2022 and Atlanta in 2022.

‘DEGA NUMBERS: This weekend, Elliott will make his 16th Talladega Cup Series start. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has two victories on the 2.66-mile superspeedway – most recently last October – and has collected five top-five finishes and seven top-10s across his 15 starts at the track. Elliott has the best average finish (14.07) at Talladega among active full-time drivers, which is also fourth-best on the all-time list of drivers with at least six Cup starts at the Alabama track. In the spring race, Elliott won the first stage and finished second in stage two, leading 18 laps en route to a 12th-place finish.

PART OF THE LEGACY: Hendrick Motorsports achieved its 300th Cup Series victory last weekend. Elliott is one of 20 drivers to score wins for the organization. His 18 Cup victories are the third-most by a driver for Hendrick Motorsports – trailing only NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson. While on the topic of milestones, Elliott is only 11 circuits away from 5,000 laps led in his Cup Series career. His 4,989 laps pacing the field are third-best among all Hendrick Motorsports drivers, behind only Gordon and Johnson.

FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 9 pit crew had the fastest four-tire pit stop of the race last weekend at Texas with a time of 9.409 seconds. The over-the-wall squad currently holds the eighth-best average four-tire pit stop time of 11.306 seconds. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).

LLUMAR RETURNS: LLumar, a 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 Talladega. It’s the third of four races that the brand is serving as a primary partner during the 2023 season. Following this Sunday’s race, LLumar will be back onboard Elliott’s No. 9 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 15. Earlier this season, Elliott drove the LLumar Throwback Chevrolet to a third-place finish at Darlington Raceway and a fourth-place result at Daytona. In June, it was announced that LLumar extended its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports, Elliott and the No. 9 team through 2026. Get a look at the 2023 No. 9 LLumar Chevy here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 1st

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TEXAS-SIZED WIN: After qualifying 18th at Texas Motor Speedway for last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, William Byron and the No. 24 team went to work making up track position. Utilizing pit strategy, Byron finished stage one in fourth to secure stage points. As the race went on, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native continued to improve and ultimately found himself in a prime position with under 10 laps to go. Restarting third with six laps remaining, Byron made a three-wide pass to take the lead and never looked back. Sunday’s victory was his first in both the playoffs and at Texas. It also marked his 10th win at the highest level of racing and his series-best sixth of the 2023 season. On top of those accomplishments, Byron’s triumph secured the 300th win for Hendrick Motorsports.

WHAT’S IN A NUMBER?: With his win at Texas, Byron continues to extend the history of the No. 24. The iconic car number is now third on the all-time list with 103 Cup Series wins, trailing only the No. 43 (200 wins) and the No. 11 (231 wins). Byron’s six wins in the No. 24 in the 2023 season are also tied for the sixth-most wins in a single season with the number. Team vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon accounts for 93 wins in the No. 24.

NEXT GEN DUO: Since the introduction of the Next Gen Cup Series car in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle have now collected eight wins together. Not only is that the most by a driver but it is also the most by a crew chief in the same time period – two more than anyone else.

KEEP IT ROLLIN’: Heading into the second race in the Round of 12, Byron’s win locked him into the next round of the playoffs and he continues to lead the driver point standings. After 30 races, Byron leads the series in wins (six) and stage wins (eight). His 883 laps led are a single-season career-best for the 25-year-old driver and rank second on the year to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (897). Byron’s 11 top-five finishes are the third-most in the sport’s top division, while his 16 top-10s are tied for the most. In addition, Byron ranks second in both average running position (10.40) and laps run in the top five (3,252) while he ranks third in laps run in the top 10 (4,639).

DRAFT DAY: When it comes to tracks that involve drafting, Byron is normally running up front. He has three wins on these types of tracks – his first Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway in August 2020 and at the re-configured Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2022 and in July of this season. The two Atlanta wins came with the Next Gen car, which ties Byron with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott for the most drafting wins by a driver in the Next Gen car. Since the start of the 2022 season, he also has led the most laps (214) at drafting tracks of any driver.

TALLADEGA TELL-ALL: Byron will be making his 12th Cup Series start at the 2.66-mile oval when the No. 24 team hits the track Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. In his previous 11 starts, Byron has led 96 laps and earned a track-best finish of second coming in April 2021. In addition to that runner-up finish, Byron has two stage wins at Talladega, including winning stage two in the spring 2022 race.

DIGGIN’ DEGA: When the Cup Series heads to the Alabama-based track this weekend, it will mark Fugle’s sixth race at the venue as a Cup Series crew chief. In his first five Cup Series starts, Fugle and the No. 24 team have a track-best result of second in the spring race of the 2021 season. Aside from those five races, the Livonia, New York, native has eight other national series starts at the 2.66-mile track already under his belt with seven of those coming in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. In those Truck Series races, Fugle has accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s. One of those previous starts was with Byron, in 2016, where the duo started eighth and raced to a 10th-place result.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 30 races in the 2023 season, the No. 24 pit crew remains in the top spot with the fastest average four-tire pit stop time of 10.988 seconds. The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).

AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: For the fifth time in the 2023 season, Axalta will be back onboard Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This is Axalta’s 31st year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. The company has been a primary partner for two of Byron’s wins this year – the May victory at Darlington Raceway and the July triumph at Atlanta.

WELCOME HP: On Wednesday, Hendrick Motorsports announced its expanded partnership with HP Inc. While HP Inc. joined Hendrick Motorsports in October 2022, the new agreement includes primary sponsorship with Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet for the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL race next weekend plus two primary races with the team each season from 2024-2026. HP takes pride in providing innovative, high-performance solutions that empower high-performance and data-driven teams. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Z 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: 20th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

DOWNRIGHT FAST IN ‘DEGA: While Alex Bowman shows speed at every drafting-style track that the NASCAR Cup Series competes at, he has yet to get to victory lane. His best superspeedway finish in his Cup Series career came at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2019. In that race, Bowman finished second in both stages and led seven circuits en route to his runner-up finish behind teammate Chase Elliott. The 30-year-old driver is one of four active drivers along with his teammate, William Byron, to finish second but not yet win at the Alabama venue. In 15 starts at Talladega, Bowman has one top-five finish and four top-10s. This spring, he finished second in the opening stage before a 13th-place result.

DOING WELL IN THE DRAFT: Bowman has two top-10 finishes on drafting tracks in 2023. In the season-opening DAYTONA 500, he finished fifth and backed that up with a sixth-place run in the summer race at the “World Center of Racing.”

THAT’S MY CREW CHIEF: Blake Harris, the crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Racing team, will make his fourth start atop the pit box at Talladega this Sunday. In two races at this track in 2022, Harris led the No. 34 team to one top-five finish and two top-10s, finishing eighth in April and third in October. In Harris’ first superspeedway race with Bowman – the 2023 DAYTONA 500 – the duo won the pole and finished fifth.

SET FOR THE RESTART: The Tucson, Arizona, native ranks as the fifth-best driver on restarts in 2023, according to data from Racing Insights. That mark is the second-best among the Hendrick Motorsports quartet, as teammate Kyle Larson is second in this statistical category.

FUELING FUTURES: Ally will host its annual Fueling Futures event on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The primary partner of the No. 48 team has created four individual “pit stops” for students from Charlotte’s Garinger High School and Harding University High School, providing a behind-the-scenes look at various job opportunities within the racing industry, including engineering, marketing, financial education and pit crew. After completing each pit stop, the group will come together for a Q&A with Bowman. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will also be available to the media that day. To RSVP to attend the event, members of the media can email jarneson@hmsracing.com for further details.

SAVE THEM ALL: Bowman and primary partner Ally are teaming up this year to bring back the Best Friends Animal Society donation effort. This week, the duo will make charitable contributions to Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, which serves the local community in Hoover, Alabama. Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins on Sunday.    
 
SHINING BRIGHT IN THE DAYTIME: During Sunday’s race at Talladega, the No. 48 Ally Chevy will adorn its “day” scheme. This scheme hosts a white base with bright plum, grapefruit and seafoam stripes down the sides. Check out all the angles of the ride here. 

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2023	All-Time	Talladega
Races	30	1,339	79
Wins	9*	300*	14*
Poles	6	245*	13*
Top 5	36*	1,226*	63*
Top 10	56*	2,101*	97*
Laps Led	1,958	79,275*	3,048*
Stage Wins	14	93	5*

*Most **Most (tie)

300 WINS REACHED: With William Byron’s win at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports has become the first team to reach 300 NASCAR Cup Series victories. Twenty drivers have combined to reach this total across 31 different racetracks. With nine points-paying victories in 2023, the team has posted its 36th multi-win season in the Cup Series while maintaining a streak of at least two per season for the past 30 years. To see a full breakdown of the win total by driver, track, car number and more, click here.

PLAYOFF LOWDOWN: For the 10th straight season, Hendrick Motorsports has at least two drivers in the Round of 12. Byron and Kyle Larson remain in the playoff field. In addition, the Nos. 5, 9 and 24 teams are battling for the owner championship. Byron’s victory at Texas locks him into the Round of 8 and marks the 10th straight season that the organization has had at least one driver in the Round of 8.

CHAMPIONSHIP COUNT: The Rick Hendrick-owned team has a series-best 14 Cup Series championships. NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Jimmie Johnson accounts for half of those with seven (2006-10, 2013 and 2016). NASCAR Hall of Famer and team vice chairman Jeff Gordon racked up four titles (1995, 1997-98 and 2001). NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte (1996), Chase Elliott (2020) and Larson (2021) each have one championship for the team. Nine of those titles have come in the playoff era (2004-present).

GOOD SIGN: In six of the last seven occurrences where a Hendrick Motorsports driver has won at least six races, that driver has gone on to win the title (Johnson in 2007-10 and 2013 and Larson in 2021). Byron now has half a dozen wins in the 2023 season.

RECORD SETTERS: Hendrick Motorsports has posted a series-best 57 wins in the playoffs, which is 21 more than the closest team. Johnson has the most with 29 victories. Among the current driver lineup, Elliott and Larson top the board with seven wins apiece in the playoffs followed by Byron and Alex Bowman with one.

VICTORY FORMATION: Gordon’s six wins at Talladega Superspeedway top the board for the organization followed by Johnson and Elliott’s two triumphs each. Labonte, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ken Schrader and Brian Vickers each have one victory at Talladega while driving for the organization. The seven drivers to win at this track are the most for one team.

DRAFTING DARLINGS: The Concord, North Carolina-based team has 32 wins on drafting tracks, which is the highest total in the series. The drafting tracks on the circuit are 2.66-mile Talladega, 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway (since its reprofiling for the 2022 season). In addition to its 14 victories at Talladega, the team has 15 wins at Daytona and three triumphs at Atlanta.

NEXT GEN NUMBERS: Byron and Elliott are tied for the most wins (two) on drafting tracks in the Next Gen car. Byron was victorious at Atlanta in March 2022 and July 2023. Elliott scored wins at Atlanta in July 2022 and Talladega in October 2022. Those victories have all occurred in the last 10 races on drafting tracks.

STUDYING THE TRENDS: In each of the last eight 2023 Cup Series races, Hendrick Motorsports has had a driver finish in the top five. Those top fives came at Michigan International Speedway (Larson), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Elliott and Bowman), Watkins Glen International (Byron), Daytona (Elliott), Darlington Raceway (Larson and Byron), Kansas Speedway (Larson), Bristol Motor Speedway (Larson) and Texas (Byron).

TWO MORE XFINITY RACES ADDED: Hendrick Motorsports will enter two additional 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season with its No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro. Veteran road racer Boris Said will drive in the Oct. 7 Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL event while Rajah Caruth will be in the seat at the season-ending race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 4. Both will be sponsored by HENDRICKCARS.COM. The No. 17 entry has made five starts in the Xfinity Series this year, with a combined three top-five finishes, four top-10s and one pole position.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Talladega Superspeedway: “I’m just trying to do good every weekend. Texas (Motor Speedway) didn’t pan out the way the No. 5 team necessarily wanted, but our race cars have been crazy fast. I’m just trying to get through Talladega with some decent track position and hopefully, we can get a win at Talladega (Superspeedway).”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how the No. 5 team approaches superspeedway races: “We’ve had a very similar strategy at all of the superspeedway races this year. We’re trying to do what’s right as far as keeping our car upfront. Obviously, we try to avoid trouble the best we can, which can certainly be tough to do at these plate races. I feel like we always have fast cars and Kyle (Larson) always does a great job at trying to get our car upfront and in position. You certainly have to execute a good race. If we do all the things that we can control right and put ourselves in position, with a healthy dose of luck, hopefully, we’ll have a good finish coming our way soon.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the key to racing at Talladega: “Talladega (Superspeedway) is just about some good timing and good fortune. I mean, you can certainly make better or worse decisions at certain times. I do think there is a bit of a method to the madness. You see certain drivers that run really well there. They might not get it right all the time, but they get it right more than others. That being said, there must be a way to better your odds at least. A lot of it is just feel and what you’re seeing, what you’re feeling with what everybody else around you is doing. A big thing with plate racing is just staying on offense. You see those that are on offense that are really good pushers. Those guys tend to find themselves at the front of those races more than not. That’s a hard thing to do because you have to have your car driving like you want it to. You’ve got to be able to have the opportunity to push and make pace that way. The people who have the ability to be on offense are going to find themselves in a good spot more times than not.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s outlook for Talladega: “We want to win. We want to try to qualify a little better to get a little bit of a pit selection. It’s been hurting us a little bit in recent speedway races. So, we’re working on that. We’ve had a pretty good race setup there for the last couple races, so looking forward to building on that. And certainly, I think Hendrick Motorsports’ speedway game has been pretty good. The collaboration between the team cars has been really good, so I’m looking forward to building on that. The Chevrolets, in general, have worked well together. I think we have an opportunity to win and do good. We’ve had really solid runs here lately. The finish at Texas (Motor Speedway) was super disappointing, but I think we were in position to win there, which was great. We want to do the same thing again this week. Try to put ourselves in position when it matters and see what happens.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he approaches the rest of the Round of 12: “Our focus has changed some now for this round of the playoffs. We now can go to Talladega (Superspeedway) and focus on helping our teammates, the Nos. 5 and 9. We just need to make our way up front and find our teammates to help them get to the next round as well. If we have an opportunity to get playoff points in the process, great, but our priority will be to help our teammates. Same thing at the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL. We can’t help as much there, but we can possibly get more playoff points to help for the next round. Otherwise, we’re focused on Las Vegas (Motor Speedway) and working towards that round.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what it means to get Hendrick Motorsports’ 300th win: “You think about the last few weeks with 500 engine shop wins across the top three series and then to get 300 Cup Series wins, those are some amazing accomplishments for Hendrick Motorsports. Mr. Hendrick is such a great leader and he is so good to all of us. He cares and he is so passionate about the sport. The fact that we (No. 24 team) were able to do it was huge. From day one when I got to Hendrick Motorsports, you walk by tables and meeting rooms that have picture books with all the photos of the wins and milestones. To be able to get him to 300 wins and to be the car that did it is huge. We get to sign our name next to that forever.”

Fugle on the mindset of the No. 24 team: “I didn’t realize that people thought we were struggling. We think we can win any race. Whether it’s practice, qualifying or the race. We have the car, the driver and the pit crew to win any session. Sometimes we get off here and there but we have the capability. If you give us a shot, we have the knowledge and the speed to win every session. There’s not a race we can’t win. We’re going to keep growing, though, to be a little bit more consistent in the top five. But we’re in the Round of 8, we have 41 playoff points and we can start getting ready for Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). Take that however you want to take it but we’re going to keep working hard.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to Talladega this weekend: “We had a good No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the spring race at Talladega (Superspeedway) and I think Blake (Harris) and I learned a lot about what I need in my set up to help us for this weekend. Our crew has done a lot of work looking at SMT data and leaning on our teammates at Hendrick Motorsports. I feel like we are very prepared to go compete this weekend. Blake and I have talked a ton this week and we already know that having a clean race car at the end is super important. We are going to do our best to unload in Alabama as close as we can get to having the car right, make some good adjustments and try to go execute a clean race. Hopefully, that will be enough to be competitive.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what it will take to win at Talladega: “I think Talladega (Superspeedway) has a lot of different challenges. Obviously, having a fast No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is important, but trying to give Alex (Bowman) a car that can handle well in traffic will also be key. We have good superspeedway notes and feel confident we can be in contention if we stay out of trouble. We have great teammates to work with throughout the race and it will take all of us to pull off a win this weekend.”

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed to Talladega Speedway, one of their best tracks and one of the best for Ford Motor Company.

At Talladega in April, Burton led 11 laps, and he led 14 this season at Talladega’s sister track, Daytona International Speedway. Ford has long been strong at Talladega, with 10 wins in the past 16 races, and nine in the fall race since NASCAR adopted the Playoff format. And the Wood Brothers have five wins on the giant, 2.66-mile track.

Crew chief Jeremy Bullins said he’s optimistic as he and the DEX Imaging crew prepare for Sunday’s YellaWood500.

“I’m really looking forward to taking our Wood Brothers Ford Mustang to Talladega, a track where all the Fords have been competitive over the years,” Bullins said. “Roush Yates Engines puts a lot of work into continued improvements and finding more power.”

But Bullins knows that despite all the preparation that goes into a Talladega or Daytona weekend and the strategy decisions made once the green flag flies, a key factor is avoiding the “Big One” multi-car crashes that often occur in the tight racing at those tracks.

“We all go into the speedway races knowing there could be some big wrecks and things beyond our control,” he said. “But we will focus on the things we can control and try to be there at the end.

“Anyone can win this week, and we will try to be in the right spot at the right time.”

Per NASCAR policy, there will be no practice at Talladega. Qualifying is set for 3:30 p.m. Central Time (4:30 Eastern) on Saturday.

Sunday’s 188-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 1 p.m. (2 p.m. Eastern Time) with Stage breaks planned for Laps 60 and 120.

NBC will carry the broadcast of the race, while USA Network will cover qualifying.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

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.

Race Information
Round: NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 31 of 36 (Playoffs Round of 12)
Track Location: Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, Alabama
Race Name: YellaWood 500
Broadcast: Sunday, October 1st at 2:00 PM ET live on NBC (TV), MRN (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90

Team Entrants:

No. 42 | Carson Hocevar & Luke Lambert – Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
No. 43 | Erik Jones & Dave Elenz – Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Talladega Superspeedway Stats

-Carson Hocevar will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega on Sunday

-NCTS: Starts: 2; Best Start: 3rd (2022); Best Finish: 25th (2021); Laps Led: 12

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

-Starts: 5; Best Start: 15th (Darlington, Fall); Best Finish: 11th (Bristol); No. 42 Owners Points: 32nd

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

-Starts: 20; Wins: 3 (Texas, Nashville, Richmond); Best Start: 2nd (North Wilkesboro & Bristol); Top-5s: 10; Top-10s: 12; Laps led: 255; Current Points Position: 3rd (+18 to the cutline)

About Sunseeker Resort: Opening in 2023, Florida’s newest luxury resort located in Charlotte Harbor is the first resort property of Sunseeker Resorts, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company. Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor occupies over 22 waterfront acres with 785 guest rooms, including 189 Signature Sunsuites™. Set upon the Peace River and Florida Gulf Coast, this premier resort offers 20 original food and beverage concepts; including seven stand-alone restaurants, eleven bars and lounges, two poolside offerings and a 25,000-square-foot multi-dining experience. Additional hotel amenities include a waterfront promenade, two unique rooftop and waterfront pool experiences, 60,000-square-feet of combined convention space, full-service spa and salon, a 7,100-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center with four group exercise studios with specialty instructor lead classes, three retail and market shops, and an 18-hole championship level golf club exclusive to hotel guests only. The resort is conveniently located within a short drive of Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Tampa airports. For more information, visit www.sunseekerresorts.com. Follow us on Instagram: @sunseekerresorts and like us on Facebook: @sunseekerresorts.

Texas Recap: Carson Hocevar made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet. Hocevar had a relatively quiet, but solid outing in the sweltering Fort Worth heat, starting from the 19th position. As the race progressed, he hovered around the top-15, keeping thecar intact and picking up his pace as the race wore on. Late in the going, his Sunseeker Resort Camaro ZL1 made some contact with the outside wall exiting turn four, which resulted in a damaged toe link. Not to be deterred by the setback, the crew repaired the car and sent Hocevarback on his way, where he would rebound and lead the team to the finish in 16th place.

Keep the Momentum Going: In his four Cup Series starts for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Hocevar has kept a streak of top-20 finishes alive. The 20-year-old from Portage, Michigan has adaptedto the Next Gen car well withminimal experience . The No. 42 team has finished every lap except for one and has gained ground on the No. 21 in owner’s points, now only 33 markers back.

Superspeedway Statistics: In seven restrictor plate starts in the Truck Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway, Hocevar has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He has led 12 laps in competition at Talladega but was caught up in crashes in both starts. He’ll make his first superspeedway start in a Cup Series car on Sunday.

Double Duty: Hocevar will run in both NASCAR national series races this weekend as the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series makes its annual stop at Talladega. Following a fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, Carson’s No. 42 Niece Motorsports team has an 18-point cushion to the cutoff point. With only two races left in the Round of 8, the stakes are as high as ever and Talladega will be sure to produce a thrilling event.

Breast Cancer Awareness: As we enter the month of October, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will carry on a team tradition at Talladega Superspeedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway. Both LEGACY MOTOR CLUB cars will carry pink ribbons onboard to honor crew members and family and that have been affected by breast cancer.

Paint the Pit Wall Pink: On Tuesday, Hocevar, Erik Jones, along with other Cup and Xfinity Series competitors joined over 50 breast cancer survivors at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the annual “Paint the Pit Wall Pink” event. This event is in its 11th year, and was a meaningful day to drivers and fans who have been affected by the disease. Read more about the event here.

Lambert at Talladega: Luke Lambert has competed in 20 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway. Lambert’s Cup drivers have finished inside the top-10 eight times, including two runner-up finishes with Jeff Burton in the fall race of 2011 and Ryan Newman in the fall race of 2017. His cars have led a total of 77 laps on Sundays. In three Xfinity Series races, Lambert’s drivers have finished inside the top-10 every time, including one race win that came last year and one pole from back in 2012.

Quoting Carson Hocevar: This week sees your first ever Cup Series race at a super speedway type track, so how different are you expecting the racing to play out and will you be able to learn in the Truck Series race?

“I am actually really looking forward to running my first super speedway race in the Cup Series this weekend. The results might not show it, but I’ve had a blast racing at Talladega in the Truck Series. We’ve just had some unfortunate luck that’s kept us from finishing well. From everybody that I’ve talked to that’s driven both, I’m anticipating a bit of a different race to play out on Sunday. The Cup guys are so good at managing their cars and taking care of one another out there, that I don’t really feel all that much pressure not to put a foot wrong. Saturday will be a different feeling for sure, we’ve only got an 18 point gap to the cutoff line, and the Truck Series drivers always race aggressive. I feel like I can still learn and take some notes heading into Sunday, but there’s definitely going to be a different mindset. The LEGACY M.C. cars are always super fast at these tracks, and Erik’s been close to winning on a few occasions, so I think if we can play our cards right, we’ll definitely have a shot at it. I can’t wait to try it out.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Talladega Superspeedway Stats

-NCS Starts: 13; Best start: 6th (Spring, 2018) Best finish: 3rd (Fall, 2020); Top-5s: 2; Top-10s: 7; Laps Led: 76

-NXS Starts: 3; Best start: 4th (2015 & 2016); Best finish: 5th (2017); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 6; Laps Led: 5

-NCTS Starts: 2; Best start: 3rd (2015); Best finish: 4th (2015); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps Led: 7;

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 30; Best start: 8th (COTA) ; Best finish: 3rd (Kansas); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 6; Laps led: 20; Points position: 26th

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Texas in the Rearview: Erik Jones and the “Dallas vs. Everybody” team had a strong start to the race, with Jones qualifying in 12th position. Jones swiftly advanced through the field, leading for three laps and securing a second-place finish in stage two. He consistently maintained a substantial gap over the third-place driver until a caution prompted a portion of the field to make pit stops. After a four-tire stop, Jones restarted 15th with less than 20 laps remaining. Unfortunately, his shot at a win slipped away as he was involved in a crash on lap 255, ending his day. Jones was credited with a 30th place finish as his car was towed into the garage.

Through the Chaos: Earlier in the year, Jones faced overtime uncertainty as he restarted in 15th place with just two laps remaining. With “The Big One” unfolding right in front of the No. 43, Jones made a swift move to the apron to dodge the wreckage, gaining valuable positions as the caution flag waved. Ultimately, he finished the day just one position short of a top-five finish, marking his highest finish of the season at that point.

Super Speedway Status: Erik Jones boasts an impressive record across 60 Cup Series starts on tracks exceeding two miles. This includes 12 top-five finishes, 25 top-10 finishes, and a visit to Victory Lane at Daytona in 2018. Jones has also led 231 laps at super speedways, with three laps led in his most recent attempt at Talladega in the spring. His average finish on these tracks stands at 17.4, while his average starting position is 17.5. Notably, in his last three outings at Talladega, Jones has achieved a streak of three consecutive sixth place finishes.

Big Numbers: Over the course of his last seven races at Talladega, Erik Jones boasts an impressive average finish of 8.7. His performance has been remarkably consistent, with only one finish falling outside of the top-10 when he was involved in a wreck on the final lap during the spring of 2021. Across these seven races, Jones has showcased his ability to run up front, having led laps in five of the starts, tallying an impressive total of 71 laps led during this stretch.

Dave In ‘Dega: During his time with JR Motorsports, crew chief Dave Elenz coached five drivers to nine starts. In those nine starts, Elenz’s drivers have earned an average starting position of 8.6 with one top-five, and five top-10 finishes, leading for a total of 65 laps. In his three Cup Series starts, Elenz and Erik Jones have earned three sixth-place finishes at the 2.66-mile asphalt tri-oval, totaling 51 laps led.

Paint it Pink: On Tuesday, it was announced that Kurt Busch had “passed the torch” to Erik Jones as the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) will work in partnership with Kurt Busch’s Windows of Hope program for a third season. Jones’ foundation will support its efforts in the area of “cancer prevention and early detection and care”. Every driver in the field for the race at CMS will run a uniquely colored pink window net to signify breast cancer awareness, which will then be autographed and put up for auction through the EJF, which will receive the proceeds to then be donated to multiple beneficiaries to support early cancer detection. The auction for the signed pink window nets will open on October 9th and close on October 16th.

Erik Jones on his partnership with Kurt: “It’s been so great that Kurt (Busch) would let us take this program over, and a huge thanks to him. It’s been a program that I have had a lot of fun watching and participating in over the last few years and it’s really a huge day for The Erik Jones Foundation. We have worked a lot on the cancer side of things with Melanoma, and early detection, but we haven’t been able to do anything with breast cancer which for us is close to the heart with my mom going through it. So, to have a program that has continued to round the foundation out is really important, it has been a big goal of ours to continue to grow these pillars and each side of the foundation, but just really excited to see the window nets on the car and be able to have a program in the Cup Series like that. You see the other guys and what they do, so to have a program of our own with the foundation is super special.”

Quoting Erik Jones: “Talladega has been good to us for the last couple of years. I think with the NextGen car, we have had a ton of speed in the No. 43. I am hoping we can put it all together and have one go our way. We have been in contention to win a handful of them in the last few years, and we just need one to play out the right way for us to have a shot in the end. I am looking forward to getting out there and hopefully getting a win with the No. 43 team.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro entries, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.

In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.

Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing (GMS), which currently fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS in 2012, Gallagher and Mike Beam, team president, have shared incredible success. GMS Racing captured the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships and the 2019 and 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Talladega Superspeedway
Lincoln, Alabama

BOWTIE BACK FOR A REPEAT

NASCAR will make its way back to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend with 2.66-mile Alabama venue set to host its second doubleheader of the season. This time, it will be the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) that will join the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) at the series’ longest and fastest oval to compete in the penultimate race of their respective playoff schedules.

A win in Sunday’s YellaWood 500 would mark the second consecutive season that Chevrolet swept the victories in NASCAR’s premier series at Talladega Superspeedway. Last season, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (April 2022) and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott (October 2022) made the trip to victory lane. Most recently, it was Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (April 2023) that carried the Bowtie brand to the win – bringing the manufacturer to a series-leading 44 NCS wins at Talladega Superspeedway.

Chevrolet has collected victories in six of the 18 NCTS races at Talladega Superspeedway, four of which have come in the series’ past five appearances at the track. Only one of the remaining NCTS playoff contenders has found victory lane in the series at Alabama venue, which was accomplished by the pairing of Grant Enfinger and GMS Racing (October 2016).

ROUND OF 12: PART TWO

William Byron’s career season continued at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend with the driver not only picking up Hendrick Motorsports’ milestone 300th NASCAR Cup Series win, but also the first ticket into the Round of Eight. The monumental triumph brought the 25-year-old North Carolina native to six wins on the season – doubling the next winningest driver with three. While he was eliminated in the Round of Eight last season, it’s projected to be his strongest trio of tracks in the post-season, having found victory lane at all three venues (Las Vegas Motor Speedway – March 2023; Homestead-Miami Speedway – Feb. 2021; Martinsville Speedway – April 2022).

Despite a heartbreaking finish at the 1.5-mile Texas oval, Kyle Larson continues to prove to be another championship favorite. The 31-year-old California native recorded a stage win and a race-high 99 laps led before a battle for the lead ended in contact with the wall that forced a 31st place finish. The result doesn’t depict the speed Larson carried in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 with the Team Chevy driver clocking-in the fast lap times for 42.93% of the laps ran in the event – the highest percentage achieved by a driver in a single race this season. The opening round saw the former champion post an average finish of 2.33 – earning a win and finishing no worse than fourth in the first three races of the postseason.

Entering the Round of 12 on the outside looking in, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain completed the Bowtie brand’s one-two finish at Texas Motor Speedway – moving the Team Chevy driver to the sixth position in the standings with a 12-point advantage over the playoff cutline. Early turmoil in Stage One put Kyle Busch in the 12th position in the standings, but the Richard Childress Racing driver holds a boost of confidence for the second race of the round – heading into Talladega Superspeedway as the track’s most recent winner. The two-time series champion has collected top-10 finishes in four of the five superspeedway-style races this season, highlighted by his win at Talladega Superspeedway (April) and a fifth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (July).

A look at Team Chevy’s playoff contenders heading into the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 at Talladega Superspeedway:

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings; clinched spot in Round of Eight with a win

Victories: 6 (series-leading)

Top-Fives: 11

Top-10s: 16

Laps Led: 883

Average Finish: 12.1

Stage Wins: 8 (series-leading)

At Talladega Superspeedway:

Top-Fives: 2

Top-10s: 3

Average Finish: 17.273

Of Note:

· The 2023 season marks Byron’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.

· Byron’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2022, finishing the season sixth in the final points standings.

· Among Byron’s 10 career wins in NASCAR’s premier series, five have come at tracks in the playoffs, including each of the final four races.

· While he was eliminated in the Round of Eight last season, it’s projected to be his strongest trio of tracks in the post-season – having found victory lane at all three venues (Las Vegas Motor Speedway – March 2023; Homestead-Miami Speedway – Feb. 2021; Martinsville Speedway – April 2022).

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 6th in Playoff Standings; 12 points above the cutline

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 11

Laps Led: 483

Average Finish: 14.7

Stage Wins: 5

At Talladega Superspeedway:

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 2

Top-10s: 2

Average Finish: 18.111

Of Note:

· The 2023 season marks Chastain’s second appearance in the NCS playoffs.

· Chastain’s first time competing in the NCS playoffs came in 2022 – going on to advance to the Championship Four and ultimately leading Team Chevy with a runner-up finish in the final points standings.

· Chastain found his way to victory lane in one track in the Round of 12 – scoring his second win of the 2022 season in the series’ spring appearance at Talladega Superspeedway.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 8th in Playoff Standings; two points above the cutline

Victories: 3

Top-Fives: 13 (series-leading)

Top-10s: 15

Laps Led: 897 (series-leading)

Average Finish: 15.2

Stage Wins: 5

At Talladega Superspeedway:

Top-Fives: 1

Top-10s: 3

Average Finish: 23.412

Of Note:

· The 2023 season marks Larson’s seventh appearance in the NCS playoffs.

· Larson has one NCS Regular Season Championship and one NCS Driver Championship title to his name – both coming in 2021.

· The 31-year-old California native has made it to the Championship Four once – the season that delivered the Team Chevy driver his first championship title in NASCAR’s top series (2021). In his other playoff appearances, Larson reached the Round of Eight (2019), Round of 12 (2017, 2018 and 2022) and Round of 16 (2016).

· During the playoff era (2004-present), the 2021 season saw Larson earn a series-leading five post-season victories – tying the record set by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in 2011.

· Larson has found victory lane in two of the three tracks in the Round of 12 – both coming in his title-winning season (Texas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course).

· In the first three races of the 2023 NCS playoffs, Larson finished no worse than fourth – earning an average finish of 2.33.

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 – 12th in Playoff Standings; 17 points below the cutline

Victories: 3

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 15

Laps Led: 233

Average Finish: 14.6

Stage Wins: 2

At Talladega Superspeedway:

Wins: 2

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 10

Average Finish: 19.889

Of Note:

· In his debut season with Richard Childress Racing and his return to the Bowtie brigade, 2023 marks Busch’s 16th appearance in the NCS playoffs.

· Busch is one of only two active drivers with multiple championships to his name – taking the title in 2015 and 2019.

· In Busch’s 63 career wins in NASCAR’s top series, eight of those triumphs have come in the post-season.

· The 38-year-old Nevada native has made it to the Championship Four on five different occasions – most recently in 2019 en route to his second title.

· Busch is the series’ most recent winner at one track in the Round of 12, with one of his three wins on the season coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

CELEBRATING A MILESTONE

Hendrick Motorsports made history last weekend with William Byron delivering the organization its 300th NASCAR Cup Series victory. This isn’t the only milestone victory the organization has accomplished in the 2023 playoffs. Just three weeks ago, Kyle Larson’s win at Darlington Raceway marked the Hendrick Motorsports Engine Department’s 500th all-time NASCAR national series win.

A partner with Rick Hendrick since the inception of the team, each of Hendrick Motorsports’ wins have come in a Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports’ first triumph in NASCAR’s premier series came in April 1984 with Geoff Bodine, and the organization has since won at least one race in all but one season since it was founded, including an active streak of 38 in a row (1986-2023). Hendrick Motorsports became the winningest organization in NCS history two years ago when Kyle Larson’s win in the 2021 Coca-Cola 600 took the organization to 269 victories – surpassing the all-time win record previously set by Petty Enterprises.

“On behalf of everyone at Chevrolet, congratulations to Rick Hendrick and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization on reaching 300 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “This milestone victory is a testament to the dedication and teamwork by everyone who has contributed to Hendrick Motorsports. As a longtime partner of the winningest organization in NASCAR Cup Series history, we are proud that all 300 Hendrick Motorsports wins have been in partnership with Chevrolet. We look forward to continuing to race together for wins in the NASCAR Cup series.”

The winningest manufacturer in series’ history, Chevrolet has accumulated 848 all-time NCS wins. Hendrick Motorsports is credited with a handful of milestone triumphs for the Bowtie brand, delivering the manufacturer its milestone 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th and 800th victories in NASCAR’s premier series – each recorded by a different driver:

· 400th win: Sept. 9, 1994 – Terry Labonte (Richmond Raceway)

· 500th win: Aug. 12, 2001 Jeff Gordon (Watkins Glen International)

· 600th win: March 25, 2007 – Kyle Busch (Bristol Motor Speedway)

· 700th win: Nov. 4, 2012 – Jimmie Johnson (Texas Motor Speedway)

· 800th win: May 23, 2021 – Chase Elliott (Circuit of The Americas)

 
LOOKING FOR A TICKET TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoff contenders are on the horizon of race two of three in the series’ Round of Eight. Team Chevy’s Christian Eckes came just one spot short of a guaranteed ticket into the Championship Four at Bristol Motor Speedway, but a stage win sweep and his fourth-consecutive postseason podium finish put the 22-year-old New York native in the second position in the points standings with a 29-point cushion above the cutline. In only two superspeedway-style races for the series this season, Eckes has finished no worse than third, including his first of now three wins on the season (Atlanta Motor Speedway – March 2023).

Eckes led a trio of Team Chevy’s NCTS playoff contenders to top-fives in the Round of Eight opener at Bristol Motor Speedway with GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger and Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar finishing in the third and fourth-positions, respectively. Strong finishes at the Tennessee half-mile put Hocevar third (+18) and Enfinger fourth (+14) in the standings – giving Team Chevy three of the top-four drivers in the playoff rankings.

NCTS rookie Nick Sanchez will enter Talladega Superspeedway seventh in the points standings and 22-points below the cutline. But while on the outside looking in, the Rev Racing driver scored his career-best finish in the series’ last appearance on a superspeedway-style track – collecting a runner-up finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Love’s RV Stop 250; and the specially-themed pink ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s YellaWood 500.

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway:

Kyle Busch – 2 (2023 & 2008)

Chase Elliott – 2 (2022 & 2019)

Ross Chastain – 1 (2022)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – (2017)

· In 108 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers in race wins (44) and pole wins (37). Of those wins includes a record streak of 13 consecutive trips to victory lane captured by five different drivers from April 1999 to May 2005.

· Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Chevrolet was the only manufacturer to win at Talladega Superspeedway across all three NASCAR national touring series with NASCAR Cup Series wins by Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch; NASCAR Xfinity Series wins by Noah Gragson, AJ Allmendinger and Jeb Burton; and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win by Matt DiBenedetto.

· Chevrolet has won eight of the past 10 superspeedway-style races in NASCAR’s top series – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams.

· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers were represented in the playoffs each season.

· In 30 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (15), top-fives (64), top-10s (127), stage wins (21) and laps led (2,913).

· Chevrolet leads the series in wins across all three NASCAR national series this season with 15 victories in 30 NASCAR Cup Series races, 14 victories in 28 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 12 wins in 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races – all with a winning percentage of at least 50 percent.

· With William Byron’s win in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 opener at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports now sits at 300 all-time victories in NASCAR’s premier series – all recorded with Chevrolet.

· Chevrolet’s series-leading 15 NASCAR Cup Series wins this season have been recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet teams: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing), William Byron and Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) and Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing).

· Chevrolet drivers have recorded 21 of the 60 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (eight; series-leading), Ross Chastain (five), Kyle Larson (five), Kyle Busch (two) and Chase Elliott (one).

· Chevrolet continues to sit atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 68 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 73 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 67 points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

· Chevrolet has swept the Manufacturer Championships across all three NASCAR national series in a single season four different times (2012, 2005, 1998, 1996).

· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 848 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS:

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Silverado 1500 Crew ZR2, 2024 Silverado 2500HD High Country Diesel, Tahoe RST, Traverse High Country, 2024 Equinox Premier, Colorado Crew Z71 2.7L, Corvette Coupe 3LT Z51, Camaro ZL1.

· Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Sunday, October 1

· Corey LaJoie: 9:45 a.m.

· Kyle Busch: 10 a.m.

· Chase Elliott: 10:15 a.m.

· William Byron: 10:30 a.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

· Saturday, September 30: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

· Sunday, October 1: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.

 
TUNE IN:

NASCAR Cup Series: YellaWood 500

Sunday, October 1, at 2 p.m. ET

(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Love’s RV Stop 250

Saturday, September 30, at 1 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

What are the closing laps like at Talladega?

“Superspeedway racing accelerates your age in dog years, it feels like. We were able to lead some laps last year and had a shot to win to try and back up our spring win. Surviving is the most important thing but we can just easily wreck on lap 30. Those last 40 laps are just about holding onto the track position you have, and if it’s your time to crash, it’s your time to crash.”

Do you feel confident headed into the next two races?

“I just want to run good at the track I’m at. When we go to Talladega and the Roval, we’ll just go try to perform like we did at Texas. If it’s not looking good, just what does the next lap take – what does the next breath take. Those races, they give out the same amount of points and we’ll go and race them the same way.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE / HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on racing at Talladega Superspeedway:

“I’m just trying to do good every weekend. Texas didn’t pan out the way the No. 5 team necessarily wanted, but our race cars have been crazy fast so I’m just trying to get through Talladega with some decent track position and hopefully we can get a win at Talladega (Superspeedway).”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE / HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Daniels on racing at Talladega Superspeedway:

“We’ve had a very similar strategy at all of the Superspeedway races this year. We’re trying to do what’s right as far as keeping our car upfront. Obviously, we try to avoid trouble the best we can- which can certainly be tough to do at these plate races. I feel like we always have fast cars and Kyle always does a great job at trying to get our car upfront and in position. You certainly have to execute a good race. If we do all the things that we can control right and put us in position, with a healthy does of luck, hopefully we’ll have a good finish coming our way soon.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1

“Superspeedway racing is definitely not my favorite, but we’ve had speed at those tracks this year. At the end of the day, I think we can get upfront and give ourselves a shot to win the race. We had a shot in the spring going into turn one battling for the win and we had a really fast race car in Daytona. Like I always say, it’s one of those tracks I’m not looking forward to, but at the end of the day it is about going to win a race and this is one we can give ourselves a shot at the end of the race.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 42 SUNSEEKER RESORTS CAMARO ZL1

This week sees your first ever Cup Series race at a superspeedway type track, so how different are you expecting the racing to play out and will you be able to learn in the Truck Series race?

“I am actually really looking forward to running my first superspeedway race in the Cup Series this weekend. The results might not show it, but I’ve had a blast racing at Talladega in the Truck Series. We’ve just had some unfortunate luck that’s kept us from finishing well. From everybody that I’ve talked to that’s driven both, I’m anticipating a bit of a different race to play out on Sunday. The Cup guys are so good at managing their cars and taking care of one another out there, that I don’t really feel all that much pressure not to put a foot wrong. Saturday will be a different feeling for sure, we’ve only got an 18 point gap to the cutoff line, and the Truck Series drivers always race aggressive. I feel like I can still learn and take some notes heading into Sunday, but there’s definitely going to be a different mindset. The LEGACY M.C. cars are always super-fast at these tracks, and Erik’s been close to winning on a few occasions, so I think if we can play our cards right, we’ll definitely have a shot at it. I can’t wait to try it out.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ALLEGIANT CAMARO ZL1

“Talladega has been good to us for the last couple of years. I think with the next-gen car, we have had a ton of speed in the No. 43. I am hoping we can put it all together and have one go our way. We have been in contention to win a handful of them in the last few years, and we just need one to play out the right way for us to have a shot in the end. I am looking forward to getting out there and hopefully getting a win with the No. 43 team.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 SARA LEE ARTESANO BAKERY BREAD CAMARO ZL1

“We definitely want to go for the win at Talladega with our No. 47 Sara Lee Artesano / Country Crock Camaro. We’ll discuss our strategy going into the weekend and determine what we want to do for the race. You look back at the final regular season race at Daytona (International Speedway) and we got to the front. However, while running in the top 6, we got wrecked. We know stage points are important, but we would rather have the race win. I think when it comes down to it, we will see how the race plays out.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1

“We have been very strong at the drafting tracks this year. We know we can win there. Heck, anyone can win at Talladega, that’s what makes the race so much fun and why fans show up. But, we feel like our program can win there. We just have to prove it and that’s what we plan to do Sunday.”

CHASE PURDY, NO. 4 BAMA BUGGIES SILVERADO RST

After leading laps there last year, how excited are you to get back to Talladega?

“Absolutely. Obviously, it’s a home race for me. It was special last year to have my school, where I went to college, on the truck and have a good day. We hope to go back there this year and do the same, but this time be seven spots better. I feel like I always have my best foot forward going there since it’s my home track and I’ll have a lot of family and friends there. I’ll be staying there the whole weekend, so I have a lot of expectations for it.”

The KBM trucks had great speed at Daytona. Do you feel like that will carry over to Talladega?

“We were upset with how qualifying went earlier this year at Daytona after we felt like we were in great position to get the pole but cut a tire in the first round and weren’t able to make a lap in the second round. It would be a big deal for me to get the pole at Talladega and go up there and lead laps, being that I consider it my home track. The Daytona truck was probably the best speedway truck I’ve ever had. We will bring that same package on our Bama Buggies Silverado to Talladega so we should be really good.”

How does the racing differ between Daytona and Talladega?

“Talladega just seems to be wider. The second lane just works better for the trucks at Talladega than at Daytona. I think you will see more two and three-wide racing than what you saw at Daytona in February.”

GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST

You earned your first Truck Series win with GMS Racing here, how special would it be to cap off your time with the team with another win at home?

“Yeah, it was a huge day for my career back in 2016 when we were able to get the win at Talladega in front of the hometown and all the friends and family. There were a lot of people that were at that race that have been instrumental in my career and all the opportunities that I had to that point. So that will always be one of the most special moments that I’ve had in my career. To come back and do it again with our last opportunity to run in that race with GMS Racing would be special from a personal standpoint, but it would be pretty big career-wise to be able to lock ourselves into the Championship 4.

Obviously, that’s the goal for all of us; but there’s only one of the eight that can sleep well at night not having to stress out about this race, and that’s Corey [Heim]. I think our game plan is to try and be aggressive, and hopefully get some stage points. We want to be able to contend for the win. I think there’s some different strategies that teams are going to use; I think some guys are going to try and play it safe, and some guys that have nothing to lose are going to race for the win. We’re not one of those guys, but we’re definitely going to be aggressive. We’ve first got to have enough speed in our Champion Power Equipment Chevy, and hopefully the rest will all take care of itself.”

RAJAH CARUTH, NO. 24 WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION SILVERADO RST

You’ve only had one prior superspeedway race under your belt in the Truck Series, so what was your biggest “learning moment” from Daytona?

“Daytona feels like it was an eternity ago, but I was able to learn a lot in my first Truck Series race there back in February. I found out firsthand how much these trucks like to move around in the draft, as well as the decisiveness necessary to make moves and being able to chill for a second. You don’t need to lead every lap in these races, and I learned a lot of the importance of setting yourself up for the finish, because you need to be around for the end of the race. I feel like our Wendell Scott Foundation team proved that they can bring one of the fastest trucks to the racetrack at these plate-style races, and hopefully I have gained enough respect of the other drivers out there to give them confidence in working with me here this weekend.”

DANIEL DYE, NO. 43 RACETOSTOPSUICIDE.COM SILVERADO RST

You were so close on winning here last year in the ARCA Menards Series race, so does that give you any added confidence to return here in a truck?

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Talladega in a different vehicle than I had there last time. We had good speed there with GMS last year and got towards the front of the pack. I was close to having a shot to win the race before I made a mistake that took us out of contention. But I definitely learned a lot in the two superspeedway races I ran last year in the ARCA car and the one at Daytona this year in a truck. I’m hoping to use all the things I learned in those three races and have ourselves a good finish. We are still looking for our first top-10 of the year, and Talladega presents itself as an opportunity to either have a great day or an awful day. Hopefully we’ll be on the great side this time.”

JACK WOOD, NO. 51 TRUETIMBER SILVERADO RST

After having speed at Daytona and Atlanta, how excited are you for this race?

“Obviously the KBM trucks were fast at Atlanta and Daytona. Talladega is a fun race, but it is a race for survival. I think it’s a good chance for the two KBM trucks and our alliance partner, Rev Racing, to work together and have ourselves a good finish. We should have strength in numbers and be able to qualify up front and be in control of the race. The truck races are so short that you don’t have time to drop to the back and try to avoid wrecks. You’ve got to be up front and be one of the five trucks or so in the first two rows to go win. It should be fun.”

How does racing at Talladega compare to racing at Daytona?

“I think the apron isn’t as aggressive at Talladega so you can race harder in the corners. Guys are willing to race a little harder than they are at Daytona. We don’t have another superspeedway race until next season now, so a lot of guys are going to be aggressive, especially the playoff drivers that need to win. It’s going to be hotter, and the surface is a little more worn out and the track is wider so it will be more aggressive racing than Daytona.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2022): 41

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

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)

2023 STATISTICS:

Wins: 15

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 2,913

Top-five finishes: 64

Top-10 finishes: 127

Stage wins: 21

· Ross Chastain – 5 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2), (Dover), (Darlington)

· William Byron – 8 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover), (Charlotte), (Watkins Glen)

· Kyle Larson – 5 (Phoenix), (Bristol Dirt), (Pocono), (Kansas), (Texas)

· Chase Elliott – 1 (Talladega)

· Kyle Busch – 2 (WWTR), (Sonoma)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 848 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 742

Laps led to date: 248,457

Top-five finishes to date: 4,285

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,839

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,182

       Chevrolet: 848

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 826                                                           

       Ford: 726

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 179

 

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.