CHEVROLET IN NHRA 2023 BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS zMAX DRAGWAY CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2023
CHEVROLET TEAMS CONTINUE COUNTDOWN CHASE AT ZMAX DRAGWAY NEAR CHARLOTTE
DETROIT (September 21, 2023) – Racing into the second 2023 NHRA Countdown to the Championship event, the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, Chevrolet drivers and teams of Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock look to the wrap the weekend in the winner’s circle as the Bowtie brand marches toward a 28th Manufacturers Cup.
Aaron Stanfield enters the event having his sights set on defending last year’s Pro Stock win while coming off of his FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown victory in Reading this past weekend. Additionally in the Pro Stock pits, Erica Enders looks to capture a back-to-back No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte after her 2022 qualifying run of 6.510 ET at 212.46 MPH. Seeking the winner’s circle at the end of the weekend, Enders additionally stands to achieve the major milestone of becoming the winningest woman in NHRA history near Charlotte.
On the nitro side of the NHRA pits, John Force Racing team owner and Funny Car pilot John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, also enters the weekend defending a No. 1 qualifier from 2022’s event. Setting the field at the top of the leaderboard last year with a qualifying run of 3.854 ET at 330.47 MPH,
With eyes set on Charlotte, Force said of this weekend’s race, “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”
Coming off a back-to-back victory most recently this week at Maple Grove Raceway, Force’s teammate Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, leads the Countdown to the Championship and looks to Charlotte to continue preservation of the points lead.
“We’re on a good roll right now. But we have to stay humble,” said Hight. “Last weekend was great, but it could have easily gone another way. This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team has to keep working hard. This is the toughest Funny Car has ever been and it’s going to take major, major work to win this championship. I said it before, but I think we’ll need three or four wins to win the championship. We have one down, and I’d give us an A+ for last weekend, but we’ve got five to go and we have to put last weekend behind us to get ready for Charlotte.”
With an impressive 335.65 MPH run at 3.668 ET last year, Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster at John Force Racing, qualified No. 2 at zMAX Dragway. Also still seeking her first win of the season, it could be the momentum swing needed at a critical time with just five races left in the Countdown to the Championship.
“This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte,” said B. Force. “We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that.”
Currently idle, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown COPO Camaro competitors return to the track at World Wide Technology Raceway for the upcoming NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023.
The 2023 betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. kicks off Friday with qualifying, airing Saturday, Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday’s qualifying broadcasts Sunday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1, with Eliminations following at 2 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend via NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte. We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that. Nothing has changed in our game plan, we need to qualify well, get some of those small bonus points and then go rounds on Sunday. A lot can change with one good weekend. Excited to see what this Flav-R-Pac team can do.”
Austin Prock, driver of the Rocky Mountain Twist / Montana Brands Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“We’re ready to start our rebound this weekend at zMAX Dragway. I believe this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team has all the tools we need to succeed, we just need to put them to work. I’m hoping we put on just as good of a show as we did in the spring. Can’t wait to get started.”
John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for John Force Racing:
“I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there. We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”
Camrie Caruso, driver of the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stock car for KB Titan Racing:
“I felt really good going into race day in Reading and I have a race car that can go rounds. This class is crazy competitive, but this Tequila Comisario Camaro make some great runs on Sunday and I think we can step it up in Charlotte. I love racing at zMax Dragway and I know we’ll have a ton of support in the stands. The all-star callout win was big for our team and KB Titan Racing. Going into the semifinals it was me and three Elite Motorsports Pro Stock cars. I knew I needed to step up for KB Titan Racing and was really glad to get that win. There is a great rivalry between these two teams and we want to do our part to keep turning on win lights for KB Titan Racing.”
“I was bummed we didn’t get that second-round win in Reading. I was out in front most of the race and then I just started drifting to the centerline and when that happens you have to lift. At over 200-mph you have to check your ego sometimes and live to race another day. We will be ready for Charlotte and I can’t wait to get on the track on Friday night.”
TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:
1,437: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).
617: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 624.
377: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 258 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.
166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).
158: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.
81: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time).
78: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.
46: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.
27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.
24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.
18: Number of Pro Stock championships.
20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.
16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.
7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.
2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.
UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:
950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 925 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule.
624: Robert Hight achieved 617 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 624.
449: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record from 448 to 449 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA.
138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 122 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (Funny Car, 166) on the list.
274: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 274 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 283).
65: Robert Hight moved into the top-10 in 10th on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Reading with 64. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65.
47: Erica Enders has 46 career NHRA victories (45 Pro Stock, one Super Gas; all with Chevrolet). Her first win in Pro Stock came at Chicago, 2012, and her last win at Topeka, 2023 in Pro Stock. Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) and Enders are tied as the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.
18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 46) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead.
6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10. Enders currently holds five Pro Stock championships, the most of any female in NHRA.
3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, two championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, five) is the leader.
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THE BATTLE AT BRISTOL: Kyle Larson finished second in Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. After starting 36th, Larson worked his way through the field in the opening 125-lap stage. The 31-year-old driver got up to eighth at the end of stage one. Staying out during the stage break, Larson restarted the second segment in third and took the lead on lap 179. He held the point position for 20 laps before ultimately finishing the stage in third. In the final stage, Larson restarted third and spent the last 138 laps in second, finishing in the runner-up position. This marks his third consecutive top-five finish and series-best 13th top-five of the season.
ROUND OF 16 REVIEW: Larson earned the second-best average finish through the first three playoff races all-time (2.33), only behind Greg Biffle’s 2008 mark (1.67). During the Round of 16, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com driver earned the best all-time average finish in the opening round of the elimination playoffs. The next-best average finish (3.00) came from Larson in his championship-winning year of 2021. Larson added six playoff points in this year’s Round of 16 to bring his bonus points total to 23, the fourth-most of all drivers.
THE ROAD TO PHOENIX: The 2021 Cup Series champion is no rookie at navigating the playoff road to Phoenix Raceway. Larson has earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs seven times and won at six of the seven playoff tracks remaining during his 101 starts with Hendrick Motorsports. With the points reset for the Round of 12, Larson is now 12 markers ahead of the elimination line. So far in the playoffs, he has the most laps run in the top five (804), the second-most laps run in the top 10 (898) and the second-best running position (6.69).
TURNING TO TEXAS: This weekend the Elk Grove, California, native will race at Texas Motor Speedway. He is currently one of only five drivers to have two or more consecutive top-10 finishes at the Fort Worth, Texas, venue. In 2021, Larson dominated the playoff race and then went on to win the championship. His 2021 victory is one of four instances where the fall playoff race winner went on to become the series champion.
1.5-MILE STAT SAVVY: During this season’s four races on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson is tied with teammate William Byron for the most top-five finishes (three), has led the second-most laps (248) and holds the fourth-best average finish (9.50). In the Next Gen era (2022-present) on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson ranks second in points scored (409), average finish (9.45) and is one of eight active drivers to win on this track type (Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2022). Note: Races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2022 are excluded in this count of 1.5-mile tracks.
IN 2023: This season, Larson leads the way in top-five finishes (13) and is in a five-way tie, along with Byron, for the most top-10s (15). He’s third in laps led (798), average running position (11.55), laps run in the top five (2,988) and laps run in the top 10 (4,421). Larson has been the second-best driver on restarts, based on information from Racing Insights.
FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew has the fourth-best average four-tire pit stop time of the season at 11.155 seconds. In the middle race of the Round of 16 at Kansas Speedway, the squad had the best average four-tire stop time among all teams (10.085 seconds). 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).
HENDRICK, GET SET. GO!: On Tuesday, Hendrick Automotive Group’s Hendrick, Get Set. Go! program gifted New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, a $25,000 grant for auto tech education using the excitement of the HendrickCars.com racing program. Larson, the No. 5 pit crew, head Hendrick Motorsports pit coach Jon Carvin and pit crew development coach Keith Flynn traveled to the event for a question and answer session with students followed by a live pit stop practice in the parking lot. Before getting involved in NASCAR, Flynn was a football and tennis coach from 1985 to 1986 at the school. The Hendrick, Get Set. Go! program’s goal is to connect schools and local Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships for future opportunities for students. Hendrick Automotive Group has seven dealerships surrounding the Wilmington/Jacksonville area. See photos from the event here.
HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: This Sunday’s race marks the 13th of 15 home races for the HendrickCars.com team this season. The Fort Worth, Texas, area is home to two Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Respectively, both the driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HendrickCars.com home race this season, 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 Texas-themed hat will be revealed Thursday, check it out here.
WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? The 2021 Cup Series champion is giving away his ride to one lucky winner. 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: 18th
No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
BUILDING CONSISTENCY: Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team are a force to be reckoned with as of late in the NASCAR Cup Series. Together, they’ve accumulated four consecutive top-10 finishes – tied for the longest active streak. Over those last four races, the five-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver is tied for the best average finish (6.25), has led 49 laps and scored the fourth-most points (142). Elliott’s current streak of top-10s is his most since having six straight in the summer of 2022.
OWNING IT: The No. 9 team advanced to the Round of 12 for the owner championship. The team’s three top-10 finishes in the opening round of the playoffs – eighth at Darlington Raceway, sixth at Kansas Speedway and seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway – catapulted the No. 9 to eighth in the owner standings. Now that the points are reset for the Round of 12 following Bristol, the No. 9 team is seeded 12th, 13 markers below the elimination line for the Round of 8.
LOOKING BACK: Last season at Texas Motor Speedway, Elliott started the 334-lap race from the sixth position. The 2020 Cup Series champion raced inside the top 10 for much of the first stage, ultimately ending it in 13th after pitting during a caution prior to the stage break. In the second stage, Elliott worked his way to the lead, pacing the field for 44 laps. He was still out front when he had a right-rear tire go down and his No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sustained heavy damage after contact with the wall, ending his race early.
LONE STAR NUMBERS: Elliott has made 12 Cup Series starts at the Fort Worth, Texas, track. In those starts, the 27-year-old driver has garnered two top-five finishes, six top-10s and led a total of 88 laps – half of those circuits coming in last year’s race. While Elliott is winless at Texas in the sport’s top series, he collected his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 1.5-mile track in April 2014. In five Xfinity Series starts there, Elliott accumulated three top-five finishes, five top-10s and an average finish of 5.00.
1.5-MILERS: This weekend at Texas, Elliott will make his 76th start on a 1.5-mile track in the Cup Series. Along with two victories (Kansas in 2018 and Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2020), he has collected 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 38 top-10s on 1.5-milers. In his previous 75 races on this track length, Elliott has led 1,040 laps. During his most recent mile-and-a-half start at Kansas, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native started fourth, led 47 laps and finished inside the top 10 in the first two stages en route to a sixth-place result. Note: Races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2022 are excluded in this count of 1.5-mile tracks.
AG AT TEXAS: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson is set to call his 35th Texas Cup Series race on Sunday. In his previous 34 starts at the track, the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has eight top-five finishes and 17 top-10s with 392 laps led. His best finish of second came in 2014 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
KBB IS BACK: The Texas race marks the second of two primary races for No. 9 team partner Kelley Blue Book. In January, it was announced that Kelley Blue Book extended its sponsorship of Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports with a two-year contract renewal. Earlier this season, Josh Berry, filling in for the then-injured Elliott, drove the Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to a 10th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway. Get a look at all the angles of the 2023 No. 9 Kelley Blue Book 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 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Texas Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 10:30 a.m. local time.
KEEP IT ROLLIN’: William Byron completed the Round of 16 with a ninth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway to advance to the Round of 12. As the points reset, he regains the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, 25 points above the elimination line for the start of the next three-race round. After 29 races, Byron leads the series in wins (five) and stage wins (eight). The 25-year-old driver’s series-leading 877 laps led are also a single-season career-best. He is tied for the series lead in top-10 finishes (15) and is third in top-fives (10). In addition, Byron ranks second in average running position (10.30), laps run in the top five (3,222) and laps run in the top 10 (4,514).
1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. Since the start of the 2021 season (not counting races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since its reconfiguration in 2022), he has two wins (Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2021 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2023), two runner-up finishes, seven top-fives and 13 top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks. In fact, in the four races on that track length this season, Byron has the best average finish (5.25), most laps led (277) and is tied with teammate Kyle Larson for the most top-five finishes (three). Since the inception of the Next Gen car (2022-present), he has collected the third-most points (405) and the fifth-best average finish (10.18) on 1.5-mile tracks.
TEXAS TOUGH: Throughout his entire NASCAR career, Byron has always run well at Texas Motor Speedway. In eight Cup Series starts at the Lone Star State track, Byron has four top-10 results, including a track-best finish of second in 2021. In both starts at the Fort Worth, Texas, facility with crew chief Rudy Fugle, he has one top-five finish, two top-10s, 97 laps led and an average finish of 4.50. In the six starts prior to that, he had two top-10 results, 24 laps led and an average finish of 16.50. Byron also has five other national series starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with an average finish of 3.50 in two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts and 6.00 in three NASCAR Xfinity Series races. Together with Fugle, they won the 2016 Truck Series race.
FUGLE HAS ‘NO LIMITS’: Sunday marks Fugle’s third Cup Series points-paying event atop the pit box at Texas. In his two previous Cup Series starts, the Livonia, New York, native has one top-five finish and two top-10s. However, Fugle has 18 other national series races under his belt at Texas, with 15 coming in the Truck Series. He has visited victory lane at the “No Limits” track five times in the Truck Series – the most for him at any track on the circuit. Among those wins are a 2016 triumph with Byron and a sweep of the 2019 races. In his 15 Truck Series starts, Fugle’s drivers have also racked up seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s and 493 laps led.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: Through 29 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 11.011 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).
LIBERTY U IS BACK: For Sunday’s race at Texas, Byron will sport his Liberty University paint scheme. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. You can see the No. 24 Liberty University Chevy 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
BRISTOL RECAP: Last Saturday, Alex Bowman raced on the concrete layout at Bristol Motor Speedway for the 13th time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 started the 500-lap event in 13th place. He narrowly missed out on stage points in the second segment and spent the first half of the final stage inside the top 10. The 30-year-old driver went on to finish 13th.
INTERMEDIATE INTIMIDATOR: Bowman has proven to have speed at tracks 1.5 miles in length in the Next Gen era (2022-present). He has the third-best average finish (9.75) on that track length in the Next Gen car and has notched one win (Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022). In Bowman’s three starts on 1.5-mile tracks in 2023, he also has the third-best average finish (8.33). Two weeks ago, he notched a 10th-place finish at Kansas Speedway and finished third at Las Vegas in March. Note: Races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2022 are excluded in this count of 1.5-mile tracks.
TEXAS TWO-STEP: Bowman’s best finish at Texas Motor Speedway are a pair of fifth-place finishes. Both of those results, where he also started fifth, came in the playoff races of 2019 and 2020.
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.
HEAD HONCHO: Crew chief Blake Harris will return to his home track this Sunday at Texas. The Maypearl, Texas, native grew up racing dirt go-karts before moving on to dirt stock cars and asphalt trucks. Harris spent the early part of his Cup Series career with Furniture Row Racing where he became the car chief for Kurt Busch in his 2013 season and was also a car chief for Martin Truex Jr. from 2014 to 2021 (at Furniture Row and Joe Gibbs Racing). He was an integral part of Furniture Row’s 2017 championship season when the No. 78 team won eight races and led 2,253 laps. In 2022, he joined Front Row Motorsports as a crew chief and was named as Bowman’s 2023 crew chief on the No. 48 in October 2022. In two starts atop the box at Texas, Harris’ drivers have one top-five result and an average finish of 6.50.
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 the Humane Society of North Texas, which serves the local community in Fort Worth. Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and the Humane Society of North Texas. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins.
DAY ‘N’ NITE: During Sunday’s race at Texas, the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will adorn its “day” scheme. This scheme hosts a white base with bright plum, grapefruit, and seafoam stripes down the side. Check out all the angles of the ride here.
A TEAM OF RACERS: This Friday and Saturday, No. 48 setup mechanic Travis Braden will get behind the wheel of a Super Late Model race car at Five Flags Speedway in the Blizzard Series races. Braden joined Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 team before the start of the 2023 Cup Series season. His racing record includes winning the 2019 Snowball Derby, a victory in his first ARCA Menards Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2015 – beating the current driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 William Byron – and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year Award in 2011.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS /
2023
All-Time
Texas
Races
29
1,338
42
Wins
8*
299*
10*
Poles
6
245*
7
Top 5
35*
1,225*
42*
Top 10
55*
2,100*
77*
Laps Led
1,851
79,168*
2,927*
Stage Wins
13
92
2
*Most **Most (tie)
CLOSING IN ON 300: Hendrick Motorsports is just one points-paying victory away from its milestone 300th win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 299, which is the most Cup Series wins by any team. With eight 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. The organization has gone to victory lane at more racetracks (31) than any other active team.
PLAYOFF ADVANCEMENT: For the 10th straight season, Hendrick Motorsports has had at least two drivers advance to the Round of 12. William Byron (five wins) and Kyle Larson (three wins) remain in the playoff field. In addition, the Nos. 5, 9 and 24 teams are battling for the owner championship.
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).
RECORD SETTERS: Hendrick Motorsports has posted a series-best 56 wins in the playoffs, which is 20 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 Alex Bowman with one.
LONE STAR LOWDOWN: With 10 points-paying wins at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team at the Fort Worth, Texas, track. Johnson accounts for seven of those and he also holds the track record for most Cup Series wins. Gordon, Labonte and Larson each have one win at the 1.5-mile venue. In 18 playoff races at Texas, Hendrick Motorsports has won a Cup Series-best six times. Johnson is responsible for five wins, while Larson’s 2021 win in the Round of 8 stands as the other victory. On three occasions in team history, the Texas playoff race winner went on to win the championship (Johnson in ’07 and ’13 and Larson in ’21).
NO LIMITS TO LEADING: In the past two races at Texas, the Concord, North Carolina-based team has led 62% of the laps run (416 of 668). Over that span, Larson leads all drivers with 275 laps led. Byron has paced the field for 97 laps, while Elliott has been out front for 44 circuits.
NEXT GEN NUMBERS: In the Next Gen car on 1.5-mile tracks, Hendrick Motorsports is tied for the most victories at three. The most recent of those victories came in March with Byron at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Since the start of the 2022 season, Larson (409) and Byron (405) rank second and third in points scored on 1.5-mile tracks. When it comes to average finish with the Next Gen on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson (9.45) ranks second, Bowman (9.75) is third and Byron (10.18) rounds out the top five.
MILE-AND-A-HALF MUSCLE: So far in 2023, there have been four races on 1.5-mile tracks (two at Kansas Speedway and one each at Las Vegas and Charlotte Motor Speedway), Byron (5.25) has the best average finish in those events, Bowman has the third best (8.33, although he has run in only three of those races) and Larson is fourth (9.50). Across those four races, the team has one win, seven top-five finishes, 10 top-10s, one pole position and 585 laps led.
STUDYING THE TRENDS: In each of the last seven 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 International Speedway (Elliott), Darlington Raceway (Larson and Byron), Kansas Speedway (Larson) and Bristol Motor Speedway (Larson).
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on why success at Texas Motor Speedway is key to advancing in the Round of 12: “Looking ahead to Talladega (Superspeedway), it’s a little crazy and there are typically a lot of crashes. So, you put a lot of pressure on this race this weekend, or at least I do, to do a good job. I like Texas (Motor Speedway). Our No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy team won there a couple of years ago (in 2021). We hope to do that again and have another good day.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Texas: “Going into Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend, we have some strong runs behind us from the last couple of weeks, which is good to have that little bit of wind in our sail and momentum. We’ve had this layout of the Texas track since 2017 and it is such a tough place for an intermediate (track). The two ends are so different with not a lot of banking and a tight radius in (turns) one and two and then a lot of banking and a bigger radius in (turns) three and four. So, it’s a tough place. Our mindset is to get a good solid car on the track and execute a good race to make sure we are there at the end.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s efforts on 1.5-mile tracks in the owner playoffs: “Kansas (Speedway) was super refreshing. I thought we were much improved. I was doing a better job driving and our pit stops were really good. Everything felt solid and that was super satisfying because we put a lot of effort into being better. I put a lot of effort into pushing myself in areas that I feel like need to be worked on. Anytime you put the effort and time into different areas and you see the results, you can kind of get that report card and it be an improvement, I think that’s encouraging for everyone involved. We didn’t win, but we were up there battling with those guys that did. If you’re in that fight and you’re in that hunt, the wins will come. The good news is all the pieces of the puzzle, in my mind, are there. We’ve just got to put it together.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on continuing a successful run in the owner playoffs: “I think certainly for us, it was a solid first round of races. We’ve had some good cars and solid finishes. We just want to continue to take that next step and be able to consistently improve. I think we’re going in the right direction and things are coming together. Even our races that are a little bit off, we’re still inside the top 10, which is great. I think that’s what it takes. I’m looking forward to upping the ante a bit at Texas (Motor Speedway) and delivering with better performances than we had in the first round.”
Gustafson on racing at Texas: “Texas (Motor Speedway) is a really unique track. The corners being split the way they are, they are quite a bit different. It makes it a bit difficult to get your car to drive good at. It’s going to be really hot there, so the track will be slick. Your hope is, as a competitor, that there’s more than one lane, the track widens out a bit and you can pass and compete and move forward. Last year, Texas was a race that we were concerned about and wanted to perform really well at. We were at the time of the tire failure. So, we’ll take some of those lessons learned and try to apply them this weekend.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the playoff race at Texas: “I’m looking forward to Texas (Motor Speedway). It will be hot there and slick, which will lead to guys making mistakes. We just need to not be one of them and stay ahead of all that. We need to try to win it or at least maximize our points day. You have to take advantage of every opportunity you get if you want to run for a championship. There’s only 12 cars left. You need to execute. This is the time to really show what you have.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his approach to the Round of 12: “The first round we had a bigger points cushion and those were three more traditional oval tracks. I don’t want to say you could relax, but it was a round where you could really start looking ahead to other races. You could run your races, not really try anything crazy and advance. Now in this round, you need to take one race at a time and really focus on Texas (Motor Speedway). That’s the race we probably have the most control over and can get the most amount of points. Coming out with a win would obviously relieve a lot of stress going into Talladega (Superspeedway) and the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL. Two races that are kind of wildcards. It’s definitely a tough round.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the remaining seven races of the season: “We have seven races left to get it right. Our team has done just about everything except win and the way we all see it is that we have seven shots to win in front of us. We have had the same mindset every week regardless of the situation. While we may not be in the playoffs, we still have a shot to win races and I think this team is plenty capable. Hendrick Motorsports gives us all the tools we need to compete at a high level. Heading to Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend is just as good of a chance as any other week on the schedule.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to his home track: “I like going to Texas Motor Speedway because I get the chance to go home, see my family and race at a place I grew up going to. Obviously, that in itself makes it special, but I also really enjoy the track. It has some unique challenges after they did the repave and trying to figure out how to go fast with those challenges in mind is what I enjoy about being a crew chief. Alex (Bowman) and I will go there for the first time this weekend together. Hopefully, we can be competitive and learn a lot in the process. Hendrick Motorsports has a good notebook for this track and I know our team is going to be prepared for whatever unfolds this weekend.”
TREVOR BAYNE Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
● Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 28 of 33) ● Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 ● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth ● Layout: 1.5-mile oval ● Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Trevor Bayne, Driver of the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra
● Back in the Saddle. Trevor Bayne will make his third start of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in this weekend’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Bayne previously drove in last month’s Xfinity Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where he led 26 laps before getting caught up in a race-ending accident. His most recent outing came last weekend at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, where he finished seventh.
● Texas Tamed. Bayne made his first career Xfinity Series start in 2009. He’s totaled 163 Xfinity Series starts in the nine seasons since. It was during the 2011 season the Tennessee native picked up his first series win at none other than the 1.5-mile oval at which the series races this weekend. Bayne qualified 10th for that year’s November event at Texas and ran a steady race. He took the lead for good with six laps to go.
● In Good Company. The 2023 NASCAR season is Bayne’s second racing on a part-time basis for Joe Gibbs Racing. He competed in nine Xfinty Series races in 2022, scoring five top-five finishes and seven top-10s. Driving the No. 18 JGR Toyota, Bayne qualified on the pole and led 46 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October, and led in six of his nine races last year for a total of 176 laps. This weekend at Texas, Bayne adds another item of note to his resume by racing the iconic Interstate Batteries paint scheme. When he jumps into the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra on Saturday, he officially joins the exclusive Team Interstate brotherhood, which includes Hall of Fame drivers Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth.
Trevor Bayne, Driver Q&A
You go into the race weekend as a former winner at Texas. How much does that help when you go to a track where you are a former winner? How does it impact your confidence?
“It’s always a good confidence boost when you’re racing at a track you’ve won at before. It just brings this added level of ‘I can do this’ to your mentality that you can’t get from anywhere else. I think it showed a lot in my first start this season in Daytona, where I hopped in the car for the first time in almost a year and ended up getting to the front and fighting for the win before the night was over. I know Joe Gibbs Racing is going to bring me a fast Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra, so I’m excited to get out there and compete for my second Texas win.”
You have nine Xfinity Series starts and 17 Cup Series starts at Texas. What have you learned a little about what it takes to be successful at Texas?
“Texas is a unique track because you’d expect it to race like a traditional mile-and-a-half, but the surface makes it one-of-a-kind from the rest. You really have to understand what you want out of your car and work to have a setup that reflects it. With track position being so important, it becomes a battle of finding speed for qualifying and then, once the green flag drops, it becomes an all-out battle for track position. You have to be physical, know when it’s the time to give or to take, and you have to stay consistent as the race wears on.”
How exciting is it to be racing an Interstate Batteries car this weekend at Texas?
“It’s always exciting to race a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in their Xfinity program. I’ve won a couple of poles and led laps in those cars, so I’m going into the weekend knowing that we will have what we need to be successful. The Interstate Batteries car is legendary in our sport and it’s kind of surreal for me to say I’m getting to drive that car. It’s certainly an honor, and to be able to run that scheme at Texas – their home track – is even more special.”
COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 28 of 33)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
Layout: 1.5-mile oval
Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Cole Custer Notes of Interest
Cole Custer is looking to continue his strong start to his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff run in Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang opened his playoff run last Friday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway by qualifying on the pole, winning Stage 1 of the race and finishing second in Stage 2, then continuing to be a fixture in the top-three before taking the checkered flag fourth. He arrives at Texas third in the playoff standings, 39 points above the top-eight cutoff heading in to the second of three races in the Round of 12. While Texas has proven to be a difficult track for many competitors, Custer had solid runs there during his prior stint in the Xfinity Series from 2017 to 2019. His November 2018 victory locked him into that year’s Championship 4, and his eighth-place finish in 2019 helped vault him into the Championship 4 for the second year in a row. He scored runner up finishes in the final standings both years.
Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Custer’s seventh Xfinity Series start at Texas. In his prior six visits to 1.5-mile oval, he has earned four top-fives, including his November 2018 victory, where he bested runner-up Tyler Reddick by .162 of a second. Custer earned back-to-back fifth-place finishes in his first two Texas starts in April and November 2017, then a fourth-place finish in April 2018. His eighth-place finish from the fourth starting position in the November 2019 race was his most recent in the Xfinity Series at the track.
While the Cup Series playoff contenders will be beginning their Round of 12 this weekend at Texas, Custer and his 11 other Xfinity Series playoffs drivers will be in the middle race of their Round of 12. After his fourth-place finish last weekend at Bristol, Custer is looking forward to finishing the round at two of his best tracks – the Texas oval, and the 2.28-mile, 17-turn Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. He’s finished outside the top-eight just once at Texas, and in his two prior starts on the Roval, he posted finishes of seventh in 2017 and eighth in 2018.
Riley Herbst Notes of Interest
After racing from last to eighth in last Friday’s Food City 300 at Bristol, Riley Herbst hopes to keep the momentum rolling at Texas Motor Speedway this Saturday. He’s ready to showcase the speed of his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang at the fast, 1.5-mile oval in the Texas heat. While Herbst isn’t competing for a championship this year, he’s still focused on his main goal of the season – earning his first career Xfinity Series victory. He’s come close on several occasions this season, but bad luck seemed to find him on track and take him out of contention. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Herbst and the No. 98 team have six more chances to showcase their competitiveness as they race among the playoff drivers and hope to post what they feel is a long-overdue victory.
Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s seventh Xfinity Series start at Texas. Of his six prior appearances, Herbst has finished in the top-12 four times with a best of fifth earned in his last start there in September 2022. Since joining SHR in 2021, he’s never finished outside the top-12 at Texas. He scored an eighth-place finish and a fifth-place finish, respectively, in last year’s two events at the track. SHR has one Xfinity Series win at Texas – Custer’s November 2018 triumph.
In last November’s race at Texas, Herbst and the No. 98 team proved to be resilient in the Texas heat. The Las Vegas native started the 200-lap race 11th and struggled with a loose-handling racecar in the initial laps. After dropping to the rear for a penalty during the day’s first round of pit stops, Herbst made quick work of his drive back toward the front. By the end of Stage 2, he was sitting 12th, then restarted ninth for the final stage. Chaos ensued on multiple occasions during the last 100 laps, and Herbst used his savvy driving skills to maneuver his way around two accidents, working his way to fourth on a lap-126 restart. He stayed in the top-five until his final scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 169 and resumed in 15th. The race went caution-free until the checkered flag and Herbst was able to work his way into the top-10 by lap 182 and ultimately to fifth by the checkered flag on lap 200. It was his seventh top-five of the season.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang
You’re heading to Texas Motor Speedway for the first time this season. You’ve been honest about how it may not be your best track on the circuit, but you’ve had some solid runs there – including your November 2018 win that advanced you to the Championship 4. What is your team doing to prepare for this middle race of the Round of 12 to help you advance?
“We’re just going over a lot of details, you know. It’s about trying to go over every single year that we’ve been to Texas and trying to understand what we need to bring to the racetrack to compete for a win. I feel like we’ve had a good mile-and-a-half package this year, especially at Kansas a few weeks ago. It’s just trying to make sure we’re good for Texas. It’s kind of an oddball in the intermediate tracks because it is so difficult, so we’re trying to go through all the details so we can get our car just right for the weekend.”
You’ve mentioned that Texas is unlike other intermediate tracks because of how difficult it is for a driver. What about it makes it so difficult?
“The two ends of the racetrack are just so different. It’s an intermediate track, but there is just so much variation in the track. You’ve got big bumps, which makes the handling pretty hard. Then you’ve got a daytime race in the Texas heat, which makes the track super slick. All of that, in addition to the high speeds that we run there, make it really tough to get your racecar’s setup just right. I’m still excited to head to Texas, but this is definitely the one track in the first round that we had some concern with just because it’s been all over the place for us. I trust that the No. 00 team will bring me a fast Ford Mustang like they do every week, though, so hopefully we can be up front when the checkered flag flies.”
Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang
The Xfinity Series only goes to Texas once a season now, but you’ve had some strong runs there in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in your prior two seasons. In addition, you’re coming off a top-10 run at Bristol where you started last and finished eighth. How confident are you heading into this weekend?
“I think you can’t be too confident, but there is confidence that we’re finding our stride again as a team. We’ve had some bad luck this season, but we’ve never lacked in speed. It’s just about being smart and putting yourself in the right position. I’ve learned a lot at Texas in my career, and I’m hoping that we can continue that success this weekend. Bristol was such a strong race and really showed the speed we bring to track. Not many drivers can go from last to eighth and run in the top-five at one point. I’m proud of how this No. 98 team never gave up, even in the rough times. I’m hoping we can use these final races to focus on finding victory lane, which was our original goal this season.”
How do you approach Texas, and what have you learned since your first start at the track in 2020?
“Texas is a beast of its own. It’s a super-fast, 1.5-mile track in the Texas heat, so you know it’s going to be a challenge. It’s a day race, too, which makes it even more challenging. With that said, it should be a lot of fun, and I’m excited to go back this weekend. I performed well there in 2022, so I’m hoping to continue that trend. The key is having a fast No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang, which we always bring, and staying out of trouble. It seems like your typical intermediate track, but it’s crazy how fast it is. We just have to keep our focus, and we can get a good finish there.”
Race Information Round: NASCAR Cup Series race no. 30 of 36 (Playoffs Round of 12) Track Location: Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, Texas Race Name: Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 400 Broadcast: Sunday, September 24th at 3:30 PM ET live on USA Network (TV), PRN (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 – Dallas Vs. Everybody Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Texas Motor Speedway Stats
-Carson Hocevar will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas on Sunday
-NCTS: Starts: 3; Wins: 1 (2023), Best Start: 3rd (2021); Top-5s: 2; Top-10s: 2; Laps Led: 5
2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats
-Starts: 4; 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.
Confirmed for More: On Sunday, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ announced via social media that Carson Hocevar will continue to drive the No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet in the following two races at Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The driver lineup has not been confirmed just yet for the remainder of the 2023 season, but news on that front can be expected to break in the coming weeks.
Bristol Recap: Carson Hocevar had an incredible night in only his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Starting from the 16th position, it didn’t take the rookie long at all to break into the top-10. Working his way around the top of the racetrack while most of the other drivers ran the bottom groove, the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet caught the eye of many by climbing all the way up to fifth place at the conclusion of stage two. Hocevar was on the cusp of snatching his first-career top-10 finish that night, but was bumped to 11th in the closing laps of the race. Nothing to be ashamed of, as the result marked the best finish all season for the No. 42 team.
Destined for Greatness: In three races driving LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s No. 42 car, Hocevar has produced race finishes of 17th, 20th, and 11th, and he has completed every lap but one. With how tough the competition is in NASCAR’s elite division, for a rookie to show up with little-to-no experience and record these types of results is nothing short of impressive. Though Carson’s plans for the 2024 season have not been announced yet, there’s no doubt that he has a bright future lying ahead.
Previous Texas Winner: Back in April, Hocevar put his name on the map by winning his first-career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Texas. Driving the narrative of coming so close countless times, he had finished in the top-five 10 times before he was finally able to pull through and score his maiden victory. In a dramatic finish that saw the leaders take each other out of contention on the white flag, Hocevar was able to sneak by and lead one lap – the final lap – on his way to victory lane. This weekend will be the first time that he returns to Texas since that day, this time in his first Cup Series start at the track.
Tough Trucker: With only three races remaining in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, Carson Hocevar is poised to advance and secure his first berth in the Championship 4. Last race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 42 Silverado RST began his Round of 8 stretch by qualifying on the outside pole and finishing second in stage one. Continuing with the theme of gaining stage points, he then went on to finish seventh in stage two, and used an alternate strategy by staying on the racetrack to leapfrog some added track position. On old tires, Hocevar was able to hold on and finish in the fourth position, notching his 10th top-five finish of the year. The trucks are off this week, but entering the next event at Talladega, Hocevar has a slight gap of 18 points to the cut line, currently posted third in the points standings.
Lambert at Texas: Luke Lambert has made a total of 18 starts at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2011. His drivers have finished in the top-20 nine times, with Ryan Newman being his lone driver to score a top-10 finish back in 2016. Lambert’s cars have typically qualified pretty well at Texas in the past, starting in the top-10 on five separate occasions. His drivers have also led 25 laps in the process. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Lambert has made four starts, earning one pole (Spring, 2022) and one win (Fall, 2022) that capped off his team’s incredible stretch of four-in-a-row.
Quoting Carson Hocevar: Heading back to Texas, a track that you’ve won at before, what kind of emotions do you have as you make your first Cup start there?
“I’m super excited for Texas, going back to where I first won but also coming off the best Cup race I’ve ever had is momentum that I couldn’t expect to have. Looking forward to getting to Texas and trying to keep our speed and attitudes on a high and put together another solid race with our No. 42 Sunseeker Resort / LEGACY M.C. group!”
Erik Jones, No. 43 Dallas Vs. Everybody Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Texas Motor Speedway Stats
-NCS Points-Paying Starts: 10; All-Star Starts: 1; Best start: 2nd (Fall 2019); Best finish: 4th (Spring 2018, Fall, 2018, and Spring, 2019); Top-5s: 3; Top-10s: 7; Laps Led: 113
-NXS Starts: 6; Wins: 3 (Spring, 2015, Spring, 2017, and Fall, 2017); Poles: 2 (Spring 2015, Fall 2016); Top-5s: 6; Top-10s: 6; Laps Led: 368
Starts: 29; Best start: 8th (COTA); Best finish: 3rd (Kansas II); Top-5’s: 1; Top-10’s: 7; Laps Led: 17; Current points position: 25th
About Vs. Everybody: Founded on the principles of resilience and pride, Detroit Vs. Everybody is a locally originated fashion label encapsulating the essence of Detroit. Each of the collection pieces is the creative product of Tommey Walker, a dynamic artist, brand steward, and problem-solver. Born out of Walker’s discontent with the continuous negative media portrayal and undervaluation of Detroit’s cultural richness, he aimed to rejuvenate the city’s image and instill universal pride among Detroiters. Thus, the brand was established with the simple yet powerful “Vs Everybody” mantra. It’s more than just a statement, it’s an anthem and a movement. www.DallasVsEverybody.com
Bristol in the Rearview: Erik Jones was off to a hot start in Bristol moving through the field after starting in 31st position. The No. 43 United States Air Force Chevrolet was seen running in the top-10 until a loose left rear wheel forced Jones to pit road under the green flag. The unscheduled stop put him down multiple laps from the leaders, resulting in a 24th place finish.
First of its kind: Erik Jones clinched his first-career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2015. During a dominant performance, Jones secured the pole position and led for a total of 79 laps. At just 18 years old, Jones showcased his immense talent and promising future, beating out competitors like Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the final laps. He went on to win eight more races in that series throughout his career.
The Great American Speedway: In his last attempt at Texas Motor Speedway, Jones started from the 27th position. Jones made his way into the top-10 and lead for one lap, showing real pace at the Great American Speedway. Jones proved he can be a contender regardless of his starting position, earning a sixth-place finish – his eleventh top-10 of 2022.
Collecting Cowboy Hats: Across the Truck and Xfinity Series, Jones has shown great success on this 1.5-mile asphalt oval collecting a total of four wins, seven top-fives, and seven top-10 finishes. Jones earned his best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway in three consecutive races with a fourth-place finish three years in a row between both races in 2018 and the spring of 2019.
Dave In Texas: Dave Elenz has shown that he can direct his team to success in both the Xfinity and Cup Series. Elenz has 14 Xfinity starts during his tenure with JR Motorsports, coaching six drivers to seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. His drivers hold an average finishing position of 9.9 and have totaled 193 laps led. In their lone points-paying Cup Series start together, Elenz and Jones earned a sixth-place finish in the Fall of 2022.
Giving Back: In partnership with Vs. Everybody, all merchandise sales for the “Dallas Vs. Everybody” program will help support for a bigger cause as a portion of the proceeds will go to the Erik Jones Foundation. The goal of the Foundation is to ignite the passion for reading in children, encourage early cancer detection and care, and to promote animal welfare.
Meet Erik: Jones will be at the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB E2 trackside merchandise hauler on Saturday, Sept. 23rd from 9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. local time to promote the new “Dallas vs. Everybody” merch. On race day. Jones will head over to the Team Chevy Stage for a Q&A session from 10:00 a.m.-10:20 a.m. local time.
Quoting Erik Jones: “Texas has been good to me in a few different series. I’ve been able to win a handful of races there through Trucks and Xfinity, but I’ve never closed one out in the Cup Series. We have been close a couple of times. It’s a unique place since the repave – it’s become challenging to race, and there is a bit more groove on the bottom. You have to have track position and be upfront. It does have some of the same old Texas tendencies that the track had before the repave, so you can look back at some of those notes, but overall, it’s a pretty unique place.”
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.
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SEBRING, Fla., (September 21, 2023) – This weekend at Sebring International Raceway the heat is turning up in the battle for the GT World Challenge America championship title. Armed with a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R machines, Wright Motorsports enters the weekend seeking an illustrious overall win in the Pro class while adding valuable championship points towards the team’s Pro-Am championship endeavors.
“Everyone on Wright Motorsports has put in a high level of preparation into our final swing of the 2023 championship,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Sebring is notoriously bumpy, making it a very demanding circuit physically on drivers and cars. We have enjoyed a high amount of success here in a Porsche, and we are confident in our ability to race to the front at a circuit with so much character.”
In SRO GT World Challenge America, the team continues its split efforts in the Pro and Pro-Am classes. In the Pro class, Madison Snow resumes his duties substituting for driver Charlie Luck while he recovers from an injury to his left kidney. Snow made his return to Wright Motorsports alongside Jan Heylen at the previous doubleheader last month at Road America, where the pairing enjoyed a strong weekend with two top-five finishes. The duo will finish the season together, racing the No. 45 Porsche at Sebring International Raceway and then Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
In Pro-Am, the team currently holds second place in the championship point standings, only four points behind the current leaders, Crowdstrike by Riley. Drivers George Kurtz and Colin Braun have a 17-point lead over Wright drivers Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer, who have had an impressive first season with the team. With four wins and an additional podium under their belts, this young duo has proven to be a formidable combination in the team’s quest to fight for the championship. With the No. 45 Porsche moving up to the Pro class, the pressure to secure the Pro-Am championship title lies solely on the shoulders of Adelson and Skeer in the No. 120. Saturday and Sunday will each host a 90-minute race, with one pitstop and driver change required in each race session.
In GT America, Adelson continues his quest to earn his first official win in the bronze-only sprint driver series. Though he secured an exciting victory in Round Three of the championship, the win was later revoked due to a technical infraction, and Adelson has earned three podium and five top-five results in his fight to return to the top step. Just four rounds remain in the GT America season, with each race consisting of a 40-minute sprint without pit stops.
Schedule | All Times Eastern
Friday, September 22
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Bronze Test
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM GT America Practice 1
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM GT World Challenge Practice 1
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM GT America Practice 2
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM GT World Challenge Practice 2
Saturday, September 23
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM GT America Qualifying
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM GT World Challenge Qualifying 1
9:20 AM – 9:35 AM GT World Challenge Qualifying 2
12:50 PM – 1:30 PM GT America Race 1*
3:05 PM – 4:35 PM GT World Challenge Race 1*
Sunday, September 24
8:40 AM – 9:20 AM GT America Race 2*
2:15 PM – 3:45 PM GT World Challenge Race 2*
*All races will air live on YouTube.com/GTWorld
DRIVER QUOTES
Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I’m looking forward to my home race. There is so much history here, and it’s one of my favorite tracks. It’s been a challenging season, but we had a good test, we’re well prepared and set up to have a good race. I hope we can hand a trophy over to Charlie by the end of the weekend.
Madison Snow // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
With one race weekend in the Porsche under my belt now I am very excited to be back in the car for another… especially at a great track like Sebring! The Sebring racetrack is a pinnacle of US tracks; it’s a great track to battle on but it’s also very tough. The Porsche seems to be struggling for a good BOP and hasn’t made any headway heading into this weekend. Fortunately, I am able to be a part of one of the best Porsche teams around right now, so I know we will show up very strong and able to take on a tough track like this one.
Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R
The combination of Sebring and a GT3 R is one that has excited me since the start of the year. I know that Sebring is a good track for 911s, and we need to capitalize on that to try and make up some ground in the championship. Over the last few races that Elliott and I have had, we’ve been driving at the top of our game, and with the best team in the paddock I know that we’re ready to take on whatever challenges get thrown our way this weekend.
Elliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R
This has been a highlighted weekend for me all season! To now be comfortable in GT3 cars and be able to push around a track like Sebring is a special feeling. I feel like both Adam and myself have taken steps forward in our driving recently and I cannot wait to see how that evolves over this very important weekend. While the last few weekends have not been perfect, our execution of what we control has been spot-on, and can only continue doing so into the Sunset (bend)!
Wright Motorsports Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.
Right now, there’s no denying how integral “SEO” has become to the way the internet works. In particular, it impacts how businesses navigate this space. Whether you’re here in Chicago or elsewhere in the world, it’s probably something that you’ve noticed.
It’s hard to escape the advertisements we see for it, too. However, it does make a person wonder: are these search engine optimization services really all they’re cracked up to be? Today, we’ll be answering that question for you, and diving deep into why they’re such a big deal right now. If you’d like some more background information on SEO, though, check out this journal before you continue.
Why Does SEO Matter?
Search engine optimization is a way that businesses can generate organic clicks to their websites, rather than having to pay for ad space on a site like Google. There are certain techniques and strategies involved, though, and it does take some time, effort, and often money to properly take advantage of search engine optimization.
For local businesses, it might seem easy to want to brush SEO aside. You probably already have a loyal customer base. Why not expand it though, right? If you utilize these strategies around here in Chicago, you can bring in more attention.
That’s probably why so many SEO services exist here in Chicago. It can be hard to decide on one, certainly. The important thing is that we start to take advantage of the benefits of SEO, since there are a lot of them to keep in mind – and it can bring in a significant boost to sales in some cases. You can talk to experts any time if you have questions.
Chicago SEO Scholar
55 E Monroe St Suite 3800 Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 529-8226
https://www.chicagoseoscholar.com/
How Do SEO Services Work?
At first, the process can look a bit intimidating. Thankfully, though, there are plenty of ways to make it simple and sweet. Your first step working with an organization like this will likely be consultation, where they get a sense for what your goals are as a business. Do your best to provide details on what you want to accomplish through using search engine optimization.
From there, it will depend on what service you use. You can find examples on pages like this: www.chicagoseoscholar.com/, which can provide insights into what you might be doing further down the line. For instance, the organization could ask you to attend a meeting or some other event to get you familiar with what they’re offering and to help you get your footing.
Depending on your current website, you may also be redesigning it. A big part of SEO is fine-tuning our webpages to make sure that they’ll be ranked and rated highly by search engine algorithms. This means producing high-quality content.
Unfortunately, Google, Bing, and other search engines tend to mark a lot of things as “spam.” Repetitive words, links, and anything similar to that might get flagged as “poor quality” content and be repressed in the algorithm. So, a lot of search engine optimization involves striking a balance between incorporating key words while still not being marked as spam.
Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Many start-ups and small businesses struggle with this at first, because it can be hard to hire someone to write up content without paying a lot of money for it. Thankfully, we do have more options these days.
Are Services Worth it?
On one final note, many small and local businesses in Chicago wonder whether or not hiring these types of services are worth it. This isn’t a simple “yes” or “no” question, unfortunately, but we’ll do our best to answer it.
If you are someone who has a degree in marketing and already knows the ins and outs of search engine optimization, then you may not want to hire a service like this. However, if you feel a little lost with technology or can’t really keep up with all of the changes, then it’s probably something to consider.
Some search engines do provide options to help businesses boost their rankings in search results, but these are also paid. Additionally, they don’t always provide the “right” information. While analytics are great to have, it’s also important to start doing keyword research. That research is something these SEO services can do for you.
What’s the big deal with keywords? They’re a part of how search engines rate websites, as we mentioned above. However, it’s mostly in the sense that they’re looking for relevance and quality of information provided. Websites that include more keywords in their high-quality content will naturally rank higher on the results page.
All of this is to say that these sorts of services will likely do a lot for any local businesses here in Chicago. Once you learn how to incorporate keywords, you overhaul your website design to refresh it, and you get a sense for how to generate organic clicks from search results, you’ll get much more traffic (and hopefully sales)!
Exciting cooperative games for children aren’t limited to console and mainstream development companies. In fact, back in the early days of the internet, flash games were the go-to method for online entertainment. Unfortunately, in 2020, Adobe Flash Player was finally retired, rendering many of those old games unplayable.
This didn’t stop the development of online gaming websites, however. With the popularization of HTML5 and the continuing use of Java, more and more online games are still being developed today. The current online gaming environment in 2023 of online 2-player games for you and your children is still very much thriving. Read on to discover the best websites to enjoy these games yourself or your child.
Friv5Online
Friv5Online Games Studio, established in 2002, continues to grow and expand. Friv 5 hosts thousands of free online games with both single-player and cooperative options. It even offers games in various languages, making it an excellent resource for early language learning. The best part is that Friv 5 doesn’t require any accounts, making the gaming experience quick and hassle-free. Here’s a list of some of Friv 5’s most popular games for you and your child to dive into today:
Fairy Tales – Fireboy and Watergirl 6
Agent P Rebel Spy
Moto X3M Spooky Land
Ben 10 World Rescue
Ultimate Hero Clash 2
Princess E-girl Fashion
Armor Games
Much like Friv 5, Armor Games has been a player in the online gaming landscape for a long time, initially gaining popularity through the MMORPG Runescape. While Armor Games hosts many games, many lean towards a more PG-13 audience, which might not be suitable for children. However, if you dig deeper, you’ll discover some real gems that can be enjoyed cooperatively. Here are some of Armor Games’ top picks:
Firestone Idle RPG
Mighty Party
Raid Heroes: Total War
Dungeon Crusher: AFK Heroes
Battle Pirates
Itch.io
Our final recommendation is Itch.io, a platform with a developer-centric focus and a wide range of content. The quality of games on Itch.io varies greatly, and you never quite know what you’ll stumble upon. Most games that exist on Itch.io are personal passion projects and small game-jam games that could easily be hit-or-miss depending on personal tastes.
While some games require an account to play, Itch.io offers an extensive cooperative and multiplayer section. However, it’s important to note that the site may require adult supervision, as there are sections featuring purely adult-oriented games. Don’t be discouraged, though; Itch.io is a treasure trove of unique and fantastic options not found anywhere else.
Conclusion
In summary, the online cooperative gaming environment is as vibrant as ever in 2023, if not better than a decade ago. Websites like Friv5Online and Armor Games continue to provide unlimited free content for you and your child to enjoy on a daily basis. We recommend starting with either of these two platforms and then gradually exploring Itch.io once you become more comfortable with its unique landscape. Happy gaming!
Denny Hamlin earned his 51st career NASCAR Cup Series victory on Saturday by winning America's Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR's Crown Jewel events. It is the ninth Crown Jewel victory for Hamlin in his career.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. proves he still has the driving mojo in strong Food City 300 run on Bristol’s high banks
BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 20, 2023) – Denny Hamlin has displayed a knack for winning NASCAR Crown Jewel races during his distinguished career in the Cup Series. On Saturday night at iconic Bristol Motor Speedway, where so much NASCAR history has been made since it arrived on the Cup Series schedule in 1961, Hamlin scored his latest major victory by claiming a third Bass Pro Shops Night Race trophy.
For those who are keeping count, of Hamlin’s 51 career Cup victories nine have been Crown Jewel races, including three Daytona 500s, three Bristol Night Races, two Southern 500s and one Coca-Cola 600.
When veteran NASCAR official Mike Forde introduced Hamlin’s winning crew chief Chris Gabehart to the media in the post-race news conference, he asked him to give an opening statement, “from your view atop the pit box, winning one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels, the Bristol Night Race.”
Gabehart, like so many other drivers, crew chiefs and team owners who have an affinity for the unique short track that races like a superspeedway, gave a familiar answer: “Yeah, it’s not a secret, it’s my favorite race. I’ll go ahead and say it. What a fantastic atmosphere, just electric. It represents everything that is quintessential about stock car racing – short track, high banks, action everywhere. I say it all the time, what I love so much about this track is it shows you just how hard it is to drive these race cars. It’s amazing to watch these guys do what they do. My favorite track. Won another Bristol Night Race. Super pumped and proud of this team, no doubt.”
Team owner Joe Gibbs echoed those comments: “I think for our whole sport, if you ask NASCAR fans across the country, they’re going to rate this place as one of the absolute favorites, the place where they like to come. I remember all the way back to Dale Jarrett, I asked him what racetrack he liked the best. He said Bristol. The sense of speed. I think it’s really hard. It’s hard on machine and driver. For Denny to be as good as he is here, I think it says a lot for the talent of a driver to be able to come to Bristol and have success. We just think it’s a special place. Really appreciate something like tonight where we do run good.”
Hamlin, who received plenty of boos from the thousands of fans in the stands immediately after the race, said their passion is what fuels him.
“At some point I’ve got to realize that I’m probably not going to win the most popular driver award…They think (the boos) bother me, but clearly it’s having an opposite effect,” said Hamlin, who punched his ticket to the Round of 12 Playoffs with the victory and feels like his team is peaking at the right moment and this could be the year that they finally win a Cup Series championship.
“That’s why I love this track, it doesn’t matter if it’s cheers or boos, you’ve earned the right to be on that stage for that given moment, for that interview, or whatever it might be,” Hamlin continued. “It’s gratifying. I’m a person that feeds off that energy because I know my hard work has paid off… to just have the electricity, that’s fun. This is really a fun moment in sports. It’s really fun in NASCAR to have that many passionate fans one way or another. It’s good for the sport.”
DALE JR. RIDES AGAIN: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he was more nervous before last Friday’s Food City 300 than he had been at any time in his career as a race car driver.
First, he wondered if he still had what it takes to master Bristol’s all-concrete high banks. Then he had some anxiety about the number of Xfinity Series cars trying to qualify for the race. He said he had never posted a DNQ and didn’t want to start now.
His questions were quickly answered though, as he qualified 15th in his sleek looking blue and yellow No. 88 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Chevy. Then he gave fans quite a show in the race, as the NASCAR Hall of Famer turned back the clock by leading and running in the top five for most of the night before an electrical fire with 29 laps to go forced him to park his car early. His 30th place finish didn’t tell the whole story.
“I just know one thing — I didn’t cause no problems tonight for nobody,” Earnhardt Jr. said with a smile. “That was a big deal for me. I didn’t wanna come in here and screw up somebody’s championship. Everybody would be like, ‘That damn Junior don’t need to be out there.’”
He didn’t have much time to be dejected about his final finish position because after a quick trip to the care center to examine his right heel and lower leg, he had to put his team owner hat on and was quickly whisked away on the winning car of Justin Allgaier to celebrate with his JRM teammates in Bristol’s unique elevated Victory Lane. He literally climbed aboard Allgaier’s red No. 7 JRM Chevy and rode up the ramp while hanging on to the window and roof of the car.
“I’m real happy for Justin,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Winning at Bristol is such an amazing accomplishment for any driver. This kind of ranks up there with Darlington in terms of being a driver’s race track. You’ve got to be tough and move around and defense and be on the offense and gotta (have your) head on a swivel out there. All the good drivers seem to do well and figure this place out. It’s not a place where you get any flukes. Proud for him.”
The final stats will show that Earnhardt Jr. led 47 laps of the race and was in the top three for most of the race, sending whispers all through the facility: “Could Dale Jr. actually win this race tonight?” The entire Colosseum was buzzing about an Earnhardt victory. But alas, it wasn’t to be.
“We had a positive wire short up in the top of the dash, and the casing on the wire melted down onto the leg brace and caught the foam in the leg brace and the cloth cover of the leg brace on fire, so it burnt the leg off my uniform,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It was like another lap, and I was probably gonna be blistered up. But, no burns on my leg. Just barely escaped. I was disappointed to have to get out. We were gonna run fourth or better.”
NIGHT RACE NATIONAL ANTHEM TRADITION IS SO SPECIAL: One of the special traditions of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race is the annual National Anthem performance by the Motor Racing Outreach children’s choir. The group of children have sang the anthem to kick off the Night Race since 2002 and a host of drivers’ children have been members of the group. Some of those children who have participated over the years are all grown up and are racers now themselves, including Jeb Burton, Harrison Burton, Chase Elliott, John Hunter Nemechek and Todd Gilliland, to name a few. Drivers whose children are currently in the choir and performed on Saturday are Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell and Joey Logano, among others.
BMS NEIGHBORHOOD HEROES HAS BIG ORANGE FLAVOR: BMS honored eight Neighborhood Heroes on Saturday during pre-race ceremonies and of the five who were present to walk across the stage and wave to fans included Sullivan County Sherriff’s Officers Rick Rumley and Jacob Hulse and three University of Tennessee Volunteer athletes who attended high schools in communities around Bristol Motor Speedway, including Lady Vol Softball player Camryn Sarvis and Volunteer Baseball players Kirby Connell and Colby Backus. Three of the honorees were from the football realm and were not able to attend the race festivities due to prior gridiron commitments, including Tennessee State University head football coach Eddie George and Vol linemen Dayne Davis and Austin Lewis.
Each year during America’s Night Race the BMS Neighborhood Heroes program recognizes first responders, military members, educators, athletes and others in our regional communities who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their professions to make significant impacts in the lives of others.
DALE JR. SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS GET TO MEET THE LEGEND: There were more than 170 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scholarship applicants this year and the committee was able to narrow the list down to six finalists where ultimately two winners were selected. The winners, Caleb Kent of nearby Happy Valley High School in Watauga, Tenn., and Jamie Sullivan of the University of Northwestern Ohio, were the winners and were recognized and presented plaques on Friday during pre-race ceremonies for the Food City 300, which Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a participant. Following the presentation, the two winners were able to meet Dale Jr. and get a quick photo with the NASCAR Hall of Famer for which the scholarship is named.
Kent, who has his own motorsports podcast and is a part of the announcing team for both football and basketball at Elizabethton High School, plans to pursue a career in broadcasting. He was able to meet and spend some time with NASCAR journalists Jeff Gluck and Bob Pockrass in the BMS Media Center prior to receiving his award.
Sullivan, a Florida native who lives in the Charlotte area, is also wanting to pursue a career in marketing and communications in professional motorsports. She is already a Monster Truck driver and has worked on a pit crew for an ARCA team.
About Bristol Motor Speedway Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and in 2021 began converting to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.
CHRISTOPHER BELL |TY GIBBS Texas NASCAR Cup Series Advance
NASCAR Cup Series Overview
● Event: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Round 30 of 36)
● Date: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Interstate Batteries Racing Notes
● Texas is Twice as Nice This Weekend. Interstate Batteries, the founding partner at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), is doubling down for the first time ever this weekend in the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth by taking over the primary sponsorship of two NASCAR Cup Series entries. The famed Interstate Batteries medallion will adorn the hoods of both the No. 20 JGR Toyota Camry TRD of driver Christopher Bell and the No. 54 JGR Toyota Camry TRD for driver Ty Gibbs.
● No Double Vision Here. While both paint schemes will highlight the Interstate Batteries brand, they will not be without their differences. Bell will sport the 2023 Interstate Batteries scheme that has appeared on each of the JGR cars at various times throughout the season. Gibbs will sport a scheme with a matte-black base and Interstate Batteries branding in green with gold accents.
Christopher Bell, Driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD in the NASCAR Cup Series
● Let the (Second Round) Games Begin. Bell is among the 12 drivers who have advanced to the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which kicks off this weekend with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas. The playoff standings have been reset following last weekend’s Round of 16 finale at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, showing Bell in seventh place, five points above the Round of 8 cutline heading into the 30th race of the 2023 season.
● No Red River Rivalry Here. College football season is in full swing and one of the most storied rivalries in the sport is that between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas. The Red River Rivalry has been going strong since 1929 and is referred to as such in honor of the “Red River,” which runs along much of the border between the states of Texas and Oklahoma. Hailing from Norman, Oklahoma – a mere three hours from Texas Motor Speedway – Bell is considered a bit of a hometown kid when it comes to racing at Texas. That’s something he has in common with his primary sponsor for this weekend’s 400 mile race in the Lone Star State. Interstate Batteries, the outrageously dependable battery brand, is based in Dallas, a few short miles from the Texas oval. This is the fourth of five races at which Bell will pilot the Interstate Batteries-branded Toyota Camry. Interstate Batteries wraps up its 2023 primary role at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway next month with Bell and the No. 20 team.
● Taming Texas. Bell is a five-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and he would like nothing more than to make this weekend’s race at Texas his sixth series win. In four career Cup Series starts at Texas, Bell has earned a pair of third-place finishes – each coming in the track’s fall races in 2020 and 2021. Prior to his Cup Series career, Bell was a regular in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The 2019 season was his last as an Xfinity Series regular – a season in which he scored eight wins, the final of which was at Texas during the track’s fall race. In total, Bell has five starts at Texas in Xfinity Series competition, scoring one win, three top-five finishes and four top-10s.
Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD in the NASCAR Cup Series
● Just a Little Bit Closer. Ty Gibbs makes his 45th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at Texas. While he is not part of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoff field competing for the season title, he still has plenty for which to race. Sitting at the top of that to-do list is scoring his first career Cup Series win – a feat he came close to achieving during last Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol. To date, Gibbs has a trio of top-five finishes on his 2023 Cup Series racing resume, including his fifth-place finish at Bristol last weekend where he led a total of 102 laps before eventually losing the lead to teammate and eventual race-winner Denny Hamlin with less than 150 laps to go.
● Texas History. The 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval is a track at which Gibbs has pevious Cup Series racing experience. He competed in the 2022 edition of the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, qualifying 16th, completing every race lap and finishing 20th. In addition to his lone Cup Series start in the Lone Star State, Gibbs participated in a pair of Xfinity Series races – both during the 2022 season in which he won the Xfinity Series championship. The 20-year old’s best Texas effort was a third-place finish he earned during last November’s Xfinity Series race.
Christopher Bell, Driver Q&A
It’s been a full year since the NASCAR Cup Series has raced at Texas. It’s a track that has seemed to be feast or famine for you. What are your expectations as you head into the weekend?
“This Texas race is the first 400-mile race we’ve been in at the track. That will probably drive the intensity and make every lap more important. Last year, we had tire issues that really set us back, but I feel like our intermediate track program should set us up well this weekend. This race is going to be a very important race when it comes to being able to transfer to the next round in the playoffs. After this, we have Talladega and then the road course at Charlotte.”
You’ve had quite the streak in qualifying – earning the top starting spot in each of the first three playoff races. How important is qualifying up front, particularly at a track like Texas?
“Having a good starting spot is important because you start out with great track position. The other part of it is that it usually means you have a pretty good racecar. We put ourselves in good position. I’m really proud of the Camrys that this 20 group have been able to bring to the races since we’ve started the playoffs. Adam (Stevens, crew chief) and the entire team have been doing a great job of being prepared every week.”
What does it mean to be part of this special sponsorhip program Interstate Batteries is executing this weekend with both you and Ty driving cars with Interstate branding?
“Driving the Interstate Batteries car is kind of a right of passage at JGR – it’s like you are officialy part of the club. It’s a big deal to everyone at Interstate Batteries and everyone at JGR – they are the team’s founding partner. It’s an honor to be able to drive that car and would be even more special to win with it and at Texas.”
Ty Gibbs, Driver Q&A
What are your thoughts about this weekend’s 400-mile race at Texas?
“I enjoy racing at Texas and it’s cool that Interstate Batteries has given me a black car for this event. It’s a big weekend for them with myself, (Christopher) Bell and (Trevor) Bayne all running the Interstate Batteries scheme. They are an important part of Joe Gibbs Racing and the founding sponsor, so hopefully we can give them a great weekend.”
Interstate Batteries is the founding partner at JGR. How special is it to be racing the Interstate Batteries colors at its home track this weekend?
“Norm Miller has been great to JGR all the way back to 1991, when my grandfather started this whole thing. He’s just a great guy, and Lain Hancock is doing a great job, and it’s more than a sponsorship – they’re part of the family. And I hope we can put them in victory lane.”
