TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, Kansas
September 8-10, 2023
GEARING UP FOR A NASCAR TRIPLEHEADER AT KANSAS SPEEDWAY
All three NASCAR national series will make the journey to the Midwest for the final time this season to Kansas Speedway – marking the first time since July that the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will convene for a tripleheader at the same track.
Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway
In the NASCAR Cup Series, the Bowtie brand has accumulated a series-leading 13 victories in its 35-race history at the 1.5-mile oval. The manufacturer’s first of those wins came in the series’ debut at the track in September 2001 with career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR Hall of Famer went on to take his No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to victory lane at Kansas Speedway again one year later – making him one of only four drivers in series’ history to post consecutive wins at the track. The manufacturer’s most recent NCS win at the track also came with Hendrick Motorsports – recorded by Kyle Larson in his championship season (Oct. 2021).
Chevrolet has claimed five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at Kansas Speedway. In both series, the manufacturer will head into the weekend as the defending winners at the track with victories courtesy of JR Motorsports and Noah Gragson in the NXS (Sept. 2022) and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger in the NCTS (May 2023).
NCS PLAYOFF UPDATE: ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO
Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson started the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on the best note possible by taking the win in one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events – the Cook Out Southern 500 – earning an automatic advancement into the Round of 12. Larson posted a strong points day in the series’ playoff opener at Darlington Raceway – piloting his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 to top-three finishes in both stages en route to his third points-paying win of the season.
Entering the post-season as the top-seeded driver, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron was able to maintain the top position in the points standings with a 45-point cushion over the cutline. Despite a disappointing qualifying effort, Byron was able to drive No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 to a top-five finish in Stage Two – ultimately taking the checkered flag in the fourth position for the team’s 10th top-five finish of the season.
Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 will be the second of three races in the NCS’ Round of 16 – marking just the second time that Kansas Speedway has held the position on the post-season schedule for NASCAR’s premier series.
A look at Team Chevy’s playoff contenders heading into race two of the Round of 16:
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings
- Advanced to Round of 12 with win at Darlington Raceway
Victories: 3
Top-Fives: 11 (series-leading)
Top-10s: 13
Laps Led: 679
Average Finish: 15.5
Stage Wins: 3
At Kansas Speedway:
Wins: 1
Top-Fives: 6
Top-10s: 9
Average Finish: 13.471
Of Note:
· The 2023 season marks Larson’s seventh appearance in the NCS playoffs.
· Larson has one NCS Regular Season Championship and one NCS Driver Championship title to his name – both coming in 2021.
· The 31-year-old California native has made it to the Championship Four once – the season that delivered the Team Chevy driver his first championship title in NASCAR’s top series (2021). In his other playoff appearances, Larson reached the Round of Eight (2019), Round of 12 (2017, 2018 and 2022) and Round of 16 (2016).
· During the playoff era (2004-present), the 2021 season saw Larson earn a series-leading five post-season victories – tying the record set by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in 2011.
· Larson has wins at all three of the tracks in the Round of Eight – two of which have come in the series’ most recent appearance at the track (Homestead-Miami Speedway – Oct. 2022; Martinsville Speedway – April 2023).
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 2nd in Playoff Standings; 45 points above the cutline
Victories: 5 (series-leading)
Top-Fives: 10
Top-10s: 14
Laps Led: 877 (series-leading)
Average Finish: 11.6
Stage Wins: 8 (series-leading)
At Kansas Speedway:
Top-Fives: 2
Top-10s: 7
Poles: 1
Average Finish: 14.000
Of Note:
· The 2023 season marks Byron’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
· Bryon’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2022, finishing the season sixth in the final points standings.
· Among Byron’s nine career wins in NASCAR’s premier series, five have come at tracks in the playoffs, including each of the final four races.
· While he was eliminated in the Round of Eight last season, it’s projected to be his strongest trio of tracks in the post-season – having found victory lane at all three venues (Las Vegas Motor Speedway – March 2023; Homestead-Miami Speedway – Feb. 2021; Martinsville Speedway – April 2022).
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 – 7th in Playoff Standings; 20 points above the cutline
Victories: 3
Top-Fives: 8
Top-10s: 14
Laps Led: 233
Average Finish: 14.0
Stage Wins: 2
At Kansas Speedway:
Wins: 2
Top-Fives: 10
Top-10s: 14
Average Finish: 15.467
Of Note:
· In his debut season with Richard Childress Racing and his return to the Bowtie brigade, 2023 marks Busch’s 16th appearance in the NCS playoffs.
· Busch is one of only two active drivers with multiple championships to his name – taking the title in 2015 and 2019.
· In Busch’s 63 career wins in NASCAR’s top series, eight of those triumphs have come in the post-season.
· The 38-year-old Nevada native has made it to the Championship Four on five different occasions – most recently in 2019 en route to his second title.
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 10th in Playoff Standings; 13 points above the cutline
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 7
Top-10s: 10
Laps Led: 482
Average Finish: 15.0
Stage Wins: 5
At Kansas Speedway:
Top-Fives: 1
Top-10s: 3
Average Finish: 18.778
Of Note:
· The 2023 season marks Chastain’s second appearance in the NCS playoffs.
· Chastain’s first time competing in the NCS playoffs came in 2022 – going on to advance to the Championship Four and ultimately leading Team Chevy with a runner-up finish in the final points standings.
· Chastain has collected top-10 finishes in the NCS’ last three races at Kansas Speedway, including a best-finish of fifth in the May 2023 event.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1 – 15th in Playoff Standings; four points below the cutline
Wins: 1
Top-Fives: 2
Top-10s: 7
Laps Led: 25
Average Finish: 16.7
Stage Wins: 0
At Kansas Speedway:
Top-10s: 1
Average Finish: 19.667
Of Note:
· The 2023 season marks Stenhouse Jr.’s second appearance in the NCS playoffs. His first time competing in the playoffs came in 2017, ultimately ending the season 13th in the final points standings.
· The 35-year-old Mississippi native was the first driver to claim a playoff berth this season following his win in the 2023 Daytona 500.
· One of Stenhouse Jr.’s three career NCS victories was recorded at Talladega Superspeedway (May 2017) – one of the three tracks in the Round of 12.
· Stenhouse Jr. has already put together a career season in 2023, heading into the post-season with a career-best average finish of 16.7.
BY THE NUMBERS ON INTERMEDIATES
Since the debut of the Next Gen cars at the beginning of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chevrolet has been poised to be a frontrunner on the intermediate ovals. Of the nine tracks ranging between 1.250-miles and 1.540-miles in length, the manufacturer is the series’ most recent winner at seven of those venues – four of which hold a spot in the post-season:
· Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-miles): Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 – Oct. 2022
· Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-miles): Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – Oct. 2022
· Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-miles): William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – Mar. 2023
· W.W.T.R. (1.25-miles): Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 – June 2023
· Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-miles): Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – June 2023
· Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-miles): William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – July 2023
· Darlington Raceway (1.366-miles): Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – Sept. 2023
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ON HORIZON OF MILESTONE WIN WITH CHEVROLET
Kyle Larson’s win at Darlington Raceway not only took the Hendrick Motorsports engine department to its 500th all-time NASCAR national series win, but also brought Hendrick Motorsports just one win away from another milestone victory with the organization now sitting at 299 NASCAR Cup Series wins.
A partner with Rick Hendrick since the inception of the team, each of Hendrick Motorsports’ wins have come in a Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports’ first triumph in NASCAR’s premier series came in April 1984 with Geoff Bodine, and the organization has since won at least one race in all but one season since it was founded, including an active streak of 38 in a row (1986-2023).
The winningest manufacturer in series’ history, Chevrolet has accumulated 847 all-time NCS wins. Hendrick Motorsports is credited with a handful of milestone triumphs for the Bowtie brand, delivering the manufacturer its milestone 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th and 800th victories in NASCAR’s premier series – each recorded by a different driver:
· 400th win: Sept. 9, 1994 – Terry Labonte (Richmond Raceway)
· 500th win: Aug. 12, 2001 Jeff Gordon (Watkins Glen International)
· 600th win: March 25, 2007 – Kyle Busch (Bristol Motor Speedway)
· 700th win: Nov. 4, 2012 – Jimmie Johnson (Texas Motor Speedway)
· 800th win: May 23, 2021 – Chase Elliott (Circuit of The Americas)
Chevrolet’s most recent milestone victory (Elliott at Circuit of The Americas in 2021) also brought Hendrick Motorsports to its 268th NCS victory – tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time wins record in the series. The organization ultimately broke the record one week later with Kyle Larson at Charlotte Motor Speedway, making Hendrick Motorsports the winningest organization in NCS history.
HILL EYES FIRST CAREER NXS REGULAR SEASON TITLE
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill came just one spot short of another win at Darlington Raceway, but the Team Chevy driver’s runner-up finish helped him maintain the top spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series points standings ahead of this weekend’s regular season finale at Kansas Speedway.
In only his second full-time season in the series, the 29-year-old Georgia native has been a top contender for the title throughout the season. In 25 races this season, Hill has collected four wins, as well as a series-leading 14 top-fives and 18 top-10s. Heading into Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300, Hill holds a 23-point advantage over second place as the Team Chevy driver looks to secure his first career NXS regular season championship title.
Two More Team Chevy Drivers Clinch Post-Season Bid
Following a pair of top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway, JR Motorsports’ Josh Berry and Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed also clinched their spots in the NXS 12-driver playoff field. Berry made his first post-season appearance last season – making his way to the Championship Four in his first full-time season in the series. Also in his second full-time season in the NXS, the playoff bid will be Creed’s first time competing in the series’ playoffs.
Of the 10 drivers that have already clinched a playoff berth, seven come from the Chevrolet camp. Joining Berry and Creed with a guaranteed spot in the post-season includes Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith and Jeb Burton – all of which have logged at least one victory this season. In the tight battle for the final two post-season positions, Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric currently sits 11th in the playoff standings with a 55-point cushion over the cutline. While on the outside looking in, Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman is 13th in the playoff standings, but only at a one-point deficit outside the playoff bubble.
FIRST ELIMINATION RACE OF NCTS PLAYOFFS
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ Playoffs Round of 10 will conclude at Kansas Speedway with two championship contenders being eliminated following Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 200. Four drivers are already assured a spot in the next round, including Team Chevy’s Grant Enfinger and Christian Eckes.
Enfinger and the No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST team is Kansas Speedway’s most recent NCTS winner – collecting his first of now three wins on the season in the series’ spring appearance at the track. The 38-year-old Alabama native solidified his spot in the next round after driving to a dominating win in the second race of the Round of 10 at the Milwaukee Mile. Joining Enfinger with a guaranteed spot in the Round of Eight is McAnally-Hilgemann’s Christian Eckes. The 22-year-old New York native has had a stout showing in the opening round – collecting podium finishes in each of the first two races.
Two of the four remaining positions above the cutline are occupied by Team Chevy drivers with Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar sitting in the fifth position (+56 points) and Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in the eighth position (+3 points) in the playoff standings.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Kansas Speedway:
Kyle Busch – two wins (2021, 2016)
Kyle Larson – one win (2021)
Chase Elliott – one win (2018)
· In 35 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 13 victories and 13 poles.
· Only four drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history have captured consecutive wins at Kansas Speedway, one of which being career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR Hall of Famer drove the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to the win in the series’ first two races at the track (2001, 2002).
· Chevrolet won the inaugural race at Kansas Speedway in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, courtesy of Jeff Gordon (NCS – September 2001) and Ricky Hendrick (NCTS – July 2001).
· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers were represented in the playoffs each season.
· Three of the six repeat winners in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season come from Team Chevy:
William Byron: series-leading five wins (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Darlington, Atlanta 2 & Watkins Glen)
Kyle Busch: three wins (Auto Club, Talladega, WWTR)
Kyle Larson: three wins (Richmond, Martinsville & Darlington 2)
· In 27 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (14), top-fives (59), top-10s (114), stage wins (19) and laps led (2,572). Chevrolet’s 2023 win count is now more than double its manufacturer competitors combined.
· Chevrolet leads the series in wins across all three NASCAR national series this season with 14 victories in 27 NASCAR Cup Series races, 13 victories in 25 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 11 wins in 18 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races – all with a win percentage of at least 50%.
· With Kyle Larson’s win in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports now sits at 299 all-time victories in NASCAR’s premier series – all recorded with Chevrolet.
· Chevrolet’s series-leading 14 NASCAR Cup Series wins this season have been recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet teams: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing), William Byron and Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) and Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing).
· Chevrolet drivers have recorded 19 of the 54 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (eight; series-leading), Ross Chastain (five), Kyle Larson (three), Kyle Busch (two) and Chase Elliott (one).
· Chevrolet continues to sit atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 72 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 77 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 54 points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
· Chevrolet has swept the Manufacturer Championships across all three NASCAR national series in a single season four different times (2012, 2005, 1998, 1996).
· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 847 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
TUNE IN:
NASCAR Cup Series: Hollywood Casino 400
Sunday, September 10, at 3 p.m. ET
(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Kansas Lottery 300
Saturday, September 9, at 3 p.m. ET
(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Kansas Lottery 200
Friday, September 8, at 9 p.m. ET
(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1
What is your outlook on Kansas with it being the second race of the playoffs?
“Second race of the playoffs – it’s come up quick. Kansas is a mile-and-a-half which is totally different from last weekend’s race. This first round of the playoffs has a mix of tracks. Obviously, we want to win and score a lot of points to help us advance to the next round. Everyone has that goal though. All we can do is keep focused on our car and our team and the results will fall where they may.”
Do you feel more confident coming back to the playoffs this year?
“I’ve got 140 employees at Trackhouse that are going to battle for Daniel (Suarez) and I. Whether or not we have a playoff banner on the window or not, it doesn’t change the caliber or rocket ship they are about to put on the track for Daniel and I. We just go about our stuff, and we don’t hide from anything. I don’t have a higher or lower confidence level. I know that I learned a lot last year.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CAMARO ZL1
What are your thoughts on Kansas Speedway?
“Kansas Speedway is a fun track to race at. Running the top line is fun and restarts are always exciting and crucial to picking up positions early. I’ve run well at Kansas Speedway in the past and picked up a 10th-place finish earlier this year in the spring.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
Larson on racing at Kansas Speedway:
“I would say leading into the playoffs I had really no confidence in myself. I think having a good run at Darlington helps but it’s only one weekend. I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself. I want to focus on putting some solid weeks together. I know we are capable of it- we’ve done it before. I just want to remind myself that I can do it consistently and I know that we (the No. 5 team) can do it consistently. There are some good tracks for us coming up and hopefully we can get that confidence up and build some momentum. We got off to a good start. I hope we can keep it rolling here at Kansas (Speedway).”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
Daniels on racing at Kansas Speedway:
“It was such a special moment to get the win (at Darlington). I think all of us would want to spend a little more time enjoying it. As grateful as we are to have had the day that we did (last) Sunday- that’s the nature of the playoffs and we are really eyes forward making sure we take advantage of the next nine weeks. Our work is not done. We still have a few points in Kansas and (at) Bristol (Motor Speedway) that we need to go get. We need to put our best foot forward and we’ve got to keep doing that for the next nine weeks. The job is far from complete.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CASEY’S GENERAL STORES CAMARO ZL1
What makes Kansas so different than the other mile-and-a-half racetracks?
“The Kansas Speedway mile-and-a half is similar to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the old Chicagoland Speedway but they all definitely have their differences. To me, Kansas Speedway is unique because it has the progressive banking now but it’s also still in the D shape. It has similarities to Homestead-Miami Speedway, but it’s definitely come on as the last few years have gone by where you venture up towards the wall and the wall pretty much becomes the primary lane that you choose to run in. You can make a little bit of time in the lower lane, but it’s only for a lap or two that you can do that and then you better figure out a way back up in the line.”
Is Kansas Speedway a temperature sensitive track?
“Kansas Speedway is not necessarily a temperature sensitive racetrack. It’s more of a rubber sensitive racetrack. I remember going there a few years ago with Trucks and the ARCA cars ran before us and it was super, super slick wherever the ARCA cars ran. And then when we ventured outside of that rubber it seemed to have normal grip again. That can definitely be tricky.”
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 NUTRIEN AG SOLUATIONS CAMARO ZL1
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Kansas this weekend. We had a solid run there in the spring so hopefully we can unload like we did earlier this year, continue to gain momentum and build on our program.”
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 42 SUNSEEKER RESORTS CAMARO ZL1
With a good run under your belt in the cup car and plenty of experience at Kansas, how prepared do you think you are for this weekend?
“Myself and the No. 42 team had a great 500 mile debut of working together; they got me up-to-speed and felt like we have been doing it longer than we have. So I’m very happy on what we could accomplish in a short amount of time, and excited to have some momentum and a little more confidence heading to Kansas. Luke and everyone was happy with their package in the spring, so I’m excited to plug myself in and see what we can this weekend!”
ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ALLEGIANT CAMARO ZL1
“Kansas has been an up-and-down track for me, but I like racing there. It is so wide, so it gives you the opportunity to move around a lot and run so many different grooves, so it is always fun to go there as a driver and search around to try and see what is going to be best while having some fun and moving up and down. I feel like we can go run well there; our mile-and-a-half stuff has been good all year, so hoping to have a good race.”
RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 DILLONS / NOS ENERGY DRINK CAMARO ZL1
“We’ve got to qualify well. Qualifying well means everything at these mile-and-a-half racetracks especially Kansas (Speedway). Kansas is wide and you can race all over, but the dominant lane is the top lane. So, if you can set yourself up in qualifying, be in the top 10, as long as your car is decent you almost guarantee yourself some stage points in that first stage. Then you try to keep that track position throughout the rest of the race. There is not a ton of strategy as far as tires go and your just better off qualifying well.
I’ve ran good at Kansas before, and Bristol is my favorite track by far. I feel good about the next two races in the Playoffs and looking forward to getting on track with our Dillons/NOS Camaro.”
CHASE PURDY, NO. 4 BAMA BUGGIES SILVERADO RST
Will going back to Kansas for a second race be beneficial to you?
“I think it’s exciting for all of us on the No. 4 team and everyone at KBM because we had a lot of speed there the first time. We were set for a really solid day — probably one of our more solid days. I thought we had a chance to win that race and then we just had some misfortune happen and bad luck. I’m really excited to get back there and have high expectations. We have nothing to lose and were only chasing wins so we’re going to do whatever we can to do that.”
Coming off a solid outing at Milwaukee, does that reinvigorate confidence in you?
“It does. It’s not only good for me but all the guys on this No. 4 team. All of us do our part to do the best we can and when we have a result like that, it resembles the hard work we put in. When we have a good day at the racetrack it puts momentum back on our side and we’re all really excited to go to Kansas.”
Do you enjoy racing at Kansas?
“I do. I think it’s fun from a driver’s point of view and from a spectator perspective because of the different lanes you can run. Most places you go to only have a lane or two to work with, but Kansas is like five lanes wide so there’s just a whole bunch to work around. You can really go anywhere and race with anybody, so it makes the racing exciting, and you don’t feel as handicapped.”
CHRISTIAN ECKES, NO. 19 PEAK / NAPA NIGHTVISION SILVERADO RST
Eckes on returning to Kansas with a guaranteed spot in the Round of 8:
“Having two good weeks under our belt and locking into the second round takes the pressure off for sure. We can kind of race care free this weekend and just race to win with our PEAK / NAPA NIGHTVISION Chevrolet. It’s been a while since we were able to score any playoff points, so we’d like to win a stage and winning the race is always our goal. We had a fast truck at Kansas in the spring and didn’t get the finish we wanted. Hopefully we’ll have a couple things fine-tuned and we can execute the entire night on Friday.”
GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST
How big of a relief was it to lock yourself into the Round of 8 following the win at Milwaukee last race?
“Being able to lock into the next round allows our team to be more aggressive for Kansas. We had a great Chevy there earlier this year, and we are able to bring back that same truck. I’m proud of our GMS Racing / Champion Power Equipment team, and feel confident that we can go to Kansas and grab another win.”
RAJAH CARUTH, NO. 24 WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION SILVERADO RST
In May, you were able to run up front and contend for the race win. What were you able to learn in that race that you can use to your advantage in our second time at Kansas?
“I’ve had Kansas circled all year. I learned so many valuable lessons in the spring race, but none more important than not letting emotions cloud my decision-making. I took myself out of a potential race-winning run by racing too hard early on, and I’ve thought about that race every day since then. Not only have I developed largely over the summer, but my team has as well; so redemption in Kansas City has a nice ring to it.”
JAKE GARCIA, NO. 35 QUANTA SERVICES SILVERADO RST
Garcia on returning to Kansas for the second time:
“We had a great truck at Kansas earlier this spring, so our whole team is looking forward to going back. We’ve been pretty consistent lately and have had quite a bit of speed. Hopefully we can continue that this week with our Quanta Services Chevrolet. I’ve felt comfortable the second time around at some these tracks, so we have a great opportunity to build on our run from the spring race and run inside the top-five on Friday night.”
DANIEL DYE, NO. 43 RACE TO STOP SUICIDE SILVERADO RST
As the season winds down with only five races left, what are some of the goals that you actively want to accomplish before it’s all said and done?
“I think it would be great to get a top-10 finish before we round out the year with our No. 43 team. We’ve been close so many times this season, but have had trouble finishing off the races. That’s something that we all really want to do, especially as I finish out my rookie year and begin to prepare for another season in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series next year. I’ve learned a lot, but would really like to get a top-10 before the year is over. We should have a good shot this weekend in Kansas, because our truck had plenty of speed here in the spring. I had a lot of fun in that race, and feel like I can take some of that into this weekend.”
JACK WOOD, NO. 51 HIVE FIVES FOUNDATION SILVERADO RST
You’ve shown speed on the mile-and-a-halves this year. Are you excited to go to Kansas?
“Yeah, I think it’s kind of the last normal mile-and-a-half track on the schedule this season for us, so obviously the KBM mile-and-a-half stuff has historically been really fast as an organization. At the first Kansas race I think they were a little bit off, so everyone on the No. 51 team and really KBM as a whole has put in a lot of work to get the stuff right going back to Kansas. I feel like out of all the races this year, I’ve put in the most time preparing for this one and trying to get in contact with as many guys as I could to be prepared to go out and have a good showing.”
What did you learn observing the first Kansas race from behind the scenes at the track while Kyle was driving?
“I sat on the pit box for the whole race to see firsthand how Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and Darren (Fraley, engineer) call the race. From that side of it, it was good for me to get that perspective on what they are doing throughout a race. I think one of the biggest things I’ve had to kind of work on this year is just giving better feedback and trying to be quick with what I can give them since practice is so short and I’m trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I got to sit and watch Kyle kind of do his thing and watched the different lines that he was using. Really the biggest thing for me is that I can go back and watch the 51 truck from the spring race and look at SMT data with Kyle driving it. I think I’ve been able to learn a lot of what he’s doing, his controls in the truck and I think a lot of that stuff, as far as my preparation, is going to help quite a bit.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2022): 41
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022
Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2021): 33
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2023 STATISTICS:
Wins: 14
Poles: 8
Laps Led: 2,572
Top-five finishes: 59
Top-10 finishes: 114
Stage wins: 19
· Ross Chastain – 5 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2), (Dover), (Darlington)
· William Byron – 8 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover), (Charlotte), (Watkins Glen)
· Kyle Larson – 3 (Phoenix), (Bristol Dirt), (Pocono)
· Chase Elliott – 1 (Talladega)
· Kyle Busch – 2 (WWTR), (Sonoma)
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 847 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 742
Laps led to date: 248, 116
Top-five finishes to date: 4,280
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,826
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,181
Chevrolet: 847
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 826
Ford: 726
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 177
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
