5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 5th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Watkins Glen International media center on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 11:30 a.m. local time.

INDY IN THE REARVIEW: At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Kyle Larson’s day began from the sixth spot. In stage one, the 31-year-old driver came home with a fifth-place finish. While entering turn 12 during the second stage, Larson locked up his tires and was forced to stop in the runoff area before continuing. The loss of track position moved the No. 5 entry back to the 10th spot at the close of stage two. In the final stage, crew chief Cliff Daniels brought his driver into the pits on lap 48 for four tires and fuel. With 18 laps remaining in the race and the full field cycled through green flag pit stops, Larson had moved up to the eighth position on track, which is where he finished. The result served as his 12th top-10 finish of the year and he is now fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season driver points standings.

WINS AT WATKINS GLEN: Larson has won the last two Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International (2021 and 2022). The two races prior to that were won by teammate Chase Elliott (2018 and 2019). Larson, as well as Elliott, are the only two Cup Series drivers who currently hold a top-10 streak at Watkins Glen (four). If Larson wins this weekend, he will join NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (1997-1999) and Mark Martin (1993-1995) with three consecutive wins at the track located in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

SUCCESS IN NEW YORK: The 2021 Cup Series champion has a history of proven success at Watkins Glen. In eight starts, Larson has two wins, three top-five finishes and five top-10s. He has started inside the top six in seven of his eight races there and has completed 719 of his 720 laps attempted (99.9%). Among active Cup Series drivers, Larson ranks sixth for the best average finish at this track (10.50).

ON THE ROAD: Larson has four road course wins in the Cup Series: Sonoma Raceway (2021), the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL (2021) and Watkins Glen (2021 and 2022). These victories place him in a tie for the third-most road course wins among active drivers. With triumphs on three different road courses, Larson is tied for second for the most different road courses with a win. He is also the third-highest contributing driver to road course victories at Hendrick Motorsports (26 wins), behind Gordon (nine) and Elliott (seven). On tracks of this style this season, the Elk Grove, California, native has earned the second-most points of all drivers (138). Larson also is in a three-way tie for the most consecutive top-10 finishes on road courses (three).

TEAM EFFORT: Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, has guided Larson to four wins on road courses. Daniels trails only fellow Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson (seven wins) of the No. 9 team for victories on serpentine layouts among active team pit bosses. In addition, this weekend’s race at Watkins Glen is special to the No. 5 team’s race mechanic Thomas Heslink. This is the home track for the Clymer, New York, native, which is located approximately 185 miles away from Watkins Glen.

TWO LEFT: With two races remaining in the regular season, Larson has earned the No. 5 team a spot in the Cup Series playoffs for the third straight year. He has won two points-paying races (Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway) and the non-points-paying All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He has claimed a series-leading 10 top-five finishes as well as capturing 12 top-10s and three stage wins. Larson has led the third-most laps (624), run the fourth-most laps in the top five (2,133) and top 10 (3,428), holds the fourth-best average running position (12.25) and has the best average starting position (9.92) on the season.

FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew ranks fifth on pit road for the best average four-tire pit stop time (11.228 seconds). The team’s four-tire stop of 9.281 seconds on lap 93 in June’s race at Nashville Superspeedway stands as the fourth-fastest four-tire stop of the season. The 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). Rod Cox is currently filling in for Teague, who is week-to-week as he rehabs a knee injury.

EXTRACURRICULAR: In addition to his full-time Cup Series schedule, Larson often races on dirt during the week. On Tuesday, Larson competed in the High Limit Sprint Car Series’ event at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota, and finished sixth. The High Limit Series was co-founded by Larson and his brother-in-law Brad Sweet and the 2023 campaign marks its inaugural season. Check out the full schedule here.

SHOP NOW: This weekend, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team races “away” in Watkins Glen. However, you can pick up a new set of keys from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 95 dealerships nationwide. Customers can also shop from the convenience of their home selecting the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 27 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 19th

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

INDY REWIND: Chase Elliott nearly captured his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of 2023 last weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. The 27-year-old driver rolled off the grid from the third position and steadily ran inside the top five throughout the first stage, ending it in third. Elliott followed that up with a fifth-place finish in the second stage. Late in the race, the 2020 Cup Series champion was in the second position, closing in on the leader but ultimately ran out of time. Elliott’s runner-up finish marked his second top-five finish in just three starts on the 2.439-mile road course.

BACK WHERE IT STARTED: Watkins Glen International was the site of Elliott’s first premier series win. He led 52 of 90 laps en route to victory in 2018. In just six starts on the 2.45-mile road course, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has three top-two finishes, including two wins. Elliott’s most recent trip to victory lane at Watkins Glen came in 2019 after he swept the stages and led all but 10 laps of the race. His average finish of 5.67 is not only the best among active Cup drivers but also the best all-time among drivers with more than two starts. Among his other track-leading marks are stage wins (three) and points earned (220) in the stage racing era. Elliott is tied with teammate Kyle Larson for the longest active streak of top-10 finishes at the track (four).

KEEP THE TOP FIVES ALIVE: This season, Elliott has three road course starts in the Cup Series and has finished inside the top five in each of them. The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet earned a fifth-place result at Sonoma Raceway, a third-place effort in the inaugural Chicago Street Course event and most recently finished as the runner-up at Indianapolis – making him the only driver to finish inside the top five in the three most recent events on road courses. Elliott holds a series-leading average finish (3.33) across those three races. He also has the second-most points earned in that span (115).

ROAD RACING RUNDOWN: Since the start of 2022, Elliott’s best finish on a road course is second (twice) – Road America in 2022 and last weekend at Indianapolis. In that span, he leads the series in top-five finishes (six) and is tied for the second-most top-10s (seven) across nine starts on serpentine tracks. Since the start of last season, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has paced the field for a series-high 129 laps on road courses. He has also earned two pole awards (Road America and Watkins Glen in 2022) and has a series-leading average finish of 7.11. Despite missing the race at Circuit of The Americas in March 2023 due to his leg injury, Elliott has the third-most points earned (311) in that time frame.

LEGEND IN THE MAKING: In 28 Cup Series starts on road courses, Elliott has an average finish of 7.64, with seven wins, 17 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s. His average finish is the best among active drivers and ranks second all-time among drivers with five or more starts, behind NASCAR legend Fireball Roberts.

WINNING WAYS: Elliott has proven his road-racing prowess, leading all active drivers with seven wins on road courses – most recently at Road America in 2021. He is also third on the overall list of drivers with road course victories, trailing only NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). Elliott has victories across five different road courses, which is the most in series history.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: Veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson has plenty of experience on tracks where left and right turns are made. Across 49 Cup Series races on road courses, the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has led his team to seven wins (all with Elliott) – a series-high among active crew chiefs – 20 top-five finishes and 27 top-10s.

WIN AND IN: Elliott sits 19th in the driver points standings, 80 markers below the provisional playoff cutline with just two races remaining in the regular season. A victory would lock Elliott into the postseason. Between the two remaining tracks, Elliott and the No. 9 crew have two wins at Watkins Glen and a best effort of second (twice) at Daytona International Speedway. Currently, the No. 9 squad is the final team in the provisional playoff field for the owner’s title, 51 points above the cutline.

GET UP AND GO: NAPA Auto Parts is back on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Watkins Glen. The Atlanta-based company was the primary partner for Elliott’s 2019 victory at the track. Get a look at all the angles of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 3rd

No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TWO TO GO: With two races left in the regular season, William Byron is third in the NASCAR Cup Series driver points standings, 104 markers behind the leader. While the Charlotte, North Carolina, native is hoping to secure his first Cup Series regular-season championship, he’s still having a career-best season. Byron leads the series in wins (four), stage wins (seven) and laps run in the top five (2,688). He also has led a single-season career-best 810 laps (second-most in the series). The 25-year-old driver’s eight top-five finishes are tied for the third-most in the sport’s top division. In addition, Byron ranks third in average running position (10.37) and laps run in the top 10 (3,617).

WATKINS GLEN WIZ: Sunday’s race will mark Byron’s fifth Cup Series start at Watkins Glen International and his seventh NASCAR national series start overall at the road course. In the Cup Series, Byron has a track-best qualifying effort of second (2019) and a best finish of sixth (2021). Prior to his four Cup Series starts, he made his debut at Watkins Glen in the 2015 ARCA Menards Series East race, starting second and finishing seventh. He returned to the venue in 2017 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, finishing 10th. Byron has made one additional start at the upstate New York facility in the Xfinity Series in 2022 with Hendrick Motorsports. In that race, he earned the pole and led 35 laps before being caught up in a late-race, on-track incident while battling for the lead.

HOMEWARD BOUND: While Rudy Fugle may have limited experience at Watkins Glen, the Livonia, New York, native is excited to be heading to his hometown track for Sunday’s race. This weekend will mark Fugle’s third Cup Series start as a crew chief at the 2.45-mile road course. In his three Cup Series starts in front of his hometown crowd, his best showing came in 2021, leading Byron and the No. 24 team to a sixth-place finish. In total, Fugle has 26 national series starts on road courses (16 in the Cup Series, three in the Xfinity Series and seven in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series). He earned a road course win in the truck ranks in 2015. One of those seven truck starts was also with Byron where the duo raced to a 10th-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2016.

ROAD POTPOURRI: Earlier this season, Byron earned his best-ever road course result in the Cup Series, securing a fifth-place finish at Circuit of The Americas. In 2023, he is tied for sixth in points scored on road courses (119) and he has run the eighth-most laps (78) in the top five on this track type. In addition, four of Byron’s 11 career poles in the sport’s top series have come at road courses.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 24 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 11.040 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).

VALVOLINE RETURNS: Valvoline will make its third appearance of 2023 as the primary sponsor of Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for this Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. To see Byron’s No. 24 Valvoline Chevy, click here.

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 30 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 20th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

INDY RC REBOUND: Last Sunday, Alex Bowman showed off his road racing skills as he nabbed a top-five finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. His strong weekend started when he qualified ninth on Saturday. Bowman finished the opening two stages in eighth, before maneuvering to fifth by the end of the 200-mile NASCAR Cup Series event. His top-five result at Indianapolis now gives him five career top-fives on road courses.

PUSH TO THE PLAYOFFS: Heading to Watkins Glen International this weekend, Bowman currently ranks 20th in the driver points standings. He is 80 markers behind the provisional playoff cutoff line. Despite a 60-point penalty in April and missing three points-paying races in the spring with an injury, Bowman still can make the top 16 for the playoffs. In 21 starts this season, the 30-year-old driver has four top-five finishes, seven top-10s and the DAYTONA 500 pole award.

ROAD TESTED: Bowman has two runner-up finishes on road courses in his time at Hendrick Motorsports – at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in 2019 and Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in 2022. The Tucson, Arizona, native is one of two drivers with multiple second-place showings without a win on this track type. Earlier this year, he finished third at COTA and with his top-five result at Indianapolis, he joins teammate Chase Elliott as one of four drivers with multiple top-fives on road courses in 2023.

HARRIS ON THE ROAD: Crew chief Blake Harris has two top-five finishes and four top-10s in eight road course starts atop the pit box. His teams on courses that turn left and right have an average start of 11.4 and an average finish of 14.5.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE: In addition to the Cup Series race this weekend, Bowman will also get behind the wheel of the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Hendrick Motorsports. He will take on the New York-based serpentine track with the aim of notching the first win in the No. 17 Chevy since its return in 2022. Last year, Bowman made one start in the team’s Xfinity car and finished second at Indianapolis. In his career, he has one win in the series, which came in 2017 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with HendrickCars.com as a sponsor.

RESTART ME UP: Bowman ranks as the sixth-best driver on restarts in 2023, according to data from Racing Insights. That mark is second-best among the Hendrick Motorsports quartet as teammate Kyle Larson is tied for third in this statistical category.

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 Pawz and Purrz Animal Rescue, Inc., which serves the Southern Tier region of New York. Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and Pawz and Purrz Animal Rescue, Inc. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins on Sunday.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2023	All-Time	Watkins Glen
Races	24	1,333	36
Wins	6**	297*	10*
Poles	6**	245*	8*
Top 5	29*	1,219*	24
Top 10	42	2,087*	43
Laps Led	1,561*	78,878*	693*
Stage Wins	11	90	3**

*Most **Most (tie)

CLOSING IN ON 300: Hendrick Motorsports is just three points-paying victories away from its milestone 300th win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 297, which is the most Cup Series wins by any team. With six 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.

MILESTONE MOMENTS: In addition to 300 Cup Series wins, Hendrick Motorsports is approaching several other major milestones. With 245 pole awards, the team is just five away from 250 at the Cup level. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports engines have recorded 496 NASCAR national series victories and need just four more to reach 500.

XFINITY RIDES AGAIN: Hendrick Motorsports will make the fourth of its five starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season at Watkins Glen International with Alex Bowman at the wheel. The final start will come next month at Darlington Raceway with Kyle Larson. Greg Ives will serve as the team’s crew chief, which marks a reunion with Bowman as the two won seven Cup Series races together from 2018-2022. The team’s previous three Xfinity starts this season have resulted in finishes of second (William Byron at Circuit of The Americas) and third (Larson at Sonoma Raceway and Chase Elliott at Pocono Raceway). The organization has one championship and 26 wins in the series, with Tony Stewart recording the last victory to date at Daytona International Speedway in 2009.

EDGE OF SEVENTEEN: For the Xfinity races, the Chevrolet Camaro will sport the No. 17 with sponsorship from HENDRICKCARS.COM. The No. 17 carries special significance to the Hendrick Motorsports family as it is the same number Ricky Hendrick drove and won with in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. That number has won 39 times in Xfinity Series history, and two of the four drivers to win in it – Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte – would go on to win in the Cup Series with Hendrick Motorsports.

RULERS OF THE ROAD: With 26 wins, Hendrick Motorsports has the most all-time triumphs on road courses in Cup Series history. The two closest teams in this statistic have combined for only 23 wins. Since its inaugural season in 1984, the organization has won 27.37% of road course events (26 wins in 95 races). The team also tops the board among Cup Series squads on road courses in poles (25), top-five finishes (87), top-10s (147), laps led (2,208) and stage wins (14).

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: Among those 26 serpentine layout wins, 10 have come at Watkins Glen – most among all Cup Series teams. Jeff Gordon’s four wins lead the squad followed by two each for Elliott and Larson. Tim Richmond and Ricky Rudd notched one victory at the track near New York’s Finger Lakes region.

STREAKING AT THE GLEN: The Rick Hendrick-owned team has been victorious in four straight races at Watkins Glen, which is the longest win streak by one team at this facility. Elliott won back-to-back races in 2018 and 2019 and Larson followed that up with triumphs in 2021 and 2022. The track did not host a race in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time an organization won five races in a row at a track was when Hendrick Motorsports earned five consecutive victories at Pocono (from 2012-2014). The longest streak by any team at any track is eight by Junior Johnson and Associates (from 1980-1984) at Bristol Motor Speedway.

POLE POWER: In the last nine road course races, Hendrick Motorsports has won four poles. Larson earned the top starting spot at Sonoma in 2022, Elliott got the pole at Road America and Watkins Glen in 2022 and Byron was the top qualifier at COTA in 2023.

TOP OF THE BOARD: In the Next Gen car era (2022-present), Hendrick Motorsports has won 17 races, which is five more than any other team. During that span, all four drivers in its lineup – Byron (six), Larson (five), Elliott (five) and Bowman (one) – have notched victories.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his history at Watkins Glen International: “From 2019 to 2021 with the old car (Gen 6), they had a great road course package. We (the No. 5 team) were really fast there at Watkins Glen (International). Chase (Elliott) and I have had really good cars the past few years. With the Next Gen, the car drove great from what I remember last year. I felt like Chase and I were fast in the field for sure. I hope it’s the same when we get back because it’s always fun when you’re fast.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the ins and outs of Watkins Glen: “We (the No. 5 team and Kyle Larson) certainly enjoy Watkins Glen (International) a lot. It’s been a good track to us. I think it’s one of those places that is really fast and flowy and Kyle is good at both. Kyle is really good at going fast and carrying a lot of speed. It’s definitely a rhythmic track. You can carry a lot of rhythm with the layout of the track and all the corners. So, I think Kyle has a good knack for it and fortunately we have a solid notebook at this place here at Hendrick Motorsports. It’s taken years to build that notebook and we’ve been able to continue to build on the good runs that we’ve had. We just kind of keep chipping away and get better every time. We’ll certainly have to level up ourselves to stay up with the competition this time and that’s where our focus is. We hope to call and execute a good race, give Kyle a good car and hopefully we will be in good shape.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how meaningful Watkins Glen is to him: “Watkins Glen (International) always stands out to me because of the first win. That one will always be special because of that. Will it always be good to us? Probably not, but I do enjoy going up there. It is a very nice part of the country – a very underrated part of the country. Just the memories I have from that first win weekend are super special and something that I will hold onto forever.”

Elliott on his outlook with two opportunities left to lock himself into the playoffs: “Certainly, don’t want to have yourself in a position to have to win at Daytona (International Speedway), but that’s a possibility at this point. I feel way better about going to Watkins Glen (International) than I do Daytona because there is more in my control going there verses a plate race.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on building momentum with the playoffs approaching: “I don’t think we change our processes the next couple weeks. We want to go into these last races of the regular season and execute to the best we can and keep building the momentum. While winning the regular-season championship would be great, we’re focused on making the final four and that starts now with maximizing the playoff points we can earn for each round. We don’t need to change anything we do now because that’s when mistakes happen.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how to be successful at Watkins Glen: “Watkins Glen (International) is pretty big for me. It’s my home track and I grew up not far away from there. So it’s important to go out there and run well for me. It’s a super fast and historic racetrack. There are big braking zones and the bus stop puts on it’s own event basically. It’s just amazing to watch them go through the bus stop, but you have to be good everywhere at this track. It’s very technical. This car will want to swing the back through the carousel, and you need to be able to get the rear tires underneath you before you get into turn six and seven because they make a lot of speed. You have a lot of speed then down the frontstretch and into turn one, which makes that a big passing zone. That place always packs out, so you know there will be a ton of fans. I’m excited to get there.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to Watkins Glen: “Watkins Glen (International) is a place I have struggled at historically, so being able to get some laps in the Xfinity (Series) car always helps. It doesn’t translate directly to our Cup car, but it’s time on track. We are coming off of a top-five finish, so I don’t see why we can’t go run well again this Sunday.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the momentum the No. 48 team has heading to Watkins Glen: “We had a great weekend in Indy – getting stage points and a top-five finish always bodes well for our confidence. The fact that we had speed at a road course and are heading to another definitely puts some wind in our sails. Alex (Bowman) is also running the Xfinity (Series) car and will be able to make laps ahead of the Cup race on Sunday, so there is a lot of momentum in our corner at the moment. We are just looking to capitalize on it and try to make our way into the playoffs.”

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are off to Watkins Glen for Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen, a 221-mile race over the 2.454-mile, 11-turn race at the historic track in New York’s Finger Lakes region.

Burton, speaking this week on a teleconference hosted by Ford, said he’s encouraged by the results of the past three Cup races, which were won by Mustang drivers Chris Buescher, at Richmond and Michigan, and Michael McDowell on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“The Fords are capable,” Burton said. “Now it’s up to our own group to go figure out and try to figure out how to do it and what direction we need to go in to be able to do that. I already feel like we’ve made steps on our oval program.”

A big part of Burton’s pre-race preparation each week is spending time in the simulator provided by Ford Performance.

“I get four hours a week in the Ford simulator, and I’m always in there kind of doing last week’s race track,” he said, adding that he usually divides his time between laps on the most recent track and on the upcoming venue. “I was in there 7-11 a.m. [Tuesday], and I was able to kind of work on last week and kind of ran Indy some to make that more accurate.

“[I] also worked a lot on Watkins Glen trying to get the setup accurate and all that. That process gets kind of ‘rinse-and-repeated’ for me throughout the whole year.”

Time in the simulator is especially important for a younger driver like Burton.

“The better your simulation program is, the more accurate you can touch things up at the race track, fire off the truck and be fast,” he said. “With 20 minutes of practice and right into qualifying… the changes you can make are very limited….

“It’s really, really important to show up with your stuff sorted out the way it needs to be. For us, the only way we can do that is with the simulator, in our eyes, so we try to really focus on that every weekend.”

Burton said one area of focus for Watkins Glen is maximizing his performance in the bus stop, the chicane at the end of the backstretch.

“I think the bus stop is probably the most important lap-time corner at Watkins Glen,” he said. “It’s where you’re going to kind of make your most or lose your most laptime, well at least for me in the past.”

Crew chief Brian Wilson said he’s tuning the DEX Mustang to give Burton what he needs at the bus stop and other similar spots on the track at Watkins Glen.

“Last week was a step forward in our road-course program in terms of the braking zones,” Wilson said. “We look to continue that at Watkins Glen and give Harrison a little more turn mid corner.”

Burton said that overall, he, Wilson and the entire DEX Imaging team have high hopes for this weekend’s road-course run.

“I think we made some gains,” he said. “We didn’t put the whole picture together last weekend, but with the knowledge we gained from last weekend, I think we have a good chance to have a good set-up and run really well.”

Practice for the Go Bowling at the Glen is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be immediately followed by qualifying.

Sunday’s 90-lap race is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 20 and 40. USA Network will carry the live TV coverage all weekend.

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

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

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

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

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
August 19-20, 2023

CHEVROLET GOES FOUR-STRAIGHT AT WATKINS GLEN

Two of NASCAR’s top series are gearing up for round two of back-to-back road course races with the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) making its annual trip to Watkins Glen International. The seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course has a celebrated history in motorsports by hosting some of the world’s top series – Formula One, NTT INDYCAR Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and all three NASCAR national series.

In NASCAR’s premier series, Chevrolet accounts for over 50 percent of the wins at Watkins Glen International – collecting 21 victories in the series’ 39-race history at the venue. The New York circuit has seen the Bowtie brand take the victory in the past four NCS events – courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (2018 & 2019) and Kyle Larson (2021 & 2022), each posting back-to-back victories.

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

First Career NCS Win

Watkins Glen International – Aug. 5, 2018

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s Fourth-Straight NCS win at Watkins Glen International – Aug. 21, 2022

Chevrolet is coming off five top-10 finishes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, including top-fives by three of Team Chevy’s playoff hopefuls (Chase Elliott – second; Daniel Suarez – third; and Alex Bowman – fifth). Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen marks the penultimate race of the series’ regular season, with those on the outside looking in seeking a victory to punch a ticket into the three remaining positions in the 16-driver playoff field.

 
REMEMBERING A WEEKEND SWEEP

Kyle Larson’s career season in 2021 saw the Team Chevy driver visit victory lane 10 times in NASCAR’s top series – one of which included a win at Watkins Glen International. Returning to the New York circuit in 2022 as the series’ defending winner, the California native took it one step further by sweeping the weekend – claiming the victory in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series.

Behind the wheel of the No. 88 Camaro SS for Hendrick Motorsports’ affiliate team JR Motorsports, Larson showed early speed with a top-three qualifying effort for his second NXS start of the season. Repairs to a mechanical issue forced the team to start at the rear of the field, but Larson quickly found his way into the top-10 by the end of Stage One. Running third in the closing laps, Larson was able to capitalize on contact made between the top-two drivers – taking the top position to lead the final five circuits en route to his first NXS victory since 2018.

24 hours later, Larson lined up his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 in the second position for the green flag of the NCS’ event. A two-stop strategy in Stage One put the Team Chevy driver deep in the field at the end of stage, but Larson progressively made his way into the top-10 to pick up valuable stage points in Stage Two. After the final round of pit stops, Larson cycled out just behind his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. The pair lined up one-two for a series of late-race cautions, with the final restart seeing Larson take the lead and never looking back to not only sweep the weekend’s wins, but also go back-to-back in NASCAR’s top series at the circuit.

 
HOME OF A CAREER FIRST FOR ELLIOTT

During the NASCAR Cup Series’ annual appearance at Watkins Glen International in August 2018, Chase Elliott became a first-time winner in NASCAR’s top series. The victory came in Elliott’s 99th career start in the series – previously posting eight runner-up finishes before reaching the monumental victory. Elliott joined the likes of his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who also posted his first career NCS win on a road course (Riverside International Raceway – Nov. 1983). Elliott followed up the victory one year later with a repeat trip to victory lane at “The Glen” – marking the second of Hendrick Motorsports’ now four-straight triumphs at the circuit.

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Watkins Glen International – Aug. 5, 2018

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Watkins Glen International – Aug. 4, 2019

Elliott leads the series with seven career NCS road course victories – with the record also placing the Team Chevy driver third on the series’ all-time road course wins list behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). Sitting in a ‘must win’ situation with two races remaining in the regular season, the 27-year-old Georgia native is one to watch heading into this weekend’s event. Elliott has three road course races under his belt this season – recording a top-five finish in each of those events. His season-best road course finish came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last weekend after posting a runner-up result. Elliott also drove his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 to a third-place finish in the Chicago Street Race (July) and a fifth-place finish at Sonoma Raceway (June) – giving the driver a series-best average finish of 3.3 in those events.

Watkins Glen International is poised to be one of Elliott’s best tracks. In the past four NCS races at the New York circuit, Elliott has finished no worse than fourth, including his two wins (2018 & 2019) and a runner-up finish in 2021. The Team Chevy driver also leads the series with an average finish of 5.7 at the circuit.

 
TEAM CHEVY LEADS IN ACTIVE NCS WINNERS AT “THE GLEN”

Of the eight active NASCAR Cup Series winners at Watkins Glen International, four come from the Chevrolet camp. Topping that list is a tie among three Team Chevy drivers including Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch – all of which have two wins each. The trio are also the only three active repeat winners in NASCAR’s top series at the New York circuit.

Also adding to the wins list is AJ Allmendinger, who posted his first career NCS win at “The Glen” in August 2014 behind the wheel of the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Also looking for a win to claim a playoff berth, the California native returns to the New York circuit looking to go one spot better from his runner-up finish in the series’ 2022 event at the track.

 
TRENDING IN TOP-10’S

With four of six NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the books, Chevrolet has proven to be a contender with the manufacturer taking 50 percent of the top-10 finishing positions in each event thus far. Taking it one step further, three of those races saw four different Chevrolet teams represented in the top-10 including Circuit of The Americas (March), Sonoma Raceway (June) and the Chicago Street Race (July). Of those results includes a history-making win at the Chicago Street Racing by PROJECT91’s Shane van Gisbergen – with the Chevrolet driver leading the manufacturer to a sweep of the top-five positions on the final leaderboard.

HILL BACK ON TOP

In a tight battle for the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ regular season championship, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill reclaimed the points lead following a fourth-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last weekend. The result marked the 29-year-old Georgia native’s 13th top-five and 17th top-10 finish in 22 NXS races – a series-leading feat.

Falling just one spot short of back-to-back NXS road course wins, Chevrolet turns to Watkins Glen International as the series’ most recent winner – courtesy of Kyle Larson and the No. 88 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team (August 2022). In 28 NXS races at “The Glen”, the Bowtie Brand has amassed a series-leading 11 victories – including a string of eight-straight from June 1994 to July 2001. The manufacturer heads into the race weekend with two NXS road course wins this season – recorded by Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger at Circuit of The Americas (March) and JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer at Road America (July).

ECKES LEADS TEAM CHEVY WITH RUNNER-UP FINISH AT IRP

In the opening race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) Playoffs Round of 10 at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), McAnally-Hilgemann’s Christian Eckes led Team Chevy to the finish with a runner-up result. The 22-year-old New York native started his first championship campaign under the Chevrolet banner on a high note – driving his No. 19 Silverado RST to the pole win. Eckes collected valuable top-five points in each of the race’s first two stages before taking the checkered flag in second-place.

Eckes’ sixth top-five finish of the season at IRP moved the driver to the third position in the points standings, now with a 39-point advantage above the playoff cutline. Joining Eckes in the top-eight of the points standings includes Team Chevy’s Carson Hocevar in fourth (+ 35 points), Grant Enfinger in sixth (+24 points) and Nick Sanchez in eighth (+2 points). Matt DiBenedetto currently sits in the 10th position in the standings, but only three-points below the cutline.

The NCTS will be off this weekend before heading to the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 27, for the Clean Harbors 175 – race two of the NCTS’ Playoffs Round of 10.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Watkins Glen International:

Kyle Larson – 2 (2021, 2022)

Chase Elliott – 2 (2019, 2018)

Kyle Busch – 2 (2013, 2008)

· Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have taken Chevrolet to victory lane in the past four-straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International. Six drivers in series’ history have posted consecutive wins at the New York circuit, with Larson and Elliott the only two active drivers to accomplish the feat.

· In 39 NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, Chevrolet has amassed a series-leading 21 victories and 16 pole wins.

· Chevrolet has made its way to victory lane in 16 of the past 21 NASCAR Cup Series road racing events – dating from Chase Elliott’s victory at Watkins Glen International in August 2019 to Shane van Gisbergen’s victory at the Chicago Street Race in July 2023. Within that time span, the manufacturer notched a streak of 11 consecutive road course wins in the series.

· Three of the six repeat winners in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season come from Team Chevy:

William Byron: series-leading four wins (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Darlington & Atlanta 2)

Kyle Busch: three wins (Auto Club, Talladega, WWTR)

Kyle Larson: two wins (Richmond & Martinsville)

· In 24 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (12), top-fives (53), top-10s (102), stage wins (18) and laps led (2,407).

· Chevrolet leads the series in wins across all three NASCAR national series this season with 12 victories in 24 NASCAR Cup Series races, 11 victories in 22 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 10 wins in 17 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races – all with a win percentage of at least 50%.

· With William Byron’s win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports now sits at 297 all-time NASCAR Cup Series victories – all recorded with Chevrolet.

· Chevrolet’s series-leading 12 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 18 of the 48 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (seven; 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 55 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 51 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 46 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 Grant Enfinger’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at World Wide Technology Raceway, GMS Racing is now the winningest Chevrolet organization in NCTS’ history with 44 all-time wins in the series.

· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 845 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: Go Bowling at The Glen

Sunday, August 20, at 3 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

· NASCAR Xfinity Series: Shriners Children’s 200

Saturday, August 19, at 3:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1

Do you remember your first time racing at Watkins Glen?

“Absolutely, I remember it like it was yesterday. It was in 2015 in the Xfinity Series and they had just repaved the track. I went to Todd Bodine who was in the series part-time and we were kind of in similar racecars, mid pack. I asked him for some tips because he had won a pole there. He gave me some advice for how he thought the track would be but he wasn’t really sure. Man, I went out there and about crashed because he was way too confident in how much grip the new asphalt would have. I had to back it down and he came running up to me after practice and said, ‘I hope you didn’t listen to me!’ I told him that I realized it and we were off on our estimation on the grip.”

Have you been able to accept that you are championship contender and realize what comes along with that instead of trying to hang onto your ride every week?

“This is year two of hopefully a long time competing in the Cup Series. There is nothing guaranteeing us though that this weekend, next year, or five or 10 years from now that we’ll be in this position. It has gotten a little easier but it’s probably still not where most people would expect. I guess I’m just a little different that way. I’m constantly waking up every day trying to work harder because I feel like there’s enough reasons too. Now is the time when I really have to work harder than ever.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 MARK III EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CAMARO ZL1

What is it about Watkins Glen that fits so well with your driving style? In 17 races there you have won twice and averaged a 10th-place finish.

“I enjoy going to Watkins Glen. I think it’s a really fun road course. I’ve had good success there with a lot of top-10s. It’s just a neat racetrack. I always enjoyed going to Sonoma and to Watkins Glen when we only had two road races on the schedule. It was always kind of like off weeks where you just did something different. You turn right, you turn left, you didn’t really have to take it too seriously and be pretty good at it. Now there’s seven road courses on the schedule so everybody is getting better at it.”

What makes The Glen unique from other road courses?

“I think what makes Watkins Glen unique from other road courses is that it feels like a superspeedway because you’re going so fast there. Through the esses is pretty fast and it’s 190 miles per hour down the backstretch. Your minimum speed drops a little bit into Turn 1, Turn 11 and through the Bus Stop. It’s just a really cool place with good braking zones to make some passes. It’s just a fun course.”

NASCAR runs the “short course” at Watkins Glen. Would you be open to running the longer course? Do you think that’s practical for a Cup car?

“With our Cup cars, yeah, we could do the long course, that wouldn’t be a problem, it’s just that we would be shortening the race. We run 90 laps, that’s our race, so you’d have to shorten the number of laps because of the longer distance. It will take more time with the longer lap times, and longer times for the fans seeing us in particular areas where they’re sitting because you can’t see the whole track from one spot.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 CELSIUS CAMARO ZL1

“Watkins Glen last year was probably one of the most fun races I’ve been a part of. Our car was really good, conditions were tough with the rain early in the race and trying to drive up through the field. It’s always a racetrack that has a special place in my heart knowing it’s where I got my first Cup win at. I really believe we can go there, have a solid points day and hopefully have a shot at the win.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1

“Watkins Glen is one of my favorite road courses that we go to. Last year we were really competitive but had some things happen that were out of our control. I think if we can execute on our end, we have a chance to really contend.”

MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 42 SUNSEEKER RESORTS CAMARO ZL1

“We will have better preparation on our end, I have another week with the team to prepare. I look back at what we learned from Indy – I think qualifying in a better position will be crucial so it makes life hopefully easier in the race. From my end, I need to execute better and not make any mistakes like I did in Indy speeding on pit lane because it probably cost us a top-15 finish.

My experience at Watkins Glen should not hurt as I did race a Cup car last year but most of my time on the track has been in a prototype. I raced there this year in IMSA but it’s a different track configuration. Regardless, I love this place, Watkins Glen is a proper road course and I hope that all our work in the SIM sessions, debriefs and everything we do this week will be a buildup from Indy. we hope that we have a solid weekend. I am quite confident we can be better than last week.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ALLEGIANT CAMARO ZL1

“Watkins Glen has always been one of my favorite road courses, so I am excited to get back over there. I feel like our road course stuff has been getting better and better, we took a big step in Chicago. In Indy, we had a mechanical issue, and didn’t really have the chance to race, but I am excited to get to ‘The Glen’ and see what we’ve got. It is probably my favorite road course, so I am eager to see if we can do as well as last year with a top 10 or better.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY.COM CAMARO ZL1

What do you need to do to make the playoffs?

“We just need to keep doing what we are doing. That’s qualify well and earn stage points and get a good finish. There is still a lot of racing left and we know we can do this. If we have as good a car at Watkins Glen as we had at Indianapolis we know we can win there. That’s true about Daytona as well.”

Is this pressure?

“No, this is fun. This is what we like to do. If we are relaxed we will perform our best. We are excited about going to Watkins Glen. We want the trophy! That’s what matters. I don’t even think about points or what someone else is doing. We control what we can control.”

Thoughts on Indianapolis?

“It was heartbreaking. I have never been that upset with a third-place finish. But that’s a good thing. That only means we know what we are capable of. We will analyze everything and get better together.”

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: 12

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 2,407

Top-five finishes: 53

Top-10 finishes: 102

Stage wins: 18

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

· William Byron – 7 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover), (Charlotte)

· 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: 845 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 742

Laps led to date: 247,951

Top-five finishes to date: 4,274

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,814

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,179

       Chevrolet: 845

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 825                                                           

       Ford: 725

       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.