TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Goodyear 400
Darlington Raceway
Darlington, South Carolina
May 14, 2023

CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

As the celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary continues, all three of NASCAR’s national series are on the horizon of the annual “Throwback Weekend” at Darlington Raceway, where drivers and teams across the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will pay tribute to the sport’s history.

The 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval has been a staple piece of NASCAR’s history, holding a spot on the series’ schedule since 1950. Famously known as the “Lady in Black”, the South Carolina venue has been the site of the annual “Throwback Weekend” since 2015. The sixth tripleheader race weekend of 2023, Chevrolet will head to Darlington Raceway as the winningest manufacturer of the season across all three NASCAR national series.

TOO TOUGH TO TAME? 

Known as one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit, Chevrolet has a storied history at the “Track Too Tough to Tame”, collecting a series-best 42 wins in 123 NASCAR Cup Series races. 21 different drivers have contributed to Chevrolet’s win record at Darlington Raceway including Herb Thomas, who produced the Bowtie brand’s first win at the track in 1955 behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Bel Air.

The NCS’ most recent appearance at Darlington Raceway saw Erik Jones park his No. 43 Camaro ZL1 in victory lane for a playoff upset win in the Cook Out Southern 500 (Sept. 2022). The triumph in the crown jewel event was also a monumental feat for the iconic No. 43 with Jones’ victory giving the car number that was made famous by Richard Petty its 200th all-time win.

 
WIN STREAKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

In NASCAR’s more than 70 year history at Darlington Raceway, 13 different drivers are credited with posting consecutive wins at the track in NASCAR’s premier series. Topping that elite list is Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was the first driver to post three consecutive wins at the track – all behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine (Sept. 1989, April and Sept. 1990). Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon went on to match Earnhardt Sr.’s three-race winning streak at the track – collecting three of his seven career NCS victories at Darlington Raceway in the 1995 and 1996 seasons.

FIGHTING FOR FIVE-IN-A-ROW AT DARLINGTON

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to the track after a one-week break with Saturday’s Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington Raceway – the series’ 11th race of the 2023 season. The NXS made its debut at the 1.366-mile oval in 1982 and the South Carolina track has since hosted 65 races for the series. Chevrolet has amassed 21 all-time NXS wins at the track – including wins in the series’ past four races at the track courtesy of JR Motorsports (Justin Allgaier – May 2021 & May 2022; Noah Gragson – Sept. 2021 & Sept. 2022).

Three of Chevrolet’s NASCAR Cup Series regulars will be doing the Darlington double, also climbing behind the wheel of a Camaro SS for Saturday’s 200-mile event.

• Kyle Larson will add his name to the star-studded lineup for Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 Camaro SS – marking his first NXS start of the season. The former NCS Champion will be the fifth NCS regular to get behind the wheel of Kaulig Racing’s “All-Star” car this season, joining fellow Team Chevy drivers Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Haley. Darlington Raceway is the site of Larson’s most recent NXS start, collecting a top-five finish in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS.
• For the first time since September 2018, Ty Dillon is set to return to the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) NXS stable behind the wheel of the No. 3 Camaro SS. The 31-year-old North Carolina native has 134 career NXS starts in the RCR entry, collecting 84 top-10 finishes. The No. 3 RCR Camaro SS made its series’ debut at Daytona International Speedway in 2002 and the entry has since seen an elite group of drivers behind the wheel including the Dillon brothers (Ty and Austin), Mike Porter, Jeff Green, Ron Hornaday Jr., Steve Park and Shane Lee.
• Ross Chastain will take over the driving duties of the No. 91 DGM Racing Camaro SS for his second NXS start of the season. Chastain first joined DGM Racing last season, with the 30-year-old Florida native driving the team to a fourth-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (July 2022). Chastain will also make his third consecutive NCTS start of the season this weekend, returning to the seat of the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Silverado RST. In four NCTS starts this season, he’s powered the team to a pole win (COTA) and two top-five finishes (COTA and Kansas).  
  ENFINGER’S WIN MOVES GMS RACING CLOSER TO MILESTONE VICTORY WITH CHEVROLET

GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 Silverado RST team will head to Darlington Raceway with added momentum as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ most recent winner. Sporting a special Chevy Military Appreciation paint scheme, Enfinger drove his No. 23 Silverado RST to the team’s first win of the season at Kansas Speedway last weekend – also securing a berth into the series’ playoffs for a run at the championship title. The triumph marked Enfinger’s eighth career NCTS victory – with each of those victories recorded at a different race track on the series’ circuit.

The 38-year-old Alabama native’s victory moved GMS Racing one step closer to a milestone victory with Chevrolet. Enfinger delivered GMS Racing its 43rd all-time NCTS win – all of which have been recorded with Chevrolet. The organization now ties Kevin Harvick Incorporated as the winningest Chevrolet team in NCTS history, playing a large part in the manufacturer’s storied history in the series.

“Chevrolet has been a partner of Maury’s (Gallagher) since the team’s inception 10 years ago,” said Enfinger following the win. “They’ve been a huge part of this truck series team. Chevrolet has been great to us.”

The victory marked Chevrolet’s 266th all-time NCTS victory – extending its record as the winningest manufacturer in NCTS history.

“Chevrolet has been a heck of a partner and continues to be a great partner,” continued Enfinger. “They were on our truck with a beautiful paint scheme with the Chevy Military Appreciation initiative, so just very, very thankful. It’s not just been Mike (Beam), Maury (Gallagher) and the guys at GMS Racing that has put the effort behind this – it’s been Dayne (Pierantoni, Chevrolet Program Manager – NASCAR Truck Series) and everybody at Chevrolet that has been behind this effort and they continue to stand behind it.”

NCTS HITS HALFWAY POINT IN REGULAR-SEASON

At the drop of the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway last weekend, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is officially halfway through the series’ 16-race regular-season. A look at Chevrolet’s 2023 NCTS season highlights, to date:

· Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading four wins in eight NCTS races thus far this season – recorded by four drivers from four different Chevrolet teams. The manufacturer’s first NCTS win of the season came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when Kyle Busch drove his No. 51 KBM Silverado RST to victory lane – the organization’s first win since joining Chevrolet at the beginning of the season. Chevrolet NCTS regulars that have also collected a win for the Bowtie brand this season includes Christian Eckes (Atlanta Motor Speedway), Carson Hocevar (Texas Motor Speedway) and Grant Enfinger (Kansas Speedway).

· Team Chevy drivers account for four of the top-10 positions in the NCTS’ driver points standings – with each driver coming from a different Chevrolet team. GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes lead the Bowtie brigade from the fifth- and sixth-positions, respectively – both already securing a playoff spot by virtue of a win. NCTS rookie contender Nick Sanchez (No. 2 Rev Racing Silverado RST) is ninth, and Matt DiBenedetto (No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Silverado RST) rounds out the top-10.

· Chevrolet continues to lead in the NCTS’ manufacturer points standings, heading into the second-half of the regular-season with a 10-point advantage over its competitors.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Darlington Raceway:

Erik Jones – 2 (2022, 2019)

Kyle Busch – 1 (2008)

· In 123 NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 43 victories, including the series most recent visit at the track (Erik Jones – 2022).

· 13 drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history have captured consecutive wins at Darlington Raceway. Dale Earnhardt Sr. (1989-1990) and Jeff Gordon (1995-1996) top the list with three consecutive wins each – all recorded with Chevrolet.

· Only three drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series are repeat winners this season, all coming from Team Chevy (William Byron – Las Vegas & Phoenix; Kyle Larson – Richmond & Martinsville; Kyle Busch – Auto Club and Talladega).

· In 12 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (seven), top-fives (28), top-10s (51), stage wins (13) and laps led (1,619).

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

· Grant Enfinger’s win at Kansas Speedway marked GMS Racing’s 43rd all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, tying Kevin Harvick Incorporated as the winningest Chevrolet organization in NCTS history.

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

· Chevrolet drivers have recorded 13 of the 24 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (six; series-leading), Ross Chastain (four), Kyle Larson (two) and Chase Elliott (one).

· Chevrolet continues to sit atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 30 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 28 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 10 points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 840 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 – Goodyear 400; 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 14

(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series – Shriners Children’s 200

(FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Buckle Up South Carolina 200; 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 12

(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

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

Can you talk about driving the Worldwide Express, UPS scheme this weekend?

“It was really cool that Worldwide Express chose a Dale Jarrett UPS paint scheme. There is a natural connection for Worldwide Express to select that scheme. WWEX is actually the largest UPS authorized reseller. So there’s a business connection for them choosing it and Dale made that paint scheme very visible during his career. So many fans and people remember Dale driving the brown and white scheme, and all of the commercials they used to do.”

What do you think about Darlington?

“I like going to Darlington. It’s such a unique track and I love how challenging it is. Every corner is so unique and it’s so challenging to get your car set to turn well at the track. This weekend I’ll be able to get a lot of laps in by running all three series. It’s a fun weekend with it being throwback and all of the excitement that surrounds it.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Darlington Raceway?

“I’ve always loved Darlington Raceway. It’s a historic track and a lot of drivers and teams circle it at the beginning of the year as a place they would love to win at, myself included. We finished second at Darlington a couple of years ago. It’s a demanding track. Darlington is a place that falls off, so tire management becomes important, and I really like that. It’s nice that we’re going to place that long run speed matters a bit.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1

Larson on racing at Darlington Raceway:

“I always look forward to going to Darlington (Raceway). I want to win everywhere, but especially at tracks I haven’t won at yet. Darlington would definitely be one of the top on my list of tracks I hope to win at. I’ve been really fast there before and I’m excited to race at ‘The Lady in Black’ again.”

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

Daniels on what makes Darlington a challenging track:

“Kyle (Larson) loves Darlington (Raceway). I love Darlington. It is such a great track because it is so challenging. Every aspect of the track is so much fun. It’s got the character of bumps, different lanes and different age asphalt. You’ve got the patch of (turns) one and two that is newer pavement and has a lot of grip and then the rest of the track doesn’t have much grip. It’s a track that we love going to. What it takes to get it done there, of course, is in the department of having a fast car, great execution and all of those things. I feel like we’ve done that before and it still hasn’t quite paid off for us. Hopefully, we find whatever the final tokens are that we need to get it done.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LUCAS OIL CAMARO ZL1

What is the key to running well at Darlington? Can the driver make a bigger difference in the car’s performance at Darlington than at another track?

“The biggest thing about Darlington is that it’s a very comprising racetrack. Turns 1 and 2 are so different than Turns 3 and 4 so having a good compromise between the two ends of the racetrack really means a lot there to have a good day. You also have to search around and find different grooves throughout the race and what works for you and your car and also traffic. If you’ve got a guy in front of you that’s running your line, you’ve got to find another line that you can run just as well so you can get some clean air on your car in order to make a pass. With the fast speeds that you have at Darlington, even though it’s a tight mile-and-a third racetrack, aerodynamics is a huge factor. Getting clean air on your car, especially through the majority of the run, is important because now tire falloff is so big that you have to have that grip as much as you can have of it.”

How special is your win at Darlington in 2008? You led the most laps and beat Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon for the victory.

“Winning at Darlington in 2008 was cool because that was my first Crown Jewel win. It was also early on in my first year at JGR. It was a repave at Darlington so it was a new surface and it made passing and racing around that track very challenging because the speeds were so high. I remember bouncing off the wall a few times and maybe it made the car faster each time I did, I don’t know, but it seemed like we kept on digging and kept on going fast. That was really cool to score that win there and I’ve been close a couple of other times, which is very frustrating, because I want to win there again and be more than just a one-time Southern 500 winner.”

You have recently experienced more than your share of misfortune at Darlington. How important is it to turn that around in a few weeks?

“It’s just been really, really frustrating. Last year we had an engine blow up while leading. I think two or three years before that we were running second and just couldn’t pass the leader in the last run of the race and finished second. There was another year there where I blew a right-front tire with two to go and there was another year where I was leading in the final run, had a flat tire and I had to pit. It’s been a lot of misfortune at Darlington but it would certainly mean a lot to get another win there.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on what this weekend’s throwback scheme means to him:

“This one means a lot. Those years were extremely crucial, not only for the number, but I’m not even sure I would have found racing had those years not been going on. If I wasn’t exposed then, I don’t know that I’d find it. Those years impacted me heavily and certainly sparked my interest to want to try to do it.”

Elliott on racing at Darlington:

“Darlington (Raceway) has been a struggle over the years. We ran really good there my first trip (in the NASCAR Xfinity Series), but really ever since then it’s been hard to be consistently strong there. Both ends of the track are really different and it’s always kind of hard to get your car exactly like you want it on both ends. Obviously, I haven’t quite figured out how to do that. If I had to give a one-word answer on racing at Darlington, it would be challenging.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1

Gustafson on what is key for running well at Darlington:

“To be good at Darlington (Raceway), I think you’ve got to have a good handling car. (Turns) one and two are really fast. You have to be able to drive up the hill with security and turn and race across the center of the corner, run a lot of throttle and then turn down off of two with good front-end turn and stability. In (turns) three and four, you typically get loose into that corner and then tight through the center and free off, so it’s a barrage of issues. It’s very different loading end-to-end and how the car responds from the accelerations. It makes it tough, but it makes it really fun and gives you the opportunity to make a difference, you know, both with the car and the driver. I love the place. It’s one of the most unique tracks we’ve got and it’s super specific.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1

Byron on what he expects for this weekend:

“Darlington (Raceway) is one of the tracks I really like racing at. You have to manage tires throughout a run because the surface is so old and really uses tires up. We had a hot slick surface last weekend to race on and had a couple tires ‘slip’ because of it. This weekend will be similar in that situation but you really have to manage them throughout the entire run as well. You can’t go too hard early on because you’ll fall off too much in the end. I think running the truck race on Friday will help with that as well. It will help me get up to speed on what the track characteristics are like since we were there last fall.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 AXALTA THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1

Fugle on what makes Darlington a good race:

“You have two completely different ends to Darlington (Raceway). (Turns) one and two you will run a lot of throttle and you’ll be pretty close to the wall. Going into (turn) three you’re going to have to stomp on the brakes, and you can get fairly low or you can rip the wall, but just know you’ll get loose at that end of the track if you do. It makes for a heck of a race. It’s one of those races that you don’t get the full experience unless you watch it in person. If you could get down there and sit in turn four to see how sideways the cars are, you’ll see how crazy it is to drive those things.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1

“We had a really great finish at Darlington last year, one of my best in the Cup Series, so I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to turn our luck around. Darlington is a track that has been up and down for me – it’s definitely a driver’s track. I feel like tires will wear and strategy will be really important. Hopefully we can get some speed back in our race cars and have another good showing at the Lady in Black.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ALLEGIANT CAMARO ZL1

“Darlington will be a cool weekend. The “throwback” weekend is always fun especially with the No. 43 Chevrolet the last few seasons. Just being able to run that car with the “Petty Blue” on it is an honor. I always love going there, Darlington has been a good track for me, been a good track for our team. So, hopefully we can get there, have the same kind of speed that we had last year, put a good race together, and contend. I look forward to it and hopefully have solid day.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER / COUNTRY CROCK CAMARO ZL1

”Darlington is one of the most physical tracks we go to. Timewise it feels like it’s as long, if not longer, than the Coca-Cola 600 sometimes because it’s just a grueling race. It’s tough on equipment, tough on the driver, tough on the pit crews. We will be making a lot of pit stops. Every time there is a caution, we will come in and get tires. It’s a tough race on everyone. For us, it’s about having a good balanced race car. You don’t have to be the fastest, but you have got to have a car that’s driving good and maintaining the same speed throughout the run. It’s also about eliminating mistakes. You are going to have some green flag pit stops, which is tricky at Darlington. The heat will be a factor. We’ve had a couple hot races the last two races, but I feel good in the race car and my training is good. I’m not really worried about that issue. It’s going to be a tough test for everyone.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1

Harris on preparing for Darlington:

“Darlington (Raceway) is one of my favorite tracks. It’s a little older and it has a lot of character. It burns tires off and is one of the highest tire degradation tracks we go to, so typically I think it is one of the best races we have. There are a lot of driver inputs and guys who are good at managing their stuff can utilize their ability to do that this weekend. There is a lot that comes into play from the set-up perspective as well. I have had a couple of Southern 500 wins there with other drivers before joining Hendrick Motorsports. When I went to Colorado to join Furniture Row (Racing), we were kind of an underdog team and winning the Southern 500 was the victory that put us on the map. So, I think because of that win, it’s always been a special place for me – and it’s close to home, so I get a little more time at home with my family.”

Harris on what it takes to win at Darlington:

“Darlington (Raceway) is one of those places that if you win a race, it doesn’t matter which one, there is something gritty about that. The guys that can just get up on the wheel, get after it all day, put it all together and survive show a lot of talent. The evolution of the race is the toughest part. You have guys that are going to get into the wall or blow a tire or slide into someone else and lose their cool and there are a lot of pit stops. Darlington is one of the places that has so many layers just to get to the final stage on the lead lap and that doesn’t even take into account the fact that you need a good handling car.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 QUAKER STATE CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel going to Darlington?

“We have had speed in the car this season, but for a variety of reasons we haven’t gotten the finish we deserve. It’s going to come here soon. Hopefully this weekend in Darlington.”

What do you think about your Darlington paint scheme?

“I watched a video of Ricky’s career the other day and it’s obvious that he was a great driver and one tough man. We hope this paint scheme reminds the older generation of fans of happy times watching Ricky Rudd race and teaches the younger generation about his accomplishments.”

GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST

Now that you and your team have a win in the bank, what are some of your most important goals before the playoffs start?

“Our immediate goals for how we approach Darlington don’t necessarily change. However, if there’s a strategy play, we can be more aggressive with our calls and I can drive more aggressively. That mindset can change for some of the other races, but we are focused on getting better as a team and clicking off more wins. The countless hours of hard work that everybody at GMS has put into our Champion Power Equipment Chevy paid off for us last week, but we are always hungry for more and I’m excited to see where we can stack up before the time the playoffs roll around.”

RAJAH CARUTH, NO. 24 WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION SILVERADO RST

Kansas was a great sign of competitiveness for you and your team, how can you parlay that into a better weekend in Darlington?

“It’s a big vote of confidence and a testament not only to the capability, effort and sacrifices of the men and woman on my 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado, but also the work of everyone at GMS Racing, GMS Fabrication, our body hangers, General Motors and Chevrolet. I can’t wait to tackle another historic NASCAR facility and hopefully make it to the end with a solid result.”

DANIEL DYE, NO. 43 RACE TO STOP SUICIDE SILVERADO RST

Darlington is undoubtedly one of the tougher tracks for a rookie to go to for the first time, what comes to your mind racing here?

“As a driver, you always hear about Darlington being tough. I’m looking forward to the challenge and will be leaning on my teammates and their experience and utilizing our sim time to make the most of our weekend. We’re going to take advantage of practice as much as we can and learn throughout the entire race with our No. 43 team at GMS Racing.”

CHASE PURDY, NO. 4 BAMA BUGGIES SILVERADO RST

You had a tough race at Kansas. Are you glad that there is another race on the schedule right away?

“I’m glad that we are strapping right back into our trucks not even a week later. That’s a really good thing mentally as a driver — having an opportunity to get a good finish and quickly get your confidence back.”

Darlington is a unique race track. How do you attack the race Friday night?

“Obviously it requires a lot of focus and it’s a driver’s race track. It’s important to have a truck that is stable enough and has enough security to run up against the wall and be aggressive. I think the driver who can run on top and run against the wall the best is going to be the driver to beat. You have to keep the nose on it and stay clean — don’t make mistakes like we did last weekend. It’s back to the drawing board this weekend and it’s an opportunity to have a good point’s day and put ourselves back in contention — if we do everything right maybe even come out with a win.”

At what point do you start looking at where you stand on the playoff grid?

“I’ve already started looking at it and it’s already been on my mind. I know we are 11th in driver’s points and we’re sitting 12th in playoff points — I think we’re 18 points out or something like that. Realistically we are only one good day away from being in, but obviously we’d like to win and guarantee ourselves a spot.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 51 HENDRICKCARS.COM SILVERADO RST

Are you looking forward to racing in a truck at Darlington?

“I really, really love racing at Darlington and I’m looking forward to racing there for the first time in a truck on Friday night. It was really fun being back in the Truck Series with KBM at the Bristol dirt race. It’s funny when I got in the truck it was the same smells and same feelings inside the truck — that was the cool part. I felt all those feelings I used to feel, and it was really fun. Obviously, it was on dirt and things were a little bit different than normal, but now that I’ve got a race under my belt with everybody on this No. 51 HENDRICKCARS.COM team and I was able to get reacclimated to driving a truck, we’re ready to go out and do everything we can to try and win a couple races these next two weeks.”

 
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: 7

Poles: 4

Laps Led: 1,619

Top-five finishes: 28

Top-10 finishes: 51

Stage wins: 13

· Ross Chastain – 4 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2), (Dover)

· William Byron – 6 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover)

· Kyle Larson – 2 (Phoenix), (Bristol Dirt)

· Chase Elliott – 1 (Talladega)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 840 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 738

Laps led to date: 247,163

Top-five finishes to date: 4,249

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,763

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,174

       Chevrolet: 840

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 821                                                           

       Ford: 721

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 174

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

CHASE BRISCOE
Darlington Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Goodyear 400 (Round 13 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 14
● Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
● Layout: 1.366-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 293 laps/400.2 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 108 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Race fans often choose their favorite drivers based on a paint scheme, a number or a hometown. As a child growing up in an Indiana dirt-racing family, Chase Briscoe spent weekends watching his favorite Hoosier race on the dirt tracks against his father and in the NASCAR Cup Series. He went on to start his own racing career in dirt racing, following in the footsteps of his father and his hero, and is now in his third season driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang that was piloted to 16 wins and a Cup Series championship by Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart.

● Like his boss did, Briscoe returns to his open-wheel racing roots often while competing on the Cup Series circuit. And though both have memorable moments on the dirt, it’s one of Stewart’s wins on pavement that will be honored during this year’s Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang sheds the familiar red and black for a look that mimics the USAC Midget racecar Stewart drove to a win in the 2000 Turkey Night Race at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

● Stewart captured his first Turkey Night win in the 60th running of one the most well-known racing events. First run in 1934, Turkey Night draws the biggest names in open-wheel racing. Its list of winners includes some of the more familiar names in motorsports – A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Chuck Gurney, Jason Leffler, Bryan Clauson, current Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, and of course “Smoke.” Briscoe himself competed in the iconic event in 2017, the year Bell earned his second Turkey Night victory.

● While this weekend’s throwback festivities offer the chance to reflect on the best drivers and racing moments of the last 75 years of NASCAR, it’s also a chance for Briscoe to revisit one of his own memorable races. On May 21, 2020, in a Thursday-night NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington, Briscoe bested Kyle Busch in the first NASCAR event after a 10-week hiatus due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NASCAR season was set to resume with the Xfinity Series race at Darlington on Tuesday, May 19, but a full day of rain forced the event to be postponed to Thursday. During Tuesday’s delay, Briscoe learned that his wife Marissa had suffered a miscarriage. He returned to the track with a heavy heart on Thursday, started 11th for the 200-lap race around the 1.366-mile oval known as “The Track Too Tough To Tame,” and ran among the top-10 for the majority of the race. A quick pit stop put Briscoe in the lead for a lap-138 restart, setting up the battle with Busch, the winningest driver in Xfinity Series history with 102 career victories. After a fierce duel, Briscoe prevailed by a .086-of-a-second margin over the runner-up Busch. Then, the emotions of the moment set in as Briscoe climbed from his racecar and dropped to his knees in prayer before giving a tear-filled television interview. In May 2022, Briscoe was back at Darlington for his third Cup Series start at the track and a very special Mother’s Day celebration spent with Marissa and their son Brooks, who was born in October 2021.

● In total, Briscoe has four Cup Series starts at Darlington with a best finish of 11th in the May 2021 race. In addition to his May 2020 victory, he also has finishes of sixth and 11th in Xfinity Series competition at the track also known as “The Lady in Black.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Can you explain the significance this paint scheme holds for an open-wheel racer?

“The Lewis Nine Racing Midget was so famous in USAC racing. And I remember, growing up, it seemed like the who’s who of open-wheel racing always drove the No. 9 Midget, or the 19 Midget, or just any of the Nine Racing cars. This scheme was so recognizable because it was pretty much always the same. The white with the flames, the red number that for whatever reason was always crooked, but my favorite thing was always the flames. I think of all the throwback schemes we have done, this is my favorite. It ties back to so much for me. Tony (Stewart), my USAC days, dirt racing – there are just so many things this car signifies for me. I grew up watching this car all the time. Every time USAC Midgets came around in Indiana, this car was always battling at the front. Every time you’d watch Turkey night on TV at Irwindale, this car was always battling up front. You had Jason Leffler, J.J. Yeley, Kasey Kahne, and obviously, Tony in this car. But then, also guys who didn’t make it to NASCAR. You had Dave Darland, Jay Drake and a lot of the huge names in USAC racing. This is the team you wanted to drive for and, growing up, I always dreamed I would get to drive it. The team as it was then kind of went away around 2008, I think, but this is like I’m getting to drive it in some sort of way. Steve Lewis has done a lot for USAC racing, and Tony’s win in 2000 was a pretty big deal for him after going back to USAC racing, so I’m really excited to have this on the car for Sunday.”

For someone who doesn’t follow open-wheel racing, how big is Turkey Night?

“I think they probably get 60 to 70 cars for Turkey Night. It’s at the end of the season on Thanksgiving night when there’s not much else going on in the racing world. It started in the 1930s in California and it’s moved around to a few different tracks, but it’s still going today. It’s still one of the most important races, from a historical standpoint, to win and a lot of the most talented drivers in open-wheel racing have won Turkey Night. I think we’ve got a lot more NASCAR fans following grassroots racing now and they know about Chili Bowl and how big that is. This is the same. It’s just one of the biggest USAC races and, of course, (Kyle) Larson and (Christopher) Bell are both guys who have won Turkey Night a few times.”

What kind of emotion do you go through when you win on one of the most historic tracks on the NASCAR circuit?

“To win at a place like Darlington is a bit of rollercoaster, at least for me it was. It was already a big win for me, personally, with everything Marissa and I were going through. I don’t know that it really sunk in that it was Darlington and how big of a deal that was, or even the battle with Kyle (Busch). But looking back now, I think about how tough of a track Darlington really is and how cool it is to have a win at a place that is so iconic. I hope I get the opportunity to add a Darlington Cup win to my accomplishments, but I think any time you can say that you’ve raced and won at a place with so much history, it’s special.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier

Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink

Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Darlington Midweek Availability | Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Mustang, joined us ahead of the Darlington Raceway weekend. Burton will be running a throwback paint scheme at Darlington that his father, Jeff, ran during his time with Roush Fenway Racing.

HARRISON BURTON, No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Mustang – WHAT MAKES THIS YEAR’S THROWBACK PAINT SCHEME SPECIAL TO YOU? “Obviously, really cool. I’ve got to do a couple of my dad’s schemes throughout the years, and when I started racing for the Wood Brothers, I wasn’t really sure if that would continue or not. It wasn’t like I asked them to. I expected that they’d want to do some of their history, and I would have been really proud to have driven with some of those paint schemes as well. But, when they sent me my dad’s paint scheme last year and let me kind of drive that in a No. 21 car, it was really cool. That was a cool moment for us. Then, this year was a similar process. Obviously the NASCAR 75th Anniversary and all that, so I figured maybe they’d want to do something they had from way back in the day. But, no. They wanted to do my dad’s old schemes. So, that was really cool. They helped me pick which ones. Obviously, the one where he won in the rain at Darlington – sweeped that year at Darlington – was an easy answer. So, that was a cool moment and something I’m excited to drive.”

THE WOOD BROTHERS ARE FORD’S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST TEAM AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY. WHAT HAS THE PREPARATION AT THE SHOP LOOKED LIKE THIS WEEK? “As far as our preparation goes, it’s been a good week for us actually. I feel like we’re trending in the right direction. We had a really bad result last weekend but really good speed. There were a couple runs in there where the metrics had us during that stint ranked fourth in just average lap time. There were stints throughout the race where we had really good speed. Just got caught up in a little bit of a crash there which took that chance away. That’s racing, and speed will fix all things. Preparation this week has been good, building from what we did at Kansas, and we’re trying to bring that to Darlington.”

THE RESULTS HAVEN’T BEEN THERE, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING GREAT SPEED. HOW REASSURING IS THAT SPEED LOOKING AHEAD, AND HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS OF THE SEASON? “It’s a tough stretch of races, for sure. I feel really encouraged. We had a bad run early and made some big changes to the car, and I was stuck one lap down, but Erik Jones and I were racing for the free pass and we passed up to like 12th or 13th on running position racing for the lucky dog. So, both of us suddenly found some speed, and it was really fun because we were passing through the field while kind of racing each other. That was encouraging, to pass a lot of cars. Even if they weren’t for position – like in that run I passed from the back of the field up to there, and in the next run did the same thing, those for position – it was really fun. The summer months coming up are a really tough stretch. These cars have been pretty warm, that’s for sure. So just staying in the gym, being outside a lot. Running has been a big thing that I really don’t love doing, but something I’ve been doing quite a bit of. So, just getting back into the swing of that and staying in good shape. That’s kind of the foundation, and the rest is hydration throughout the week.”

ARE YOU DOING ANY TRUCK OR ASA RACING AT NORTH WILKESBORO? “Yeah, I’m not running the Truck or ASA race. I might be in the North Wilkesboro late model race – still kind of ironing out those details. That might be a late thing that is coming together. I’m excited if that happens, but we’ll see. I’m excited to do that if I can, just to try and get some laps on that racetrack. That would be really important, I think just to have an advantage. We’ll see how it goes. I have a few things to iron out first, and a lot of small details about running away from a team like the Wood Brothers or something that’s established that you kind of have to handle on your own. Running a Cup season has been challenging, but I think I’ll be able to get it done. We’ll see.”

IF YOU CAN’T, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR THAT RACE? “It’s a little bit of a guesstimation, right? We had the test, and I wasn’t there – I think the Ford representative was [Chris] Buescher that was there. So, we get some data from there and Ford has some data from there that’s helpful for us. So that’s been a good building block, and the simulator will be as close as we can get it, without having a full race on it. Would you not be able to run that race, I think the best thing you can do is watch that late model race. Then on top of that, try to use the simulator to as much of an advantage as you can.”

YOU HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH NOAH [GRAGSON] A FEW YEARS AGO. WOULD YOU PREFER SECURITY TO STEP IN IN THOSE SITUATIONS, OR TO LET THE DRIVERS INVOLVED ADDRESS THE ISSUE DIRECTLY? “That’s a good question – I don’t know. When Noah and I fought, we were kind of able to fight for a while before anyone broke us up. Then we went to the ground and all that. I don’t know. I didn’t have a problem with what happened with us. If we got into a fight, I felt it was on my own terms. But there are two ways to look at it, right? You see guys who maybe got into a really bad crash and are mad at eachother. One guy might not be feeling good, might be a little hurt, and the other guy wants to fight him. I could see how that could be a problem. But then on the other hand, you just don’t want to have a guy get punched in the face and not be able to do anything about it, either. So, it’s kind of in-between a rock and a hard place. I know the fans love it. I love watching hockey fights and hockey in general because you know they’re going to be hitting each other hard. So, it’s a catch 22 for sure. I could definitely see where Noah probably would have wanted to have at least a fair shot to act. But, I don’t know. It’s probably on the safer side of things to separate us. The young guy in me wants to say, ‘Yeah, just let them fight it out.’ I’m not sure.”

YOU WEREN’T ALIVE YET FOR YOUR DAD’S WINS AT DARLINGTON, BUT HAVE YOU WATCHED THEM AND IF SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK HE WAS DOING SO WELL? “He was really good in [turns] three and four. He always tells me that one and two were a flaky corner. You go through one and two and it’s a lot of speed, you’re up against the wall, and it’s hard to separate yourself there. So he really got himself to where he was secure enough with the rear of the car to be good through one and two, and then get through three and four pretty good. Three and four was his focus. He did that a lot, and that kind of helped him. He was just naturally good there too – talented there, fit his style well. I’ve had some decent runs there, but I haven’t quite had any Cup wins there yet. So, I’m trying to learn from him, like I always have, but at some point you just have to go drive it yourself and go find the limit yourself. It makes it hard, right? Your dad is sitting here with all this experience and all this knowledge, and he can tell you everything he wants to tell you. But until you go out and commit to doing it – learning and trying different things yourself – you can conceptually agree but actually end up doing something completely different… even if you don’t think you are. Racing’s really tough like that. not every driver drives the same way. You look at SMT, which is a tool we use now where you can go in and look at exactly what other drivers are doing. It’s helpful, to say the least. It’s definitely a helpful tool that I use all the time, but also you have to understand that you’ll click through the top-five, and they’ll all be doing something different. There’s no clear, textbook way to drive a race car. The concepts and mindsets are important. You kind of build your own notebook from there. So, I’m trying to build that notebook, and I feel really good about Darlington as a whole. We’ll see how it goes this weekend.”

HOW MUCH PRESSURE DO YOU FEEL NOT HAVING BEEN LOCKED INTO THE NORTH WILKESBORO LINE-UP? “It’s just a cool event. It’s the first time we have been there in a long, long time – the first time I’ve actually raced there, that’s for sure. Any time that there’s a ‘first,’ you want it, right? You think of guys like Joey Logano, who does a really good job… he seems to win the first of everything we do whether it be Bristol Dirt or World Wide Technology Raceway that’s more recent. There are all these places where it’s cool to be the first to win at something, and there’s something that’s really neat about that. I know my dad, when he won his first Cup race at Texas, it was the first race there too. So, that was really cool for him. But just making the show in general – it’s important. Think about the amount of effort that goes into building these race cars for our guys at the shop, the amount of effort you put in preparing for these races. It’s important. It’s a big thing for the morale of everybody and a big thing for your sponsors. So, it’s always been important, especially when it’s a really cool event like this one I think will be. It makes it that much cooler.”

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO NORTH WILKESBORO? “No, I never got to. I’ve driven by it a few times. I’ve actually never been inside of it at all or seen what the track looks like other than on videos. So, when it got announced that we were going to go there, all the videos came flying out – of old races and things that were happening there in the past. It’s cool to see those. But other than that, no. I’ve never even seen the place. It’s going to be a challenge, for sure.”

SOME DRIVERS IN F1 EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION OVER THE EXTENDED PRE-RACE CEREMONIES. WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURES, IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE SAME INSTANCE IN NASCAR PRE-RACE CEREMONIES? “Yeah, I definitely heard it. I saw on Twitter that the fans didn’t seem to like it much either. I thought it was interesting. I think it’s something that they’ve never done – or very much. I know they’ve done some intros before, but it seems to be different. For us, we do it every weekend. You never even think twice about it. it’s just part of what you do. You go to the pre-race drivers meeting, then go to driver intros, go to your car, anthem plays and then you go race. That’s always been my routine. That’s what I’m used to. Those guys have way different routines and have been doing different things for a long time. I could see if you weren’t used to that, then they suddenly ask you to do it. It would be kind of, ‘What is this about?’ From our side, it’s like ‘whatever.’ It’s just normal. I think our fans love the intros, and I think if the intros are done right – you think about the Bristol night race or somewhere like that, where it’s really cool – I think it has its spot, for sure. I never thought it was a problem on our side of things. Maybe we’re just tougher… no, I’m kidding. It’s definitely just normal for us, for sure.”

IS DAVID PEARSON, WHO HOLDS THE CUP RECORD FOR MOST WINS AT DARLINGTON AND WAS A HIGHLY DECORATED WOOD BROTHERS DRIVER, SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO? “So at the shop in Stuart [Virginia], they have a banner of every driver who has ever driven for them. Last year, I went up there and about six or seven races through the year, they had mine up. For whatever reason, my banner was next to David Pearson’s. I thought that was really cool. Obviously, I look up to guys like that in our past. You think about the stories and the things that happened that I get to hear about on a day-to-day basis, and you kind of end up taking it for granted because you just hang out with the Wood brothers all the time – they’re your bosses, and you get to know them like you’re family and it’s just whatever. But, when you really take time to reflect on it, it’s pretty neat. Definitely cool. Every weekend is cool to drive the No. 21 car, and it’s something I’ve taken a lot of pride in, for sure.”

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT AT DARLINGTON? “It’s going to be a tough race. It’s a fairly long race, it’s going to be hot, it’s going to be really slick with the worn-out surface. You’re going to have all this tire wear, which creates some interesting scenarios – who puts on the tires when, and the green flag pit-stops are really interesting. The biggest thing for me is who’s versatile enough to be able to get off the wall in [turns] three and four. You kind of watch the race back – actually just left a meeting where I watched a race with a group of people on our team, watching a lot of on-board, seeing the guys who could make passes were the ones not having to be married to the wall all the way around in three and four. Whether that’s kind of dive-bombing on entry or getting a run off turn two, it’s really important. So, just all the little things there make it tough. You have to be on your game. You’re going to be inches off the wall for four hours, probably going to kiss it once or twice, and you’re just going to ride that ragged edge for a long time. So, staying focused and locked-in for four hours at Darlington is really tough when you add the heat to it. I think it’s going to be a tough race for a lot of guys. Hopefully that leads to opportunities as well for others. I think it’ll be fun. It’s always one of my favorites, that’s for sure.”