TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Ambetter Health 400
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
March 19, 2023

 RACING FOR FOUR IN A ROW AT ATLANTA

All three NASCAR national touring series will make the trek south to Hampton, Georgia, where the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the site of the series’ next tripleheader race weekend.

While Chevrolet has been unbeatable in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) thus far this season, the manufacturer will also look to keep its winning streak at Atlanta Motor Speedway alive in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. The Bowtie brand has collected a series-leading 43 NCS wins at Atlanta, including triumphs in the series’ past three consecutive races. The streak dates back to July 2021 when Kurt Busch drove the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to the victory in the track’s final race before undergoing a complete repave and reprofiling. An intermediate-sized track now producing superspeedway-styling racing, the variety of unknowns proved no challenge for Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Chase Elliott, who drove their Camaro ZL1’s to a sweep of the series’ race wins at the Georgia venue in 2022.

Atlanta Motor Speedway – July 11, 2021

Kurt Busch, No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet

Atlanta Motor Speedway – Mar. 20, 2022

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Atlanta Motor Speedway – July 10, 2022

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

 
UNSTOPPABLE START TO 2023

With William Byron’s back-to-back trips to victory lane, Chevrolet has now gone four-for-four in NASCAR Cup Series wins this season, marking the first time since 2001 that a manufacturer has swept the first four races in a single season in NASCAR’s premier series. In NASCAR’s Modern Era, a manufacturer has swept the first four races of a NCS season on four separate occasions, with Chevrolet recording three of those (1995, 2001, 2023). Chevrolet’s record for the most consecutive wins to start a NCS season came in 1995, with four different drivers collecting a combined seven-straight victories.

BY THE NUMBERS

While Chevrolet is the only manufacturer that has made its way to victory lane in NASCAR’s premier series in 2023, the Bowtie brand’s dominant start to the season is demonstrated by more than just its win count. A highlight of key statistical measures heading into the Atlanta Motor Speedway race weekend:

· Chevrolet drivers have taken seven of the eight NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season. Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron have each recorded three stage wins, with Byron’s teammate Kyle Larson also having one stage win to his name.

· Of the 1,000 laps run this season in NASCAR’s premier series, 12 different Chevrolet drivers have led a combined 705 laps.

· Chevrolet drivers have taken at least 50 percent of the top-10 finishing positions in each of the NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races this season, including a sweep of the top-four at Auto Club Speedway and a podium sweep at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

LARSON ON HORIZON OF MILESTONE START

Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will mark Kyle Larson’s milestone 300th career start in NASCAR’s premier series, all of which have been behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

The 30-year-old California native first stepped into the NASCAR Cup Series scene in 2013, making four starts that season with the No. 51 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet team. Larson competed his first full-time season in the series with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014, ending the season with the Rookie of the Year honors. The driver went on to notch his first career NCS win at Michigan International Speedway in August 2016.

Larson’s career season came in 2021 when he joined Hendrick Motorsports to pilot the No. 5 Camaro ZL1. In his debut season with the organization, Larson collected a series-leading 10 wins en route to his first career NCS championship title.

To-date, Larson has collected 19 wins, 91 top-fives and 148 top-10s in NASCAR’s premier series.

SILVERADO RST BACK ON-TRACK AFTER LAS VEGAS WIN

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will return to the track after a one-week break to join the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the third tripleheader race weekend of the season. Saturday’s NCTS Fr8 208 will mark the series’ 22nd appearance at the Georgia track. Chevrolet has recorded nine NCTS wins at Atlanta, with the manufacturer’s first win coming in only the series’ second race held at the track (Ron Hornaday, Jr. – March 2005).

Chevrolet is the series’ most recent winner this season after Kyle Busch drove his No. 51 KBM Silverado RST to the win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, also marking the organization’s first win under the Chevrolet banner. Momentum is on the side of the young NCTS Bowtie brigade, with drivers from four different Chevrolet teams taking six of the top-10 finishing positions at Las Vegas.

HILL LOOKS TO DEFEND HOMESTATE WIN

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will take over in part two of Saturday’s doubleheader with the RAPTOR King of Tough 250 marking the series’ fifth race of the season. The Bowtie brand has collected a manufacturer-leading 18 NXS wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The most recent of those wins comes from Georgia native Austin Hill (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS) in the series’ last appearance at the track in July 2022.

Hill will head to his home track looking to not only defend his race winning title, but also maintain his position as the series’ points leader. The 28-year-old Chevrolet driver already has two NXS wins to his name in 2023, and is one of only three drivers in the series to have top-10 finishes in every race this season. Joining Hill in the top-five includes series’ veteran Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS) in third and series’ rookie Chandler Smith (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS). Both drivers have had a strong start to the season, leading the series with three top-fives each.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Kyle Busch – 2 (2013, 2008)

William Byron – 1 (2022)

Chase Elliott – 1 (2022)

· In 117 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 43 victories, including the past three consecutive races at the track (Kurt Busch – July 2021; William Byron – March 2022; Chase Elliott – July 2022).

· Kyle Larson will make his milestone 300th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, all of which have been behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

· William Byron delivered Chevrolet its fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win of 2023 at Phoenix Raceway, making it the first time since 2001 that the same manufacturer has won the first four points-paying races of a NCS season.

· Chevrolet’s four consecutive 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) and William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports).

· Chevrolet drivers have taken at least 50 percent of the top-10 finishing positions in each of the NASCAR Cup Series races this season, including a top-four sweep at Auto Club Speedway and a podium sweep at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

· Chevrolet drivers have recorded seven of the eight NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: Ross Chastain (three), William Byron (three) and Kyle Larson (one).

· Of the 1,000 laps run thus far in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, 12 different Chevrolet drivers have recorded a combined 705 laps led.

· Alex Bowman is the only driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to finish in the top-10 in each race this season.

· With four races in the books for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet leads the manufacturer standings in both series. The reigning Manufacturer Champion leads the NCS manufacturer points standings by 27 points, while also leading the NXS manufacturer points standings by three points.

· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 837 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the tripleheader race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Fr8 208; the Camaro SS 1LE will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ in Saturday’s RAPTOR King of Tough 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.

FOR THE FANS

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles in the Fan Midway including: Tahoe Premier, Blazer RS, Traverse Premier, Silverado 1500 Crew ZR2, Silverado 2500HD Crew Carhartt Diesel, Corvette Coupe 3LT Z51, Camaro ZL1.

· Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, March 18

· Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth & Daniel Dye: 10:15 a.m.

· Christian Eckes & Jake Garcia: 11:20 a.m.

· Nick Sanchez: 12 p.m.

· Blaine Perkins: 12:30 p.m.

· BJ McLeod: 2 p.m.

· Jeremy Clements: 2:15 p.m.

· Chandler Smith: 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 19

· Josh Berry: 11:40 a.m.

· Ross Chastain: 11:55 a.m.

· William Byron: 12:15 p.m.

· Justin Haley: 12:30 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Saturday, March 18: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 19: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Tune In:

· NASCAR Cup Series – Ambetter Health 400; 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 19

(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

· NASCAR Xfinity Series – RAPTOR King of Tough 250; 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 18

(FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

· NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Fr8 208; 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 18

(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 AdventHealth Camaro ZL1

Two runner-up finishes at Atlanta last year, what is your goal this year?

“My goal is to finish one spot better and win the race. Finishing second is great, but I want to win for my team and all of our partners. Racing at Atlanta now is more superspeedway-like and we had two strong finishes last year. Of course, it’ll be a little bit different this time since we’ve had more time with this car, but if you’re anywhere close to the front and there’s a late race restart, I’d say you have a good chance at winning.”

We’re seeing more drivers joining broadcasts from the television and radio booths, why is that?

“Calling a race from the radio or the television booth always gives you a different perspective. It’s fun to do something different. It’ll be good distraction for me while my brother (Chad Chastain) is out there on the track for his first Xfinity race.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1

Larson on the season so far:

“We had a shot to win in Daytona and I crashed. In Fontana, we had the mechanical issue early in the race, but fixed it and the last two runs of the race we were by far the fastest car. In Vegas, we were the second-best car to William (Byron) and finished second. In Phoenix, again, we had a great car there and had a shot to win late. No win in the column, but I’m super pleased with our performance and look forward to every upcoming race. I feel like no matter where we go right now, we will have a shot at a good finish and hopefully some wins along the way.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lenovo Camaro ZL1

“Driving at the new Atlanta configuration is definitely challenging just due to the fact that it’s really, really fast and it’s a mile-and-a-half so it seems like the superspeedway speeds that you get at a mile-and-a-half make everything go by really quick and things happen quick, faster than a superspeedway. That’s definitely the challenging part. Understanding the grip level of what the cars have and the draft and the moves you can make is also pretty challenging. It’s easier for everybody to go faster with it being restrictor plate style racing and everybody being able to hold it wide-open to the most part makes it for a plate race. Drivers would rather drive and have it as the old Atlanta.”

Does running well at Daytona give you confidence entering this weekend in Atlanta?

“Yes and no. I would say that we’ve had speed at Daytona with the superspeedway cars. We had a pretty good handling primary car and then, unfortunately, we just weren’t quite able to get the handle the way we wanted it to with the second one, although I thought it was good after the practices we had. Going into Atlanta, it’s just kind of an unknown. We just have to go in there and see what it all feels like and see how the Lenovo Chevy drives compared to what I remember driving there last year.”

Josh Berry, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1

Berry on his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series and looking ahead to Atlanta Motor Speedway:

“The top-10 finish at Phoenix (Raceway) was really cool for us to accomplish. And for Atlanta (Motor Speedway), we just want to keep building on what we’ve been doing and just continue to improve. Atlanta is going to be a tough race without a doubt, but Hendrick Motorsports has been really strong there. I think if we can just stay out of trouble and hopefully stay up front, we’ll have a chance of getting a good finish.”

Berry on what has helped get him more comfortable with the car and acclimated with the team:

“It was amazing what a week of preparation did for us at Phoenix (Raceway). Just being around each other and spending some time in the sim and just getting a little bit more comfortable with each other has definitely helped a lot. This week, I’ve also spent some time with Eddie (D’Hondt, spotter) and getting our communication better as well, which is going to be really important in Atlanta. I think we just keep pushing in that same direction. We’re trending better and better each time we go on the racetrack, so Atlanta should be fun.”

William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1

Byron on his confidence heading to Atlanta:

“This past offseason we really took the time to evaluate where we were and what we needed to get better as a team. I think this year has shown that so far, especially to have two strong runs and wins so soon. Everyone is putting in the time and effort to make sure we are improving. Now we’re heading back to Atlanta (Motor Speedway) as the defending winner of this race last year, and two wins under our belts. It gives us an extra boost of confidence but we’re not going to let up.”

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

“Atlanta was a really great track for us last year. Obviously with it being a speedway track now, it has worked in our favor, but I think as it wears, it’s going to start getting a little bit more like a mile-and-a-half. It’s probably my favorite racetrack right now on the schedule. It’s just something so different than any other track we go to with the high speeds and it being an in-between track. I’ll also have the opportunity to get some laps in during the Xfinity race as well, so I’m really looking forward to this weekend as a whole.”

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Camaro ZL1

“I’ve really enjoyed racing at Atlanta over the years. It’s going to be tough without practice on Saturday as I think we can use all the laps we can get being rookies, but we have some great notes to go on from the No. 43 team are focused forward.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1

Last year, your team was really strong in both Atlanta races. What is it about the superspeedway style of racing on the reconfiguration that fits in your wheel house?

“I liked racing in Atlanta last year. It was a lot different obviously with the new layout and new format style of racing. It’s kind of like having an extra superspeedway track for us, but you have a little more handling involved, especially more than what we have at say, Talladega. I feel like our speedway program has been strong; I feel like at the Daytona 500, we had a good car. So hopefully, we can be just as strong there and be able to just lead some laps, be up front, and have a shot to win. Last year, we were pretty close in a couple of them in Atlanta. You know, I really felt like in the second race there we had a great shot to win, and hopefully we can go back down there and close this one out with our Allegiant Chevy.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Bowman on his consistency to start 2023:

“It’s been a goal of mine for so long to get more consistent. Having finished in the top 10 in all four races so far gives me a lot of confidence in what the No. 48 Ally Racing team is doing this season. It helps that I have liked a lot of the tracks we start at this season, but we keep bringing fast race cars and maximizing every opportunity that comes our way. Atlanta (Motor Speedway) races more like a superspeedway with the repave so it’s a little bit of a tossup, but I am ready to continue the streak we are on.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Camaro ZL1

Are you looking forward to Atlanta on Sunday?

“Of course. Atlanta is an interesting race track. It’s almost like it can’t decide what it wants to be. It’s a 1.5-mile track that races like a Talladega and Daytona. We have had some good results there since the reconfiguration. I think the key is survival and hopefully we can do that and get another good finish.”

How is your season so far?

“We have run well. The cars are fast, the pit stops are fast, we are learning. We have things we have to get better at and clean up but we are making progress. I think we are going to have a lot of fun this season if we keep doing what we are doing.”

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Silverado RST

What are your thoughts on returning to Atlanta’s newly-renovated reconfiguration for the second time around this weekend?

“Atlanta is a lot different since the reconfiguration. It races more like a superspeedway rather than a conventional mile and a half track. With the banking and newer asphalt we will all have a lot of grip which provides for tight racing. We will have to be aggressive on the track and pit road to position ourselves to be upfront for the end. I’m looking forward to this stretch of 5 races in a row. Our Champion Power Equipment team is preparing well, and I feel like GMS Racing has built us some trucks that we can win with.”

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST

Though it hasn’t been quite the start of the year that you had hoped for results wise, you’ve shown some stout speed in both races. What are some of your goals in place for this weekend in Atlanta?

“Definitely, to your point, the results that we’ve had this year haven’t been indicative of our pace. Especially at Las Vegas two weeks ago; where we were running right around the top-10 and earning points in both stages and being right in the mix before green flag stops before we got wrecked. So really, the goals don’t change from week-to-week, at least for me personally, and I would say that the guys on my team agree with me. We work just as hard and treat every race as if it was a playoffs race. The expectations are that we give our best efforts; and that’s what my guys are doing at the shop. I give my best efforts at the shop, and away from the shop, and that’s what I am for sure doing. So hopefully that will set us up for a great race on Saturday in Atlanta, and from there get a good rhythm going, because we have five races in a row. It’s going to be important to have a good tone here and start off this stretch with a bang, so I’m confident in my team and think we can really show out in Atlanta this weekend.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Heise LED Lighting Systems / Orlando Longwood Auto Auction Silverado RST

You haven’t ever competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway before, but since Daytona is still relatively fresh on your mind, do you think you can take what you learned in that race and apply it to this weekend?

“I think what I learned at Daytona is certainly going to help me to some extent at Atlanta. Obviously, with the track in Atlanta being close to half the size of Daytona, the racing is going to be a little bit different, but it should feel similar since they reconfigured that track to more of a superspeedway feel. You’re definitely going to have to take that into account, but I’m looking forward to it with our Heise LED Chevrolet Silverado RST. We’ve had a little bit of a rough start to our season, but I know everyone on the No. 43 team is going to do their best to get us rolling in the right direction starting with this weekend.”

Chase Purdy, No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado RST

Talk about racing as a kid on the quarter-mile track at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“I have a lot of history at Atlanta – actually for a few years I spent probably every winter running the Winter Flurry deal and the Thursday Thunder on Thursday nights. Every Wednesday we would get there and practice all night and Thursday come back and race on the little quarter mile. So, lots of history there. I love Atlanta – I think it’s cool that it’s a totally different race track now. It used to be old, worn out and slick, and now it’s wide open and races like Talladega and Daytona. I’m really excited to get back there and see what happens.”

Does the speed your team had at Daytona increase your optimism for Atlanta?

“I’m really excited about how much speed we had at Daytona and Atlanta races like that now. I think if we can go there and have the same speed that we had at Daytona, then we definitely have a shot to win.”

Coming off a top-10 finish at Las Vega, does that help your confidence?

“We’ve shown a lot of speed at both the race tracks we’ve been to this year. I’ve got a really good group of guys here at KBM. There is no quit in them and they believe in me. I have a lot of confidence going into Atlanta and these next few races as well. Hopefully, we can keep up the momentum we have rolling right now.”

Jack Wood, No. 51 Logitech Silverado RST

Will having a strong qualifying run and good speed in the ARCA race at Phoenix give you a confidence boost getting into the truck at Atlanta?

“Yeah, for sure. I think that was one of the biggest reasons for us for to go and run ARCA this year was to just kind of build confidence back up. I think that it will translate over to the truck for sure.”

Do you like the new style of racing at Atlanta?

“It’s fun. Looking at the race from last year, all the KBM trucks were really, really fast, so if we do get a chance to qualify I think we’ll be at the front of the field will help us out. I think it will be a fun race, but you just have to be smart and stay out of the stuff the same way Corey (Heim) did last year and just kind of be there at the end.”

Do you think that the style of racing will change at all going back for a second year on the new surface?

“I don’t know. It’ll be curious going back to the track for a second time and how much the asphalt has changed over a year with all the weather in Atlanta these past 12 months. I think it will race pretty similar – probably have a little less grip If I had to guess, but I think it will be pretty much the same race that we saw last year.”

Christian Eckes, No. 19 NAPA Autocare Silverado RST

On continuing the No. 19 team’s momentum at Atlanta:

“It’s hard to know exactly what to expect at Atlanta with having only one race under our belt there on the new repave and no practice this weekend. I know Charles (Denike) and everybody at MHR put a lot of effort into our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet for this weekend, so we’ll have to feel it out when they drop the green on Saturday. We’ve had really good driving Chevrolets in both races this year, and we’ll need to continue that on Saturday to be able to maneuver in the draft this weekend. We’ve been doing a good job at getting stage points in both races, so we’ll try to keep that up and put ourselves in position for our first win at the end of the day.”

Jake Garcia, No. 35 Quanta Silverado RST

On making his first start at his home track:

“Our Quanta Services team had a great start to the year at Las Vegas and it’d be great to follow that up with another good run at home this weekend. I’ve never raced at Atlanta before, so it’s exciting for my family and friends to be able to race right in our backyard. I think we can build on run at Las Vegas and take another step forward this weekend. Atlanta has turned into a lot more of a drafting game than a typical mile-and-a-half race, but we’ll definitely still need our Quanta Service Chevrolet to handle well and be balanced in the pack on Saturday to run towards the front.”

 
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: 4

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 705

Top-five finishes: 11

Top-10 finishes: 21

Stage wins: 7

· Ross Chastain – 3 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2)

· William Byron – 3 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix)

· Kyle Larson – 1 (Phoenix)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 837 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 736

Laps led to date: 246,249

Top-five finishes to date: 4,232

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,733

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,171

       Chevrolet: 837

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 820                                                           

       Ford: 720

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 170 

 

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.

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 30 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Kevin Meendering (interim)

Standings: 32nd

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

FOURTH IN PHOENIX: Kyle Larson was fastest overall in practice and won his 15th career pole position, earning him the top spot for the start of Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway. During the race, the 30-year-old driver won the second stage and led a race-high 201 laps. At the checkered flag, Larson finished in the fourth position at the 1-mile desert oval.

LEADING LAPS: Claiming the front position for 270 laps thus far, Larson has led the most laps of any driver in the Cup Series in 2023. This mark puts the Elk Grove, California, native tied for fourth with Jimmie Johnson’s 2005 tally (and behind Jeff Gordon in 1995 and 2001 and Terry Labonte in 1996) for the most laps led by a Hendrick Motorsports driver through four races.

THE NO. 5 IS HEATING UP: Larson is one of only five drivers – along with teammates Alex Bowman and William Byron – to earn multiple top-five finishes to start the season. He earned those finishes over the past two weekends at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (second) and Phoenix (fourth). Those two races also rank in the top 10 among his best races based on average position – 1.4 at Phoenix (ranks tied for third) and 2.2 at Las Vegas (ranks 10th). The 2021 Cup Series champion is second in most laps run in the top five (638) and fourth in most laps run in the top 10 (707).

300TH NASCAR START: This Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Larson will hit a career milestone. The green flag at the 1.54-mile track will symbolize Larson’s 300th start in the Cup Series. He will be the 99th driver to hit this mark. After making his Cup Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway for HScott Motorsports, Larson drove for Chip Ganassi Racing (from 2014 to 2020) and has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 2021. He will look to be the eighth driver and the first since Brad Keselowski (at Talladega in October 2017) to be victorious in his 300th Cup Series start. To date with 299 starts, Larson has earned 19 wins, 91 top fives, 148 top 10s, 43 stage wins and one championship.

RACING IN THE ATL: Larson’s 419 laps led at the Hampton, Georgia, venue is the most by a driver without a win and are his sixth-most at a track on the current series schedule. The two-time runner-up finisher at Atlanta has four top-10 results in 10 starts at the track.

PIT POWER: The No. 5 pit crew has the eighth-best average four-tire stop time through four races at 11.493 seconds. The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).

HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: The Atlanta race marks the first 2023 home race for the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team. Respectively, the No. 5 driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. In addition, Hendrick Automotive Group is celebrating with a new exclusive hat program for fans. For every home race this season (15 total), there will be a unique hat that is released the week of the race and only available for sale at the trackside merchandise haulers, or available to win on HENDRICKCARS.COM. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public. See this week’s hat, which will be revealed at noon ET on Thursday, here.

ATLANTA AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS & BEYOND: The extended Atlanta market is home to nine Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Not located in Georgia? You can pick from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 95 dealerships nationwide. Customers can also shop from the convenience of their home by 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.

WE’RE HIRING: Join 10,000+ others nationwide in working at Hendrick Automotive Group. Hendrick is hiring technicians and other positions at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 JOSH BERRY

Age: 32 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Tom Gray (interim)

Standings: 41st (owner’s points)

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

BERRY GOOD SUB: This weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Josh Berry will make his third start for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 9 filling in for Chase Elliott as he continues to recover from a fractured tibia. At Phoenix Raceway last Sunday, Berry rolled off the grid from the 17th position and powered his way to a 10th-place result. It was his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series in just his fourth career start, making him only the seventh driver in the last 15 years to accomplish that feat in four races or less. The effort also made the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native the 29th different driver to score a top 10 for Hendrick Motorsports.

WINNER WINNER NO. 9: Last season with Elliott behind the wheel, the No. 9 team was impressive on drafting-style tracks. The team scored two wins – Atlanta in July and Talladega Superspeedway in October – and only finished outside of the top 10 in one occurrence across six starts at Daytona International Speedway, Talladega and Atlanta. Last summer, Elliott led a total of 96 laps en route to his victory at Atlanta, sweeping both stages along the way. The Talladega win last fall was the most recent visit to victory lane for the No. 9 team. It was part of a series-leading five wins on the year for Elliott and the team.

THE BERRY LOWDOWN: Berry, a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, has four Xfinity starts at Atlanta. He’s started from the front row twice and his best finish at the track is second, which he earned last July. Across 10 starts at drafting tracks in Xfinity, the 32-year-old driver has two top-five finishes, three top-10s and 48 laps led. This weekend will mark his first superspeedway-style start in the Cup Series.

HOME GAME: Four of the No. 9 team’s partners are based in the Peach State, with NAPA Auto Parts, Hooters, Kelley Blue Book and Coca-Cola all being headquartered in Atlanta. This weekend, NAPA’s blue, yellow and white colors will be back on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It will mark the company’s ninth race as the primary partner of the team at Atlanta. NAPA was also the primary partner on the No. 9 for last July’s victory. See all the angles of the 2023 NAPA paint scheme here.

MAN OF THE PEOPLE: Fans will have two opportunities to see Berry on Sunday before he suits up for the 400-mile race at Atlanta. First, he’ll stop by the Chevy display for a Q&A at 11:40 a.m. in the Fan Zone and then head over to the Trackside Live stage for an appearance at noon ET.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Brian Campe (interim)

Standings: 29th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, March 18, at 10:45 a.m. EST.

BACK-TO-BACK BABY: Coming off a NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, William Byron and the No. 24 team didn’t let up there at Phoenix Raceway. After qualifying third, Byron quickly took over the lead on lap two and never looked back, capturing the stage one win. Restarting alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson for the start of stage two, Byron settled into the second position and ended the stage in the runner-up spot. As the final stage began, he continued to run within the top five but a late-race caution restacked the field. Crew chief Rudy Fugle made the call for two right-side tires under the yellow, allowing his driver to race off pit road in second and line up on the front row. Byron battled with Larson in the final laps before ultimately making the pass for the win, scoring back-to-back wins for the first time in his Cup Series career.

GOOD COMPANY: The victory at Phoenix marked Byron’s sixth Cup Series career win. He joined elite company, becoming the seventh-youngest driver to capture six Cup Series wins at 25 years, 3 months, and 12 days. Those who accomplished the same feat at a younger age are all Cup Series champions – Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Richard Petty.

MY GENERATION: With two wins in 2022 and now two wins already in 2023, Byron has four total wins in the Next Gen car. He is tied for the second-most wins in the new car, just one win behind Elliott, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.

CATCH ME UP FRONT: So far this season, Byron has led the second-most laps (240) behind only Larson with 270. His 240 laps led in 2023 are the seventh-most among Hendrick Motorsports drivers all-time through four races. In fact, in two of the four races this year, Byron has an average running position of 1.7 at Las Vegas and a 2.5 at Phoenix – both races he took home the checkered flag.

24 IN ’23: Byron and the No. 24 team are off to a hot start in the 2023 season. After four races this year, he leads the series in wins (two), stage points (49), average running position (6.79) and laps run in the top five (654). On top of that, the 25-year-old is tied for the most stage wins (three) and top-five finishes (two). Byron ranks second in top-10 finishes in a stage (six), laps led (240), laps run in the top-two positions (423) and laps run in the top-10 (768).

PIT ROAD PROWESS: The No. 24 pit crew has an average four-tire pit stop time of 11.139 – the third-best average in the field. 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). The No. 24 pit crew once again had a strong hand in this past Sunday’s win at Phoenix, helping Byron pick up two positions on pit road during the final stop, setting him up for the front row for the final two restarts of the race.

GOT 99 PROBLEMS, BUT WINNING AIN’T ONE: With his wins at Las Vegas and Phoenix, Byron continues to make his mark on the legacy of the No. 24 at the Cup Series level. Those two wins bring the No. 24 one victory away from 100. Currently fifth with 99 wins, the No. 24 is only behind the No. 3 with 101, the No. 2 with 102 wins, the No. 43 with 200 wins and the No. 11 with 228 wins on the all-time list.

THE ATL ARCHIVE: Byron has seven Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but this Sunday will be only his third at the 1.54-mile track since the reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. In this race last year, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native rocketed to the front of the field, leading 111 laps before going on to score his first win of the 2022 season. His spring win made him the fourth-youngest winner at Atlanta at 24 years, 3 months and 20 days. In both starts at the Georgia-based venue last year, Byron led 152 laps – the most of any driver.

LIBERTY U IS BACK: This Sunday, Byron will sport his updated Liberty University paint scheme for the first time in the 2023 season. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Greg Ives (interim)

Standings: 23rd

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

PHOENIX REBOUND: Last Sunday, Alex Bowman continued to flex his racing muscles, finishing ninth at Phoenix Raceway – his best result at the 1-mile venue since his 2016 appearance in the No. 88 when he placed sixth. The driver of the No. 48 finished the first stage in 14th and the second stage in 12th, before notching his fourth consecutive top-10 finish in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

CAN’T TOUCH ME: Bowman is carrying a lot of momentum heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway for this Sunday’s race. Through four races, the 29-year-old driver has his best marks at this point in a season with two top-five finishes, four top-10s and an average finish of 6.25. He also won the pole position for the DAYTONA 500, has led 31 laps and has an average starting position of 8.50. Bowman is one of five drivers with multiple top-five finishes – including teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron – and the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all races this season.

BEST IN SHOW: Bowman joins some of the Hendrick Motorsports greats to start a season with four consecutive top-10 results. Ricky Rudd (1991), Terry Labonte (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2005 and 2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2013) and Jeff Gordon (2014) have all accomplished the same feat.

AB IN ATL: This Sunday, the Cup Series takes on the repaved and reconfigured Atlanta venue for the second year. In the last four races at the 1.54-mile track, two of which came on the old Atlanta surface, Bowman has scored two top-five finishes and three top-10s. His 10th-place finish in March 2022 was on the new configuration. In July 2022, Bowman started the race in eighth and finished the first stage in second, before being caught in an on-track incident that ended his day early due to the damaged vehicle policy.

LET THEM COOK: The No. 48 Ally Racing pit crew holds the fourth-fastest pit stop of the 2023 season. On lap 185 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the five-man crew made a four-tire pit stop of 9.776 seconds. The over-the-wall crew is made up of rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth, fueler Jacob Conley, jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Scott Riddle and front-tire changer Donnie Tasser.

SAVE THEM ALL: Bowman and primary partner Ally are teaming up this year to bring back the Best Friends Animal Society donation effort. This week, the duo will make charitable contributions to the Street Paws, which serves the local community in Atlanta. Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and the Street Paws. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins on Sunday.

DAY ‘N’ NITE: The No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will adorn two versions of its primary scheme during the 2023 Cup Series season. The No. 48 Ally Chevy “day” scheme will host a white base with bright plum, grapefruit, and seafoam stripes down the side. This version of the primary scheme will appear at races that take place during the day. When the lights come on over the racetrack, the black-based No. 48 Ally Chevy “night” scheme will be sported with a similar design to its daytime counterpart. This weekend, the No. 48 machine will adorn the “day” scheme. Check out all the angles of the new look here.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

Hendrick Motorsports

2023	All-Time	Atlanta
Races	4	1,313	68
Wins	2*	293*	16*
Poles	2*	241*	5
Top 5	7*	1,197*	64*
Top 10	10*	2,055*	101*
Laps Led	542*	77,859*	3,619*
Stage Wins	4*	83	5*

*Most **Most (tie)

CLOSING IN ON 300: William Byron’s win at Phoenix Raceway puts Hendrick Motorsports seven points-paying victories away from 300 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 293 wins, which is the most in the sport by any one team.

ATOP THE BOX: For this weekend’s race, Kevin Meendering (No. 5), Tom Gray (No. 9), Brian Campe (No. 24) and Greg Ives (No. 48) will fill in as crew chiefs. While appealing penalties assessed by NASCAR coming out of Phoenix, Hendrick Motorsports has elected not to request deferral of personnel suspensions. Meendering and Ives have a wide range of experience as crew chiefs and currently lead the organization’s NASCAR Xfinity Series efforts. Gray, the former lead engineer on the No. 9, will be serving as a crew chief in the Cup Series for the first time. Campe, Hendrick Motorsports’ technical director, has experience as a Xfinity Series crew chief, but Atlanta will also be his first Cup Series race atop the pit box.

MULTITUDE OF WINS: Byron’s latest victory gave Hendrick Motorsports its 36th multi-win season in the Cup Series. In each of the last 30 seasons, the organization has won at least two races.

BEST IN THE WEST: In the last two races of the 2023 season (at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix), Hendrick Motorsports has led 506 of the 588 laps run (86.05%), ran one-two for 401 laps (83.76%), tallied four stage wins, two race wins, five top-five finishes and seven top-10s. Sunday’s race at Phoenix saw the organization place all four of its drivers in the top 10 – Byron in first, Kyle Larson finished fourth, Alex Bowman placed ninth and Josh Berry in 10th.

FRONT RUNNING: Through four races this season, Hendrick Motorsports has led 542 laps. That mark is the second-most in the organization’s history through this point in the season and 10th all-time among all teams at this point in the season – 797 laps led in 1995 is the most by the team through four races. With 270 laps led by Larson and 240 by Byron, the squad is the first to have two drivers with at least 240 circuits out front through four races in a season.

HOPEFUL HARBINGER: Byron’s two wins in the first four races marks the eighth time that the 14-time Cup Series championship-winning organization has accomplished that feat. In five of the previous instances, the team went on to win the title: Jeff Gordon in 1995 and 1997 and Jimmie Johnson in 2006-07 and 2010.

GREAT EIGHT: The Rick Hendrick-owned team has seen eight drivers win at Atlanta – the most among all organizations. Gordon and Johnson each won five times at the Georgia oval. Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau, Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott and Byron have one victory apiece.

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS: In last season’s two races at Atlanta, the Concord, North Carolina, based team nabbed both wins. Byron won the spring race, which was the first on the repaved and reconfigured track that utilized the superspeedway rules package. Elliott was victorious for his first home track win in the Cup ranks. Overall, Hendrick Motorsports led a series-best 278 laps at the 1.54-mile track last year, exactly 191 laps more than the next closest team. Byron and Elliott ranked one-two in laps led with 152 and 125, respectively.

TAKING STOCK: Hendrick Motorsports has been to victory lane 16 times at the Georgia venue. That total is the most among all Cup teams and is the fifth-most victories for the organization at any one particular track. Martinsville Speedway (27), Dover Motor Speedway (22), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21) and Pocono Raceway (19) stand as the only tracks where the team has compiled more wins.

DRAFTING DOMINANCE: Hendrick Motorsports has 31 all-time wins on drafting tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and as of last year, Atlanta). That total is 11 more than the next closest organization.

LEADERS OF THE PACK: Since the start of the 2022 season, Hendrick Motorsports leads the following categories on drafting tracks: wins (three), laps led (430) and average start (9.86). The organization is tied for the most poles (two) and top-10 finishes (10) during that span.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the season so far: “We had a shot to win in Daytona and I crashed. In Fontana, we had the mechanical issue early in the race, but fixed it and the last two runs of the race we were by far the fastest car. In Vegas, we were the second-best car to William (Byron) and finished second. In Phoenix, again, we had a great car there and had a shot to win late. No win in the column, but I’m super pleased with our performance and look forward to every upcoming race. I feel like no matter where we go right now, we will have a shot at a good finish and hopefully some wins along the way.”

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series and looking ahead to Atlanta Motor Speedway: “The top-10 finish at Phoenix (Raceway) was really cool for us to accomplish. And for Atlanta (Motor Speedway), we just want to keep building on what we’ve been doing and just continue to improve. Atlanta is going to be a tough race without a doubt, but Hendrick Motorsports has been really strong there. I think if we can just stay out of trouble and hopefully stay up front, we’ll have a chance of getting a good finish.”

Berry, on what has helped get him more comfortable with the car and acclimated with the team: “It was amazing what a week of preparation did for us at Phoenix (Raceway). Just being around each other and spending some time in the sim and just getting a little bit more comfortable with each other has definitely helped a lot. This week, I’ve also spent some time with Eddie (D’Hondt, spotter) and getting our communication better as well, which is going to be really important in Atlanta. I think we just keep pushing in that same direction. We’re trending better and better each time we go on the racetrack, so Atlanta should be fun.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his confidence heading to Atlanta: “This past offseason we really took the time to evaluate where we were and what we needed to get better as a team. I think this year has shown that so far, especially to have two strong runs and wins so soon. Everyone is putting in the time and effort to make sure we are improving. Now we’re heading back to Atlanta (Motor Speedway) as the defending winner of this race last year, and two wins under our belts. It gives us an extra boost of confidence but we’re not going to let up.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his consistency to start 2023: “It’s been a goal of mine for so long to get more consistent. Having finished in the top 10 in all four races so far gives me a lot of confidence in what the No. 48 Ally Racing team is doing this season. It helps that I have liked a lot of the tracks we start at this season, but we keep bringing fast race cars and maximizing every opportunity that comes our way. Atlanta (Motor Speedway) races more like a superspeedway with the repave so it’s a little bit of a tossup, but I am ready to continue the streak we are on.”