Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team, along with their peers in NASCAR’s Cup Series, will run their first race under the circuit’s new rules for short track races in this weekend’s United Rentals 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

Brian Wilson, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX team, expects the new aero package to bring substantial changes to racing on the shorter tracks like the one-mile oval in the Arizona desert.

“The biggest storyline this week will be the new short-track aero package,” Wilson said. “This includes a large reduction in the rear spoiler as well as multiple changes to the under body.

“The result is much less overall downforce on the car. Everyone expects that the cars will be a handful for the drivers, which should lead to passing opportunities and a great race.”

Wilson said the DEX Imaging team will have data to rely on in preparing their Mustang for the weekend at Phoenix.

“Through Ford we’ve received all the wind tunnel information we need to know what to expect when we unload for the extended practice time at Phoenix,” he said, adding that he and the team also can look back to their notes from the season finale last year.

“Last fall’s race at Phoenix was a great end to the season for the No. 21 team. We qualified sixth and raced in the top 20 for most of the day. We’ll look to build off those notes this weekend.”

Wilson also said that he and the DEX team, as well as most others in the garage, will have this year’s fall race at Phoenix – the championship-deciding season finale – on their minds as they compete this weekend.

“Everyone knows how important Phoenix is in the fall, so with our Team Penske alliance we’ll collect as much information as we can to ensure a Ford victory this weekend and when we return for the Championship,” he said.

A practice session is set to start at 4:35 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (6:35 p.m. Eastern Time) on Friday. FOX Sports 2 will pick up the TV coverage.

Qualifying is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. with FOX Sports 1 carrying the TV coverage beginning at 2:05 p.m. Eastern.

The 500-kilometer (312-mile) United Rentals 500 is scheduled to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time) on Sunday with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 185.

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

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

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

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

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 30 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 14th

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

RUNNER-UP AT LAS VEGAS: Last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson finished second in the first two stages. In the final stage, the Elk Grove, California, native navigated to the front, leading 63 laps and building a four-second advantage over second place before a caution occurred with three laps to go in regulation. In overtime, Larson finished as the runner up to teammate William Byron. In three of the last five races at Las Vegas, Larson has finished in the top two and is currently 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, 44 markers behind the leader.

MARCHING TO THE FRONT: Through three races in 2023, Larson has the most laps run in the top two (263). He also has the third-most laps run in the top five (322) and the fifth-most laps run in the top 10 (390). With 69 laps led on the year, the driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet ranks third in that statistic.

SCENE OF A CHAMPIONSHIP: In fall of 2021 at Phoenix Raceway, Larson completed his run to the top by winning the Cup Series championship with crew chief Cliff Daniels. The victory capped off a historic first season at Hendrick Motorsports that saw Larson win 10 races as well as the NASCAR All-Star Race. The win at the westward track saw him become the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate and Asian-American driver to win the championship in the sport’s top series.

DESERT WHEELING: The 30-year-old driver has one win, six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in 17 starts at Phoenix. In his last eight starts at the Avondale, Arizona, facility, he has one win, four top-five finishes and seven top-10s – the latter mark is tied for second among drivers since the November 2018 race. Larson is tied for fourth with four top-10 finishes over his last six Phoenix races – a mark he shares with teammates Chase Elliott and Byron as well as Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. His 181 laps led since 2017 at the 1-mile track rank sixth among the field.

WESTERN BOUND: With two wins at Auto Club Speedway and a win each at Las Vegas, Phoenix and Sonoma Raceway, Larson has five Cup Series victories on the West Coast. That places him fifth among active drivers with left coast victories. Four of those triumphs have come in the last 14 western races.

ONE-MILE MOJO: The two 1-mile long tracks on the schedule – Phoenix and Dover Motor Speedway – have been some of Larson’s best tracks on the circuit. His six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s at Phoenix are tied for his second-best marks in those stats at any facility on the schedule. Only Dover has been a better track for the 19-time Cup Series winner with seven top-five finishes and 11 top-10s.

DRIVE ON HOME: This Sunday, Larson will drive the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 out West, but you can pick your own keys 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. Technicians and other positions are being hired 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: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 19th — Owner’s

No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

DRIVER UPDATE: As Chase Elliott continues to recover from a leg injury, Josh Berry will climb behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Berry will also drive at other upcoming oval tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Road racing standout Jordan Taylor is set to compete for the team at Circuit of The Americas. Elliott’s recovery is expected to last approximately six weeks.

GREAT GUSTAFSON: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson will call his 37th Phoenix race as a Cup Series crew chief with his sixth different driver. The 1-mile oval is statistically one of his best tracks. In the veteran crew chief’s previous 36 starts there, he has collected four wins, 12 top-five results, 23 top-10s and 977 laps led. Gustafson’s four victories are tied with Hendrick Motorsports’ vice president of competition Chad Knaus for the second-most by a crew chief at Phoenix and came via four different drivers: Kyle Busch in 2005, Mark Martin in 2009, Jeff Gordon in 2011 and Elliott in 2020.

THE BERRY LOWDOWN: Berry, a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, has three Cup Series starts under his belt. Last weekend in his Next Gen debut filling in for Elliott at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and battling a throttle issue, Berry finished 29th. The Hendersonville, Tennessee, native, has 65 Xfinity Series starts to his name, with five victories, 19 top-five finishes and 36 top-10s. The 2022 season marked his first full-time campaign in the Xfinity Series. He earned three wins and advanced to the Championship 4, ultimately placing fourth in the series standings. In 2020, he was the NASCAR Weekly Series National Champion.

BERRY’S PHOENIX FILE: While Berry has never competed at Phoenix in the Cup Series, he does have three Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning a best finish of third last March. In March of 2021, Berry ran as high as third, but an on-track incident took him out of the race. During his most recent start on the desert oval last fall, the 32-year-old had an average running position of eighth and ran 96% of the race inside the top 15, ultimately finishing 13th.

COMING HOME: No. 9 team fueler John Gianninoto, who grew up in Tucson, Arizona, will compete in front of his home-track crowd at Phoenix on Sunday. Gianninoto graduated with honors from Catalina Foothills High School and went on to play as an offensive lineman for University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2006 – earning his first letter in 2007 and becoming a team captain in 2010. In 2012, he participated in the NFL’s Carolina Panthers training camp before signing with Hendrick Motorsports that September. Gianninoto set a Guinness World Record in 2018, teaming with Sunoco for the most vehicles refueled by an individual in one hour (148).

KBB.COM IS BACK: This weekend is the first of two primary races for No. 9 team partner Kelley Blue Book. In January, it was announced that Kelley Blue Book extended its sponsorship of Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports with a two-year contract renewal. In addition to this Sunday’s race at Phoenix, the Cox Automotive brand will be the primary partner on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the Cup Series playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 24. You can view the paint scheme here.

THE TRUSTED RESOURCE: Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry for nearly a century. As the industry standard for generations, Kelley Blue Book provides transparent, objective information and data-driven, innovative tools for consumers, automotive dealers and manufacturers. The company publishes millions of market-reflective values weekly on its top-rated website KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive Company.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 13th

No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WINNER WINNER RAPTOR DINNER: Going to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the second stop of the NASCAR Cup Series West Coast swing, William Byron and the No. 24 team proved they had the car to beat from the start of the weekend. After posting the fastest 10-lap average during practice, he went on to qualify second for Sunday’s race – the second time that he has started on the front row at the 1.5-mile track. When the field went green, Byron took the lead on lap 10 and went on to sweep both stages of the race for the first time in his Cup Series career. Despite losing the lead in the final stage, the driver of the No. 24 was able to power his way back to second before a caution sent the race into overtime. Restarting second, Byron made the pass for the lead just after the race went back green to score his first win of the 2023 season and fifth in the Cup Series.

ODDS AND ENDS: The 176 laps led by Byron on Sunday were the second-highest mark he has led in a single Cup Series race. In fact, with Sunday’s domination, Byron has led the most laps this season with 79 more circuits out front than the next closest driver. This is the third consecutive season that he has won a race within the first five races of the season.

WHO WAS WORRIED?: While the first two races of the 2023 season didn’t turn out like the No. 24 team wanted, the team’s Las Vegas results saw the group stand and deliver. After three points-paying races this year, Byron has spent 452 laps running in the top 10 – third-most among drivers. He has also spent a series-best 340 laps in the top five and 226 laps running in the top-two positions – second-most behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson with 263.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: In the first three races of 2023, the No. 24 pit crew has an average four-tire pit stop time of 11.19 – the fourth-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 had a strong hand in the Las Vegas victory, helping Byron win the race off pit road during the final stop of the race.

VENTURING TO THE VALLEY OF THE SUN: Heading to a track that Byron has found success at in every level of NASCAR competition, he will return to Phoenix Raceway for the 11th time in his Cup career. Across his 10 Cup Series starts, Byron has a track-best finish of sixth (November 2022). In fact, half of his starts at Phoenix have been top-10 results. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s 307 laps run within the top five in 2022 were the fifth-most. He also is tied for the fourth-most top 10s in the last six races at the Arizona facility – four – with teammates Chase Elliott and Larson as well as Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. In two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix, both coming in 2017, he started on the front row twice, won the November race and finished fourth in the March event. With the Xfinity win, he became the youngest driver in the series to reach victory lane at Phoenix at 19 years, 11 months and 13 days.

DYNAMIC DUO OUT WEST: In 2016, Byron was behind the wheel for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the 1-mile oval with crew chief Rudy Fugle atop the pit box. The duo won the pole and went on to lead 112 laps. Unfortunately, an engine failure while Byron was leading with 12 laps to go ended his night early and his chance to advance on to the Championship 4. A week later at Homestead-Miami Speedway – the team ended up finding redemption and won.

RUDY’S PHOENIX PERFORMANCE: Going to Phoenix for the fifth time in his Cup Series crew chief career, Fugle has two top-10 finishes with 12 laps led in those previous four races. In fact, his best showing at this track is a sixth-place finish last fall. Aside from his Cup Series starts, the Livonia, New York, native has three Xfinity starts and eight Truck Series starts under his belt at the Arizona facility. In those eight Truck races, he has four pole awards and his drivers have led a total of 471 laps. While Fugle has only one Phoenix win (Erik Jones, 2013), he also has two runner-up results, four top-five finishes and six top-10s. His Truck Series drivers only finished worse than ninth two times, including the race with Byron that they dominated before an engine failure resulted in a 27th-place finish.

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

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 2nd

No. 48 Ally Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

VIVA LAS VEGAS: Alex Bowman took home his third consecutive top-10 finish to open the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 started the race 11th before finishing the first stage in seventh and the second stage in third. He took the checkered flag in third behind race winner William Byron and teammate Kyle Larson. Bowman’s third-place result makes him one of two drivers in the Cup Series to finish in the top 10 in each of the first three races this year. He is the first driver to accomplish this feat for the 14-time Cup Series championship-winning organization since Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015.

FRONT RUNNER: Thanks to his three straight top-10 finishes, Bowman has amassed 285 laps completed in the top five and 428 circuits in the top 10. Both marks are fourth-best in the series.

HAVIN’ A RECORD YEAR: Bowman is off to his best start ever in 2023. He currently sits second in the regular season standings, just three markers behind the leader, Ross Chastain. This year, Bowman has garnered two top-five finishes, three top-10s and has an average start and finish of 5.33 – all his best marks through three races. He also won the DAYTONA 500 pole and has led in all the races. Bowman’s average finish is the best of all drivers in the Cup Series.

COUNT IT UP: With 85 points earned during the West Coast swing, Bowman has the second-most points scored among the field in the last two races. With one more race left in the three-race stretch, the driver of the No. 48 will look to make a move into the regular season points lead with another strong performance out West on Sunday.

BEST IN THE WEST: The 29-year-old has tallied two wins in the Cup Series at tracks on the West Coast since the start of the 2020 season. Bowman took home his first victory in that span at Auto Club Speedway in March 2020. In that race, Bowman won the first stage and finished second in the second stage, leading 110 laps en route to his second Cup Series victory. He scored his other West Coast win at Las Vegas in March 2022. In that event, Bowman won the first stage and led 16 laps, all but securing his spot in the 2022 Cup Series playoffs. 

HOMETOWN HERO: Heading home to take on Phoenix Raceway for the 16th time in his Cup Series career, the Tucson, Arizona, native has one top-10 finish at this track – a sixth-place finish in 2016. In that race, he started from the pole position, led a race-high 194 laps (his most in a single race) and spent 272 laps inside the top two for an average running position of 1.9. The Hendrick Motorsports driver also has six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the venue with a best finish of eighth (2017) and one NASCAR K&N Pro Series West start (now known as the ARCA Menards Series West) in 2011 when he led 23 laps en route to a second-place result.

LET THEM COOK: The No. 48 Ally Racing pit crew was unstoppable in Las Vegas last Sunday. On lap 185, the five-man crew made the fastest stop to date of the 2023 season with a four-tire pit stop of 9.77 seconds. The over-the-wall crew is made up of front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth, tire carrier Scott Riddle, jackman Allen Holman, and fueler Jacob Conley.

PHOENIX PAINT: This weekend, the No. 48 Ally Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will adorn the vibrant orange colors of Best Friends Animal Society as part of the paint scheme. Bowman and Ally have teamed up for the third consecutive year to help Best Friends “Save Them All.” This season, the duo will donate $4,800 each week to a network partner in each race market the Cup Series will visit. If Bowman wins, the animals win, too, as the donation will increase to $10,000. So far, the program has donated $362,000 to pets in need across the country. To see all angles of the scheme that will run this Sunday in Phoenix, click here.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

Hendrick Motorsports

2023	All-Time	Phoenix
Races	3	1,312	53
Wins	1**	292*	12*
Poles	1**	240*	13*
Top 5	5*	1,195*	52*
Top 10	6*	2,051*	96*
Laps Led	277*	77,594*	3,170*
Stage Wins	2	81	4

*Most **Most (tie)

CLOSING IN ON 300: William Byron’s win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway puts Hendrick Motorsports eight points-paying victories away from 300 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 292 wins, which is the most in the sport by any one team.

EXTENDING THE STREAK: For the 38th straight season, the Concord, North Carolina, based team has won a race. The squad’s 39 seasons with a win are the most years with at least one victory in the Cup Series by any organization.

XFINITY SLATE SET: For the second consecutive season, Hendrick Motorsports will run a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with primary sponsorship from HENDRICKCARS.COM. Byron is set to drive the No. 17 Chevrolet at Circuit of The Americas on March 25. Kyle Larson will take two turns starting at Sonoma Raceway on June 10 and then at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 2. Alex Bowman gets behind the wheel on Aug. 19 at Watkins Glen International. Veteran crew chiefs Greg Ives and Kevin Meendering will oversee the effort. In last year’s four races, the No. 17 had two runner-up finishes, three top-fives and 71 laps led in its first action on the circuit since 2009. The organization has 26 wins and one driver’s championship (2003) in the series.

SWEEPING THE PODIUM: Hendrick Motorsports’ one-two-three finish at Las Vegas with Byron, Larson and Bowman, respectively, marked the third time in team history that the organization placed in at least the top-three spots of the finishing order. The previous two instances came in the 1997 DAYTONA 500 (Jeff Gordon won, while Terry Labonte finished second and Ricky Craven placed third) and the 2021 race at Dover Motor Speedway (Bowman won, Larson was second, Chase Elliott came in third and Byron grabbed fourth).

HIGH FIVE: Hendrick Motorsports is the only team to have at least one driver earn a top-five finish in all three races this season. Bowman finished fifth in the DAYTONA 500, Elliott was the runner-up finisher at Auto Club Speedway and the Byron-Larson-Bowman trio took the top three spots at Las Vegas.

DESERT DOZEN: The Rick Hendrick-owned organization has a series-best 12 wins among eight drivers at Phoenix Raceway. Jimmie Johnson tops the board with four, followed by Gordon at two victories. Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Elliott, Labonte, Larson and Mark Martin have each tallied one triumph at the 1-mile track for the team. Elliott and Larson’s wins came in the 2020 and 2021 championship races. The 14-time Cup Series championship-winning organization also leads the way in poles (13), top-five finishes (52), top-10s (96) and laps led (3,170) at the Arizona venue.

NEW PACKAGE AT PLAY: This weekend’s race at Phoenix will be the first for a new rules package designed to have a decrease in downforce on most short ovals and road courses. Teams will get a 50-minute practice session on Friday, starting at 6:35 p.m. ET. In addition, wet-weather equipment will also be available for this race in the event of rain. The sanctioning body’s intent is to use it in mild conditions to speed up the resumption of racing following a rain delay.

DATE WITH DESTINY: This year’s spring Phoenix race will be held on March 12. In the previous four instances of races held on that date, the winner of a March 12 race has gone on to win the championship three different times – with two of those happening for Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Gordon won at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1995 and went on to win his first title. Johnson won at Las Vegas in 2006 and earned his first championship later that season.

WEST SUCCESS: Hendrick Motorsports’ 42 wins on the West Coast are the most in the series and 18 more than the next closest team. Auto Club and Phoenix have been their most successful tracks on that side of the country with 12 triumphs each. Las Vegas has been the site of eight wins, while Sonoma has seen seven victories. Riverside International Raceway was responsible for three wins as well. Johnson’s 15 wins are the most among all drivers on the West Coast. Gordon (11), Larson (four), Bowman (two), Busch (two), Tim Richmond (two), Geoff Bodine (one), Byron (one), Earnhardt Jr. (one), Elliott (one), Labonte (one) and Martin (one) have all gone to victory lane for the organization out West.

TAKING STOCK IN THE TRENDS: Of the last 14 races on the West Coast, seven have resulted in victories for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson has four wins, while Bowman, Byron and Elliott have one each. On last year’s three-race western swing following the DAYTONA 500, the organization won two of the three races (Larson at Auto Club and Bowman at Las Vegas). This year’s West Coast stretch has seen Byron win at Las Vegas and each of the team’s four drivers earn a top-three finish.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Phoenix Raceway: “I enjoy Phoenix (Raceway). 2021 was a great ending for us there, getting the win and (NASCAR Cup Series) championship. I feel like we’re usually on the cusp of being able to lead laps and win races there. It’s a unique track. Different than any other race track we go to. The shape of it, the size of it, the banking, etc. is unique to Phoenix. I also bought a place out here (Scottsdale) a handful of months ago, so it’s kind of like a home race for me now and I really enjoy going there.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on having extra track time at Phoenix: “This past Sunday was good for us. I really felt like we would have had a great day in California but unfortunately, we missed out on that. Taking the momentum that we’ve had of those good performances (and) a little bit of confidence built from Vegas will be good going into Phoenix. Phoenix is still going to be a big unknown with the new package. None of the Hendrick (Motorsports) cars got to test in January with the new package. We haven’t had our hands on it or been able to touch it and feel it at the track. We will have to make best use of our practice time at the track on Friday and hopefully get it dialed in.”

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for Phoenix: “Alan (Gustafson) and the entire team have been great to work with this week in getting me prepared for Phoenix (Raceway). Last week was a last-minute situation and my first time in a Next Gen, so to get the opportunity this week to be at the shop and sit down and talk through a lot of things with everyone on the team has been extremely helpful. This is still a really difficult situation and we’re all thinking about Chase (Elliott). We want him back and healthy as soon as he’s able. In the meantime, I’m thankful for the opportunity to fill in for him on the ovals.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for Phoenix with Josh Berry: “This week there’s still been a lot of work to do, but we have a much better idea of what Josh needs for the cockpit, his seat and everything around that. Just going through all of that and being able to spend some time with Josh has been good. Having driven this car is the biggest thing for him and we’re now going to be more prepared heading to Phoenix (Raceway). Having that practice will be a big deal. Having those 50 minutes will help a bunch because we don’t really know his tendencies and driving style – what he would need relative to some of the other drivers. It will be nice to get that time and be able to draw some correlation and understanding.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of track position at Phoenix: “I think that the craziest thing at Phoenix (Raceway) is the restarts. It’s all about lane choice and setting yourself heading into turn one. Track position is important throughout the whole race. Once you lose it, it’s hard to gain it back. We’ll be running the new short-track package for the first time this weekend and I’ll be interested to see how it does since I wasn’t one of the drivers to test it earlier this year. We have momentum on our side after the win last week, but we want to keep that going for sure.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on what he expects for this weekend at Phoenix: “I’m interested to see how this weekend goes. We have a very small taste of what happened at the organizational test that happened in January. They never tested exactly what we’re racing. We don’t know what to expect honestly. It’s like a simulation game and we hope we just have all the right information to work from. We’ll do our best to make all our changes during practice Friday.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his expectations heading to Phoenix: “We have started off this season really strong and Phoenix (Raceway) is a place I have circled on my calendar. I ran good there once and haven’t had that kind of performance since then, so I am always eager to get back there and try to find success with it being my home track. Blake (Harris) and I are doing all we can to get ready for the race. I know the team is putting in the work to get our No. 48 Ally Chevy ready to hit the track. I am just ready to get to the track and get my redemption.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the start of the 2023 season: “When you look back at the start of our season, it starts with Daytona (International Speedway). We missed all the wrecks and scored some good stage points – it was a good points day. At the last two intermediates, we have had a lot of speed in our race cars. We had a solid day on pit road in Las Vegas. Having fast race cars and track position is really giving us the chance to capitalize early in the season. We focused on execution throughout the races and have been able to stay up front. We have scored stage points in every stage except one at Daytona. Being able to get a top 10 in the first three points races this season is really important. You have to be able to score stage points and have to have good finishes to put yourself in a prime position to make the playoffs, which is our focus. That is certainly something we plan on continuing at Phoenix (Raceway). Our expectation is to run in the top 10 and be able to capitalize at the end of the race.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
United Rentals Work United 500
Phoenix Raceway
Avondale, Arizona
March 12, 2023

 WRAPPING UP OUT WEST

Carrying the momentum from three consecutive trips to victory lane, Chevrolet drivers and teams in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will head to Phoenix Raceway for the final stop of the western swing. The one-mile Arizona tri-oval will not only host the first short-track race of 2023, but also feature the highly anticipated debut of a new aerodynamic rules package that will be run on the series’ short ovals and road courses this season.

Sunday’s United Rentals Work United 500 will mark the NCS’s 54th appearance at Phoenix Raceway. Chevrolet is heading to the venue with a series-leading 25 wins. The manufacturer’s most recent NCS win at the track came in November 2021 when Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson clinched Chevrolet’s 33rd driver’s championship in NASCAR’s premier series.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will also make the trek to Avondale, Arizona, with Saturday’s United Rentals 200 kicking-off the doubleheader race weekend. Both series will take on Phoenix Raceway twice this season with the venue returning as the site of NASCAR’s championship weekend for the fourth consecutive season.

CHEVROLET LOOKING TO GO FOUR-FOR-FOUR

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron continued Chevrolet’s early-season success by leading the manufacturer to its third consecutive NCS victory of 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 25-year-old North Carolina native became the third driver from the third different Chevrolet team to collect a win in NASCAR’s premier series this season.

“I think since the beginning of last year, Chevrolet has had a really good product, a really good car,” said Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team. “That group just did a really good job of giving us a good body. We have great engines. Either camp you get engines, they work together.”

Byron joins fellow Chevrolet drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1) and Kyle Busch (No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1) on the season’s win list, making it the first time since 2010 that the same manufacturer has won the first three points-paying races of a NCS season. Chevrolet was the last manufacturer to accomplish that feat with wins recorded by Jamie McMurray (Daytona – Feb. 14, 2010) and Jimmie Johnson (Fontana – Feb. 21, 2010; Las Vegas – Feb. 28, 2010).

“We’ve got good teams and the teams are working together better now than we ever have,” continued Fugle. “I think there’s something to be said for that. Eric Warren (Chevrolet’s Director of NASCAR Programs) is pushing all of that. Just really proud of the Chevrolet bunch and how they’re pushing us to work together to get better as a group.”

BOWTIE’S BACK-TO-BACK PODIUM SWEEPS

William Byron not only led Hendrick Motorsports to its first NCS win of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway but also a sweep of the top-three finishing positions. Kyle Larson (No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1) took the checkered flag in the runner-up position with Alex Bowman (No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1) finishing third, marking the third time in the organization’s history that the Chevrolet team swept the top-three spots in a race. The organization’s last podium sweep happened at Dover Motor Speedway in May 2021, with the team taking it one step further to place all four of its drivers in the top four (Bowman – race winner; Larson – second; Chase Elliott – third; Byron – fourth).

Chevrolet has now taken the top-three finishing positions in two of the three points-paying NCS races this season, with the manufacturer also claiming a one-two-three-four finish at Auto Club Speedway just one week prior.

WEEKEND SWEEP IN THE DESERT

The Bowtie brand took control of the tripleheader race weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, claiming the victories across all three NASCAR national series races at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval last weekend.

In his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS) start of the season, Kyle Busch drove his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Silverado RST to the win, extending Busch’s series-leading NCTS win count to 63. The triumph also marked KBM’s first win under the Chevrolet banner after the organization joined the manufacturer at the beginning of 2023.

NXS points leader Austin Hill became the first repeat winner of the season, taking his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS team to victory lane in Saturday’s NXS Alsco Uniforms 300.

William Byron’s win in Sunday’s NCS Pennzoil 400 capped off Chevrolet’s weekend sweep. The victory was Byron’s first at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and his fifth career victory in 183 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

On three separate occasions in 2022, Chevrolet drivers powered the Bowtie brand to a weekend sweep when all three NASCAR national series contested on the same weekend:

NCTS at Mid-Ohio (July 9, 2022): Parker Kligerman, No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Silverado RST

NXS at Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 9, 2022): Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS

NCS at Atlanta Motor Speedway (July 10, 2022): Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

NCTS at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 29, 2022): Grant Enfinger, No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST

NXS at Indianapolis Road Course (July 30, 2022): AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro, SS

NCS at Indianapolis Road Course (July 31, 2022): Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1

NCTS at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2, 2022): Matt DiBenedetto, No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Silverado RST

NXS at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2, 2022): AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS

NCS at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 3, 2022): Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

WINNING WAYS WITH RCR

With the 2023 season in full swing, a common force has been at the top of the leaderboard: Richard Childress Racing. The Chevrolet team has made it’s way to victory lane in either the NCS or NXS in each of the first three race weekends this season. The impressive streak started with Austin Hill’s win in the NXS season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, marking the 28-year-old Georgia native’s second consecutive triumph in the event. The following weekend, Kyle Busch claimed the win at Auto Club Speedway in just his second points-paying start with the organization. Most recently, Hill became the first repeat winner of the NXS season, making a last-lap pass to take the victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With a combined three wins and two drivers already locked into a playoff spot in their respective series, Richard Childress Racing is proving to be an early force to be reckoned with this season.

PACING IN THE STANDINGS

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain took over the top spot in the NCS points standings following a third-place finish at Auto Club Speedway, marking the first time in his career that he has led the standings in NASCAR’s premier series. Chastain will head to Phoenix Raceway maintaining the lead after accumulating points in both stages and taking home a 12th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Other Chevrolet drivers holding a top-five position in the standings are Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez, sitting in the second and fourth positions, respectively. Bowman and Suarez are the only two drivers that have yet to finish outside of the top-10 in the series’ first three races this season.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at Phoenix Raceway:

Kyle Busch – 3 (2019, 2018, 2005)

Kyle Larson – 1 (2021)

Chase Elliott – 1 (2020)

· In 53 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 25 victories. Chevrolet team Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at the track with 12, recorded among seven drivers: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021).

· William Byron delivered Chevrolet its third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making it the first time since 2010 that the same manufacturer has won the first three points-paying races of a NCS season.

· Chevrolet’s first three NASCAR Cup Series wins of 2023 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 swept the top-three finishing positions for the second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series race. Hendrick Motorsports recorded a one-two-three finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, marking the third time in the organization’s history to accomplish that feat.

· Chevrolet drivers have taken at least 50 percent of the top-10 finishing positions in each of the first three NASCAR Cup Series races of 2023, with at least three different Chevrolet teams contributing to the manufacturer’s top-10 finishes in each of those races.

· Chevrolet drivers Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez are the only two drivers to record top-10 finishes in each of the first three NASCAR Cup Series races this season.

· With three races in the books for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet leads the manufacturer and driver points standings in both series. The reigning Manufacturer Champion leads the NCS manufacturer points standings by 22 points, while also leading the NXS manufacturer points standings by nine points.

· With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 836 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 at Phoenix Raceway this weekend. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s United Rentals 200 and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s United Rentals Work United 500.

FOR THE FANS

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Phoenix Raceway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles the Fan Midway including: Silverado ZR2, Blazer RS, Silverado 1500 2LT, Camaro ZL1, Corvette 2LT Convertible, Tahoe Z71 and Equinox 1LT.

· 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 11

· Parker Kligerman: 12:30 p.m.

· Daniel Hemric: 12:45 p.m.

· Chandler Smith: 1 p.m.

· BJ McLeod: 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 12

· Daniel Suarez: 9:15 a.m.

· Corey LaJoie: 9:30 a.m.

· William Byron: 9:55 a.m.

· Ty Dillon: 10:15 a.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, March 10: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 11: 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 12: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Tune In:

· NASCAR Cup Series – United Rentals Work United 500; 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 12

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

· NASCAR Xfinity Series – United Rentals 200; 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 11

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

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel going into Phoenix this weekend?

“We’ve been back to Phoenix since the fall race last year and tested with NASCAR. We’ll have a different aero package with less downforce that we’ll be working through this weekend. It’s a steep hill we are going to have climb to be as competitive as we were in the fall at Phoenix. It’s going to feel like a different racecar this weekend. I think the topic will be how much less downforce we all have and how much we are all sliding around. We will find out if it actually makes the racing better.”

Qualifying was admittedly a challenge last year. Anything different at Phoenix this year?

“I just try to wrap my head around putting the car at the limit for one lap. Its high risk, but it is high reward to start up front. Last fall at Phoenix it obviously took us a while to get up front and we don’t want that to happen again.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BETMGM MARCH MATCHUPS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?

“Our RCR teams have had a strong start to the 2023 season and we’re looking to keep the momentum up this weekend. Phoenix Raceway is a tough short track and one of those places where you hit it, or you don’t. This track is challenging. I’m looking forward to it though because it’s such a fun track for drivers. It could be a good place for the No. 3 BetMGM team.”

How do you feel about the whole West Coast swing?

“I like the West Coast swing. The first race can be pretty tough. I usually come back home after that one, but my family and I stay out between Las Vegas and Phoenix. It’s a fun trip for us. We get some good racing in to start the season. You can really see and evaluate where you are at compared to the competition. We get to race on three different types of tracks. Auto Club Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway are all quite different. It’s a good start to the season on the West Coast.”

Phoenix Raceway can bore a lot of fruit for the end of the season since that is where the Championship race is held. How important is Phoenix Raceway’s Spring race for the end of the season?

“Our goal is to get to the Championship, so Phoenix Raceway should be a very important race for us. I want to go out there and perform. Phoenix Raceway hasn’t been a great place for us recently, so we’ve got to get our cars better for that type of track.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on racing at Phoenix Raceway:

“I enjoy Phoenix (Raceway). 2021 was a great ending for us there, getting the win and (NASCAR Cup Series) championship. I feel like we’re usually on the cusp of being able to lead laps and win races there. It’s a unique track. Different than any other race track we go to. The shape of it, the size of it, the banking, etc. is unique to Phoenix. I also bought a place out here (Scottsdale) a handful of months ago, so it’s kind of like a home race for me now and I really enjoy going there.”

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

Daniels on the benefit of extra track time at Phoenix:

“This past Sunday was good for us. I really felt like we would have had a great day in California but unfortunately, we missed out on that. Taking the momentum that we’ve had of those good performances (and) a little bit of confidence built from Vegas will be good going into Phoenix. Phoenix is still going to be a big unknown with the new package. None of the Hendrick (Motorsports) cars got to test in January with the new package. We haven’t had our hands on it or been able to touch it and feel it at the track. We will have to make best use of our practice time at the track on Friday and hopefully get it dialed in.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1

How critical are managing the restarts at Phoenix?

“Phoenix restarts are fun, they’re challenging but fun. You know you have that big, wide front straightaway where the dogleg is that you can go all the way to the flat down on the apron and be five, six, seven wide or whatever and then you have to funnel down into a two-wide turn. That gets a little dicey but you know it’s cool when you can run different lines and kind of be out of the crowd a little bit and make some passes on some restarts and get some positions on that. I’ve been fortunate to be fast on some restarts in years past and that kind of helps me get some spots right off the bat on a restart. And then you kind of settle in line and you go racing from there.”

Is it easy to get a speeding penalty on pit road at Phoenix?

“To me I don’t think speeding on pit road is that easy or different at Phoenix versus Bristol or Martinsville or even Richmond for that matter. The timing lines are all pretty well written out and you kind of have an idea of what you’re supposed to do when you roll through the corners and stuff like that but yeah it’s a little dicey with having to lower and raise your speed for the different sections of pit road. I think that’s where the good guys really excel and I feel like I’m one of those good guys.”

JOSH BERRY, NO. 9 KELLEY BLUE BOOK CAMARO ZL1

Berry on preparing for Phoenix:

“Alan (Gustafson) and the entire team have been great to work with this week in getting me prepared for Phoenix (Raceway). Last week was a last-minute situation and my first time in a Next Gen, so to get the opportunity this week to be at the shop and sit down and talk through a lot of things with everyone on the team has been extremely helpful. This is still a really difficult situation and we’re all thinking about Chase (Elliott). We want him back and healthy as soon as he’s able. In the meantime, I’m thankful for the opportunity to fill in for him on the ovals.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 KELLEY BLUE BOOK CAMARO ZL1

Gustafson on preparing for Phoenix with Josh Berry:

“This week there’s still been a lot of work to do, but we have a much better idea of what Josh needs for the cockpit, his seat and everything around that. Just going through all of that and being able to spend some time with Josh has been good. Having driven this car is the biggest thing for him and we’re now going to be more prepared heading to Phoenix (Raceway). Having that practice will be a big deal. Having those 50 minutes will help a bunch because we don’t really know his tendencies and driving style – what he would need relative to some of the other drivers. It will be nice to get that time and be able to draw some correlation and understanding.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1

“Phoenix will be interesting with the new, lower downforce aero package they are coming out with. Practice will be very important to go out there and get a good feel for it with the new car. I felt like we learned a few things in the fall race last year, so hopefully we can take what we learned and match it up with the aero package and try to make our short track program better. I felt like that was our weakness last year, so we are definitely going to focus hard on that to get ready for the short tracks we have coming up.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

Byron on the importance of track position at Phoenix:

“I think that the craziest thing at Phoenix (Raceway) is the restarts. It’s all about lane choice and setting yourself heading into turn one. Track position is important throughout the whole race. Once you lose it, it’s hard to gain it back. We’ll be running the new short-track package for the first time this weekend and I’ll be interested to see how it does since I wasn’t one of the drivers to test it earlier this year. We have momentum on our side after the win last week, but we want to keep that going for sure.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

Fugle on what he expects for this weekend at Phoenix:

“I’m interested to see how this weekend goes. We have a very small taste of what happened at the organizational test that happened in January. They never tested exactly what we’re racing. We don’t know what to expect honestly. It’s like a simulation game and we hope we just have all the right information to work from. We’ll do our best to make all our changes during practice Friday.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1

“As an organization, Phoenix is one of our weaker tracks, but it’s also a track that you have to go into with a new mindset. Phoenix is always changing, due to the resin formula, as well as the new, short-track package, so there are some unknowns going into the weekend. I feel like we’ve had decent speed at Phoenix in the past, so hopefully we are able to get a feel for the track early and execute.”

NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 42 SUNSEEKER RESORTS CAMARO ZL1

“I’ve had some great success at Phoenix and we have some good notes from the No. 43’s test earlier this year. We had a tough race in Vegas last week and have some things to work on, but I love going to Phoenix and have had some really great runs there. We need a solid weekend – a good qualifying session and a good race – and that is our focus.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ALLEGIANT CAMARO ZL1

You and your team were able to test back in January. What are some key takeaways from your time spent in the session to help your team prepare for this weekend?

“Yeah, hopefully we are able to take some of what we learned from the test there as far as this new aero package goes. It’s nice to have some at least have some laps on it compared to the rest of the field and have somewhat of an idea of how the car is going to drive and handle. We did a couple of long runs as well at the test, so we have a baseline of where our car is going to trend. You know, Phoenix was a tough track for our LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team last year, but we got better in the second race, so hopefully with some of this extra knowledge, we can go out there and have a solid run with the No. 43 Allegiant Chevy.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 THOMAS’ CAMARO ZL1

“Phoenix, not real sure there’s a lot that is new with the downforce package. We have some notes from the test, and we have some ideas that should make us good. We will see how it shakes out in practice.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on his expectations heading to Phoenix:

“We have started off this season really strong and Phoenix (Raceway) is a place I have circled on my calendar. I ran good there once and haven’t had that kind of performance since then, so I am always eager to get back there and try to find success with it being my home track. Blake (Harris) and I are doing all we can to get ready for the race. I know the team is putting in the work to get our No. 48 Ally Chevy ready to hit the track. I am just ready to get hit the track and get my redemption.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1

Harris on the start of the 2023 season:

“When you look back at the start of our season, it starts with Daytona (International Speedway). We missed all the wrecks and scored some good stage points – it was a good points day. At the last two intermediates, we have had a lot of speed in our race cars. We had a solid day on pit road in Las Vegas. Having fast race cars and track position is really giving us the chance to capitalize early in the season. We focused on execution throughout the races and have been able to stay up front. We have scored stage points in every stage expect one at Daytona. Being able to get a top 10 in the first three points races this season is really important. You have to be able to score stage points and have to have good finishes to put yourself in a prime position to make the playoffs, which is our focus. That is certainly something we plan on continuing at Phoenix (Raceway). Our expectation is to run in the top 10 and be able to capitalize at the end of the race.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1

How is your season so far?

“We are off to a good start. We have had rocket ships at most of the races. You can always be better, but Trackhouse Racing is giving us great equipment and our pit stops have been really fast this season.”

Three top-10s in three races. Is a top-10 the expectation in each race now?”

“No. It’s to win.”

How helpful will be Friday’s practice in Phoenix?

“It will be helpful for everyone as we try to get used to the new low downforce package and try to get into a rhythm. I don’t really have an answer on what is going to happen. It’s going to be different but we won’t know until Friday.”

How do you feel the response has been to you as far as attracting your fellow Hispanics into the sport? But how much do you think you have helped being at the Cup level?

“You know, it helps a lot. I’ve been doing this already for several years. I have noticed that every year, with a lot of work from myself, NASCAR, my sponsors, the racetracks, the Daniel’s Amigos, every year we get better, every year we have a bigger community on the track.

“But something I learned is that consistent work is paying off, is getting better. But success on track just brings it to a whole different level. At the end of the day you are going to be way more attached to something if you know that your guy and your person that is just like you – in my case obviously Hispanic – is being successful. In my opinion, winning races, being in the Playoffs, contending almost every weekend, that played a huge role.

“And in my opinion, 2022 has been the biggest step I have seen in my racing career in Cup when it comes to the Hispanic community. So it’s amazing. I feel like we are in a huge momentum right now. Obviously 2023 we’re expecting to be an even more successful season.

“I think myself, NASCAR, Coca-Cola, Freeway Insurance and all the people that helped me put these things together, we are definitely moving the needle.”

 
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: 3

Poles: 1

Laps Led: 425

Top-five finishes: 9

Top-10 finishes: 16

Stage wins: 5

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

· William Byron – 2 (Las Vegas x2)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 836 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 735

Laps led to date: 245,969

Top-five finishes to date: 4,230

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,728

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,170

       Chevrolet: 836

       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.

Michael McDowell and No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Team
Phoenix 500 Competition Notes

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Michael McDowell and the No.34 crew head to the Phoenix Raceway for the last race of the west coast swing. McDowell will ride along with Love’s Travel Stop as he competes at his home track. McDowell will also be honoring Love’s Travel Stop founder, Tom Love. The team will carry a Tom Love memorial decal on the decklid.

Practice will take place this Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS2 with qualifying on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. on FS1.

The Phoenix 500 is scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Coming off of a 25th- place finish last week at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, McDowell is ready to get back on the track and close out the west coast swing.

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“I am excited for this weekend. Michael (McDowell) has been putting in a ton of work on the simulator and I think that will show this weekend. It is going to be interesting how this new package plays out on the track.”

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

McDowell was a guest this morning on the Ford Performance media teleconference. The following is the transcript provided by Ford:

WHAT TAKEAWAYS DO YOU HAVE AS FAR AS THE NEW PACKAGE THIS WEEKEND EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN’T DO THE TEST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO? “NASCAR shares some information about the test and what they’ve learned and some feedback. Being there and driving that car and having the data would be more helpful, but with our relationship with Ford and Ford Performance we’re able to share that information amongst some of the teams inside the Ford camp, some simulator time coming up tomorrow, but that 50-minute practice is gonna be crucial. I don’t want to say you take your best guess, but you take the numbers that are presented to you and you try to account for everything and hopefully you hit the balance right. The good thing is we do have that practice and probably more importantly than just the practice is the ability to work on it after practice. What I mean by that is on a typical weekend the cars are impounded – your springs, shocks, geometry, settings are pretty much set – but on Friday night after practice we’ll be able to change springs and suspension things to really maximize everything we can for Saturday. I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel with the new package and kind of figuring out what it’s gonna take to make that work and the coming home to Phoenix is fun for me.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IF CHASE ELLIOTT SHOULD GET A WAIVER OR NOT? “I haven’t really put much thought into it. Our sport in season is very long and so I feel like other sports – NBA, football, baseball, you can have an injury whether it’s in-game or not in-game and still be a part of the championship and be a part of the whole season. I think eliminating somebody due to an illness or an injury for how long our sport is and for how many races we have is probably not the best way of doing it, so I feel like he should get a waiver. That’s part of it. You can’t control everything. I know everybody has an opinion about what guys should and shouldn’t do, but you can get injured doing anything. You look at Daniel Hemric, he got injured earlier this year with working out and training for an upcoming race, so I don’t treat that any different than if it’s a recreational.”

DO YOU NORMALLY GET SIMULATOR TIME OR IS THIS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF PHOENIX AND THE CHANGES? “We get weekly simulator time. We have our time slot that we use every week. Todd and I split it and this week Zane and I will split it so we each get two hours and try to maximize everything you can in that two hours. You have to be ready to go.”

WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF USING LAST WEEK FOR PHOENIX TO TRY AND GET AHEAD OF IT OR IS IT ALWAYS SPECIFICALLY THE TRACK YOU’RE GOING TO? “Normally, you’re trying to be a week ahead. We try to stay a week ahead, so that’s part of the plan is you run through bigger things that you want to try and work through so that your engineers have a week to kind of run those different settings for simulation – not driving simulation but the actual simulation behind the screens – and then you kind of do some fine-tuning, so, for example, when I go tomorrow we’ll do some Phoenix, but we’ll do some Atlanta too and we’ll run through some of the bigger items for Atlanta and then run Phoenix and do some fine-tuning with the package that we’ve already landed on from a previous week, so it’s a little bit of both.”

WILL YOU AND ZANE HAVE DIFFERENT SETUPS TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS IN PRACTICE OR JUST GO WITH WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST? “We definitely have talked about that the last week-and-a-half and went through some of that on Monday and Tuesday, just laying out a plan for this weekend. Not to beat around the question, but each team and engineers and crew chiefs have a little bit different philosophy on how they want to approach things, so I would say organically we’re sort of showing up different based on some of the things everybody wants to try, and I think we’re probably more comfortable doing that this weekend knowing that we can punt, so to speak, Friday night and put in whichever package we think is gonna be better between the two cars, so we’re using it as an opportunity to try a few things, probably a bit more than we would on a normal weekend.”

YOUR TEAMMATE THIS WEEKEND IS ZANE AND HE DOESN’T HAVE A TON OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS CAR WHILE TODD IS WITH A DIFFERENT TEAM. WHO WILL YOU RELY ON AND HOW MUCH CAN YOUR TEAMMATES HELP YOU? “That’s a good question. I think it depends on how fast that they are (laughing). If Zane goes out there and is really quick and that package that they brought is showing some potential, then I think it will be really valuable. As far as Todd goes this weekend, obviously, with Rick Ware Racing they have an alliance with Roush Fenway as well and we do too, so I don’t necessarily think that we’ll be able to just get all of that information of what he’s working with and has, but there will be some conversations that take place. I think Zane is more than qualified and has done a good job in any situation that he’s been in so far, so I think he’s still gonna have a value to the team and to the feedback. Race car drivers are race car drivers. For sure, experience helps that when it’s leading an overall direction of development, but as far as balance and feel and what he’s fighting and what his car is doing I think it will be valuable.”

A COUPLE MORE RACES WITH THE EXPANDED RESTART ZONE BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE. WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE SO FAR? MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW? “I think obviously it had an impact at California just because we all stacked up. I don’t necessarily put the blame on NASCAR or the restart zone on that because drivers are just trying to maximize that gap too much and trying to time that run, so your timing is just a little bit off because the zone is larger. I think if you just go back to Vegas, the restarts were pretty clean and tidy, and the restarts can be messy there at times, too. I didn’t think it would take long to kind of get it sorted out of what everybody has to do. I wasn’t real opinionated one way or another when they were talking about this and having the discussion, but I do know for the leader it’s important for the leader who has worked had to get the lead or whether it’s the pit crew on pit road that got him out in the lead to have some sort of advantage and this definitely helps increase that advantage to the leader. So, I’m OK with it as long as we don’t stack up like we did at California every week. I think it’ll be fine.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOING TO ATLANTA NEXT WEEK. IS IT STILL KIND OF ITS OWN THING? “I think it’s definitely its own thing. Both the races there have not been what I would call a traditional superspeedway feel and approach. It’s more that direction, but I feel like it’s pretty unique to what it is and how you race it and how you approach it – even car builds and specs and stuff like that. I feel like it’s still pretty unique, but I’ve enjoyed it. I know everybody would love to get the old Atlanta and I’m in that camp as well, but I’m pretty excited about there being a different style of racetrack in racing. It kind of gets us outside of our box a little bit.”

WHAT ABOUT COTA AND THE NEW AERO PACKAGE THAT WILL BE THERE? ANY IDEA HOW YOU EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE ON A ROAD COURSE? “I don’t think it’s gonna change it much. It’s gonna have less downforce as we all know. The cars will probably move around a little bit more and maybe not be as easy to drive, but I really don’t think it’s gonna be a pendulum swinger of what you’re gonna see as far as an overall race or different teams or different drivers excel now on the road course because there’s less downforce. I don’t think it’s gonna move the needle a whole lot, but there’s a lot more to all of that than everybody probably thinks about. Obviously, the teams want to have one package so that they’re not changing a bunch of car’s parts, having to spend time in the wind tunnel running different packages, different configurations. You spend a lot of time and a lot of money and engineers are spending hours and hours and hours trying to figure out what do you have to do different with this package versus the other. I think we’re seeing these packages be a little bit broader across all short tracks and all road courses and with the rain package and all that just to help not have what we had with the old car, which was like five or six different builds of cars, parts, pieces, chassis – everything you had to do to take a superspeedway car versus a road course car versus a short track car. So, I think it’s just to keep it a bit simple and try to keep the cost down, but I don’t see it being a huge change for those road courses.”

HOW HAVE THINGS GONE WITH TRAVIS PETERSON SO FAR? “Travis has done a great job. He’s very motivated and high energy and is ready to get after it, which is great. I don’t think our results have shown where we’re at. I feel like Daytona we had speed, the car was good and we ended up crashing there with a little less than 20 to go. At California, I thought he did a great job with the strategy. Really, there was not a lot of downside to that strategy. We did run out of gas on that last lap, which we knew we’d be close, but we ended up netting about the same as what we would have if we would have pitted there as far as where we were running position-wise, but it gave us a tremendous opportunity for those 30 laps that if we were to catch a caution to be up front and be able to take four tires and have a shot at winning. I think what we saw last year with the playoffs and how many drivers won throughout the season, you have to be thinking about winning races constantly and if you don’t quite have the pace to do it outright, you’ve got to be creative strategy-wise and I think he did a great job with that. I’ve been impressed. He’s done well. He’s a good leader. The guys like him. We’ve got a lot of new people on the 34 car this year and he’s done a good job of assembling that group and getting everybody up to speed. I think he’s helped implement some new processes at the shop that we might not be seeing the fruit of right now, but I think when we get into the summer and you get to the grind of it, some of those new processes that we’ve put in place should help us be more consistent and run stronger throughout the year. I’ve been happy with where our group is at – not happy with the results that we’ve had, but pretty pleased with the potential on our race cars. Now we’ve just got to put all the little pieces together and maximize it.”

ANY HOPE OF FLIPPING THE SWITCH A BIT EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN IT TOOK A FEW RACES TO START RUNNING WELL? “You would have like to have already flipped the switch, but you have to have some reality. Our program last year and our program this year, it’s the spotter and I who are the only two people left on the 34 car from last year. That’s how many new people we have and that’s not an exaggeration. From car chief, crew chief, front end mechanic, underneath mechanic, interior guy, tire guy, truck driver – every single person on our race team for the most part is brand new this year to the 34 group, so we knew that it’s gonna take some time before we do the details and execute perfectly. All new guys on pit road as well, so there is so much going on right now that I’m really impressed with how well our cars have performed and what we have been able to do with just preparation of our cars and speed. I do feel like we’re still a few weeks away from being able to hit on all eight cylinders, but we’re getting close and I feel confident we’ll be able to achieve more than we did last year. I’m looking forward to it.”

THERE ARE SOME RUMORS ABOUT GROOVED TIRES DOWN THE ROAD. ANY OPINION ON THAT AFTER DENNY HAMLIN MENTIONED IT IN HIS PODCAST? “I hadn’t heard that. I haven’t seen one of those podcasts yet, so I wasn’t up to speed on that. I haven’t heard any rumors of that. I think that everybody has an opinion about the racing and what they think needs to happen, and I think the drivers in general are extremely selfish and you have to be selfish to be successful in this sport. The guys that are and have consistently won races that maybe struggled a little bit last year, they don’t like it. I get it and I understand it. I’m on the other side of the fence where I went from struggling to running pretty good with this new car. I don’t want to change anything. Ultimately, it’s not about how we feel about it or, as a driver, how it’s helped our performance, but, overall, the product, the results, the racing and fans tuning in so that’s way out of my pay grade. I don’t worry about that stuff, but I would like to keep everything the same just because it’s suited me well.”

HOW DO YOU SPEND AN AVERAGE WEEKDAY? “We’ll just go with today since today is an average day. I was up and took my family to breakfast and came back home and got ready. I did a couple of interviews and I’m headed to NASCAR studios now to do the Pace Lap, one of the TV shows that they do there – record that – and while I’m there my kids are on Spring Break, so I’m gonna take them to the NASCAR Hall of Fame since it’s right there in the same area. That will be today. Tomorrow, I’ll jump in the simulator. I would say you have two days a week that are kind of like low key, family days, getting stuff done around the house, kind of button everything up, and then a shop day, a simulator day and a media day. It’s a pretty routine schedule for us every week.”

WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE THIS WEEKEND? “My expectation, it’s a hometown race for me and it’s a place that we’ve really struggled the last few years. I’m hopeful that this new package will help fill that gap for us in that we hit it just right. But, like I said before, I didn’t get to do the test, so I’m excited and curious just like everybody else to see what they drive like and feel like. You get an idea on paper of how much downforce they took off and they kind of tell you what that number is, but until you feel it out on the race track, it’s hard to quantify what that’s gonna be like, but I’m hopeful just like everybody else that it will help improve the passing opportunities and that cars will slide around a little bit more and hopefully there will be a little bit of tire fall off as well. I think that last year this package was mile-and-a-half, big tracks. I thought the racing was great. Obviously, the short tracks were not quite what everybody hoped for, so I think NASCAR is taking a stab at it and hopefully we hit it and the package is a little bit better.”

WHAT TRACK IS YOUR BEST CHANCE AT GETTING A WIN? “I think the road courses this year will be a good opportunity for us to win. I think last year we kind of showed that we had the speed and finished third at Sonoma and a bunch of top 10s throughout the year and ran up front and qualified up front. Watkins Glen, I feel like we had a shot to win that race as well, so I think the road courses for sure are opportunities. I think Atlanta coming up as well and superspeedways are always an opportunity, so we’ll see. I think the last two years our chances have increased by running better at certain tracks and so you just never know. I think with this Next Gen car if you hit it right and you do everything perfect, you have an opportunity pretty much every weekend, but I think the best opportunities are gonna be road courses and superspeedways.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Phoenix Advance | Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang, will be making his 25th career NASCAR Cup Series start at his hometown track of Phoenix Raceway this weekend. McDowell, a native of Glendale, will also be making his 433rd start overall.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang – WHAT TAKEAWAYS DO YOU HAVE AS FAR AS THE NEW PACKAGE THIS WEEKEND EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN’T DO THE TEST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO? “NASCAR shares some information about the test and what they’ve learned and some feedback. Being there and driving that car and having the data would be more helpful, but with our relationship with Ford and Ford Performance we’re able to share that information amongst some of the teams inside the Ford camp, some simulator time coming up tomorrow, but that 50-minute practice is gonna be crucial. I don’t want to say you take your best guess, but you take the numbers that are presented to you and you try to account for everything and hopefully you hit the balance right. The good thing is we do have that practice and probably more importantly than just the practice is the ability to work on it after practice. What I mean by that is on a typical weekend the cars are impounded – your springs, shocks, geometry, settings are pretty much set – but on Friday night after practice we’ll be able to change springs and suspension things to really maximize everything we can for Saturday. I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel with the new package and kind of figuring out what it’s gonna take to make that work and the coming home to Phoenix is fun for me.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IF CHASE ELLIOTT SHOULD GET A WAIVER OR NOT? “I haven’t really put much thought into it. Our sport in season is very long and so I feel like other sports – NBA, football, baseball, you can have an injury whether it’s in-game or not in-game and still be a part of the championship and be a part of the whole season. I think eliminating somebody due to an illness or an injury for how long our sport is and for how many races we have is probably not the best way of doing it, so I feel like he should get a waiver. That’s part of it. You can’t control everything. I know everybody has an opinion about what guys should and shouldn’t do, but you can get injured doing anything. You look at Daniel Hemric, he got injured earlier this year with working out and training for an upcoming race, so I don’t treat that any different than if it’s a recreational.”

DO YOU NORMALLY GET SIMULATOR TIME OR IS THIS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF PHOENIX AND THE CHANGES? “We get weekly simulator time. We have our time slot that we use every week. Todd and I split it and this week Zane and I will split it so we each get two hours and try to maximize everything you can in that two hours. You have to be ready to go.”

WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF USING LAST WEEK FOR PHOENIX TO TRY AND GET AHEAD OF IT OR IS IT ALWAYS SPECIFICALLY THE TRACK YOU’RE GOING TO? “Normally, you’re trying to be a week ahead. We try to stay a week ahead, so that’s part of the plan is you run through bigger things that you want to try and work through so that your engineers have a week to kind of run those different settings for simulation – not driving simulation but the actual simulation behind the screens – and then you kind of do some fine-tuning, so, for example, when I go tomorrow we’ll do some Phoenix, but we’ll do some Atlanta too and we’ll run through some of the bigger items for Atlanta and then run Phoenix and do some fine-tuning with the package that we’ve already landed on from a previous week, so it’s a little bit of both.”

WILL YOU AND ZANE HAVE DIFFERENT SETUPS TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS IN PRACTICE OR JUST GO WITH WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST? “We definitely have talked about that the last week-and-a-half and went through some of that on Monday and Tuesday, just laying out a plan for this weekend. Not to beat around the question, but each team and engineers and crew chiefs have a little bit different philosophy on how they want to approach things, so I would say organically we’re sort of showing up different based on some of the things everybody wants to try, and I think we’re probably more comfortable doing that this weekend knowing that we can punt, so to speak, Friday night and put in whichever package we think is gonna be better between the two cars, so we’re using it as an opportunity to try a few things, probably a bit more than we would on a normal weekend.”

YOUR TEAMMATE THIS WEEKEND IS ZANE AND HE DOESN’T HAVE A TON OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS CAR WHILE TODD IS WITH A DIFFERENT TEAM. WHO WILL YOU RELY ON AND HOW MUCH CAN YOUR TEAMMATES HELP YOU? “That’s a good question. I think it depends on how fast that they are (laughing). If Zane goes out there and is really quick and that package that they brought is showing some potential, then I think it will be really valuable. As far as Todd goes this weekend, obviously, with Rick Ware Racing they have an alliance with Roush Fenway as well and we do too, so I don’t necessarily think that we’ll be able to just get all of that information of what he’s working with and has, but there will be some conversations that take place. I think Zane is more than qualified and has done a good job in any situation that he’s been in so far, so I think he’s still gonna have a value to the team and to the feedback. Race car drivers are race car drivers. For sure, experience helps that when it’s leading an overall direction of development, but as far as balance and feel and what he’s fighting and what his car is doing I think it will be valuable.”

A COUPLE MORE RACES WITH THE EXPANDED RESTART ZONE BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE. WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE SO FAR? MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW? “I think obviously it had an impact at California just because we all stacked up. I don’t necessarily put the blame on NASCAR or the restart zone on that because drivers are just trying to maximize that gap too much and trying to time that run, so your timing is just a little bit off because the zone is larger. I think if you just go back to Vegas, the restarts were pretty clean and tidy, and the restarts can be messy there at times, too. I didn’t think it would take long to kind of get it sorted out of what everybody has to do. I wasn’t real opinionated one way or another when they were talking about this and having the discussion, but I do know for the leader it’s important for the leader who has worked had to get the lead or whether it’s the pit crew on pit road that got him out in the lead to have some sort of advantage and this definitely helps increase that advantage to the leader. So, I’m OK with it as long as we don’t stack up like we did at California every week. I think it’ll be fine.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOING TO ATLANTA NEXT WEEK. IS IT STILL KIND OF ITS OWN THING? “I think it’s definitely its own thing. Both the races there have not been what I would call a traditional superspeedway feel and approach. It’s more that direction, but I feel like it’s pretty unique to what it is and how you race it and how you approach it – even car builds and specs and stuff like that. I feel like it’s still pretty unique, but I’ve enjoyed it. I know everybody would love to get the old Atlanta and I’m in that camp as well, but I’m pretty excited about there being a different style of racetrack in racing. It kind of gets us outside of our box a little bit.”

WHAT ABOUT COTA AND THE NEW AERO PACKAGE THAT WILL BE THERE? ANY IDEA HOW YOU EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE ON A ROAD COURSE? “I don’t think it’s gonna change it much. It’s gonna have less downforce as we all know. The cars will probably move around a little bit more and maybe not be as easy to drive, but I really don’t think it’s gonna be a pendulum swinger of what you’re gonna see as far as an overall race or different teams or different drivers excel now on the road course because there’s less downforce. I don’t think it’s gonna move the needle a whole lot, but there’s a lot more to all of that than everybody probably thinks about. Obviously, the teams want to have one package so that they’re not changing a bunch of car’s parts, having to spend time in the wind tunnel running different packages, different configurations. You spend a lot of time and a lot of money and engineers are spending hours and hours and hours trying to figure out what do you have to do different with this package versus the other. I think we’re seeing these packages be a little bit broader across all short tracks and all road courses and with the rain package and all that just to help not have what we had with the old car, which was like five or six different builds of cars, parts, pieces, chassis – everything you had to do to take a superspeedway car versus a road course car versus a short track car. So, I think it’s just to keep it a bit simple and try to keep the cost down, but I don’t see it being a huge change for those road courses.”

HOW HAVE THINGS GONE WITH TRAVIS PETERSON SO FAR? “Travis has done a great job. He’s very motivated and high energy and is ready to get after it, which is great. I don’t think our results have shown where we’re at. I feel like Daytona we had speed, the car was good and we ended up crashing there with a little less than 20 to go. At California, I thought he did a great job with the strategy. Really, there was not a lot of downside to that strategy. We did run out of gas on that last lap, which we knew we’d be close, but we ended up netting about the same as what we would have if we would have pitted there as far as where we were running position-wise, but it gave us a tremendous opportunity for those 30 laps that if we were to catch a caution to be up front and be able to take four tires and have a shot at winning. I think what we saw last year with the playoffs and how many drivers won throughout the season, you have to be thinking about winning races constantly and if you don’t quite have the pace to do it outright, you’ve got to be creative strategy-wise and I think he did a great job with that. I’ve been impressed. He’s done well. He’s a good leader. The guys like him. We’ve got a lot of new people on the 34 car this year and he’s done a good job of assembling that group and getting everybody up to speed. I think he’s helped implement some new processes at the shop that we might not be seeing the fruit of right now, but I think when we get into the summer and you get to the grind of it, some of those new processes that we’ve put in place should help us be more consistent and run stronger throughout the year. I’ve been happy with where our group is at – not happy with the results that we’ve had, but pretty pleased with the potential on our race cars. Now we’ve just got to put all the little pieces together and maximize it.”

ANY HOPE OF FLIPPING THE SWITCH A BIT EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN IT TOOK A FEW RACES TO START RUNNING WELL? “You would have like to have already flipped the switch, but you have to have some reality. Our program last year and our program this year, it’s the spotter and I who are the only two people left on the 34 car from last year. That’s how many new people we have and that’s not an exaggeration. From car chief, crew chief, front end mechanic, underneath mechanic, interior guy, tire guy, truck driver – every single person on our race team for the most part is brand new this year to the 34 group, so we knew that it’s gonna take some time before we do the details and execute perfectly. All new guys on pit road as well, so there is so much going on right now that I’m really impressed with how well our cars have performed and what we have been able to do with just preparation of our cars and speed. I do feel like we’re still a few weeks away from being able to hit on all eight cylinders, but we’re getting close and I feel confident we’ll be able to achieve more than we did last year. I’m looking forward to it.”

THERE ARE SOME RUMORS ABOUT GROOVED TIRES DOWN THE ROAD. ANY OPINION ON THAT AFTER DENNY HAMLIN MENTIONED IT IN HIS PODCAST? “I hadn’t heard that. I haven’t seen one of those podcasts yet, so I wasn’t up to speed on that. I haven’t heard any rumors of that. I think that everybody has an opinion about the racing and what they think needs to happen, and I think the drivers in general are extremely selfish and you have to be selfish to be successful in this sport. The guys that are and have consistently won races that maybe struggled a little bit last year, they don’t like it. I get it and I understand it. I’m on the other side of the fence where I went from struggling to running pretty good with this new car. I don’t want to change anything. Ultimately, it’s not about how we feel about it or, as a driver, how it’s helped our performance, but, overall, the product, the results, the racing and fans tuning in so that’s way out of my pay grade. I don’t worry about that stuff, but I would like to keep everything the same just because it’s suited me well.”

HOW DO YOU SPEND AN AVERAGE WEEKDAY? “We’ll just go with today since today is an average day. I was up and took my family to breakfast and came back home and got ready. I did a couple of interviews and I’m headed to NASCAR studios now to do the Pace Lap, one of the TV shows that they do there – record that – and while I’m there my kids are on Spring Break, so I’m gonna take them to the NASCAR Hall of Fame since it’s right there in the same area. That will be today. Tomorrow, I’ll jump in the simulator. I would say you have two days a week that are kind of like low key, family days, getting stuff done around the house, kind of button everything up, and then a shop day, a simulator day and a media day. It’s a pretty routine schedule for us every week.”

WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE THIS WEEKEND? “My expectation, it’s a hometown race for me and it’s a place that we’ve really struggled the last few years. I’m hopeful that this new package will help fill that gap for us in that we hit it just right. But, like I said before, I didn’t get to do the test, so I’m excited and curious just like everybody else to see what they drive like and feel like. You get an idea on paper of how much downforce they took off and they kind of tell you what that number is, but until you feel it out on the race track, it’s hard to quantify what that’s gonna be like, but I’m hopeful just like everybody else that it will help improve the passing opportunities and that cars will slide around a little bit more and hopefully there will be a little bit of tire fall off as well. I think that last year this package was mile-and-a-half, big tracks. I thought the racing was great. Obviously, the short tracks were not quite what everybody hoped for, so I think NASCAR is taking a stab at it and hopefully we hit it and the package is a little bit better.”

WHAT TRACK IS YOUR BEST CHANCE AT GETTING A WIN? “I think the road courses this year will be a good opportunity for us to win. I think last year we kind of showed that we had the speed and finished third at Sonoma and a bunch of top 10s throughout the year and ran up front and qualified up front. Watkins Glen, I feel like we had a shot to win that race as well, so I think the road courses for sure are opportunities. I think Atlanta coming up as well and superspeedways are always an opportunity, so we’ll see. I think the last two years our chances have increased by running better at certain tracks and so you just never know. I think with this Next Gen car if you hit it right and you do everything perfect, you have an opportunity pretty much every weekend, but I think the best opportunities are gonna be road courses and superspeedways.”