AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)

Sunday, September 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA

In the 2022 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two top fives, eight top-10 finishes and has led 33 laps
 

Noah Gragson, No. 16 Ed Morse Automotive Group Camaro ZL1

The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 will mark Noah Gragson’s first start at Texas in the NCS
Gragson has one top five and four top-20 finishes in the 2022 NCS season

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on track in the Cup car at Texas with Kaulig Racing this weekend, along with Ed Morse Automotive Group. This will be my first time racing at Texas in this NextGen car, and it should be both fun and challenging with how different Texas is compared to other intermediate tracks. We keep learning more as a team each week, which makes us optimistic and excited to go to Texas.” – Noah Gragson on Texas

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

Justin Haley has made one start at Texas in the NCS
He has earned one top five, two top 10s and and 10 top-15 finishes in 2022
Haley has led 28 laps in the 2022 season

“This No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection team has really been getting into our groove lately and showing so much speed and potential. I have always really enjoyed racing at Texas in every series and have won there in the truck series in the past. We definitely have some momentum heading into this weekend.” – Justin Haley on Texas  
 
Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)

Saturday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA

For the second year in-a-row, AJ Allmendinger and Kaulig Racing have won the NXS regular season championship
Kaulig Racing has earned three wins, 17 top five and 39 top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
The team has led 349 laps in the 2022 NXS season so far
Allmendinger: 278 laps
Hemric: 54 laps
Cassill: 17 Laps
 

Landon Cassill, No. 10 Usio Chevrolet

Landon Cassill has made 11 starts, earned one top 10 and has led one lap at at Texas in the NXS
Cassill has earned three top five and nine top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
He has led 17 laps so far in the 2022 NXS season

“Texas is a really fast and challenging track. Our No.10 team showed really great speed in the spring, and I felt like we had a top-five car until the end of the race. I think we have some good notes to build on and will hopefully have minimal mistakes in order to be there at the end.” – Landon Cassill on Texas

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 DaaBIN Store Chevrolet

Daniel Hemric has earned three top fives and four top-10 finishes at Texas in the NXS
Hemric has an average finish of 8.8 and has led 149 laps led at Texas across seven starts

Hemric has earned two top fives, nine top-10 finishes and has led 54 laps in the 2022 NXS season

“I feel optimistic heading into Texas. With the way the playoff format is, we are able to start with a clean slate. Texas has always been a great track for me in the past, and I’ve had some really good racecars there. Both ends of the racetrack are so different, which is part of what makes this track so challenging, yet so fun. Our mile-and-a-half program has not been our strongest, but we also know this is a place where we can make the most gains as we head into the first race of the Playoffs.” – Daniel Hemric on Texas

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet

AJ Allmendinger has earned three top-10 finishes and has led 21 laps at Texas across three starts in the NXS
Allmendinger has earned the NXS regular season championship for Kaulig Racing for the second year in-a-row
He has earned a win for Kaulig Racing in four-straight NXS seasons
In 2022, Allmendinger has led 278 laps, recorded three wins, 12 top five and 22 top-10 finishes
Allmendinger currently has the most top-10 finishes of any driver in the 2022 NXS season

“Texas is a is a racetrack that we’ve slowly improved on at Kaulig Racing. We definitely need to keep working to find more speed, but it’s a racetrack I feel like we can go and be fairly solid at and have a good run there. It’d be great to go win the race, but ultimately, I think if we can just have a consistent race, good stage points and set the tone for the playoffs, that’s the most important thing.” AJ Allmendinger on Texas  

About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. They will continue fielding three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. With multiple wins, Kaulig Racing has come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team made multiple starts in the NCS in 2021 and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young team has acquired two charters for the 2022 NCS season, with Justin Haley competing as its first, full-time driver in the series. The team’s second entry will be shared by part-time teammates AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
September 25, 2022

RACE #1 OF NCS PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 12: TEXAS

With the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) playoff field down to 12 drivers; the playoff points standings are reset and attention is turned to the first of three stops in the Round of 12: Texas Motor Speedway. Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 sets up arguably one of the most diverse, wildcard rounds of the 10-race playoff stretch. Joining the 1.5-mile Texas oval in this round is NASCAR’s longest oval, the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway; and 2.28-mile, 17-turn Charlotte ROVAL.

While NASCAR’s premier series has made the trip to the Fort Worth, Texas, venue earlier this season, this weekend marks the first points-paying show of the season at the track. The 2021 season saw a Chevrolet sweep the NCS events at Texas Motor Speedway, both captured by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team. Larson recorded his second-career NASCAR All-Star win in June 2021, later returning to the 1.5-mile Texas venue in October to take the first race of the Round of 8.. a victory that solidified his spot in the Championship 4 that led to his first career NCS championship. Larson’s victory in the 2021 NCS playoff race at Texas brought Chevrolet’s win count at Texas Motor Speedway to 15 to tie Ford in the top spot for all-time NCS wins at the track.

AND THEN THERE WERE 12..

Of the 12 drivers left in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series championship title, Chevrolet continues to lead the charge with six drivers advancing. With the playoff points standings reset, the 2022 NCS Regular-Season Champion Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team reclaimed the top spot in the standings. With his series-leading 4 wins, 11 top-fives, 18 top-10s and 40 playoff points, Elliott is entering the Round of 8 with a 31-point advantage over the cutline. Joining him in the Round of 12 includes his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, William Byron and Alex Bowman; as well as Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain, who are competing in the playoffs for the first time in their NCS careers.

With the next round on deck, Chevrolet is one step closer to defending its NCS Driver and Manufacturer Championships. While leading the NCS driver standings, the bowtie brand also continues to sit atop the NCS manufacturer points standings, heading into the Round of 12 with an 87-point lead.

A look at where the Team Chevy NCS playoff drivers stand heading into race one of the Round of 12, including season numbers and career stats at Texas Motor Speedway:

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings (+31 points above cutline)

2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion

Victories: 4

Top-Fives: 11; Top-10s: 18; Laps Led: 719

Average Finish: 11.1; Stage Wins: 5

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 6; Average Finish: 11.545

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Elliott’s seventh consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
• Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 the past two seasons, winning his first career NCS Driver Championship in 2020.
• Six of his 17 career NCS wins have come in the playoffs.
• Elliott has won at two of the three tracks in the Round of 12, including Talladega Superspeedway (2019); and a two-time winner at the Charlotte ROVAL (2019 and 2020).

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 3rd in Playoff Standings (+11 points above cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 10; Top-10s: 16; Laps Led: 584

Average Finish: 14.2; Stage Wins: 5

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-20s: 1; Average Finish: 27.6

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Chastain’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
• Chastain has already scored a win at one of the Round of 12 tracks in 2022, with his second-career NCS win coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings (+10 points above cutline)

2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 11; Top-10s: 15; Laps Led: 341

Average Finish: 13.7; Stage Wins: 3

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Wins: 1; Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s; 5;

Average Finish: 18.429

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Larson’s sixth appearance in the NCS playoffs, with 2021 bringing Larson his first trip to the Championship 4.
• During the playoff era (2004-present); Larson leads the series in ‘multiple playoff race wins in a single season’ with five in 2021 (Bristol, Charlotte ROVAL, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix).
• In 2021, Larson took the wins at two of the three tracks that are in the Round of 12, including both the playoff and All-Star races at Texas Motor Speedway; and the annual race at the Charlotte ROVAL.

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 5th in Playoff Standings (+6 points above the cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 5; Top-10s: 8; Laps Led: 671

Average Finish: 16.8; Stage Wins: 4

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Average Finish: 14.429

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Byron’s fourth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
• Bryon’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2021, finishing the season 10th in the final standings.
• Byron scored top-10 finishes in all three races of the Round of 16 including an eighth-place at Darlington Raceway; sixth-place at Kansas Speedway; and third-place at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 10th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 12; Laps Led: 136

Average Finish: 15.7; Stage Wins: 2

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 2; Average Finish: 24.5

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Bowman’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
• Bowman has raced his way into the Round of 12 in each of his NCS playoff appearances; making it to the Round of 8 in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
• Two of Bowman’s 12 top-10 finishes of 2022 came in the Round of 16, recording a 10th-place finish at Darlington Raceway and a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 11th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 6; Top-10s: 11; Laps Led: 246

Average Finish: 16.4; Stage Wins: 2

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 3; Average Finish: 17.333

Of Note:

• The 2022 season marks Suarez’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
• Suarez has three top-five finishes on road course circuits in 2022 including his first-career NCS win at Sonoma Raceway; and fifth-place finishes at Road America and Watkins Glen.  
  Chevrolet All-Time NASCAR Cup Series

Championships:

Manufacturer Championships:

1st Chevy Title: 1958

Most Recent Title: 2021

Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 13 (2003-2015)

Driver Championships:

1st Chevy title: Buck Baker (1957)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 7 (2005-2011)

 
ALLMENDINGER GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN NXS REGULAR-SEASON TITLES

For the second consecutive season, Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has been named the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Regular-Season Champion. The 2022 season is only the second full-time campaign in the series for the 40-year-old California native, with Allmendinger now taking the regular-season title in both. The Chevrolet driver has been a consistent fixture atop the points standings this season; taking the lead after the Richmond event on April 2 and never looking back. Allmendinger – who’s recorded three wins and a series-leading 23 top-10s in 26 points-paying races – will enter the series’ playoff run with 15 additional playoff points as he competes for his first career NXS championship crown.

EIGHT CHEVROLET DRIVERS LOCK INTO NXS PLAYOFFS

With the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season complete, eight Chevrolet drivers have officially punched their ticket into the 12-driver playoff field to compete for the series’ championship title. Joining the NXS Regular-Season Champion AJ Allmendinger in the post-season battle include all four JR Motorsports teammates, Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Sam Mayer; NXS rookie Austin Hill; Daytona (August) winner Jeremy Clements; and Allmendinger’s Kaulig Racing teammate Daniel Hemric.

With the playoff points standings reseeded for the start of the race to the championship, Noah Gragson and the No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team has claimed the top spot on the leaderboard. With his six wins – including the past three consecutive races – and his series-leading 15 top-fives, 13 stage wins and 51 playoff points; Gragson enters the Round of 12 with a 46-point lead over the playoff cutline.

The NXS playoffs consist of two, three-race rounds, with one final race at Phoenix Raceway to determine the champion. The first of three races in the NXS Round of 12 gets underway on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway with the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300. Chevrolet is heading back to the 1.5-mile Texas venue as defending winners at the track after Tyler Reddick drove the No.48 Big Machine Racing Camaro SS to the win in May, with four fellow Team Chevy drivers in tow to give the bowtie brigade a sweep of the top-five finishing positions.

DOMINANT REGULAR-SEASON FOR THE CAMARO SS

In 26-points paying races, Chevrolet drivers have accumulated 19 wins, recorded by eight drivers from five different Chevrolet teams. The first came right out of the gate with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in the series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The manufacturer has gone on various impressive win streaks throughout the season, including seven in a row that started with Noah Gragson’s Talladega win in April. Entering the Texas race weekend, Chevrolet is riding streak of five consecutive victories. 16 of Chevrolet’s manufacturer-leading 19 wins of the season have come in the series’ past 18 races, giving Chevrolet drivers and teams a wave of momentum heading into the post-season race to the championship. Gragson’s career-best and series-leading sixth win of 2022 at Bristol Motor Speedway also gave the bowtie brand its 496th all-time NXS win, with the manufacturer entering the playoffs just four wins away from its milestone 500th all-time win in the series.

Looking to capture its sixth consecutive – and 23rd all-time – NXS Manufacturer Championship, Chevrolet continues to pull away in the manufacturer points standings. With just seven races remaining, the bowtie brand now leads its manufacturer competitors by 125-points in the standings.

NCWTS: ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) began the series’ Round of 8 last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking the first of three final chances for playoff drivers to win or point their way into the Championship 4. GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger had a strong opening round in the playoffs; recording three top-five finishes – including a win – in the first three races. Enfinger and the No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST team took on the Round of 8 in similar fashion, bringing his Chevrolet-powered machine home in the fourth-position at Bristol to continue his playoffs top-five finish streak.

The NCWTS will be back in action on October 1, with a 250-mile race at the famed Talladega Superspeedway holding the spot as race two of three in the series’ Round of 8.

BOWTIE BULLETS

· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway include:

   Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 (Defending Winner; 2021)

   Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 (2020)

· Kyle Larson swept the NASCAR Cup Series events at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021, capturing his second-career NASCAR All-Star win in June, later returning to take the first race of the NCS Playoffs Round of 8 at the track in October.

· Chevrolet has recorded 15 NASCAR Cup Series wins (tied for the most) and a series-leading 15 pole wins at Texas Motor Speedway.

· Career Chevrolet driver, Jimmie Johnson, leads the NASCAR Cup Series in a variety of measures at Texas Motor Speedway, including the most wins (7), runner-up finishes (5), top-fives (16) and laps led (1,152).

· Six Chevrolet drivers advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12, giving the bowtie brand 50 percent of the playoff field for the second consecutive round.

· With the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings reseeded going into the Round of 12; 2022 NCS Regular-Season Champion Chase Elliott reclaimed the top spot with a 31-point advantage over the cutline. Elliott continues to lead the series in wins (4), top-fives (11), top-10s (18) and laps led (719).

· For the second consecutive season, AJ Allmendinger has claimed the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular-Season Championship. The 2022 season is only Allmendinger’s second full-time campaign in the series, with the Kaulig Racing driver now taking the NXS Regular-Season Championship title in both.

· Eight Chevrolet drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff field. JR Motorsports’ Noah Gragson – who leads the series in wins (6), top-fives (15), stage wins (13) and accumulated playoff points (51) – now sits atop the NXS driver points standings, 46-points over the cutline.

· Three of the top-five NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have led the most laps thus far come from the bowtie brand, led by the 2022 NCS regular-season champion Chase Elliott (719 laps). Joining Elliott in the top-five of that chart includes William Byron in second (671 laps) and Ross Chastain in fourth (584 laps).

· In 29 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying racing, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS race wins (16), top-fives (69), top-10s (127), laps led (3,329) and stage wins (23). With a double-digit lead in wins over its manufacturer competitors with only seven races remaining in the 2022 season; Chevrolet has already clinched the most NCS wins recorded in a single year among all manufacturers.

· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 23 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins:

   Tyler Reddick 2 - Fontana x2

   Alex Bowman 1 - Las Vegas, Kansas

   Ross Chastain 4 - Las Vegas, Darlington, Charlotte, Pocono, Richmond

   William Byron 4 – Phoenix, Atlanta, Talladega, Darlington

   Daniel Suarez 2 – COTA, Charlotte

   Chase Elliott 3 – Martinsville x2, Charlotte, Atlanta x2

   Kyle Larson 3 – Bristol, Sonoma, Pocono

· Reigning NASCAR Cup Series and NASAR Xfinity Series Manufacturer Champions, Chevrolet, continues to lead in the manufacturer points standings in both series. The bowtie brand leads the NCS manufacturer points standings by 87-points, with the manufacturer’s lead in the NXS standings expanding to 125-points.

· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 830 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.

FOR THE FANS

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

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2023 Corvette 3LT, Tahoe RST, Silverado 1500 High Country, Colorado Bison, Camaro ZL1, Silverado ZR2 and the Blazer EV.

· At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Camaro ZL1 show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, September 24

· Jeb Burton: 11:30 a.m.

· Brandon Brown: 11:45 a.m.

· Sheldon Creed & Austin Hill: 12:00 p.m.

· Nick Sanchez: 12:15 p.m.

Sunday, September 25

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 10:30 a.m.

· Austin Dillon: 11:30 a.m.

· William Byron: 12 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Saturday, September 24: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, September 25: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tune In:

USA Network will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 25. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

USA Network will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 24. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 RENU CAMARO ZL1

Did you learn anything in the Sprint All-Star race that you think will be important in this Playoff race?

“In the spring we were flying in Texas. I would like to not fly as high (laughs). With the two ends being so different, you gain so much speed with the banking and you have to slow down a lot in turns 1 and 2. Keeping the balance on both ends is important. We obviously learned stuff in the All-Star race but now there is a lot more on the line.”

Since its newer pavement at Texas, do you think we’ll see more drastic things with the new car?

“It does actually. It has a lot of grip until you lose it, so when you do lose it you crash, or we blow tires.

I think the whole field has gotten better with not blowing tires as easily. I don’t know how long they’re going to leave Texas the way it is, so it’s probably time to enjoy it for what it is.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on lessons learned during last season’s playoffs:

“Be clean and let the other teams make the mistakes. Honestly, if you can just finish you don’t have to do anything crazy in the first couple rounds. Don’t take yourself out of stage points or a good finish and you can advance. Once you get to the Round of 8, that’s obviously when you need to get some top-five finishes or a win. You just don’t want to take yourself out of any race or get any DNF or anything like that where you put yourself in a must-win situation because winning is really difficult to do. You just want to keep yourself in contention every race.”

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

Daniels on the challenges of setting a car up for Texas Motor Speedway:

“Texas (Motor Speedway) is definitely a different style intermediate track with less banking in (turns) one and two and a tighter corner radius than (turns) three and four. It’s actually fun to try to set up a car because the ends are so different. With some hotter temperatures this weekend compared to when we were there for the All-Star Race and with the groove widening out with resin or whatever they spray, 500 miles is a long race but I hope it can be a pretty fun day.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on racing at Texas:

“I’d love to go to Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend and have a good, solid run and start this round off on a high note. We didn’t get to run the full All-Star Race earlier this year, but I still feel like we got enough track time to have good notes as we head back there. We just need to put a good weekend together and execute a solid day. If we can do that, then we have as good a shot as anyone to get a win and lock ourselves into the next round.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for the Round of 12:

“This is going to be a tough round, but we know what we need to do to keep our playoff run going. Execution and putting together three solid races is going to be key. Each of these races in this Round of 12 has its own unique set of challenges. There isn’t really much room for error, but if you make a mistake, you have to regroup quickly and do what you can to maximize the day and get as many points as you can. Our group is really good at that and I think we are fully capable of advancing.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

Byron on preparation for Texas:

“I’m interested to see how racing at Texas (Motor Speedway) goes this weekend. We’ve always had speed there but I think in the spring we just were a little off on our setup since it was the first time at Texas in the Next Gen car. Our mile-and-a-half program is the one I think we needed to work on the most this season but I think, especially after Kansas (Speedway) a few weeks ago, that we’ve really improved on those style of tracks. With how this round shapes up there’s a lot of emphasis on Texas and leaving there with as many points as possible and that will be our goal, just like how we did last round. As long as we have a good Saturday, I think we’ll be in a good place for the race and then it’s all about execution on Sunday.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

Fugle on what he expects at Texas this weekend:

“I think we have some good notes heading into this weekend’s race at Texas (Motor Speedway). We learned a lot from Kansas (Speedway) a couple weeks ago, and with us using the same tire as we did for that race, a good portion of those notes should translate. The biggest difference is going to be how much hotter it is and where the resin is applied on the track. From what we’ve been told, the resin is being applied like it was for the All-Star Race earlier this year, so we have those notes as well. Just with the heat and tire compound though, I think handling is going to play a much bigger factor this weekend than it did for the All-Star event. We’ve really focused on that this week, so we hopefully unload close to where we need to be and focus more on fine-tuning than anything.”

TY DILLON, NO. 42 BLACK RIFLE COFFEE COMPANY CAMARO ZL1

Dillon’s thoughts on racing at Texas Motor Speedway:

“I’m looking forward to heading to Texas this weekend with my No. 42 Petty GMS team. We have been working on our intermediate package and I believe this weekend should be fun to see how some of these changes play out on track. Ever since the surface was reconfigured a few years ago, it has presented us drivers with such a challenging course to attack. Hopefully, the use of the resin will help promote some good passing opportunities, because the speeds are up and clean air is always king at this place. I’m excited to welcome our friends at Black Rifle Coffee Company back onboard our Camaro, and hope to give everyone a good run for 500 miles in the Lone Star state.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1

“Texas was a tough race for us during the All-Star race. We got voted in by the fan vote and just really struggled all night. We were on a path that I feel like wasn’t working with our mile-and-a-half program at that point. I think we’ve gotten it quite a bit better and know what we need to do better for that race coming back. Hopefully those things will play out for us. I like Texas a lot. I’ve been able to win a hand full of races there in the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, so I want to get strong there in the Cup car and contend for a win with our FOCUSfactor Chevy.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on being named the 2022 Halifax Humane Society’s Humanitarian of the Year: “It is really cool to be nominated for the award. Helping animals is a big passion of mine and something that I really value. Without Ally and Best Friends Animal Society helping me get the money and resources to Best Friends network partners across the country, none of this would be possible. I am honored to receive this award, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully we can win a few more races before the season ends and get even more money to the pets who need it.”

Bowman, on what it takes to make it to the Round of 8:

“Our team is really focused on taking it one race at a time. We did that in the Round of 16 to get to where we are now. The crew is really fired up right now and all of us are putting in the time to give ourselves the best chance of success. Greg (Ives) is really focused and leading us really well right now. I think that if we continue to pay attention to the small details and stay focused on one race at a time, we can go really far this postseason. We have Texas (Motor Speedway) circled right now and that’s all that matters.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Ives on advancing to the Round of 12:

“Despite the mechanical issues, we had a fast car in Bristol and glad we made it to the next round of the playoffs. Our team has worked hard to give Alex (Bowman) really fast race cars and Alex has been locked in on performing and the team is feeding off of his energy. We have a lot of momentum right now and I told the team we don’t have to hit home runs. We just need to get on base and maximize the results. Texas (Motor Speedway) is the next race we all have our focus on.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 AGUAS FRESCAS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on going to Texas and beginning the Round of 12?

“We can’t wait to get to the track. Not only do we have a big weekend planned with Daniel’s Amigos, but Texas is one of my favorite tracks. We know we are better than what we showed at Bristol. Texas, Talladega and the Charlotte Roval are three of my better tracks. We know we can advance, now we have to show everyone else.”

How tough is the mental reset after a struggle at Bristol?

“You have no idea how easy it’s going to be for me to reset because that car was not fun. For me, to be able to make it to the next round with the way the car was driving, is a huge plus. Thank you to everyone on our team. They did a very good job. We had the speed, but there were a lot of mistakes; on pit road, myself, overall. We’ll come back stronger for the next round.”

What is Daniel’s Amigos?

“Daniel’s Amigos was just an idea. I always wanted to do something special for the Latinos, and was just trying to come up with ways to bring this community to the race track and give them a special, cool experience.

After several conversations with Coca-Cola and NASCAR, we were able to make it happen in 2019 at Auto Club Speedway in California and it has just grown from here. It has taken a lot of work by Coca-Cola and NASCAR to make this happen, but I am super excited about it.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 40

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

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)

2022 STATISTICS:

Wins: 16

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 3,329

Top-five finishes: 69

Top-10 finishes: 127

Stage wins: 23

Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas), (Kansas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte), (Pocono), (Richmond)
William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega), (Darlington)
Daniel Suarez (COTA), (Charlotte)
Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte), (Atlantax2)
Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt), (Sonoma), (Pocono)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 830 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 731

Laps led to date: 244,665

Top-five finishes to date: 4,207

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,682

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,164

       Chevrolet: 830

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 818                                                           

       Ford: 718

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 168

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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.

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are going to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend to honor a hero. A cancer hero – the late Nancy Wood.

Mrs. Wood, wife of team co-owner Len Wood, will be recognized as part of an initiative by the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, The NASCAR Foundation and AdventHealth. For the past three years the program has raised awareness and money to be used for research and support of new treatments and to improve the lives of those affected by ovarian and childhood cancers. Her name will appear above the driver’s door of the No. 21 Mustang.

The Cancer Hero program is held in September, which is Childhood and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Mrs. Wood was a popular member of the racing community and a familiar face in the NASCAR garages as she represented the Wood Brothers race team. On race days, she could be found at the team hauler in the garage area, welcoming friends and fans with her friendly smile and outgoing personality.

Even as she battled cancer, Mrs. Wood continued in her role as the “Welcome Wagon” for the family team.

“She never complained,” the team wrote in nominating her for the Cancer Hero program. “She continued to shine. Even on her roughest days, Nancy brightened any room, any track she walked into.

“She fought valiantly. She was beyond grateful for the love and dedication her husband and son showered on her after her diagnosis.”

Nancy Wilds Wood died in December, 2021, after a courageous battle with a rare form of colon cancer.

The DEX Imaging team’s appearance in the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 weekend at Texas Motor Speedway comes at the end of an extra busy week.

Since racing Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, where they finished 16th despite some early tire issues and a spin, Burton and the No. 21 team participated in a two-day test at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Crew chief Brian Wilson said he’s looking forward to Sunday’s 500-miler.

“Texas offers the No. 21 Ford team another return trip to a track this season,” Wilson said, adding that the Homestead test went well for Burton and the crew. “At this test and at the Martinsville test we had competitive speed. What this tells me is that the most important ingredient for our continued progress is laps and a notebook.

“We will have that heading into this weekend.”

He said he was proud of the team’s performance at Bristol under trying circumstances and said he believes the team will work just as hard in the remaining races this year.

“Bristol was a solid result after a challenging start to the race,” he said. “I’m proud of the fight that each team member showed.

“Everyone stayed focused on the task at hand. We clawed our way back into a very respectable finish. Our group will take that same fighting attitude into the rest of the season.”

Practice for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 is set for Saturday at 11:35 a.m. (12:35 p.m. Eastern Time) to be followed by qualifying at 12:20 p.m. (1:20 Eastern).

Sunday’s 334-lap, 500-mile race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 Eastern) with TV coverage on USA Network. Stage breaks are planned for Laps 105 and 201.

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Advance | Thursday, September 22, 2022

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, is one of 12 drivers still in the hunt for this year’s championship. He spoke to members of the media about the difficulty this round presents and his hopes going into this weekend’s opener at Texas Motor Speedway.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – HOW STRESSFUL IS THIS ROUND GOING TO BE? “Stressful for somebody. I think it’s a great opportunity round for a team like us to be able to get some points. I think Texas went well for us in the All-Star Race. I’m not saying that’s gonna mean good things for the second one of the year, but we’ve got good notes and a good opportunity to improve from what was a fairly dominant race for our team between the three of us, so I think Talladega is obviously without saying a wild card and the Roval, even if you’re not good, you can probably strategize some ways to get points, so I think this round is exciting for someone in my position and try to maximize it.”

DOES THE ADVERSITY YOU FACED AT BRISTOL MAKE YOU GUYS STRONGER? DOES THAT PROVIDE A BOND THAT SHOWS YOU CAN FIGHT THROUGH ISSUES LIKE SATURDAY? “I think it’s more of a motivator to anyone that had any doubts like within the team like, ‘Oh, man. We’re done.’ You have to have those thoughts in that situation. You’ve got a right-front down and you go four laps down and you get trapped. You’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh. We’re done. We can’t do this.’ To anyone that would have had those thoughts in the race, I can have those thoughts in the car as well. I didn’t. I had to drive my heart out for the next 350 laps or whatever it was after we went all those laps down, but I think within the team it almost clears the mindset that we can do it. We’ve already proven that you cannot give up in these situations. You don’t know what’s gonna happen, so I think going through that experience certainly helps, but, yeah, obviously, the team dealt with the situation great and we were able to put ourselves in position to advance to the next round.”

HOW CLEARLY CAN YOU SEE YOUR PATH TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP 4 RIGHT NOW? “I think it’s certainly possible for us to point our way into the Round of 8 from that standpoint, but I think anyone who is in the Round of 8 I think you have to win a race. I think you have have to win a race to think that you’re gonna be in the Championship 4, so I think you’ve got three unique racetracks in the Round of 8, but obviously you’ve got to get there first, but I have thought about it. I think, especially someone in my points position, I’m gonna have to win and I think I’m gonna have to be competitive enough to be racing for wins to expect to be in the Championship 4. That kind of goes without saying, but I think anyone that thinks they’re gonna make the Championship 4 has to be winning races in the Round of 8.”

YOU WERE AT HOMESTEAD TESTING THIS WEEK AND HAD A LOT OF SPEED. IS THAT ENCOURAGING AND HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO GET TRACK TIME IN GENERAL FOR A TEST LIKE THAT? “I’ve done a lot of Homestead tests driving Xfinity cars and I’ve been P1 plenty of times and I can’t say that it’s certainly translated into race weekends or at least for the whole stint, but obviously to have some speed, be able to work on stuff – that’s the big thing. Homestead is such a unique racetrack. I wish we would have gotten that chance for probably a few other playoff tracks as far as open tests, but everyone has had the same opportunity and we’ll have the same opportunity to go back and look at the data, but I think it’s also valuable to do it on a tire that’s consistent between a lot of intermediates now, so I think from that standpoint it’s great. The weather is obviously going to be different. It was mid-90s when we were down there testing, so it’s obviously not gonna be that hot when we come back in October, but, either way, it’s great to be able to try out some stuff between all of our cars. I think it’s certainly productive.”

IF I SAID YOU WOULD HAVE A DAYTONA 500 WIN AND BE IN THE ROUND OF 12 BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED, YOU WOULD PROBABLY TAKE IT. IS THE REST OF THIS YEAR ICING ON THE CAKE OR WHEN YOU HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY CAN YOU STILL SAY YOU CAN’T BE SATISFIED? “I think both. Not to give you the obvious answer, but, yeah, I think if someone would have offered me a Daytona 500 win and further into the playoffs at the beginning of the season, yeah, I probably would have taken that deal in my rookie year, but I also believe and I’ve said it at playoff media day that we’re in an era that you’re probably gonna have to win races to make it to the Championship 4, at least in the playoffs and I think in the season where past champions haven’t made it into the playoffs, you have to look at yourself and say this is not an opportunity that’s guaranteed every year. You can’t just be competitive and make it into the playoffs. You have to be winners at some point in the season, so not saying I can’t go out next year and go win a race or two, but I’m just saying it’s hard to do that in the Cup Series and I want to take advantage of the chance that I have right now of being in the playoff. We’ve all seen how crazy it’s gotten this year. I think this year is probably gonna be as crazy as it gets with as much news stuff is going on with tires and cars and teams and drivers and everything that is all very fresh and new, but it’s a huge opportunity. Talking about thinking I can point my way into the Round of 8, which I think is very realistic, that’s a pretty big deal. I mean, this is what everybody works so hard for and I’m excited for the opportunity for the next couple of weeks. I think I can approach it with a pretty loose mindset to your point about icing on the cake because I think I can. I mean, I’m on offense from here on out. I’ve been on offense since the start of the playoffs, really, with our points position, so I think we can be loose and just take advantage and take any chance that we can get.”

YOU LOST YOUR CREW CHIEF FOR FOUR WEEKS EARLIER IN THE YEAR. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT HAVING HIM OUT THAT YOU WOULD TELL BLANEY AND HIS TEAM ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT? “I’m certainly not sure what the team has decided there, but I think every team is gonna go through that a bit differently. Everybody deals with adversity in different ways. Obviously, it’s not ideal, especially at this point in the year. For us, in the middle of the summer, it wasn’t as stressful at the time. Now, I will say that the people that stepped up did a great job. We had some tough races and tough situations that really put us in a bind, whether it was DVP stuff or things that are just that simple or even pit crew stuff or just even race strategy and communication throughout practice. At places like Bristol, where practice happens really fast and you have to make changes really fast, those are the situations you’re gonna be put and the pressure is gonna be on for people that are in positions they’re not used to being in, but I think we’ve got a lot of depth at Team Penske, so I’m personally not really worried for him just because I think no matter what the result is and whenever the suspension is taken, I think that they’re gonna be fine. We’ve got a lot of depth and make sure that they cross their t’s and dot their i’s. I think that’s gonna be important, but it is a tough situation for communication and I think that’s where I would put my focus towards, overcommunicating stuff before weekends and going into weekends.”

GIVEN THE WAY THE SEASON HAS GONE IS THERE A PATH TO JUST LIMITING MISTAKES AND BEING SUPER CONSISTENT AND MAKING IT TO PHOENIX FOR A CHANCE AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP? “I think you certainly could. I think you might have to have more points than me to have a realistic mindset towards it, but I certainly think pointing into the Round of 8 is possible, but I think the mentality of you have to win and from that standpoint I think you have to be good enough to really be good enough to really think you earn it and winning races is really the only clear measure of that, so that’s kind of where my head has been at since the start of the playoffs. I think the outlast portion of the playoffs is just about over because after this round we’re getting to some pretty straight-up racetracks. We’ll have already tested at Homestead. We’ll have already tested at Martinsville and raced at Martinsville and will have already raced at Vegas, so you’re really not gonna get the Bristol type race or Darlington – two super high demanding races that also have some uncertainty going about them – so I think it’s a pretty straight-up round, which makes it really performance-oriented, which is why the opinion that you’re gonna have to win, especially in my position. That’s where my focus is and I think it’s where it will remain.”

WHAT DID YOU LEARN WITH THIS CAR AT THE ALL-STAR RACE THAT IS GOING TO PRESENT ITSELF THIS WEEKEND? “Texas has always been a track position race. I think the biggest difference heading into it, I mean, we’re like mid to high 90s this weekend and we were 70s at night in the All-Star Race and that’s a pretty big difference in pace and fall off. Not that Texas has a lot of fall off, but enough to where you’re probably gonna want tires. It’s also a different tire than what we did in the All-Star Race, so I think there’s a lot of differences that are certainly gonna have to change your mindset of how you approach the race and how you approach strategy. It’s also a 500-mile race. I didn’t really even realize that until this week, so that’s another long race where you have to execute really well. I think execution has been at a premium this season, but a lot of difference heading into this race than the All-Star Race, which is why I’m not like, ‘Man, we dominated the All-Star Race as a team and won a stage and won a million bucks as an organization with Ryan’ Thinking that we can just go out there and set the world on fire I don’t think is realistic. I think there are a lot of decisions that are very important about condition changes.”

YOU CELEBRATED THE 500 WIN AT STEAK N’ SHAKE AND GRAGSON WENT TO A WAFFLE HOUSE. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE AFTER A RACE AND ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES OF THOSE STOPS? “The funny thing is Noah went to Waffle House on a very good day. I’ve come to go to Waffle House usually on a bad day. I usually don’t let myself go home until I’ve gotten over myself on a bad day, whether if that’s going to Waffle House and sitting in my lonesome sulking for a while or parking in my neighborhood and just going for a walk until I’m over myself, but as far as Steak N’ Shake goes, that’s a tradition the Wood Brothers have done for a few of their wins, when they won the 500, so it’s kind of a tip of the hat to them, but even in Indy when they’ve won the Indy 500 and I’ve been there, whether if that’s going downtown to Steak N’ Shake in Indy or something as simple as Kathy Penske and my mom going on a McDonald’s run after an Indy 500 win as we sit down and watch the Coke 600 in the infield of the speedway, so I think it doesn’t matter really who you are, you’re still hungry and food brings everybody together. Sometimes it’s fast food and sometimes it’s gourmet food and sometimes fast food can be gourmet depending on the day.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO HAVE THAT STEAK N’ SHAKE EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR MOM AND DAD IN ADDITION TO YOUR TEAM? “Yeah, it was really cool. The only person missing was really my brother, who doesn’t live stateside anymore, but as far as having the whole band together as far as Indy 500s and stuff like that, but, really special to have both my mom and my dad there with my whole team. We had pit crew guys. We had everybody and it’s one of those moments in life that you kind of have to appreciate while it’s happening, or at least remind yourself that it is happening because it doesn’t happen every day. You don’t do incredible things every day, but when you do it’s certainly possible to do it all again, but I’m a big fan of living in the moment and I think that was an example of living in the moment. Even the people who worked at Steak N’ Shake were all about. They were taking selfies with the whole team. We brought the trophy in there and it was a fun night. That’s what started the night for a lot of the team, but definitely cool to shut the place down with the biggest trophy.”

YOU MENTIONED THE WAFFLE HOUSE ON A BAD NIGHT. DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT? “I’d say that started, I’ve been to Waffle House a lot of times after Bristol. I’ve had a lot of rough races, whether if that means I’ve sucked or something has sucked about the night. I remember after my first Truck race at Bristol I went to Waffle House, just because I was hungry and I was worn out from my first race at Bristol. Yeah, a lot of races after Bristol, whether it’s the one in Statesville on the way home or in Mooresville, sometimes I’d have crew guys come with me and sometimes I didn’t want to be around anybody. Comfort food gets you a long way. Get you the All-Star breakfast. Sometimes I get blueberries in the waffles, it depends on the day, I guess. I’ve got to have ice in the orange juice as well, but otherwise it’s a good comforting place and it’s always open 24 hours, so it’s very reliable.”