Darlington Raceway

Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022
1.366-Mile Oval
6:00 PM ET
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (27 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 Kyle Larson
9 Chase Elliott
24 William Byron
48 Alex Bowman

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 30 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

PLAYOFFS?! PLAYOFFS?!?!: With two victories, three stage wins and six points for finishing fifth in the regular season point standings, Kyle Larson will start the 10-race playoffs in fourth with 2019 points – 21 markers behind leader and teammate Chase Elliott. In this three-race Round of 16, where four drivers will be eliminated following the Sept. 17 event at Bristol Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is 12 points ahead of the cutoff position. Larson will need to win one of the three events or avoid being one of the four lowest playoff drivers on points (who haven’t won in that round) to advance to the Round of 12.

HALF OF ‘EM: Larson won five of the 10 playoff races in 2021 en route to capturing the NASCAR Cup Series championship. He started his title run with a runner-up finish in the opening race at Darlington Raceway in September that included a last-lap “video game-like” maneuver where he rode the turn three and turn four wall in an attempt to overtake the eventual winner.

EGG-CELLENT STATS: In nine Cup Series starts at the South Carolina venue, Larson has five top-five finishes and seven top-10s with an average start and average finish of 8.9 – the second-best average finish all-time amongst drivers with more than two starts. The 2021 Cup Series champion has led in seven of those races for 686 laps – 23 percent of the laps he has completed at the egg-shaped track. Larson has posted runner-up finishes in three of his last four starts at the 1.366-mile track and secured top-three finishes in five of his last seven. In May at Darlington, a mechanical issue on lap 112 after leading 30 laps relegated Larson to a 36th-place result.

FIVER: Larson is tied with Ross Chastain and Elliott for most top-five finishes this season with 10. The trio are two ahead of any other competitor in that statistical category through 26 races in 2022.

A PERFECT 10: On Saturday at Darlington, Larson will drive the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports. The 30-year-old driver has four starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington, finishing in the top 10 in each. He has a 5.8 average finish in those races with his best result of fourth occurring in 2016.

XFINITY AND BEYOND: Larson has competed in two Xfinity races in 2022 – Road America in July and Watkins Glen International in August. At Road America, he won both stages from the pole position before finishing second. Larson started at the rear of the field at Watkins Glen due to unapproved adjustments during pre-race and led the final five laps to claim the win. Overall in his last seven Xfinity starts, the Elk Grove, California, native has five victories and a runner-up result.

RIDING ON THE 5: This weekend’s race will see the name of Kelly Brandt on the right-side window as part Workforce Appreciation Weekend – a partnership with Cup Series teams to showcase the industry’s appreciation of the American Workforce on Labor Day weekend. Brandt has been a Hendrick Certified Master Technician with the Hendrick Automotive Group since 2005 and is currently the technical team lead and service center shop foreman at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Charleston, South Carolina. He has competed in the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown for multiple years and was part of the winning team in 2017.

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. From the convenience of home, customers can shop nearly 20,000 new, quality pre-owned or certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com with no payments until 2023 on pre-owned vehicles for well qualified buyers. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 94 dealership locations nationwide. See dealer for details and exclusions.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 1st

No. 9 NAPA/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Darlington Raceway media center on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 11:15 a.m. local time. Crew chief Alan Gustafson will also be available inside the media center on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 a.m. local time.

PLAYOFF TIME: The NASCAR Cup Series kicks off its playoffs at Darlington Raceway this Sunday. This marks Chase Elliott’s seventh consecutive playoff appearance in as many seasons he’s raced full-time in the series. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native enters this weekend as the top seed after earning the regular season championship and the 15 bonus points that come along with it. He’s currently 33 points above the cutline entering the Round of 16. In 2020, the 10-race playoffs culminated in a championship for Elliott and the No. 9 team after they won the finale at Phoenix Raceway. He also advanced to the Championship 4 last season, ultimately finishing fourth in the standings.

REGULAR SEASON RECAP: During the 26-race regular season, Elliott was a force to be reckoned with, capturing four wins during that span – Dover Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway – the most of any driver in the field. In addition, he was tops in the laps led category with 719 circuits at the front of the field and had a series-best average finish of 10.5.

DARLINGTON STATS: Sunday marks Elliott’s 12th start at Darlington in the Cup Series. In his previous 11 races at the 1.366-mile oval, he has collected three top-five finishes and five top-10s. His best finish of fourth came in the first of the track’s three races in 2020. Earlier this year, Elliott finished fifth at the South Carolina track after starting at the back of the pack due to moving to a backup car. Outside of the Cup Series, the 26-year-old driver has made three Darlington starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning a win at the track during his rookie season in 2014.

ALAN THE CHAMP: Veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson has one Cup Series championship under his belt, which he earned with Elliott and the No. 9 team in 2020. The 2022 season marks his 15th appearance in the Cup Series playoffs, second all-time to only Hendrick Motorsports’ Chad Knaus (17). Gustafson has 12 victories earned during the playoffs – six with Elliott – which is also second to Knaus on the all-time list among crew chiefs.

GUSTAFSON AT DARLINGTON: Gustafson is set to call his 22nd Darlington race in the Cup Series. In his previous 21 starts at the track with five different drivers (Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Elliott), Gustafson has accumulated one win (2009 with Martin), five top-five finishes and nine top-10s with 222 laps led.

DESI9N TO DRIVE: As part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Chase Elliott Foundation has joined forces again with NAPA and Hendrick Motorsports for the sixth edition of its “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. For this weekend’s Cup Series race at Darlington, Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and race uniform will feature a design that was sketched and submitted by 16-year-old Dani (Gamel) Cuevas who was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 13. Cuevas’ design showcases the facility dogs that helped her cope with cancer treatment and therapy during many visits to Children’s before becoming cancer free late last year. Elements of Elliott’s racing uniform are being auctioned off via The NASCAR Foundation’s auction page. The auction closes on Thursday, Sept. 8.

ON BOARD THE NO. 9: At Darlington, the No. 9 will have the names of Kara Klein and facility dog Reggie on the right-side window for the industry-wide Workforce Appreciation campaign. Klein has been at Children’s for 14 years; first as a certified child life specialist and now as the Canines For Kids senior program coordinator. Klein has been a handler with the program since 2010. In April, she became the handler for Reggie and together they work to help motivate patients on some of their hardest days.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 5th

No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

PLAYOFF CONTENDER: With the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs set to kick off this Sunday, this will be William Byron’s fourth appearance in the 10-race battle for the championship. The driver of the No. 24 heads into this year’s playoffs seeded in the fifth position – his highest ranking yet in the reseeded points standings. In the upcoming 10 races, the Cup Series has run on six of those tracks already this season and Byron has one win (Martinsville Speedway) and an average finish of 11.33 – the best average finish of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates in those six races.

UP FRONT: Byron has led the second-most laps so far this season with 612 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who has led 719. Those 612 laps led by Byron are not only his most in a single Cup Series season but came across 13 races – the seventh-most races led by a driver this year.

DARLINGTON DEETS: With eight previous Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Byron is looking to capitalize on his previously strong showings. Despite running well in most of his starts at the 1.366-mile track, Byron’s results don’t accurately represent the strength he had shown. While he has a track-best finish of fourth (May 2021), Byron has two top-five finishes and two top-10s. However, earlier this year, the 24-year-old driver was poised to take home the win at “The Lady in Black” until being moved out of the way for the victory with two laps to go, resulting in a 13th-place finish. In fact, in that race, he had a 6.11 average running position – his fifth-best race of the 2022 season (based on that statistic). Byron also has one NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the venue, where he qualified sixth and raced to a fifth-place result as well.

THE FUGLE FILES: When the Cup Series returns to Darlington on Sunday, it will mark the fourth trip to the South Carolina track for crew chief Rudy Fugle at the top level of NASCAR. Earlier this year, Fugle and the No. 24 team started ninth and were leading before being moved out of the way for the win with two laps to go, resulting in a 13th-place finish. Last season, Fugle called the shots for Byron at Darlington twice, starting fifth and racing to a fourth-place result in the spring and in the fall, where the team was running within the top 10 before a flat tire ended the team’s race early. Prior to last season, Fugle had only three previous starts at Darlington Raceway – two in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

VALVOLINE RETURNS: Valvoline will be the primary sponsor of Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington this weekend. This will be the third race that the Valvoline colors will be onboard Byron’s No. 24, with a fourth race coming at his hometown track for the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. 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 learn more, visit www.valvoline.com.

HONORING ‘JUNGLE’: For Sunday’s race at Darlington, the No. 24 will have a special passenger riding above the right-side window – Jim “Jungle” Gilbert – as a part of the Workforce Appreciation campaign that the industry is recognizing this weekend. Known as “Jungle” by his colleagues, Gilbert was a member of the NASCAR industry from 1989 to 2022 before having to retire due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Spending his career as a transporter driver, Gilbert worked at Hendrick Motorsports on the No. 5 team with driver Kasey Kahne before moving to the No. 24 team with Byron. He was also involved with wheel force testing while with the company.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE OF MIND: While the fueler on the No. 24 team hails from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Landon Walker also has significant ties to the southernmost Carolina state, having played football at Clemson University. The former college offensive tackle earned a scholarship to Clemson in 2007 after being named an All-American offensive lineman in his hometown at East Wilkes High School. While playing at Clemson, Walker recorded 3,131 snaps with 49 starts at tackle through four seasons at the university. In 2011, Walker was named team captain, the same season Clemson went on to win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. The college football standout was then recruited by Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 and earned a position as the starting fueler for the former No. 5 (now No. 24) team in 2015.

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Greg Ives

Standings: 15th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

HOW WE GOT HERE: Alex Bowman will make his fifth consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – all with Hendrick Motorsports – when the elimination-style format gets underway Sunday at Darlington Raceway. He punched his ticket to this year’s postseason with a win in the third race of the 2022 Cup Series season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the regular season, Bowman tallied three top-five finishes and 10 top-10s, placing him 15th in the playoff standings.

NOT TOO SHABBY: In his previous 10 starts at the South Carolina track, Bowman has one top-five finish – a runner-up result in May 2020 where he qualified second and led 41 laps in the 293-lap event – and two top-10s. The No. 48 driver has also completed 3,243 of 3,296 laps at the egg-shaped track – or 98.4 percent.

THE SHOWMAN: Since the start of the 2021 Cup Series season, Bowman has the third-most wins of all drivers with five. He took home hardware at Richmond Raceway (April 2021), Dover Motor Speedway (May 2021), Pocono Raceway (June 2021), Martinsville Speedway (October 2021), and Las Vegas (March 2022). The 29-year-old only trails Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (6) and Kyle Larson (12).

QUITE THE PAIR: Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives have the fifth-most wins of all active driver-crew chief parings with seven. The duo is ranked right behind Larson, the 2021 Cup Series champion, and his crew chief Cliff Daniels (12). Last week, Ives announced that he would be stepping away from the pit box at the end of the 2022 season.

IVES AT DARLINGTON: Ives is no stranger to success at “The Lady in Black,” notching one top-five finish and three top-10s in his 11 starts at the 1.366-mile track in the Cup Series. The 42-year-old crew chief also has two starts atop the pit box in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he took home a win with Elliott in April 2014 and a seventh-place result in May 2013 with Regan Smith.

WORKFORCE APPRECIATION: The No. 48 will have the name of Richard “Shannon” Meadows on the right-side window for the Workforce Appreciation Weekend at Darlington. Meadows joined Ally in 2011 to start up Ally’s Growth channel. In October of 2020, he moved to be part of Ally’s new opportunities team and was recently promoted to the Senior underwriter position. A visit to the Darlington spring race helped him fall in love with the track and the sport.

SAVE THEM ALL: Each week of the season, Bowman and primary sponsor Ally have joined forces to contribute $4,800 to Best Friends Animal Society. If Bowman wins, the donation increases to $10,000. To date, a total of $134,800 has been donated to Best Friends Animal Society and its network partners in each race market the Cup Series visits.

REVVING TO A MILESTONE: The engine shop at Hendrick Motorsports sits three wins away from 500 victories. To date, the company’s engine program is responsible for 337 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, 123 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 22 wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and 15 wins in the ARCA Menards Series and the K&N Pro Series (now ARCA Menards Series East and West) ranks.

KEEP ON COUNTING: Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway will be the 1,300th Cup Series race for 14-time Cup Series champs. That total ranks fourth on the all-time list of races by team.

LEADING THE WAY: With nine wins through 26 Cup Series races in 2022, Hendrick Motorsports has earned the most victories so far this season. It is the only four-car team to see all of its drivers win a race this season. The organization is the only one to have multiple drivers with at least two wins – Chase Elliott (four), Kyle Larson (two) and William Byron (two). On top of that, the 1,667 laps out front lead all teams in the series by 96 circuits. Elliott and Byron rank 1-2 in laps led this year.

PLAYOFF POWER: The 2022 season marks the fifth time that the organization has had four drivers make the playoffs – the most ever by a team. It is the 15th season that the team has had at least three drivers in the postseason and the 17th consecutive season that at least two of its drivers have made the playoffs. The latter two marks are the most of all organizations.

RECORD SETTERS: Hendrick Motorsports has posted a series-best 53 wins in the playoffs. Jimmie Johnson has the most with 29 victories. Among the current driver lineup, Elliott tops the board with six wins, followed by Larson with five and Alex Bowman has one. Nine different drivers have won a playoff race for the Concord, North Carolina-based team, which is the most in the Cup Series ranks.

STREAK GOING STRONG: Dating back to the 2021 playoffs, Hendrick Motorsports has won five straight races in the elimination-style postseason. That mark is one shy of the record six won by one team. Larson won four of those five en route to the 2021 championship while Bowman took the other victory.

ON TOP AT DARLINGTON: The company’s 14 wins at the South Carolina track are the most all-time by team – the Southern 500 has been won a record 11 times by the squad. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon accounts for half of the 14 track wins with seven. Johnson posted three wins, while Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Tim Richmond and Ricky Rudd each tallied one trip to victory lane at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

ENCORE, ENCORE: The No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro is making another Xfinity Series start beyond its initially announced three races. Larson will be behind the wheel at Darlington – he was previously announced to be driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – in Saturday’s race. Kevin Meendering will serve as the team’s crew chief. The organization has 26 wins in the series with Tony Stewart recording the last win to date at Daytona International Speedway in 2009. Larson, Bowman and Byron have each driven the No. 17 this year at Road America, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Watkins Glen International, respectively. Those starts marked the organization’s first in the Xfinity ranks in 13 years.

EDGE OF SEVENTEEN: The No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro in the Xfinity Series carries special significance to the Hendrick Motorsports family. It is the same number Ricky Hendrick drove in the Truck Series. That number has won 39 times in Xfinity Series history and two of the four drivers to win in it – Darrell Waltrip and Labonte – would go on to win in the Cup Series with the Rick Hendrick-owned organization.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Darlington Raceway and the Round of 16: “We had a really fast car last time before we had trouble. The first round has a lot of really good tracks for us. Darlington (Raceway), Kansas (Speedway) and Bristol (Motor Speedway). Those are honestly three of my best racetracks. I really like that round and hopefully we can do well in it and get some wins and get some bonus points. I have always run really well at Darlington, but have not gotten a win there yet. I finished second three times in a row before this year, so would love to be one spot better there and finally get that Darlington win that I have been close to getting.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the challenge of setting a car up for Darlington: “It drives me crazy trying to set the car up but Darlington (Raceway) is hands down my favorite track on the circuit with Bristol (Motor Speedway) probably close behind that. Darlington is such a challenge. The track itself, how to race it, how to run your own race, executing the pit stops and the green-flag strategy. Everything around Darlington is a true, gritty, racer-type feel to the track and race – it just has that aura. I enjoy it but I am pulling my hair out every second of the day trying to get it right, have a good plan and have a good car to do the things we need to do but that is part of what makes it fun.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on this weekend’s “DESI9N TO DRIVE” paint scheme and program: “Partnering with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been going on for about five years now, but last year was the first year we kind of brought it to life on track. That came through an opportunity with NAPA AUTO PARTS, which is my primary sponsor and has been a great partner. When you have a partner that is willing to give up its race to let someone design the car, get behind the foundation and try to make a difference in the community, I think that really says a lot. You don’t see that very often. I’m looking forward to having Dani, the young lady that designed the car, and her family at the track this weekend and hosting them. I’m hoping everyone loves that paint scheme as much as I do.”

Elliott on kicking off the playoffs in Darlington: “Darlington (Raceway) is the beginning of a long road ahead. A lot can happen in 10 weeks. A lot can happen in one race weekend, much less 10. So, you know, it’s baby steps and one weekend at a time. Darlington is that first stop and you want to try to get off on a good note and see where it takes you. We’re happy to have those 15 bonus points. We’ve never been in a position to have many bonus points going into the final 10. Hopefully, we can take those points we’ve accumulated and help us get through these rounds. Hopefully, we don’t need them, but if you do have a bad day, you have a little bit of something to fall back on which is always nice. I’m looking forward to getting going and seeing where we stack up this first week and where we need to go from there.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his thoughts for the first race of the playoffs: “I’m optimistic heading back to Darlington (Raceway) for the second time this year. We had the speed we needed in the spring to be in the lead when it mattered. The fall race is always a challenge though when it comes to heat and the transition throughout the race. I’m confident in Rudy (Fugle) and my team, though, that we’ll be prepared for every scenario. Getting off on the right foot for the first race of the playoffs is crucial so you’re not feeling like you are trying to play catch-up throughout the round. If we put together solid races and control the factors we can control, I think we can end the race with a win or at least a good result, which will set us up well for the next two races.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what he expects from Sunday’s race: “We ran well in the spring race at Darlington (Raceway) but this weekend’s race will be about as different as can be. It’s a longer race for starters, so there will be a bigger emphasis on strategy, especially with how high tire fall off is there. Sunday’s race is going to be much hotter than it was earlier this year. I do think we have some good notes to work off of since this race starts in the daytime. The biggest thing will be making changes to keep up with the track as it transitions from day to night. I think whoever keeps up with those changes the best will be the ones who find themselves running up front towards the end. Hopefully that’s the No. 24 team and we can kick off the first race of the playoffs with a good run.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on making the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year with Hendrick Motorsports: “I am super happy to make the playoffs again and I think it shows the strength of our organization. We have a lot of really smart people working on our cars and giving me the best equipment each weekend to go out there and compete for wins. Greg (Ives) and myself have made the playoffs every season we have been together, and I am looking forward to getting another shot to compete for a championship.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on going into his last playoffs as a crew chief: “It’s bittersweet for me. Obviously, I have had a lot of success in the past, but this is my last shot to get a Cup Series championship. I think we have the team capable of contending every weekend and a driver that can get it done. We just have to continue to work hard, stay focused on each weekend and capitalize on every opportunity we get. I have enjoyed my career as a crew chief, and I will take in every moment as I close out this season.”

CHASE BRISCOE
Darlington Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)

● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 4

● Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

● Layout: 1.366-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 367 laps/501.3 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 115 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 137 laps

● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● As the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Darlington (S.C.) Raceway for the second time this year, Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 HighPoint.com team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) look to tame the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval in Sunday night’s Cookout Southern 500, the kickoff to the 10-race Cup Series playoffs.

● Darlington also marks Briscoe’s debut in the Cup Series playoff format. The playoffs begin with 16 drivers, including the 15 drivers who combined to win the first 26 races of the year. Four drivers will be eliminated at the end of each of the first three rounds before the final four drivers compete for the championship Nov. 6 at Phoenix Raceway, where Briscoe and the No. 14 team claimed victory earlier this year. Briscoe starts the playoffs in the 12th position with a two-point cushion above the cutoff line.

● Briscoe has three Cup Series starts at Darlington with a best finish of 11th in the May 2021 race. He also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at “The Track Too Tough To Tame,” one being the most memorable performance of his career – his May 2020 win over two-time Cup Series champion and the winningest driver across NASCAR’s top three series, Kyle Busch.

● This Sunday at Darlington, Briscoe will drive a black-and-white HighPoint.com Ford Mustang, eschewing the traditional blue-and-white colors of HighPoint for one of the crown jewel races of the NASCAR Cup Series – the Southern 500. The change in color honors the late sportswriter and 2016 Squier-Hall Award recipient Benny Phillips, who gave Darlington the moniker, “The Lady in Black.” The No. 14 will also carry the name of HighPoint employee Joe Conforth.

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

When you first visited Darlington in May with the NextGen car, the race was drastically different than what we’ve seen there in the past. Does that change now that everyone has had more time with this car?

“Anywhere we go where there isn’t a lot of grip, these cars are really hard to drive. And you add in the tire fall-off and that makes it worse. It was for sure a wreckfest when we were there in May, so it’ll be interesting. I think we know a little more about what to expect this time, but I don’t know what that means for how the cars will race. I hope we don’t have the same situation. We really can’t eliminate ourselves, and getting through that first race at Darlington will be important.”

Are the playoffs a chance for this team to start over?

“Truthfully, I feel like we’ve had speed every week but, unlike a lot of teams, we run anywhere from seventh to 12th for a lot of the race. Then we finish 18th to 23rd. So, it’s definitely nice to have a little bit of a reset button. I know we have the speed, it’s just a matter of putting the whole race together. And you know, there are a lot of variables that determine what that means each week. I definitely think it’s a bit of a second life to a certain extent, and one that I’m looking forward to having.”

What is the difference between not being in the playoffs last year as a rookie, compared to being in this year with a chance to fight for a championship?

“It’s a big difference. It’s not so much that you don’t have anything to race for when you don’t make the playoffs, but there’s a big change in how your race weekend goes when that happens. You go to the track and the attention isn’t on you and your focus as a team is a little different. You still want to win races but you’re trying not to mess up another guy’s day and take away his shot at a playoff win, where now that’s us. We need the good days, we need the wins and you’re just hoping that you don’t do anything to take it away from yourself. And there’s more excitement now to get to the track. This team is excited. We know we can win, we did that at Phoenix, and we know if we can put things together one race at a time, we have a chance to be back at Phoenix competing for a championship. We’ve had a long time to think about how we’d handle things in the playoffs and now they’re here, so it’s time for us to execute, and I feel like we’re in a good place to do that.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser
Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

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

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink
Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Southern 500 Advance | Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Mustang, makes his NASCAR Cup Series debut in this weekend’s playoff opener at Darlington Raceway. Cindric, who won the NASCAR Xfinity Series title in 2020, met with reporters to discuss the postseason and the expectations for he and his team.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – IS THE PLAYOFF FORMAT THE REASON WE HAVEN’T HAD A BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPION IN THE LAST DECADE? “Yeah. I certainly think the format is significantly more challenging to win. That’s how it is and I think from year to year you see teams and drivers that are capable of winning a race has changed. You see that changing ebbing and flowing throughout the season, so it doesn’t surprise me that with the format that rewards winning races over anything else, overall odds, certainly that changes how you line up to be in the Championship 4.”

BRISTOL, ROVAL AND MARTINSVILLE ARE ELIMINATION RACES. HOW WOULD YOU RANK THEM IN TERMS OF DIFFICULTY TO ADVANCE? “I think Bristol has the most unknowns because it’s really one of the few racetracks left that we don’t have – the Roval we have a test from there. Martinsville we have a test and a race, but Bristol we don’t have really much data from any of the teams as far as what you have to bring to the racetrack. No one really has a notebook from Bristol, so I would say from a team and driver standpoint that probably has the most unknowns.”

A ROOKIE HASN’T FINISHED IN THE TOP 10 SINCE 2016. IS THAT AN ITEM ON YOUR CHECKLIST? “I can’t say I’ve really put a number on things, but certainly advancing as far in the playoffs as possible is where my head is at and where I think this team is looking for. I think it’s also something that we’re capable of. We come into the playoffs pretty low on playoff points, but at the same time eight points puts me fifth right now, so it’s pretty tight. It’s been a tight season and I think execution and consistency has been at a premium and I think those that are able to perform in that manner is where I think I have to have my mind. I think we’re gonna have to put three really great races together to move onto the next round and start all over again. With that mentality, I don’t think there’s much to lose and a lot to gain. Like I said, it’s my rookie season and I’m only gonna get better from here. We’re only gonna get better as a team from here, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”

THIS IS YOUR FIRST SOUTHERN 500. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RACE? “I see the Darlington Southern 500 being the biggest mental challenge I’ve had in my career as far as races go, as far as race strategy. Obviously, you mix the playoffs into that. I think you get the length of a race, at least the mental focus you have to have of the Coke 600 mixed with the discipline and the focus that you have to have to run long runs at Richmond and you’re on a knife edge at Darlington, so I think you combine all of those and it’s a pretty big challenge and something I’m excited to experience.”

IS IT NICE TO FINALLY GET TO THE PLAYOFFS? “Yeah, it certainly does. Last week was stressful for all of us at Team Penske, just trying to make sure we got all three of us in. Really throughout the summer still knowing that points were certainly important, so, from that standpoint, it’s a bit of a reset. I honestly feel mentally pretty good. I don’t feel like there’s much expectation plus or minus, so you just go out and try to put together three really great races and try and be consistent and try not to beat ourselves. That’s the opportunity – obviously there are past champions that aren’t in the playoffs right now, so, from that standpoint it’s not guaranteed that I’ll be in it next year or the year after or whatever else, so it’s a great opportunity and it’s a great opportunity in my rookie season and we just have to do everything to make the most of it.”

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT MENTALLY IN THE PLAYOFFS? “In Xfinity I’ve really had the last couple of years quite a few playoff points. I’d probably have to go back to my first year in Xfinity and first year in the Truck Series of going into the playoffs with the least amount of points as I have now, but, from that standpoint, the field is super tight. Like I said before, you can look at it from I’m three below and have some of the fewest playoff points, but I could also look at it as eight points puts me fifth. You think about how easy it is to gain and lose eight points over three races. I think there’s everything to gain for us right now, so I’m excited for that, but I think the ball is in each team’s court for Darlington because it’s such an easy race to beat yourself and it’s such an easy race to get so far behind so early in the first round. We’ll do our part to make sure that doesn’t happen. The races still play out. They still wreck off of two and you can still get collected, but I’m looking forward to having a solid race and doing all the laps.”

WHERE IS YOUR TEAM AT RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS EXPECTATIONS? “I don’t have any expectations. I got the same questions before the start of the season on what my expectations were for my rookie year and, honestly, I want to do my job. That’s the only expectation I have is to have a team that has all of the resources and capability to be able to do that and we’ve certainly delivered on a lot of occasions. We were certainly having a great season if you look back and I have to give myself perspective sometimes that I’m racing round guys who are having career best years and sometimes I want too much, so I think that’s a good thing, but, at the same time, I think the pursuit of being the best is what we’re about here at Team Penske. I don’t think we feel like we’ve got that covered at the moment, so between the three of us I think there’s still more that we want to get, but as far as the 2 car, I feel like we’re the best we’ve been so far. I think we’ve got our process down. The communication is certainly the best it’s been, so I think all of those things are important when I’m racing against guys that have decades with that experience.”

YOUR BIRTHDAY IS FRIDAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES OF A PREVIOUS BIRTHDAY? “Yeah, you guys all know the show Survivor. My family is big into the show Survivor, so we would always watch every season and when I turned 10 I had a Survivor-themed birthday party. All of my buddies from school came over and everyone had the bandanas and this and that and had all of the challenges, so we went all-out on the 10th birthday. And since my 10th birthday, that’s been it. I don’t know if that makes us lame or whatever, but we don’t really celebrate birthdays that hard. Sometimes I will just forget that it’s my birthday, but my birthday is on Friday. I did qualify on the pole in Canada at the truck race on my birthday, so that was cool, but, otherwise, it’s just another day in the year and another tick on the calendar. I don’t know, I guess I’m not that excitable when it comes to days. I’d rather get excited about Christmas or Halloween or something like that.”

WHAT IS MORE SPECIAL ABOUT HALLOWEEN OR CHRISTMAS THAN A BIRTHDAY? “I don’t like all of the focus being on me in that sense. I mean, I’m a race car driver and I get to do all the other cool things, so I don’t need a day for myself, I guess. That’s not just me being modest, that’s kind of how I feel. I’m not someone who takes compliments very well and that kind of falls in the same category of everybody just caring about me for a day. I’d rather just have a nice dinner and move on. September 3rd no one gives a crap about you anyway.”

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE SURVIVOR CHALLENGES AND WHAT KIND OF FOOD DID YOU HAVE? “I’m trying to remember what some of the challenges were, but we only had an evening. It wasn’t a full 26 days or however long that show lasts. My mom would certainly remember because she is definitely the crafty one. She’s was certainly the master of a lot of this, but I do remember there always used to be the food challenge in Survivor, where you had to eat the gross foods and not throw up. I think we did a certain extent of that, not too far, but I do remember one where you had the Oreo on top of your head and you’ve got to get the Oreo in your mouth without using your hands. It was probably more like bar games than anything else for 10 year olds.”

DID YOU GET THE OREO? “I did. I’m pretty good at that one. I’ve got good dexterity with my tongue. Don’t read too far into that, but it’s just a talent, I guess.”

WHY DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE ADAPTED TO CUP EASIER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER ROOKIES THIS YEAR? “It’s certainly hard to say, speaking on other guys and what their experience level is and how they’ve done, but I do feel like you look at the guys who have moved up over the last couple years and I feel like there’s been a pretty good wave that’s come through the Xfinity Series the last four or five years. I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to go into my rookie season in Cup probably as best-prepared as anybody could be with the level of Cup experience I had before this season, the number of years I had in the Xfinity Series and working with the same team, so I certainly feel like I was set up for success in that sense, so a big credit to Team Penske for not only putting the faith in me, but also the right steps in place for that. From that standpoint, I feel like I certainly had that opportunity and feel like I’ve taken advantage of it, but as far as this summer and leading into the playoffs I think we’ve been really consistent. I feel like there have been a few races – Pocono and Watkins Glen come to mind, just races that I feel like I could have done a better job and kind of a good wake up call heading into a race like Darlington that what I do behind the wheel executing is certainly important and certainly plays a massive role in the car’s success during the weekend.”

IS THE MINDSET ANY DIFFERENT PREPARING FOR THE CUP PLAYOFFS THAN THE XFINITY PLAYOFFS? “I think there’s a similar mindset. The same amount of cars get eliminated, but you’ve just got an extra round. From that standpoint, I’d say all of that is fairly similar. Your competitors are different. I would say the biggest difference between Cup and Xfinity is that in Cup there is a strong likelihood that you are racing against guys that aren’t in the playoffs, whereas in Xfinity you’re racing all guys in the playoffs so everybody is getting stage points. There are really small margins to gain, whereas in the Cup Series I feel like there’s probably plenty of times you’re not gonna get stage points. Anytime you get stage points is a big deals, whereas it’s kind of expected in Xfinity with the field that you’re racing with. I think it’s just the depth in the field that plays that role. Those stage points really make a large difference in advancing through rounds of the playoffs.”

A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS IN THE PLAYOFFS YOU HAVE RACED IN XFINITY. IS THAT AN ADVANTAGE? “Anybody else who has as little experience with me that’s along for the ride is probably an advantage or maybe at least common ground.”

WHAT DOES THE ROOKIE YEAR OF THE AWARD MEAN TO YOU? “It’s one of those things you only really get one shot at having. In the Truck Series and Xfinity Series I didn’t get that, so getting it in the Cup Series is certainly a big honor and, like I said, you’ve got one opportunity to do it and one rookie season and it’s certainly been a big positive. That’s one box checked for the year, but certainly higher aspirations from there.”

DO YOU THINK BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS HELPS WITH GAINING RESPECT OR DO THEY STILL SEE THAT YELLOW BUMPER AND FEAR THE WORST? “I walked into the shop today and I’ve got three yellow stripes on the back of my car now. I’ve got one for the playoffs on the spoiler and I’ve got two on the bumper. I’d like to keep three rookie stripes for as long as possible and I think that will pay dividends for what you just described.”

HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY ADVICE FROM YOUR TEAMMATES? OR DON’T THEY WANT TO GIVE UP ANY SECRETS? “I can’t say I’ve really received any advice, so from that standpoint and to your latter point, there’s some truth to that, but, at the same time, I can’t say I’ve really asked. I think the biggest thing is just doing it race by race, lap by lap. From there, I think it’s easy to put a lot of pressure on the situation with the opportunity that’s there. I mean, we’re talking about a shot to win a championship. That’s only a few race wins away from being capable for somebody in this field of 16, so from my standpoint, it’s another race, another week. Just like the Daytona 500 it’s the biggest race of the year, but it’s also just another race on the calendar and you’ve got to treat it as such. Remember what has gotten you here. Remember the process. Trust the process, but from there no real additional advice.”

23XI Racing Looks to Maximize Points in the Owner’s Championship

Mooresville, N.C. (Aug. 31, 2022) — 23XI Racing announced today that Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD, will switch car numbers for the final 10 races of the season and run the No. 45 as the organization pursues the Owner’s Championship. Wallace will remain paired with his crew chief, Bootie Barker. The move will best position 23XI Racing and the No. 45 car for the strongest run in the playoffs for the Owner’s Championship.

Ty Gibbs will continue to serve as 23XI’s substitute driver and will now drive the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD with Billy Scott remaining as the crew chief. Aside from the number being different, there will be no changes to the primary partners on either car.

With the No. 45 team in the Owner’s Championship but not the Driver’s Championship, the opportunity arose to look at different options to give the organization the best chance for the highest possible finish at the end of the season. This situation marks the first time in the Modern Era of the Cup Series that a team has been in one championship but not the other.

“After consulting with NASCAR, we made this decision in the best interest of the entire organization and for all our employees who helped earn a spot in the playoffs for the Owner’s Championship through their hard work,” said team president Steve Lauletta. “While Ty has done a great job for us in the No. 45 car, we feel that Bubba’s experience in this car, at the upcoming playoff tracks and his recent momentum will give 23XI the best chance at maximizing our points each weekend. We recognize that this is a unique opportunity in the Cup Series, and we’re grateful to our employees and partners for standing with the team and supporting this decision.”

STATESVILLE, North Carolina (Aug. 31, 2022) – Today, Petty GMS officials announced a strengthening of partnership with EG3 Technologies and Ty Dillon, driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet. The new partner will first be showcased on Dillon’s Camaro ZL1 this weekend in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Headquartered on the Petty GMS campus in Statesville, North Carolina, EG3 Technologies provides advanced hybrid-manufacturing and electro-mechanical design and assembly solutions for government agencies and businesses that have a requirement for extreme performance and reliability. Brian Sorel and Spencer Gallagher have lead the team of experts since its formation in 2018, when Gallagher made the transition from racing as a NASCAR driver to pursuing entrepreneurship opportunities.

Sorel was quoted with these remarks ahead of the announcement: “The partnership between EG3 Technologies and Petty GMS has been ever-evolving since our founding, and has been beneficial to both parties throughout the entire process. We have been able to supply the team with engineering parts manufactured in house, and at the same time, we’ve grown our operations by utilizing the team’s facilities. Having the ability to enhance our partnership by showcasing it to the world means a great deal to us, and we are looking forward to seeing our colors on the track with Ty Dillon.”

For Gallagher, this weekend will be a bit of a homecoming, as he plans on returning one of his favorite racetracks not as a driver, but as a partner. “Since 2018, I’ve been hard at work pursuing my dream of solving great problems with EG3 Technologies. Now that we’ve joined forces with Petty GMS, EG3 has grown by leaps and bounds into one of the foremost advanced manufacturing and design firms in the country. Utilizing groundbreaking technology and harnessing the brightest minds from America’s most inventive sport, EG3 has grown into its role as a bright new upstart, right along its sister Petty GMS.”

There has been a lot to be proud of and look forward to heading into the start of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason at Darlington Raceway. Ty Dillon enters Sunday’s event looking to repeat his success from the spring race, where the veteran finished in 12th position. Currently, the No. 42 Petty GMS team is on a hot streak of four top-20 finishes in a row.

“This weekend at Darlington will be a lot of fun as we partner up with EG3 Technologies. It’s been really cool to see what Spencer, Brian, and their team have been able to accomplish with this venture, and having their business based on the team’s campus really brings us all together as one. I believe that EG3 has the capability to grow and take on some projects that go way beyond racing, so having the opportunity to promote their company on our No. 42 Chevy will be a great experience.” notes Dillon.

Fans can watch the No. 42 EG3 Technologies Chevrolet make its on-track debut this coming Sunday at 6:00 PM ET on the USA Network. For more news, coverage, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Petty GMS across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

About EG3 Technologies:

Founded in 2018, EG3 Technologies LLC is a privately held Small Business Enterprise (SBE) providing Part 145 Repair Capabilities, advanced hybrid manufacturing, and electro-mechanical design/assembly solutions for government agencies and businesses that have requirements for extreme performance and reliability. EG3’s founding vision came through the observations and experiences of its creators, which underscored the need for an agile organization that can provide business and government agencies with rapid development of the innovative, high-performance solutions they rely on. EG3’s entry into the marketplace has been received with accolades, with multiple customer testimonies to the high standards of their innovation and execution, as well as their exceptional communication and client responsiveness. Since 2020, EG3 has created dedicated Government and Large Business verticals to better address the needs of requirements of its large-scale clients.

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. Founded in December 2021, Maury Gallagher, championship team owner of GMS Racing, purchased a majority interest of Richard Petty Motorsports. Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, known as “The King,” remains a key stakeholder of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pettygms.com.

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