NASCAR CUP SERIES
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
GOODYEAR 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 6, 2022

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Press Conference Transcript:

DID YOU GUYS GET A CHOICE OF WHICH NASCAR XFINITY RACES YOU WANTED TO DO? IF SO, WHY DID YOU PICK THIS ONE?

“Yeah, we did. The process was kind of up in the air based on what JRM could do, as far as a fifth car, and what races they also had open for HendrickCars.com to support. We did have a choice and I wanted to do this one. I just feel like I’ve struggled here the last couple of years and I haven’t done a great job. So, I wanted some extra laps. I don’t know if it will help or not, but I wanted to give it an effort to do so and try to be better for Sunday.”

EARLY ON, THERE WERE SOME HEAT CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CAR AND SOME CHANGES WERE MADE. HAS ALL THAT BEEN CLEARED UP? AND ADJACENT TO THAT, WHAT’S THE HOTTEST YOU’VE BEEN IN A RACE CAR?

“Yeah, honestly we haven’t really had any really hot races yet. So, I think it’s kind of tough to say. It’s really been a pretty mild spring; mild start to the year. It was fairly warm at COTA. I’d say that was probably the hottest one we’ve had, so far. And really outside of that, it’s been pretty cool about everywhere we’ve been. I’m not really sure just yet until we get to the summer months. This weekend is fairly warm, but it’s not as hot as it has been down here on other trips.

We’ll see. I don’t know, man. I’ve been hot plenty of times in the car. Just the right circumstance and the right car configuration can certainly bake you.”

DID LAST WEEK’S WIN CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT GOING FORWARD THIS SEASON AND WHAT YOU GUYS CAN ACCOMPLISH?

“Honestly, no. I feel like for us, like I said last weekend and the weeks leading up to last week, I feel like we’ve been solid at times and had a lot of pace. We just hadn’t been able to put an entire race together until last Sunday. We just have to do more of that and try to be better. Better execute the entirety of an event. I think as long as we’re doing those things, I think we can run and compete with the best of the garage. I feel confident in that; just as confident in that today as I did three weeks ago.”

YOUR DAD IS IN THE FOX BOOTH FOR STAGE THREE THIS WEEKEND. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

“Not a ton. Just logistics of getting over here and getting home. I think it’ll be interesting. He’s not much of a TV guy, so that should be fun for him. He didn’t have to do it, so somehow or another they talked him into doing it. Why that was, I don’t really know. But I think it will be entertaining. For him, it’s not something he does all the time. He wasn’t one of those guys that got done racing and wanted to go do TV. It will be a good vantage point for him and I look forward to seeing how he does.”

CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE EVOLATION OF WHAT CHEVROLET HAS DONE THE LAST FEW YEARS? OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS THAT STRETCH WHERE EVEN WITH SOME SUCCESS, THEY WEREN’T GETTING CARS IN THE FINAL FOUR. NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU’RE NOT IN A CHEVROLET, YOU’RE STARTING BEHIND IN A WAY. JUST KIND OF THAT EVOLATION YOU’VE EVEN EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND HOW YOU’RE SEEING THE GROWTH IN THAT PERIOD FROM YOUR EYES.

“I think it’s like what my dad has always said over the years and has tried to teach me – it’s a rollercoaster and it’s going to continue to evolve. There is going to be a time where that’s not the case. I’m a Chevy guy and I want that to always be the case. But that’s just not how it works. You’re going to go through periods where you’re going to struggle and you’re going to have to go back to work and get better. I think 2016, ’17, ’18 – I guess more ’17 and ’18 – we were certainly behind and needed to be better. We tried to come together as a manufacturer and, fortunately, we were able to do that.

I think Chevrolet should take a lot of pride in that; and the teams within that banner should take a lot of pride in that, too. I can’t say that anything just miraculously changed overnight. I think it’s just the way this deal works. You’re going to go through those periods and you have to ride that wave while it’s good in a positive manner, just like you do when it’s bad. And just accept that’s the way it’s going to be sometimes. That can be a hard thing to accept in certain periods, but I am a believer that I think that’s just how this works and I don’t ever see that really changing.”

WILLIAM BYRON SIGNED A CONTRACT EXTENSION, SO NOW EVERYONE AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS IS SIGNED AT LEAST THROUGH 2023. DOES IT MATTER? PRO ATHLETES ARE USED TO CHANGE, BUT DOES IT MATTER THAT EVERYBODY IS SETTLED?

“I think it’s great. Those three guys deserve their opportunities in my eyes and I think they’ve done a great job. They’ve had a lot of success and have run really well over the course of the last couple of years. So yeah, I think it’s a great thing. When a guy or a girl is deserving of an opportunity and they’re able to achieve that and have one presented to them in a manner like all of our guys have, I think it says a lot about them. I think HMS is in a really solid place right now. I feel like we all work pretty well together. It’s just kind of an easy flow in operation, which is good. I think it’s a great thing. I’m happy for William (Byron) and, in light of his news this week, I think he’s very deserving. I look forward to racing with him and working with him over the next few years too.”

YOU’VE MENTIONED YOU HAVEN’T DONE WELL AT DARLINGTON LATELY, BUT IN 2014 WHEN YOU FIRST SHOWED UP IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE FINISH. HAVE YOU LOOKED BACK ON THE TAPE FROM THAT AND KIND OF GET INTO YOUR HEAD OF WHAT YOU DID AND HOW YOU MADE ALL THOSE PASSES HAPPEN?

“Yeah, it seems like I’ve just gotten worse here over time. So, I guess ignorance was bliss. But as it pertains to that night in particular, the win was great, don’t get me wrong. But I was really more proud of how we ran. I felt like we were one of the best couple of cars that night. I thought us and Kyle Busch were really good that night. (Kyle) Larson was also good that night. But I thought we were right there amongst the best and I thought that was something to be really proud of as a group and as we were getting started.

As far as how the end of the race went, the seas kind of parted for me. Just the way it kind of worked out. I had the outside lane and the opportunities were just kind of laid there in front of me for me to pickup as I came along. But that was probably more of good fortune and being in the right place at the right time on a fresh set of tires in all reality. Beyond that, we were solid all night and that kept us in a position to have a shot at it. I think that’s something to be more proud of than having things just go your way in the right time. It was a great night and hopefully we can get back in that direction.

I feel like we’ve been really sporadic here for whatever reason. I feel like we had a really good run here in one of the races in 2020, and then struggled really bad in the race in 2021. I don’t know if we raced here once or twice last year; but if there were two, neither one of them stuck out so they must not have been very good in my eyes. So, hopefully this week is better.”

HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO JIMMY MEANS ABOUT THE THROWBACK PAINT SCHEME?

“No, I haven’t. Not at all actually. Just in my talking with the folks at NAPA, they were excited about it. If they’re excited about it, then I’m excited about it. It’s a good looking car. I’m excited to represent their colors as always and hopefully we can give it a good run.”

IF YOU’RE NOT GIVING SOMEONE THE FINGER ON THE TRACK, THEN YOU DON’T REMEMBER (LAUGHS).

“Well, yeah I guess (laughs). That was in 2020, wasn’t it? Yeah, that one stood out, for sure. Not the ones last year. But I thought we were really good that night. That was part of my frustration. I thought we had a real shot at winning that thing.”

AFTER HAVING THE CAR LIKE YOU HAD LAST WEEK, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE GUY TO BE LIKE ‘MAN, I WANT TO HAVE THAT CAR FOR THIS TRACK OR THAT TRACK’? IF YOU HAVE BEEN LIKE THAT, HOW DOES THAT CHANGE WITH THIS CAR BECAUSE I’M SURE IT’S JUST A ROTATION RIGHT NOW OF WHERE THEY’RE GOING.

“I used to be like that when I was racing late models and stuff. We only had a couple of cars, so we would find one you liked and ran good with. If you were fortunate enough to not tear it up for a period of time, you wanted to keep bringing it back and you kind of had a little bit of a connection with it.

Since I got into the NASCAR world, not so much. I feel like everything is so precise, as far as the builds go. And from where I sit, I told you guys before – aside from the sticker over there on the dash, I couldn’t tell you one from another, to be honest with you. I really have no idea, as far as what chassis number we’re on or which one we ran last week; which one we’re bringing this week or whatever. I don’t really have a tie to it now.

And two, with the setup stuff, I think it’s really more about if you go somewhere and you have success with a certain balance of a car. I think it’s maybe more about going back and looking through some of that stuff and trying to replicate it. But you can implement those types of things in any car that we have. I think they’re all so close now that the number on the frame doesn’t really matter to me.”

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
GOODYEAR 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 5, 2022

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1, met with the media via teleconference in advance of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Press Conference Transcript:

THERE’S SOME EXCITING NEWS FOR YOU THAT WAS RELEASED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TODAY ABOUT YOUR CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS. BEFORE WE GO TO THOSE QUESTIONS, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT ANNOUCEMENT MEANS TO YOU?

“It certainly means a lot. It’s just been a special few weeks – to get the wins that we did and then have this announcement today is obviously great. I’m really excited for it. Excited for the next few years and just want to keep building what we’re doing with our No. 24 team. I feel like we’re really starting to build good momentum. I’ve got great people around me with my Crew Chief Rudy (Fugle) and all the people he has assembled under me. Just really excited, thankful and hopefully keep it going.”

WAS THERE ANY PART OF THIS NEGOTIATION THAT WERE DIFFICULT FOR YOU, JUST FROM THE SENSE OF NOW THAT YOU’VE REALLY ESTABLISHED YOURSELF. YOU HAVE WINS, YOU COULD PROBABLY – I DON’T WANT TO SAY DEMANDS – BUT ASK FOR THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU COULDN’T ASK FOR IN THE PAST. MAYBE YOU HAD SOME LEVERAGE. WAS IT ANY DIFFERENT OF A NEGOTIATION OR ANY WAY STRESSFUL?

“It was a little different, but I think it’s really fair. I think they’ve done a great job. I connected with Rod Moskowitz this off season; started working with Pro Sport. It was definitely different. This is kind of my first deal outside of my rookie contract and I think that it’s good to kind of understand the economic sense of the sport a little bit more as I’ve gotten older, and start to understand all of the moving parts and what goes into it.

I thought it was educational and fair. Definitely left me excited and looking forward to the years ahead. It was different, for sure. But I’m happy with it. I’m happy with how everything turned out.”

SPEAKING OF THE ECONOMICS OF THE SPORT – CHASE (ELLIOTT) SIGNED A FIVE-YEAR DEAL. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT SAY WITH THE TV DEAL COMING FOR RENEWAL AND NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH THE TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE GETTING STARTING IN 2025, THAT YOU SHOULDN’T GO ALL THAT FAR OUT. I’M CURIOUS IF ANYTHING WAS DISCUSSED ABOUT PUTTING IT BEYOND THREE YEARS? WAS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR THOUGHTS OF SAYING – OK, LET’S NOT GO TOO FAR INTO THE FUTURE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE TV DEAL IS?

“Yeah, I think those things are all at play, for sure. I think our sport is going through a big change; a change for the better, really. We’re really thriving I think as a sport – seeing how much the fans are turning out to the races, how the TV ratings are and things like that. It’s exciting. For somebody like me coming into the sport, I’m 24-years-old and hopefully have a long career ahead. I want to see this sport do well. I want to see fans be interested in what I’m doing. I’ve got a lot of support from friends from high school, and things like that, that are watching the races. I didn’t get those messages a few years ago, so it’s cool to see that. Hopefully, as drivers, we can continue to benefit from the success of the sport.”

FROM A NEXT GEN STANDPOINT, WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST MUSCLE MEMORY ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU’VE HAD TO MAKE GOING FROM THE GEN 6 CAR TO THE GEN 7?

“I think with this car, you drive it a lot straighter. The old car, you had skew. You had things in the car – skew and side force where probably the biggest differences. With that came some ability to lean on the right side of the car; lean on the right rear especially. Typically the cars didn’t build so loose throughout a run. I think this car builds a little bit looser and I think, overall, you just drive it a lot more off the right front tire. It’s an adjustment, but it’s not that hard of an adjustment because I feel like there has been cars throughout my career that have driven like that. It’s just different.

I think the biggest thing that we’re seeing is the track change. We’re seeing a lot of change in the race track as the weekend goes along. And with that comes a lot more confidence by the end of the weekend. You don’t see guys wrecking as much by the end of the races. I think there’s a shift going on in the race track that we’re not used to. Goodyear has brought different tires and in a lot of ways, they’re softer than we’ve ever had. So, that’s creating some variables.”

YOU’VE GOT NASHVILLE THIS WEEKEND WITH THE SUPER LATE MODEL AND DONNIE WILSON. I’M CURIOUS – HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO DO THAT? BUT ALSO, JUST SEE WHAT THAT PLACE COULD BECOME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL OF YEARS WITH SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS LOOKING TO TURN THAT INTO SOMETHING MORE. MAYBE YOU COULD GO CUP RACING THERE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO?

“Yeah, I’m really excited. Nashville is an awesome race track. I got a chance to go test there on Tuesday and just that experience was a little bit different than what I’m used to. The last time I went there was six years ago. So, to kind of see how the race track has evolved and like you said, see the potential for that race track that it has is really cool. I think it’s almost a perfect race track for super late models because it’s so low in grip; there is a lot of tire fall-off, but it’s fast as well. So, you get to kind of see the horsepower of those race cars, but also see tire fall-off. I think that’s, obviously, the perfect equation. I think it’s a cool race track. I felt good about our car and hopefully can get back to getting a win there in that car; it would be fun. I haven’t been in it in a couple of months, so it took a little bit of an adjustment time. But hopefully it’s a lot of fun on Saturday.”

IF NASCAR DOES GO THERE, THEY’RE PROBABLY GOING TO PAVE IT, SO IT’S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME. DO YOU THINK THE NEXT GEN CAR WOULD RACE WELL THERE?

“I do. It seems like a big, heavy stock car races well with some banking. I think some of our worst races are unfortunately the flatter tracks. They’re just so heavy that it’s hard to make much work, I guess. But the banked tracks, like Nashville, would be kind of a perfect race track. It’s probably half the banking of Bristol, so I think it would be perfect.”

AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THESE CONTRACT TALKS – THE SUCCESS YOU’VE HAD EARLY THIS SEASON, HOW DID THAT IMPACT BOTH PARTIES?

“It’s hard for me to say. I feel like we kind of started them right around that time, so it’s hard for me to say the differences there. But definitely seems like both sides are happy. I’m happy where I am. They are happy with the progress that I’m making. I feel like there’s that excitement for the future of what we’re going to do together. I’m looking forward to it. To answer your question, I don’t know how much it changed it. But I think everyone is happy. Jeff (Gordon) was excited when he saw me at Dover and I’m excited, too.”

MOTHER’S DAY IS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST YEAR. DID THAT CHANGE HOW YOU APPROACH MOTHER’S DAY AS A HOLIDAY THIS YEAR? DOES IT HAVE ANY MORE MEANING THAN IT DID PREVIOUSLY?

“I think for sure. That whole series of events has kind of changed my perspective, in general, on life. I think it does make it different because last year at this time, it was weird. None of my family went to the Darlington race I don’t think. So, it was weird and just a different kind of weekend. This week has already been good. We’re doing a family dinner tonight, so getting to see my cousins and things like that will be fun and celebrate the mom’s in our lives. And just enjoy the weekend, in general. Obviously, the race at Darlington to cap it off. It should be a fun weekend. I’m excited for her to go to the race; my sister as well. Looking forward to it.”

CONGRATULATIONS, WILLIAM. YOU SELDOMLY DO AN INTERVIEW WITHOUT MENTIONING JEFF GORDON. I’M CURIOUS – HOW MUCH OF A MENTOR HAS HE BEEN TO YOU AND HOW MUCH HAS HE HELPED YOU ACCLIMATE TO YOUR ROLE AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS?

“Yeah, he’s (Jeff Gordon) helped quite a bit. I think he’s just made me comfortable in the Cup Series and made me understand what’s important. He’s really good at managing both sides of it. He’s good at managing the off-track and the on-track; knowing the importance of both. That’s been what I’ve learned from him over the years. And also, little tidbits of information about racing, too. He’s been good for me, but also good for the race team and good for Rudy (Fugle, crew chief). He’ll come into our 24 room and he’ll talk about race tracks, what to expect and what he thinks is important. That’s cool because he’s won at a lot of places, so I think it’s great information.”

YOU’VE GOTTEN A LOT OF YOUR TRAINING DURING SIMULATION. YOU’VE ALSO INTEGRATED A LOT OF DIFFERENT VEHICLES. YOU’RE RACING DIFFERENT VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF JUST YOUR TRADITIONAL NASCAR STOCK CARS. WHAT’S BEEN MORE BENEFICIAL TO YOU – INCREASING YOUR WORK ON SIMULATION OR THE EXTRACURRICULAR RACING?

“That’s a great question. I think that’s the question we’re all trying to answer every week. What’s more important – is it going to the simulator? Is it going to a real race track and running something else? I think the answer is both. As much racing as you can do is important and with my age, I fortunately don’t have a ton of other distractions and I can get a lot of time to go and sit in the simulator at my apartment, go to the Chevy simulator, or go to Nashville to test a super late model.

I think all that experience is great. Monday wasn’t the best day for me at Dover and I was able to go to Nashville the very next day; get in something else and kind of erase that memory of the weekend and get on with it. For me this year, it’s been awesome for just my mental thought process; to be able to go get into different cars. It just keeps me fresh I think.”

THIS YEAR, IT’S SEEMINGLY KIND OF HARD TO PICK OUT WHO’S EMERGING AS A POSSIBLE CHAMPIONSHIP FAVORITE. BUT YOU’RE ONE OF THOSE GUYS – YOU’RE ONE OF ONLY TWO DRIVERS WITH MULTIPLE WINS. AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON, WHO WOULD YOU CONSIDER IS YOUR BIGGEST COMPETITION, IN TERMS OF GETTING TO THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR IN PHOENIX?

“To your point, it’s definitely been hard to learn this car at different race tracks. We’ve nailed it at certain tracks and then there are certain tracks that we’ve been way off. So, I think it’s just learning the car – learning what it needs, the balance that it needs and kind of erasing those old memories of what the car used to drive like at that track because it doesn’t really matter.

I don’t know. When it comes to the competition, I still think that if we can just do our deal and just continue to build a notebook that’s a good foundation, I think we’ve got all the tools and resources to do well. I’m not too worried about anybody else. I continue to see my teammates, if they hit on the setup, they can win; and I feel like we’re just the same. So, I’d say it’s really just internal focus. Try to be good every single week and try to build that notebook. Knowing that your teammates are going to be right there to challenge you for wins is a good thing.”

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK, YOU AND ALL OF HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS HAVE SHOWN A TON OF SPEED AT 1.5-MILE TRACKS. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING WHEN YOU GO TO KANSAS SPEEDWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS NEW CAR?

“I’ll answer that after I get through Darlington. I think Darlington is kind of my biggest question mark, just getting through that. We’ve been to a couple of high-speed race tracks. It’s been awhile since we went to Las Vegas, but we were obviously good there. We finished fifth and had a good result. I’d see us being strong at Kansas, for sure. I just haven’t put much thought into it.”

JUST TALK ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RUDY (FUGLE, CREW CHIEF) AND HOW YOU’VE GROWN SINCE YOU’VE BEEN TOGETHER NOW A FEW YEARS. HOW HAVE YOU ALL RE-FOCUSED THIS YEAR AND PRETTY MUCH SET YOUR GOALS UP FOR THE SEASON TO MAKE IT FURTHER INTO THE PLAYOFFS AND TRY TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP?

“For us, it’s just learning this new car. Everything we did last year was great and it kind of set a good foundation for what is important to us and how we’re going to approach our season. What we want to go for – obviously Playoff points was a big part of that and trying to get more of those. But yeah, it’s all just about communication. I feel like Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and I communicate well. We’re really good at that and we can have a lot of success. We’ll just keep working on our communication. What I like about him is that after a tough race, he digs his feet in deeper and figures out how to solve problems. He’s a problem solver and I like that aspect. I think that’s why we’ve always been good. We’re able to rally from bad races, get closer together and go work on it.”

CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH RUDY, MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE TRACK TO GET CLOSER; OR HOW YOU ALL FOCUS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?

“Yeah, I mean we don’t go get a beer together or anything (laughs). It’s not like we’re best friends off the track, but we care about each other and our families. I like to see what his son is doing and all that. And he cares the same about me. We text a lot and talk a lot on the phone. At this level, that’s pretty constant in our relationship.”

HOW HAS A YOUNG CORE AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS PROVIDED YOU GUYS WITH A NEW SPARK AND A NEW OUTLOOK COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OLDER GUYS IN THE CUP SERIES?

“I think it’s just circumstances that we’re all the age that we are, but I think it’s just our paths to the Cup Series and the way that we’ve all come together. We all have different experience levels from different race cars. I think we all get along really well because we’re similar in age and we all like similar things. A few of us play golf; a few of us go race other things. So, we all have kind of common interest, I’d say.”

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.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
GOODYEAR 400
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
DARLINGTON, SC
MAY 8, 2022

RACE #12 – DARLINGTON RACEWAY

Chevrolet looks to go three in-a-row in weekend sweeps as all three NASCAR national touring series head to Darlington Raceway for a tripleheader race weekend. The 1.33-mile oval deemed “The Track Too Tough To Tame” is a staple stop on the schedule, where drivers and teams honor the sport’s past in the annual Throwback Weekend of NASCAR.

Chevrolet drivers of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) have their eyes set on capturing the eighth win of the season for the Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Goodyear 400. The South Carolina venue has been the host to 121 NCS races, with Chevrolet recording 41 of those victories to lead all manufacturers. The 293-lap race is the first of two stops at Darlington for NASCAR’s premier series, with the second holding a vital spot on the series’ schedule as the opening race for the 10-race Playoff run. Sunday’s race will also kick-off with a special honorary starter: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Chevrolet team co-owner Richard Petty.

Chevrolet drivers parked the Camaro SS in both of the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) events at Darlington Raceway in 2021. The bowtie brigade looks to continue that trend in Saturday’s Mahindra ROXOR 200, the 11th stop on the series’ 33-race schedule. JR Motorsports owned the race win titles at Darlington last season, with Justin Allgaier capturing his second win of the season in the May 2021 event. In the series’ return to the South Carolina track in September 2021, Noah Gragson came out of an overtime finish on top; capturing his first victory of the season, while also clinching his spot in the Playoffs that ultimately saw him in the Championship 4.

Coming off a two-week break, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) is back in action this weekend at Darlington Raceway for the first stop of an eight-race consecutive run on the series’ schedule. The Silverado was victorious in both NCWTS races at the venue last season, with 2020 NCWTS Champion Sheldon Creed recording the win sweep in the No. 2 Silverado for GMS Racing.

PULLING DOUBLE DUTY

Three Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series regulars will be doing the Darlington double this weekend. JR Motorsports will be fielding a fifth Camaro SS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend, this time with Chase Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Camaro SS. Elliott, the 2014 NXS Champion, will return to the series for the first time since making a single NXS appearance in 2021. The 26-year-old Georgia native has recorded five-career wins in 82 NXS starts, one of which was captured at Darlington in 2014.

Also joining the NASCAR Xfinity Series field this weekend will be two-time NXS Champion Tyler Reddick. The 26-year-old California native will be piloting the No. 48 Camaro SS for Big Machine Racing; race one of a two-race deal with the team for 2022. Reddick last competed full-time in the NXS in 2019, where he captured his second-consecutive title. In his 91 starts in the series, Reddick has recorded 9 wins, 36 top-five’s and 56 top-10’s.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, Ross Chastain, will be back with Niece Motorsports and the No. 41 Silverado RST team, adding four additional NASCAR Cup World Truck Series races to his 2022 schedule beginning at Darlington. This will mark Chastain’s second NCWTS start in 2022, but his first-career start in the series at Darlington. The 30-year-old Florida native has recorded 3 wins, 17 top-five’s and 42 top-10’s in his 96 starts in the NCWTS.

CHEVROLET TAMED THE MONSTER

For the second NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series doubleheader weekend in a row, the bowtie brand pulled off a feat that all manufacturers strive to accomplish: a weekend sweep.

In a rain delayed race that saw a Monday afternoon checkered flag, Chase Elliott powered his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 to his first victory of the season and his 14th-career victory in NASCAR’s premier series. In 11 points-paying races for the series, the Camaro ZL1 now sits at seven wins, captured by five different Chevrolet drivers. With the triumph, Elliott joins his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates – Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and William Byron – and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain as those who have claimed a berth into the 16-driver NCS Playoff field.

Joining in on the Chevrolet sweep was Josh Berry, who drove his No. 8 JR Motorsports Camaro SS to his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win of 2022 and his first-career victory at Dover Motor Speedway. JR Motorsports proved to tame the “Monster Mile”, placing all four of their Chevrolet-powered machines in the top-five. The victory was the fifth for the Camaro SS thus far this season to take the lead over all manufacturers, with Berry becoming the fourth Chevrolet driver to secure his spot into the NXS Playoff field, joining fellow Chevrolet teammates Austin Hill, Noah Gragson and AJ Allmendinger.

CHEVROLET TEAMMATES POWERING TO STRONG FINISHES

The collaborative effort between the GM NASCAR Competition Engineering Team and all of its Chevrolet race teams in developing the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 has paid dividends in strong on-track results throughout the Next Gen’s debut season. Dating back to the second points-paying race of the season at Auto Club Speedway, the Camaro ZL1 not only captured its first win (Kyle Larson), but also took six of the top-10 positions in the race, recorded by six different Chevrolet teams. Since then, Chevrolet has placed six Camaro ZL1’s in the top-10 at five different races, with at least three different Chevrolet teams represented in each.

BOWTIE ON TOP

Heading into the Darlington race weekend, Chevrolet continues to hold strong on top of the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series driver and manufacturer points standings.

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Chase Elliott, took over the top spot in the NCS driver standings following the fifth race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the 26-year-old Chevrolet driver hasn’t looked back. Elliott’s win and eighth top-10 finish of the season at Dover extended his points lead to 50-points over second place, Ryan Blaney. The bowtie brand occupies three of the top-five and five of the top-10 in the standings, including Elliott’s three Hendrick Motorsports teammates (William Byron – 3rd; Alex Bowman – 5th; Kyle Larson – 8th) and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (6th). All five of those Chevrolet drivers have already recorded wins this season to secure their spot in the NCS Playoff field.

Chevrolet also extended its points lead in the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer points standings to 36-points. Elliott’s victory at Dover gave the Camaro ZL1 its seventh win in 11 points-paying races thus far. The winningest brand in NASCAR, Chevrolet also continues to lead all manufacturers in top-five’s (32), top-10’s (53), laps led (1,698) and stage wins (11). Of those statistical measures, Chevrolet’s wins, top-five results and laps led are more than double all other manufacturers.

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger maintained his lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver points standings, with a 43-point advantage over the second spot. Allmendinger, who has already secured his spot in the NXS Playoff field with a win at Circuit of The Americas, has recorded a top-10 result in every NXS race thus far this season. Joining Allmendinger in the top-10 of the driver standings are all four of the JR Motorsports drivers (Noah Gragson – 3rd; Josh Berry – 4th; Justin Allgaier – 6th; Sam Mayer – 7th) and NXS rookie, Austin Hill (10th), giving Chevrolet six of the top-10 positions.

In pursuit of back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series manufacturer championship titles, Chevrolet also continues to lead in the NXS manufacturer standings, extending its lead to 36-points. With its now five wins to lead all manufacturers, the Camaro SS has also recorded four poles wins, 34 top-five’s and 66 top-10’s heading into the Darlington race weekend.

BOWTIE BULLETS

· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway include:

Erik Jones, No. 43 Petty GMS Racing (2019)

· In addition to its manufacturer-leading 41 wins, Chevrolet has recorded 22 pole wins, 194 top-five’s and 406 top-10’s at Darlington Raceway. Chevrolet drivers have also led 13,887 laps at the 1.33-mile South Carolina venue.

· With 11 NASCAR Cup Series races in the books for the 2022 season, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS wins (7), top-five’s (32), top-10’s (53), laps led (1,698) and stage wins (11).

· Chevrolet driver, William Byron, holds the title of the youngest NASCAR Cup Series pole winner at Darlington Raceway, set during the September 2019 event (21 years, 9 months, 3 days).

· The winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history, Hendrick Motorsports has the most NCS wins by an organization at Darlington Raceway with 14, all behind the wheel of Chevrolet-powered machines. Career Chevrolet driver, Jeff Gordon, ties Dale Earnhardt for the lead for the series-most consecutive wins at Darlington with three.

· Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1, leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Darlington, sitting at 5.5 in eight-career starts at the track.

· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 11 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins:

Tyler Reddick 2 – (Fontanax2)

Alex Bowman 1 – (Las Vegas)

Ross Chastain 1 – (Las Vegas)

William Byron 3 – (Phoenix)(Atlanta)(Talladega)

Daniel Suarez 1 – (COTA)

Chase Elliott 2 – (Martinsvillex2)

Kyle Larson 1 – (Bristol)

· Chevrolet leads in the driver points standing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chase Elliott remains in the top position in the NCS standings with a 50-point advantage over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the NXS standings by 43-points. Chevrolet remains atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings.

· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships; 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships; and 821 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.

TUNE IN

The NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 will be broadcasted on FS1 on Sunday, May 8, at 3:30 p.m. ET. FS1 will hold coverage of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mahindra ROXOR 200 on Saturday, May 7, at 1:30 p.m. ET. FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dead on Tools 200 on Friday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage of all three events can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 HUK PERFORMANCE FISHING CAMARO ZL1

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DARLINGTON RACEWAY?

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

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

LARSON ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS THROWBACK PAINT SCHEME:

“Throwback races are always fun, especially when you get to do something that doesn’t just look cool but also has a lot of meaning behind it. There aren’t a lot of All-Star Racing liveries that haven’t been re-done already, so it’s special. That scheme started it all, and everyone involved worked so hard to get us where we are now. It’s definitely motivating, especially when you add that Tim Richmond was the driver. He’s a legend for leaving it all on the track – he would go full send on crazy moves and things that other drivers wouldn’t even try. So I’m going to go out there and try to drive it like Tim would.”

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

DANIELS ON HOW THE TEAM TRANSITIONS FROM DOVER TO DARLINGTON:

“A lot of it is just going to be in advance (of the weekend) and the conversations we’ve had about our recent Dover experience and we tested there a month or two ago. What he knows of trends of himself at the track and trends from Dover to Darlington, which is odd to say but he talks about those tracks very similarly a lot. And what he looks for out of the car, not necessarily the tracks themselves, but just what he needs the car to do for him. All those conversations are kind of leading to our approach. In practice, we have got to make the right adjustments and keep up with the track because the track does and will change a lot.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 STACKING PENNIES / FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES CAMARO ZL1

“I’ve always been intrigued by Marty Robbins and his stint in NASCAR during the ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s. It would’ve been comparable today if Morgan Wallen was lining up for the occasional Cup race in his spare time and running competitively. I love the 777 scheme of Marty Robbins’ Grand National car, so I’m glad NASCAR let us take some creative liberty and allowing us to utilize three numbers for the throwback weekend. As always, our Spire Motorsports team answered the call and brought this vision to life.

It’s even cooler to have Stacking Pennies on the hood. That podcast is such a huge part of what I do. Pair that with the Fraternal Order of Eagles founding Mother’s Day and having a presence on the car – it’s going to be a really special tribute for me at Darlington. My Spire Motorsports team has been working hard to build fast Chevy’s each and every week, and hopefully we can put ourselves in a position to get the Stacking Pennies/Fraternal Order of Eagles Camaro ZL1 into victory lane.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

ELLIOTT ON THE WIN AT DOVER:

“I’ve said a lot this season that we’ve had some really great runs, but we just hadn’t been able to put it all together. We were finally able to do that on Monday and have a nice, clean race. Wins aren’t always guaranteed, so I think anytime you can get one it’s important to enjoy it. I’m really proud of my team for continuing to show up each week and bring good attitudes regardless of what has happened in the weeks prior. It says a lot about their character and who they are. Now it’s time to shift our focus to Darlington and the rest of the season and keep trying for more wins and put ourselves in a good position for the playoffs.”

ELLIOTT ON THE BENEFIT OF EXTRA SEAT TIME AT DARLINGTON:

“I always look forward to going to Darlington. It’s really cool and I feel like it’s really a driver’s racetrack. For some reason, I’ve kind of struggled there the last couple of years, so I’m looking forward to getting some extra practice on Saturday in the Xfinity race. Hopefully, that can help me come Sunday. I also feel like there are some things that we learned from Dover that we can take to Darlington. It’ll be interesting with the new car and how things go.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1

BYRON ON HIS THOUGHTS FOR THE RACE AT DARLINGTON:

“I feel like Darlington is going to be another track where we don’t know what to expect until we get on track. In the past, Darlington was a place that was super hard on tires, and you spent most of the race trying to manage how hard you could go to be able to have some tire left by the end of the run. The surface would just really use the tires up. Now though I feel like tire wear hasn’t been as big of a factor with the Next Gen car so far. We saw a little tire wear on long runs at Dover, but nothing like in the past. You could still maintain some track position even with newer tires behind you on track. I am curious to see how the tires hold up this weekend and if it plays the same factor that it has in the past or how we will have to adjust throughout the race.”

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

FUGLE ON THE EFFORT THE NO. 24 TEAM HAS BEEN PUTTING IN:

“I’m proud of everyone’s efforts last week at Dover. It obviously wasn’t the way we wanted the start of the weekend to go. The No. 24 team, and really just about everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, jumped in to help us get the backup car ready to race. We may not have gotten the finish we wanted in the end, but the things we learned on and off the track, and the effort this team put in is something we can be proud of. We’re using these races to prepare to be a championship-level team, and weekends like Dover are what make a team stronger and able to go further than others in the playoffs. We’ll put it behind us and prepare to rebound at Darlington.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/NATURE VALLEY CAMARO ZL1

“What a weekend Dover was for us (second-place finish), and we are looking forward to Darlington. Being able to capitalize on a solid performance with our Camaro last weekend is a small step in the right direction. We’ve had good race cars and better race cars than what we’ve shown. It seems like our fast races where we were running up front, we’ve had issues as far as getting crashed on the speedways or other issues. We’re hoping to put together another solid race weekend and build some momentum with our No. 47 Kroger/Nature Valley Camaro ZL1 at Darlington.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

BOWMAN ON HEADING TO DARLINGTON:

“We have a lot of momentum as a team heading to Darlington this weekend. We had a great weekend in Dover after starting in the back with 70 laps to go at a place that is tough to pass, so I think it only helps myself and the rest of the team know that we are firing on all cylinders right now. I am looking forward to taking the No. 48 Ally Throwback Chevy to Darlington and making Mark (Martin) proud and try to get the car back in victory lane.”

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

IVES ON COMING OFF A TOP-FIVE FINISH AT DOVER:

“It was frustrating walking away from Dover knowing we had a car capable of contending for a win and not being in the mix. Alex (Bowman) drove the wheels off the car and did a great job staying in it to get that top-five finish and our pit crew had great stops all day, so we have a lot of positives to build off of heading to Darlington this weekend. It will be a fun race with it being throwback weekend, so I am looking forward to going down there and trying to take home another trophy this Sunday.”

GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST

“I’m excited to get going on Friday night. Not only is Darlington one of the best tracks that we go to, but it also starts the beginning of an eight race stretch. We feel like we’ve learned a good bit during the earlier part of the season, and now we have the opportunity to implement some improvements. I know Charles and our GMS Racing team will have us a Champion Power Equipment Chevy that can contend.”

JACK WOOD, NO. 24 NORTH INDUSTRIAL MACHINE / AUTO PARTS 4LESS SILVERADO RST

“I’m looking forward to racing again at Darlington this weekend. It’s been a great track for GMS Racing as they swept the races there last year, so I think we have a great opportunity to have a solid run. I believe that we have a good idea of where we need to be for our baseline setup, and as we begin the summer stretch, this is going to be a crucial race to start off on the right foot. We have a bunch of races lined up ahead of us, so a good finish here will help build our momentum going forward.”

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: 7

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 1,698

Top-five finishes: 32

Top-10 finishes: 53

Stage wins: 11

Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas)
William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)
Daniel Suarez (COTA)
Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2)
Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 821 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 725

Laps led to date: 243,034

Top-five finishes to date: 4,170

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,608

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,155

       Chevrolet: 821

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 813                                                         

       Ford: 713

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 164

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.