NOAH GRAGSON
Talladega Advance
No. 62 Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag Chevrolet Camaro

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 24
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Wendy’s® (Nasdaq: WEN) has joined Beard Motorsports and driver Noah Gragson as its primary partner for the GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Fresh off an impressive activation on the biggest stage in college basketball – March Madness – the company has shifted gears and traveled to the biggest oval track in NASCAR to share the fan-favorite $5 Biggie™ Bag with race enthusiasts. The $5 Biggie Bag comes complete with the choice of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Stack™, or a Crispy Chicken BLT with four-piece chicken nuggets (Spicy or Crispy), small Hot & Crispy Fries, and a small soft drink. A lot of flavor, a lot of value, a lot of choices.

● The Biggie-st, baggiest meal deal is lapping the competition and going big at Talladega. In addition to its red-white-and-blue No. 62 Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag Chevrolet Camaro that Gragson will race in the GEICO 500, Wendy’s will have a pop-up restaurant in the infield at Talladega near turn four where fans can get their own $5 Biggie Bag without missing any of the racing action. It’s operating schedule is as follows (all times CDT):

● Friday, April 22: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Biggie Bag and Frosty sampling)

● Saturday, April 23: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Frosty-ccino sampling); 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Biggie Bag and Frosty sampling)

● Sunday, April 24: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Frosty-ccino sampling); 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Biggie Bag and Frosty sampling)

● It’s more than just a pop-up store. It’s a float! That’s right. The Wendy’s pop-store in the infield at Talladega is mobile, and fans can see it in action on Friday night in the Big One on the Boulevard Parade, starting at 7:30 p.m. CDT. But wait, there’s more! The Biggie Bag-themed float with 3-D products adorning it – Double Stack, fries, nuggets and a drink – has a walk-up window where fans can get food. You’ll ask, “Is this heaven?” No, it’s Talladega. And if you weren’t totally sure, a Wendy’s-branded big rig will be pulling the float. That air horn you’ll hear is the sound of awesome.

● How do you know when you’ve made it? When you have your very own Frosty. Noah Gragson has indeed made it. The driver of the No. 62 Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag Chevrolet Camaro developed the Blue Raspberry Frosty in the corporate kitchen of Wendy’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. It’s an exclusive treat that is only available at the Wendy’s pop-up store in the infield at Talladega.

● Since its NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2017, Beard Motorsports has proven to be the little team that could, a modern-day David competing against the Goliaths of NASCAR. The family-ownedorganization has taken a strategic approach to its racing endeavors, running only the superspeedway races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and its sister track, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. With a Chevrolet Camaro powered by an ECR-built engine, Beard Motorsports can race at the front, a fact proven by a pair of top-10 finishes in 2020 at the hands of former driver Brendan Gaughan – seventh in the Daytona 500 and eighth in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, also at Daytona.

● What drives Beard Motorsports? Passion. Linda, along with her children, carry on the pursuit of their husband and father, respectively, in racing and in business. Beard Motorsports and its family-owned company, Beard Oil Distributing – a certified women owned business – is a distinctive qualifier in the male-dominated sport of auto racing. Linda is hands-on with the family motorsports business and was alongside her husband as he pursued his passion of racing at Daytona – first as a NASCAR Xfinity Series driver in 1982 and simultaneously as a team owner. Today, Beard Motorsports competes in his honor. The GEICO 500 at Talladega will be the team’s 19th career NASCAR Cup Series start and its ninth at Talladega.

● While it’s Linda Beard at the top of Beard Motorsports’ masthead, the team is managed with ample support from her children, Amie and Mark Beard Jr., along with help from crew chief Darren Shaw and Gaughan, the former NASCAR Cup Series driver who made 17 of his 67 career Cup Series starts with Beard Motorsports. It was Gaughan who, upon retiring from racing at the conclusion of the 2020 season, tabbed Gragson to be his successor in the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro. In addition to both being natives of Las Vegas, Gaughan has observed Gragson’s rise from regional racer to a competitor in NASCAR’s top national touring series.

● While Gragson is still a NASCAR Cup Series neophyte with only three career starts in NASCAR’s top series, he is not new to NASCAR. The 23-year-old competes fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports (JRM) and 2022 marks his fourth season in NASCAR’s stepping-stone division to the elite NASCAR Cup Series. Gragson is a six-time winner in the Xfinity Series, and he scored his first career victory in the 2020 season opener at Daytona. He is coming off his best year yet where in 2021 Gragson won three races and advanced to the Championship 4 where he competed for the series title in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, finishing a career-high third in points.

● Gragson’s first career NASCAR Cup Series start came with Beard Motorsports in this year’s Daytona 500. After starting 39th in the Great American Race, Gragson was running among the top-10 with just 10 laps remaining, But on lap 191, another car lost control and slid into his Gragson’s Chevrolet Camaro as the two raced through the frontstretch. Gragson was turned into the wall and his car suffered heavy front-end damage. Gragson was unhurt, but the same could not be said for his racecar. He was unable to continue the race and was ultimately credited with a 31st-place finish.

● Before joining the Xfinity Series fulltime in 2019, Gragson competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2017 and 2018. He won twice – Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October 2017 and Kansas Speedway in May 2018 – and finished second in the 2018 championship. Those Truck Series results were a continuation of the kind of talent Gragson showcased in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. In 2015 and 2016, Gragson raced in this developmental league, regionally split into two divisions – K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West. Gragson won six races between the two entities and narrowly missed out on the 2015 West title by a scant seven points.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 62 Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag Chevrolet Camaro

Your first career NASCAR Cup Series start came with Beard Motorsports earlier this year in the Daytona 500. Talk about that moment and the details of that race and racing for the Beard Family.

“I was pumped up that we made it into the race and that we were competitive all race long. We got up to seventh toward the end and I hate that we got torn up, or we might have had a shot at pulling off an upset win. To be able to run inside the top-10 with a smaller, family-owned team was a really cool moment in my career.”

The Daytona 500 was also the official debut of the NextGen car. What was it like to drive and, more specifically, was it similar to the car you currently drive in the Xfinity Series?

“You hear of a lot of people saying how different the NextGen car can be to drive. For me, especially at a place like Daytona or Talladega, it was really similar to my Xfinity car.”

Were there any differences to how you worked the draft with the NextGen car compared to the Xfinity Series car? Did you have to learn some new techniques and break some old habits?

“Not really, I just tried to think about everything I’ve learned from Dale Jr. and my JRM team and apply that to my Cup races on the bigger tracks.”

How helpful was the Daytona 500 in preparing you for the GEICO 500 at Talladega?

“Track time is always important and we’re bringing a strong Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag Chevrolet Camaro to Talladega. Anytime you get a chance to race against the Cup guys on Sundays, it always helps you learn more about what moves work and what moves don’t.”

All racecar drivers want to win, but outside of a win Sunday at Talladega, what do you want to get out of the GEICO 500 considering it will be just your third career NASCAR Cup Series start?

“I think the biggest thing is running all the laps and being there at the end. The Cup races this year seem to be more about survival than anything, and I want to be in the mix coming to the last lap.”

Your Xfinity Series car owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is a six-time NASCAR Cup Series winner at Talladega. What advice has he given you about racing there?

“Dale Jr., has helped me a lot for plate-style tracks. I used his advice to win the Daytona Xfinity race in 2020 with JRM. The biggest thing is how much he pays attention to the positioning of his car and how the air plays a role in benefiting your momentum.”

You’re debuting a new partner at Talladega in Wendy’s. How did the partnership come together and what are some of the things that you’ve already done with them?

“We’ve had a great relationship with the Wendy’s folks for a few years now. I had the chance to do some fan interactions at their hospitality location in Daytona this year. That’s where we started talking about Talladega and trying to put this partnership together. I’m excited to work with such a cool brand that engages with the fans and, obviously, who doesn’t love Wendy’s?”

What’s more intense – the racing at Talladega or the Talladega Boulevard there in the infield?

“Both can be a lot of fun. I would have to say the racing is more intense, but they do know how to get wild on the boulevard.”

Do you go out on the Talladega Boulevard? If so, what do you like about it and what are some of the crazier things you’ve seen on the Boulevard?

“I think I’ll be out there for Wendy’s over the course of the weekend hanging out with fans. It’ll be fun to hang out on the boulevard, but it will for sure be a long weekend of racing running both Xfinity and Cup. It’s going to be pretty early to bed for me.”

If you get hungry on the Boulevard, where do you go?

“If I get hungry, I’m going to stop by Wendy’s activation site at Talladega and grab a Wendy’s Blue Raspberry Frosty – right there in the infield. I went up to Wendy’s headquarters in Ohio and got to mix it up and try different flavors. The blue raspberry tastes amazing and is now my signature recipe. Everyone needs to try it.”

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson
Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Drew Mickey
Hometown: Walkerton, North Carolina

Spotter: Joe White
Hometown: Windsor, Virginia

President: Linda Beard
Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

VP of Racing Ops: Brendan Gaughan
Hometown: Las Vegas

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Tim Sheets
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Rear Tire Changer: David Mayo
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Damien Wermes
Hometown: Huntersville, North Carolina

Jack Man: DeAndre Smith
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Bobby Grant
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon
Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders
Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Mechanic: Nic Hill
Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Tire Technician: Mike Harrold
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jason Watkins
Hometown: Ridgeway, Virginia

Transporter Driver: Billy Gilbert
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in the inaugural Talladega 500 in 1969. Childress has won 12 NASCAR Cup Series victories as an owner at Talladega. Dale Earnhardt earned nine Talladega wins under the RCR banner, their first coming in 1984. Earnhardt scored his 76th and final Cup win in the 2000 fall race at Talladega which earned the team and a lucky fan each a $1 million bonus from the series sponsor. Other victories by Earnhardt include a sweep of both races in 1990 and 1999 plus 1991 (July), 1993 (July) and 1994 (spring). Clint Bowyer won twice for RCR (fall races in 2010 and 2011) while Kevin Harvick won the 2010 spring event.

Xfinity Series at Talladega … Richard Childress Racing has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, 10 top-five, and 19 top-10 finishes at Talladega Superspeedway. Two-time Xfinity Series Champion Tyler Reddick drove his No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in April 2019.

Catch Saturday’s Action … The Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Saturday, April 23 at 4 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action in Talladega … The GEICO 500 will be televised live on Sunday, April 24 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway … In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Dillon earned his best finish at the 2.66-mile track in April 2016 when he finished third. His best starting position at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series is first. His best finish in four NASCAR Xfinity Series Starts is third, and he has two starts in the NASCAR Truck Series, earning a best finish of seventh in October 2011.

Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

In The Booth … Dillon is scheduled to serve as a guest commentator in FOX’s Broadcast Booth for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. The race airs live on Saturday, April 23 at 4 p.m. ET on FOX.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What will it take to be successful at Talladega Superspeedway?

“Anything can happen at Talladega Superspeedway. It’s a little bit of a coin flip, but my No. 3 team will be doing everything we can to try and win. In order to succeed at Talladega, you have to have a little bit of luck, and use momentum at the very end to take advantage of positions. It’s speedway racing. It’s drafting. And it’s chaos, but we’re up for the challenge.”

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This Week’s BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway … Tyler Reddick heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the fifth time of his NASCAR Cup Series career this weekend. He made his first Cup start at the track in 2020. In those four starts, he has two top-10 finishes and led 23 total laps. During his Xfinity Series career, Reddick has one win, one top five and two top 10s to his name at the superspeedway. His win came in 2019 after he started second. Reddick is still on the hunt for his first career Cup Series win and has come increasingly close each race weekend. Reddick has the fifth-best driver rating among all active drivers with a rating of 93.7. He is 13th in the Cup Series driver Playoff outlook following last weekend at Bristol Dirt, 29 points above the cutline.

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NASCAR Night at the USFL Game … Come join Tyler Reddick at NASCAR Night at Protective Stadium on Saturday, April 23 at 7 p.m. ET when Birmingham and Houston take the field. Reddick will drive his No. 8 Chevrolet on the field for the coin toss to get the game started. He will also participate in the fun during half-time and do a jersey swap. Everyone will have the opportunity to get a Tyler Reddick hero card and check out the No. 8 Chevrolet on display.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:

How do you prepare for a racetrack like Talladega?

“Talladega is one of the racetracks that we go to and you’ve just got to expect the unexpected. You can be running second with three laps to go and finish 20th and you can be running 20th with three laps to go and end up winning. My No. 8 team and I go into each race weekend with the same mindset and that is to run up front and win. Last weekend, we were really close to that first win and instead of using that as a reason to be frustrated, we’re using it as more momentum. As the driver, I’m going to focus on listening to my spotter and crew chief, hitting all my marks and staying out of trouble. Staying out of trouble is hard at these superspeedways but those drivers end up being at the front when the white flag waves. The schedule is also different this weekend with no practice and straight to qualifying so we’ll see how that goes for us. I’m looking forward to a good weekend at Talladega.”

This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway … Creed will be making his first Talladega Superspeedway start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday afternoon. He was running inside the top 10 in the most recent Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 8 before mechanical issues derailed his solid run. Creed has three Truck Series starts at Talladega with a best finish of ninth-place (2019) and led at least one lap in every race (36 laps total). He is 15th in the Xfinity Series driver’s standings, 54 points outside of the top 10.

CopsForKids … The No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet will carry a special decal this weekend at Talladega to honor CopsForKids. The purpose of the organization is to establish and maintain positive relationships between the police and families with children in our local community. CopsForKids achieves this through giving time, love, and knowledge to set a positive example that empowers kids to be safe, respectful, and law-abiding citizens.

Special Guest at Talladega … Sgt. Jeremy March, Founder of CopsForKids, will be a special guest of the No. 2 team this weekend at Talladega. A native of Mobile, Ala., Sgt. March has been serving his community for the past 24 years. He was inspired to start CopsForKids four years ago to establish and maintain positive relationships between law enforcement and families with children in the local community and has impacted hundreds of children through his outreach efforts and is a beloved member of the community. Affectionately known around town as the “Dancing Cop,” from his enthusiastic participation in community events, March spreads joy and inspires connection between police officers and the youth of Mobile.

About Whelen … Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

SHELDON CREED QUOTES:

Tell us about the CopsForKids organization that is on your car this weekend.

“It’s really cool to honor the CopsForKids organization this weekend at Talladega and I’m looking forward to meeting Sgt. March. I feel like I learned a lot of what not to do back in February at Daytona and I think out teammates did as well and how we can work better together. I’m looking forward to taking what we learned at Daytona and applying it at Talladega. We can be there be there at the end and have a chance to win or get a good finish with our Whelen Chevrolet.”

There is no practice before qualifying and then the race at Talladega. Is that a big factor?

“I don’t think it really matters to not practice at Talladega. You could be a little free or a little tight your first run but you usually don’t change much anyways so it doesn’t really matter. It’s cool that Jeffrey Earnhardt is our teammate this weekend. More cars are only going to help us. It’s nothing but a positive to have another car out of our stable go to Talladega.”

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This Week’s ForeverLawn Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway … Jeffrey Earnhardt has made 16 starts at Talladega Superspeedway spread out among NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series. However, this weekend will mark the first time that the fourth-generation racer has competed under the Richard Childress Racing banner.

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JEFFREY EARNHARDT QUOTES:

What does it mean to you to compete at Talladega Superspeedway under the Richard Childress Racing banner?

“What a dream come true. The chance to be behind the wheel of the No. 3 car for RCR, that my pawpaw made famous, has long been a dream of mine and now it’s finally happening. I can’t thank ForeverLawn enough for making my dreams come to reality and for being such a big part of my career. I also want to thank Mr. Childress for making this possible. The No. 3 car is cherished by a lot of people, and I know how much it means to him. To give me this opportunity is something I’ll never forget. It’s going to be a lot of pressure, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Your crew chief for this weekend is Larry McReynolds. What does it mean to you to be able to work with him?

“It means a lot to be able to work with Larry McReynolds for this race. I’ve gotten to know Larry over the years, and I have tremendous respect for him. He’s an incredible man and is still very well informed on our sport and knowing what is going on even though it has been a while since he has been a crew chief. I know he’s excited for this opportunity as well. He called me and he said ‘morning, day, night. I don’t care what time it is. You call me if you need me.’ He’s just as thankful for this opportunity as I am to be doing it.”

This Week’s Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Richmond Raceway … Hill will be making his second Talladega Superspeedway start in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition on Saturday afternoon. He scored two top-10 finishes in five Truck Series starts at Talladega. Hill scored a fourth-place finish in the most recent Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 8, his fourth top-five in eight starts this season. Hill has claimed top-five finishes on four different size tracks: Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Circuit of the Americas and Martinsville Speedway. Hill enters the Talladega event 10th in the series drivers standings.

A look back at Daytona … Hill scored his first-career Xfinity Series victory in February at Daytona International Speedway. The win came in his 16th start in the series and in his second start in the series at Daytona. His average running position was 5.10 – the best of any driver. He was one of just two drivers to run every lap inside the top 15. Hill led once covering the final 23 laps and clinched a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs with his victory.

Dash 4 Cash … Hill’s fourth-place finish at Martinsville Speedway qualified him for the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash bonus this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. This is the second time this season he has been eligible for the bonus. Should Hill win on Saturday afternoon, the Winston, Ga., driver will earn $100,000 from Xfinity.

About Bennett Family of Companies … McDonough, Ga.-based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 12 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. The company will use race experiences to recruit and retain hundreds of truck drivers for their organization in 2022. For more information, visit www.Drive4Bennett.com.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway appear very similar. What are some differences that you notice between those two tracks?

“I think the one big difference between Daytona and Talladega is that Daytona is narrower. I feel like Talladega presents a lot more opportunities to see three and four-wide action whereas at Daytona you see a lot more two-wide. At Talladega you might see three and four-wide for a lot of laps. I also think Talladega is a little bit rougher right now than Daytona. There are more bumps at Talladega but Daytona is starting to get to that characteristic. I also think having a car at Talladega that can be more stable is important. You want to be trimmed out as much as you can but there’s also a price to pay if you’re trimmed out too much with the bumps and rough spots.”

You are also competing for the Dash4Cash bonus this weekend at Talladega.

“I think it’s going to be really cool to be able to run for the Dash4Cash. I think that brings more of an intensity level to the weekend so I think that’s going to be fun racing with those three guys and just try to position yourself in the right place at the end of the race to get the job done. The fact that we won at Daytona earlier this season in the Xfinity car and the Truck definitely gives me a lot of confidence going to Talladega. I feel like we have a chance at winning everywhere we go with our Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet, but when we go to a superspeedway it seems like we have that little extra piece that a lot of other teams don’t have.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
GEICO 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA
APRIL 24, 2022

RACE #10 – TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
From the high-banks of “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” to NASCAR’s longest oval, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will make their way to the second superspeedway of the 2022 season: Talladega Superspeedway. Alabama’s 2.66-mile oval will be the host of two NCS races this season, with the second event holding a pertinent spot in the Playoff’s Round of 12. The bowtie brand heads to Talladega with their eyes set on extending its win lead, where Chevrolet has been victorious in 41 of the 105 NCS races held at the venue to lead all manufacturers. Of those wins includes a record streak of 13 consecutive trips to victory lane, captured by five different drivers in Chevrolet-powered machines from April 1999 to May 2005.

Returning from the off weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will be back in action at Talladega Superspeedway with the Ag-Pro 300, the ninth stop on the series schedule. Chevrolet is no stranger to NXS victory lane at the famed Alabama superspeedway, recording 20 of the last 32 wins in the series at Talladega. Of those triumphs includes a streak of the past six, dating back to September 2018. That streak includes a sweep in 2020, captured by now NCS regular Justin Haley; Jeb Burton in the Spring 2021 race to secure his spot into the NXS Playoffs; and Brandon Brown in the Fall 2021 race to mark his first-career NXS victory.

STRONG IN THE STANDINGS
With nine events in the book for the NASCAR Cup Series, Chevrolet remains in a familiar spot in the standings: on top. Coming out of the Bristol race weekend with his sixth top-10 finish of the season, Chase Elliott continues to lead in the driver standings with a three-point advantage over second. The 26-year-old Georgia native has shown consistency this season, with a series- best average finish of 10.9 heading into the 10th points-paying race of the season. Elliott leads a strong showing by the bowtie brigade in the standings, with Chevrolet drivers occupying three of the top-five and five of the top-10 spots.

With eyes set on its 41st NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship, Chevrolet also continues to lead in the manufacturer standings by 23-points. Of the nine points-paying events thus far, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in race wins (5), top-five’s (25), top-10’s (41), laps led (1,374) and stage wins (10). Those wins have been captured on a variety of racetrack configurations, including a two-mile track (Fontana), two 1.5-mile tracks (Las Vegas, Atlanta), a road course (COTA) and a short-track (Martinsville). Chevrolet drivers have claimed a series-leading 10 stage wins by seven different drivers, recorded at seven different racetracks.

Chevrolet also continues to lead in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver and manufacturer standings. AJ Allmendinger, who secured his spot into the NXS Playoff field following his win at COTA, continues to lead the driver standings by 20-points. An impressive seven of the top-10 of the driver standings are held by Camaro SS drivers. As defending NXS Manufacturer Champions, Chevrolet remains on top of the manufacturer standings heading into the Talladega race weekend.

DEBUT ON DIRT
In the Next Gen Camaro ZL1’s debut on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway, the final running order saw Chevrolet takeover five of the top-10 positions, represented by three different Chevrolet teams. The Camaro ZL1 led 190 of the 250-lap race. Leading a race-high 99 of those laps, Tyler Reddick was en route to his first-career NCS victory after final lap, final corner contact took him out of contention. Rebounding to a runner-up finish, his fourth top-10 finish in 2022, the 26-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver is on the horizon of his first visit to victory lane in NASCAR’s premier series.

Another notable finish that came from the bowtie brigade was posted by Ty Dillon, who drove his No. 42 Petty GMS Camaro ZL1 to a top-10 finish, his best non-superspeedway finish in his NASCAR Cup Series career. It was a strong weekend for the 30-year-old North Carolina native, who also captured the win in his qualifying race to later solidify his seventh-place starting spot in Sunday’s main event. Dillon went on to show speed early, recording a runner-up finish in stage one and securing valuable stage points.

BOWTIE BULLETS
· Victories by active Team Chevy drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway include:
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, has one win (April 2019)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1, has one win (May 2017)

· Heading into the 10th NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2022 season at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers in NASCAR Cup Series wins (5), top-five’s (25), top-10’s (41), laps led (1,374) and stage wins (10).

· In addition to its manufacturer-leading 41 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet has also amassed 197 top-five’s, 381 top-10’s and 8,090 laps led. The bowtie brand has also recorded 37 pole wins to top all manufacturers.

· Chevrolet team, Hendrick Motorsports, leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins by an organization at Talladega with 13 among seven different drivers, most recently by Chase Elliott (2019).

· Chase Elliott’s pole win in May 2016 makes him the youngest polesitter to date (20 years, 5 months, 3 days).

· Notable superspeedway racer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., is one of just two active drivers to have recorded their first-career win in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway.

· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 10 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins:
Tyler Reddick 2 – (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman 1 – (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain 1 – (Las Vegas)
William Byron 2 – (Phoenix)(Atlanta)
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 holds the top spot in the NCS standings with a 3-point advantage over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead in the NXS standings by 20-points. The bowtie brand also sits atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings.

· Noah Gragson will be making his first-career start at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series behind the wheel of the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Camaro ZL1. Gragson has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, including one in the 2022 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

FOR THE FANS:
· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway.
· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: Tahoe RST, Silverado 2500 Crew Cab, Corvette Z51, Camaro ZL1, 1500 Crew Cab Custom Realtree, Blazer Premier AWD and Equinox RS.
· At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 show car.

TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:
Friday, April 22
· Bayley Currey and Ryan Vargas: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
· Jeremy Clements: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 23
· Daniel Dye: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
· Sheldon Creed: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
· Justin Allgaier: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
· Myatt Snider: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
· Josh Berry: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
· Sam Mayer: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 24
· Corey LaJoie: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
· Chase Elliott: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
· Austin Dillon: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
· Alex Bowman: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
· Noah Gragson: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Friday, April 22: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 23: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 24: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

TUNE IN
FOX will telecast the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, April 24. FOX will telecast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at 4 p.m. ET Saturday, April 23. Live coverage of both events can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CAMARO ZL1
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY?
“Anything can happen at Talladega Superspeedway. It’s a little bit of a coin flip, but my No. 3 team will be doing everything we can to try and win. In order to succeed at Talladega, you have to have a little bit of luck, and use momentum at the very end to take advantage of positions. Its speedway racing. Its drafting. And its chaos, but we’re up for the challenge.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
LARSON ON HOW HE IS PREPARING FOR TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY:
“I’ve watched a lot of superspeedway races to see what I can do differently to be in contention at the end of stages and at the end of the race. I just never seem to be in a good position at the end – when I make it to the end. Hopefully, we can battle for stage points and have the HendrickCars.com Chevy near the front toward the end of the race.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
DANIELS ON WHETHER HE PROVIDES SUPERSPEEDWAY STRATEGIC ADVICE DURING THE RACE OR LEAVES IT TO LARSON:
“A little bit of both. If I see things developing that I can communicate to him to help his decision making in the moment, then that’s 100% my responsibility to do so. But some decisions are just dependent on what he sees on track. My responsibility it to make a fast car that can suck up well, push well, get pushed well, and we need to execute well during pit stops. We need to maximize what we can control since we are limited on superspeedways of where to get an advantage.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 RAZE ENERGY CAMARO ZL1
“Talladega is a race on the schedule that we always have circled on the calendar. The No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team had a strong run to start the year at Daytona (International Speedway), so it’s great momentum to build off of heading into another superspeedway race. I’m excited to have RAZE Energy come on board for the first time this weekend and hopefully we can be there at the end to have a shot at getting them to victory lane.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 BETMGM CAMARO ZL1
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A RACE TRACK LIKE TALLADEGA?
“Talladega is one of the racetracks that we go to and you’ve just got to expect the unexpected. You can be running second with three laps to go and finish 20th and you can be running 20th with three laps to go and end up winning. My No. 8 team and I go into each race weekend with the same mindset and that is to run up front and win. Last weekend, we were really close to that first win and instead of using that as a reason to be frustrated, we’re using it as more momentum. As the driver, I’m going to focus on listening to my spotter and crew chief, hitting all my marks and staying out of trouble. Staying out of trouble is hard at these superspeedways but those drivers end up being at the front when the white flag waves. The schedule is also different this weekend with no practice and straight to qualifying so we’ll see how that goes for us. I’m looking forward to a good weekend at Talladega.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
ELLIOTT ON RACING AT TALLADEGA:
“Talladega is one of those places where you just don’t know how your day is going to end up. I think that’s why driving smart and just doing what you can to make it to the checkered flag is the main focus. Your race can change so fast if you’re in the wrong lane or you get caught up in someone else’s mistake. I think if you can avoid those things and finish the race, you’re going to have a decent result.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
GUSTAFSON ON TALLADEGA:
“A majority of things from Daytona correlate to Talladega, and we didn’t feel like we were as good as we needed to be in Daytona. So we’re going try to take a few different philosophies to Talladega and see if that works. Really, for us, this race will be in the playoffs, so this is a good opportunity to try some things and figure out what you need to do to be where you want to be here in the fall.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 16 MAJESTIC STEEL CAMARO ZL1
“I’m looking forward to our second speedway race together as a group and building on the solid foundation Kaulig Racing has established over the years at superspeedways. The engine package has changed some over the last year or so at these type of tracks, but the speed and teamwork within this organization hasn’t, and we are collectively excited about the opportunity in front of us as we head to Talladega. This group has been putting the work in, communicating, and doing the things you have to do to build for our future together both on the Xfinity side and the Cup side.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1
BYRON ON HIS APPROACH TO RACING AT TALLADEGA:
“Talladega is quite a bit different than Daytona even though they are both superspeedways. Talladega is a lot wider with more room for racing, but the handling of your car isn’t as important there as it is at Daytona. This race is more about how well you can push someone and how well you can receive a push. You need speed, but you need to be able to work well with others to get good runs to make it to the front and stay there. My approach doesn’t change though. You still want to be conservative at times to make sure you’re there at the end of the race, but you also need to push it early on to know what your car is capable of to set yourself up in the best position in the end. We’ve always seemed to run well at Talladega. We just haven’t always had the results to show it, but that’s part of superspeedway racing.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1
FUGLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNDAY’S RACE AT TALLADEGA:
“We had a tough weekend on the dirt (at Bristol), but I’m proud of the effort the No. 24 team put in to keep getting us better as the weekend went on. We can put that race behind us now, though, especially since it’s not in the playoffs. I’m just ready to get to Talladega. This is a race that plays a factor in the playoffs, so it has a heavier importance in the notes we put together. Even though we only get one or two laps on track before the race, we do have some notes to work off of already. We’ll be running the same tire that we used in Daytona so that gives us a good starting point to build off.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1
“Talladega is one of my best tracks, so I feel optimistic going into the weekend. I feel like we had good speedway speed at Daytona earlier this year, but we just didn’t get the finish we wanted after the issues we had. Going into the second speedway race of the year, we’re going to race hard all day to try and make up stage points. Hopefully we get good points finish out of it and stay out of the big one.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/SUNNYD CAMARO ZL1
“Looking at Daytona (International Speedway) and Atlanta (Motor Speedway), I felt like we had one of the best cars in both of those races. Now, we’re going to Talladega (Superspeedway) with the same optimism and plan, which is to lead laps, run up front and just try to get the job done. You only need one race to turn your season around and we’re looking to turn it around. We’ve had a lot of good races with good speed, but a lot of things have happened that’s taken us out of contention. We don’t know what Talladega holds, but we will have a car capable of running up front with our No. 47 Kroger/SUNNYD Camaro ZL1.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
BOWMAN ON HIS PREPARATION FOR TALLADEGA:
“Talladega has been a place that we have had our struggles at. We ran second in 2019 and have been caught in someone else’s mess a couple of times. So this weekend, I hope that we can change our luck. We have had a couple of solid runs recently. That gives us confidence to go out there, be aggressive and try to get another win this year.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
IVES ON HOW THE TEAM’S CONSISTENCY IN 2022 WILL HELP THEM AT TALLADEGA:
“I think any time you can put together a string of good runs together, it boosts your confidence. Being able to have a fast car to overcome the adversity we had at Bristol and take home a top-10 result is a testament to the hard work by this team and helps us carry momentum into the next weekend. Talladega is a place we have had fast cars as well, so that helps us as we get ready for race day.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1
ARE YOU READY FOR TALLADEGA?
“I don’t know if you are really ever ready for Talladega, but I am looking forward to it. At the beginning of my career I wasn’t a big fan of the superspeedways but I have begun to enjoy them. We had chances to win at Talladega in April and last fall at Daytona so I am optimistic about our chances this weekend.”

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT POINTS AND PLAYOFFS YET?
“Not right now. Right now, I’m focused on making our team the best it can be. What is the good of getting a playoff spot if you aren’t running good? If you get in the playoffs you want to win. I don’t think I will worry about points until five or six weeks before the playoffs. Right now we want to run as well as possible and the rest will take care of itself.”

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: 5
Poles: 2
Laps Led: 1,374
Top-five finishes: 25
Top-10 finishes: 41
Stage wins: 10
Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas)
William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta)
Daniel Suarez (COTA)
Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2)
Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 819 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 725
Laps led to date: 242,710
Top-five finishes to date: 4,163
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,596

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,153
       Chevrolet: 819
       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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
GEICO 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 21, 2022

TY DILLON, NO. 42 PETTY GMS CAMARO ZL1, met with the media via teleconference in advance of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Press Conference Transcript:

THIS PAST WEEKEND AT THE BRISTOL DIRT RACE, YOU CAME HOME WITH A 10TH-PLACE FINISH. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT RACE, BUT ALSO JUST WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOUR TEAM. A NEW TEAM THAT IS BUILDING TOGETHER – WHAT IT MEANS TO TAKE HOME A TOP-10.
“Yeah, that was a really big day for us – for Petty GMS and myself. First of all, winning the heat race was really cool. Anytime you cross the checkered flag first in any kind of Cup Series race, that’s a big deal and I don’t take that for granted. Especially doing it with the No. 42 – a number that Lee Petty brought to the series, made so famous and has passed down through so many drivers. And to do that on dirt in a heat race is kind of a cool throwback moment for me, personally. It was also a good boost of confidence. My goal was to go out there and win that heat race beforehand and I was able to do so against Kyle Larson, who is undoubtedly probably one of the best dirt racers out there, and racers in general; along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Chase Elliott is no slouch either on dirt. I think he spent most of the winter almost living with Larson and running midgets and different dirt cars. I figured when I saw that heat race – it was the most loaded heat race with a large amount of dirt background. So, that was a huge vote of confidence for me.

And then starting the race in seventh after all the passing points and everything; driving straight up to second and getting our first stage points of the year with nine stage points, is huge for sure. That was a great start. We were just kind of checking things off our list. In the second stage, we were unfortunately hung on the bottom quite a bit and fell back. It was really tough in that race to restart on the bottom and go forward at all. I think if you go back and look at it, anybody who restarted on the bottom just fell back into the field. We were able to have a strong enough Gain Camaro that I was able to drive back up through the field, get a top-10 finish, which is another one of our goals. It’s always good when you set high goals and you are able to accomplish them in a weekend. So, we have a lot of confidence going into Talladega (Superspeedway), which is statistically probably my best track. Hopefully we’ll keep that rolling and just keep moving forward with momentum this year.”

YOU’RE 21ST IN POINTS. HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE THAT, AS FAR AS THE SEASON GOES? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POINTS, IS TOP-20 A GOAL? OR FOR A NEW TEAM, IS STAYING IN THE TOP-25 THE GOAL?
“Obviously we want to stay in the top-25. I think there are good financial benefits for the team and everyone involved. I think that’s an expectation. And then we have goals, right. So, being inside the top-20 would be a goal, along with trying to get into the Playoffs and winning a race. We just want to show progression. We want our team to get better week in and week out. We started pretty good. We fell back to 26th in points and now we’re kind of moving forward again. I think for a new team and a whole new situation – where we’re at and with the guys that are around us being a strong group of drivers – I think the full points layout is a little bit different for everyone this year. I think the field is very solid all the way back to 28th in points. If we can crack that top-20, I think that would be a great thing. We want to keep looking for more and we expect more out of it. I think especially with the speed that Erik (Jones) has shown this year at some of the tracks. I know myself and our No. 42 team expects to have that kind of speed week in and week out. And if we can do that, we can go even higher in points and be a Playoff-contending team and a winning-contending team.

There are a lot of goals out there that we believe are achievable. But the expectation is to be inside the top-25 and show progression throughout the year and see where we end up at the end.”

AT TALLADEGA, WITH THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING CARS READY, IS IT THE SAME MENTALITY AS DAYTONA? IS IT 50/50 WHETHER YOU’RE GOING TO FINISH OR END UP WRECKED?
“These weeks are always weird for me because I’m thinking the same things you guys are. What’s it going to be like – Is it going to be aggressive? Is it going to be calm? Speedweek (at Daytona) seemed calm up until the Daytona 500. And then we started the race and people were bump drafting on lap one. I’m a big proponent of feeling the energy of the race. I just got off a meeting with my guys and I said this is the hardest race for me to prepare for. I just go off of what I feel. It may change within a lap, but I feel like if we can get up there and put ourselves in a good spot to get stage points and run up front, that’s obviously where you’d like to be. Or do I feel bad energy in the pack and people are doing things they shouldn’t at a certain time. For me, I won’t know until I’m in the situation. I don’t think anyone showed much patience in the Daytona 500. But also, in my opinion, nobody showed any patience in the last three years of superspeedway races. If you look back, there’s maybe 15 cars that were on the lead lap due to crashes and issues every race.

My strategy sometimes seems conservative, but I also have one of the best average finishes of the last four or five years at some of these speedways. So, until they prove me otherwise, I’m going to play a smart game – feel the energy of the pack; get stage points if it feels right and we have the speed to do it and in the right situation. But if not, I have to make sure our Black Rifle Camaro crosses the line on the lead lap and I can pretty much always guarantee us a top-15 or top-10 in that way.”

LOOKING AT THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE SEASON, EVEN WITH THE NEW CAR, IN ESSENCE YOU’RE SEEING THE SAME TOP TEAMS WIN. THE TOP-10’S FOR TEAMS ARE VERY SIMILAR FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR. IS THE NEW CAR AN EQUALIZER IN SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN’T SEE MAYBE THROUGH WINS AND TOP-10’S? OR IS IT A CASE THAT MAYBE THESE BIGGER TEAMS HAVE THE BIGGER RESOURCES AND THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FIND THINGS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE?
“Yeah, I think that’s a good question. I think it’s a little bit of both. The top teams have always had the most money and resources, and that’s always helpful. But they also have some of the best people – best drivers and crew chiefs because they have the same amount of money to go out and pay for them. Not taking away from any other teams – they’re going to put a good effort forward. I think that’s why you see the top teams winning. Winning teams win races and no matter what you put them in; winning drivers will do the same. I think it’s a little bit of a balance there, but I think you’re seeing within teams – week to week – you don’t know which driver within that team might win or might be two laps down. It’s been quite fascinating. You see two Hendrick (Motorsports) cars run really well and two run bad. You’ll see one RCR car run well and one RCR run bad. Same thing with us at Petty GMS – it seems like we haven’t had really one weekend where we’ve both been really, really strong. But we’ve both had our strong weeks. This car has a really fine line and seemingly when the driver, crew chief, team combo hits the right setup at the right time, you take off and you can have a chance. I haven’t had a weekend where I’ve gone into it where I don’t believe that if we hit it right, we can win the race. I didn’t feel that way in the past and I think this car provides that for everyone.

I feel very confident that at Petty GMS, when we hit right, we’re going to have a chance to win a race. I think this past weekend was a real showing of that. We could have won that race if we were in the right spot at the right time at the end of the race; and if different things would have worked out in our favor in strategy and rain-wise. I think you’re never out of it with this car, which is a welcoming sign. Obviously money always wins in everything and we need to continue to get more sponsorship for our team and provide more resources for everybody. We’re working hard at that. We’re a young, growing team. We’re doing really well. Maury Gallagher is putting so much into our program. It’s very exciting to be a part of this team because our goal is to win. And then you throw Richard Petty in there – he has that winning mindset. He’s the winningest driver in our sport. So, we have so much excitement and promise around our team. We’re very new and in a youthful stage as a team, and figuring a lot of things out. Both teams – my team and Erik’s – have had ups and downs throughout the season. We’re starting to leap back up in the points.

To circle back and answer your question – the good teams are going to be good. But I think if you look within these teams and why we’ve had so many different winners is because you never know when the right person is going to hit the setup. I think Erik could have possibly won Fontana if things would have gone the right way. It’s an exciting time in our sport and I look forward to every weekend because I feel like I have a legit shot to win. I can see it as a driver. You can see speed differences. You can feel things of like – Ok, we’re just getting outdone by money or we’re just getting outdone by putting the right pieces together. I think every weekend we’ve hit this year – it’s just a matter of putting the pieces together. It’s all there for us. Certainly, Mike Beam, Maury and Petty GMS is giving us every opportunity to do that. And I feel like we’re right there. In the past – I feel like with the old car or the old system – even if we did everything perfect, maybe it was a top-15. But I feel like if everything is done perfect now, we can win races. So, that’s always exciting for a driver and I think you’re going to continue to see more new winners; and I think you’re going to have to win a race to be in the Playoffs this year.”

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TO WORK ON EASTER. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS A NEW THING FOR THE SPORT THIS YEAR WITH THE EASTER RACE. THE NUMBERS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT EASTER IS SOMETHING THAT WILL PROBABLY BE BACK ON THE SCHEDULE. WHAT KIND OF AN ADJUSTMENT IS THAT FOR THIS SPORT?
“It’s a tough spot for our sport. I know our sport respects family, faith, and holidays of all of communities and cultures. It’s a tough balance. For me, I don’t know if I get to speak from a very fair vantage point, but I’m lucky enough to travel with my family. My brother and his family was there; my mom, dad and grandfather. So, I got to have Easter with my whole family. But I have a very unique situation. And then I look at my friends and the employees at Petty GMS and across the garage that didn’t get to have that for the first time in a long time – that’s tough. You hear from our sport and we’re in such a great point in our sport and everything is trending up; and we have our best viewership of a race at Bristol since 2016. It puts everyone in a tough spot.

But I think there is a way to go about it. I think there’s a way to maybe schedule the Saturday events early enough – maybe do the heat races early in the morning on Saturday to give people time to go home. Most team members are within a two hour drive from home; or the owners of the sport should pay for the guys to fly home and fly back on Sunday. If we’re going to do a Sunday night race, plan everything to give the guys a 12 to 18 hour stretch where they can choose to go home and be with their families and be able to come back for the race that night. At Petty GMS, we flew, which was nice for the families to at least to get home Sunday night. But we still didn’t get to bed until 1:30 a.m. and there were teams that had to drive home. That’s a tough weekend and it definitely doesn’t help the families back at home.

There’s a balance. I think we can work the schedule. I think the owners and NASCAR, in general, have to work together to do as much for their employees as possible in that situation. That’s the way I see it. But it’s a very positive thing that we had great viewership. I know next year, it’s going to be going up against the Masters, which will be interesting to see how that works out. So, we just have to work together to figure it out because these people that work so hard deserve time with their families, especially when you look at our schedule this year. We have one off weekend throughout this whole year and that is brutal. That’s really tough, especially with a new car and early in the season with a massive shortage in parts. There are still teams that are scrambling and working from 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 to midnight every night and then turning around and racing. It’s all good because we want the sport to succeed. But eventually you burn people out and we’ve got to take care of our people. That’s what makes this sport so important and we just have to look at some of these things to get some breaks for people, whether it’s the way that we travel or plan out weekends. I think there is plenty of time, especially this past weekend, to do a lot more for the people.”

BRISTOL, WHEN THEY SENT OUT TICKETS FOR POTENTIAL FOR SALES FOR NEXT YEAR, IT’S THE WEEK AFTER. MY QUESTION FOR YOU – I KNOW YOU AND YOUR BROTHER RACED A LOT OF DIRT BEFORE GETTING TO NASCAR – OVERALL, HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE RACE? THERE WERE A LOT OF OPPONENTS THAT WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DIRT TRACK RACING ELEMENT OF IT. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE SCHEDULE AS A POINTS-PAYING RACE?
“I do. I think a lot of our drivers just like to complain because they’re bored and sometimes just want something to talk about; just try to show emotion in that way. I think you just have to look at it a lot less selfishly. So what if you get a little dirty…inaudible. We’re all on the same track and we’re all doing it together. The only thing that’s going to make this sport continue to grow and be good for everyone is to have a positive outlook; see what worked and how we can make the things that didn’t work as good better and move forward positively. I’m never bashing anything unless it’s dangerous and there’s nothing about that race that’s dangerous. I thought it was fun. I think if you look at the first year to the second year, it massively improved. Sometimes people aren’t patient enough to let something kind of mature and grow into what it really can be. Sometimes we’re quick to snap judgement and say ‘this isn’t going to work’. That’s just not a healthy way to look at things in our sport. I enjoy the fact that NASCAR is choosing a different way to go about racing at different tracks and trying to do things for fans.

I think if you take your driver selfishness hat off and look at it globally, that was an awesome event. You think of all the things that we fixed from the previous event, that was great. And there’s another list of things that we can continue to do to grow. To say this race isn’t worth it and hope we don’t go back – I think that’s kind of ridiculous. I was surprised by some of the comments from some of the drivers. I think if you look at the attitude of the drivers – the guys that liked the race ran well and the guys who didn’t like the race ran bad. Mindset of your approach of what you want to be a part of definitely helps in having a better weekend.

I grew up dirt racing. I haven’t raced dirt in five years, so that was my first dirt race other than the Eldora truck races that I’ve ran, and I enjoyed it. Part of that element – when you go to a Saturday night dirt track or a weekend dirt track – is that things are moving. Things aren’t always the same. You don’t show up to the same track with the same bump and the same groove every single weekend. And in fact, it’s not the same from when you unload your car to the time that the checkered flag waves. Every lap you’re moving, changing and adjusting your car. It makes it tough, but that’s why we choose to go dirt racing – to throw something different at it. I think the big win was that the dust was down and the track had multiple grooves. There was passing. Was it hard? Yes. It’s also hard to pass at Bristol when it’s concrete. I think I had the most passes with 58 or 59. That’s a lot of passes, so it’s possible. You just have to be into it and embrace the fact that it’s good for our sport; and what’s good for our sport is good for us.”

MOTHER NATURE CERTAINLY HAD HER SAY THE FIRST YEAR WE WENT THERE AND IT WAS REALLY HARD TO GET THE TRACK CONDITIONED. BUT FROM THE DRIVER SEAT, YOU FOUND THE DIRT THIS TIME A LOT MORE COMPETITIVE TO RACE ON. DID THE BANKING HELP, AS WELL?
“Yeah, I don’t know a whole lot about dirt, other than my background. Inaudible.. from what I noticed was different was they added some calcium into the dirt to hold moisture in it a little bit better. Whether that was the cure or not, I’m not sure. But our daytime practice got pretty dusty at one point. I think the biggest win was moving it to a night race. It holds more moisture.. inaudible..

I don’t know what metrics led into that, but they were right in taking banking out of the bottom and adding it to the top. I think it was a really good race. I thought everything went great and I think we can improve it even further.”

YOU’VE BEEN ON A SINGLE-CAR TEAM FOR MOST OF YOUR CUP CAREER. WHAT IS IT LIKE HAVING A TEAMMATE THIS YEAR?
“It’s been great. It’s an adjustment for me. Like you said, I’ve been a single-car driver for my whole career. Just adjusting to that dynamic is not always easy. You’re learning personalities and the whole team isn’t centered around you. It’s around two cars. It’s helped me a lot to learn from Erik (Jones), Dave (Elenz) and the No. 43 team, who has had such good speed. They set a good expectation, which I really appreciate. The opportunity to know where your team can be is always so good. If they’re having a strong weekend, we can look at them and say ‘OK, this is where we need to get to’. I’m a very competitive person, but I also enjoy being a team player. I believe that together we can push each other to move Petty GMS forward. I’m enjoying having a teammate and having that dynamic. I can’t wait to see how we kind of grow in that together.”

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.

First Phase Driver Knows He Can Race Up Front

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 21, 2022) – Rookie driver Todd Gilliland heads into Sunday’s Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway race knowing he will need friends to help push him all race long to stay in contention for a top finish. It’s a tall order for a first-year driver, but Gilliland and his No. 38 FirstPhaseCard.com Ford Mustang team earned a lot of respect during the Daytona 500.

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“I just want to earn respect each weekend,” Gilliland said. “When you’re racing in the pack, I am trying to be smart. I’m not thinking about the rookie stripe. Do not get me wrong, I know I am a Cup rookie, but I’m concentrating on not making mistakes, making the right moves, and getting us in position for the end of the race.”

The team did just that in the Daytona 500. An impressive run, Gilliland raced in the top-10 all afternoon in the sharp looking First Phase Ford. He was only taken out in a late-race wreck not of his doing. He is now ready to get back to superspeedway racing and have another chance.

Gilliland comes back to the track with the anchor partner of the No. 38 program, First Phase. The new credit card from CURO Credit, LLC, issued by The Bank of Missouri is back for its fourth race of the season after making its debut earlier this season at the Clash at the Coliseum and the Daytona 500. The product provides pathways to financial freedom for people with unestablished or imperfect credit.

“I know our Front Row Motorsports Ford’s are always fast at Daytona and Talladega,” continued Gilliland. “We have First Phase credit card on the car again and that is cool, too. We just need to do the right things and I think we can have a good day. That is our hope.”

Gilliland has one previous win at the Talladega Superspeedway in the ARCA Series in 2019.

The First Phase team hits the track on Saturday for qualifying only before racing on Sunday on FOX.

ABOUT CURO

CURO Group Holdings Corp. (NYSE: CURO) is a full-spectrum consumer credit provider across the U.S. and Canada. The Company was founded in 1997 by three childhood friends in Kansas to meet the growing consumer need for short-term loans. Today, CURO operates a robust, omni-channel platform providing comprehensive credit solutions to help customers achieve their financial goals. CURO’s decades of experience with alternative data power the underwriting and scoring engine, mitigating risk across the full spectrum of credit products. CURO operates under a number of brands including Speedy Cash®, Rapid Cash®, Cash Money®, LendDirect®, Flexiti®, Avío Credit®, Opt+®, Revolve Finance®, Heights Finance, Southern Finance, Covington Credit, Quick Credit and First Phase. Our diversified product channels allows us to meet the changing needs and preferences of our customers.

ABOUT FIRST PHASE

First Phase is a new credit card issued by The Bank of Missouri that provides pathways to financial freedom for people with unestablished or imperfect credit. It’s a powerful tool that can provide flexibility and help fuel the next chapter of their financial future. First Phase is the doing business assumed name of CURO Credit, LLC, whose ultimate parent company is CURO Group Holdings Corp (NYSE: CURO).

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

COLE CUSTER
Talladega Advance
No. 41 Feeding America®/Wow Wow Classic Waffles Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 24
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After back-to-back-to-back races on the three shortest tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series tour, Cole Custer and the No. 41 Feeding America®/Wow Wow Classic Waffles Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) head to the longest track, the 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway oval, for Sunday’s GEICO 500.

● Riding along with Custer for the first time this season will be SHR partner Wow Wow Classic Waffles, and Feeding America®, the largest hunger relief organization in the United States with a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. SHR and Wow Wow Classic Waffles are collaborating on an online auction that kicked off Tuesday, from which all proceeds will benefit Feeding America®. Fans can follow this link to bid on an exclusive VIP experience for two at the 2022 NASCAR race of the winning bidder’s choice. The winner will receive two VIP credentials that provide access to the NASCAR Cup Series garage and pit road through the race. Also included in the package are personalized garage, hauler and pit road tours, a 10-minute meet-and-greet with Custer, lunch with the No. 41 SHR Mustang team, and seats atop the team’s pit box during the race. One hundred percent of the final bid price of this auction will go directly to Feeding America®, through SHR’s partnership with Marson Foods and Wow Wow Waffles. The winner and guest must be 18 or older. The auction closes April 26.

● SHR, Wow Wow Classic Waffles and Feeding America® are also asking fans to continue to do their part in helping to end hunger in America by visiting the Feeding America® donation page via the Feeding America® website. Each $1 donated helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.

● On Wednesday, Custer participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Second Harvest Food Bank location in Salisbury, North Carolina. Custer frequently volunteers his time at the Second Harvest location in Charlotte with his No. 41 team members occasionally offering their time to help the community.

● Sunday’s 500-mile race will be Custer’s 85th Cup Series start and his fifth at Talladega. The 2020 Cup Series Rookie of the Year’s 10th-place finish there a year ago this weekend was the best of his first four Cup Series visits and was the first of his two top-10 finishes earned last season. He scored his second top-10 three weeks later on the concrete mile oval at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Custer finished 13th in last October’s rain-shortened race at Talladega.

● The 24-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, had promising runs in both of his Talladega outings during his rookie season. In the spring race, he was set to restart fifth for the green-white-checkered finish, but his Mustang began to stumble from a lack of fuel, sending him to pit road for a splash-and-go. He finished 22nd. In the fall race, he was able to drive to the front on multiple occasions, but while running fifth just past the race’s halfway point, he was collected in a multicar incident that ended his day.

● Custer has three Talladega appearances in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition in the No. 00 SHR Ford with a best finish of ninth in the 2018 race, and best starts of 12th in the 2018 and 2019 races.

● Custer qualified the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry on the pole for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega, but saw that bid come to an early end after an accident just past the halfway point.

● At last weekend’s Food City Dirt Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Custer earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole. The starting grid for Sunday night’s race on the half-mile, dirt-covered Bristol oval was determined via four nine-car, 15-lap heat races, in which drivers earned points based on their finishing position and the number of cars they passed. Custer finished second in the first heat after starting in the ninth and final position to earn 16 points, more than any other driver in the 36-car field. He went on to finish 13th in Sunday night’s race and arrives at Talladega 24th in the Cup Series standings.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 Feeding America®/Wow Wow Classic Waffles Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Is there anything you’ve changed about your approach to superspeedway-style racing now that you’ve run the NextGen car at both Daytona and Atlanta?

“I think the biggest thing about the superspeedway racing this year is this new car is really all about getting the pit stops good and making sure you stay with the lead draft. If you’re the last car in line, it’s really easy to lose the draft. So I think that’s been the biggest thing. At the end of the day, it’s been really similar. You’re still able to push really hard, you’re still able to draft and run three-wide, and four-wide at times, so it puts on good racing. You just want to make sure you can stay with the lead draft.”

Off the track, it seems you and your team, along with SHR partner Wow Wow Classic Waffles, have been working hard to support the initiatives of the Feeding America® network. Talk about that.

“We’ve been able to do some really cool things through our partnership with Wow Wow Classic Waffles and Feeding America. It’s been eye-opening to see how many in our area need help and we’ve been able to provide meals for many families through the work we’ve done, but we need help. There are so many ways to help and it doesn’t take much to make a difference for the many families out there who are in need. It’s been really cool to get involved with the food banks and pack bags for local schools and the community. It gives you a great mindset because volunteering is something I wish I did more of before and now it’s something that I’m doing every month, pretty much. It’s definitely rewarding to see the people that you’re helping in your community.”

Does it open your eyes to people who are less fortunate than you?

“Yeah, for sure. That’s what it’s all about. We get so wrapped up in our own lives and our own problems. You’re able to help out people who really need it in our community, so it’s something that has been really cool to get involved with and I’m really looking forward to doing even more of it in the future.”

No. 41 Feeding America®/Wow Wow Classic Waffles Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania