TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
RUOFF MORTGAGE 500
PHOENIX RACEWAY
AVONDALE, AZ
MARCH 13, 2022

RACE #4 – PHOENIX RACEWAY
The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Chevrolet drivers and teams look to make it three in-a-row for the Camaro ZL1 as NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the final race of the west coast swing. The 1-mile Arizona tri-oval will be the host of the fourth race of the 2022 season for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). The NCS Ruoff Mortgage 500 will be broadcasted on FOX at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 13, with FS1 carrying coverage of the NXS United Rentals 200 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 12. Chevrolet will be pacing the field at Phoenix Raceway, with a Camaro SS leading the field in both events.

In the 51 NASCAR Cup Series races that have been held at the Arizona venue since November 1988, Chevrolet has recorded 25 victories to lead all manufacturers, including Kyle Larson’s win last November that clinched his first Driver Championship and 33rd for Chevrolet.

CAMARO ZL1 GOES BACK-TO-BACK ON THE WEST COAST
In the second of the three-race west coast swing for the NASCAR Cup Series, the Camaro ZL1 made its way to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, marking the second win on the season for Chevrolet. The 400-mile race at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval came down to a battle between teammates after a late-race caution pushed the finish to overtime, with a two-tire pit strategy putting a pair of Camaro ZL1’s on the front row for the final restart of the race. Alex Bowman battled Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson, with the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 edging out Larson at the line to capture the win by 0.178 seconds. The feat gave Bowman his first win of the 2022 season; his seventh all-time in NASCAR’s premier series; and a guaranteed playoff berth and his chance at a run for NCS championship title.
20 different drivers have contributed wins for Hendrick Motorsports, who now sits at 282 all-time wins in NASCAR Cup Series competition and extending its record as the winningest team in NCS history. With Bowman’s victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 28-year-old Chevrolet driver surpassed Kasey Kahne on the Hendrick Motorsports win list, where all seven of his NCS wins have been made with the organization behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

For the second week in a row, Chevrolet placed an impressive four drivers in the top-five and six in the top-10 of the final running order at Las Vegas. Three different Chevrolet teams were represented in the top-10: Alex Bowman (Race Winner; Hendrick Motorsports); Kyle Larson (2nd; Hendrick Motorsports); Ross Chastain (3rd; Trackhouse Racing); William Byron (5th; Hendrick Motorsports); Tyler Reddick (7th; Richard Childress Racing); and Chase Elliott. (10th; Hendrick Motorsports).

BACK ON TOP
The last time Kyle Larson was at Phoenix Raceway, the 29-year-old California native drove his Chevrolet-powered machine to victory lane, capturing his 10th victory on the season and his first-career NASCAR Cup Series championship title.

Larson returns back to the 1-mile Phoenix tri-oval exactly where he left off: on top of the points standings. Following his runner-up finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Larson jumped from the eighth position to take the lead in the standings. With his win at Auto Club Speedway, Larson also secured his spot into the 16-driver NCS Playoffs field and his chance at defending the coveted championship title.

A Chevrolet driver not only took over the lead in the driver standings, but back-to-back strong weekends for the Camaro ZL1 has moved the bowtie brand into the lead of the manufacturer points standings. The winningest brand in NASCAR history, Chevrolet captured a milestone 40th NCS Manufacturer Championship title in 2021.

BOWTIE BULLETS
· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships; 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships; and 816 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet holds the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.

· In addition to its 25 wins at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded 19 poles, 115 top-five’s, 225 top-10’s and has led 6,457 laps.

· Heading into the Phoenix race weekend, Chevrolet sits atop the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer standings. Through three NCS races this season, the bowtie brand also leads in laps led (326), stage wins (4), top-five’s (8) and top-10’s (13).

· With three races in the books for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet leads in the manufacturer and driver points standings, with eight Chevrolet drivers making up the top-10 of the driver standings. In addition, the Camaro SS has gone three-for-three in pole wins thus far this year.

· Ross Chastain captured a third-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after capturing a stage win and leading a race-high 83 laps, the most laps Chastain has led in his previous 117 NCS starts combined.

· Chevrolet team Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with 12 victories among eight drivers: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021).

· Career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson holds the qualifying record at Phoenix Raceway with a lap at 25.147 seconds, 143.158 mph (set in November 2015).

· In the NASCAR Cup Series total laps led category for 2022, three of the top-five are Chevrolet drivers: Tyler Reddick (1st; 90 laps led); Ross Chastain (2nd; 83 laps led); and Kyle Larson (5th; 56 laps led).

FOR THE FANS:
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Displays in the Fan Midway at Phoenix Raceway.
Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Fan Midway including: Camaro LT1, Corvette 2LT Coupe, Equinox RS, Tahoe RST, Silverado Trailboss, and Traverse Redline.
At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Camaro ZL1 show car.

TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:
Saturday, March 12
· Jeremy Clements: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
· Sam Mayer: 11: 45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
· Josh Berry: 12:00 p.m. – 12: 15 p.m.

Sunday, March 13
· Ty Dillon: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
· Erik Jones 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
· William Byron: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Friday, March 11: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 12: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 13: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

TUNE IN
FOX will telecast the NASCAR Cup Series Ruoff Mortgage 500 live at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 13. The NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 will air on FS1 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 12. Live coverage of both events can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 K1 SPEED CAMARO ZL1
TALK ABOUT YOUR LAS VEGAS RESULT.
“The Next Gen cars are so different from what we are used to driving. The No. 1 car felt a lot like the No. 42 (Xfinity Series) car did when I won at Las Vegas. I have a lot of history at Vegas and that weekend changed my life. Its carrying on here at Trackhouse and what we’re building and Justin Marks believing in me. When I crashed the car at Auto Club and spun out in the race, Justin took me to lunch and gave me confidence. If we keep having cars like our Vegas car, we’re going to be strong.”

HOW ABOUT ALL OF THE BUZZ ABOUT NASCAR THIS SEASON?
“This is my 11th year in the sport. I’ve just tried to be a sponge and watch these guys that have been here well before me and have seen a lot of change. If I can go out on the track and make a splash, that’s one thing. But off of the track I like to watch, listen and learn from the people who have been here before me. We’re all in, especially Trackhouse, on getting new people involved in the sport with the different sponsors and big named people from outside of the sport. We’ve seen that with (UFC) Dana White’s brand and (actress) Eva Longoria’s brand. Trackhouse Racing and Justin Marks want to bring in like-minded people.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 GET BIOETHANOL CAMARO ZL1
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE RACING TO BE LIKE AT PHOENX RACEWAY? DO YOU EXPECT ANY NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES FROM HOW THE PREVIOUS CAR RACED THERE?
“I tested one day at Phoenix Raceway, but we didn’t really get around a bunch of cars at the test. One thing about Auto Club Speedway, and a reason why I thought it was a solid race, is there’s a lot of options at that track and places to go find some air for these cars. I think short tracks are going to be great for this car. Tracks like Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway should be strong. Fans saw a great race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Phoenix Raceway is kind of in between a short track and a speedway, which will make it interesting. You start to get into a bit of an aero problem at Phoenix, and you start relying on downforce and different things so I feel like it’s going to be important to qualify well. I do think that tires are going to fall off a pretty good amount at Phoenix, which will be nice. You have to set up your car for that and hope you make it work. It’s going to be a race either way. I don’t know how great it’s going to be, but it’s performed well so far, so I wouldn’t underestimate it. It’s a challenging car to drive and it’s putting on a good show so far.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE ABLE TO TAKE FROM THE SPRING PHOENIX RACEWAY RACE WHEN WE GO BACK FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN NOVEMBER? SINCE WE’RE LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT THE NEXT GEN RIGHT NOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PAGE BY THE TIME NOVEMBER ROLLS AROUND?
“I would say some things will probably change, but not a whole lot by the time we go back. We just need to take good notes. Anytime we go to the track, we’re going to be writing notes, talking about parts, pieces, and different thoughts on how to drive. It’s a whole new notebook this year. Even if you don’t go back to a track, or you change tracks that you’ll never see again, there’s something you can learn and take to the next event.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1
LARSON ON JANUARY’S NEXT GEN TEST AT PHOENIX AND COMPARISONS TO LAST YEAR’S RACE CAR:
“The balance of the car during the test didn’t change as much during a run compared to last November at Phoenix. My first time in the Next Gen car – well, at least my first time with the rules package as close to what we’re using this year – was at Phoenix in January, which was the freshest track in my mind. It helped me realize it didn’t drive too much differently.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1
DANIELS ON HIS MINDSET ENTERING JANUARY’S NEXT GEN TEST AT PHOENIX AFTER WINNING THE 2021 TITLE THERE IN NOVEMBER:
“Pulling into Phoenix for the test was definitely cool because winning the championship there in the fall was such a special moment for this team. Getting back there brought back some very special memories. But our focus changed quickly with the challenge this Next Gen car brought, and a lot of those challenges we were preparing for at the test. It’s going to be a fun weekend – I love the track and I love the area, and I am looking for a lot of good things out of our team.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 BUILT.COM CAMARO ZL1
“We’ve had a good start to our season going into the final race of the west coast swing. We’ll be running the same car for all three, so it’s a testament to the hard work by our Spire Motorsports team. In the past, I’ve had some ups and downs at Phoenix, but I look forward to building on our good run in Vegas & having another solid day for our Built Bar Camaro. We didn’t participate in the Phoenix pre-season testing, so we’ll lean into our Chevy support going into the first true mechanical grip-heavy track where we’ve brought these cars.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 GUARANTEED RATE CAMARO ZL1
TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO RALLY BACK TO A SEVENTH-PLACE FINISH AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY LAST WEEKEND AFTER STARTING FROM THE REAR TWICE, SUFFERING LEG DISCOMFORT AND ON-TRACK OBSTACLES.
“It was a pretty good recovery for our team. I guess if you look at where we started and where we finished, you’d think it was a pretty boring day because we were supposed to start seventh, but it was anything but that. We had a few issues throughout our weekend starting with some steering issues that ultimately led to us changing our steering rack, forfeiting our starting spot, going to the back. From there, we definitely had a car that was pretty good in clean air, which we practiced a majority in, but once you get back there in that bubble of 10th to 20th, it’s pretty vicious back there. We just needed something different to be able to handle better but we had good pit stops and got a couple of breaks on restarts where we were able to get ourselves in that fifth to 10th bubble and we were able to manage it to the finish. I’m proud of the fight our team showed throughout that whole race and feel like we have good momentum heading to Phoenix this weekend.”

YOU GOT TO TEST THE NEXT GEN CAR AT PHOENIX A FEW MONTHS AGO. HOW DO YOU THINK THE RACING WILL PLAY OUT THIS WEEKEND WITH A LOT MORE CARS ON TRACK AT ONCE?
“This weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway is going to provide some really entertaining and exciting racing, I think. When we were out there for the test, we didn’t get to run a lot in traffic but that will be different on Sunday. We’ve seen such solid and good racing at all the tracks we’ve visited so far this season and it feels like Phoenix is going to be the perfect mix of all of them. This car is so challenging to drive and with the aerodynamics at Phoenix, practice is going to be crucial to see what kind of speed and car you’ve got. Qualifying is going to be really important too, you want to have a good starting position especially as the tires start to give throughout the first stage or two. My team has been working really hard each and every week and I think we’ll have a good game plan put together for this weekend and hopefully we’ll be able to run upfront and put on a good show.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1
ELLIOTT ON RETURNING TO PHOENIX AFTER TESTING THE TRACK IN JANUARY:
“When we tested at Phoenix earlier this year, I felt like of all the tracks it was the most similar to how our old car felt when we were there. Obviously, testing is a little different than going out and racing, but I’m looking forward to getting back there and continuing the success we’ve had in the past.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1
GUSTAFSON ON UNIFIRST’S FIRST RACE OF 2022:
“I’m excited to have UniFirst with us for another season. They’ve been a great partner and we’ve had many memorable moments together over the years, including an All-Star Race win. I really like their new scheme and I’m looking forward to carrying their green and white colors this weekend at Phoenix. Hopefully we can create another winning moment for them and end Sunday in victory lane.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1
BYRON ON THE CHALLENGE THAT PHOENIX BRINGS:
“Even with the Next Gen car, I think restarts are going to be just as crazy at Phoenix (Raceway) this weekend. We’ve seen it the last two races, and I think this weekend will be no different. Choosing the right lane is going to be crucial to get yourself in a good position heading into turn one as well as maintaining track position overall throughout the race. Once you get back in traffic, the harder it is to make up ground, especially at a short track like Phoenix. We’ve had pretty good speed last year at Phoenix in the spring. We just need to make sure to keep up with the track and minimize mistakes to keep us up front and in contention at the end.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1
FUGLE ON KEEPING MOMENTUM HEADING TO PHOENIX:
“We had a good run in Las Vegas and got the result that we needed. It was a solid day overall, and I think it shows the strength this No. 24 team has. We had lots of positives in that race and loads of potential left. We just need to clean up the little things and I think we will be in contention to win every time we show up to the track. This is a team that is hungry for more. We’ve been good at Phoenix. We just need to be a little bit better. It’s a track that I really like overall in every series I’ve been, so I enjoy that we get two chances at it in a season. The goal is to be in the Championship 4 when we come back in November.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 FRY’S / NOS CAMARO ZL1
“We feel good going into Phoenix. We’ve had some tough breaks, but the speed is there. At Vegas (Las Vegas Motor Speedway), we qualified ninth and ran in the top-15 all day. We just have to be consistent and keep getting after it with our No. 47 Fry’s/NOS Camaro.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY / BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1
BOWMAN ON HIS WIN AT LAS VEGAS:
“We had an amazing race car at Las Vegas. Greg (Ives, crew chief) made a great (two-tire) call at the end that gave me a chance to go out and get the win. I am super proud of my team, and I’m looking forward to getting out to Phoenix with the momentum our team has.”

BOWMAN ON THE DONATION TO THE BEST FRIENDS PROGRAM AFTER HIS LAS VEGAS WIN:
“It’s awesome to know that Ally will be making a bigger donation to help animals in Las Vegas. Having their support in helping animals is really neat. Last year, we were able to make a big difference with Ally’s support, so I am glad we are starting the year off on the right foot.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY / BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1
IVES ON HIS MINDSET HEADING TO PHOENIX:
“Whenever you get a win, it always helps carry momentum into the next week. Going into this week at Phoenix, we are focused on running a clean race and executing like we did in Las Vegas. It is one of Alex’s favorite tracks and a place that we always look forward to going to and improving. We continue to work hard to get more consistent and find that little bit extra each year. So I am excited and ready to get out to Phoenix and have another great weekend.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COMMSCOPE CAMARO ZL1
IS RUNNING UP FRONT IN 2022 BUILDING YOUR AND YOUR TEAM’S CONFIDENCE?
“Definitely a lot. I mean every time you get the opportunity to have a shot at winning, you get more confident. You get hungrier and that happens not just for me as a driver, but for the entire team. My engineers, my crew chief, my pit crew all can’t wait to race again.
“Ross and I have amazing teams. All of them, they want to win, be competitive. And when you know that you can, you just show up to the racetrack even more excited. I’m very fortunate to be in this position. I think that we’re going to be able to do some fun things this year.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE WATCHING YOUR TEAMMATE BATTLE FOR THE VICTORY?
“It was great. I mean you wish it were you, but I was rooting hard for Ross and the No. 1. We work very well together and feel like we are one team. It gives you great confidence knowing how fast our Chevrolets have been in 2022.”

WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL WORK HARD TO DESERVE A VICTORY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
“It’s a combination of many things you know. If you were asking me that question two years ago, I was going to tell you go work out, work physically and trying to watch some film as many hours as possible. But right now, I have learned and realized that it goes just way more than that. Trying to work with your team and trying to realize what we could have done different and better. I look back in California and we left a lot on the table. I did, the car did a little bit. We had a good car, but I believe that we are going to have such a better car this weekend and probably everyone is going to say that, but to our plan and the way that we are growing as a team I feel like we just keep getting better. Learning as we go and learning is a process and I understand that, but I think that you know working hard and smart is going to be very important. Doing that with a team like the one I have is going to be important and really fun at the same time.”

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: 2
Poles: 1
Laps Led: 326
Top-five finishes: 8
Top-10 finishes: 13
Stage wins: 4
Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 816 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 724
Laps led to date: 241,662
Top-five finishes to date: 4,146
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,568

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,150
       Chevrolet: 816
       Pontiac: 154
       Oldsmobile: 115
       Buick: 65

       Ford: 812                                                         
       Ford: 712
       Mercury: 96
       Lincoln: 4

       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
       Dodge: 217
       Plymouth: 191
       Chrysler: 59

       Toyota: 162

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.

Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, March 13, 2022
1-Mile Oval
3:30 PM ET
Location: Phoenix
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (4 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 1st

No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TOTAL TEAM EFFORT: Last November at Phoenix Raceway, Kyle Larson led the final 28 laps to capture his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The No. 5 pit crew’s final performance of 2021 – a 12.345-second four-tire stop on lap 285 – moved Larson from fourth to first for the final restart and propelled the 29-year-old driver to his fifth win in 10 playoff races. In 2022, the over-the-wall crew returns its starters of gasman Brandon Harder, jackman Brandon Johnson, tire carrier R.J. Barnette and tire changers Donnie Tasser (front) and Calvin Teague (rear).

BACK ON TOP: Larson led 27 laps en route to a second-place finish Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With the runner-up finish, the 2021 Cup Series champion moved from eighth to first in the standings after three races. Dating back to last season, Larson has held the top spot after 14 of the last 17 events.

TWO-FER: In February, Larson earned his first victory of the season in the 400-mile event at Auto Club Speedway. The Elk Grove, California, native has posted top-two finishes in two of three events held in 2022 making him the only driver to score multiple top-five finishes this year. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has finished first or second 18 times in 39 Cup starts (46%).

LUCKY 13: Larson has led at least one lap in the last 13 Cup Series races – more than double his previous personal best of six in a row. Only two other Hendrick Motorsports drivers have posted longer streaks: Jeff Gordon in 1995 (19 straight) and 1998 (14) and Geoff Bodine in 1986 (17).

SIX PACK: In his last six starts at Phoenix Raceway, Larson has six top-10 finishes – his longest streak ever at any track. Overall, his nine top-10s at the 1-mile facility rank second-most at a track for Larson, trailing only Dover Motor Speedway where he has 10.

VALVOLINE’S ’22 DEBUT: Valvoline will make its first of three appearances as the primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. To learn more, visit Valvoline.com.

RED HOT: In 2021, Larson raced the red No. 5 Valvoline entry on two occasions: Nashville Superspeedway in June and Bristol Motor Speedway in September. He was victorious in both races, pacing the field for a combined 439 of a possible 800 laps.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 7th

No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

PHOENIX STATS: This Sunday, Chase Elliott will make his 13th Phoenix Raceway start in the NASCAR Cup Series. In his previous 12 races at the track, he has amassed one win (November 2020), five top-five finishes and an impressive eight top-10s. His 496 laps led there rank as his second-most among active tracks on the circuit. In his four most recent starts at the 1-mile desert oval, Elliott has an average finish of 4.5, has led 340 laps and is tied for the most top-10s in that span with four.

WINNING MOMENT: Elliott’s 2020 Cup Series championship was secured after he drove his way to a victory at Phoenix in the season finale. Starting from the back of the pack, he drove to the front and led a race-high 153 laps en route to the win. It was Elliott’s first and only victory to date at the track and his first Cup Series title.

EARLY CONSISTENCY: Just three races into the 2022 season, Elliott and the No. 9 crew are one of only four Cups Series teams to score multiple top-10 finishes. He has proven to be a model of consistency, earning more than 20 top-10 finishes in four of the last five seasons.

GUSTAFSON AT PHOENIX: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson will call his 35th Phoenix race as a Cup Series crew chief. In his previous 34 starts there, he has collected four wins, 12 top-five results, 23 top-10s and 927 laps led. Gustafson’s four wins are tied with Chad Knaus for the second-most by a crew chief at Phoenix and came via four different drivers: Kyle Busch in 2005, Mark Martin in 2009, Jeff Gordon in 2011 and Elliott in 2020.

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

RETURN OF UNIFIRST: This weekend, UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing customized work uniform programs, corporate attire and facility service products, will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It will mark the third time UniFirst has adorned Elliott’s Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway, including the two most recent spring events at the track. Earlier this year, Hendrick Motorsports and UniFirst announced a partnership extension, keeping UniFirst with the team through the 2028 season.

A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. One grand prize winner and a guest will receive flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15 and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 21st

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

MOMENTUM SHIFT: Showing speed in the first three events of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron’s first two races didn’t end the way he hoped – but Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway changed the momentum. Qualifying 14th, Byron powered his way through the field, leading laps in the opening stage and scoring top-five results in both stage one and stage two. The 24-year-old driver continued to race within the top-five running order in the final stage and maintained that position even during a dicey overtime restart. Byron’s fifth-place result was his first top-five of the season and a track-best for him at Las Vegas at the Cup level.

LEADING THE CHARGE: So far in the 2022 Cup Series season, only three drivers have led laps in all three events held so far: Byron, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney. Byron has led the field in his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 a collective 25 laps in the three races.

VALLEY OF THE SUN: Heading to a track where he has found success at in every level of NASCAR competition, Byron will return to Phoenix for the ninth time in his Cup career. Across his eight Cup Series starts at the 1-mile oval, Byron has a personal-best finish of eighth (March 2021). In fact, half of his starts at Phoenix have resulted in top-10s – tied for the third-most at a track for Byron. He also is tied for the third-most top-10s in the last four races there behind teammate Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick, who both have four. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native also has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix on his résumé, both coming in 2017 when he started on the front row and finished in the top four in both races, including a win in November. With that victory, he became the youngest Xfinity Series winner ever at Phoenix Raceway at 19 years, 11 months and 13 days.

DYNAMIC DUO OUT WEST: In 2016, Byron was behind the wheel for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Phoenix with crew chief Rudy Fugle atop the pit box. The duo won the pole position and went on to lead 112 laps. An engine failure while Byron was leading with 10 laps to go ended his night and his chances to advance on to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway where the team found redemption and won.

RUDY’S PHOENIX PERFORMANCE: Heading to Phoenix Raceway for the third time in his Cup Series crew chief career, Fugle’s first outing in the spring of 2021 resulted in an eighth-place effort with the No. 24 team. He returned to Phoenix for the season finale, and while he and Byron were poised for a top-10 finish, late race damage forced the driver down pit road, ending in a 17th-place effort. Aside from those two Cup Series starts, Fugle has eight Truck Series races under his belt at the 1-mile oval. In those events, he has four pole awards and his drivers have led a total of 471 laps. While Fugle has only one win Phoenix (Erik Jones in 2013), he also has two runner-up results, three top-fives and six top-10s. In fact, Fugle’s drivers have only finished worse than ninth two times, including the race with Byron that they dominated before an engine failure resulted in a 27th-place finish.

FOUR-FOR-FOUR: The fourth race of 2022 will mark the fourth time primary sponsor Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this season. Now in its 30th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta returns as a primary partner on Byron’s No. 24 in 2022. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 8th

No. 48 Ally / Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS: Alex Bowman notched his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the young 2022 season Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 28-year-old driver started the race 13th but made his way to the front of the pack before winning the first stage. He went on to lead the final two laps in overtime, fending off defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson for the victory. Bowman’s performance all but locks him into his fifth consecutive playoff appearance.

TWO PAWS ON THE WHEEL: The No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will have a unique look this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. The car will don paw prints and the vibrant orange logo of Best Friends Animal Society to coincide with the season-long donation efforts of Bowman and primary sponsor Ally. The program returns for a second straight year after raising more than $160,000 as a result of the driver’s four-win season in 2021.

SAVE THEM ALL: Thanks to the No. 48 team’s win at Las Vegas, the $4,800 weekly donation from Ally and Bowman to the Best Friends Animal Society effort was increased to $10,000. The contribution will benefit Best Friends and The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas. This weekend, the driver will stop by The Barn House AZ to visit the animals helped by the program.

TELL THE WORLD I’M COMING HOME: Bowman returns to his home track of Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. The 28-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native, has garnered one top-10 finish there, which came in November 2016 when he started from the pole position and led 194 laps at the 1-mile circuit.

IVES AT PHOENIX: Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally / Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will make his 15th Phoenix start as a crew chief this Sunday. The veteran has tallied one win (with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.), two top-five finishes, four top-10s and a pole position (Bowman) at the track.

WINNER, WINNER: Sunday’s win at Las Vegas made Bowman the second-winningest driver in the Cup Series since the start of the 2021 season. His five wins in that time are more than any other driver with the exception of teammate and defending Cup champion Kyle Larson (11).

$302K FOR UKRAINE: Hendrick Motorsports led 51 laps in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which added $102,000 in support to Ukraine relief and brought the total gift from the Hendrick organization to $302,000. To help bring awareness to the growing humanitarian crisis and to encourage donations, team owner Rick Hendrick and sponsor Hendrick Automotive Group committed $200,000 to Samaritan’s Purse to support disaster assistance. The organization also contributed $2,000 for each of the 51 laps led by the four-car Hendrick Motorsports stable at Las Vegas. Donations made via SamaritansPurse.org aid relief efforts in Ukraine, where Samaritan’s Purse has established an emergency field hospital and is providing other support.

22 OF 44: With Alex Bowman’s victory Sunday at Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsports has won 22 of the last 44 points-paying Cup Series races dating back to 2020. It joined Joe Gibbs Racing (2018-2020) as the only teams in NASCAR’s modern era to post a winning percentage of 50% over a 44-race stretch. No organization has won 23 of 45 points races since Petty Enterprises accomplished it across the 1970 and 1971 seasons.

THE ONES AND TWOS: At Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsports scored a 1-2 sweep with Bowman’s victory and Kyle Larson’s runner-up performance. It was the record-extending 51st time the team earned both first and second in the same points-paying race. Hendrick Motorsports has finished 1-2 in 23 different seasons, on 22 different tracks and in eight of the last 27 Cup events.

PHX RISING: Going into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports is the track’s all-time leader in wins (12), pole positions (13), top-five finishes (52), top-10s (94) and laps led (3,105). Larson won the most recent race held there in November when he clinched Hendrick Motorsports’ record-extending 14th Cup Series championship.

GOING STRONG: Since the beginning of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Hendrick Motorsports has won 19 points-paying races. During that period, all other teams combined have posted 20 victories.

WE’RE STREAKING: Hendrick Motorsports has led in each of the last 27 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races representing the seventh-longest streak in its history. The team holds the all-time record for the most consecutive Cup races led at 74, which occurred between 2007 and 2009. It also holds the series’ second-longest streak of 55 that happened from 1995 to 1997.

BEST IN THE WEST: On Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports notched its seventh victory at Las Vegas, and its record-extending 41st combined NASCAR Cup Series win on the West Coast. It has also won 12 times at Phoenix Raceway, 12 times at Auto Club Speedway, seven times at Sonoma Raceway and three times at the defunct Riverside International.

100K MILESTONE: Since Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984, it has led a record 98,650.97 miles in points-paying Cup Series races. The team is less than 1,350 miles from hitting 100,000 laps led at NASCAR’s top level.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on January’s Next Gen test at Phoenix and comparisons to last year’s race car: “The balance of the car during the test didn’t change as much during a run compared to last November at Phoenix. My first time in the Next Gen car – well, at least my first time with the rules package as close to what we’re using this year – was at Phoenix in January, which was the freshest track in my mind. It helped me realize it didn’t drive too much differently.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset entering January’s Next Gen test at Phoenix after winning the 2021 title there in November: “Pulling into Phoenix for the test was definitely cool because winning the championship there in the fall was such a special moment for this team. Getting back there brought back some very special memories. But our focus changed quickly with the challenge this Next Gen car brought, and a lot of those challenges we were preparing for at the test. It’s going to be a fun weekend – I love the track and I love the area, and I am looking for a lot of good things out of our team.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Phoenix after testing the track in January: “When we tested at Phoenix earlier this year, I felt like of all the tracks it was the most similar to how our old car felt when we were there. Obviously, testing is a little different than going out and racing, but I’m looking forward to getting back there and continuing the success we’ve had in the past.”

Elliott on UniFirst’s first race of 2022: “I’m excited to have UniFirst with us for another season. They’ve been a great partner and we’ve had many memorable moments together over the years, including an All-Star Race win. I really like their new scheme and I’m looking forward to carrying their green and white colors this weekend at Phoenix. Hopefully we can create another winning moment for them and end Sunday in victory lane.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the challenge that Phoenix brings: “Even with the Next Gen car, I think restarts are going to be just as crazy at Phoenix (Raceway) this weekend. We’ve seen it the last two races, and I think this weekend will be no different. Choosing the right lane is going to be crucial to get yourself in a good position heading into turn one as well as maintaining track position overall throughout the race. Once you get back in traffic, the harder it is to make up ground, especially at a short track like Phoenix. We’ve had pretty good speed last year at Phoenix in the spring. We just need to make sure to keep up with the track and minimize mistakes to keep us up front and in contention at the end.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on keeping momentum heading to Phoenix: “We had a good run in Las Vegas and got the result that we needed. It was a solid day overall, and I think it shows the strength this No. 24 team has. We had lots of positives in that race and loads of potential left. We just need to clean up the little things and I think we will be in contention to win every time we show up to the track. This is a team that is hungry for more. We’ve been good at Phoenix. We just need to be a little bit better. It’s a track that I really like overall in every series I’ve been, so I enjoy that we get two chances at it in a season. The goal is to be in the Championship 4 when we come back in November.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his win at Las Vegas: “We had an amazing race car at Las Vegas. Greg (Ives, crew chief) made a great (two-tire) call at the end that gave me a chance to go out and get the win. I am super proud of my team, and I’m looking forward to getting out to Phoenix with the momentum our team has.”

Bowman on the donation to the Best Friends program after his Las Vegas win: “It’s awesome to know that Ally will be making a bigger donation to help animals in Las Vegas. Having their support in helping animals is really neat. Last year, we were able to make a big difference with Ally’s support, so I am glad we are starting the year off on the right foot.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to Phoenix: “Whenever you get a win, it always helps carry momentum into the next week. Going into this week at Phoenix, we are focused on running a clean race and executing like we did in Las Vegas. It is one of Alex’s favorite tracks and a place that we always look forward to going to and improving. We continue to work hard to get more consistent and find that little bit extra each year. So I am excited and ready to get out to Phoenix and have another great weekend.”

Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix Raceway … In 130 starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six NASCAR Cup Series victories led by Kevin Harvick with four victories (a sweep of both races in 2006 plus the fall races in 2012 and 2013). Dale Earnhardt won in 1990 while Ryan Newman claimed the win in the 2007 spring event. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, RCR has three wins by three different drivers: Elliott Sadler (2012), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Harvick (2006).

Introducing the Next Gen … NASCAR’s Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which officially debuted in 2022, is a collaboration of the brightest engineering minds in racing. With technology at the forefront, Richard Childress Racing has played a unique and critical role in helping to bring this new on-track identity to life, working closely with OEMs, other teams and NASCAR to build and test the initial prototype.

Catch Saturday’s Action … The United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, March 12 at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action in Phoenix … The Phoenix 500 will be televised live Sunday, March 13 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Get Bioethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Phoenix Raceway … Dillon has 16 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. He earned his best finish of eighth at the track in November 2018.

Delivering Performance On the Track and For the Planet … Austin Dillon will race the Get Bioethanol Chevy in Phoenix, showcasing the performance benefits of racing with earth kind and engine smart bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15. Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high octane on the racetrack or a more affordable option for spring break road trips, plant-based bioethanol makes a positive impact on our planet. Learn more about bioethanol at getbioethanol.com.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What do you expect the racing to be like at Phoenix Raceway? Do you expect any noticeable differences from how the previous car raced there?
“I tested one day at Phoenix Raceway, but we didn’t really get around a bunch of cars at the test. One thing about Auto Club Speedway, and a reason why I thought it was a solid race, is there’s a lot of options at that track and places to go find some air for these cars. I think short tracks are going to be great for this car. Tracks like Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway should be strong. The fans saw a great race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Phoenix Raceway is between a short track and a speedway, which will make it interesting. You start to get into a bit of an aero problem at Phoenix, and you start relying on downforce and different things so I feel like it’s going to be important to qualify well. I do think that tires are going to fall off a pretty good amount at Phoenix, which will be nice. You have to set up your car for that and hope you make it work. I don’t know how great it’s going to be. It’s performed well so I wouldn’t underestimate it. It’s a challenging car to drive and it’s putting on a good show so far.”

How much do you think you’ll be able to take from the Spring Phoenix Raceway race when we go back for the championship in November? Since we’re learning so much about the Next Gen right now, are we going to be on a completely different page by the time November rolls around?
“I would say some things will probably change, but not a whole lot by the time we go back. We just need to take good notes. Anytime we go to the track, writing notes, talking about parts, pieces, and different thoughts on how to drive. It’s a whole new notebook this year. Even if you don’t go back to a track, or you change tracks that you’ll never see again, there’s something you can learn and take to the next event.”

Outside of winning races and making the playoffs, are there any specific competition goals that the team has set for itself to achieve this year, especially with the new car?
“For me it’s winning a championship. My goal is to be the first guy to win all three championships. That’s what I put the effort into. It’s what I spend my weekends for, to try and win all three. That’s why I wrote ‘Crazy Faith’ on the back of my helmet this year. I’m believing in the process. I’ve set goals throughout different seasons. In the past, I’ve set obtainable goals like a earning a couple of wins and getting in the playoffs. I want to start thinking about what I really want and having faith towards that. The championship is the only thing I wrote down as a goal.”

This Week’s Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Phoenix Raceway … Reddick will make his fifth start at the Avondale, Arizona track on Sunday, sporting the red, white and black Guaranteed Rate paint scheme on the No. 8 Chevrolet. Reddick made his Cup Series debut at Phoenix in 2020 and most recently, finished 19th in the 2021 season finale. He has a best finish of 19th twice, both in the Cup Series championship race, and he’s completed 95.6 percent of laps attempted. During his time in the Xfinity Series, Reddick made five starts at Phoenix and tallied a best finish of third in both of the races at the track in 2019. In total, he has four top 10s and two top fives and completed 999 of 1,000 laps attempted. Lastly, during his NASCAR Truck Series career, Reddick made three starts at Phoenix and grabbed a best finish of fifth in 2015.

Reddick’s Stats Improve … Reddick has led the most laps this season among all Cup Series drivers with 90. Prior to this season, Reddick had only led 73 laps total in 74 races. Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Reddick grabbed his first top-10 finish of the season after overcoming some obstacles throughout the race. Reddick and the No. 8 team are looking forward to adding another great finish this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

About Guaranteed Rate … Guaranteed Rate is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has more than 8,000 employees in 500 offices across the U.S., and is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, funding more than $95 billion in total loan volume in 2021 alone. Powered by its belief in positivity, the company has become one of the largest retail lenders in the nation. Guaranteed Rate delivers innovative technology, including the world’s first Digital Mortgage, low rates and unparalleled customer service.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
Talk about how you were able to rally back to a seventh-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend after starting from the rear twice, suffering from leg discomfort, and on-track obstacles.
“It was a pretty good recovery for our team. I guess if you look at where we started and where we finished, you’d think it was a pretty boring day because we were supposed to start seventh, but it was anything but that. We had a few issues throughout our weekend starting with some steering issues that ultimately led to us changing our steering rack, forfeiting our starting spot, going to the back. From there, we definitely had a car that was pretty good in clean air, which we practiced a majority in, but once you get back there in that bubble of 10th to 20th, it’s pretty vicious back there. We just needed something different to be able to handle better but we had good pit stops and got a couple of breaks on restarts where we were able to get ourselves in that fifth to 10th bubble and we were able to manage it to the finish. I’m proud of the fight our team showed throughout that whole race and feel like we have good momentum heading to Phoenix this weekend.”

You got to test the Next Gen car at Phoenix a few months ago. How do you think the racing will play out this weekend with a lot more cars on track at once?
“This weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway is going to provide some really entertaining and exciting racing, I think. When we were out there for the test, we didn’t get to run a lot in traffic but that will be different on Sunday. We’ve seen such solid and good racing at all the tracks we’ve visited so far this season and it feels like Phoenix is going to be the perfect mix of all of them. This car is so challenging to drive and with the aerodynamics at Phoenix, practice is going to be crucial to see what kind of speed and car you’ve got. Qualifying is going to be really important too, you want to have a good starting position especially as the tires start to give throughout the first stage or two. My team has been working really hard each and every week and I think we’ll have a good game plan put together for this weekend and hopefully we’ll be able to run up front and put on a good show.”

This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Phoenix Raceway … Creed will be making his second start at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He scored a 10th-place finish this past November at the 1.0-mile desert oval. It was his first top-10 and came in his fourth career start in the series. He has two top-10 finishes in three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts this season and enters the United Rentals 200 on Saturday afternoon 14th in the series standings. The Alpine, Calif., native has made four NASCAR Truck Series starts at Phoenix, highlighted by his victory in 2020 that gave him the series championship.

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:
What is the key to running well at Phoenix Raceway?
“You need to roll really good through the center of the corner and put the power down on exit. That was what I battled at Phoenix Raceway when I ran the NASCAR Xfinity Series car there in the fall. If we can just turn a little bit better that should help us get off the corner better and I think we’ll be faster.”

How big of an advantage is it to have one NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway?
“Having a little bit of experience in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway will be huge for us. I’m excited to be able to go there having laps in a NASCAR Xfinity Series car and knowing what to expect right off the bat for practice and feeling like I know what I need. I’ll be a lot more comfortable just having that prior experience. I’m excited to get into the race with the Whelen Chevrolet and to continue to learn as much as I can. It’s important get more comfortable and get up to speed. I’m just trying to learn and get comfortable these first few weeks of the season and get ourselves a good base. We all want to win, but I’ll take solid finishes early in the season and have solid races.”

This Week’s United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro SS at Phoenix Raceway … Hill will be making his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday afternoon. He won the pole at Phoenix in 2019 and has one top 10 (a 10th-place effort in 2021) in the NASCAR Truck Series. Hill is 10th in the Xfinity Series driver standings entering Saturday’s race and has led at least one lap in two of the first three races this season. With his victory in the season-opening event at Daytona, Hill has clinched a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs.

About United Rentals … United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,278 rental locations in North America, 11 in Europe, 28 in Australia and 18 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 20,100 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and others. The company offers approximately 4,300 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $15.72 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
How important are restarts at Phoenix Raceway?
“Restarts are huge everywhere but even more so at Phoenix Raceway. As soon as you get to the start-finish line on a restart, you’ve got to start looking in your mirror. You’ve got to be ready for the guy behind you. If you’re leading the bottom lane, you’ve got to be ready for the guy behind you to short cut the racetrack. When he does that, you’ve got to be ready to react and throw that block and run that shorter line. Getting through the gears with smooth shifts is crucial. It seems like once you get in the restart , people start playing some games and you have to watch out for that.”

You were able to watch the Phoenix race last fall. What did you learn?
“I was able to sit on the box and listen and watch last year when they ran at Phoenix. It just seemed like the way the cars were driving, the track fit my driving style well. They were a little on the freer side.”

How big of a factor is the PJ1?
“I think the PJ1 has a lot to do with how the track is going to change throughout the race. As soon as the PJ1 gets activated, it then seems like you have to be up there to be fast. Sometimes your car works up there, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s one of those things that you’ve got to work through.”

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed to Phoenix Raceway, hoping to build on their most recent performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where they recovered from some mid-race misfortunes to post a 16th-place finish.

Burton, making his first appearance at Phoenix in a Cup Series car, said he believes his past races at the unique one-mile track will be a confidence booster for him and the DEX Imaging team. In his four Xfinity Series starts there he has a runner-up finish and a third-place finish, along with a sixth-place run and a 12th. He also has a third-place finish at Phoenix in NASCAR’s truck series.

“Phoenix is a great track for me personally,” Burton said. “I love it there, and building on the past race at Vegas is important.”

“Obviously 16th isn’t what our goal was, but to finish the race and show flashes of the speed we need was great.”

“I’m excited to move forward with the group and carry the momentum.”

He’s also proud to be representing DEX Imaging, which has been his primary sponsor in all but one of his prior Phoenix races, including two in the K&N Series.

“Every time DEX is on the car it’s pretty special,” Burton said. “They have been with me since I was a kid, so to get to try to have success with that group in Cup is very fun.”

Practice for the Ruoff Mortgage 500K is set for Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (1:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to be followed by qualifying at 12:05 (2:05 p.m. Eastern).

Sunday’s 312-mile race is set to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX. Stage breaks are set for Laps 60 and 185.

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

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

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

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
PHOENIX RACEWAY
RUOFF MORTGAGE 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 9, 2022

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 GUARANTEED RATE CAMARO ZL1. met with media via teleconference in advance of this weekend’s Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Press Conference Transcript:

ANY PROGRESS ON THE LEG NUMBING ISSUES AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TRY THIS WEEK?
“Yeah, so I just think with this new car there are some things (inaudible). The last car, from since I have been racing really stayed much the same. (inaudible) Yeah, you know just making some mistakes in how I think I needed to be sitting in this car. So, we’ve been able to, now that we are back home, came back from Vegas, been able to sit in the car and adjust some things. Pinpoint some areas where I think I just had my body in a bad posture, not really allowing the weight of my body in the seat being distributed the way it should. Nothing like to the extent of having to change inserts, do that sort of thing. Just moving some things around in the car seems to be better. Obviously, the reason this has been an issue is pretty challenging to understand sitting still you know with no load, no bumps, no heat, whatever it might be to really feel if there is going to be a problem. It’s hard to really understand what’s ok and what’s not. After we ran Fontana, you know we had our Vegas car right there, it was already in Fontana. Sat in it, moved some things around, thought I was going to be good to go in Vegas and obviously I was looking in the wrong places. We had some help this week and were able to make some adjustments and continue learning more and more about it. You know I just think I was in a really good place in that old car for such a long time and didn’t realize how easy or how bad you could end up missing it, the comfort side of things. Unfortunately going through that, that process right now (inaudible) a lot better.”

IS IT ABOUT KIND OF HOW THE PEDALS ARE MOUNTED AND HOW YOU POSITION YOUR FOOT? OR IS IT MORE KIND OF WHERE THE SEAT IS IN RELATION TO PEDALS AND MAYBE THE HEIGHT OF THE SEAT?
“I think more than anything its just having you know no matter where you put your seat its kind of important to have your legs comfortable for you. You know, not too high, not too low. You don’t want to cut circulation off having the pedals too low, on the edge of your seat or having your legs really having a lot of weight or force on the bottom of your seat cutting your circulation off that way. Certainly, with this deeper car, or deeper driver area or cockpit (inaudible) with how ramming my current insert was. So, we made some adjustments there. Certainly, I think I have frustrated some things in my body by putting it through that the last two weeks in a row now. I normally don’t give myself a lot of rest time in between with exercising and everything, so just coming up with the best approach to get my body some time to get out some of the stress I’ve been putting it though the last two weekends.”

HOW WELL TIMED WAS IT TO GET THAT FIRST TOP 10 OF THE YEAR AT LAS VEGAS, GIVEN HOW CRAZY THAT RACE WAS FOR YOU GUYS?
“It was important. I guess for our whole team it was an important thing to be able to come back from that. For me, personally too, I have a lot of distractions in the car. Just hard to give it my best effort with everything going on, not really allowing you to be 100 percent. To still get a top-10 was good, but certainly still I can’t let it keep taking away potential good runs for our team. I do think that it held me back in Vegas. Held us back in Fontana even though we were still really good, still able to execute fairly well on pit road and everything. After going through what I did in Vegas and not always having the track position all day long, it tells me that I was leaving some on the table in Fontana too. I mean I felt like I was and couldn’t really run the bottom because of what I was fighting, but we still had a pretty good car there. Yeah, it was good to get that top 10. The biggest thing that we’re focused on is making sure that we (inaudible) when we get to Phoenix, a place that requires a lot of braking, a lot of thinking about the car and its such a fine line balance wise at that place. It’s going to be very important to have all that worked out, so that is what we are going to try to do, my team is. Make sure that I can be 100 percent.”

WITH YOU HAVING THE FITNESS REGIMEN THIS OFF SEASON AND CHANGING YOUR BODY SO MUCH, DO YOU GUYS CHANGE THE SEAT INSERT FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND IS THAT KIND OF PART OF THIS SITUATION?
“It could be, but weight wise I haven’t moved that much shape wise a little bit. In the areas that I have changed shape, I don’t think it would, well thinking about it off the top of my head I don’t think it’s where our issue is coming from. I think it just has more to do with it’s a brand new race car, it’s a lot more options of where you can put the pedals in relation to the seat and I just think that’s where some of it is. I guess, yeah, with where I end up putting my pedals for the last couple weeks yeah it could have added some material underneath me to help fill the gap that was there. Yeah, I mean it’s not like the insert itself doesn’t fit me too bad. If anything, I feel like I fit a little bit better, like snug in it than I did. It’s just those other things that we moved around unknowingly really.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE NEXT WEEKEND?
“I don’t know. It’s hard to say. These cars, it’s been a lot of fun. it’s been challenging to understand so far. I don’t know. I think the transitioning from straightaways to corners is going to be interesting. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. I haven’t even read on it. I have only heard you know a little bit about it, so I really can’t say. I have tried, for the most part, to go into a lot of the race weekends with not a lot of expectations so I can be ready to adapt to anything. That has been a good approach for me and I’m pretty much carrying that thought process, that approach, into Atlanta as well.”

JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THE LEG NUMBNESS, I’M CURIOUS IF ANOTHER SOLUTION YOU GUYS OR THE RCR CAMP HAVE THOUGHT OF WOULD BE GETTING THE BLOOD FLOWING IN THE LOWER EXTREMETIES BEFORE A RACE? COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE A SOLUTION TO THAT TOO OR NOT REALLY?
“For the amount of time that you spend in a car, I think that could help in some sense, but I mean I was in the car for four hours in Las Vegas and to a degree it could help some, but when you are sitting in a car for a long period of time, I don’t expect that to be a fix. But I think it could be something, you know it certainly doesn’t hurt and you don’t necessarily want to get in a car for four hours and not be stretched out and have some good blood flowing anyway. You want to be ready at the start of the race, anything can happen. It certainly helps, but I think there’s some other things that we moved around that hopefully will take care of it.”

AS YOU ENTER THIS WEEKEND, CAUSE THIS IS A TRACK WHERE YOU HAVE TO USE BOTH PEDALS, IS THIS A TRACK WHERE YOU’RE REALLY CONCERNED THAT THE LEG NUMBNESS MAY BE HAPPENING ONCE AGAIN OR NOT REALLY WITH THIS ADJUSTMENT?
“Like I said a little earlier, it’s really hard to tell at the shop sitting still. You can strap yourself in, you can sit there forever. Without the car moving, you know the loads. When I sat in the car in Fontana for Vegas, I thought it was going to be ok. That does make it a little concerning, but I know that we went the right direction. It’s just hopefully we have gone enough, hopefully we didn’t go too far. Its just kind of difficult to really know if we got it right, and you know we got, well I thought we had enough time at Las Vegas to get a feel for it but we had some pretty lengthy changes, I didn’t get to stay out on the track quite long enough for that really to take into effect. You know coming in and sitting for 10 minutes while we were making some changes to the car took away from that, so we had the opportunity with that practice to get an idea for if we were going to be ok or not. We just didn’t take advantage of it. You know at Fontana, we didn’t really get to run long enough in the 15 minute practice session, or group split that we had to figure it out, so that is a cause for concern. We could probably run that whole session straight through and still may not know if it’s ok or not for the race.”

ARE YOU GETTING TO A POINT WHERE YOU’RE STARTING TO KNOW WHERE THE EDGE IS, HOW FAR YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT?
“It’s getting closer. The last two weeks have been a little more difficult to know, Vegas for sure was as well. (inaudible) You know in practice, you know just thinking we were balance wise pretty close and then figuring out as the race kind of unfolded that we were too loose and ultimately the car came around on me. There was a lot of learning left there, but it is hard to kind of get a feel for it with some of the things that we’ve been fighting. You know a place like Phoenix, when I tested there, I guess it would have been January, I actually felt like you could get away with more in this car than what we’ve ran there the last two years on short-tracks. This wider tire definitely adds a little bit different on a short-track than it does on some of the higher speed racetracks, so very interesting to see what that’s like in a lot more traffic, a lot more dirty air in full on racing versus what we were experiencing during the test. The cars definitely different, everyone’s seen that already, but I feel like we have been able to race pretty hard. It’s been kind of nice having a car that, in my opinion, doesn’t get as aero-loose when you’re on someone’s door. There’s a lot of things different about it, it’s been fun learning some characteristics early.”

YOU THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY IT SUITS YOUR STYLE?
“I don’t know actually. I like having a car hung out and you can’t really have this car hung out anymore.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE ITS (NEXT GEN CAR) LIVED UP TO ITS EXPECTATIONS COMING IN?
“I do. It’s definitely more difficult to drive. There’s so much to (inaudible) that you can’t rely on, your old senses or marks. I mean for me it has. It’s been a lot of fun. I really do like the things that are different about this car. As to be expected with it, you know you are going to have more difficult things than others, but I feel like everyone’s maximum potential is or starting point is with this car has kind of brought together. Throughout the field more people have more opportunities to hit it right and be able to run up with the best of the best at the front of the field. But at the same time if you miss it really bad, you’re going to have a really tough day. There’s a lot to learn and we are going to continue to learn with this car.”
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Roush Fenway Keselowski Weekly Advance | Phoenix

The West Coast swing comes to a close this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, where RFK Racing enters the weekend with 17 wins all-time, including seven in the NASCAR Cup Series. Brad Keselowski makes his 26th Cup start in the desert, while Chris Buescher makes his 13th on Sunday.

NASCAR Cup Series Race at Phoenix
Sunday, March 13 | 3:30 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

· Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Violet Defense Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 ITsavvy Ford Mustang

Hooked on Phoenix

Roush Fenway has 297 combined starts at Phoenix, totaling 17 wins, 75 top-five and 134 top-10 finishes. RFK Fords have nine poles and have led 4,031 laps at the 1-mile track.

Winning in the Desert

RFK has won at Phoenix in all three of NASCAR’s major divisions, with the organization’s first win coming in the fall of 1993 with NASCAR Hall of Famer and former driver Mark Martin in the NCS. RFK won the second-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix in 2000 and former driver Greg Biffle claimed the organization’s 100th overall NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Phoenix in 2009.

Former driver Carl Edwards also won at the track that fall to give RFK the season sweep. All in all, six drivers have won NASCAR races for RFK at Phoenix (Martin, Biffle, Edwards, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Joe Ruttman). In addition, Edwards swept Phoenix in the fall of 2010, winning both the NXS and NCS events.

Xfinity Success

Phoenix was one of the strongest tracks for RFK’s Xfinity program. In 93 starts, the organization won eight times, earned 27 top-fives, 53 top-10s and has led 1,406 laps. RFK most recently went to victory lane with Edwards in Nov. 2010. Its eight wins rank most of any track on the circuit behind only Charlotte (12), Darlington (15), Richmond (9) and Rockingham (10).

Tale of the Tape

RFK has started 168 NCS races at Phoenix, recording a total of seven victories, 35 top-five finishes, 60 top-10 finishes, four poles and has led 2,291 laps. Edwards earned RFK’s most recent victory at Phoenix in the March 2013 event.

RFK Phoenix Wins

1993 Martin Cup

1997-2 Ruttman Truck

2000 Burton Cup

2000 Burton NXS

2001 Biffle Truck

2001 Burton Cup

2001 Biffle NXS

2002 Kenseth Cup

2005-1 Busch Cup

2005-2 Edwards NXS

2006-2 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards NXS

2009-1 Biffle NXS

2009-2 Edwards NXS

2010-2 Edwards Cup

2010-2 Edwards NXS

2013-1 Edwards Cup