TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM
LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 6, 2022
NASCAR CUP SERIES HEADS WEST TO KICK-OFF 2022
The highly anticipated 2022 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season gets underway this weekend as the series heads to Los Angeles, California, for the 44th running of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Sunday, February 6. For the first time in NCS history, teams will take on the .25-mile track built within the renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Since the inception of the exhibition-style, non-points paying show in 1979, this year marks the first time that the traditional event has been hosted outside of Daytona Beach, Florida.
With a new venue comes a new format for the 150-lap exhibition race, featuring Heat Races and Last Chance Qualifier Races for the first time in the event’s history. Of the 36 drivers to enter the event, only 23 will secure a starting spot in the Main Event. 22 of those Main Event spots will be earned by drivers racing their way through either their Heat Races or the Last Chance Qualifier Races. The 23rd starting spot will be occupied by the driver finishing highest in the 2021 NCS Driver Standings that did not transfer through their respective qualifying races.
NEXT GEN CAMARO ZL1 SET FOR COMPETITION
The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series season will be one for the history books, where the series’ major automotive brands will make the on-track competition debut of their Next Gen models, including Chevrolet’s Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Chevrolet engineers and designers, alongside the Chevrolet race teams, worked closely together to develop the Next Gen Camaro ZL1, creating a race car that looks and performs more like the production Camaro.
Bringing the track and the street closer together, the Next Gen Camaro ZL1’s new lower greenhouse, shortened deck lid and widened track width contribute to a coupe-like appearance. Like the production Camaro ZL1, the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 features hood air extractors to enhance track performance. With its fully symmetrical body design, the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 race car looks even more like the production Camaro.
Other changes to the 2022 Next Gen race car include:
• Upgraded specs to match modern passenger vehicle technology, including independent rear suspension – like production Camaros – and rack and pinion steering.
• An increase in wheel size from 15 to 18 inches. The larger diameter wheels allow for larger brakes for improved track performance. Wheels will be made from forged aluminum, like the wheels on the production Camaro ZL1.
• A new transaxle that combines the transmission and rear gears into one package.
• The bottom of the car will be sealed with an underwing and rear diffuser for enhanced aerodynamics.
• A redesigned chassis features new front and rear bumpers with an energy-management system.
• Both the front and rear clips bolt on to the center section for easier serviceability and damage repair.
Chevrolet debuted the Camaro ZL1 race car into the NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, later replaced by the Camaro ZL1 1LE in 2020. In its two years of NCS competition, the Camaro ZL1 1LE won both the 2020 and 2021 NCS Driver’s Championships (Chase Elliott, 2020) (Kyle Larson, 2021), as well giving Chevrolet its 40th NCS Manufacturer’s Championship in 2021. Along with its 814 all-time NCS wins, Chevrolet holds the title of winningest brand in NCS history.
15 CAMARO ZL1 DRIVERS ENTERED FOR THE 2022 BUSCH LIGHT CLASH:
Of the 36 entrants in this year’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, 15 Chevrolet drivers will be in competition:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1
Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1
Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1
Justin Haley, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1
Ty Dillon, No. 42 Petty GMS Camaro ZL1
Erik Jones, No. 43 Petty GMS Camaro ZL1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1
Landon Cassill, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1
TEAM CHEVY IN CLASH COMPETITION (1979-2021):
· Of the seven different manufacturers that have won a Busch Light Clash race, Chevrolet leads the way with 21 victories.
· Career Chevrolet driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon, tops the list of the most consecutive Busch Light Clash appearances, totaling 22 consecutive events from 1994 – 2015.
FIRST 2023 CORVETTE Z06 RAISES $3.6 MILLION FOR OPERATION HOMEFRONT
It was a record sale at last week’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction when the first retail 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Edition was sold for $3.6 million, with 100 percent of the winning bid going to Operation Homefront. The winning bid made by Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series team owner, Rick Hendrick, now holds the record sale for a charity vehicle donated by a manufacturer at Barrett-Jackson, topping the previous record by $600,000, which was previously held by the first retail 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
“It’s truly a privilege to support our military members and their families through Operation Homefront,” said Steve Hill, Chevrolet vice president. “Proceeds from the first retail 2023 Corvette Z06 will benefit many U.S. military families across the country who have done so much to serve our country.”
FOR THE FANS
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the NASCAR Fan Fest area of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Fans can check out Chevrolet vehicles on display at NASCAR Fan Fest, including a Tahoe High Country and a Corvette Stingray.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Saturday, February 5: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 6: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
TUNE-IN
FOX will telecast the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 6. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 HOWLER HEAD CAMARO ZL1
2022 KICKS OFF AT THE CLASH. WHAT IS THAT RACE GOING TO BE LIKE?
“It’s going to be a party and I think a race is going to break out. I mean, that’s the whole point, right? That’s why we moved from the Daytona oval to the Daytona road course, and now to Los Angeles to change it up. We want to show people what we are all about. I’ve never been to the Coliseum but people know about that facility. It’s something totally new which I think is great.”
AS THE TRACK HAS BEEN BUILT AND YOU SEE PICTURES, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE?
“I have no idea. I grew up racing on a 3/8th mile, pretty flat asphalt track called 417 Speedway (Punta Gorda, Fla.) and that’s probably the closest thing I can relate it to, maybe Auburndale Speedway (Fla). We’ll all learn when we get there, that’s for sure. It’s more than a race. We are there to put on a show and with the acts that are performing we are there for racing and entertainment.”
SO YOU LIKE THE IDEA OF THE CLASH?
“Yes, it’s different and I’m excited for a new track. It’s great to be part of the Next Gen too. The learning curve at the Clash will be incredible.”
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE WORKING WITH DANIEL (SUAREZ)?
“I’ve watched him race and he’s been through different teams, and I heard him say early on when he signed with Justin Marks and Trackhouse that this might be his best opportunity of his career. A lot of people chuckled, but I didn’t. I knew Justin and I had talked to him about what he was trying to build. Now, nobody saw the acquisition coming with CGR and how all of that would come together, but Daniel bought in on Justin and I’ve bought in on Justin for a long time, I just didn’t have the opportunity to drive for him. Me and Daniel are pretty similar. Although, in the cockpit of the car, we couldn’t be more opposite. Just how we like to sit, what angle, the steering. He actually wants it looser than me. He’s the first teammate I’ve ever had that actually asked for it to be looser than me. That’s been refreshing because now I know there is more out there to get.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 TRUE VELOCITY CAMARO ZL1
WHAT ARE YOUR THROUGHTS ON BRINGING NASCAR TO THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM FOR THE CLASH?
“It’s going to be wild and interesting, that’s for sure. NASCAR really went outside of the box with this one, and from an entertainment standpoint, I think it should be great for fans. It’s a tight track to fit the cars on, so racing-wise, you’ll see quite a bit of beating and banging. NASCAR and Fox are both doing a good job creating excitement and adding to the racing with concerts and DJ’s enhanced television coverage. It’s a bold experiment for our sport and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”
WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THE NEXT GEN RACE CAR?
“It’s very futuristic compared to what we’ve been driving. I think it’s going to be a breath of fresh air. We have a lot of kinks and things to work out right now. There are a lot of unknowns, but I think that change is good for the sport. I think a lot of the fans are going to love to see the different things we do with the car. We’ll figure a lot out as we go. We had so much time and effort put into the old cars. We’re still figuring out things to make the old cars faster, which is crazy to think about when you look at how long we’ve had them. With the NextGen, I think the engineers in our sport are going to be learning at a very fast pace, and we’re going to have to try to keep up with them as drivers.”
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE INVENTORY OF CARS?
“I think it goes back to short track racing. When you are coming up through the ranks short track racing you do not have the inventory of cars that we’ve always had in the NASCAR Cup Series. If you wrecked your car, you could be out the next weekend. I don’t know that the inventory situation with the NextGen car is that serious, but a wreck early in the season definitely could put you behind and put your team in a bind early in the season. Until we get more inventory of these cars, you want to take care of your equipment but you also want to win and put it all out on the line.”
THERE’S A LOT OF CHANGES WITHIN THE SPORT AND WITHIN THE CAR. HOWEVER, YOU ARE COMING INTO A SITUATION WITH THE SAME CREW CHIEF IN JUSTIN ALEXANDER AND THE SAME TEAMMATE IN TYLER REDDICK HEADING INTO THE SEASON. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE SOME DEGREE OF FAMILIARITY SURROUNDING YOU HEADING INTO THE SEASON?
“I think it’s really important. Any time you can build with the same team over a year’s time you start to feel each other out more and know where everybody stands. We were very close to getting both of our cars into the NASCAR Playoffs last year. It came down to a points race between the two. Obviously this year, the biggest thing is trying to get locked in with a win. That’s what hurt us. I think we were super consistent throughout the season. We had our most consistent season ever and had some good runs. Unfortunately, there were some guys that won that put us in a really bad spot. We don’t want to be in that spot again. We want to go to Victory Lane before the NASCAR Playoffs start.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
LARSON ON TESTING THE NEW NEXT GEN CAMARO:
“I participated in several tests with the new Camaro, but last week’s test at Phoenix Raceway was my first with the car with all the changes and updates for the 2022 season. The test went well, and I’m looking forward to actually racing it.”
LARSON ON THE BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM COMPARISON TO THE LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM:
“Bowman Gray was so long ago and with such a different car that I don’t think it gives me, or anyone who competed in those races, an advantage. There is a lot of hype around the event, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
DANIELS ON THE RECENT NEXT GEN TEST AT PHOENIX RACEWAY:
“We learned a lot during the test last week. We went through a progression, and it allowed us to gather more data points for this car. No matter the track configuration or layout, we are going to be continuously learning with this car, so any on-track time is valuable.”
COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 NATIONS GUARD CAMARO ZL1
“The Clash is set to be one of the biggest events in NASCAR’s history. There are so many unknowns going into this race being the first race of the Next Gen car, which gives me a lot of confidence. I’m a short track guy at heart, with a win in the K&N series at Bowman Gray Stadium, so I can’t wait to get my elbows up at one of the country’s most iconic venues. Having NationsGuard come back for the 2022 season is also something I’m excited about. I look forward to giving them a great run to start the season.”
RYAN SPARKS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 7 NATIONS GUARD CAMARO ZL1
“I got my start at Bowman Gray Stadium, racing modifieds. Having the first Next Gen race at a track very similar to my roots is an awesome opportunity to capitalize on the 2022 season, right out of the gate. Short tracks are definitely Corey’s specialty, so I’m looking forward to turning some heads in our 3rd season together.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
ELLIOTT ON KICKING OFF THE 2022 SEASON WITH THE CLASH AT THE COLISEUM:
“I’m excited to get the season going. The Coliseum is a great venue, and I think it’s going to be a fun event. That’s what it was intended to be, a fun and exciting event to kick off our season, and I think it’s going to do exactly that. If you’re going to try something, the Clash is a good race to go and try it because there’s no points involved. This event has a lot of potential to be a home run for our sport. Hopefully it’s entertaining and people have fun watching at home on TV or from the stands.”
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
“The L.A. Coliseum is certainly an iconic place, and I’m really looking forward to going there. I can remember a lot of different events, from the Olympics to Supercross racing there, and I’ve got a lot of memories of that, so it’s going to be cool for us to race there. As far as the race goes, nobody really knows what to expect from the track and how the cars are going to drive. We certainly expect it to be chaotic with a lot going on in a short period of time. We’re going to make our best guess with the car and go try to learn as much as we can. Being adaptable is going to be important. It’s going to be exciting for sure.”
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 CHEVYLINERS.COM CAMARO ZL1
“This will be a unique and challenging event with the new car and new track. I’m happy to be able to participate in the very first clash in Los Angeles and to be a part of this opportunity with Kaulig Racing. This is a fun way to kick off the start of the season, so hopefully we can race our way into the big show on Sunday.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1
BYRON ON PREPARING FOR RACING AT THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM:
“I’m excited to get to L.A. and see what the track is like in person. When the idea came out to potentially race there, I was one of the drivers who was able to experience it on iRacing early on and give some feedback on how it raced. Other than that, there’s not much other preparation we can do before we get in our race cars and on track for practice Saturday. I’m interested to see how different the track races from that first time on iRacing. I think we can expect it to be tight racing with maintaining track position as the key. It should be interesting for sure as there’s no room for error.”
RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1
FUGLE ON RACING AT THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM FOR THE FIRST TIME:
“I’m not sure many of us know what to expect this weekend in Los Angeles. The nice thing is that everyone is in that same situation. We’ve had a lot of time testing the new car in the off-season, which is nice, but also none of those tests were on tracks similar to L.A. Thankfully we have some practice time prior to qualifying and the race, but with three short-timed sessions, it’s not a ton of time. Most of that time will be used to get drivers adjusted to the track, learning braking points, things like that. It should be exciting though as a lot of us on the team grew up racing at short tracks like this and it brings us back to where we started.”
JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1
“The start to my first full-time Cup season will look a little bit different this year, as we are headed to LA for the Clash! I think this is going to be a challenging but super fun week for us with this new car. It will be the first time we actually race in the new car, so hopefully we can get through it unscathed and learn a lot in the process.”
RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 FOOD 4 LESS/SLIM JIM CAMARO ZL1
“It’s a new venue, a temporary track, a brand-new car, and we will have a lot of new fans there. I don’t know what to think about the race or track, but it’s the same for everybody since it’s all new to us. We will all figure it out quickly when we get there. We are ready to get going.”
“Then we’ll take L..A and look at it to figure out what we can change on our race cars for when we go to a track like Phoenix or other short tracks. We’ll hit different styles of race tracks in those five or six races at the start of the NASCAR Cup Series season. For us, it’s making sure we are consistent and fast at all of them. Everybody has the same chassis and a lot of the same parts and pieces. So, there is no reason why we can’t go and compete for wins against everybody else. Once we’re done with the West Coast swing, we’ll definitely know where we need to go to work and know what our priorities are for different race tracks going forward.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
BOWMAN ON RACING AT THE CLASH AT THE COLISEUM:
“I’m pumped to go to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. It’s such a cool venue, and I’m excited to see all the fans in the stands, to get the new car on the track and get the season started.”
GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
IVES ON RACING AT THE CLASH AT THE COLISEUM:
“I am pretty excited to get out to the L.A. Coliseum. For one, being from the Midwest, I know the Coliseum is a big thing for college football. The history of the venue not related to racing and not having ever raced there before makes it pretty neat to go to. From the racing standpoint, there are a lot of unknowns. Just looking at similar tracks like Bowman Gray seem to have a lot of excitement. Obviously, any time you go to race, you always want to run well, but it is also a chance for us to go there and get a look at the competition and work out any bugs before we head to Daytona.”
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)
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 814 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 723
Laps led to date: 241,336
Top-five finishes to date: 4,138
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,555
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,148
Chevrolet: 814
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 811
Ford: 711
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 162
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.
