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IPL 2021: Most Successful Captains in IPL History

By
SM
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In this article, we have tried to establish who is the best captain in IPL history. We have considered only those skippers who have led their franchises in at least 10 matches. 

                                                    Most Successful Captains in IPL History
CaptainIPL Matches LedMatches WonMatches LostSuccess Percentage
Rohit Sharma116704560.34
Steve Smith42251759.52
MS Dhoni1881107758.82
Sachin Tendulkar51302158.82
Cameron White127558.33

Who Is the Most Successful Captain in the IPL?

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma’s IPL captaincy record speaks for itself. He has won 70 out of 116 matches as captain, registering the highest win percentage amongst IPL captains of 60.34. Sharma is inarguably the best captain of IPL, having led Mumbai Indians to five titles in eight years at the helm.

2. Steve Smith

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith has had enough experience of captaincy at the international level as well as league level. In 2017 he was appointed skipper of Rising Pune Supergiant, in place of Dhoni. Smith led the franchise to the final where they lost to MI by a solitary run. Smith has also skippered Rajasthan Royals in a few seasons. With 25 wins registered in 42 matches on his watch, Smith has a win percentage of 59.52, second only to that of Rohit Sharma.

3. MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has been considered one of the world’s best captains. Dhoni is the only player to have captained a side in the inaugural IPL 2008 edition who is still leading a team in the league. CSK has won three IPL titles on Dhoni’s watch. The former India skipper has led IPL franchises in 188 matches, winning 110 to establish a winning percentage of 58.82.

4. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar compensated for his lack of success leading India in international cricket by captaining Mumbai Indians with a high degree of success in the IPL. Though MI did not win any IPL trophy on Tendulkar’s watch, they won 30 out of 51 matches in which they were led by Sachin, which translated into a win percentage of 58.82.

5. Cameron White

Former Australian player Cameron White featured for RCB, Deccan Chargers, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. In 2012, he took over the captaincy of DC mid-season from Kumar Sangakkara. He also captained the SRH side in the following season. In the 12 matches White captained, 7 were won by his team, giving Cameron a success percentage of 58.33 in the tournament.

Captains Who Have Led Their Teams to IPL Titles

The question, “who is the most successful captain in IPL?” can also be decided by finding out who has won the most IPL titles for his franchise.

Rohit Sharma

The current Mumbai Indians skipper, Rohit Sharma, has led his franchise to the most IPL titles. MI has won five IPL trophies with Sharma at the helm. In 2013, MI won their maiden IPL trophy beating CSK led by Dhoni in the final. MI batted first and made 148/9 before keeping CSK down to 125/9. In 2015, MI became IPL champions for the 2nd time, again beating the Dhoni-led CSK in the title match. Batting first, MI scored 202/5 before restricting CSK to 161/8. MI’s 3rd IPL trophy came in the 2017 season when they beat Rising Pune Supergiant led by Steve Smith in the final. Batting first, MI scored 129/8. In reply, RPS scored 128/6 handing MI a one-run win. MI won their 4th title in 2019, beating Dhoni’s CSK in the final. Batting first they made 149/8 before restricting CSK to 148/7 for another one-run victory. In 2020, Sharma led MI to their 5th IPL trophy, beating the Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi Capitals in the final match. DC batted first and scored 156/7 before MI chased down the target with 5 wickets and 8 balls to spare.

MS Dhoni

Dhoni who leads Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL season has led his franchise to three IPL titles. CSK won their first IPL title on Dhoni’s watch in 2010 when they beat MI Indians by 22 runs in the final. Batting first in the game, CSK scored 168/5. In reply, MI could manage no more than 146/9. In 2011, Dhoni led CSK to a successful defense of their title, when they beat RCB, led by Daniel Vettori, in the final. Batting first, CSK made 205/5 before restricting RCB to 147/8 in their 20-over innings. In 2018, CSK won their 3rd IPL trophy under Dhoni. In the final, they faced Sunrisers Hyderabad who was led by Kane Williamson. Batting first SRH scored 178/6.

Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir, the former skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, who led his franchise to two IPL trophies in 2012 and 2014 was once considered the best captain in IPL. In 2012, KKR chased down a target of 191 set by the Dhoni-led CSK with 5 wickets to spare. In 2014, KKR faced Kings XI Punjab led by George Bailey in the title match. Batting first, KXIP scored 199/4. In reply, KKR scored 200/3 in 19.3 overs.

David Warner

In 2016, Warner led SRH to their only IPL title. SRH batted first and scored 208/7. In reply, RCB led by Virat Kohli fell tantalizingly short of the target, managing to score only 200/7.

Shane Warne

Warne led Rajasthan Royals to their only IPL title in the inaugural season of the league in 2008. In the final, Royals clashed with CSK. Batting first in that game, CSK scored 163/5 before Royals chased down the target with three wickets to spare, on the last ball.

Adam Gilchrist

Gilchrist skippered the now-defunct Deccan Chargers franchise in their successful title run in IPL 2009. In the final of that edition, Chargers were challenged for the title by Royal Challengers Bangalore led by Anil Kumble. Batting first in the game, DC scored 143/6 before restricting RCB to 137/9 in their allotted overs.

Conclusion

 At cric-life.com, we believe that Rohit Sharma is inarguably the best IPL team captain.

Chandler Smith powers through to next round of Playoffs with Bristol victory

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Credit: Christian Gardner for Speedway Media

In a must-win situation, 19-year-old Chandler Smith made a power move on Sheldon Creed with three laps to go, moving Creed out of the way. He hung on to win the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway and locked the No. 18 team into the Playoffs Round of 6.

“All week, I’ve been talking about 2019 when I finished second to Brett Moffitt and what I would have done different to win that race and these things are so hard now to win,” Smith said about the victory. “I haven’t done anything different since 2019. I’ve been doing a lot of sim time and watching film to get this win. My faith has been tested plenty of times.”

Creed, who was dominant most of the night, led a race-high 189 laps before spinning with three laps to go due to a left-rear tire. He finished in the 19th spot, two laps down.

“I knew I was going to get hit at some point, but it hurts nonetheless,” Creed said. “We’ve had three really fast trucks to open up the Playoffs and and it’s been really fun to go out there and dominate races. I’m having a lot of fun right now and I’m looking forward to heading to Vegas and setting our team up to make it to Phoenix.”

Bristol Motor Speedway served as the final race in the Round of 8 Thursday night. Already a two-time winner in the playoffs, Creed was on the pole due to the qualifying metric system. Stages of 55/55/90 made up the 200-lap race in what would be a wild night of action.

In the first stage, the caution was flown as early as Lap 3 for the No. 32 of Sam Mayer and the No. 3 of Howie DiSavino III for spinning in Turns 1 and 2. Following the accident, there were two more yellow flags, one at Lap 22 for Tanner Gray and on Lap 49 for Spencer Boyd. Prior to the Lap 49 caution, Smith was concerned as he had a left-front tire rub after making contact with another playoff driver, Todd Gilliland.

With a one-lap dash set up for the first stage, Creed and Matt Crafton were on the front row, but Creed took off first with the faster truck and went on to take the first stage win. Austin Hill, Crafton, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen, Todd Gilliland, Tyler Ankrum and Johnny Sauter rounded out the Top 10.

Stage 2 began on Lap 66 and was one of the calmer stages of the night. There was only one yellow flag that slowed the field on Lap 70 when the No. 51 of Drew Dollar spun on the backstretch and collected Tate Fogleman, Dawson Cram, Howie DiSavino and Danny Bohn. The caution prompted the first red flag of the night, lasting six minutes and 23 seconds in length.

Despite the red flag stoppage, Creed was once again dominant, and collected another stage victory. Ankrum, Austin Hill, Zane Smith, Chandler Smith, Nemechek, Friesen, Enfinger, Parker Kligerman and Crafton completed the Top 10. During the stage break caution, Zane Smith was penalized for throwing a fuel can, while Ankrum and Austin Hill were penalized for being too fast on pit road.

The third and final stage had five cautions and the second red flag of the night. Most notably, when the fourth yellow came out with 11 to go, playoff contender, Austin Hill, came down on the No. 25 of Josh Berry on the frontstretch and wrecked in Turn 1. Hill then went up the track and collected Hailie Deegan, Derek Kraus, Lawless Alan and Austin Wayne Self.

The major accident brought out the second red flag of the race and the field was halted for seven minutes and 37 seconds. Unfortunately, for the Georgia native Austin Hill, his playoff chances came to a close as he was eliminated from the next round.

The final restart came with five laps to go with Creed and Chandler Smith on the front row. Smith’s teammate Nemechek was close behind in third. As both Creed and Smith fired off, the two raced side-by-side before Smith got the better of Creed by moving him up the track.

Creed went high on the outside and fell back in the running order and eventually made contact with another driver and spun due to a left-rear flat tire.

Even though Creed spun, no caution was called and Chandler Smith drove away with the victory. Enfinger, John Hunter Nemechek, Friesen, Sauter, Hocevar, Crafton, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, and Gilliland completed the top 10 finishers.

Despite their best efforts, Austin Hill and Gilliland were eliminated from the Playoffs. Gilliland missed the next round by just two points.

Smith led one time for five laps and gained five playoff points.

There were 11 cautions for 85 laps and three lead changes among three different leaders.

Playoff Standings for the Round of 8 beginning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

  1. John Hunter Nemechek, +44
  2. Sheldon Creed, +20
  3. Ben Rhodes, +13
  4. Zane Smith, +3
    Below the cut line
  5. Chandler Smith, -3
  6. Matt Crafton, -5
  7. Carson Hocevar, -7
  8. Stewart Friesen, -8

Official Results following the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway:

  1. Chandler Smith, led five laps
  2. Grant Enfinger
  3. John Hunter Nemechek
  4. Stewart Friesen
  5. Johnny Sauter
  6. Carson Hocevar, led six laps
  7. Matt Crafton
  8. Zane Smith
  9. Ben Rhodes
  10. Todd Gilliland
  11. Josh Berry
  12. Doug Coby
  13. Derek Kraus
  14. Austin Wayne Self
  15. Colby Howard
  16. Ryan Truex
  17. Timmy Hill
  18. Lawless Alan
  19. Sheldon Creed, won both stages, led 189 laps, 2 laps down
  20. Cory Roper, 2 laps down
  21. Parker Kligerman, 3 laps down
  22. Sam Mayer, 7 laps down
  23. Clay Greenfield, 7 laps down
  24. Austin Hill, OUT, Accident
  25. Hailie Deegan, OUT, Accident
  26. CJ McLaughlin, 12 laps down
  27. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 12 laps down
  28. Howie DiSavino III, OUT, Electrical
  29. Taylor Gray, OUT, Accident
  30. Chase Purdy, OUT, Accident
  31. Spencer Boyd, OUT, Overheating
  32. Tyler Ankrum, OUT, Accident
  33. Danny Bohn, OUT, Accident
  34. Drew Dollar, OUT, Accident
  35. Dawson Cram, OUT, Accident
  36. Kris Wright, OUT, Engine
  37. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Accident
  38. Tanner Gray, OUT, Accident
  39. Ray Ciccarelli, OUT, Rear Gear
  40. Josh Reaume, OUT, Accident

Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will head west to begin the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday night, September 24, live on Fox Sports 1 at 9 p.m. ET with radio coverage on MRN Radio.

CHEVY NCS AT BRISTOL 2: Alex Bowman Press Conf. Transcript

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript Highlights:

HOW MUCH ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHER DRIVERS DO AND HOW MUCH WILL THEIR STRATEGY DICTATE YOURS?
“I think, in the situation we’re in, there are so many moving parts and pieces, and guys really close to us, that if you try to keep track of all that, you’re just going to dial yourself out and be worried about things you don’t need to be worried about. We just have to go execute and have the best day we can. There are a lot of guys that are really good at Bristol. I know we’re going to have to have a really good night and score a lot of points and not beat ourselves, which has been a struggle for us at Bristol, particularly. But I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the challenge. It’s a really fun race track. We’re always really fast there. We don’t have the results to show that in the last year or so, but we’ve always had speed. Last year we were really good in the Stages and had a tire come apart. So, we’ve just got to go execute and be the best we can be.”

YOU GOT YOUR RACING BEGINNINGS ON THE WEST COAST IN ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO SEE THAT THE CLASH IS MOVING TO THE L.A. COLISEUM THIS YEAR? WHAT DO YOU AND THE OTHER DRIVERS THINK OF THAT AND OTHER CHANGES TO THE 2022 SCHEDULE?
“I can’t really speak much for the other drivers. From my side of things, I think it’s really cool. I ran that first E-Series race at Bowman Gray Stadium ten years ago, or whatever it was, and I remember going into that like oh, this isn’t even going to be a race, and so on, and it was just another race track. The atmosphere was amazing. The racing was great. The cars were fine on such a small race track. There are plenty of short tracks around the country that are quarter miles that people race on every Saturday night. So, I’m looking forward to that. I think it’s going to be really cool. The atmosphere I’m sure, is going to be amazing. That’s really what makes an event like that is the atmosphere. Hopefully, we absolutely slam that place full of people and put on a great event.”

WITH THE SUCCESS YOU’VE HAD THIS YEAR ON SHORT TRACKS, HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DOES THAT GIVE YOU HEADING TO BRISTOL AND KNOWING WHAT’S ON THE LINE?
“I definitely always have confidence going to Bristol. I really have confidence going anywhere, especially this year with Hendrick Motorsports. We’ve been fast everywhere. I’m confident but, definitely not comfortable, by any means in the point situation we’re in. So, we’ve just got to go have a good day. We have all the parts and pieces and tools we need to make that happen. We’ve just got to go do it.”

ON THE 2022 SCHEDULE OVERALL
“I’m excited, like I said, about going to L.A. I think that’s going to be really neat. I’ve got some friends over at Gateway. It’s really cool to see all their hard work rewarded with a Cup Series event. They’ve worked really hard on that place. It’s really cool to see them have that success. Hopefully that’s another great event for us, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

WITH EVERYTHING THAT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS HAS ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, HOW MUCH OF A SENSE OF URGENCY IS THERE WITH THE NO. 48 TEAM AS A WHOLE?
“I don’t think there’s a sense of urgency. I don’t think we expected to be in this situation. I’m pretty frustrated with myself after Darlington to put ourselves in this spot. We know we need to go execute and go have a good day. We know it’s not going to be easy by any means. But we also know that if something goes wrong and we don’t make it to the next round, there are still more opportunities for us to win races this year. There are plenty of opportunities for us to still end up with a good points spot. We’ve just got to go execute each and every week. Consistency has been our hard spot over the last couple of years with this race team. We’ve got to get that figured out. But it’s been a great year and we’re going to do all we can to get all four Hendrick cars as far as we can in the Playoffs.”

AND ON THE NOTE OF CONSISTENCY, THESE LAST FIVE OR SIX RACES HAVE NOT BEEN VERY STRONG FOR YOU. BUT HOW DO YOU JUST FOCUS ON THE RACE AHEAD?
“Yeah, it’s definitely difficult. But at the same time, I think a lot of it was things not of our doing. At the Indy Road Course, we had a flat tire on the last re-start. At Michigan, we got some damage. We just had some days that got away from us with things outside of our control. So, just need to go execute. Darlington, I’m really frustrated with myself still. That was a day that if we would have just gone and executed, we wouldn’t be remotely in this situation this week. So, when you start the Playoffs with a 26th place finish, it’s not very good and we just have to go make up for it this weekend.”

IF THE POST-SEASON DREAM DOES END THIS WEEKEND, WHAT’S THE BIGGEST POSITIVE TAKEAWAY YOU’LL HAVE IN YOUR FIRST SEASON REPRESENTING THE NO. 48 BRANDING? AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF AS BOTH A DRIVER AND A PERSON?
“It’s been a lot of fun working with Ally. I think that’s the biggest thing is just how great it is to work with everybody on their team. It’s been amazing to have a partner that has your back the way that Ally does. Obviously, winning three races this year and getting them their first point wins, their first trip to the Playoffs, it’s been really great. I feel like we have as good of a shot as anybody at transferring this week. And if we don’t, we can still finish fifth in points. We’ve just got to go have really good end to the year. We did that last year and ended up sixth in points, so high expectations for the rest of the year, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THIS PACKAGE PUTS LESS EMPHASIS ON A DRIVER’S SKILL AND MORE ON RANDOM LUCK?
“Well, the good news with that is we’re on the low downforce package this week at Bristol. So, lowdown force, high horsepower, I think passing is definitely tough just on the shape of the race track. But that’s just part of it. As far as the high downforce stuff goes, it’s just another race car. It’s another package. Everybody’s got the same thing. You’ve still got to drive it. So, I don’t think anybody can say it’s random luck by any means.”
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.

23XI Racing Announces Crew Chief Mike Wheeler as Director of Competition

By
Official Release
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Mooresville, NC (September 16, 2021) – Today 23XI Racing announced veteran crew chief Mike Wheeler will move full time to Director of Competition, a role he has held since 23XI Racing’s inception, along with crew chief of the No. 23 Toyota Camry. With the move, Bootie Barker will step in as crew chief for Bubba Wallace for the remainder of the 2021 season.

As 23XI Racing continues to grow and move towards expanding in 2022 and beyond, this move allows Wheeler to fully focus on continuing to build the team, the team’s expansion in 2022 with the newly announced No. 45 team and work on the team’s future headquarters.

“Mike Wheeler (Wheels) has been a huge part of helping build 23XI Racing,” said 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta “From day one, Wheels has helped put this team together, with a focus on the competition side. As we move towards 2022, it’s important for us to put the right people in place that help continue the growth of 23XI to the next level. As we finish out the 2021 season, this move allows Wheels to focus on our overall vision for 23XI and allow Bootie (Barker) to help Bubba and the No. 23 team finish strong over the final eight races.”

A veteran of the sport, Barker has been at 23XI Racing throughout the 2021 season and brings multiple years of crew chief experience to his new role. Throughout his career, Barker has served as crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Truck Series and the ARCA Series. Most recently in the Cup Series, Barker served as crew chief for Ty Dillon at Germain Racing in 2017.

“Being a part of 23XI Racing from when it was just an idea, to seeing the plans come to life, securing our temporary shop and working to build this team has been an amazing opportunity and one I’m excited to continue as the team grows and expands,” said Wheeler. “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to be back on the box this season with the No. 23 team and Bubba, but to be able to solely focus on the next steps it takes to expand to a multi-car team, build a new shop and get this team to where it’s in contention to win each and every week is exciting for me and I’m ready to give it my full attention as we finish this season and move in to 2022. Bootie (Barker) has been a great asset to 23XI Racing all season and with his experience, he was the right choice to step in and finish the 2021 season with Bubba and the No. 23 Toyota Camry team.”

The change is effective starting with this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 18, 2021.

About 23XI Racing

23XI Racing – pronounced twenty-three eleven – was founded by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020. Rising NASCAR star Bubba Wallace is the single car team’s driver. 23XI Racing’s No. 23 Toyota Camry made its NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 on February 14, 2021 at Daytona International Speedway.

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Bristol Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Denny Hamlin
11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Saturday Race Info:
Race: Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 18/7:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 500 laps/266.5 miles
Track Length: .5 mile
Track Shape: Oval

Express Notes:

Richmond Recap: Denny Hamlin dominated most of the 300-mile race at his home track of Richmond (Va.) Raceway Saturday night, but he would have needed a few more miles to chase down Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the end for the win. The Chesterfield, Va., led 197 of the 400 laps, winning the first two stages of the race. But a couple slow green-flag pit stops in Stage 3 knocked Hamlin back further in the top five, leaving him with plenty of ground to make up. He spent the final 50 laps of the race pushing his FedEx Ground Toyota as hard as he could, closing a seven-second gap behind leader Truex to just 1.5 seconds at the white flag. The final lap around the three-quarter-mile oval wasn’t enough to close the remaining gap, and Hamlin crossed the finish line in second behind Truex, collecting two playoff points for his stage wins.

Bristol Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the fan-favorite Bristol Night Race on Saturday, the final event in the Playoffs Round of 16. Hamlin has two career wins at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” – both in the annual night race. Hamlin and the FedEx Racing team have already clinched a spot in the next bracket of the Playoffs, the Round of 12, but look to add to their Bristol success on Saturday night.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Races: 30
Wins: 2
Poles: 4
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 14
Laps Led: 829
Avg. Start: 13.2
Avg. Finish: 14.7

Hamlin Conversation – Bristol:

Knowing you’ve already clinched your spot in the Round of 12, what are your goals for the Bristol race?

“We want to win. Even though we’ve already punched our ticket into the next round, we want another win. Our team enjoyed that trip to Victory Lane a couple weeks ago, and we want to go back. Bristol is a favorite of our crew chief, Chris Gabehart, especially, and I think he wants that trophy as badly as any of us.”

The series hasn’t raced on the Bristol pavement since last year. Will the time away make it more difficult to prepare?

“Yeah, the last time we were at Bristol Motor Speedway, it was covered in dirt. So, it’s definitely a completely different race with a different type of car as we go back now for the second race this year. But Joe Gibbs Racing has a long history at that racetrack and a lot of success, so we’ll be dialed in as we always are.”

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: CHARLOTTE – PRE-RACE ADVANCE AND & QUOTES

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE

What: DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals
When: Friday, Sept. 17-Sunday, Sept. 19
Where: zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 19

Chevrolet looks to keep up momentum in Round 2 of Countdown
Team Chevy either first or second in three pro categories heading to Charlotte

DETROIT (Sept. 16, 2021) – Much like he has done throughout his march to 97 career Pro Stock victories, Greg Anderson takes a “one race at a time” approach to the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Countdown to the Championship.

Next in line for the driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS – and 12 other Team Chevy title contenders in three professional categories — is the DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina. Anderson enters the second event of the Countdown as the most recent Pro Stock race winner and points leader.

“I go to every single race trying to win that race. If I keep that mindset, that’s going to add up to be a championship,” said Anderson, who is taking aim at his fifth title and first since 2010. “I don’t go to a race hoping that I make more points than my toughest competitors. That’s not a win to me. I don’t try to count the points, I count the wins. I’m going there with one goal in mind and that’s to win the race and that’s going to add to my grand point total.”

One win will break a tie with Warren Johnson for the most all time in Pro Stock and second only to John Force’s 154 career Funny Car victories.

“I’m going to my home track of Charlotte and we’re going to have a ton of fans out here, and all the Hendrick Automotive Group will be there. I can’t think of a better place to break the record,” said Anderson, who will be inducted into the North Carolina Motorsports Hall of Fame on Oct. 8. “Yes, the championship is the grand plan but there are a few more immediate goals on my list and that is to win the race.”

John Force enters the weekend as the Funny Car points leader in the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS after a runner-up finish Sept. 12 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Teammate Robert Hight, a six-time winner at the track, is fifth in the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS.

“We’re having a good season. We’re running well. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi have this PEAK Chevy just right, everyone is doing their job, I’m just hanging in there, trying to keep up,” said Force, who was the No. 1 qualifier and won the four-wide event at zMAX Dragway in May. “It’s the Countdown now, it’s time to fight. I’m loving it. I live for this.”

Record-setting Top Fuel star Brittany Force will aim for her second victory of the season, which would vault the driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster into first place, and her eighth consecutive No. 1 qualifier honor. Force is only 12 points behind front-runner Steve Torrence.

FOX will telecast eliminations live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 19.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (Second in standings): “This Monster Energy team is heading to race two of the Countdown and we plan to capitalize on our hard work from last weekend. We are in the hunt for this championship and are currently sitting two in points. We plan to keep chipping away, gaining bonus points where we can and winning at zMAX to take over the lead.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Points leader): “I always love coming to zMAX, it’s a beautiful track and we get to race here twice a year. The four-wide is great, it’s a spectacle, the fans love it. But then, we get to come back in the Countdown, when everything is on the line and the fans get to see competition at its highest level. We’ll put on a show, so fans better be ready.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Fifth in standings): “We know what we need to do to get this thing done. This Auto Club team can do it. I have all the confidence in Jimmy Prock, Chris Cunningham and my entire team. We’re getting some consistency, which is what we need. Now we just need to keep it going, pick up points where we can, be aggressive and go after wins. We’ve had a lot of luck in Charlotte, hopefully that continues. We need to make good runs, clean runs, but we can’t be safe either. Jimmy and Chris, they’ll have this Chevy just right. I just need to do my job too.”

PRO STOCK:

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Points leader): “Racing at Charlotte, we have all our family, employees and their families, friends here, so it means a lot to win here. And with HendrickCars.com on the side of the car we’re going to have about 150 of their employees out there on Sunday. I want to make the whole Hendrick Automotive Group proud having their name on the side of the race car. There’s a lot of the line here. Yes, the championship is the grand plan but there are a few more immediate goals on my list and that is to win the race.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CAMARO SS (Fourth in standings; winner of spring race at zMAX Dragway): “This is the part of the year where everything really gets cookin’ but after racing with Jason and Greg all these years, I know the Countdown to the Championship is definitely a marathon in a way and not a sprint. You just have to remain consistent during these final races and you should put yourself in a good spot to win the championship by Pomona. Coming back to Charlotte in the fall is a different feeling knowing I was the winner at the end of Sunday last time we raced here. I’d like to think the RAD Torque/KB Racing has the upper hand coming into this weekend, for sure.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Fifth in standings): “Hometown track, Maple Grove. I had tons of support with family and friends. No. 1 qualifier Friday night was great, but we struggled Saturday in qualifying and got bumped back to No. 5. Still a good weekend; qualified top half. I know the Countdown is on, but I try not to think about it. I just go to every race, every round and do the best that I can do and try to win as many rounds as I can because every point counts. We wanted to have a better outcome at Maple Grove, but going into Charlotte I’m confident I’ll have a car that can win the race.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Sixth in standings): “This race weekend feels a little bigger than normal. zMAX already makes a race feel more important because it’s such a massive stadium and the stands are always packed. Now there’s 10 very good race teams all fighting for one prize, so the excitement is growing every single round. The best way I can show my thanks to everyone who is a part of putting me in this position is to win races, so that’s our goal every single weekend. Charlotte will be no different.”

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.

CHEVY NCS AT BRISTOL: Team Chevy Advance

By
Official Release
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TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BRISTOL, TENNESSEE
SEPT. 18, 2021

RACE #29 – BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
The opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Playoffs concludes with the third consecutive race on a short track. The .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway will host the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, September 18. Following races at the 1-mile Darlington Raceway and .75-mile Richmond Raceway, the 500-lap, 266.5-mile race under the lights on Bristol Motor Speedway’s high-banked concrete oval will determine the 12 drivers who advance to the next round.

NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion, Kyle Larson, is one of three drivers who has already secured a spot in the Round of 12. Larson, driver of the No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, charged from the rear of the field to finish sixth at Richmond.

A look at Team Chevy in the NASCAR Cup Series title hunt:

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 1LE – 1st in Standings (Playoff Rank: 3rd)
Victories: 5 (field-high)
Top-Fives: 15; Top-10’s: 20; Laps Led: 1,730
Average Finish: 9.3
Stage Wins: 13
At Bristol (12 career NCS starts): Top-Fives: 2; Top-10’s: 7; Poles: 1; Average Finish: 14.417
Of Note: The NCS Regular Season Champion drove from the rear of the field to finish sixth at Richmond, securing place in the next round of the Playoffs.

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hooters Camaro ZL1 1LE – 7th in Standings (2072 points)
Victories: 2
Top-Fives: 12; Top-10’s: 17; Laps Led: 395; Average Finish: 11.5
Stage Wins: 3
At Bristol (10 career NCS starts): Top-Fives: 3; Top-10’s: 5; Poles: 1
Average Finish: 12.100 (series-best); Average Running Position: 9.892 (series-best)
Of Note: The 2021 NCS season marks Elliott’s sixth consecutive year of being part of the Playoff field. Six of his 13 career NCS wins have come in the Playoffs.

Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE – 12th in Standings (2053 Points)
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 4; Top-10’s: 10; Laps Led: 192; Average Finish: 16.4
Stage Wins: 3
At Bristol (40 career NCS starts): Wins: 6; Top-Fives: 12; Top-10’s: 21 (most of active drivers); Poles: 1
Of Note: This is Busch’s 15th NCS post-season appearance, tying career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson and two others for most. Busch’s first NCS victory came at Bristol in 2002.

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE –13th in Standings (2053 points)
Victories: 3
Top-Fives: 6; Top-10’s 13; Pole Wins: 1; Laps Led: 151; Average Finish: 14.5
At Bristol (10 career NCS starts): Top-Fives: 1; Top-10’s: 2
Of Note: The 2021 NCS season marks Bowman’s fourth-career Playoffs appearance. Bowman has raced his way into the Round of 12 for the last three years.

Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 1LE – 14th in Standings (2048 Points)
Top-Fives: 2; Top-10’s: 13; Pole Wins: 1; Laps Led: 26; Average Finish: 14.8
Stage Wins: 3
At Bristol (2 career NCS starts): Top-Fives: 1; Top-10’s: 1
Of Note: The 2021 NCS season marks Reddick’s first Playoff appearance. Reddick won the fall 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol.

William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE – 15th in Standings (2035 points)
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 9; Top-10’s: 16; Pole Wins: 2; Laps Led: 276; Average Finish: 14.0
Stage Wins: 3
At Bristol (6 career NCS starts): Top-10’s: 1
Of Note: The 2021 NCS season marks Byron’s third-career Playoffs appearance.

GRAGSON TAKES HOT HAND INTO REGULAR-SEASON FINALE
Noah Gragson won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race for the second consecutive week in the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS. The Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, September 17, is the final race in the series’ regular season. AJ Allmendinger – who has captured 3 NXS wins, 15 top-five’s and 16 top-10’s thus far this season – continues to sit atop the Driver Standings. Chevrolet, with 11 NXS wins, remains first in the Manufacturer Standings.

CREED GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN ROUND OF 10
The third race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Playoffs Round of 10 will be contested Thursday, September 16, at Bristol Motor Speedway. Reigning champion Sheldon Creed has won both races in the series’ opening Playoff round in his Chevrolet Silverado – most recently at Darlington to sweep at the track this season. The 200-lap race under the lights at Bristol serves as the Round of 10 elimination race, determining the eight drivers that will move onto the next round in quest for the coveted NCWTS championship title.

RECAPPING CHEVROLET’S WIN STREAKS AT BRISTOL
The Bristol 500 Night Race is the 121st on the Bristol Motor Speedway concrete oval since 1961. Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 45 victories. Charlie Glotzbach recorded Chevrolet’s first win at Bristol and the first for the Monte Carlo on July 11, 1971, which started a run of seven consecutive victories at the track for the Bowtie Brand. He still holds the track race record of 101.074 mph set in the ’71 race. Chevrolet won nine of the 10 NCS races between 1983 and 1987, which included four each by Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt and one by Terry Labonte. The other win in the span was by Rusty Wallace in GM brand Pontiac.

CHEVROLET SITS ATOP MANUFACTURER STANDINGS
Chevrolet remains the leader in the NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Standings in pursuit of its 40th title. Team Chevy has recorded field highs of 13 victories, 124 top-10 finishes, 2,996 laps led and 25 stage wins through 28 races. The Bowtie Brand has already surpassed its totals for wins (9), top-10 finishes (120), laps led (2,399) and stage wins (21) from the 36-race 2020 season.

ON THE WAY TO THE GREEN
With no practice or qualifying for the 400-lap race, the starting lineup is determined by NASCAR’s metrics system that was introduced to the series last year and incorporates results from both individual races and season-long results.

Team Chevy’s Top-20 starters:
4th Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hooters Camaro ZL1 1LE
5th Kyle Larson, No. 5 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 1LE
11th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
13th Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 1LE
14th William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE
15th Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE
17th Ross Chastain, No. 42 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1 1LE
18th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Camaro ZL1 1LE

BOWTIE BULLETS
· Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 124 top-10 finishes and 2,996 laps led of 6,793 total this season.
· In addition to its 45 wins, Chevrolet has amassed 211 top-five and 440 top-10 finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Kurt Busch is tied for most starts at Bristol among active drivers with 40.
· Busch has led 17 races at Bristol for a total of 1,095 laps.4
· Busch will be making his 749th NCS start.
· Hendrick Motorsports continues to lead the Owner Standings.
· Kyle Larson paces all drivers with 1,730 laps led.
· Tyler Reddick is second among drivers with 99.46% of laps completed (6,756 of 6,793).
· Ross Chastain overcame two pit road penalties to finish seventh at Richmond – highest among non-Playoff drivers.
· Five Team Chevy drivers have combined for 25 stage wins – three more than in 36 races in 2020: Chase Elliott (Daytona RC, Michigan, Daytona2); William Byron (Homestead, Pocono2, Road America); Tyler Reddick (Road America, Indianapolis road course x2); Kurt Busch (Nashville Superspeedway, Pocono1, Atlanta2); Kyle Larson (Las Vegas, Atlanta x2, Kansas, Dover x2, Charlotte x3, Sonoma x2, Nashville, Darlington2).

TUNE IN
NBCSN will telecast the 500-lap NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 18. Live coverage is also on PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NBCSN will also telecast the 300-lap NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 17. FS1 will telecast the 200-lap NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics at 9 p.m. ET, Thursday, Sept. 16, from Bristol Motor Speedway.

QUOTABLE QUOTES
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 1st IN STANDINGS
LARSON ON ATMOSPHERE FOR BRISTOL NIGHT RACE:
“Bristol is cool all the time, but the night race, to me, has a little bit more meaning than the spring race because of the atmosphere around it. The lights, the crowd, the energy is just up for the night race. It makes me excited, and it makes me want to win there even more.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 1LE
DANIELS ON THE MINDSET BEING LOCKED INTO THE NEXT ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS:
“Our goal is to go to Bristol and win, of course, especially since we are locked into the next round. But being locked in really doesn’t change our mindset – we just need to execute a good race. It allows us the opportunity to go after stage wins and the race win possibly with a different strategy, but I don’t know what a crazy ‘Hail Mary’ would look like at Bristol, so I don’t think we would do that.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 7th IN STANDINGS
ELLIOTT ON RETURNING TO BRISTOL’S CONCRETE CONFIGURATION:
“It’s a little different, for sure. It seems like (Bristol) did a really good job of how they put the dirt down and took it back up to where the track surface doesn’t really look any different. I anticipate everybody will adapt pretty quickly. The Bristol night race is always one of my favorite races of the year. It’s a great environment. To me, it’s one of the coolest events on our schedule. It will be an exciting weekend. I am glad it’s in the playoffs and we get to go up there and enjoy a Saturday night in eastern Tennessee.”

ELLIOTT ON BRISTOL BEING A CUTOFF RACE:
“A cutoff race at Bristol is perfect. It’s a great event. Like I said, it’s one of my favorite races of the year and, honestly, I feel like it is one of the most exciting events of the year. It’s one that has been that way for a long time on our schedule. I think that’s a great place for a cutoff, and I am glad it’s in the playoffs.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE
GUSTAFSON ON THE HIGH-PRESSURED PLAYOFF FORMAT:
“It’s tough; that’s one of the hardest things about it. It’s a long time; just under a third of the season. A lot can happen, and you can have the best-laid plans and something happens that puts you in a tough spot. You just have to maximize your opportunities and your moments to try to get ahead. When it gets really tough is when you have a bad week to start a round, then you’re behind. You’re trying to reach and make too much happen. (We’re) just trying to stay ahead, execute, maximize points and keep ourselves on the front side of it. That takes a lot of the pressure off.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 13th IN STANDINGS
BOWMAN ON HOW THE TEAM IS STRATEGIZING FOR BRISTOL:
“I think we need to maximize stage points and hopefully that has us in a good spot at the end of the day. I don’t think we are in a must win situation by any means, but when you are racing Kurt (Busch) and Kyle (Busch) and guys that are so good at Bristol it is going to be tough. We are going to go do everything we can to win the race and hopefully make it happen. I don’t think we are going to put ourselves in a situation where we either win or run 30th. We are just going to go maximize the day and do the best we can.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE
IVES ON PREPARING FOR THE CUTOFF RACE AT BRISTOL:
“I have been in playoff situations plenty of times to know … you take all of your pennies out and figure out how many points you have. You divide them all up and if you do this and add that and you get this many stage points and finish here, you end up transferring on. Honestly, my thought is that if you go out there and execute, have good pit stops, don’t have any loose wheels, vibrations, great restarts, and keep your car clean, you are probably going to transfer on. That’s our goal and I haven’t been quiet about it either, it all comes down to executing the races and finishing where we should.”

IVES ON THE NO. 48 TEAM’S HISTORY AT BRISTOL:
“I would say we have performed decent there – capable of top-10s. We haven’t been in the situation where I felt like we could win the race. Alex talks about it a lot, we kind of just focus on trying to get his driving style to match up with the setup I have underneath the car and being able to repeat that. Last time there, we were running between third and seventh most of the day and we had a left-rear tire come unbalanced. We had to pit, went two laps down and never got it back. That’s kind of what I am talking about, is whether we have a top-three car or a top-10 car, it doesn’t matter if you run into issues that you can’t overcome. Adversity is all about overcoming it and Bristol is definitely going to have plenty of opportunities to try and overcome.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 15th IN STANDINGS
BYRON ON HEADING TO BRISTOL UNDER THE PLAYOFF CUTLINE:
“Obviously, we’re not in an ideal situation heading to Bristol but we’re by no means out of it. Just because we’re below the cutline doesn’t mean we need to try anything crazy, either. That’s when people put themselves in bad situations, I feel like. We just need to go to Bristol and execute on all levels as a team. We know we have the speed in our cars to run well at Bristol; we just need to focus on running our race. We’ll be aware of what’s going on around us, but we can only control our race and that’s what we’re going to focus on. We need to maximize our points and be around at the end of the night to capitalize.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FUGLE ON THE STRATEGY GOING TO BRISTOL:
“Every week we try to go win and this race is no different. We put in the same amount of effort every week. There are always going to be some tracks that you have a better chance at winning at than others, but we feel like Bristol is one of those that is high up on our list. We think we can go in there, reach the top five hopefully by the end of stage one and continue to race in the top five all night long before seeing what happens at the end of it. There’s probably a couple scenarios where if we get a lot of stage points and a few people have issues – which statistically happens at the Bristol night race – that we could point our way in with a top-five night. But there’s no easier way to lock in than to win and there’s no better place to do it than the Bristol night race. We want to end the night driving up into victory lane and celebrating.”

FUGLE ON HOW EASILY THINGS CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT A RACE:
“No one knows better than us that anything can happen in a race, especially something out of your control. We had that happen at Darlington when a lug nut got wedged down in the wheel and broke a valve stem, ending our night early. These races – you can lose them faster than you can win them. All we can do is get those stage points early on and put more pressure on those guys in front of us. They may think they’re in a safe situation and can run 10th all night, but if we can put pressure on them to step it up, that’s when mistakes happen and we can be there to capitalize.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COCA-COLA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 24th IN STANDINGS
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PAINT SCHEME?
“Oh my gosh, it is fantastic. Coca-Cola and Trackhouse Racing did a great job with it. I’m very honored to drive it and appreciate Coca-Cola recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month.”

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FOURTH-PLACE FINISH ON THE BRISTOL DIRT IN MARCH?
“To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. But we were having fun that day. Everyone at Trackhouse Racing did an amazing job getting me ready and I just raced the best I could.”

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT?
“Just a few spots better this time. I want to win!”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 US AIR FORCE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 26th IN STANDINGS
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY?
“Bristol Motor Speedway is tough. You are hustling the car nonstop. It is really the only place that we get to go where you are just all out for the whole race. A lot of places, you kind of have to manage your car. At Bristol, you are really going with all you’ve got from the start. Just being able to run both lanes; being able to make the bottom work in the PJ-1 and be able to move up as the race goes on. Getting in that upper groove, you can make a lot of speed up there and that’s really just as important. You have to have a good car in both lanes. That’s probably the toughest part, having that balance.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 SCHLUTER SYSTEMS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 29th IN STANDINGS
“The Bristol night race is one of my all-time favorites! We look to rebound after a tough day in Richmond to have a run, which we know we’re certainly capable of. Schluter has been a great partner of mine since I started in the Cup Series. I’m excited to see that scheme pop under the lights at the last great coliseum. The last time we were at Bristol, it was covered in dirt. I’m happy it’s back to its original state & looking forward to the challenge of 500 grueling laps in the Schluter Systems Chevy Camaro.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2020): 39
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

Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2020): 32
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most Recent: Chase Elliott (2020)

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

Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2021 STATISTICS:
Wins: 13
Poles: 5
Laps Led: 2,996
Top-five finishes: 57
Top-10 finishes: 124
Stage wins: 25 – Chase Elliott (Daytona RC, Michigan, Daytona), William Byron (Homestead, Pocono 2, Road America), Kyle Larson (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta x2, Kansas, Dover x2, Charlotte x3, Sonoma x2, Nashville, Darlington), Kurt Busch (Nashville, Pocono 1, Atlanta 2), Tyler Reddick (Road America, Indy RC x2)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 808 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 722
Laps led to date: 239,701
Top-five finishes to date: 4,122
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,526

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,142
       Chevrolet: 808
       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: 160

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Austin Cindric Bristol Media Availability Transcript

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
NASCAR Media Zoom | Thursday, September 16, 2021

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 22 Carshop Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, comes into this weekend’s regular season finale trailing points leader AJ Allmendinger by five points. Cindric, who is going for his second straight regular season championship, leads the series with five wins this season. He was part of a Q&A session with media earlier today.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Carshop Ford Mustang — WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND? “It’s a pretty fluid weekend for us. It’s the difference of five playoff points. It’s been a tough month in August, almost losing 100 points in two races. That really derailed our hopes or at least our comfort for that. I would say in the Xfinity Series five points, it’s not that it’s harder to make up than in the Cup Series, but the amount of cars that gain stage points realistically anybody you’re gonna be racing against in the Xfinity Series gains stage points, so your gains are cut in half. We really have to have a standout day under normal circumstances for us to be able to clinch this or at least get it to where it’s tied. That’s obviously the mindset, but the best way I can offset those five playoff points as well is to win the race. Either way, it’s a pretty fun weekend ahead — at least for those watching — and it’s been good for our team to kind of get us in playoff mode already. The last three weeks have been all about points and the next seven weeks are gonna be all about points, so I think that’s the underlying positive from all of it is we’re certainly ready for the playoffs come Vegas.”

WHAT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BOAST ABOUT WINNING THE REGULAR SEASON TITLE. HOW BIG WOULD THAT BE? “I certainly think anytime you can win a race it’s obviously great. I think the regular season championship is one of those things that it means the most to the person who got it, and everybody else it’s kind of shrugged to the side and you take your points and go on. It’s a trophy. It’s still a championship. It still means you gained the most points and performed the best and I think AJ and his team have performed really consistently to minimize their bad days and, unfortunately, we’ve just had a string of bad luck. When we get knocked out of a race it’s usually pretty big and they’re usually able to capitalize. I’m not gonna take anything away from those guys, but certainly we didn’t think a month ago this was gonna be the scenario but that’s racing. I definitely want to give it our best shot and from there it’s back to playoff mode — you’re living every three weeks.”

DOES IT MATTER AT ALL MENTALLY FOR YOUR TEAM WHETHER YOU FINISH FIRST OR SECOND WHEN YOU GO INTO THE PLAYOFFS? “Yes and no. I don’t think it’s gonna make us perform better or worse in the playoffs. Our Vegas car is already built. The guys are working just as hard. We can’t do anymore. I guess maybe that’s what I’m saying. I can’t prepare more. I can’t be faster than I already am in preparing different ways. Those things come naturally and whether I finish first or second in the regular season championship isn’t gonna change how I prepare and how I perform, or how my team performs.”

HOW BENEFICIAL IS IT TO RACE AGAINST AJ FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP? “I think if there’s anything AJ has done this year it’s just that he’s proven he’s not just good on the road courses. I can obviously relate to that, but they’ve been incredibly consistent and he’s certainly pushed me even when he was part-time. It’s great to be against the best and no matter what I’ve raced in in my career, whether it’s been in NASCAR or sports car racing — even having teammates — I look back to when I raced in Pirelli World Challenge in 2016 and I had Alvaro Parente, a McLaren factory driver, a really established guy as my teammate, when I’ve got a rabbit to chase, when I’ve got someone that’s really well-respected in the industry and I’m trying to grow myself as a driver, those are the best situations you can be in. It’s just like having Cup guys come and run Xfinity. It’s a better gauge for Cup owners and Cup drivers to understand what’s coming up next, so it’s been a great opportunity to race against him. I’ve really enjoyed it. I think he and I get along fairly well and at least understand each other, and it’s gonna be a fun next couple of weeks for sure.”

ARE YOU A BELIEVER IN MOMENTUM? “I feel like momentum is more important for everybody else. If a certain team started to win a lot of races, all you start to think about is that certain team winning those races. I think momentum affects those around you more than it does your own team, so I would say yes, but, at the same time, if I’m superstitious about anything I am a believer in the law of averages. I feel like I said that when we were in Daytona and got wrecked out, so I don’t know what that means for our playoffs, but, like I said before, we can’t try any harder than we already are. We can’t bring any better cars. We’re doing a great job and I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far this year. We just have to keep going in that direction.”

DID YOU GET TO LOOK AT THE 2022 CUP SCHEDULE THAT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY? “I think Gateway is a great addition to the schedule. Obviously, the Indy car race there has been really popular and it always seems like they always do a great job promoting that race, so I think a Cup race there will be great as well. I raced there in Trucks. I’ve tested there in the Trucks and I really liked it. I think the only difference since I was there last was they paved the two corners for some tire issues that Indy car was dealing with, but nonetheless I think it’s a fun racetrack and I think it’ll suit our cars well.”

HOW HAS THIS YEAR CHALLENGED YOU? “I think in a lot of different directions. Some of it’s been trying to either increase my level of focus in certain areas or increase my level of attention in certain areas, and by that I mean with the sprinkling of Cup races, trying to maximize those opportunities that anyone in this sport would kill to have. I feel like I’ve done that effectively well probably 80 percent of the time, trying to maintain 100 percent focus on the Xfinity side. That was more of a challenge than I probably anticipated, just going back and forth between the two, and maybe that’s because of how much I already put in. It’s hard to do that two times in a week as far as preparation and as far as what it takes in understanding and learning a new car. On the flip side of all that, I feel like this year has been really good for me to understand and really come down to the small details, whether that’s the advantage of working with the same crew, the same crew chief, and really the same race cars for the last three or four years and working on the small details. A lot of guys don’t have the opportunity to do that in this sport, especially at the level I’m at. In the Cup Series I feel like guys do and that’s why guys are really at the top level is because they do have that continuity and they can focus on the small details and have that notebook. I feel like that’s where I’m at in the Xfinity Series. Some weekends that’s good. Some weekends it’s not. Some weekends it might lead us down the wrong path, but either way I learn from it and I think that’s been a valuable experience because I think my ability to perfect those situations is going to be what sets people apart when you’re racing at the highest level. I feel like having that experience at maybe a lower level at a lower level of competition is pretty valuable to when I do get to that point racing in Cup I can reference that and I can have a process and I can look out for the right details.”

HOW DOES A YOUNGER DRIVER LEARN TO STUDY AND TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND NOT JUST DROWN IN THE DATA THAT’S OUT THERE? “I’ve always been a big believer that one thing that works for one driver isn’t gonna work for the next. Everybody is different, just like anything in life, honestly. The things that work for me might not work for somebody else, but I’ve always gained confidence in knowledge and knowing things that I can apply in real time. I feel like I’ve become a lot more self aware probably in the last six or seven years of my racing career than I was in the first three or four. Some of that is just maturity. Some of that is just getting older, but, nonetheless, that’s where I feel I’ve grown the most and being able to apply that knowledge in real time and being able to apply that knowledge even beforehand and kind of predict what’s happening and be proactive instead of reactive because otherwise that knowledge is useless. If you can’t apply it, it’s useless. Giving myself the things to cue off of and communicating with my team to where things are very uniform and I think building that team dynamic has been important for me. I do have a close relationship with my guys, whether it’s my crew chief, my engineer, my spotter, our road crew — whatever it may be — I feel like those things help me apply those details and that knowledge in real time.”

CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF WHAT YOUR PREP TIME WILL BE LIKE WHEN YOU GET TO THE TRACK ON RACE DAY? “When I was a student in school, unless I had to, I was never a last-minute studier for a test, unless it was just memorization of facts. I never studied for any math test because if you didn’t know the math, if you didn’t know how to use those formulas and apply it in the questions that are gonna be asked, you’re not gonna know it in the next eight hours. For me, that’s been the same philosophy with our race team. It’s that we nail down what we want to do during the weekend during the week. Yeah, things may change and you have to be adaptive, but if I were to get a flat tire driving to Bristol tomorrow and I show up 20 minutes before the race, we don’t need to talk about anything. If I showed up and just got in the race car, we won’t need to talk about anything unless factors have changed and we know how to adapt to them. I think that’s the strength in our team is that when we do show up to the track and I’m someone that does like to show up when the garage opens and roll through tech and hang out with my guys. We kind of just know what to do and we’re just waiting for that opportunity to go show and do it, so that’s what’s fun for me. That time is a little bit boring. I might jump on and look at some onboard video just to get my head in the game, but other than that we’re pretty ready to go.”

Weekend schedule for Bristol

By
Angie Campbell
-
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

NASCAR travels to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for some short-track racing with playoff implications.

It will be the last race in Round 1 of the Cup Series Playoffs. Four drivers will be eliminated from championship contention at the conclusion of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

Three drivers have clinched a spot in the Round of 12. Denny Hamlin won at Darlington, Martin Truex Jr. won at Richmond and Kyle Larson secured his place in the next round on points.

The Camping World Truck Series will also compete in the final race of Round 1 of its playoffs. Sheldon Creed won the first two races at Gateway and Darlington. If he can sweep all three races, he would become the first driver to do so in the series history. John Hunter Nemechek has also earned a place in the upcoming Round of 8 on points, leaving six open spots.  

Bristol is the last race of the Xfinity Series regular season. Nine drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver opening round of their playoffs – AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, Jeb Burton and Myatt Snider. Jeremy Clements, Brandon Jones and Riley Herbst are currently 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively, in the driver standings.

The Xfinity Series regular-season championship will also be decided at Bristol, with Cindric and Allmendinger as the top contenders.

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, Sept. 16

6:30 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Bush’s Beans 200
6:40 p.m.: Green Flag
200 Laps, 106.6 Miles
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

9 p.m. Truck Series UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics
9:18 p.m.: Green Flag
Stages 55/110/200 Laps (106.6 Miles)
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR

Friday, September 17

7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Food City 300
7:47: Green Flag
Stages 85/170/300 Laps (159.9 Miles)
NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/TSN2

Saturday, September 18

7:30 p.m.: Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race
7:47 p.m.: Green Flag
Stages 125/250/500 Laps (266.5 Miles)
NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/TSN

Bristol Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 29 of 36 (09-18-21)
Track Size: 0.533-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 4-8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4-8 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  650 feet
Backstretch Length:  650 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 125 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 250 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Qualifying Data

Track Qualifying Record: Chase Elliott, Chevrolet (131.713 mph, 14.568 secs.) on April 5, 2019.
2020 Playoff Race Pole Winner: Qualifying was canceled, Metric Qualifying, Brad Keselowski started in the first position.

  • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Bristol with 40 starts each.
  • Chase Elliott leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average starting position at Bristol with a 6.800 in 10 starts.
  • Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Bristol with four (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019).
  • The youngest Bristol pole winner: Joey Logano (March 21, 2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days).
  • A total of nine different manufacturers have won pols at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (39) and followed by Ford (36), Toyota (11), Dodge (8), Pontiac (7), Buick (4), Plymouth (4), Oldsmobile (3) and Mercury (2).

Bristol Motor Speedway Race Data

Track Race Record: Charlie Glotzbach, Chevrolet (101.074 mph, 2:38:12) on July 11, 1971.
2020 Bristol Playoff Race Winner: Kevin Harvick, Ford (95.911 mph, 2:46:43) on September 19, 2020.

  • Kyle Busch leads the series among active drivers in wins at Bristol with eight victories in 31 starts (Spring 2007, 2009 sweep, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019).
  • The youngest Bristol winner: Kyle Busch (March 25, 2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).
  • The race winner has started from the pole or first starting position 27 times (22.6%), the most productive starting position in the field. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position was Brad Keselowski last season (March 31, 2020).
  • The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started is 27th, by Kurt Busch in 2002.
  • Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series 120 races at Bristol; led by Chevrolet with 45 victories (37.5% winning percentage); followed by Ford (39 wins), Toyota (12), Dodge (8), Pontiac (8), Buick (4), Plymouth (3) and Oldsmobile (1).

From OddsChecker: Kyle Busch slight favorite to win Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Busch stands tall at +440 to win the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. He’s quickly followed by Kyle Larson at +520. Then it’s Denny Hamlin at +675. After that the odds fall off to Chase Elliot at +900. So, it’s clear that oddsmakers have a top 3 in this race.

BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE WINNER ODDS 

Racer Odds Implied chance 
Kyle Busch +440 18.5% 
Kyle Larson +520 16.1% 
Denny Hamlin +675 12.9% 
Chase Elliot +900 10% 
Joey Logano +1000 9.1% 
Kevin Harvick +1200 7.7% 
Ryan Blaney +1500 6.3% 
Brad Keselowski +1600 5.9% 
Martin Truex Jr. +1800 5.3% 
Kurt Busch  +2200 4.3% 

Event Preview: Flying Lizard Pulls Double Duty in New York and Utah

By
Official Release
-

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (September 16, 2021) – After a triple podium weekend at Road America in the previous GT America doubleheader, Flying Lizard Motorsports will race this weekend at Watkins Glen International, returning with Andy Wilzoch and the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R. The team will also field two entries in the Yokohama Drivers Cup at Utah Motorsport Campus, driven by Chris Bellomo and Mike Gaulke.

“We’re looking forward to getting this weekend started,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Having our operations split between two different events on either end of the country can be difficult but both operations have a great crew on-site to ensure a smooth weekend, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the continued success of our customers this weekend as they contest for their respective wins. Andy had such a strong run last event at Road America and Watkins Glen is one of his favorite tracks. I am looking forward to seeing him at the front of the pack again this weekend.”

After his podium finish in race one and race win in race two at Road America, Andy Wilzoch will no doubt be excited to get back to racing in GT America at Watkins Glen International. Though he was poised to have a good fight for position and the final race win at Road America last month, oil on the circuit during race two caused the majority of the race to run under caution. This weekend, Wilzoch will have the opportunity to enjoy more green-flag racing, with two 45-minute races on Saturday and Sunday. Fans can follow the No. 460 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 R live with race one on Saturday, September 18, at 5:20 PM Eastern, and race two on Sunday, September 19 at 9:00 AM. Both races will stream live on YouTube.com/GTWorld.

“For our Utah event, both of our drivers are currently leading the championship in their respective classes, so we hope to maintain that momentum as we move towards the final events of the season,” concluded Law.

In the Yokohama Drivers Cup, the team will field two entries this weekend at Utah Motorsport Campus. With two rounds remaining, both Flying Lizard efforts currently lead their respective drivers’ championships. Current Platinum class points leader Chris Bellomo will race his Porsche GT3 Cup Car, and Mike Gaulke will run his Porsche Cayman GT4, currently first in the silver class. The weekend will consist of two 40-minute races, also on Saturday and Sunday, though not available to be viewed online.

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

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