NASCAR CUP SERIES
NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY
ALLY 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 16, 2021

MATT MCCALL, CREW CHIEF, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE Teleconference Transcript:

YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE GOODYEAR TIRE TEST A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE NASHVILLE RACE. CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE TEAM IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEKEND?
“We actually got to test there twice. The first time we went there, the tire wear was pretty high. Goodyear was trying to figure what compound makes sense for the race and not have tires completely worn out during a fuel run. So, we went back a second time for a little confirmation. It seemed like that right side was pretty good and seemed to be a gain. For us, we’re looking forward. There will be a little bit of practice, plus we got a little testing. But the Goodyear testing doesn’t do a ton of your own work but at least it gives you a little bit of data to try get what the best sequence will be, set-up wise, for us to unload with and make a couple of adjustments and be in a good spot there to qualify good and get a good race.”

KURT BUSCH HAS BEEN PRETTY OPEN ABOUT JUST NEEDING TO GET THE CAR TO DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO. CAN YOU EXPAND ON WHAT THE BIGGEST STRUGGLES ARE?
“Finishing the races would be the starting point. We’ve had a lot of things happen to us. But as far as overall balance, just trying to get the window we live it to get it to what he’s been looking for has been really tight. There have been a couple of weeks there has been some rear grip. Then at Texas we were tight on exit. There’s just such a fine line to crossover to keep the front turning and still be able to have that rear grip. It’s not that it’s consistently the same thing every week. I feel like Dover was probably the first race we had that was somewhat of a clean race. We didn’t get hit by anyone or anything crazy happen during the race. And then we had a couple of our own issues, self-inflicted, that caused our balance to get off at the end of the race there. And then the road course was okay at Sonoma. And last week we never could get it free enough to what he was looking for. I think it’s all perspective there, right? From Atlanta to, I guess basically before Dover, there’s been like four or five 30th-plus finishes. And most of those were either because we were in someone else’s mess or something broke. It’s hard to work on your car when you’re not running all the races as well. We’re still concentrating on those things we think that can get better, but it’s still an overall deal in of completing the laps is going to be the best way to get there.”

IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS JUST TRYING TO GE THE SHIP RIGHTED IN A SENSE, OR IS STILL A FOCUS AND BELIEF THAT YOU GUYS CAN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?
“Well for sure, you think you can make the Playoffs. You wouldn’t go each week and that’s what you go to do, right? You go to try to win and put yourself in a spot, obviously. As fast as Hendrick Motorsports is right now, they pretty much take the top four spots. So, if you can get up there and get in those positions to give you a chance to win a race, that’s what you’re going to have to do. But there’s no different approach every week. You’re working just as hard. There are so many hours a day that you can put in and try to keep improving. It’s interesting when you bring it up. It’s interesting when you bring it up. Like if you actually review the races for what the performance is during the event, before something happens, you would think we’re running 40th. In reality, there have been plenty of races we could have run a top-5 or top-10. It’s interesting the perspective.”

YOU RACED AN XFINITY CAR AT NASHVILLE IN MAYBE 2006 AND KURT RACED THE TRUCK THERE IN 2001. DO ANY OF THOSE MEMORIES OR NOTES OR THOUGHTS APPLY A SMIDGE? OR, DO YOU JUST NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THOSE?
“I would say not really. It helps obviously that Kurt has had some laps there. And then, going there for the tire test just got him acclimated a little bit quicker. But yeah, it’s just more or less the line you may run. As far as notes for set-up and stuff, all that stuff is way beyond what it used to be many years ago.”

DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN ADVANTAGE HAVING DONE THE TIRE TEST?
“It’s a double-edged sword, right? You go to the tire test, and you think that maybe you had something that was close, balance-wise, and sometimes it forces you not to steer too much out of the box. We feel like we got a good baseline but we’re also going to be open to know if our speed is not where it needs to be to work on it and not just think it’s going to come to us.”

YOU HAVE AN EXISTING RAPPORT WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS ON THE ENGINE-SIDE. DOES THE SUCCESS THEY’VE HAD TRICKLE DOWN TO YOU AT ALL?
“Obviously the engine stuff is the biggest thing and transmissions and gears, we get all that stuff from them. From there, it’s more of working through GM if there’s any stuff that’s being shared there. But I mean yeah, obviously there speed right now is above and beyond. They have everything working their way. You look at it, relative to last year, the gains they’ve been able to make, and we’ve not been able to make those. So, we think we understand what we’ve got to work on, but we’ve not been able to show that as possible results yet. Hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll be able to do that.”

HOW IS THE TRACK USUALLY RACED AT NASHVILLE? IT THE LOW GROOVE USUALLY THE PREFERRED LINE? OR MAYBE THE UPPER GROOVE AS WELL? WHAT IS IT LIKE RACING THERE?
“Obviously the bottom has always been mostly preferred now. Putting the resin down will change it some and that’ll dictate….. Obviously how these cars are in traffic are different from what they’ve previously been because everybody is so good at attitudes right, and it just makes it a lot tougher in traffic. There’s a slim chance that they won’t be completely on the bottom the whole time. Hopefully that’s how it works out so there will be a little bit of passing for the races.”

HOW IS THE RESIN DIFFERENT FROM THE PJ1 TRACTION COMPOUND? A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN’T DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO.
“Yeah, it’s not like it’s heat activated. It’s more for trying to lay rubber on the track. The PJ1 actually has some adhesion to it, so it can add to the grip level. I guess in reality, it could add grip level, but it’s more related to trying to get the rubber to lay down. Nashville is real bad about basically creating powder, so the tire would wear and the powder just gets up out of the groove and it’s really bad if you get out of the groove. So hopefully we keep all that intact and just keep the grip level up.”

ARE THERE ANY TIRE WEAR CONCERNS BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE SEEN DURING THE TESTS?
“I think by the time we left the last test, everyone felt okay about what they had. There was still a slim chance, there were only three cars in the tire tests. I think there’s a possibility maybe you see the Trucks when they first go on the track, maybe you’ll see some; but I would say by the time the Cup cars are practicing and the Truck and Xfinity race, I think it’ll be somewhat okay. Now the wear, it appears there will be some, but I don’t think it’ll cause any issues I don’t believe.”

WHAT CAUSES TIRES TO CORD LIKE THEY DID DURING THE TIRE TEST?
“Some of it is just that the track surface itself and then I believe we were trying to guestimate when we were at that first tire test, it had been like six or seven years or maybe eight years since anything had really been on the track. So, a lot of that is just abrasion that is created over time from weather. And the tire we were trying to run wouldn’t lay rubber down, which just creates more and more wear and creates that powder that just runs up the track and never really gets better. That’s where we were at the first test. And then at the second test, like I said, it did clean up some. I think that everyone is hopefully that it should be in a pretty good spot for the race.”

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.

Nashville Superspeedway

Sunday, June 20, 2021
1.33-Mile Oval
3:30 PM ET
Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (17 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 28 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 2nd

No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

IF YOU’RE GONNA PLAY IN TEXAS: Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway in the annual NASCAR All-Star Race, Kyle Larson battled Brad Keselowski and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott late before maneuvering into first and leading the final eight laps to capture the $1 million payday. It marked the second win for the 28-year-old in the annual exhibition race where no championship points are awarded.

YEA, WE MOVIN’ PRETTY FAST: Following the season’s 11th race at Kansas Speedway in May, Larson ranked ninth in the driver standings, 144 markers behind the leader. In five points-paying events since, Larson has wins in the last two races along with three second-place finishes for a 1.6 average result. In that span, he has moved up seven spots to second in the standings and now trails by only 47 points.

STOMP THE GAS, DRIVE TOO FAST: There have been 4,291 laps completed in points races during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season and Larson has paced the field a series-high 1,162 times, or 27%. The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet is nearing his career-high record, which occurred in 2017 when he led 1,352 laps in 36 races.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Following his win on Sunday night, Larson traveled to Ohio to race a sprint car during Ohio Speedweek. On Monday, the 2014 NASCAR rookie of the year won the All-Star Circuit of Champions event at Wayne County Speedway in Orville, and, on Tuesday, he finished fourth at Sharon Speedway in Hartford. Wednesday night, he will compete at Waynesfield Speedway in Waynesfield.

GIDDY UP, OOM POPPA, OOM POPPA, MOW MOW: Larson has finished first or second in seven of 16 NASCAR Cup Series races this season. He won at Sonoma Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway while posting second-place finishes at Circuit of The Americas, Dover International Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

TENNESSEE BIGHWAY: After graduating in 2010 with a degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in motor sports and a minor in mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, No. 5 crew chief Cliff Daniels landed a job at RAB Racing in 2011 as the race engineer for veteran driver Kenny Wallace. In two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Nashville Superspeedway that year, Daniels recorded finishes of 10th and 12th.

I SAW A RED CAMARO TODAY: Valvoline will make its first of three appearances as the primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. To learn more, visit www.valvoline.com.

NOW THE RACE IS ON: In March, Larson announced the launch of the Kyle Larson Foundation, which was established to better serve today’s youth, families and communities in need through hands-on support. The Sanneh Foundation and the Urban Youth Racing School are the primary beneficiaries of the foundation, which also works closely with Hendrick Cares, the corporate social responsibility program of Hendrick Automotive Group. To kickstart the “Drive for 5,” Larson pledged a personal donation of $5 for every NASCAR Cup Series lap he completes this season and will contribute another $5,000 for every top-five finish he earns. Through 16 races, he has already pledged more than $65,000. To learn more, please visit KyleLarsonFoundation.org. Valvoline, the primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend, will also contribute $5 for each lap Larson completes at Nashville on Sunday along with $5,000 if Larson scores a top-five finish.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 3rd

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

T-R-O-U-B-L-E: Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team are once again hitting their stride at the right time of the season – and for the rest of the field, that means trouble. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion currently has four consecutive top-three finishes and an active streak of six races with top-10 finishes.

IT’S GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME: With 16 races complete in the 2021 season, the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team is continuing to improve. In the last six races, the driver of the No. 9 has garnered one win, five top-five finishes – two that were runner-up results – and top-10s in all six events with an average finish of 3.33. In the first 10 races of the season, Elliott had three top-fives, four top-10s and an average finish of 14.1.

IT JUST COMES NATURAL: This weekend will mark the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at Nashville Superspeedway, and success at new venues comes naturally to Elliott. Since the beginning of 2020, the 25-year-old driver and his No. 9 team have been victorious at two of the three new venues on the circuit: the DAYTONA Road Course (Aug. 20, 2020) and Circuit of The Americas (May 23, 2021).

HOLDIN’ MY OWN: In the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott has been holding his own by garnering one win, four runner-up results, eight top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. In those 16 races, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has led a total of 116 laps and collected one stage win. Elliott has spent 1,432 laps inside the top five and 2,685 laps running in the top 10. His average running position for the season is 9.93 and his average finish is 10.06. Elliott currently sits third in the driver point standings, 73 behind leader Denny Hamlin.

HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?!: During the mandatory pit stop during round five of Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race, the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS pit crew held the fastest timed four-tire stop with an official time of 11.59, winning the pit crew challenge and its $100,000 payout. The NAPA pit crew is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer, and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.

MY OLD FRIEND: Elliott has a few laps under his belt at Nashville Superspeedway. In February 2013, he participated in a one-day test session at the track with Hendrick Motorsports.

WOKE UP IN NASHVILLE: While Elliott has never competed at Nashville Superspeedway, he has enjoyed success in Music City. On Nov. 2, 2013, he won the All-American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway when he was 17 years old.

CLYDE: On Wednesday, it was announced that Elliott has been nominated for the 2021 ESPYS Best Driver. He is in the company of Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and NHRA Pro Stock champion Erica Enders. The ESPYS are July 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

BLUE SUEDE SHOES: This weekend at Nashville, NAPA AUTO PARTS will once again adorn the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. The Atlanta-based company is serving as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for 25 NASCAR Cup Series races this season.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 4th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

CHASIN’ THAT NEON RAINBOW: With the most recent points-paying race two weeks ago and a solid run in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race, William Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE continue to be a model of consistency. After 16 races in 2021, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has collected one win, six top-five finishes and 12 top-10s, all while leading 195 laps. Byron has spent the second-most laps in the series running inside the top 10 (3,459) and of those laps, 1,845 were in the top five, which is fourth-best. With the second-best average running position throughout the NASCAR Cup Series of 8.13 and an average finishing position of 10.63, Byron currently is fourth in the driver standings.

EVERY MILE A MEMORY: While Nashville Superspeedway may be a new facility for Byron and most of the Cup Series field, he does have prior experience on venues similar in size. Making 23 starts on tracks 1 mile to 1.37 miles long (Dover, Darlington, New Hampshire and Phoenix), the 23-year-old driver has collected four top-five finishes and nine top-10s.

I GO BACK: While many in the Cup Series will be experiencing Nashville Superspeedway for the first time, crew chief Rudy Fugle is one of a few who has prior experience at the 1.33-mile oval. The Livonia, New York, native has three prior starts at Nashville, including two in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, both coming in 2010 when he recorded one top-10 finish and two top-15s, and a 16th-place result in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011.

TRUCK YEAH: In addition to his full-time driving duties in the Cup Series behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, Byron also will compete in Friday’s truck race at Nashville Superspeedway in the No. 27 Cruisin’ Sports/Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley W.A.R. Racing.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SUNDAY: Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet this weekend at Nashville. Redesigned for the 2021 season, the new paint scheme features a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in communications, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 11th

No. 48 Ally Neon Lights Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

DOWN ON MUSIC ROW: This weekend’s 400-miler at Nashville Superspeedway marks the first time that Hendrick Motorsports partner Ally is the entitlement sponsor of a NASCAR Cup Series race. The sold-out event is the inaugural Cup Series race at the 1.33-mile venue. Ally and Nashville Superspeedway entered into a multi-year agreement for future Cup Series events as well as community and NASCAR fan events. In addition to the entitlement partnership, Ally will donate $25,000 to the Box 55 Association, which provides support for first responders, and $25,000 to the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, a civil rights and urban advocacy organization.

NEON LIGHTS: For Sunday’s Ally 400, No. 48 Chevrolet driver Alex Bowman will sport a fresh new paint scheme designed by a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Through the Legends Unite program created by Ally, NASCAR royalty Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon went head-to-head designing a special No. 48 Ally scheme for the inaugural event in Nashville. Earnhardt and Gordon both submitted a scheme, then fans voted using #TeamMusicRow or #TeamNeonLights to pick their favorite design so fans didn’t know which legend designed each scheme. After the fans spoke, #TeamNeonLights was declared the winner and Earnhardt was unveiled as the victorious designer. Check out the winning scheme here.

DON’T STOP DRIVING: Bowman has 40 starts on tracks measuring 1 mile in length to 1.37 miles in length. The 28-year-old driver has one win (Dover International Speedway), five top-five finishes and seven top-10 results at the venues of Darlington Raceway, Dover, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. Since 2016, Bowman has led 376 laps at the four tracks in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY: In 16 points-paying events in 2021, Bowman has two wins (Richmond Raceway and Dover), four top-five results and eight top-10s. The Tucson, Arizona, native has led 117 laps this season and is third for the longest active top-10 streak (four races). The No. 48 Ally team continues to have the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (13.64 seconds) and has the second-fastest four-tire stop (12.18) so far this season at Dover International Speedway on lap 304. Bowman currently has the 11th-best average running position (12.96) in the Cup Series.

MY OWN KIND OF HAT: On June 14, Bowman, Greg Stumpff from Off Axis Paint and former NFL safety Bernard Pollard teamed up to design a special helmet for the Ally 400. Pollard elected to combine the look of a football helmet with a racing theme to create a one-of-a-kind helmet for Bowman. Stumpff began putting Pollard’s designs down on paper and the Ally 400 helmet soon came to life. To see the final version, follow @AllyRacing for the official unveil on June 18.

DON’T BLINK: Kevin Hamlin, spotter for the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, used to be behind the wheel before spotting full time in the Cup Series. From 2005 to 2010, Hamlin posted 43 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. In 2007, the Snohomish, Washington, native had two NXS starts at Nashville Superspeedway, completing 99.1% of the total number of laps and bringing home a best finish of 18th in the spring event.

SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY HANDS: Over the last 16 points-paying weeks, the No. 48 pit crew has recorded the fastest average four-tire stops in the NASCAR Cup Series at 13.64 seconds. The team includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback, and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco.

IF YOU’VE GOT THE MONEY, I’VE GOT THE TIME: On Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson became the fifth different Hendrick Motorsports driver to win the NASCAR All-Star Race. The $1 million payday marked the record-extending 10th All-Star Race victory for car owner Rick Hendrick and the 20th for manufacturer Chevrolet. The non-points exhibition event was the fifth consecutive win for Hendrick Motorsports dating back to the middle of May.

SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Hendrick Motorsports is on a roll heading into Sunday’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race, the Ally 400, at Nashville Superspeedway. The organization has won four consecutive points-paying events, sweeping at least the top-two positions in each, leading 842 of 946 laps (89%), and recording an average result of 5.7. Its finishes include 1-2-3-4 at Dover, 1-2-8 at Circuit of The Americas, 1-2-4-5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and 1-2-9 at Sonoma Raceway. At NASCAR’s top level, no team has ever finished in both the first and second positions in five consecutive points races.

WRITE THIS DOWN: On seven different occasions in its history, Hendrick Motorsports has won at least four consecutive NASCAR Cup Series points races. In addition to 2021, it went to victory lane four straight times in 1996, 1998, 2007 and 2014. The organization has won five races in a row twice: 2007 and 2014. Hendrick Motorsports’ team record of six consecutive victories was also set in 2007. That year, it won 18 points races – the organization’s most in a single season – and went on three separate runs of four or more straight victories.

SIXTEEN TONS: Through the first 16 points races in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports has seven wins – the team’s second-most ever at this point in a NASCAR Cup Series season (it recorded 10 in 2007). At the 16-race mark, the organization’s 13 stage wins are the most ever by a team. Its 41 top-10 finishes are the second-most ever and 27 top-fives are tied for the second-most. The 1,590 laps led by Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolets rank as its fourth-most through 16 events behind only the 1995, 1996 and 2009 seasons.

REMEMBER WHEN: Although it occurred nearly 37 years ago at a different track, Hendrick Motorsports is the most recent NASCAR Cup Series team to win a race in the Nashville, Tennessee, market. On July 14, 1984, in the 17th race of its inaugural season, driver Geoff Bodine earned the organization’s second points-paying victory at the old Nashville Fairgrounds, where he led 327 of 420 laps in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Since that day, Hendrick Motorsports has gone on to win 268 more points races (270 to date) to become the all-time winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history.

THE NASHVILLE SCENE: On Sunday, Nashville Superspeedway will become the 13th new track to hold a NASCAR Cup Series race since 1994. Hendrick Motorsports has won the inaugural event at five of the previous 12 venues (42%): Indianapolis in 1994 (Jeff Gordon), California in 1997 (Gordon), Kansas in 2001 (Gordon), the DAYTONA Road Course in 2020 (Chase Elliott) and Circuit of The Americas in 2021 (Elliott).

DAYS OF GOLD: Hendrick Motorsports has won four of the last eight NASCAR Cup Series races held on Father’s Day. Jimmie Johnson went to victory lane at Sonoma in 2010 and Michigan in 2014, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Michigan in both 2008 and 2012. Although he did not drive for Hendrick Motorsports at the time, Larson triumphed at Michigan in 2017, making him the most recent Father’s Day winner in the Cup Series.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on getting up to speed at Nashville: “I’ve tested there before – a couple times in an Xfinity car and I think once in a Cup car. It’s a track where very few drivers have any experience. We will have practice and qualifying before this Sunday’s race, so I’m looking forward to the challenge of getting up to speed quickly. This team and Hendrick Motorsports as a whole have been strong on intermediate-type tracks this year, so I hope we can have another strong finish in the Valvoline Chevrolet.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on past experience at Nashville: “The most relevant things to pull from my previous experience there and Kyle’s testing experience there is the nuance of the track. It’s a really unique track geometry. It’s sweeping into turn one but then gets tight off of turn two. We know the track is going to be temperature sensitive. Knowing that will help us, but we don’t have a pure setup or race strategy standpoint. We don’t have any data points to go off of.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on how he is preparing for Nashville Superspeedway: “My preparation for this weekend is really going to revolve around the test that I’ve had at Nashville in the past. I actually had a test with the 24 team in 2013, back when Jeff (Gordon) was driving with Alan (Gustafson) and (engineer) Tom (Gray) and a lot of our same group that we have now. I’ve spent some time talking about that and just some of the tendencies that I remember from the racetrack. I feel like the rules have changed, the cars are different, and Cup has never raced there to look back at a ton of races. Maybe watching an Xfinity race or something, but I think a lot of it is really just going to be more from the test for me, personally.”

Elliott on being nominated for an ESPY: “It’s just an honor to be considered for an ESPY. I haven’t been doing this stuff near as long as guys like Lewis (Hamilton) and Scott (Dixon). I’m not sure I even belong on the same list as them, but it is such an honor to be there and be considered. Regardless of how it works out, I’ll certainly always be appreciative of being considered for something like that.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on testing at Nashville Superspeedway: “We were lucky to have been able to test at Nashville Superspeedway when he tested for Hendrick Motorsports back seven or eight years ago. There may be a couple things that we can apply, but that test just gives us a rough baseline to know what drove decent back then, but things are so much different now. We have different tires, aero package and hopefully we are smarter than we were in then (laughing). Having that test definitely helps; it’s better than starting from square one with nothing.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the challenges of racing at a new track: “You’re not going to have a good feel in general going into this weekend, I think. Nashville (Superspeedway) is going to be one of those places that you just need to adapt and learn as you go. It looks like a superspeedway but it’s more of a short track with how tight the corners are. It’s going to be tough, especially with the heat. I think that this race is going to be one of the toughest places we will go this season just because we don’t have any notes on it. No one has any notes from any series, really. Things have changed so much since the last race there. I’m going to rely heavily on the truck race and watching the Xfinity race. I’ll use that info to hopefully learn and be able to adapt faster in our race. It’s going to be challenge but it’s good to have a new environment and the excitement around it.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his experience at Nashville Superspeedway: “Nashville is a tricky place. It races like a short track and has short track features, but it also has the characteristics of a mile-and-a-half track. That’s going to be your biggest issue; finding a setup that balances that line perfectly. You want it to handle similar to how it would at a concrete short track like Dover but also handle well, aero-wise, like a mile-and-a-half. While we have limited notes across the board, we do know that it will also be a very temperature-sensitive track, as well. There’s going to be a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I think with William running the truck race and us having a practice session on the Cup side, we’ll be as prepared as we can be. I’m excited to get back to Nashville and see what we can do as a team.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on competing at Nashville: “I have tested at Nashville Superspeedway before but haven’t actually raced there. It is going to be interesting learning the track with the No. 48 Chevrolet in practice on Saturday. Our last race we ran on concrete (Dover) we were able to claim the victory, so we are hoping for the same result on Sunday in our No. 48 Ally Chevy.”

Bowman on Ally hosting its first entitlement race: “This is a huge weekend for our partner Ally. It is their first entitlement race, and they have a lot of fun things planned for the sold-out crowd coming out to Nashville. We have a fun, neon paint scheme designed by Dale (Earnhardt) Jr., and I will have a new helmet that Bernard Pollard and Greg (Stumpff) from Off Axis Paint and I designed. It would be really cool to be able to bring home the Ally 400 trophy on Sunday with so many great people from Ally in attendance.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his experience at Nashville Superspeedway: “Nashville was always a fun track. You used to be able to test at the speedway all the time and it was always a lot of fun. I remember testing when it was 40 degrees out and you were shivering and wondering how the tires were holding up. Then there were times where you would test and it would be extremely hot out. We have been to Nashville Superspeedway a lot, just not with this configuration. We have been around this track with rental cars multiple times to try to dry the track, so hopefully I can study from some videos I have of that. It is going to be a fun track.”

CHASE BRISCOE
Nashville Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com/Thorlabs Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

• Event: Inaugural Ally 400 (Round 17 of 36)
• Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 20
• Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
• Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
• Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399.9 miles
• Stage Lengths: Stages 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
• TV/Radio: NBCSN / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Following a much-needed break from points racing and a fourth-place result in last weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Open, Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 HighPoint.com/Thorlabs Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) head to Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway with a plan to follow HighPoint Fundamental No. 33 – Keep Things Fun.Fundamental No. 33 states: “While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Laugh every day.”

● Music City might be the perfect place for the No. 14 team to showcase its passion for excellence and ability to keep things fun, especially since it has a leg up on the competition. Though NASCAR hasn’t competed at Nashville Superspeedway since the Xfinity Series last raced on the 1.333-mile, concrete oval on July 23, 2011, and the Cup Series has never competed at the facility, Briscoe has already visited there twice this year as the designated Ford participant in Goodyear tire tests. The time on track has given the No. 14 team a head start on preparation heading into Sunday’s inaugural Ally 400.

● Joining in on this weekend’s fun is HighPoint.com customer Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer. Thorlabs was founded to serve the laser and electro-optics research market and has extended its core competencies to play an ever-increasing role serving the photonics industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. With both companies headquartered less than 10 miles from each other in New Jersey, HighPoint helps Thorlabs to create business value and solve challenges with technology solutions, services, and partnership. Over their 30-plus-year history, Thorlabs has grown from a Newton, New Jersey-based business to a global operation conducting business in nine countries.

● After 16 Cup Series races this season, Briscoe sits 26th in the driver championship and leads the Rookie of the Year standings by 100 points over Anthony Alfredo.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com/Thorlabs Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What does it mean to be going to a place like Nashville that hasn’t hosted a Cup Series race in 37 years?

“It’s special. For me, in my rookie season, every track I go to in the Cup Series is special, but to be a part of the first one is going to be cool. There’s only a first race at a racetrack one time – and then the second time, not that it’s not special, but it’s not as special as the first time – so to be able to experience that as a rookie is going to be super cool. There’s a lot of great racing history and heritage in the Nashville area. I remember running ARCA in Nashville at the fairgrounds and just how many people come out and how special it is to get a run in that area, so I’m excited. It’s one of the relatively closer racetracks to my hometown, so I know I’ve got a lot of people from Southern Indiana driving down to watch this race, and it’s just going to be special to be a part of it, and to have a sold-out crowd. That’s something that on the Cup side a lot of the guys are used to, but a sold-out crowd is something I’ve never gotten to experience because of COVID and everything else, so I’m excited to experience that this weekend, for sure.”

How prepared do you feel going into the weekend after those two tire tests?

“I feel like I at least have an understanding of what the racetrack is and the things I need to do to make speed, so I’m excited to get there this week. This is going to be one of the few tracks I have a little bit of experience compared to a lot of the field, so we’re just trying to take advantage of that. It’ll be nice to understand what my car needs. We have a limited practice at 50 minutes, but I already know what my limit as far as how far I can drive into a corner and just things like that. I’ve already done 30- to 40-lap runs, short runs, so I know where the car builds and what direction it’s going to go. Obviously, that could be different with more cars and the temperature and things like that, but I at least feel like I know what I need my car to feel like. We were able to try some things in the tire test and some changes didn’t work as good as others from just the speed standpoint, so just knowing those beforehand while for other guys it’ll probably take them a run or two to get adjusted and learn the racetrack. So, I think just having that advantage will be good, especially on a short practice weekend.”

What were your impressions of the track after the test compared to what you knew before you got there?

“I didn’t know much. It was hard for me to even find video on the place from Xfinity races in the past, so I was kind of going there with an open mind. I knew that they had done a lot of testing there in the past with the Cup cars and things like that, but I was surprised, honestly, with how much brake we were using and just how much speed we carried. That kind of caught me off guard. I think passing is going to be a little challenging, but the good cars are definitely going to rise to the front at a place like this just because handling is going to be quite a bit of an issue, I think. I’m very curious to see what the resin is going to do versus having traction compound there and where they placed it. When I was testing, there were only three cars total and it was pretty cool out, so I’m curious as to what more cars will do to the racetrack, and the heat, as well.”

What are some of the advantages or disadvantages of a concrete track and trying to figure that out?

“I’m just a dirt guy, so, to me, it doesn’t matter. Concrete, pavement, blacktop, whatever the surface is, to me it’s all the same if it’s not dirt, so I don’t necessarily get too tied up in the differences. For me, they all drive relatively the same. They look different and how the rubber gets picked up under caution and things like that is different but, from a feel standpoint, I don’t know that I notice a difference from a concrete track to an asphalt track or whatever. I’m probably not the best guy to ask that just because I’ve never really been able to tell a huge difference in grip level or how it drives.”

For the first time in over a decade, NASCAR’s premier series are returning to the Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Action kicks off Friday night at the concrete track measured just over one mile with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series hosting a 150-lap race.

FRM then returns to racing at the track on Sunday for the NASCAR Cup Series competing in a 300-lap event.

Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series race begins at 8:00 p.m ET on FS1.

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race begins at 3:30 p.m. ET with the live broadcast on NBCSN.

Todd Gilliland is coming into Nashville with a familiar partner. Crosley Brands, a winner at the Circuit of the Americas in late May returns to the No. 38 truck with it’s special Arie Luyendyk tribute scheme. Crosley knows you don’t change a winning scheme and Gilliland agrees.

“You keep the good luck going,” said Gilliland. “Winning with Crosley Brands on our truck in Austin was really cool and we all thought it made sense to just keep the ‘mojo’ going. I have to thank Bo LeMastus for all his support. We can’t do this without all our partners.”

Gilliland goes into Friday night’s race having one of his best season’s in his career. With one win, the goal is to keep competing for wins. Gilliland knows he’ll be on equal footing at the Nashville Superspeedway.

“This is a new track for most of the guys,” said Gilliland. “Some of the guys have raced on this track, but not too many. It looks like a lot of fun and I know there are going to be a lot of fans there, too. It’s going to be a great race.”

Anthony Alfredo comes into the Nashville Superspeedway racing the Speedco scheme on his No. 38 Ford Mustang. Alfredo is looking for a great day with the company that has supported FRM for years.

“I’m proud to carry the Speedco and Love’s Travel Stops logo this weekend,” said Alfredo. “They are a staple at FRM and now I get my chance to run their colors. There is a lot of excitement building for this weekend and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. I really can’t wait.”

Alfredo talks about his expectations this weekend.

“There are a lot of unknowns for so many people heading into Nashville. It’s been such a long time that cars or trucks have raced there. For me, it’s not too much different than a lot of the tracks that I’ve been too this year. There are races where my first lap on the track is the first lap of the race. So, I’m used to it.

“I just really think that the atmosphere of being near Nashville and NASCAR coming back to the track, we’re going to have a great event. I can’t wait.”

Michael McDowell again returns with the Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang this weekend. McDowell is coming off an impressive 12th-place finish in the NASCAR All-Star race and is now ready to get back into the championship chase.

“We’re ready to get back into the battle of the championship and continue to build our notebook throughout the summer,” said McDowell. “We’re totally focused on improving, gathering data and getting ourselves set for the fall. So, every lap is important to us right now.”

McDowell also knows that Nashville Superspeedway brings a unique opportunity to the team.

“This is a new track on the schedule. We are equal to a lot of the other guys. So, we have to see this an opportunity to get points. We have practice and qualifying, we’re back to what we know is a regular schedule. I think we have to be ready to make changes. That’s what we have worked on this week. We have shocks and springs ready and we’re going to work hard this weekend to have a good car on Sunday.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

COLE CUSTER
Nashville Advance
No. 41 Dixie Vodka Tony’s Tea Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

• Event: Inaugural Ally 400
• Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 20
• Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
• Layout: 1.333-mile concrete oval
• Laps/Miles: 300 laps/ 399.9 miles
• Format: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
• TV/Radio: NBCSN / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer and the No. 41 Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) welcome back Dixie Vodka and introduce an exciting new product offering as the NASCAR Cup Series visits Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway for the first time for Sunday’s inaugural Ally 400. Dixie Vodka, the largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast, has created a new, ready-to-drink canned cocktail called “Tony’s Tea” alongside a series of three other canned cocktails from the brand. Tony’s Tea, named for NASCAR Hall of Famer and SHR co-owner Tony Stewart, features a combination of iced tea and lemonade spiked with Dixie Vodka’s award-winning flagship Southern Vodka.

● Custer and the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Tony’s Tea Ford for SHR join their Cup Series counterparts for Sunday’s historic debut at the 1.333-mile concrete oval that hosted NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series events from 2001 through 2011. For only the fifth time in 16 races this season, the Cup Series will practice and qualify prior to Sunday’s main event. A 50-minute practice session is set for 2:05 p.m. EDT Saturday with qualifying set for 11:05 a.m. Sunday.

● Sunday’s race marks the 56th career start for the 23-year-old Custer, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, and his 29th on an intermediate racetrack. He has one win – last July at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta – and six top-10 finishes in his previous 28 starts on intermediate tracks.

● Custer arrives at Nashville 27th in the Cup Series standings, 102 points behind the top-16 cutoff for the NASCAR playoffs, after his 20th-place finish in the most recent points-paying race two weekends ago at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

● Launched in 2014 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, Dixie Vodka was established with the simple mission of creating an all-American premium craft vodka that represents the best of Southern flavor, craftsmanship and hospitality. With six signature flavors – including its flagship Southern Original, Black Pepper, Citrus, Mint, Peach and Wildflower Honey – Dixie Vodka partners with local farmers across the South to infuse regionally cherished ingredients into its award-winning products, each of which is six-times distilled from American corn. In 2020, Dixie Vodka was ranked the ninth-fastest growing spirits brand in the United States by the Beverage Information Group and remains the largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast. In partnership with the Southern-raised sport that transcends regional boundaries, Dixie Vodka is proud to serve as the Official Vodka of NASCAR and the Official Vodka of Stewart-Haas Racing. Dixie Vodka donates at least 1% of all profits through its 1% for the Planet program, a commitment to supporting non-profits that work to protect the future of the planet. A core brand within the Grain & Barrel Spirits portfolio – an innovation-driven beverage platform that develops and scales craft spirits brands led by founder Matti Anttila – Dixie Vodka can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and on shelves in more than 30 states. Tony’s Tea will be available soon.

● SHR revealed last month that Code 3 Associates returns to the No. 41 Ford Mustang for the July 11 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Code 3 Associates has been a hero to animals for more than 30 years. If disaster strikes, Code 3 will deploy its Animal Rescue Team to help in emergencies like hurricanes, fires and floods. Fans have the opportunity to have their name featured on the No. 41 SHR Ford and help Code 3 continue its rescue efforts by simply visiting Code3.cc/Cole41 and making a $41 donation.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Tony’s Tea Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

What’s on your mind as the Cup Series heads to Nashville for the first time?

“I’m looking forward to it. I think the biggest thing is just going back to a town that really fits our roots, going to a country (music) town. I think it should be a great race. And being able to go back to that town and helping revitalize the racing atmosphere there, I think, is going to be awesome. I’ve never spent time in Nashville before, so I’m looking forward to actually seeing the city and going back there.”

Only a small handful of current Cup Series drivers have ever raced there. Do you have any experience on that track, and what do you expect?

“I’ve never raced there, I’ve only tested there. It was a little bit before my time when they raced there. It was so long ago, it’s really hard to remember. I think one thing you’ll see is a lot of changes in the track through the course of the weekend with all three series there, and the fact we get to practice and qualify. Being a concrete track, the rubber is going to build up and you’ll be able to maybe move your line around a little bit. I think that’s going to be one of the biggest things. It’s an interesting track with how both the frontstretch and backstretch are curved, how you kind of raise up and go into a hill in turn one. It’s an interesting racetrack and I think it’ll be cool to go there.”

Can you compare the layout to any other track you’ve raced on?

“I’d compare it to Kentucky, that’s probably the biggest one I’d compare it to. Kentucky happens to be where I got my first win, so hopefully it compares in a lot of ways. You look at the shape of them, and probably the banking relates some. You might be able to compare it to Dover a little bit, being a concrete track, so there might be some similarities there. But I would say it lends itself more to a bigger, mile-and-a-half track.”

What’s the excitement level among the drivers about racing at Nashville for the first time?

“I think everybody’s looking forward to it, to be honest. It’s a new track for the Cup Series, so it could shake things up a lot. The teams that are doing well right now, you might see a surprise winner when we go there because it is a new track that we haven’t been to. Also, I think people are also just looking forward to going to that city because it goes back to our roots a lot and everybody can relate to that city a lot.”

How would you assess where you are as a team with the season’s halfway point a week away?

“We definitely wanted to have a better year than we’ve had so far. After coming off a win last year and having a pretty solid season for a rookie year, we were expecting some bigger things this year and it just hasn’t been there. We’ve had some rule changes this year, and things haven’t really clicked, yet, the way they did last year. It’s just a matter of grinding it out. Everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing is working extremely hard to figure out how we can get some more speed. You’ve got to take it one week at a time and you’ve got to take advantage of every single one.”

No. 41 Dixie Vodka Tony’s Tea Team Roster

Primary Team Members Driver: Cole Custer Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California  Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett Hometown: Amherst, Ohio Car Chief: Tony Cardamone Hometown: Bristol, Virginia Engineer: Davin Restivo Hometown: Ashboro, North Carolina Engineer: Scott Bingham Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia Spotter: Andy Houston Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina Over-The-Wall Members Front Tire Changer: John Roselli Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina Tire Carrier: Dwayne Moore Hometown: Griffin, Georgia Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida Fuel Man: Corey Coppola Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia Road Crew Members Mechanic: Joe Zanolini Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania Mechanic: Nick McIntosh Hometown: Havre, Montana Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut Tire Specialist: Thomas Gagliano Hometown: East Hampton, Connecticut Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples Hometown: Hudson, Illinois Transporter Co-Driver: Eddie DeGroot Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

(June 16th, 2021) – Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and The Lonely Entrepreneur (TLE), a New York-based non-profit that empowers individuals with entrepreneurial skills and support, are honoring Juneteenth by providing Black entrepreneurs free access to the knowledge, tools and the ongoing support they need to succeed through its Black Entrepreneur Initiative (BEI). Juneteenth, on Saturday, June 19, is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. In honor of Juneteenth, Richard Petty Motorsports and TLE are making a difference in the lives of Black Americans.

“Talent is everywhere in the Black community,” Michael Dermer, Founder of The Lonely Entrepreneur, said. “We will unlock that talent by providing Black entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed as entrepreneurs. We want to thank Richard Petty Motorsports for its vision in bringing these tools to Black men and women to unlock those talents.”

Through this partnership, TLE and its Black Entrepreneur Initiative will make its entrepreneurial platform available to Black entrepreneurs from the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce.

“The mission of the Commerce is to empower and encourage prosperity for Nashville’s African American businesses by connecting businesses and business professionals with worthwhile partnerships that lead to economic advancement; developing businesses that are successful, sustainable, and scalable; providing businesses with economic opportunities that allow them to create jobs and wealth; and leading on policy initiatives that cultivate an economic environment for businesses to thrive.”

TLE will provide 100 free signups for one year of its entrepreneurial platform to members of the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce. This offer is part of the goal of TLE’s Black Entrepreneur Initiative to empower 100,000 current and aspiring Black entrepreneurs across the country.

“We are proud to partner with The Lonely Entrepreneur and their Black Entrepreneur Initiative as we collectively celebrate Juneteenth,” Brian Moffitt, chief executive officer for Richard Petty Motorsports, said. “Entrepreneurism can be a lonely path, so the resources and support structure provided by the Black Entrepreneur Initiative will provide the tools to assist Nashville Black entrepreneurs in their quest to be successful business leaders. To provide these business tools at no expense is a tremendous opportunity to the entrepreneur. We are humbled to play our part in strengthening the Black business community in Nashville.”

TLE and the Black Entrepreneur Initiative (501c3) (BEI) will be the primary partner of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, piloted by Erik Jones, in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) at the Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on June 20.

The Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway will be broadcast live on NBCSN on Sunday, June 20 at 3:30 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About the Black Entrepreneur Initiative 501(c)(3)
Founded by a multi-racial coalition of community and business leaders, the Black Entrepreneur Initiative is a nationwide program dedicated to empowering 100,000 Black entrepreneurs with access to the knowledge, tools and support they need to start or grow a business. The Black Entrepreneur Initiative is provided free to Black entrepreneurs through the generous donations of corporate, philanthropic and community partners. For more, please visit https://lonelyentrepreneur.com/bei.

About The Lonely Entrepreneur
The Lonely Entrepreneur seeks to unlock the potential of one million entrepreneurs worldwide. The Lonely Entrepreneur empowers entrepreneurs and provides corporate, non-profit, social responsibility and community efforts with the opportunity to empower entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial skills and have a better chance of bringing their visions to life. For more, please visit https://lonelyentrepreneur.com/nonprofit.

About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. Petty Enterprisesrecorded 268 victories, and Richard Petty Motorsports has recorded five victories, for a total of 273, respectively. Richard Petty Motorsports has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Erik Jones. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C.

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.com or connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).