Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 30, 2021
1.5-Mile Oval
6:00 PM ET
Location: Concord, North Carolina
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (15 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: 3rd
No. 5 MetroTech Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
SECOND TIME AROUND: Kyle Larson finished second in the last three NASCAR Cup Series races, which occurred at Circuit of The Americas, Dover International Speedway and Darlington Raceway. The 28-year-old driver also finished runner-up in three consecutive events in 2017 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. Larson won the next race that year, which was held at Auto Club Speedway.
ONE-FIFTH FOR FIVE: There have been 3,799 laps completed during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, and Larson has paced the field a series-high 778 times. The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has led just over 20%, or one-fifth, of all laps this season.
FAMILIAR SIGHT: Four Cup Series races have occurred on 1.5-mile tracks in 2021 for a total of 1,126 laps. Larson has led 509 of those for a 45% share: Homestead-Miami Speedway (five laps led), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (103), Atlanta Motor Speedway (269) and Kansas Speedway (132).
FIVE FOR FIVE: Larson has finished first or second in five of 14 races this season. The 2014 rookie of the year won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and posted second-place finishes at Circuit of The Americas, Dover, Darlington and Atlanta. Larson has posted seven top-five finishes (which rank second in Cup Series), nine top-10s and currently sits third in the driver point standings. He has the most stage victories this season (six) and has accumulated 11 playoff points – second-most of any driver.
OVAL OFFICE: In 11 points-paying starts at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, Larson has one top-five finish (October 2016) and four top-10s. In 2019 when the annual NASCAR All-Star Race was held at Charlotte, the Elk Grove, California, native won the Open to gain entry into the All-Star Race, then led the final 13 laps to capture the victory in the exhibition event. Larson also won the Open in 2016.
WELCOME ABOARD, METROTECH: MetroTech Automotive will adorn the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. MetroTech Automotive has provided dealerships with their products and services for more than 30 years. Whether it be detail chemicals, supplies and equipment, paint and fabric protection or detail staffing, MetroTech Automotive has the answer. With a manufacturing plant in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a distribution center in Denver, Colorado, Metrotech Automotive can deliver products and services nationwide.
FALLEN SOLDIER: The No. 5 team will honor Lance Cpl. Edward “Eddie” Dycus, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Corps, Camp Lejeune, during the 600-mile race on Sunday. Born Dec. 12, 1989, in Greenville, Mississippi, Dycus always talked about joining the Marines while growing up. He graduated from Riverside High School in 2008 and went to bootcamp in Parris Island, South Carolina, in 2010, graduating one year later. On his birthday in 2011, Dycus was deployed to Afghanistan. He was there only six weeks when he was killed in action on Feb. 1, 2012. Jesse Maxcy of Hendrick Automotive Group’s marketing team was good friends with Dycus. Maxcy and Dycus were in the School of Infantry at Camp Giger where the two Marines studied, honed combat skills and mastered their specific jobs within the infantry. They also were both deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, to serve our country.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 5th
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
AUSTIN ACE: Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet, had a strong showing in Sunday’s inaugural race at Circuit of The Americas, earning his fifth win in the last six NASCAR Cup Series races on road courses. The victory was Chevrolet’s 800th win and tied Hendrick Motorsports with Petty Enterprises’ all-time team wins record (268). The performance moved Elliott to fifth in the driver point standings and all but secured the defending champion’s spot in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
200 STARTS: at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Elliott could become the fifth NASCAR Cup Series champion to win on his 200th career start. In his previous 199 races, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has earned 12 wins, 65 top-five finishes, 104 top-10s and a career average finish of 13.3. Elliott has led a total of 3,172 laps and has completed 54,476 laps. To mark the career milestone, the No. 9 team has created a special 200th start decal that will be featured on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet at Charlotte.
KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE: Having collected a top-10 finish in each of the last four NASCAR Cup Series events, Elliott currently holds the longest active streak.
FOURTEEN DOWN: After the Cup Series took the checkered flag 14 races in 2021, Elliott has one win, six top-five finishes (two of which are runner-up results), eight top-10s, and has led a total of 81 laps. He has also collected the fifth-most stage points (114), one stage win, has spent 981 laps inside the top five and 2,205 laps running in the top 10.
QUEEN CITY RÉSUMÉ: Elliott is set to make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. In his previous nine races at the 1.5-mile track, the 25-year-old driver has garnered four top-five finishes, five top-10s and led 224 laps. During the most recent visit to the oval configuration last season on May 28, Elliott and the No. 9 team led the final 28 laps of the Thursday night event to earn their first win of the year.
600 NO. 7: On Sunday, Elliott will make his seventh career start in the Charlotte 600. In his previous six races, he has earned two top-five finishes and three top-10s. The last two years have been strong showings for Elliott in the 600-miler. In 2019, he led 43 laps, collected a top-five finish in each stage and notched a fourth-place result in NASCAR’s longest race. Last season, Elliott earned a career-best runner-up finish in the 600 after pitting from the lead in overtime which dropped him to 11th.
600 MILES FOR POKORNEY: In Sunday’s Memorial Day weekend race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the windshield of Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will showcase the name of U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Frederick Pokorney as part of the NASCAR Salutes and 600 Miles of Remembrance initiatives. Pokorney was one of six Marines killed when their unit was attacked near Nasiriyah, Iraq, on March 23, 2003. He was 31 years old.
REMEMBERING A HERO: Pokorney was accepted into the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) to enlist as a future officer. It was his dream to be commissioned through the program designed to provide outstanding enlisted Marines the opportunity to serve as Marine Corps officers. Pokorney then attended Oregon State University for his Bachelor’s degree in political science and was commissioned as second lieutenant in March 2001. He was promoted to first lieutenant posthumously on March 23, 2003, after he served 10 years in the Marine Corps.
SPEEDY STOPS: The No. 9 team owns the sixth-best average time for four-tire pit stops at 13.84 seconds through 14 races in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. The team is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.
NAPA KNOW HOW: The No. 9 Chevrolet will don the familiar blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme this weekend at Charlotte. 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: 2nd
No. 24 Liberty University Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
LIBERTY U PATRIOTIC SCHEME: Liberty University will be back on William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Sunday for the prestigious 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As part of NASCAR’s annual NASCAR Salutes and 600 Miles of Remembrance programs, the Liberty University Chevy will sport a special patriotic paint scheme to honor those who have served and continue to serve to defend our country. The special scheme includes an American flag Liberty University logo on the hood of Byron’s machine, as well as stars and stripes on the front and rear quarter panels. To see Byron’s scheme for this weekend’s race, click here.
STAFF SGT. COLE CONDIFF: As part of the No. 24 Liberty University patriotic paint scheme for this weekend’s race at Charlotte, Byron’s Chevrolet will feature a tribute to Air Force Staff Sgt. Cole Condiff. With skills that included static line jump master, air traffic control, military freefall parachutist and combat diver, Condiff was deployed to Africa in support of operation Juniper Shield, as well as to Afghanistan in support of operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Like Byron, Billings was a Liberty University student. He was enrolled in its online programs and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in history.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY: With 14 races completed in the 2021 Cup Series season, Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE continue to be consistent every week. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native currently has one win, five top-five finishes and 11 top-10s while leading 171 laps. With the third-best average running position in the series at 8.49 and an average finishing position of 9.36, Byron continues to rank second in the driver points standings following Circuit of The Americas – the highest ranking of his Cup career.
CUE CHARLOTTE: In his Cup Series career, Byron has four starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval, with three of them being the 600-mile event on Memorial Day weekend. In fact, in just his second start at Charlotte in 2019, Byron became the youngest pole sitter for the 600 at the age of 21 years, 5 months, and 24 days. That 2019 race was his best showing at the 1.5-mile oval, leading 31 laps before crossing the finish line ninth. In addition to his four Cup Series starts, the 23-year-old driver has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the track.
RUDY RUNS CLT: While Sunday will mark crew chief Rudy Fugle’s first time on top of the pit box for the 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Livonia, New York, native is no stranger to success at the 1.5-mile oval. With eight starts on his résumé, all coming in the Camping World Truck Series, Fugle has collected two pole awards, two wins (2013 and 2019), four top-five finishes and six top-10s. In fact, out of the 1,077 laps run by his drivers at Charlotte, they have completed 100% of those laps with 310 laps led. One of those eight starts came with Byron in 2016, when the duo won the pole and led 25 laps en route to a 10th-place finish.
HOME SWEET HOME: Cutting his teeth in the racing world in Charlotte, Byron is one of only a handful of drivers who was born and raised in the “home of NASCAR.” After visiting the U.S. Legend Cars International headquarters in Harrisburg, North Carolina, with his father in 2012, Byron found himself behind the wheel for the first time the next year competing in the Young Lion Division. Winning 33 of the 69 legend car events he ran across the United States in 2013, Byron went on to lock up the U.S. Legend Young Lions National championship and the Thursday Thunder Young Lion championship at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Progressing to the Legend Car Pro Division the next season, Byron also signed with the JR Motorsports developmental program at the same time. From that point on, Byron hasn’t slowed down as he climbed the racing ranks before ultimately making it to the top level of NASCAR as a Cup Series rookie in 2018.
HOME TRACK FEEL: In addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway being the home track of Byron, a couple other members of the No. 24 team also claim the venue as their home track, including mechanic Jacob Bowman from Pilot Mountain, fueler Landon Walker from North Wilkesboro, and jackman Spencer Bishop from Pinehurst.
48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 12th
No. 48 Ally Patriotic Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
HONORABLE SCHEME FOR THE 600: On Sunday evening, Alex Bowman will get behind the wheel of the No. 48 Ally Patriotic Chevrolet for 600 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The matte black scheme features the Ally echo logo on the hood in a deep blue and red color to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country. In addition to the special scheme, the No. 48 Chevy will be honoring Marine Captain Matthew H. Brewer, who tragically ended his life on Feb. 19, 2021 after battling severe symptoms characteristic of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Brewer graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2013 where he played football for the Navy Midshipman. He served deployments in Japan and Korea and finished out his military career as a Special Operations Officer at Marine Corp University in Quantico, Virginia. Check out the scheme here.
THROUGH 14: With 14 events complete this season, Bowman has two wins (Richmond, Dover), three top-five finishes, six top-10s and one pole award (DAYTONA 500). The No. 48 Ally team has spent 1,722 laps running inside the top 10, which ranks 11th out of all active drivers. Out of those laps, 860 have been inside the top five. Bowman has led 112 laps in 2021 and has now paced over 1,000 laps in the NASCAR Cup Series.
BOWMAN AT CHARLOTTE: Bowman has nine previous starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval in the Cup Series. He has two top-10 finishes in the last three 600-mile events at the 1.5-mile venue and has led 223 laps. In 2020, Bowman led 164 during the 400-lap event en route to a 19th-place finish at the end of the day. In the last six Charlotte 600s, Bowman led 172 laps total, which ranks fourth on the list of active drivers who have led during those events. Bowman also competed in four times at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and captured his first career national series victory in 2017 after starting fourth. The Tucson, Arizona, native led 32 laps at the track in the series and completed 100% of the total laps within those four starts.
1.5-MILE STATS: Bowman has 64 starts at eight tracks measuring 1.5-miles in length and has captured one win, seven top-five finishes and 17 top-10s. The driver’s first Cup Series victory came at Chicagoland Speedway on June 30, 2019 after leading 88 laps. The 28-year-old driver has led 458 laps at these venues over the course of his 203 starts in the series.
CREW CHIEF STATS IN CLT: For the 11th time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots at Charlotte. The crew chief’s résumé includes one top-five finish and four top-10 results at the track. Ives was a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for four events across two years for JR Motorsports. In 2014, he led driver Chase Elliott to the pole position in the fall event and the team led a total of 66 laps to finish eighth. Ives has two top-10 finishes in the series and led a total of 94 laps. The Bark River, Michigan, native was a race engineer for the No. 48 team between 2006 and 2012. During that time, the team won the 2009 fall event at Charlotte after starting first, captured seven top-10 finishes and earned two pole awards.
COTA REWIND: Last weekend, Bowman and the No. 48 team captured a top-10 finish in the inaugural event at Circuit of The Americas, finishing eighth in the rain-shortened event after 54 laps. Bowman qualified 12th for Sunday’s race and finished stage two in ninth, earning stage points. Ives called the Bowman to pit road on lap 50 from the lead position for four rain tires and fuel. As the rain increased, the field came down pit road four laps later and the event was called due to weather. Bowman’s teammate Chase Elliott claimed the victory.
PACKING FOR A CAUSE: On Wednesday afternoon, Bowman and the No. 48 Ally team organized 800 care packages with the United Service Organizations (USO) for military members in the Carolinas at Hendrick Motorsports. The group came together to help put these packages together and, of course, made the event into a race to determine which of the three assembly lines could finish the quickest. With the fastest pit crew in the Cup Series, the No. 48 crew was able to pack 800 bags in approximately 23 minutes.
HOME SWEET HOME: Two members of the No. 48 team call Charlotte Motor Speedway their home track. Scott Denton, backup hauler driver for the Ally team, grew up in Belmont, North Carolina, and attended his first NASCAR race at the 1.5-mile track back in 1988. Jackman for the No. 48 team, Dustin Lineback grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, and went to East Carolina University from 2007 until 2011. While at ECU, Lineback played football for the Pirates while receiving his Bachelor of Science degree.
MAINTAINING PACE: With two wins in 14 events this season, the No. 48 pit crew continues to be the fastest in the Cup Series based on average four-tire stop times. The five-man over-the-wall crew has an average four-tire stop time of 13.7 seconds. The team includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Lineback and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco.
MILESTONES AT COTA: Chase Elliott’s victory Sunday at Circuit of The Americas was one for the ages. The win was No. 268 for Hendrick Motorsports, which tied the organization with the legendary Petty Enterprises for the all-time NASCAR Cup Series team record. In addition to winning the inaugural Cup race at COTA, Elliott delivered the milestone 800th victory in the series for manufacturer Chevrolet.
A PIECE OF HISTORY: The door panel of Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE from his historic Circuit of The Americas win is being auctioned online to benefit Victory Junction. It includes the autographs of 13-time NASCAR Cup Series champion owner Rick Hendrick and seven-time champion driver Richard Petty, along with Elliott, crew chief Alan Gustafson and the winning No. 9 team. The auction went live Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET and will continue until Sunday, May 30, at 7 p.m. ET. Visit the auction website by clicking here.
MAJOR MOMENT: Following its next trip to victory lane, Hendrick Motorsports will stand alone as the all-time leader in NASCAR Cup Series team wins – a distinction that has been held solely by Petty Enterprises for more than 60 years. Hendrick Motorsports also owns the NASCAR Cup Series records for championships (13), pole positions, runner-up finishes, top-five finishes, top-10 finishes and laps led.
YOUTH IS SERVED: With Sunday’s win at COTA, Hendrick Motorsports became the only team in NASCAR Cup Series history to send four drivers under the age of 30 to victory lane in a single season. Elliott (25 years old) joined teammates William Byron (23), Kyle Larson (28) and Alex Bowman (28) with points-paying wins this year. In addition, each of the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers have all but secured berths in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
FIT TO BE BOWTIED: When Elliott won at COTA, it marked Chevrolet’s 800th NASCAR Cup Series victory. Hendrick Motorsports has now delivered the 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th and 800th wins for the manufacturer. The last time a team other than Hendrick Motorsports won a milestone Cup Series race for Chevy was its 300th with Richard Childress Racing in 1986. Hendrick Motorsports has raced exclusively with Chevrolet since the team was founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984.
STREET SWEEPERS: Hendrick Motorsports immediately followed its historic 1-2-3-4 finish at Dover International Speedway with a 1-2 result at COTA with Elliott and runner-up Larson. It was the 45th time the team has finished in the first and second positions in the same race.
CLT HOMECOMING: The next challenge on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Sunday’s prestigious 600-miler at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is located 1 mile from Hendrick Motorsports. The team has won the annual Memorial Day weekend marathon race 11 times – more than anyone else – with a record five different drivers. Hendrick Motorsports also has the most total points-paying Cup victories on the CMS oval with 20, which have come via a track record eight different drivers. Its 20 combined points wins there are 12 more than any other team. In addition, the organization holds a record eight NASCAR All-Star Race wins at Charlotte and a record two victories on the venue’s ROVAL road-course layout.
INTERMEDIATE GAME: With 62, Hendrick Motorsports is the all-time leader in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins on 1.5-mile racetracks. The team’s total is eight more than next-best Joe Gibbs Racing, 21 more than Roush Fenway Racing and 31 more than Team Penske. At 1.5-mile venues in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports has the most race wins (two), stage wins (five), top-five finishes (six; tied) and laps led (664).
STREAK AT 32: Hendrick Motorsports finished first, second, eighth and 11th at Circuit of The Americas, which extended the team’s run of consecutive events with at least one car placing inside the top 10. At 32 races, the top-10 streak dates back to last season and is currently the fifth-longest in team history. Hendrick Motorsports recorded a NASCAR Cup Series record 87 top-10 finishes in a row from 2006 to 2008. In 2021, the organization has placed at least two cars inside the top 10 in 12 of 14 races, the most of anyone this season.
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on Hendrick Motorsports possibly breaking the record for most Cup Series wins by an organization: “I know it’s going to be special to Mr. Hendrick because every time I talk to him he brings it up. Now that we’re really close to it, we can all taste it. One more win and he breaks it, and I hope I’m the guy that can do it. I’m happy that I’m one of the drivers that contributed to his record. He’s had a long career of success and a lot of great drivers, and It’s just an amazing accomplishment.”
Larson on the day-to-night transition in 600: “Definitely looking forward to the 600 and getting back on a mile-and-a-half track where we have been one of the strongest cars all year long. Charlotte is a different mile-and-a-half compared to the other ones we’ve run so far. It’s really bumpy and the transition from day to night is challenging. For whatever reason, I’ve always struggled with that transition, so I’m really looking forward to taking on that challenge in a Hendrick Motorsports car. It’s a long race. We need to keep our nose clean, stay in the hunt and not doing anything too flashy until the end.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on possible internal Hendrick Motorsports team rivalry to secure record for most wins by organization: “Absolutely we want to get that win for Mr. Hendrick, but that rivalry has not been spoken. All four of our teams are strong right now, and it would be special for us to get that victory for the organization and Mr. Hendrick. It’s not anything that any of us have ever talked about, but it’s unspoken that we all want to get that win for the company.”
Daniels on 1.5-mile track success in 2021 and translating that to Charlotte: “We’ve certainly looked at each mile-and-a-half track races run this year and any common thread we can pull from each to apply to Charlotte. We have been strong but there are no guarantees in this business. Other teams are working hard, so we have to keep upping our game, as well.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing 600 miles: “Charlotte is always a challenge every year. 600 miles is a long time in the car, but honestly enough the race doesn’t really seem that much different. I know it’s a long race to watch and it is a long race, but behind the steering wheel it really does not, or so far, it does not feel that much different. I don’t know that my preparation will be much different, but obviously it is a huge race. It’s a race we all want to win. It’s a race you want to end your career and say that you have won so hopefully we can knock that off the list this weekend.”
Elliott on the importance of the NASCAR Salutes initiative: “Memorial Day weekend, I feel like, has always been centered around the 600 for NASCAR for as long as I’ve been around, have watched or been a part of it. NASCAR has really done a fantastic job of honoring the men and women who have served our country and I feel like they have shown a great example of that at the 600 every year. It’s a tradition that we need to carry on, a tradition that should be carried on, and that’s not saying thanks enough, but it’s a small way to honor those folks who you might not hear about or know about otherwise.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his thoughts for Charlotte: “This is a big race for us, both Hendrick Motorsports and for myself, growing up in Charlotte. It’s technically a hometown race for all of us and this was always my favorite racetrack growing up. Regardless of how I’ve run the year before, it’s a great feeling pulling up to that track every time. With how we’re running right now, I feel like we have positive momentum on our side and I feel like we have a chance to win. We just need to keep building off of the things we’ve been working on this year and we’ll be in contention. It’s going to be a great race for us.”
Byron on wanting to break the all-time win tie for Hendrick Motorsports: “It would mean a lot to be the driver who breaks the all-time Cup Series win record for Hendrick Motorsports, especially if it happened at Charlotte. Not only is this race huge for me being my hometown, but it’s really where I became a fan of Hendrick Motorsports. I used to watch Jeff (Gordon) and Jimmie (Johnson) be so successful at Charlotte. To then be able to get win No. 269 would be historic for everyone involved but just a whole extra meaning at my hometown track. Charlotte is what gave me my love of racing and Hendrick Motorsports.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE on the importance of securing win No. 269 for Hendrick Motorsports: “I think everyone in the organization, in the sport, and even outside the sport knows how important the overall win record is, in general. It’s been a goal that has been set since before I arrived at Hendrick Motorsports. To now be in a position with the organization where our team could be the ones to break that record, it’s monumental. I think I can speak for everyone when I say I’m pretty sure all four Hendrick Motorsports teams feel that way, especially heading into Charlotte race week. Charlotte is already a special place for all of us to race at because usually our friends and family are here and it’s a race that holds a lot of history, aside from it being within walking distance of the race shop. You could technically drive the race car over there without a hauler, it’s that close. It’s a special weekend with something even more special on the line, and I hope we get the job done.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro, on racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway: “The Charlotte oval is one of my favorite tracks. It is where I got my first career NASCAR win back in 2017 in the Xfinity Series and it is just a special place. We were really strong in the 600 last year and led the most laps, but just didn’t get the finish to show for it. Our mile-and-a-half program is really strong and I feel like Hendrick Motorsports continues to build fast cars for these tracks.”
Bowman on honoring fallen soldiers through the NASCAR Salutes initiative: “Running the Ally patriotic scheme this weekend is going to be extra special. The Charlotte 600 is always a special event because of Memorial Day weekend and everything NASCAR, the track and the teams do to honor fallen military members. We are honoring Captain Matthew Brewer on the windshield of our No. 48 Chevrolet on Sunday. Captain Brewer took his own life earlier this year after struggling with CTE and PTSD symptoms following his stint with the United States Marines. I had the opportunity to speak with his family last week and I know how special it is for them to see his name on our car this weekend.”
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro, on Hendrick Motorsports tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time wins record: “It is always tough when they put the marquee numbers out there. It is always sweeter when you are the one to break the record. Chevrolet’s 800 wins couldn’t be accumulated without those our team’s wins and that is what we have to remember. It is great that we are at these numbers, 800 for Chevy and 268 for Hendrick Motorsports. We all have helped get there and that is what we have to remember when we think, man I wish that was us capturing that special win. Very proud of everyone’s efforts and very happy for the No. 9 team.”
Ives on maintaining endurance during the Charlotte 600: “It is definitely not something that is easy, for sure. It is a marathon movie. If anyone knows about marathon movies, I’m sure that the people over quarantine know how bored you can get watching long movies. Keeping the team active and fun is what we have to shoot for. Getting a good night’s rest the day before is important. You have to find your energy through your team in order to keep everyone awake and pumped up during those long green-flag runs.”
