TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
GOODYEAR 400
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
MAY 9, 2021

RACE #12 – DARLINGTON RACEWAY
All three NASCAR National Series will be in action at Darlington Raceway as part of NASCAR’s annual Throwback Weekend.

Chevrolet drivers will seek to corral the 42nd NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) victory for the Bowtie Brand in the 120th race on the 1.366-mile oval in the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 9. Austin Dillon’s runner-up finish in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 1LE led four Team Chevy drivers in the top-10 in the 293-lap race in September 2020.

Chevrolet, with five wins this season, sits atop the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Manufacturer Standings heading into the Steakhouse Elite 200 on Saturday, May 8. Jeb Burton, who won the Series’ last race at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS, is fourth in the Driver Standings. Reigning NXS champion Justin Haley is fifth. Haley will also compete in the Goodyear 400 in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1 1LE.

Chevrolet drivers will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) LiftKits4Less.com 200 on Friday, May 7. Ross Chastain was runner-up last week at Kansas Speedway in the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevy Silverado. Heading into the Series’ eighth race on the 2021 schedule, reigning champion Sheldon Creed sits fourth in the Driver Standings.

BYRON SETS CUP RECORD
At just 23-years-old, Hendrick Motorsports and Team Chevy driver William Byron became the youngest driver in NCS history to record nine consecutive top-10 finishes with his ninth place at Kansas Speedway. Byron’s streak started with his win at Homestead-Miami Speedway in February.

Byron advanced one position to third in the Driver Standings. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, reigning NCS Champion Chase Elliott, also moved up one spot to seventh. Kyle Larson, who led a field-high 132 laps at Kansas Speedway, remained ninth in points.

MOVING UP
Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick gained four spots in the Driver Standings to 18th with his seventh-place finish at Kanas Speedway. Reddick has four top-10’s in the past five races. Teammate Austin Dillon has posted three consecutive top-10 finishes.

ON THE WAY TO THE GREEN
With no practice or qualifying for the 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:
5th William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Throwback Camaro ZL1 1LE
6th Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hooters Throwback Camaro ZL1 1LE
9th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Camaro ZL1 1LE
10th Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Joe Nichols/Quartz Hill Records Camaro ZL1 1LE
14th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Throwback Camaro ZL1 1LE
15th Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Camping World Throwback Camaro ZL1 1LE
17th Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE
18th Ross Chastain, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1 1LE
19th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Throwback Camaro ZL1 1LE

BOWTIE BULLETS
· Chevrolet has 798 NASCAR Cup Series wins to lead all manufacturers.

· Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 47 top-10 finishes this season.

· In addition to its manufacturer-leading 41 wins at Darlington Raceway, Chevrolet has amassed 190 top-five and 399 top-10 finishes.

· Kyle Larson has an average finish of 6.7 in six starts at Darlington Raceway, which tops all active drivers.

· Kurt Busch earned the first of his 28 NCS career poles at Darlington in September 2001.

· Kurt Busch is tied for most starts at Darlington among active drivers with 26.

· Austin Dillon leads NCS drivers with 99.93% of laps completed (3,050 of 3,052).

· Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams with 14 wins at Darlington.

· Chase Elliott (Daytona Road Course), William Byron (Homestead-Miami Speedway) and Kyle Larson (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway 2, Kansas Speedway) have stage wins.

TUNE IN
FS1 will telecast the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, May 9. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. FS1 will telecast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Steakhouse Elite 200 at 1 p.m. ET Saturday, May 8. FS1 will telecast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series LiftKits4Less.com 200 at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, May 7.

QUOTABLE QUOTES
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 3rd IN STANDINGS
BYRON ON THE DIFFICULTIES OF RACING AT DARLINGTON:
“Darlington is a track that is known for its old, worn-out surface and how hard it is on tires. You’re always elbows up at that place, but you also have to know when to press forward and when to manage your equipment so you’re not over taxing your tires. I’ve tried to manage that as best as I can, but that’s what makes Darlington such a tough track. It’s not an easy task while, at the same time, it’s easy to lose focus for a moment and that’s all it takes to end your day. Hopefully, this weekend we’ll have the setup we need, and then it’s up to me to get the most I can out of the Valvoline Chevy while making sure we’re around in the end of it.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 7th IN STANDINGS
ELLIOTT ON DARLINGTON:
“I enjoy Darlington. I am a performance guy so if it goes well, I probably liked it that trip and if it didn’t, then I probably don’t. Last year, I feel like we had a solid run and had a shot at it there at the end. Martin (Truex Jr.) and I ended up wrecking coming to the closing 10 laps for the lead. I was definitely playing defense; he was on me and was making a good run. So, there’s room for improvement, obviously. You want to be fast enough where that guy behind you is nowhere close. That’s where I want to be and that’s how you want to position yourself at the end of those races, if you can. We can definitely be better, but I was pleased with our speed last year. We had some really good runs and were certainly solid, so we have something good to build off of.”

ELLIOTT ON COMING TO DARLINGTON FOR THROWBACK WEEKEND:
“I think it’s such a great event. I’ve enjoyed the vibe around it and the throwback schemes are all pretty cool. We are looking forward to running the Alan Kulwicki Hooters paint scheme this year. I know Hooters has been excited to do this scheme for a while so it’s great to see it come to life.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 9th IN STANDINGS
LARSON ON HIS DARLINGTON THROWBACK SCHEME:
“Every year when the throwback race comes around, you try to think of past NASCAR paint schemes, so it was really cool that Hendrick Motorsports and Mr. H (Rick Hendrick) allowed me to throwback to my first go-kart. My dad picked out the paint scheme when I was racing and, as a kid, I always wanted something different. Now as I have gotten older, I appreciate that he kept our cars looking consistent with the orange and the white until we got new sponsors. So, it’s cool to have the orange and white with the faded blues for Darlington.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 1LE
DANIELS ON THE RULES PACKAGE FOR DARLINGTON:
“There’s some notes from last year we’re going to try to pull from, but it’s so different with the aero and horsepower package. All three races last year were the high drag, high downforce and low horsepower package. Coming back this weekend with no practice and the low downforce-high horsepower package is a completely different ballgame. There’s a fine balance between the drivability and turn you look for at Darlington that we’re hoping to achieve. We’ve dug into some historical notes and the trends from 2018, which is the last time we raced there with this aero and power package. It’s such a long race that we’ll just have to tune on the car as we progress through it.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER OFF ROAD CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGS
HOW DOES DARLINGTON SUIT YOUR RACING STYLE?
“I think long races in the past have fit my racing style. There is plenty of time to make the car better during a long race, and all of our wins have come in races 500 miles or more. So, I think that bodes well for Darlington. We like the long-distance races and it’s a place that falls off. RCR has always been known for a long run speed. Short run speed is something that we’ve struggled with, but we’re trying to change. It’s nice that we’re going to place that long run speed matters a bit.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGS
“Ally being open to doing whatever throwback I wanted to do this year was really cool. Being able to honor Greg (Ives) this weekend in Darlington is going to be really special. It was really fun being able to surprise him a few weeks ago and to have his family from back home involved was the icing on top. The seafoam Chevrolet will look good on track and even better up front on Sunday.”

“Darlington is one of those tracks where you can’t get caught up in racing the other guys. This is a place where you have to race the track and adjust your car to what you need on track. We ran well there last year and I think we have a good notebook to carry on to this weekend’s race. Tire management is key in Darlington and will be something to look after on Sunday.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE
“Going to 400 miles for this race at Darlington doesn’t really change any strategy. It maybe just changes how many laps are in the stage and how many laps you are going to run on tires. It is definitely grueling on the drivers as well with the heat that is expected down there in Darlington. It is definitely a fun racetrack and I don’t know many drivers that don’t like racing down there. You end up racing the racetrack instead of racing the drivers at that place. Green flag passes are going to be difficult with just how hard the racing is there. We are looking to getting down there with our throwback scheme. I know Alex (Bowman), Ally and everyone on the team is looking forward to Darlington.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 JOE NICHOLS/QUARTZ HILL RECORDS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 18th IN STANDINGS
WE RAN MULTIPLE RACES AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY LAST YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR WE’LL BE GOING BACK WITH THE LOW-DOWNFORCE PACKAGE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
“I love the change in the aero package for this race at Darlington Raceway. I really enjoy races where we’re in the gas, sliding around and up by the fence, so I’m excited about this Sunday. Anytime I watch highlights of Cup racing from 2017 or 2018 at any 1.5-mile track, I see the drivers lifting and getting sideways, and it looks so fun. I just love these low downforce races on these fast tracks. They’re a lot of fun. I’m really excited to see what that means for us and our team, considering the momentum we’re coming into the weekend with after four top-10 finishes in the last five races.”

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR THROWBACK PAINT SCHEME FOR SUNDAY’S RACE?
“I really enjoy Darlington’s Throwback weekend and have had a lot of fun with the schemes I’ve ran in the past. This one we’re running in honor of Marty Robbins’ 1972-1973 pink and yellow machine was one that came together quickly, but I think it’s a really cool way to celebrate the crossover between country music and NASCAR, which is a pretty big one. Marty Robbins was quite literally an intersection between the two, winning three GRAMMY awards but also running 35 NASCAR Cup races. It’s cool to be able honor his legacy while also continuing to promote the country music NASCAR fans love so much with Quartz Hill Records and Joe Nichols’ new single, ‘Home Run.’”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 CAMPING WORLD THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 22nd IN STANDINGS
WITH SUNDAY BEING MOTHER’S DAY, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MOM (ROSALINDA) GROWING UP?
“She’s the cool mom. When you’re in elementary or middle school, you always have a couple of friends that you know as a group you can go to their house and hang out. She was that mom. Everybody was welcome and she liked having a bunch of us at the house for parties and things like that.”

HOW SUPPORTIVE HAS YOUR MOM BEEN DURING YOUR CAREER?
“She’s very supportive of my career. She doesn’t come from racing, so when I first started racing go-karts and things like that, she wasn’t that into it, but now she likes it because she knows that I love it. She’s been there for me during the good and bad days. Even though she can’t really speak English, when she comes to races here in the United States, people can still always tell that she’s a very sweet person and that she’s supportive of me.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THROWBACK WEEKEND AT DARLINGTON?
“I love the weekend. I love taking about racing and the history of racing. Seeing the old paint schemes is really cool. I think it is great to celebrate NASCAR’s history.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 STP CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 27th IN STANDINGS
THOUGHTS GOING INTO DARLINGTON AS A PAST WINNER AT THE TRACK?
“Darlington (Raceway) is high on my list of favorites. I would have always said that Bristol (Motor Speedway) was my favorite track, but I think as far as the way we have run at places throughout my career, I think Darlington has been the best track for me. I always look forward to it. The tires really fall off there and over the long runs, you can save your stuff at the beginning and make some ground as the run moves forward. I enjoy that part of the race a lot.

“The history of that track too – it is always fun going there. It still has such an old-school feel when you go to that track. It’s always fun to go there and get to race.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 IN MEMORY OF ALAN KULWICKI CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 30th IN STANDINGS
“I’m really excited to get to Darlington Raceway this weekend with our Zerex Chevy Camaro and honor Alan Kulwicki. Darlington is one of the staples on our schedule. It’s really cool to go back there on Mother’s Day for the throwback weekend. We’re going there with a low-downforce, high-horsepower package so we’ll be slipping and sliding around like we did back in 2017. We should put on a good show for the fans. I’m excited to continue showing what we’re capable of. Hopefully, we can start putting some results on the board for Spire Motorsports. We’ve run a lot better than our results show and we’ll continue building on that at Darlington this weekend.”

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: 3
Poles: 1
Laps Led: 916
Top-five finishes: 18
Top-10 finishes: 47

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 798 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 718
Laps led to date: 237,621
Top-five finishes to date: 4,083
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,449
Stage wins: 5 Chase Elliott (Daytona RC), William Byron (Homestead), Kyle Larson (Las Vegas Motor Speedway), Kyle Larson (Atlanta x2, Kansas)

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

       General Motors: 1,132
       Chevrolet: 798
       Pontiac: 154
       Oldsmobile: 115
       Buick: 65

       Ford: 808                                                         
       Ford: 708
       Mercury: 96
       Lincoln: 4

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

       Toyota: 156

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 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. 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 www.chevrolet.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On the eve of Bass Pro Shops’ 50th Anniversary, Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress Racing announced that driver Austin Dillon will celebrate the legendary roots of Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER, as well as pay tribute to NASCAR pioneer Fireball Roberts, with his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series throwback race on Sunday, May 9, at Darlington Raceway.

Dillon’s ride will sport a retro paint scheme that reflects one driven by 33-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner and Hall of Fame inductee Fireball Roberts, emblazoned with the original Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos from the 1970s. The iconic throwback logos on Dillon’s No. 3 car harken back to Bass Pro Shops’ founding nearly 50 years ago in 1972, when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling fishing tackle on eight-square-feet of space in the back of his father’s Brown Derby liquor store in Springfield, Mo.

In the early days of Bass Pro Shops, the now-famous logo featured a leaping bass wearing a brown derby hat, an agreement between Johnny and his father, John A. Morris, to highlight both Bass Pro Shops and its Brown Derby liquor store. Six years later in 1978, Johnny Morris revolutionized the boating industry by introducing Bass TRACKER, the original factory direct boat, motor and trailer package. Although the Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos have evolved through the years, the companies’ shared reputation for superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service remain. Though the logos have evolved, both brands remain highly regarded as leaders in the outdoors.

The original Bass Pro Shops logo (left) when Johnny Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in the back of his father’s Brown Derby liquor store in 1972, and the original Bass TRACKER logo (right) when the company began selling the first-ever factory direct boat, motor and trailer package in 1978.

“NASCAR’s Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway has produced some of my favorite paint schemes over the years and this weekend’s race is no different,” said Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Bass TRACKER Chevrolet. “It’s an honor to work with Johnny Morris to pay tribute to his legendary outdoor brands while saluting Fireball Roberts. We’re going to do our best to channel the Fireball spirit and win this won for Johnny and all the Bass Pro Shops and Tracker team members.”

“Seeing the original Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos on Austin’s No. 3 Chevrolet reminds me of how far we’ve come, the friends we’ve made, and the positive impact we have all had on conservation,” said noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, an avid racing fan. “I’m thankful to Austin and Richard for their continued support of conservation and our company, as well as our years of friendship. We are looking forward to making another great memory this weekend in Darlington.”

Fans can watch Dillon and the throwback No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats car in action by tuning in to the Goodyear 400 this Sunday, May 9, at 2:30 p.m. CT on FOX Sports 1.

About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”

Richard Childress Racing at Darlington Raceway… In 131 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has found success at the ‘Lady In Black’ with eights victories, 24 top-five, and 43 top-10 finishes. The Welcome N.C. organization has yet to find victory lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the historic South Carolina speedway, but has accumulated 10 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes.

Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway… Richard Childress Racing has fully embraced a popular tradition known as ‘throwback weekend’ at Darlington Raceway. Teams and partners use this as an opportunity to honor NASCAR greats from the past and present. This weekend Austin Dillon will pay tribute to Fireball Roberts with a special gold and black No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet scheme. Tyler Reddick will honor Marty Robbins with a colorful Quartz Hill Records Chevrolet paint scheme that showcases the deep roots between NASCAR and country music. Myatt Snider and TaxSlayer will pay homage to Snider’s grandfather who owned Jimmie Lewallen’s No. 2 Grand National Series car.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Saturday, May 8, beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Sunday, May 9, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Darlington Raceway … Austin Dillon has made nine career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best second-place finish in his most recent appearance at the track, missing Victory Lane by a narrow margin over Kevin Harvick. Dillon also has a fourth-place finish in 2017. He has made three appearances at “The Lady in Black” in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010.

Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit .

Throwing it Back … Richard Childress Racing and Bass Pro Shops are teaming up to pay tribute to NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts with a special throwback No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Austin Dillon this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Fireball Roberts is one of seven NASCAR Hall of Fame driver who have won driving the No. 3 since 1949. His win came during the 1959 Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway after starting from the pole position.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
How does Darlington Raceway suit your driving style?
“I think long races in the past have fit my racing style. There is plenty of time to make the car better during a long race, and all of our wins have come in races 500 miles or more. So, I think that bodes well for Darlington. Even though this weekend’s race is only 400 miles, I think we were able to learn a lot in the Southern 500 last year that we can translate to this weekend. Darlington is a place that falls off, so tire management becomes important and I really like that. It’s nice that we’re going to a place that long run speed matters a bit.”

How important is it to make sure that not only the pit crew is executing on pit road, but also the driver is hitting their marks in the car?
“It takes everybody to win a race in the NASCAR Cup Series. We’ve been working really hard on the No. 3 team. We recently had a team-building exercise for the pit crew, and I got to join them. A Navy SEAL came in and we worked for a week together on accountability, teamwork, what it takes to be a good teammate to each other and how to talk to each other. It’s been great and we’re starting to see some benefits from what we did a couple of weeks ago. Its helped us put together solid races.

Who in the NASCAR garage has had the best throwback paint scheme of all time?
“I’ve really enjoyed some of our throwback paint schemes over the years. I really loved ours last year, the Jr. Johnson car was really awesome. We did some awesome stuff early on as well. Our Wrangler scheme was awesome. One of our coolest schemes was the silver secret. We just backed the car off the trailer, and that was the first time anyone saw it, just like it was done originally. The media didn’t see it until we backed it off the trailer. Our scheme this year is special, too. We are paying tribute to Fireball Roberts, who won in the No. 3 in 1959. Pretty cool to honor a NASCAR Hall of Famer, and to do it with Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER Off Road.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Joe Nichols / Quartz Hill Records Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Darlington Raceway… Tyler Reddick has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, with his best finish of seventh coming last year at NASCAR’s first race back after the season paused out of COVID-19 concerns. Reddick also has three starts at the ‘Lady in Black’ in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, collecting two top-five finishes.

NASCAR Throwback… This week, Reddick’s No. 8 Joe Nichols / Quartz Hill Records Chevrolet celebrates the close relationship between country music and NASCAR by honoring country music legend and NASCAR driver, Marty Robbins. The No. 8 Chevy’s scheme, which features Joe Nichols’ new single “Home Run,” is based around Robbin’s 1972-1973 iconic pink and yellow machine he drove for 35 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. Robbins, a three-time GRAMMY award winner who is best known for his song “El Paso,” captured six top-10 finishes during his driving career. His best finish of fifth came at Michigan in 1974.

About Joe Nichols… Multi-platinum Quartz Hill Records’ Joe Nichols is one of country music’s most-lauded recording artists. A 21st century traditionalist, Nichols is an artist who is both timely and timeless – one who has racked up a half-dozen Number 1 singles and ten Top 10 hits with a sound that blurs the boundaries between country music’s past and present. It’s an approach that has earned Nichols three Grammy nominations, a CMA award, an ACM trophy, a CMT “Breakthrough Video of the Year” Award as well as multiple gold and platinum-certified records. Nichols’ additional honors include awards from Billboard, Radio & Records and Music Row Magazine as well as a New York Times “Best-Albums-of-the-Year” nod. The celebrated star has appeared on national media programs ranging from the ACM Presents: Superstar Duets on CBS to The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The View, Entertainment Tonight and Austin City Limits. Nichols new single, “Home Run,” is available digitally worldwide and impacts country radio on May 10. For the latest news on Nichols visit: www.JoeNichols.com and follow him (@JoeNichols) on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Quartz Hill… Quartz Hill Records is a full-service country music label led by Benny Brown, Paul Brown and award-winning songwriter Jason Sellers. In addition to multi-platinum star Joe Nichols, Quartz Hill’s roster includes triple threat singer/songwriter/ guitarist Ben Gallaher as well as up-and-coming country stylist Nate Barnes whose first single, “You Ain’t Pretty,” was a Top 10 Most Added Song 4 out of its first 5 weeks at Country Radio.” (Mediabase)

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
We ran multiple races at Darlington Raceway last year, but this year we’ll be going back with the low-downforce package. What are your thoughts on that?
“I love the change in the aero package for this race at Darlington Raceway. I really enjoy races where we’re in the gas, sliding around and up by the fence, so I’m excited about this Sunday. Anytime I watch highlights of Cup racing from 2017 or 2018 at any 1.5-mile track, I see the drivers lifting and getting sideways, and it looks so fun. I love these low downforce races on these fast tracks. They’re a lot of fun. I’m really excited to see what that means for us and our team, considering the momentum we’re coming into the weekend with after four top-10 finishes in the last five races.”

What can you tell us about your throwback paint scheme for Sunday’s race?
“I really enjoy Darlington’s Throwback weekend and have had a lot of fun with the schemes I’ve ran in the past. This one we’re running in honor of Marty Robbins’ 1972-1973 pink and yellow machine was one that came together quickly, but I think it’s a really cool way to celebrate the crossover between country music and NASCAR, which is a pretty big one. Marty Robbins was quite literally an intersection between the two, winning three GRAMMY awards but also running 35 NASCAR Cup races. It’s cool to be able honor his legacy while also continuing to promote the country music NASCAR fans love so much with Quartz Hill Records and Joe Nichols’ new single, ‘Home Run.’”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Darlington Raceway… Snider has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington Raceway, both of which came during the 2020 season while driving for RSS Racing. The 26-year-old earned a 10th-place finish in the fall race last season.

Family Legacy Continues… Paying tribute to Snider’s grandfather, Gurney Snider, and the generational legacy of racing in the Snider family, the TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro will adorn Jimmie Lewallen’s No. 2 scheme, highlighted by a lightening bolt striking down the side of the car. Gurney Snider, along with three gentlemen from High Point, N.C., owned Grand National Series cars from roughly 1949 to 1954. Lewallen piloted the No. 2 at Darlington Raceway in 1952 and finished fourth behind Dick Rathman and the Flock brothers, earning just $350 that day. Saturday’s race is just two days shy of the 69th anniversary of this outing.

About TaxSlayer… TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million federal and state e-filed tax returns in 2020 and processed $15 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTES:
What does it mean to you to carry on the racing legacy in your family?
“The fact that the 2 number has so much history behind it for our family is really cool to me. To know that Jimmie Lewallen ran this number in the Grand National Series with my grandfather owning the car is special. They were able to have success together with wins and I hope to be able to take our TaxSlayer scheme to Victory Lane on Saturday.”

TaxSlayer is a big part of your career and especially this scheme. What does it mean to have a partner who is willing to work with you to honor your family’s heritage?
“It’s something that as a race car driver you dream about. You want that sponsor that is committed to you, wants to work with you and is focused on growing in the sport together. That’s what a lot of drivers strive for, so I’m very blessed to have a partner that not only supports my efforts but wants to honor our family’s heritage.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
GOODYEAR 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 6, 2021

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Highlights:

YOU ARE RUNNING A SPECIAL PAINT SCHEME AT DARLINGTON, WHICH IS A THROWBACK HONOR OF YOUR CAREER AS A DRIVER. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
“It’s obviously definitely special for me. I was young in my career, 18 years old, and just starting in my second year of actually driving a super late model. I was pretty young and naive and didn’t know a whole lot. I probably still don’t. But I’ve aged a little bit. Of course, as you grow older, you achieve new things and you don’t really think about what you’re doing in the current moment at the time, or really if it’s even right to get you to where you want to be. So, looking over the scheme the last few weeks, it’s been a great reflection of that and a great reminder for all of us who probably have been in a job or have been pursuing a dream as long as I have been in this sport. You sometimes question the initial reason why and this has kind of sparked some great emotion about how young and crazy it was to have a dream and eventually follow it through. Ultimately, this paint scheme meant a lot at the time and it really took time for me to really appreciate it just because of how it came about and how the paint scheme kind of chose me; and ultimately the sacrifice Jim Pagel gave. I eventually ran that same color as he did in 1993.”

WHAT DOES THAT PAINT SCHEME MEAN TO YOU?
“Personally, I was pretty shocked. I’m not one that really likes to be in the spotlight. I try to elevate others around me versus doing that to myself. I was a little embarrassed when it was unveiled to me. Alex (Bowman) had that surprise for me. But ultimately, it brought back a lot of great memories of just being young and not knowing a whole lot and setting your sights and goals on something that maybe wasn’t achievable. But in the end, I knew if I put enough hard work behind it, and passion, eventually people would believe in me. I had great family members around me that supported me along the way, and eventually friends that became pit crew members. Hopefully they can look at this paint scheme and enjoy it along the way as well. So, just a lot of pride in where I started and how I came about through the super late model grassroots type of racing and probably not with a lot of money or driving talent, but I persevered because of my interest and my love for cars and the math and physics behind them all. Ultimately, I think that’s what, as I work on the car today, I kind of feel all those same emotions. The work is never done. But you’ve just got to get them loaded and ready to go.”

WORKING ON THE CAR FOR DARLINGTON, ARE YOU LOOKING AT LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE TIRE IS THE SAME, OR AT 2018 BECAUSE THE PACKAGE IS MORE SIMILAR?
“I think I take it all in. In 2018, the package was very similar. The tire has changed. Our performance as a company as changed. Some of that stuff that we were maybe trying to overcome some deficits in either aero or mechanical grip setting for the tires that we had. So, we’re just trying to be smart about it and look at some other races where we may have done that downforce change and maybe not the engine package, but kind of just to understand all of it and put our best foot forward when we get to Darlington on Sunday.”

YOU HAVE WHAT IS THE FAST PIT CREW IN THE SERIES RIGHT NOW. WAS ALL OF THIS A DESIGN TO MAKE THIS YOUR TEAM’S IDENTITY? DO YOU THINK THAT’S A BIG ENOUGH STRENGTH ON ITS OWN TO POTENTIALLY CARRY YOU THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR?
“I kind of live by the fact that strategy in getting on and off of pit road as cleanly and efficiently as possible is a great way to make up time and spots. I’ve spent a lot of time working with the pit crew and driver and even the engineers behind it to maximize points, the positions, and also the time. Ultimately, as you are doing that, you can also hurt yourself. You get a little greedy, you can cost yourself more time by speeding or getting on pit road and missing the commitment cone or having a mistake with the pit crew. That all comes from allowing all the people involved to work within their own strengths and capabilities and not applying the pressure and say hey, we need to continuously need to be better, but we don’t need to continuously jump half the line. Keep pushing that threshold of comfort, that threshold of chaos we can probably call it, and then be comfortable there. There’s always anxiety when you short pit or if you run long. Our pit crew has been really solid. I think its consistency. Not home runs or mistakes all the time. As far as Alex, if you continue to study his driver data, continues to get better. It’s a big focus just because there’s time to be had. Performance and lap time is definitely important.”

GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF MARTINSVILLE AND PHOENIX, GIVEN WHERE THEY ARE ON THE SCHEDULE, DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR TEAM IS ALREADY WELL-SUITED FOR THOSE TRACKS? IF NOT, WHERE IS YOUR ROOM FOR GROWTH?
“If you would have asked me that at the beginning of the year, I’d say absolutely not. At Phoenix we struggled after having a lot of success there. We always know the mark was there. We always knew the potential was there for our team to excel at that type of track, but it’s kind of a what have you done for me lately type of thing, and we struggled. That’s been an issue for us. Same with Martinsville. We continuously haven’t had the best finishes there. Not bad, obviously, but to contend as the champion last year did, he won at both of those races. We definitely need to improve at Phoenix if we want to have a chance or a battle at this championship. But Martinsville, I felt like we were in position at the end of the race as far as our strategy and the speed in the car, and ultimately could have won that race. We had a mistake on pit road. So, we have a way to go at Phoenix but at Martinsville we’re feeling a lot better.”

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE NEXT GEN TOWARD THE END OF THE SEASON WHEN THERE WILL BE SOME OPEN TESTING AROUND THE PLAYOFFS WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP?
“It’s definitely something that’s going to take away some focus, for sure. But at Hendrick Motorsports we have a lot of great resources and great people to keep you focused on the right areas. Part of my job as crew chief is to try to be at a little higher level and not totally into the microscope and all the details but understanding the ideas behind development and performance; and also give some guiding instruction and information to make us better. It’s definitely something I want to be involved with. I have learned over the years how to balance that quite well. Just looking back at the seasons when we used to test a lot; and yeah, it might have been development for that type of car or configuration. But it was maybe a different race track than what you actually went to that weekend. I’m just relying on my teammates. I’m putting a lot of trust and faith in their capabilities and their talents, but also giving my input when needed.”

WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE TO GO TO ALL THESE SINGLE SUPPLIERS? THAT SEEMS SO FOREIGN WHEN IN THE PAST YOU’RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN THING TO BEAT THE NEXT GUY.
“Yeah, I look back at grassroots racing. Yeah, they may be able to get different items from different areas. But ultimately that became the challenge. How do I take what is given to me, optimize it, and get to the next level? I think that’s what is going to be a great challenge. You’re going to be given this car and these parts and you’re going to be like, how can I make it better within the rules and understanding assembly and performance and how we can continuously test these items versus just bolting them together. That’s going to be a great challenge. It’s going to be different for sure. But you’ve just got to change your mind up a little bit and go back to maybe some of the things you used to do in the past.”

HOW MIGHT THE NEXT GEN CAR CHANGE THE ROLE OF THE CREW CHIEF? OR DOES IT REALLY HAVE ANY IMPACT?
“I think in any environment where you have a team and an assembly of people, keeping them going in the right direction is ultimately what my job is. I have a group of people underneath me that rely on my direction on a daily basis in either direction or discipline or just philosophies, those types of things. You need that leader on the team to go to. It’s definitely going to be different from the aspect from the aspect from hey, let’s take this part or piece and change it and increase or decrease the compliance or those types of things. I feel like it’s going to minimize some of the things that are obvious to change and the position that we’re in, we’re able to give direction to what we feel like is going have performance on the race track and get them focused on that area. It’s definitely going to be different, but I don’t see much of a change as far as the crew chief role.”

WHAT HAS CHANGED YOUR ROLE AS A CREW CHIEF OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS?
“As I’ve grown with Hendrick Motorsports, I’ve had a lot of different positions. I was very hands-on at the start as a post-race mechanic and a set-up place mechanic. And then engineering, it all became on the computer. It’s more about the virtual world and understanding how the simulation worked and the things that are behind the car versus just the mechanics of it. That’s how I became a crew chief. If I spent too much time on the computer, I wasn’t giving enough direction to the people that needed it around me. So, it’s really come down to a great management role of talent’; and, whether it’s pit crew, my engineers, my car chiefs, or assembling a great team of mechanics. It’s all intertwined and it’s not just the computer. It’s not just the mechanics. It’s ultimately all of it. It’s even more intense because there is no time to fine-tune it or develop it without practice or qualifying. And you’re just hitting the ground running and finding those avenues of making your team better and making the cars better and ultimately the whole thing work together as you want it to. It’s always changing, but the mindset is kind of always the same and it comes down to the performance on the race track and how to put your best team together.”

HOW WILL YOU APPROACH DARLINGTON THIS WEEKEND?
“Darlington is its own race track. It’s kind of narrow and with the characteristics that it has, the challenge is finding the ability to run somewhere different and to change lanes or to have the car be able to not just be a single-groove car. Obviously, all the time you’re going to want to end up in that lane and try to be fast. But our concentration for a few times has been hey, how can we be different than the next guy? When that happens, either they try to mimic you and are not prepared, or it allows you to make up time without trying to be the same. Following in somebody’s tracks is not always easy, especially if it is aerodynamically sensitive. Getting the difference of half a lane or being able to run the bottom in (Turns) 3 and 4 is a huge deal if it can work. Unique race tracks are fun and difficult. But ultimately, trying to work on things that are not necessarily what everybody is trying to do. I look at Kansas. That’s definitely a difficult race track. But it’s also a lot of fun because you have the bottom lane and the top lane. Some of the excitement in the driver is because it is unique. Some of the things I talk about we have in place and are able to execute on Sunday, but ultimately giving your driver the ability to race the race track in multiple areas and find a lane and find ways to pass when needed.”

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ALEX BOWMAN THAT IS UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER DRIVERS YOU’VE WORKED WITH?
“I feel like I have a great relationship with all the drivers I’ve had. But with Alex, he is just very open with me. He doesn’t really let things get to him. If he wants to pick on me, he picks on me, as you have probably seen, or he’s serious with me. It’s really just an open relationship where he has the ability to be honest. If the cars are running great, he lets me know. If they’re not, he lets me know in a way that it’s constructive and allows us to be better. I think it’s vice-versa. If I tell him he needs to click a front brake, he does it. And if I tell him he needs to work on his entry speed, he does it. I’m not doing it to put him down, I’m doing it so we’re better as a team. I think that’s the thing that we have most in common. Yeah, we’re kind of quiet people. We like to be on our own a little bit. We like working on our cars. We like having our own race teams and just working hard. There are a lot of similarities outside of racing that we have in common, as well. I kind of get his lifestyle and where he came from. I respect about how he came up and that he didn’t always have things handed to him but was given opportunities and made the best of them.”
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