After finishes of ninth at Richmond and fifth at Talladega, Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Dickies Apparel/Menards Mustang are set to keep the good times rolling in Sunday’s Buschy McBusch Race 400 at Kansas Speedway.

DiBenedetto’s strong run at Talladega has earned him the fifth starting spot for Sunday’s 267-lapper at Kansas, which puts him in a good position to compete for Stage points and thereby continue his climb in the points standings. He’s already moved from 37th after the second race of the season (on the road course at Daytona) to 17th following Talladega, and is looking to keep on climbing.

“I’m really glad we have a good starting position for Kansas,” DiBenedetto said. “That sets us up for a shot at Stage points if we hit the setup close.”

He said he’s confident that the Dickies Apparel/Menards team, led by crew chief Greg Erwin, will have the No. 21 Mustang up to speed despite no qualifying or practice prior to the green flag on Sunday.

“Our mile-and-a-half program has been very strong, so hopefully we can keep it up front,” DiBenedetto said.

DiBenedetto and his Wood Brothers team enter Kansas just 12 points behind Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chris Buescher, who are tied for 15th place. After climbing up seven positions in the standings over the past three weeks, DiBenedetto is hoping to continue to work his way into a Playoff spot.

“We have really rebounded in points, so we have great momentum to keep climbing up to where we belong,” he said.

“We are looking forward to getting back to Kansas Speedway,” Eddie Wood said. “It’s been a good track for our family and for our race team.

“We’ve had some good runs there in the past and have come really close to winning.

“Maybe we can break through with a victory out there this weekend.”

Sunday’s 400-mile race, which will have Stage breaks at Laps 80 and 160, is set to get the green flag just after 2 p.m. (3 p.m. Eastern Time) with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.

Menards

A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Kansas Speedway
Sunday, May 2, 2021
1.5-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (11 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM logo PRN logo

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 28 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 9th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

FIRST TIMER: Kyle Larson led a race-high 103 laps en route to his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season. Prior to the win, he had scored nine runner-up finishes – the most all-time without a NASCAR Cup Series victory – in 71 career starts on 1.5-mile tracks. One of his second-place finishes came at Kansas Speedway in 2014.

JUST A LONER: The 28-year-old Larson is the lone driver to post top-five finishes in all three Cup Series races on 1.5-mile tracks this year. Along with his win at Las Vegas, Larson finished second at Atlanta Motor Speedway and fourth at Homestead-Miami Speedway – an event won by Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron.

LEADER OF THE PACK: On intermediate tracks in 2021, Larson leads the series in average finish (2.33), stage wins (three) and laps led (377), which represent 44% of all laps run on 1.5-mile tracks this season. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is tied for the most wins (one), second-place finishes (one) and top-10s (three) in those three events.

I SECOND THAT: Through 10 races in 2021, Larson has one win, four top-five finishes, secured eight playoff points and has led 379 laps – all second-most in NASCAR’s premier series. He currently sits ninth in the Cup Series driver point standings.

FOUR SCORE: In his last four Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Larson has finished in the top 10 three times and led 161 of a possible 1,082 laps (15%). Overall, he has three top-five finishes and five top-10s in 12 starts at the Midwest track.

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will again drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. From the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 8th

No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

TEN-RACE MARK: With the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season at the 10-race mark, Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, has posted two runner-up results, four top-10 finishes and has led a total of 76 laps. He has spent 618 laps inside the top five and 1,421 laps running in the top 10.

KANSAS STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his 11th Kansas Speedway start at the NASCAR Cup Series level. In his previous 10 races at the track, he garnered one win, four top-five finishes, six top-10s and led 145 laps. He has finished inside the top 10 in four of the last five races at the 1.5-mile venue. Elliott also holds the third-best average finish (11.0) at Kansas, behind only Kevin Harvick (9.3) and Cole Custer (10.5).

LAST FIVE: In the last five events at Kansas, Elliott is tied for the most top-10 finishes (four) and averages the best finishing position of all drivers (5.0).

1.5-MILE STATS: This weekend, Elliott will make his 60th start on a 1.5-mile track in the NASCAR Cup Series. In his previous 59 races, Elliott has led 764 laps. Last season, he scored his second career 1.5-mile track win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28. Along with two victories, Elliott has collected 18 top-five finishes – five of which are runner-up results – and 29 top-10s on 1.5-milers.

UNIFIRST IS BACK: This weekend, UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing customized work uniform programs, corporate attire and facility service products, will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. It will be the second of three races (Phoenix, Kansas and Daytona) that UniFirst will be the primary partner and have its newly revamped green corporate logo adorning the No. 9 Chevrolet. In 2016, Unifirst and Hendrick Motorsports announced an eight-year partnership. UniFirst will continue to serve as the Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, supplying work clothing and uniforms to the team and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States.

BACK HOME: No. 9 team jackman T.J. Semke hails from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, less than 40 miles from Kansas Speedway. Before stepping on the football field at the University of Kansas in 2012, Semke was a part-time bounty hunter. The 28-year-old was a defensive lineman for the Jayhawks for three years, earning Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honors twice. Semke signed with Hendrick Motorsports in October 2016.

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

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

ON A ROLL: Dating back to his win at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 28, William Byron has been on a hot streak of top-10 finishes. The 23-year-old driver has now extended his consecutive top-10 results to eight races – the longest active streak in the NASCAR Cup Series. Byron’s eight total top-10s in 10 races is tied for the most by a driver this year. In fact, Byron has the longest top-10 streak by a Hendrick Motorsports driver since Dale Earnhardt Jr. between 2013 and 2014. He is also the third-youngest driver of all time to reach an eight-race top-10 streak in his Cup career behind only Richard Petty and Ricky Rudd. If Byron collects a top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, he will become the youngest driver to reach a nine-race top-10 streak – a record currently held by Jeff Gordon.

FIRST 10: So far in the 2021 Cup Series season, Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team have been a model of consistency. After 10 races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has spent 2,186 laps running inside the top 10 – the second-most in the field behind only points leader Denny Hamlin (2,407). Of those top-10 laps, 879 have been inside the top five, which is the sixth-most of all drivers. Currently, Byron has led 150 laps across five races, also good for sixth in the Cup Series. He has the fourth-best average running position of 8.99 so far in 2021.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: With three races on 1.5-milers so far in the 2021 season, Byron is one of four drivers who have finished in the top 10 for all three. He captured the win at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finished eighth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and scored an eighth-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In those three 1.5-mile races, Byron has led the second-most laps (129) behind only Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (377).

HOT START AT KANSAS: Right out of the gate, Byron found success at Kansas Speedway in his first two NASCAR national series starts. With one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in 2016 and one NASCAR Xfinity Series start in 2017, Byron started from the pole position in the Truck Series race and sixth in the Xfinity Series race, finishing no worse than fourth in both events. In fact, in his debut at the intermediate oval in 2016 – just his fifth truck race – Byron started from the top spot, led 34 laps and collected his first win, kickstarting the most successful season by a rookie in the history of the series.

MIDWEST MOJO: Byron has six Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway. While he faced bad luck in his first three races, which included a mechanical failure, a late-race on-track incident and a pit road penalty, he has since turned that bad fortune around. In his last three starts at the 1.5-mile track, Byron has collected one top-five finish and three top-10s. His three-consecutive top-10 results at Kansas are tied for the longest active top-10 streak at the intermediate venue. Kansas Speedway is also tied for second of the tracks where Byron has the most top-10 finishes behind Phoenix Raceway and Pocono Raceway, where he has four top-10 results.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE KANSAS: Heading to Kansas Speedway for his first start as a Cup Series crew chief, Rudy Fugle has 10 previous appearances at the 1.5-mile oval, all coming in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In those events, Fugle’s drivers have started from the pole four times, led 391 laps, and collected two wins (2016 and 2018), five top-five finishes and six top-10s. His 2016 win came with Byron, who captured his first truck victory in the duo’s fifth start together.

ALL ABOUT AXALTA: Returning for this Sunday’s race at Kansas, Byron will have Axalta on board his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. Now in its 29th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta returns as primary partner on Byron’s No. 24 for 14 races in 2021. For a better look at Byron’s new No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, click here.

WELCOME VALVOLINE: On Tuesday, long-time partner Valvoline expanded its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports to add primary sponsorship of the Nos. 5 and 24 teams for a combined five races. The Valvoline colors will be on board Byron’s Chevy for the upcoming race at Darlington Raceway on May 9 and will return in the playoffs for his hometown race at the Charlotte Roval on Oct. 10. In conjunction with the announcement, Valvoline also unveiled its Darlington throwback scheme that Byron will pilot, which pays tribute to legendary driver Neil Bonnett.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 14th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

1.5-MILE STATS: Alex Bowman has 63 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series on tracks measuring 1.5-miles in length. The Ally-sponsored driver captured his first career victory at Chicagoland Speedway on June 30, 2019, after leading 88 laps. Bowman has seven top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and has led 458 laps total at 1.5-mile facilities. In his last seven appearances at these venues, he has four top-five results, which are tied for the most in that timeframe, and six top-10s, which are tied for second-most among drivers.

NO PLACE LIKE KANSAS: Bowman will make his 12th start at Kansas Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Last season, the Tucson, Arizona, native brought home an eighth-place result in the spring race and a fifth-place finish during the fall playoff race at the venue. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is tied for first with five drivers for the most top-10 finishes (four) at Kansas in the last five events and was the highest-finishing Hendrick Motorsports driver in three of the last four races there. Bowman has two top-five finishes, five top-10s and has led 76 laps at the 1.5-mile track. He made one start at the venue in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013 and finished 11th at the end of the 200-lap event. Bowman made two Kansas starts in the ARCA Series and brought home the win in both races, including from the pole position in 2012.

START NO. 200: When the field takes the green flag on Sunday, Bowman will be making his 200th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Since his first race in 2014, the 28-year-old driver has three wins, 18 top-five results and 45 top-10s. Bowman has captured three pole positions, including two for the DAYTONA 500, with Hendrick Motorsports since 2016 and has led 925 laps total. Only four drivers have claimed a victory in their 200th start, with the most recent winner being Kevin Harvick in 2006.

2021 AT A GLANCE: After 10 races in 2021, Bowman has one win, two top-five finishes, four top-10s and one pole award (the DAYTONA 500). The No. 48 Ally team has spent 1,313 laps running inside the top 10 – the 12th-most in the series. Out of those laps, 649 have been inside the top five, which is eighth-most of current drivers. Bowman led the final 10 laps during the event at Richmond Raceway en route to his first short-track victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.

IVES IN KANSAS: Crew chief Greg Ives has called the shots 12 times at Kansas Speedway in the Cup Series. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s drivers have three top-five results, seven top-10s and have led 78 laps at the 1.5-mile facility. Ives’ best finish of second came in the spring of 2019 after the team rolled off fifth and led 63 laps. The crew chief’s résumé includes one top-five finish and two top-10s at the venue in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In 2013, Ives’ driver led 81 laps en route to a third-place result at the facility. Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports from 2006 until 2012. During that time, he was part of two wins, two pole awards and eight top-10 finishes at Kansas.

HOME-TRACK FEELS: The fueler for the No. 48 team, Jacob Conley, grew up approximately 204 miles from Kansas Speedway in Omaha, Nebraska. Conley went to Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, and graduated with a degree in sociology in 2012. While at the university, Conley played offensive tackle for the Tigers and was a starter during all four years of college.

PIT PERFORMANCE: Just 10 events into the 2021 season, the No. 48 pit crew continues to be the fastest in the NASCAR Cup Series based on average four-tire stop times. The five-man over-the-wall crew has an average four-tire stop time of 13.59 seconds. The team includes fueler Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco

KANSAS CHIEFS: Entering Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports owns the track records for wins (seven), runner-up finishes (six), top-fives (36) and top-10s (66). Its average finish of 13.14 is the best of all teams.

RECENT HISTORY: In three of the last four Cup Series races held at Kansas, Hendrick Motorsports has placed three cars inside the top-10 finishers. In fact, the organization has placed at least three cars in the top 10 there on 14 different occasions. No other team has done it more than six times.

WE’RE STREAKING: At least one of Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolet race cars has finished inside the top 10 in each of the last 28 NASCAR Cup Series events – the longest active streak. Team Penske is second with top-10 results in the last seven races.

CHECK THE RECORD: Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest NASCAR Cup Series team on 1.5-mile tracks. It holds the all-time record with 62 victories on intermediates – nine more than next-best Joe Gibbs Racing.

INTERMEDIATE MASTERS: Thirteen different Hendrick Motorsports drivers have recorded at least one Cup Series victory on a 1.5-mile track. The list is led by seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson with 28 and four-time champ Jeff Gordon with 17. They are joined by Darrell Waltrip (three wins), Chase Elliott (two), Kasey Kahne (two), Terry Labonte (two), Ken Schrader (two), Alex Bowman, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Mark Martin, Casey Mears and Jerry Nadeau.

AFTER 10: Three different Hendrick Motorsports drivers have gone to victory lane in the first 10 races of 2021, marking only the eighth time in NASCAR Cup Series history a team has done so. Hendrick Motorsports also accomplished it in 2007 and 2009, while Joe Gibbs Racing did it in 2016 and 2019. Other teams with three different winners in the first 10 events: Roush Fenway Racing in 2005, Peter DePaolo Racing in 1957 and Carl Kiekhafer Racing in 1956. The earliest in a single season a team has won with four different drivers is race No. 12 by Hendrick Motorsports in 2007 and JGR in 2016.

TWO TO TIE: Hendrick Motorsports entered the 2021 season within striking distance of one of stock car racing’s most enduring achievements: Petty Enterprises’ all-time team record for NASCAR Cup Series victories. The legendary Petty organization captured the wins record from Carl Kiekhafer Racing more than 60 years ago when Lee Petty took the checkered flag at Orange Speedway on May 29, 1960, for the team’s 53rd victory. Its 268th and final win was delivered by driver John Andretti on April 18, 1999. Hendrick Motorsports has earned 266 points-paying Cup Series wins since Rick Hendrick founded the team in 1984 and currently needs just three to break the record at NASCAR’s highest level.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on 1.5-mile success: “I’m excited to get to Kansas. It’s a track I’ve run well at in the past. It seems I’ve always had speed there. Our Hendrick Motorsports Chevys have had really good speed on the mile-and-halfs this year, so that’s makes me even more excited to get there. Kansas is the track that I feel is the most similar to Las Vegas where we won earlier this year.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on 1.5-mile success this year and characteristics of Kansas Speedway “Kansas is unique. It’s getting some age, which is interesting to say about Kansas since it’s new compared to other tracks. But while it has aged, it’s still relatively flat and not super bumpy, and that’s unique to the shape and geometry of the track. We have a strong intermediate program and there are some things learned this year that will apply this weekend at Kansas.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE on Kansas: “We had a pretty good run at Kansas last fall, so we should have some notes that we can bring back this weekend. Kansas is a track, to me, that just feels different compared to other mile-and-a-half tracks. With the way the corners are shaped and with it being progressively banked, the top side is going to become dominant and, in my opinion, those tracks typically put on good shows.”

Elliott on varying tracks coming up on the schedule: “We are looking forward to all the tracks coming up – new and old. It doesn’t matter to me where we go, where we race or what style of racetrack. I always enjoy the challenge of everything that comes with it and trying to run well. I feel like that’s how our entire team approaches it. We are looking forward to all these places coming up, especially with the diversity of tracks over the next month or so. We expect there to be challenges. We’ve certainly had some this year, but we look forward to trying to improve on all those things and make ourselves better as we go along.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the racing at Kansas: “All 1.5-mile tracks are definitely not the same. Kansas is probably the most similar to Las Vegas but, even in that aspect, Kansas has less grip. It’s a very temperature-sensitive racetrack. You have to be able to run the bottom effectively but then be able to run the top lane just as strong the longer the race goes along. I think we were good in both races last year, but I think the June race was the best shot we have had at winning there. I’m excited to get back and see what we can do this time.”

Byron on his connection and success with crew chief Rudy Fugle: “Everyone talks about the drivers being the stars, but it takes more than just us to be successful. If you look at the top five or six teams, they’ve all been together with their crew chiefs and having success for multiple years now. It’s important to find those guys that can really click for you and that you can have success with long term. I feel like Rudy and I are just building the foundation for what is next to come when it comes to us working together. We’re in a really good place right now. We’re just starting to get our rhythm which is definitely a good thing for us. We have started the year strong and we’re only going to continue to build momentum from here.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on strong runs at Kansas: “Kansas is a track where I feel like we have a really good notebook. We have been great here in the past and our intermediate program at Hendrick Motorsports is strong. I feel like we always have a chance to win when we come here and that is credited to the No. 48 team. Last week didn’t end how we would have liked it to, so we are hoping for some redemption on Sunday.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on what makes Kansas unique: “The ability to move around multiple grooves makes Kansas Speedway a track where we look forward to running. Goodyear does such a good job with the tire there. There is fall-off, and pit strategy definitely comes into play there. Do you short pit or go long? Unlike some tracks, I think all the drivers say that they can’t wait to get back to Kansas. Not like you can’t put any extra effort into races, but I think a lot of guys circle that on the calendar and think they can have a lot of fun there.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
BUSCHY MCBUSCH RACE 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 28, 2021

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript:

YOU MUST BE CARRYING CONFIDENCE COMING INTO KANSAS. IS THAT MORE FROM THE EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD IN THE PAST FEW SEASONS, OR THE CHEMISTRY WITH YOUR CREW CHIEF AND TEAM, OR SOMETHING WITH THE CAR?
“I think it’s honestly, the last few weeks have just been the result of just the chemistry we have and working really well together. I feel like we’re all on the same page. We’re also getting really fast cars from the shop, which Chad’s work and everybody at the shop. The engines have been really good I’d say since probably the second half of last year. So, all those things have played a role. But I think for use, we’re going into some of these tracks that are some of our best tracks. I feel really confident that Kansas is a place we can go there and try to win. I think we’ve gotten through a couple of obstacles with the Bristol Dirt Race; that was definitely one that we thought we were going to really struggle, and at Talladega and Richmond. So, we’ve kind of gotten through those.”

WITH THIS STREAK THAT YOU’RE ON, YOU ARE THE LEADING HENDRICK GUY RIGHT NOW AND MAYBE THE LEADING CHEVROLET GUY. SHOULD THE CUP SERIES AND MEDIA BE TAKING YOU GUYS MORE SERIOUSLY RIGHT NOW AND GIVING YOU A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION?
“Yeah, I think yes and no. As soon as we win another race, hopefully soon, you guys will be forced to talk about us, and the competition will be forced to deal with us. But I think we’re running well. We’re in the mix every week. I feel like the competition around us probably knows that and understands that. So, I think it’s just a matter of continuing to execute, and put ourselves in position to make ourselves have a chance at winning more races. Honestly, I don’t focus much on the other people we are racing against. I just focus on doing what we can to try to win. We’re doing that every week so far.”

WHAT DOES THAT CONSISTENCY DO FOR YOU? WHAT DOES THAT CHANGE FOR YOU GOING TO THE RACE TRACK EVERY WEEK WITH A CAR THAT’S GOING TO BE A CONTENDER?
“I think it’s confidence. I show up to the track every week now knowing that I can prepare the way that I have been and have success. So honestly, just keep preparing the way that I’ve been doing it. A little bit of iRacing, a little bit of film and talking with my guys. We have great meetings throughout the week. So, we’ve got a really good system going. I feel like we’re able to go to every race track and kind of build on what we’ve been doing.”

THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEST START TO A SEASON BY FAR IN THE CUP SERIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS IMPROVED THAT HAS LED TO THIS CURRENT STREAK OF TOP 10’S?
“It’s been everything like I’ve said. I think it’s communication, chemistry, and the fact that we’re getting good cars from the shop. It’s really important. You can’t overlook that. You’re only as good, really, as the speed of your car. The effort that goes into that is tremendous. I feel like yeah, it’s just really everything. There’s not just one thing that sticks out at me. We’ve worked on the pit crew. We’ve worked on my communication with my spotter, and communication with Rudy (Fugle, crew chief). It’s kind of everything. Everything is going better this year.”

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LIKE ABOUT KANSAS? IS IT MULTIPLE GROOVES OR THIS PACKAGE?
“I think it’s just a track that I have good memories on. It’s a track that’s pretty straightforward. It’s not one of those unique places where experience really matters. I think it’s just all about having the right combination with your car and having the right feel. So, I think it’s just one of those standard 1.5-mile tracks. It’s not anything special but I feel like we’ve done a good job of trying to identify what we need in the car there and it’s worked the past couple of times.”

THIS HOT STREAK DATES BACK TO LAST SEASON. YOU PERFORMED PRETTY WELL DURING THE PLAYOFFS. WAS THERE ANY SINGLE LIKE AHA MOMENT WHERE YOU REALIZED YOU TURNED A CORNER, OR YOUR TEAM HAD; AND THAT YOU GUYS HAD IT AND YOU WERE READY TO BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM AND WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?
“Gosh, I think honestly, there’s not really a specific turning point. I think we’ve really relied heavily on our teammates. Chase (Elliott) has run really well over the past six or seven months and winning the championship and all that. We’ve relied heavily on some of their set-ups and some of the things that Chase says; trying to get my driving style a little bit closer to what the set-up needs and the car needs. It’s a little bit of everything like I said. I don’t think it’s one specific turning point. But we continue to bring more speed to the track and we’ve kind of found a good set-up for a lot of these places.”

IT SOUNDS LIKE CHASE ELLIOTT IS A BIT OF A MENTOR TO YOU. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE HE’S GIVEN YOU DURING YOUR TIME TOGETHER AT HENDRICK THUS FAR?
“Well, I think he just does a good job. He does a really good job with the details. He and Alan (Gustafson) have kind of been the standard at Hendrick for three years now. So, they are kind of the benchmark that we’ve all had to chase. I feel like I touched on that going into this season with the fact that those guys are the standard. And so, we’ve got to try to match that standard or try to improve upon it. And, we have a lot of respect for those guys and their effort and the way that they execute races, the way that Chase drives, and all those things. So, we try to work on that and make it our own.”

YOU MAKE IT SOUND SO EASY INCLUDING THE WAY YOU’RE RUNNING RIGHT NOW AND THE THINGS YOU’VE TACKLED. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING OF ALL OF IT FOR YOU?
“Well, I think the hard part was just learning the Cup Series. I’d say for two years, I really felt out of the box. I felt uncomfortable I guess, in a way. I kind of felt like in order to produce the results and be up front, I had to really drive kind of over your head in a way. You notice that with a lot of the rookies. It’s so tough, the transition from Xfinity to Cup. I don’t think anyone really can quantify that. So, I think there were, in a way, some unnecessary standards kind of put on me when I got to Cup to perform a certain way; because of how I had quickly kind of ascended. But none of that really mattered once I got to Cup because I almost had to relearn a lot of things which, I feel like is similar for anyone who comes in, I’d say in the modern day racing and how it is now with less practice and really smart engineers and all those things. I think that’s the biggest challenge I had.”

SO NOW, WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE GARAGE, EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE VERY YOUNG, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY PLACE AND DO YOU FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING BEING THROWN AT YOU NOW?
“Yeah, I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. I don’t look at any of the people I race against as any different. I treat everyone the same I feel like now. Whereas, when I was coming into the series, guys like Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick; I raced for Kyle Busch, so that was nerve-wracking to race against him every week. And those things were there and those elements of feeling like I was out of place were there. Once you get past that feeling, which, you have to have those results to have that feeling go away, so it comes hand-in-hand with results.”

KANSAS SPEEDWAY IS STARTING TO DEVELOP SOME CHARACTER. HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY DIFFERENCE IN RECENT YEARS AND WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE FOR SUNDAY?
“I think it’s just now getting optimal. It’s amazing it takes that many years, but yeah, Kansas is just now becoming a really good character race track that is challenging for the drivers and for the crew chief to have the right set-up and changes throughout the race and all those things that you want in a race track that make it that makes the best teams rise to the top. Yeah, it’s becoming a really awesome race track. I feel like it’s becoming closer to Homestead than really Vegas. I put Vegas kind of in the category with Charlotte, with really coarse that doesn’t really wear that much. So yeah, it’s becoming an awesome race track. I love it.”

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE TO HAVE KYLE LARSON TO WORK WITH NOW AND WHAT HAS HE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TO BETTER THE HENDRICK ORGANIZATION AND YOURSELF?
“There are a lot of different kinds of drivers. But to put it simply, Larson is just a feel guy. He just feels it. And that’s really cool to have around, because he’s not really entrenched in the data and all those things. He just honestly tells the team whether the car is loose or tight, or tight in a certain area. He just works on it that way. It’s cool to have a guy that keeps things simple.”

PERFORMANCE BREEDS EVEN MORE CONFIDENCE. IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND?
“Yeah, I think for sure. It’s like what comes first, the chicken or the egg? For this situation, in NASCAR, I think performance is that needle-mover for confidence; at least for me it’s always been that way. I grew up and the biggest thing I heard coming from Legend Cars is oh man, you’re not going to win as much. So, how do you find confidence in other ways? Well, I think it comes from working with your crew chief and figuring out how to make the car faster. There are small victories in finishing, for example, finishing Top 10 at Richmond, which has been a track where I usually get lapped. Figuring out those small victories, and hopefully you win plenty of races too, but there are small wins along the way that help build that confidence.”

DID YOU EXPECT TO BE THE TOP GUY AT HENDRICK THIS SOON IN YOUR CAREER?
“I always expect a lot out of myself. I never really look at it as trying to be the top person at Hendrick. I just kind of look at the overall perspective of the whole series. But yeah, you never want to be the last guy and you never want to be struggling when all your teammates are winning. So, that’s kind of the biggest thing; just trying to ride the wave, you know; everyone is doing well trying to be part of that. I feel like we’re doing that right now.”
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Newman to Make 700th Start in NASCAR Cup Series

CONCORD, N.C. (April 28, 2021) — Anyone that knows Ryan Newman would know that the 20-year NASCAR Cup Series veteran is not all that interested in yesterday’s accomplishments. Instead, he chooses to focus on the current and reality, which for him centers around striving to win races, focusing on his two children and maintaining his busy farm life.

But at Kansas Speedway, he will achieve a milestone even he was not all that aware of when asked recently. Newman’s 700th career NCS start comes Sunday, a feat that’s only been accomplished by a handful of the sports’ greats. However, the 43-year-old and his unique sense of humor, initially thought differently of the feat.

“Seven-hundred starts means I’m old and that’s okay, but it’s a milestone no doubt,” Newman said. “It just shows that I’m experienced, lost more than I’ve won just like everybody else in this sport, and it’s pretty cool to still be doing something this long that I’m so passionate about.”

With recent retirements at the elite level of motorsports, only a few true veterans of the series remain, including Newman, who joins NASCAR champions Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch as the only active Cup drivers to reach 700 starts.

“It means they’re old too, but from a sport standpoint, we’ve established ourselves, both from our individual resumes and from a sponsorships standpoint,” Newman added. “We’ve kept people happy and the fans have been engaged with us for many years now. It’s cool to be a senior member and have that resume built, but I still have a lot of business that I want to get done.”

On an ironic note, Newman will tie his longtime friend and mentor, Buddy Baker, for 18th on the all-time list. A piece of the milestone he also was not originally aware of, but one that makes the feat that much more meaningful to the veteran driver.

“I didn’t know Buddy Baker had 700 starts and that I’d tie him, but him being my mentor and driving coach (when I started) makes it even better,” Newman said. “That’s the most special part to me of reaching that number with having something in common with my hero in Buddy.”

Prior to his last-lap crash in the 2020 Daytona 500, Newman also had another notable streak to his credit with 649 consecutive starts, which puts him inside the top-10 of that category among all Cup drivers. Only Jeff Gordon (797), Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte and Jimmie Johnson had more consecutive starts at any point, while Harvick stands as the only active driver with a considerable streak.

When looking back over the course of any considerable length of time, especially in sports, people often ask ‘would you have done anything differently?’ For Newman, the answer is simple.

“My first race was a DNF, my second race I won the pole in Charlotte,” he said. “Looking back on it, I don’t know that I would’ve said I would be around for 700 starts; it’s crazy when you think about the number. I remember back in that day Dave Marcis was logging lap after lap and that’s something I look back at – I don’t compare myself to him – but I know that was part of the sport that was a topic of discussion, so when I get my 700th I know it’ll come up, but I don’t know that I would have said or done anything different, just fortunate enough to still be doing it.”

Eighteen wins, 265 top-10s, 116 top fives, 51 poles (most among active drivers), and a lot of memories are what Newman takes into Sunday’s race, but gratitude is what comes to mind most adding yet another statistical chapter to his book of rich accolades.

“Throughout the many starts before it was a lot of hard work and effort from team support, sponsor support and fan support,” Newman said. “A lot of racing luck I guess you could say and some moderate levels of success for people to keep me in race cars and let me continue to do what I love. I’m thankful, but it’ll just be another start in the end and it’s just a number – but a special number for sure.”

As part of the achievement, Roush Fenway will run a special decal on Newman’s Hy-Vee Ford Mustang at Kansas, highlighting the accomplishment with the number 700.

This Week in Motorsports: April 26 – May 2, 2021

• NCS/NCWTS: Kansas Speedway – May 1-2
• ARCA: Kansas Speedway – May 1

PLANO, Texas (April 28, 2021) – Toyota drivers are headed to Kansas Speedway for the first time this season. The ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have a doubleheader on Saturday before the Cup Series competes on track on Sunday.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NCWTS

Hamlin continues to lead… Denny Hamlin extended his points lead and continues to lead the series in several markers, including top-five finishes. Hamlin is also stellar at Kansas Speedway with victories in two of the last three events. Last July, he took the lead with 13 laps to go and drove his Camry to the win.

Kansas features big moment for Bell… Christopher Bell has fond memories of Kansas Speedway. In 2017, Bell made a late race pass to lead the final four laps to earn his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win. Bell added a top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway in his rookie season last fall. Bell is currently 10th in the overall NASCAR Cup Series point standings with five top-10 finishes in the first 10 events this season.

Toyota looks to continue winning streak… Toyota Truck Series drivers are undefeated this season as Tundras have swept the first six events of the year. Toyota is chasing its own record of 10 consecutive victories to start the season, which was set in 2014.

Nemechek leads early… John Hunter Nemechek continues to impress in his return to the Truck Series. The 23-year-old has two wins (Las Vegas, Richmond) and five top-10 finishes to hold a 20-point advantage over fellow Toyota driver Ben Rhodes in the point standings.

Hill looks to add another Kansas triumph… Austin Hill earned his first Kansas victory last summer leading 65 laps (of 134) to earn his fifth career win and clinch a spot in the point standings. Hill comes into Kansas this season on a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes, which has moved the Georgia-native to fourth in the overall Truck Series standings.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Heim on a roll… Corey Heim is back at Kansas Speedway on quite a roll. Heim, who scored his first ARCA win last fall in the season finale at Kansas, has now won three of the last four ARCA events after driving to victory on a last lap pass at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

Dollar continues to be solid in ARCA starts… Drew Dollar will make his fourth ARCA start of the season at Kansas Speedway. He is currently second in the overall standings on the strength of three top-10 finishes. Dollar scored two top-10 finishes in Kansas last season. After this weekend’s start, Dollar will return to the ARCA Series at the end of the month at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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