Richmond Raceway
Sunday, April 18, 2021
.75-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Richmond, Virginia
TV: Fox logo
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (9 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: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

WON IN A DOZEN: In 12 starts at Richmond Raceway, Kyle Larson has one win (2017), two top-five finishes and five top-10s. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has finished seventh or better in five of his last seven starts at the Virginia venue.

SHINING MOMENT: In September 2017 at the .75-mile track, Larson held off Martin Truex Jr. and others in overtime to earn his lone short-track victory in NASCAR’s premier series. The native of Elk Grove, California, led 53 laps in the event that was extended by four laps due to a late-race caution.

TOP-FIVES FOR NO. 5: Larson, who is fourth in NASCAR Cup Series points and 99 markers behind leader Denny Hamlin, finished fifth Sunday in the rain-delayed race at Martinsville Speedway. The result marked his fourth top-five finish in eight races this season, second-most in the series to Hamlin.

FIGURE EIGHT: Through eight races, Larson has collected three stage wins and has led 379 laps – both career highs for him through eight events to begin a year. His victory and six top-10s tie his best start to a season.

FOUR BY FOUR: Prior to Sunday’s event at Richmond, Larson is scheduled to compete in a late model Thursday in Middlebourne, West Virginia, a sprint car Friday in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and a late model Saturday in Hagerstown, Maryland. The Richmond Cup Series event will be his fourth race in four days.

VIRGINIA SON: No. 5 crew chief Cliff Daniels is a native of Smithfield, Virginia, which is approximately 75 miles southeast of Richmond. Daniels received a go kart at age 7 and his first bandolero car at 9. As a driver, he competed at Southside Speedway near Richmond and progressed to legends cars at Langley Speedway by 2001. Daniels competed in late models at South Boston Speedway from 2004 until 2007, the year after he graduated high school from Hampton Roads Academy in Newport News, Virginia.

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: 7th

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

100 CLUB: With a second-place finish Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Chase Elliott collected his 100th NASCAR Cup Series top-10 finish in his 193rd career race. Among all active drivers, it took the driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE the fewest number of starts to reach 100 top-10s.

SHORT-TRACK PERFORMANCE: On Sunday at Richmond Raceway, Elliott will make his 34th short-track start in the Cup Series. In those previous 33 races, he has garnered 11 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and led 775 laps. Elliott currently has six consecutive top-10 finishes on short tracks – the longest active streak of all Cup Series drivers.

RICHMOND RUNDOWN: This Sunday, Elliott will make his 11th Richmond start in the NASCAR Cup Series. In his previous 10 races at the .75-mile oval, he has collected three top-five finishes – one being a runner-up result – and four top-10s. Richmond is one of five tracks where Elliott has captured a runner-up finish but has yet to collect a victory. Additionally, he has made four Richmond starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, never finishing outside the top five and earning a win in 2015.

2021 SHORT TRACKS: The NASCAR Cup Series has competed on two short tracks in 2021: the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race and Martinsville Speedway. Elliott is one of five drivers who garnered top-10 results at both events – a second-place finish at Martinsville and 10th-place performance at Bristol.

THIS SEASON: Eight races into the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott’s three top-five finishes are third-most among all drivers. He has posted two runner-up results and led a total of 73 laps in those first eight events. The 25-year-old driver has spent 558 laps inside the top five and 1,311 laps running in the top 10.

GUSTAFSON AT RICHMOND: On Sunday, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson is set to call his 31st Richmond race in the NASCAR Cup Series race. In his previous 30 starts at the track with five different drivers (Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Elliott), Gustafson has accumulated 13 top-five finishes including five runner-up results, 17 top-10s and 566 laps led. His five second-place finishes are tied with Kirk Shelmerdine. The only crew chief with more at the .75-mile oval is NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Inman, who has 10.

NAPA KNOW HOW: The No. 9 Chevrolet will showcase the blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme this weekend at Richmond. 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: 6th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

MR. CONSISTENCY: So far in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team have been a model of consistency. After eight races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has spent 1,764 laps running inside the top 10 – the second-most in the field behind only points leader Denny Hamlin (1,936). Of those top-10 laps, 753 have been inside the top five, which is the sixth-most of all drivers. Currently, Byron has led 138 laps across four races, also good for sixth in the Cup Series. At 8.87, he has the fifth-best average running position so far in 2021.

STILL STREAKING: Dating back to his win at Homestead- Miami Speedway on Feb. 28, Byron has been on a hot streak of top-10 finishes. Prior to this current streak, Byron’s Cup Series best was three consecutive finishes in the top 10, which he accomplished twice. The 23-year-old driver has now doubled that amount after his fourth-place finish Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, extending his consecutive top-10 finishes to six races – the longest active streak in the Cup Series. Byron’s six total top-10s are the second-most by a driver this year behind only Hamlin (seven).

READY FOR RICHMOND: Sunday’s race at Richmond Raceway will mark Byron’s sixth Cup Series start at the .75-mile track. He currently has a personal track-best finish of 12th coming in April 2018. Aside from his five Cup starts, Byron has made two NASCAR Xfinity Series appearances at the Virginia track, both in 2017. He earned a best starting position of sixth and finished seventh in the fall. He also has one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start in 2015 when he won the pole and finished sixth.

SHORT-TRACK SUCCESS: With two short-track races completed so far in 2021, Byron is one of five drivers who have finished in the top 10 for both. He secured a sixth-place effort during the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt event and a fourth-place finish Sunday at Martinsville. In fact, Byron’s two consecutive top-10 finishes have him tied for the third-longest active top-10 streak on short tracks.

MOMENTUM AT MARTINSVILLE: Starting third at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday night when the Cup Series took the green flag, Byron ran inside the top five early before handling woes dropped him back to sixth as the red flag came out for rain. When the race resumed Sunday afternoon, Byron was able to score points in both stages of the 500-lap event. Continuing to improve throughout the race, Byron surged to the front of the field as the laps wound down, scoring a fourth-place finish at Martinsville and extending his string of consecutive top-10 finishes to six.

THE FUGLE FILES: Despite an extensive résumé in NASCAR, Sunday’s event at Richmond Raceway will bring unknowns for crew chief Rudy Fugle. Making his first Cup Series start at the .75-mile track, Fugle has only three previous starts at Richmond – one in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and two in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. While both of his Xfinity starts came in 2010, Fugle’s most recent race at the Virginia short track was last year in the Truck Series where his driver started third and finished 18th.

LIBERTY U ONBOARD: Picking up a fourth-place finish last Sunday, Byron will look to keep his top-10 streak alive when the No. 24 unloads at Richmond Raceway with Liberty University onboard his Chevy. Redesigned for the 2021 season, the new paint scheme features a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in communications, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 27 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 17th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

RACING AT RICHMOND: Alex Bowman has nine previous Richmond Raceway starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. His best finish came last fall when he finished ninth after 400 laps. Bowman also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Virginia track where he qualified a career-best second and finished ninth in 2016 for JR Motorsports. In 2011, the 27-year-old driver made one start at the track in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, qualifying fourth and finishing fifth after 100 laps.

SHORT-TRACK STATS: Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, has made 31 short-track starts in his seven-year Cup Series career, capturing one top-five finish and six top-10s. Last season, he earned eight top-10 stage finishes at these tracks.

ALL IN THE NUMBERS: The No. 48 team has run 500 laps inside the top five and 996 laps inside the top 10 this NASCAR Cup Series season, which both rank ninth among active drivers. Bowman has the 11th-best average running position (14.22) and finishing position (19.13) after eight events in 2021. The Tucson, Arizona, native has captured one top-five finish, three top-10s and one pole award (the DAYTONA 500) this season.

IVES IN VIRGINIA: Crew chief Greg Ives is set to call his 11th Richmond Raceway event in the Cup Series on Sunday afternoon. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s best finish at the track came in 2015 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought home a fifth-place result after 400 laps. Ives’ drivers have completed 99.8% of the total laps at the Virginia venue. The sixth-year Cup Series crew chief also has four Xfinity Series starts at Richmond and his drivers finished inside the top five all four times. Chase Elliott placed second in both events in 2014 and Regan Smith finished fifth and third in 2013. Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team from 2006 until 2012. During that time, he was a part of Jimmie Johnson’s three wins, one pole award and seven top-10 finishes at Richmond.

PIT PERFORMANCE: After eight events in 2021, 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 13.58 seconds. The team includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco.

TOP-FIVE VIBE: In Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports placed three cars inside the top five with Chase Elliott second, William Byron fourth and Kyle Larson fifth. It was the record-extending 36th time the team has accounted for at least three of the top-five finishers in the same event.

TOP-10 TREND: Hendrick Motorsports has placed at least two of its Chevrolets inside the top 10 in seven of the eight points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races held in 2021 – the most of any team. The organization has 19 top-10 finishes this season.

NO SHORTAGE: No active NASCAR Cup Series team has more short-track victories than Hendrick Motorsports. Going into Sunday’s event at Richmond Raceway, the organization has 51 short-track wins – nine more than next-best Joe Gibbs Racing. Ten different drivers have won on a short track for car owner Rick Hendrick, which is one shy of the all-time record of 11 held by Junior Johnson and Associates.

TRACK FACT: Hendrick Motorsports has won a combined 64 races at the next five tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule: Richmond (10), Talladega (13), Kansas (seven), Darlington (14) and Dover (20).

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on posting good finishes at Richmond: “Richmond is kind of a hit-or-miss track for me. Even though I have a victory and some good finishes, I haven’t had too many great runs there. It seems like there have been several times I have been average at Richmond but then come home with a top-five finish. I’m really looking forward to this weekend because we have had speed it seems like every week this year.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on challenges of the first daytime race at Richmond in several years: “Even with cool temperatures expected Sunday that could compare to a night race, the sunlight exposure does change the way the track behaves – the way the rubber lays or doesn’t lay. The rubber typically doesn’t stack anywhere, it just smears across the track and becomes slimy and greasy. Even if the ambient temperature isn’t very high, the sunlight exposure on the track will do that. In 2015 and 2016 in the daylight, we had great runs with (former Hendrick Motorsports driver) Jimmie (Johnson) and finished top three in both of those races. So, we have a little bit of a feel for what the track does in those situations and what we need to look for to be in contention on Sunday.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on Richmond: “I don’t feel like Richmond is a very good track for us. It seemed like the last time we were there we were a little more solid than we have been. But like I said, it’s been a really tough track for me. It’s so hard to be great at that track. It’s really difficult to be different there because everyone is running the same line. Everyone knows how to drive the car to get around there properly. I think that’s why it’s produced good races over the years because it’s so hard to be different than the next guy and to be better. I say that and people are like, ‘Eh it’s not boring’ but just from a driver’s perspective, there’s just not a lot to it and you have to be perfect from a setup perspective and behind the wheel to be really good there.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on heading to Richmond: “Positive energy is a good thing. When things are going your way it gives you a lot of confidence, you are much more decisive and you don’t question a lot of things. That certainly factors in. I don’t think us running well at Martinsville has a whole lot of impact on Richmond besides when you are running well and things seem to be going your way, you have the confidence to be very decisive. When you are not running well and things aren’t going your way, you basically question everything and that slows you down. I do think that impacts performance and just having that momentum. And then everyone is happy; when you run well everybody is in a good mood. Life is a lot easier running well.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the characteristics of Richmond Raceway: “I think Richmond is really its own beast. It’s similar to Atlanta with the surface but then you have aspects that are similar to Phoenix as well. It’s really just its own animal. It’s a very low grip track with even lower grip in the race car than it looks. Plus, it’s always a challenge to manage the throttle there. Sometimes you’re running half-throttle down the straightaway just to keep the tires under it later on in a run. It’s just a challenging place.”

Byron on the racing at Richmond during the day: “I’m interested to see what this weekend’s race will be like. Normally, we run at Richmond at night, so it’s going to be a different challenge this year racing during the day. It’s already so low on grip that you’re going to be moving around no matter what. I feel like the track is going to change a lot as the race goes on as well. It’s going to be a learning curve as the run goes on to keep up with what your car needs.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on approaching tracks with limited experience: “This weekend will be a track that I don’t have a ton of experience at as a crew chief but I don’t think it changes much on how we approach things. Every weekend, I’m still learning whether I have one start or 12 at a track. I think, honestly, most people do that. You lean on your team members, you lean on your teammates and you lean on what you know. Thankfully, last year the No. 9 team ran well basically everywhere, and if one weekend they were a bit off, then you had the No. 88, which is the No. 48 now, that ran well. You use their notes and sim time to try and hit your balance. So far, I think it’s been really good. The biggest thing to our advantage is my experience with William (Byron). We’re able to communicate really well. I understand what he’s trying to tell me about the car in the way he explains things. There’s no language barrier or trying to understand one another. I already know most of that when it comes to William, and I think that’s helped us when it comes to setting the car up and making changes throughout the race.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on short-track momentum: “Obviously, Sunday’s race was great until it wasn’t. Things out of your control can ruin a really great day, but our team is extremely pumped about how well we were running at Martinsville before the incident on track. Going into another short track this weekend means we have some good momentum. We have struggled at Richmond before, but had a solid top 10 run last fall at the track. This Ally team has a good notebook going into the race and Greg (Ives) keeps reminding everyone to keep your focus set forward. We can’t get back the Martinsville race, so we are going to focus forward and have a solid day on Sunday in Richmond.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on rebounding from Martinsville at Richmond: “We have carried some of the same philosophies from Martinsville to Richmond as far as tuning the car to Alex’s needs. The last time we were at Richmond we had a solid run, not a race-winning run by any means. We were able to continuously fine tune on that. Definitely looking forward to getting there and our confidence is high on Alex’s side. I feel like we have a team capable of coming out of there with a solid day. Starting mid-20s doesn’t help and maybe not getting the best pit stall won’t help, but we have to focus on the positives of what this team has been able to do. We are continuing to march forward and keep looking ahead.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TOYOTA OWNERS 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 14, 2021

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript:

LOOKING AHEAD TO TALLADEGA, HOW DO YOU HANDLE WORKING WITH TEAMMATES AND MANUFACTURERS?
“That’s a good question. I feel like it’s always a topic of conversation and it’s always a really tough conversation. But I feel like this has been going on for the last couple of years, I would say, give or take; way more than it did my first couple of years. And as things have gone on, the dynamic has certainly progressed. I think everyone has a better understanding. And ultimately, amongst our teams a Hendrick Motorsports, I feel like we have found ourselves in just a good position of understanding what’s important when it comes to helping each other. To me, the high spots of that are getting on and off pit road good, together, and efficiently. And then, restarts and lane choice from that standpoint. Outside of that, the race has to evolve naturally, right? Like we really try hard not to hurt one another. But it’s also hard to expect someone to hurt themselves and to go out of their way to try to help you. I feel like we have a good understanding of that, and we really just focus on putting emphasis at Hendrick Motorsports, and Chevrolet, too, as we have evolved into just the pit cycle and doing that together and taking time because those things, that in particular, I feel like is going to put you in the best position after that and potentially at the end of the race. So, that’s where our focus has been. That’s where my focus is at. And I feel like reasonably, we’ve done a good job of that and gotten better at it as time has gone on and focusing on those these and just not playing so many games of expecting too much from one another, but just focusing on those high spots.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT NOT HAVE WON IN THE FIRST EIGHT RACES?
“No, I’m not concerned with it. I would love to win, for sure, before now; but at the same time, I feel like we have a great team. I feel like I’m in a good place. I don’t feel any different today than I did approaching the end of the season last year. So, we just have to continue to push and work hard to focus on what makes us go fast and what makes me comfortable behind the wheel. And just focus on us. I feel like that’s something we’ve always done a really good job of at the No. 9 team in particular. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) have a good relationship and I think we understand what I need behind the wheel to go fast. We just have to achieve that and get it the next few races. We’ve had pace at certain times this year that I feel like was good enough to contend for a win. We’ve also had races where we were really bad and didn’t have pace. But that’s racing and that’s part of it, right? Those tough days and slow races push you to want to be better. So, I guess to answer your question, no, I’m not concerned with it. We all want to win but I feel no different today than I did at the end of last year and the results were just fine then. So, I know we can achieve it. I know we can go out there and accomplish our goals. And we believe that as a team and really outside of that, it really just doesn’t matter.”

HAVE YOU ENJOYED HAVING THREE SHORT TRACKS ON THE SCHEDULE IN A ROW?
“Well, there’s only two short tracks on the schedule. And they never fall in order. So, Martinsville is it.”

WHAT ABOUT BRISTOL?
“Well, that is a good point. I guess the dirt throws that one for a bit of a loop. Yeah, I mean you know, Bristol is such an off thing. That’s really hard, right, because we don’t go back to the dirt. So, I think it’s been good. I think our cars and our series suits well for short track racing. Martinsville, I thought, was a good race. I wish I was part of it a little closer, but I thought it was a good show. Martin and Denny raced really hard for the win; I don’t know what else you could ask for really, if you’re a fan. They were side-by-side for ten laps, it seemed like, which I thought was really cool. So yeah, I think it’s a good thing. I’ve always been a fan of it and I’d love to see more. Hopefully we can get there one day.”

RICHMOND IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THOSE TWO AND THE CONFIGURATION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. HOW MUCH DIFFERENT IS THE DRIVING AT RICHMOND?
“The driving at Richmond is honestly very straight forward. I think that’s what makes Richmond really hard is because it’s just not a super challenging place, I don’t think, for the drivers to run the proper line. But what makes it really hard there is to just be different. And everyone is doing the exact same thing. Obviously, you have to have your car balance really good there and it has to be perfect. You’re riding that really razor thin edge much like you do at Martinsville. But it’s definitely a challenge. And I think the reason it’s a challenge is that everyone is just doing the same thing. Martinsville is different where guys really attack that race track differently. Whereas at Richmond, I feel like everyone is just in the exact same boat and it’s hard to be different. I think that’s what makes that place tough.”

WITH EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, EVERYBODY HAS HAD TO DO THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WHEN THE SPORT GOES BACK TO A NEW NORMAL, WHAT ARE THE THINGS OR PROCESSES THAT WILL STILL CARRY OVER LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS?
“That’s a great question. Honestly, from our preparation standpoint, really not a lot changed. We went about our race prep really similar to what we did in the past. Our post-race work was really similar. I don’t necessarily think a lot changed from my competitive-side or from the competition aspect; but certainly, from the logistic side of things and the scheduling side; which this is above me and not my call, but I definitely think there are a lot of lessons and a lot of good to take from what was a bad situation and still is, and just how they’re doing things. I feel like NASCAR became more efficient in the past year than it’s ever been. And, especially than it’s been in the last 10 to 15 years; I feel like we just learned that there’s just a lot of things that we don’t have to have to still put on a great show on Sundays. And man, I think we’d be making a really big mistake to not learn from those lessons and to not carry some of that stuff forward. The leadership is as different and is as confident and open to trying new things at NASCAR than, I don’t want to say than it’s ever been because I wasn’t around for a lot of it, but man, they’re doing things way different now and trying things that I don’t think any of us would have ever expected 10 or 15 years ago, right? I think they’re looking at all of it and I think they should. But that’s up to them and whatnot and again, that’s not my call and I don’t want it to be my call. But I do think there are a lot of great lessons that we can take from this on just how to be more efficient as a sport moving and to make it a little more economical and make use of everyone’s time wisely on the road, and still put on a really good race on Sundays or Saturday nights. Again, I think there is a lot of good to take from what’s been a tough year.”

AS THE SPORT LOOKS TO OPEN UP MORE AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH, AS A COMPETITOR WITH MUCH AT STAKE, DOES THAT IMPACT ANY DECISION ON WHETHER TO GET VACCINATED OR NOT, OR HAVE YOU ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF THAT? HOW DO YOU VIEW THAT?
“Well, I view it very personally as I think a lot of people probably will. I, myself, view it personally. I don’t share my medical records with the public. I don’t tell you guys when I go to the doctor. Not out of disrespect, but that’s just that I’m kind of a personal guy, I guess, when it comes to my health. I’m making decisions about my health on my own terms; and I will respect everyone else’s decisions just the same as I hope to get the privacy and respect of mine.”

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD FROM WILLIAM BYRON AND ALEX BOWMAN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN BEING ABLE TO DRIVE THE NEXT GEN CAR THAT HAVE PIQUED YOUR INTEREST ABOUT THE CAR COMPARES TO WHAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY DRIVING?
“To be honest, we haven’t talked about it a ton. I’ve been kind of hesitant just with the whole situation and whatnot, on the car, and guys driving it just because I still think there’s a lot of questions that aren’t answered. You don’t want to pick up something. Say it’s a certain thing with the steering. There was talk about that a while back and that it was way off and they’re working on it and trying to get it better. But that might be a comment that you might get from one of them a while back before it was proper. So, I’ve just been really careful about asking and really getting involved with that car just yet because again, I just think there are things that they’re still working out. And honestly, I kind of want it to be worked out first before I really dive in and start to pick apart the small things that can make a big difference. We’re always hunting the really small fine details and you just want to make sure all those details are what we’re going to have next year. And that’s really kind of been where my head is at with it.”

WITH THE NEW THINGS ON THE NEW CAR LIKE THE INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION AND SEQUENTIAL SHIFTER, WHAT ASPECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST TO EXPERIENCE YOURSELF?
“I think it’s really hard just to pick out one thing, right? I don’t think the sequential shifting is going to make that big of a difference like you guys would never know we have an H pattern shifter in our cars. Like, you would just never know that looking from the outside with the way the transmissions are. We might miss a shift on occasion just because of that. But for the most part, the transmissions are really nice, and they like to live in gear, and they want to go in gear. It doesn’t really seem to slow down the shifting process. I feel like we get the thing in gear really fast. So, I don’t really see that changing the look of things a whole lot. But certainly, the independent rear suspension and the aerodynamic factors of that car, I think, could definitely change how the racing looks. But I think you have to look at it as a whole. I think it’s really hard just to say hey, that one thing is going to be super-different and I’m super-excited about that. I think the whole thing is a package and it’s a package deal. That whole car is one unit. And it’s going to be very different. And I think you have to look at it as a unit and see how it is different as a whole because again, to your point, there are some things that are very far removed from what we’ve had, what NASCAR has had, for a long time. So, I’m very curious to see how it works and curious to drive one and see how the racing is.”

INAUDIBLE – QUESTION ABOUT MAKING IT TO VICTORY LANE
“We’re trying hard. We’re always trying hard; whether we win or finish last, we’re trying hard. So, it’s always a fight. Martinsville was a really strong fight by our team, honestly. We had a long day just in kind of how the strategy worked out. I feel like we passed a lot of cars, which was good. We got up there towards the front there at the end. We definitely weren’t as good as Martin and Ryan, but I thought we were probably mixed in with that group behind them, which is not what you’re looking for, but it’s certainly solid and something you can build off of. That’s an important race for the Fall. I hope we can go back and build on that. Certainly, looking to Richmond, that’s been a struggled track for me. I would love to go there and try to get a win. That would be a big one if we could go do that, just knowing how bad we’ve struggled there in the past. It reminds me of Martinsville and our struggles there and kind of progressing and trying to get better. Hopefully Richmond is another step in the right direction, and we can contend up there.”

ASIDE FROM WINNING, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST GOAL DURING THE OPENING PART OF A LONG 36-RACE SCHEDULE?
‘Honestly, you said it. Winning. I think winning early is a good thing. You have to win early. No, we didn’t last year. But I definitely think it helps. That, to me, is the most important thing; really, the whole year. With the way the points format is, it’s a long regular season to the Playoff run and to when it starts. You can have wins in the bank when that starts. It doesn’t guarantee you a shot to Phoenix, but it sure does hedge your bet and having those points as those rounds reset and go forward. I think that’s the most important thing. Obviously, getting good points and having solid finishes to get yourself in a good position for the regular season championship thing, whatever they call it; I don’t know what the proper term is for it, but it awards a bunch of points if you have a good result there. So, winning and getting yourself good points for the end of the regular season to help carry you to the Playoffs; those Playoff points, however you get them, are the most important thing.”

THERE IS TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NASCAR ADDING A STREET COURSE TO THE SCHEDULE IN THE FUTURE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. Again, I’m honestly super excited that this leadership group at NASCAR is branching out and trying new things. Hey, I’m about it. If we go have a street course and it goes terrible, then that’s honestly fine with me because we were trying something different and we weren’t just stuck in the ways that we’ve been doing it for however many years just because that’s how it’s been done. So, I think sometimes we try these new things and we all just have this expectation of something that we don’t know whether it’s reasonable or not, but we have these high expectations. But in reality, I think we should really just be happy that we’re trying something different; and just take pride in that, and just leave it there, whether it goes good or bad. So, I’m all about it and hopefully they can pull it off somewhere and I hope it’s a good race. And if it is great or if not, then try something else.”

HOW DO YOU THINK THE BRISTOL DIRT RACE PLAYED OUT AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER MOVING FORWARD TO NEXT SEASON?
“Such a weird event, you know. The dirt category is small, right, with just that one race. So, it’s not like you go back there in the Fall, which makes it tough; but they say they’re going back there to do it again next year. I think this new car is going to bring a whole new set of challenges in how they can logistically make that work again. I felt like the only bad thing; really, I thought it was a pretty good show for the conditions and what they had to work with. It looked like an old short track race from the 80’s or something, which I thought was cool. I didn’t really think it was much of a dirt race like you typically see. And the reason for that is what we saw in the Truck event with how they cool these cars and the windshields; they just can’t have a tacky track, which is what dirt racing typically has. You see a track that has moisture to it ends up kind of progressing drier and drier as the race goes along. Whereas we started and we were kind of already on the dry side of the spectrum. So, I would love to see it where we could have more of that transition like normal dirt racing has. But just the way these cars are built and the windshields in them and stuff, that’s very difficult. So, all things considered, I think they did a really good job managing that. There were no disasters. They tried to get that Truck race going and they had to stop it. But nothing bad happened. And I thought our race went as smooth as it could have. But this new car is going to bring a new set of challenges that I don’t think anybody really knows about yet. So, we’ll see.”

IS THERE ANY SENSE OF PRESSURE AS THE REIGNING CHAMPION IN TRYING TO GET BACK TO VICTORY LANE? HAS YOUR LIFE REALLY CHANGED MUCH SINCE WINNING THE TITLE?
“To be real honest, my life really hasn’t changed a whole lot like day to day. I can’t say it’s really much different. We’re still very driven to want to go win and compete at a high level. That would be that way whether we had won last year or not. I’m thankful for that. I feel like we have a group that is very driven and not just content with last year’s result. We want to continue to push and get better and that’s where our head is at. Of course, we want to go win. That’s always the goal. But you’re going to have struggles and you’re going to have those bad days. We’ve had a few of them so far this year. But I feel like we have a very strong team. I feel like I have the best group in the garage to go to work with. I feel like they believe in me and I believe in them. They let me do my thing and I let them do theirs. I feel like our relationship is good. I think we all have confidence that we can go compete at a high level and compete for race wins and as long as we believe that, then everything else is really irrelevant. So, I feel very good about that. I feel like we’re in a good place. And we’ve just got to keep pushing and keep pushing ahead. It doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Nothing is ever easy. But I feel like we go and compete to win races and do the high level. So, that’s what we’re working on.”
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Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Richmond

The NASCAR Cup Series goes short-track racing in Virginia for the second week in a row as Richmond Raceway hosts its first of two 2021 races Sunday afternoon. Jack Roush has 15 wins all-time at the ¾-mile facility, including five in the NCS.

Toyota Owners 400
Sunday, April 18 | 3 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
· Ryan Newman, No. 6 Oscar Mayer Bacon Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang

Martinsville Recap, Richmond Advance

· Newman was on his way to a bounce back top-15 finish in Sunday’s postponed race at Martinsville before a cut left rear tire coming to the white flag pushed him to a 19th-place finish. He ran inside the top-five during the middle portion of the race, but was caught up in two separate on-track incidents and a flurry of other contact with other cars, which ultimately cut his tire down.

· Buescher had a similarly chaotic day, battling back for a 13th-place finish at Martinsville. He was caught up in a multi-car incident late in the event that produced a red flag, but the team patched his Fastenal Ford up as he drove inside the top-15 late in the closing laps.

· Oscar Mayer is back on Newman’s No. 6 machine Sunday at Richmond, highlighting its famous bacon products.

· Fifth Third Bank, celebrating its 10th year of its partnership with Roush Fenway Racing, makes its first appearance as the primary on Buescher’s Ford Mustang.

History in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Overall, Roush Fenway has 354 starts at Richmond Raceway, earning a total of 15 wins, 89 top-five and 150 top-10 finishes. RFR Fords have sat on the pole 14 times and led 4,960 laps across NASCAR’s three major touring series.

To Xfinity and Beyond

Roush Fenway has earned nine victories, 43 top-five finishes, 66 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 11.8 at Richmond in the Xfinity Series. All in all, three different drivers are responsible for the nine victories at the Virginia short track (Edwards, Mark Martin and Jeff Burton).

Nine and Counting

Roush Fenway’s nine victories at Richmond rank fourth among all tracks the organization has competed on in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, trailing Darlington Raceway (15), Charlotte Motor Speedway (12) and North Carolina Speedway – formerly known as Rockingham – (11).

Tale of the Tape

Roush Fenway has started 213 NCS races at Richmond with 73 top-10 and 37 top-five finishes along with seven poles. Former drivers Mark Martin (1990), Jeff Burton (1998), Matt Kenseth (2002), Kurt Busch (2005), and Carl Edwards (2013) are responsible for RFR’s five Cup wins, and overall a Jack Roush Ford has led 2,442 laps at the .75-mile track.

Roush Fenway Richmond Wins
1990-1 Martin Cup
1993-1 Martin NXS
1993-2 Martin NXS
1997-1 Martin NXS
1998-1 Burton NXS
1998-2 Burton Cup
1999-1 Martin NXS
1999 Biffle Truck
2000-2 Burton NXS
2002-2 Kenseth Cup
2005-1 Edwards NXS
2005-2 Busch Cup
2008-2 Edwards NXS
2009-2 Edwards NXS
2013-2 Edwards Cup