NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 8, 2021

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE Teleconference Transcript:

THIS YEAR YOU HAVE A NEW CAR NUMBER AND A NEW PRIMARY SPONSOR. TELL US ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT ARE IN STORE FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM IN 2021.
“It’s really exciting for all of us. I think all the guys are really excited to be working on the No. 48 car. The No. 48 car means a lot to Greg (Ives) as a crew chief. For me, I’m just having a lot of fun with it. Working with Ally so far has been a lot of fun. I think the paint scheme looks great. Obviously, it’s been an interesting off-season just with how the pandemic has affected everything. I haven’t been in the shop as much as I normally would be. It’s kind of been an odd feeling in that sense. But I’m just excited to get to work and excited to go to the race track. Obviously, driving the No. 48 is a really big deal. Hopefully we get it back into Victory Lane and get Ally their first win.”

WHAT’S THE DYNAMIC LIKE THERE WITH KYLE LARSON IN THE LINE-UP?
“That’s a tough question to answer just because we haven’t really done much yet. Obviously, I’ve known Kyle for a long time. Kyle and I have been friends and raced against each other and have somewhat of a similar background in a sense. I think it’s going to be really good. But I just don’t know yet. We haven’t had competition meetings or the weekly things we roll through. The little bit we’ve done so far has been really good. You’re not going to replace Jimmie Johnson in those meetings. He was a great leader for us and just a great person and a good guy to be around. We all know how Jimmie is. I think each one of the drivers brings something to the table and have their own unique strengths. At the same time, we have so much depth in our organization and have a ton of really smart people. So, I think it will still be really good.”

WITHOUT JIMMIE JOHNSON THERE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO STEP UP AND BE A LEADER. DO YOU WANT MORE OF A LEADERSHIP ROLE?
“Yeah, for sure. Somebody is going to be a leader I feel like. We all looked at Jimmie like a leader, but he was never that guy that like stood up and talked over everybody like took charge and like really was that leader. He just acted like we were all the same even with his accomplishments. We all know how humble he is. He acted like everything was equal. So, I feel like there’s not like somebody needs to do. I feel like the way we all work together will continue to work well. But yeah, I think there’s definitely opportunity for that. Chase (Elliott) just won a championship. I’ll put the pressure on him for that one (laughs).”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT QUALIFYING AT DAYTONA? DRIVERS ALWAYS SAY IT’S NOT A BIG DEAL AT DAYTONA, BUT WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF QUALIFYING AT DAYTONA?
“You’ve just got to floor it. You can’t lift. Qualifying at Daytona is really about the guys back at the shop and all the hard work that each person that has touched that race car has put into it. As a driver, you can really only screw it up. Your launch is really important. And then just not turning the steering wheel; really small input just trying to keep it straight and get your shifts right. But it really comes down to the race car that the guys have built back at the shop. At Hendrick Motorsports, especially with our team, we’ve been on the front row for a couple of years here and it means a lot to Greg. So, I’m really excited to have another shot at that and hopefully get a pole for the No. 48 car right away.”

DO YOU THINK IT WILL FEEL UNUSUAL AFTER HAVING NOT DONE IT FOR A WHILE? OR DO YOU JUST SNAP BACK INTO IT?
“I don’t really know. It might be a little unusual just for the fact that we’re going to be in five days or whatever is unusual compared to what we’ve been doing. But at the same time, it’s a little bit more normalcy, so that’s good to see. I’m just excited to get back behind the wheel of the race car.”

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY DIFFERENCE IN CHASE ELLIOTT SINCE HE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
“I don’t really know. I’d say the difference that I’ve seen is that he’s been racing a lot. He did Chili Bowl and the 24 hours at Daytona and has done all those things. I think he was going to do that whether or not he won the championship. That’s a tough one. I’ve obviously been around him a little bit at the race track, but I haven’t really been around him at the shop or at meetings or anything like that. I don’t really think much has changed. Chase is really plugged in. He does a really good job, especially for somebody who doesn’t live here, right? He does a really good job of being able to balance it and be a big part of the team. I wouldn’t say much on that No. 9 team is going to change, maybe a little more confidence. But they’ve been really dialed-in for a really long time. I think that’s just going to continue.”

LAST YEAR WE SAW HIM GIVE KYLE BUSCH THE BIRD. WE SAW HIM THEN DO THE BOW. THOSE ARE MAYBE SOME THINGS WE HAVEN’T SEEN FROM HIM AS FAR AS AN OUTWARD PERSONALITY-TYPE. WAS THAT NEW TO YOU AS WELL, OR HAVE YOU ALWAYS SEEN THAT?
“I think Chase has always been really confident, especially on the race track. He’s definitely a really confident guy. I think last year our race cars were much improved over what they’ve been for a while, so it gave probably all of us a situation where it was a little easier to be confident in an outward manner at the race track.”

WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR COMING OUT NEXT YEAR, THERE IS TALK ABOUT A PLATFORM THAT SETS US UP TO GO HYBRID SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
“I’m all for it. I feel like that’s a little way off, time-wise. I think it would be cool. I’m all for new and cool things. New cars, new race tracks, new drivetrain stuff, like whatever it is, I think new stuff is cool. And having to adapt to those things and the challenges they present are things that I really enjoy. I’m sure when and if that happens it is going to present its own challenges and I’m looking forward to being able to adapt to that and seeing what it does. But I think it would be really cool. It’s been cool to watch that coming to other forms of motorsports and it would be cool to be a part of it.”

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE CHANGES IN THE SCHEDULE? WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO?
“That’s a tough one. I’m just excited to see how the Bristol dirt race works. I’ve been around dirt racing a lot and I feel like I have as not as much experiences as like (Christopher) Bell or Larson, but at least some. I’m excited to lean on that and go to the race track. But I’m excited to see really what the race track does and how the racing is and how the cars react, all those things and how the event works. New road courses are going to be a lot of fun with good opportunities to learn and improve my road course skills.”

HOW WEIRD IS THAT NEXT ZOOM COMPETITION MEETING GOING TO BE WITHOUT JIMMIE JOHNSON?
“For sure it’s definitely going to be different. My favorite part about Jimmie on Zoom meetings is technical difficulties and like calling in from some exotic place in Colorado and not being able to hear us and all that fun stuff. I’m going to miss that for sure. Really, the first things I’m going to miss is every aspect of not having Jimmie there. He’s been a really good guy and just a good friend over the last couple of years. As a teammate I’ve learned a lot from him. We can all learn a lot from him as a person. It’s going to be an honor to drive the No. 48. I’m definitely going to miss him being around.”

WITH COVID-19, A LOT OF THINGS ARE VIRTUAL NOW. HOW MUCH HAS THAT CHANGED THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN TEAMMATES?
“It’s definitely changed it quite a bit. Most notably, we used to all have a big meeting after final practice and all sit together and talk about our race cars with four drivers and four crew chiefs in the room. You have a lot to talk about and can really bounce ideas off each other and talk about what our race cars are doing. We don’t have that anymore. Obviously, we don’t have a lot of practice to talk about. We don’t have that 90-minutes of sitting together and talking. It’s just different. We still have some in-person competition meetings around here, and a bunch of Zoom calls. Zoom calls are my favorite. It’s still been really good. I feel like we all still talk. It’s just different, for sure.”

YOU’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE LEGENDARY CARS IN NASCAR LIKE THE NO. 88 AND NOW THE NO. 48. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PART OF THOSE LEGACIES?
“It’s been really cool. To step into the No. 88 and really have everything happen in a crazy set of circumstances and have a lot of support from Dale (Earnhardt, Jr.) to get that ride and end up taking a year off and then ending up in No. 88 car full time for Hendrick Motorsports was really cool. To get that car back in Victory Lane and have the success that we had with it was amazing. And then to try to fill another set of big shoes and go to the No. 48 is going to be really fun. I was definitely nervous when Mr. Hendrick first told me. You never know like working with a new partner and how it’s going to be but working with Ally has been so much fun so far. I’ve really enjoyed it. I just want to get on the race track and do my job. I’m just ready to go.”

WITH ALL THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE OFF-SEASON, HOW HAVE YOUR INTERACTIONS BEEN WITH RICK HENDRICK?
“I haven’t seen the boss since Phoenix. I’ve been on some Zoom calls with him, so I’ve virtually seen him, but haven’t seen him in person. I miss seeing him around, for sure. But I’ve talked to him on the phone quite a bit. He calls me like super late at night. At Chili Bowl, one of the nights that we weren’t racing, there was a phone call there that I remember bits and pieces of; but it’s been fun to stay in touch about the open-wheel side of what we did over the Winter. He would question me on why my race cars weren’t faster and then just the regular day-to-day Cup shop stuff, as well. It’s fun to be friends with him. He’s a really good guy and I just really enjoy driving for him.”

DRIVING THE NO. 48 IS SUCH A HUGH THRILL, BUT COMES LOADED WITH PRESSURE & EXPECTATIONS AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT’S YOUR MINDSET ON DEALING WITH THOSE NEWLY FOUND EXPECTATIONS AND EYES WATCHING YOU?
“The biggest thing for me is there’s not a car number or situation in the world that’s going to put more pressure on me than I put on myself. I feel like all race car drivers are selfish but I’m really selfish. I just want to win for me. Obviously, I want to win for Hendrick Motorsports and for Chevrolet and for Ally and for everybody that makes this deal possible. But more so than any of that, I want to win for me. I put a ton of pressure on myself each and every week to go do that and to run well and to run how we should. I think outside situations don’t really add to that. I probably put too much stress on myself and too much pressure on myself at times, but it’s all from me because I care about how we run and because I want to run well. It’s not really because somebody is saying oh the No. 48 has to go win or needs to go win a championship. It’s because I want to win and because I want to win championships.”

YOU PUT ON A GOOD SHOWING LAST SEASON. HOW CAN YOU BUILD ON THAT SUCCESS AND WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU TOOK AWAY FROM THE SEASON AND RUNNING UNDER UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES?
“For me, it’s really been the same thing for the last two years. We just need to be more consistent. We were able to do that during the Playoffs. It was great. But throughout the course of the season, we were really hit and miss, hot and cold. We didn’t have the Summer that we needed to have and that put us way behind on Playoff points going into the Playoffs. If we had the Playoff points, we probably should have, and ran the way we did, we would have made the Round of Four. So, we really just needed to do a better job over the course of the season in being more consistent. That was the same going into last year. We know that’s what we need to do better. We just need to run how we should all year. If we can run how we did in the Playoffs all year long, we can make a lot of noise.”

ON THE UPCOMING CLASH, EVERYBODY WANTS TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM IT AS WELL. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
“Yeah, it’s really a big test session for us, right? We’re going right back and it’s going to be a points race on the road course there. We really just need to do the best job we can at knowing what our race car does in that race and knowing what we can do to improve our race car after that race. Also as a driver, the way that the Daytona Road Course went for me last year, we started in the back and had a tire issue. Like every restart I was buried in the back. I drove through the field like three or four times that day. While we still got up to the top 10 before kind of getting run over on the last lap, I never really felt like I had a great idea of where like max braking points are fresh tires were; and really had to maximize lap time there. So, for me, it’s great. I can get more laps there with less cars and more quality cars and really be able to learn those max braking zones and really try to figure out how to chase down Chase Elliott a little bit.”

WHAT ABOUT RACE DAY WHEN YOU STRAP INTO YOUR CAR LEADING INTO THIS PARTICULAR DAYTONA 500? HOW DO YOU MENTALLY STRAP INTO THAT ONE?
“I think the Daytona 500 is probably the only event that all that stuff going on outside of the race car, you really notice it more just because of the magnitude of it. The Daytona 500 is huge with so many people and so much going on. So that’s obviously going to be very different or somewhat different. But to me, once I get in the race car none of that other stuff really matters. I just turn everything else off and go do your job. I don’t think much has changed as far as my mindset. I’m excited to get going and really excited to see how our race cars stack up. There’s a really big unknown going into the season, just like every season when you don’t really know how your car is going to be until you get to the race track.”

DO YOU TRY TO CLEAR YOUR MIND AND NOT OVER-THINK THINGS?
“I’ve got to think as little as possible (laughs). If I try to think too much, I don’t have the brain capacity for it. But now, I think once I get in the race car nothing else besides that race car matters. I don’t know if I clear my mind if that’s what you want to call it, but it’s always been that way for me. Outside things or whatever is going on quits mattering once you strap-in and it’s just your job to maximize what you can get out of that race car.”

YOU’RE NOT THE OLDEST DRIVER AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, BUT YOU’VE BEEN AROUND HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS THE LONGEST AHEAD OF CHASE ELLIOTT AND WILLIAM BYRON AND OBVIOUSLY KYLE LARSON. ON LEADERSHIP, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW DID I BECOME THE VETERAN IN THIS GROUP OF DRIVERS?
“I think Chase has been here a little longer than I have but it’s been really cool to have this time at Hendrick Motorsports and I hope to be here for a really long time. The group of drivers we have is great. And I think everybody works together really well. I haven’t really looked at it like I’m the veteran. William and I kind of started at the same time, at least in a full-time sense in 2018. It’s been really cool. I might have more starts than they do with running all the way back in 2014 with some smaller teams in my rookie year which was the same as Larson’s in that sense. I feel like we’re all about the same on the experience level. I think we all have our own strengths and weaknesses we bring to the table. But I haven’t looked at myself as the veteran. Larson is a little bit older than I am, so at least I can point to somebody else as being the old guy.”

IF YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE TURNOVER IN DRIVERS AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, DO YOU MAYBE LOOK AT THE GUYS WHO CAME BEFORE YOU AND GET A SENSE OF THAT THERE’S A STANDARD HERE? DO YOU THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT STANDARD AND RUN IT UP A LITTLE BIT HIGHER?
“I think anytime you walk through the front door at Hendrick Motorsports you know there’s a very high standard here. The expectation is to win a lot of races and win championships. I’m glad that as an organization we were able to do that last year and go win a championship. I wish it was our team doing it. We’ve had some wins but not nearly enough. So, we just need to go win a lot of races and win championships and let that speak for itself. I think that’s what’s expected of any driver at Hendrick Motorsports. Mr. Hendrick gives us all the tools we need to go do it. We’ve just got to go make it happen.”

DO YOU STILL HAVE ANY NO. 88 MOMENTUMS OR HAVE TO TRIED TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING BEYOND THE CAR YOU WERE GIVEN?
“I didn’t really have a lot of No. 88 stuff, I guess. I have the side off the car, the first one that I drove in New Hampshire in 2016, and some little stuff like that. Obviously, there’s a race car in my shop. I don’t really know what I’m going to do with it (laughs). But other than that, I really didn’t have anything, so I didn’t have anything to get rid of. I had to change my social media handles. Who puts their car number in their social media channels? What a genius idea that was. Some things have changed but it really feels normal to me. I hope I stop on the No. 48 pit sign because everything else feels the same.”

GIVEN THAT OTHER MOTORSPORTS LIKE INDYCAR AND FORMULA USE A SEASON-LONG FORMAT, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NASCAR’S PLAYOFF METHOD OF DETERMINING THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
“I think we all have the same box to play in, right? We’re all racing under the same point system. So, for us, it’s like everybody has the same opportunity to go out and get points. Yeah, sometimes luck does become involved in it but I think the Playoffs have been really good. We’re not announcing the champion a couple of races before the final race like some other series do and like we had to do before the Playoffs started. I think it’s good for the sport. I think the Playoffs work well. Sometimes the guy that dominated the season has a bad Playoff run in a certain round like you saw last year, but that’s just part of racing. Racing has always been that way and stuff happens.”
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.

Veteran Driver Returns to the Cockpit at Season Opening Event

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 8, 2021) – David Gilliland Racing announced today that Black’s Tire and Auto Service will partner with veteran driver and team co-owner David Gilliland for the upcoming season opening NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Gilliland will pilot the No. 17 Black’s Tire and Auto Service Ford F-150 at the 2.5-mile superspeedway on Friday, Feb. 12. Gilliland and Black’s Tire and Auto Service have a long-standing relationship throughout Gilliland’s racing career.

The California native competed in seven NCWTS events in 2015 for Black’s Tire and Auto Service owner Ricky Benton’s team. In 2018, he was behind the wheel of Benton’s NASCAR Cup Series’ owner debut, piloting the No. 92 Ford to a 14th-place finish in that year’s running of the Daytona 500.

In 2020, Black’s Tire and Auto Service served as a primary sponsor for Gilliland’s son, Todd. The younger Gilliland piloted a Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports.

“Ricky Benton and everyone at Black’s Tire and Auto Service have been like family to me over the years,” said Gilliland. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to get the behind the wheel again in a truck and to represent Ricky’s company. Getting to drive a truck that I own is neat, and I hope this is just one of several races I get to participate in this year.”

In 2019, Gilliland made two starts in the NCWTS for DGR-Crosley. He started second at Daytona in February but ended up with a 13th-place finish after being involved in an accident at lap 100. Gilliland’s second start of the season was at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in March, where he earned a 12th-place result.

“David has been a part of the Black’s Tire family for a long time,” said Benton. “We couldn’t be happier to support what he is building at DGR. They have fast trucks and an exciting lineup of drivers and we look forward to joining David and the No. 17 team in victory lane in 2021.”

The No. 17 Ford F-150 is slated to run a part-time schedule for the 2021 NCWTS season.

About Black’s Tire and Auto Service | blackstire.com

Black’s Tire and Auto Service was formed as Black’s Service Station by W. Crowell Black in Whiteville, N.C. in 1929. Now, with 50 locations in both North and South Carolina, Black’s remains a local, family owned/operated tire sales and service and vehicle repair business. In addition to the retail and commercial locations, Black’s also operates four warehouse / distribution centers, BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors, a commercial sales division and a tire-retreading business, Carolina Retreads. The Black’s Tire family includes more than 700 highly skilled, service-minded team members and ASE certified technicians.

To learn more about Black’s Tire or to find a location, visit www.blackstire.com. Follow Black’s Tire and Auto Service on social media: Twitter at @BlacksTire, Instagram at @BlacksTire and Facebook at facebook.com/blackstire.

About David Gilliland Racing

David Gilliland Racing (DGR) is a race team owned by NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and businessman Johnny Gray. The team specializes in driver development, competing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, multiple ARCA Menards Series divisions and CARS Tour with factory support from Ford Performance.

In its first four years of operation, DGR has achieved success in each series tallying up multiple wins and championships. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, N.C.

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: THE BUSCH CLASH

The 2021 NASCAR Cup season kicks off Tuesday night with the annual Busch Clash non-points event, featuring pole-winners from the 2020 season, along with former Clash winners who competed full time last year, former Daytona 500 pole-winners and race-winners who competed full-time last year, playoff qualifiers from a season ago, and anyone who won a series race or stage in 2020.

NINE FORD DRIVERS IN THE FIELD

There will be nine Ford drivers competing in the field for Sunday’s Busch Clash. Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher will be representing Roush Fenway Racing while Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske have three drivers each in the field. Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola and Cole Custer will carry the SHR banner while Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney compete for Penske. The final spot is held by Matt DiBenedetto, who begins his second season driving for the Wood Brothers.

ELLIOTT CLAIMS FORD’S FIRST CLASH VICTORY AT DAYTONA

Bill Elliott became the first Ford driver to win a non-points event in the NASCAR Cup Series on Feb. 8, 1987 when he captured the Busch Clash. The format that year was a single 20-lap run (50 miles) with no pit stop required. Elliott, who started on the pole in his No. 9 Coors Thunderbird after a blind draw, fell back to sixth on the start after Terry Labonte and Ricky Rudd were involved in an accident on the first lap. On the ensuing restart, Elliott steadily reeled in leader Darrell Waltrip and passed him on lap eight. Elliott led the final 13 laps and won with an average speed of 197.802 mph, a record that still stands for the event. A week later, Elliott won his second Daytona 500.

TAURUS WINS DEBUT AS RUSTY WINS INAUGURAL BUD SHOOTOUT

Taurus made NASCAR history as the first four-door sedan and it wasted no time in opening eyes as Rusty Wallace drove it to victory in its debut race – the 1998 Bud Shootout. The win was Wallace’s first at Daytona International Speedway and it came with a little help from his younger brother, Kenny, who pushed him across the finish line on the final lap. Bill Elliott and Jimmy Spencer finished third and fourth, respectively, to give Ford a sweep of the top four positions.

DJ HOLDS OFF JR FOR SHOOTOUT TRIUMPH

Dale Jarrett won his third Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 7, 2004 in his No. 88 UPS Taurus. The race was broken up into two segments – an initial 20-lap run followed by a 50-lapper to the finish – and marked the beginning of Nextel as series sponsor. Jarrett and Kevin Harvick were side-by-side at the white flag, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Jarrett the push he needed to complete the pass on the outside going through turn one. Even though Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray got into an accident on the backstretch, the race finished under green with Jarrett holding off Earnhardt Jr. for the win.

KESELOWSKI SET THE TONE IN 2018

In a foreshadowing of what the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series would look like, Brad Keselowski took Ford to Victory Lane in the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. Keselowski led a Ford sweep of the top four finishing positions as he took the lead on lap 39 of the 75-lap feature and never looked back, holding off Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Ryan Blaney, respectively. It marked the second straight Clash win for Ford and served as a springboard that saw the Blue Oval lead the series with 19 points wins and capture the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.

LOGANO BREAKS CLASH DROUGHT

Joey Logano snapped a 13-year Ford winless drought when he won The Clash in 2017, making him the manufacturer’s first victor since Dale Jarrett in 2004. Logano found himself in the right place at the right time, taking the lead after Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski made contact on the final lap. Keselowski had a run and was trying to pass Hamlin, whose attempt at blocking came too late and resulted in both cars colliding. That enabled Logano to get through and win the Clash for the first time in his career. Four Ford drivers finished in the top six spots as Danica Patrick was fourth, Kevin Harvick fifth and Keselowski sixth.

FORD CLASH HISTORY

The Clash has been held in some form since 1979 and Ford has won it nine times by seven different drivers. The best stretch for Ford in the event undoubtedly came during a three-year winning streak in which Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett all reached victory lane from 1998-2000. Jarrett owns three of Ford’s nine victories (1996, 2000, 2004) in the event and on two of those occasions (1996 and 2000) he went on to win the Daytona 500. As noted above, Bill Elliott was Ford’s first winner in the event while Geoffrey Bodine was next in 1992.

FORD’S BUSCH CLASH WINNERS
1987 – Bill Elliott
1992 – Geoffrey Bodine
1996 – Dale Jarrett
1998 – Rusty Wallace
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Dale Jarrett
2004 – Dale Jarrett
2017 – Joey Logano
2018 – Brad Keselowski

This Week in Motorsports: February 8-14, 2021

• NCS/NXS/NCWTS/ARCA: Daytona International Speedway – February 9-14
• ARCA EAST: New Smyrna Speedway – February 8

PLANO, Texas (February 8, 2021) – Five series kickoff the 2021 NASCAR season this weekend in Florida, including the NASCAR Cup Series’ biggest race of the year – the Daytona 500.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Toyota Racing Experience… The new Toyota Racing Experience makes its debut at Daytona with a new look and activation elements with more scheduled to be added throughout the year as more fans come back to the track. Daytona International Speedway is also the site of Toyota’s largest static display – the Toyota Injector.

Hamlin looks for a new record… Reigning Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin looks to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive Daytona 500’s. Hamlin has won three of the past five Daytona 500 trophies, including in 2016, 2019 and 2020. He showed his superspeedway prowess last season with an additional win at Talladega and top-five finishes in all four superspeedway events. Hamlin comes off a successful 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season where he registered seven wins.

Truex wants first superspeedway victory… 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. has 27 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) victories, but is looking for his first on a superspeedway. He came close in 2016 as he came up just short in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history to his now teammate, Hamlin, as part of a Toyota podium sweep.

Wallace returns to Toyota… In the first race for the new 23XI Racing team, Bubba Wallace returns behind the wheel of a Toyota. Wallace scored his first five NASCAR victories aboard a Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2013 and 2014.

Burton plans to be one spot better… Reigning Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year Harrison Burton returns to Daytona looking for the victory. Burton was impressive in his first Xfinity Series start at Daytona, leading nine laps and finishing second. Burton won four races in his debut season, including races at Auto Club Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.

Hemric’s Toyota debut… For the first time in his career, Daniel Hemric will be behind the wheel of a Toyota in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Supra this season. The former NCS Rookie of the Year is looking for his first Xfinity Series win after seven career runner-up finishes.

Nemechek joins KBM … John Hunter Nemechek returns to the NCWTS looking for wins aboard his Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Nemechek has six Truck Series victories and scored a top-five finish in the season-opening Truck event at Daytona in 2017.

Kraus ready for another strong Daytona event… Derek Kraus started his rookie season strong last season with a fourth-place run in the season opener at Daytona. The 19-year-old is back for a second season in the No. 19 Tundra looking for his first victory.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA| ARCA East

Trotter prepares for superspeedway debut… Gracie Trotter makes her superspeedway debut after an impressive ARCA West debut season. The 19-year-old became the first female to win an ARCA-sanctioned event when she drove to victory in Las Vegas in September. This season, she takes on a limited schedule with Venturini Motorsports.

Dollar looking for another superspeedway victory… Drew Dollar has a big weekend with his NCWTS debut and a return to ARCA action. Dollar won the last superspeedway race for the series in Talladega and scored a third-place finish in this race one year ago.

Smith ready for ARCA debut… Toyota Racing Development driver Sammy Smith is making his ARCA East debut tonight at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway. The 16-year-old will run limited races for Joe Gibbs Racing after a stellar late model season one year ago.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Kaz Grala to Debut No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE at Daytona 500

LEXINGTON, N.C. (February 8, 2021) – Hyperice, the industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression and thermal technology, today announced a partnership with Kaulig Racing as the team’s Official Recovery Technology Partner. The announcement follows an unprecedented run of professional sports league, teams and elite athlete alignments in 2020, and demonstrates Hyperice’s commitment to optimizing performance through its suite of technologies while engaging the NASCAR fan base at its premier event.

The partnership kicks off at the 63rd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 14, where Kaz Grala will pilot the No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing’s second-ever NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race.

“In a race that often comes down to hundredths of a second, each team looks for tools that provide competitive advantages to outperform the pack,” said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “In the same way that the car build is expertly engineered from the ground up to the highest of standards and with top-notch technologies, the Kaulig Racing team now has access to Hyperice devices and technologies to optimize their movement, recovery and performance.”

Kaulig Racing has been equipped with the entire Hyperice product suite to aid in their training and preparation leading up to the race. The pit crew will also have track-side access to Hyperice technologies during the race via custom Kaulig Racing HyperTanks, helping them to move better.

“At Kaulig Racing, we are dedicated to enhancing team performance and succeeding week in and week out,” said Kaulig Racing President, Chris Rice. “Many of Hyperice’s products are designed to accelerate warmup and recovery, which fits with Kaulig Racing’s appetite for success. I can relate personally and professionally to the versatility of Hyperice’s products and am thrilled to have them partner with us. While people don’t always associate NASCAR with athleticism, the amount of stress our drivers and crew put their bodies under is incredible, making the warmup and cool-down process an integral part of their routine.”

As a part of the partnership, Hyperice and Kaulig Racing will co-produce exclusive, behind the scenes footage about the training and preparation that takes place for the driver and his team to compete at the most prestigious NASCAR event. The content will be released on Hyperice and Kaulig Racing’s social channels leading up to the Daytona 500, as well as post race.

“I’ve been using Hyperice products for a couple years now to complement my training program,” said Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing. “Not only have they helped me increase my mobility, but I rely on them each week to get my body ready for the track after intense training between races. I couldn’t think of a better fit to join me in my first Daytona 500 than Hyperice. Now it’s time to get to work and move better together.”

The No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE piloted by Kaz Grala will make its debut at Daytona International Speedway with Kaulig Racing for the team’s Daytona 500 efforts. Qualifying for the 2021 Daytona 500 on February 10 with coverage beginning at 7PM ET on FS1.

About Kaulig Racing™
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round for the first time in 2020. Kaulig Racing fields three full-time entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Jeb Burton, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. Kaulig Racing™ earned five wins in 2020 and have come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team will make its second NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) start in the 2021 Daytona 500 with Kaz Grala, as well as a limited NCS schedule this season. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

About Hyperice
Hyperice is an Inc. 500 global recovery and movement enhancement technology company specializing in vibration, percussion and thermal technology. Hyperice’s technology is used by the world’s most elite athletes in professional and collegiate training rooms, as well as rehabilitation facilities and fitness facilities globally. Hyperice has applied its technology and know-how to industries such as fitness, esports, healthcare, massage, and workplace wellness. In March 2020, Hyperice acquired Normatec, innovators of cutting-edge dynamic compression systems, and in December 2020 acquired RecoverX, pioneers of intelligent thermal technologies, to deliver world-class performance and wellness solutions. For more information, visit www.hyperice.com.