The Leading Mortgage Company’s “Believe You Will” Campaign to Be Focus of 60-Second Spot in Game’s Fourth Quarter

CONCORD, N.C., (February 5, 2021) – With NASCAR’s version of its Big Game just around the corner with the Daytona 500 (Feb. 14, 2:30 p.m., FOX), Sunday’s upcoming Super Bowl will feature Ryan Newman in a different way, in a 60-second ad for Guaranteed Rate, one of his primary partners on the No. 6 Ford Mustang.

“Anytime we can receive added exposure for our partners, we’re excited as it allows more eyes to see what our partners have to offer, and in turn, brings more fans to our sport and our team,” Newman said. “Guaranteed Rate has stepped up in a big way dating back to last season with our team, and we’re once again excited to showcase their brand and the content they’ve worked so hard to promote with the Believe You Will campaign.”

The 60-second ad will feature some of the campaign’s ambassadors, including Dustin Poirier, who recently defeated UFC legend Conor McGregor, and Newman, who goes for his second Daytona 500 crown next weekend. The campaign focuses on the power of positivity and believing you will accomplish your goals.

Guaranteed Rate rolled out its Believe You Will campaign after a year of momentous growth for the company as it met record-breaking consumer demand and launched various high-profile sports sponsorships. Well known for its title sponsorship of the Chicago White Sox’s Guaranteed Rate Field, the company sponsored a wide array of sporting events in 2020, from mainstream sports like NASCAR, IndyCar, MLB and NHL, to more niche sports like professional bass fishing, figure skating, bowling and lacrosse.

To preview Guaranteed Rate’s Believe You Will Super Bowl ad, please visit: rate.com/about-us/purpose and follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook @GuaranteedRate and #believeyouwill.

About Guaranteed Rate
The Guaranteed Rate Companies, which includes Guaranteed Rate, Inc., Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC, has more than 9,000 employees in over 750 offices across the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Companies is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States, funding over $73 billion in 2020. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Guaranteed Rate Companies has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. 2017 marked the launch of Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation’s largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have earned honors and awards including: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose^SM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide‘s Top Retail Mortgage Lenders 2019; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for five consecutive years; Chicago Tribune‘s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Cup Series. Set to begin its 34th season in 2021, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram, and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.

DUDE Products to Partner with Alfredo During Rookie Campaign

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 5, 2021) – Once again supporting Anthony Alfredo, DUDE Products and its popular DUDE Wipes brand will be aligned with the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in his first NASCAR Cup Series season. DUDE Wipes will be the primary partner of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team for six races throughout the year.

A leader in the wipes game, DUDE Products are sold throughout the country and continue to help NASCAR fans stay fresh. DUDE Wipes will be featured on Alfredo’s Mustang at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 28, the dirt race at the Bristol Motor Speedway on March 28, the Kansas Speedway on May 2, Alfredo’s home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 18, the night race at the Bristol Motor Speedway on September 18 and on Halloween night, under the lights at the Martinsville Speedway on October 31.

“DUDE Wipes can guarantee that Anthony will be the ‘swaggiest’ and most fresh on the circuit this year,” said Ryan Meegan, Co-Founder, DUDE Products. “We’re big fans of Anthony since meeting him last year. He’s a great guy, driver and we are proud to have his back during his rookie year.”

DUDE Products is more than just DUDE Wipes. Their full line includes a head to toe assortment of energizing face and body wipes, on-the-go shower wipes and menthol chill body powder. Alfredo will promote DUDE Wipes and all products throughout the season on social media and other digital media with the team. He’s looking forward to the partnership.

“It’s going to be a fun ride this year with DUDE Wipes and our team,” said Alfredo. “DUDE Wipes was quick to step up when I came to Front Row Motorsports and into the NASCAR Cup Series. I really want to thank them for that. They are a young and aggressive company that fits well into what we’re building on this season. I can’t wait to get started next week.”

For more information about DUDE Products, visit www.DUDEProducts.com.

About DUDE Products
DUDE is one of the fastest growing men’s hygiene companies in the U.S., started by four lifelong friends out of Chicago in 2012. Their flagship product, DUDE Wipes, the first flushable wipe marketed to men, is in over 15,000 stores nationwide (Walmart, Kroger, Target, Albertsons, Safeway & HEB). DUDE has expanded its product line and they also offer DUDE Shower Body Wipes, DUDE Face Wipes, DUDE Body Powder and other men’s essentials. In 2015 DUDE Products appeared on the ABC show Shark Tank where they received an investment deal from Mark Cuban.

About Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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

No. 5 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

NEW BEGINNING: In October 2020, Hendrick Motorsports announced Kyle Larson would partner with crew chief Cliff Daniels in the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, beginning with the 2021 DAYTONA 500. Larson has six NASCAR Cup Series victories, all with Chip Ganassi Racing.

OH SO CLOSE: In 2017, Larson led the field with one lap to go in the DAYTONA 500. However, his Chevrolet ran out of fuel on the final lap and he coasted to a 12th-place finish. In 13 starts at the 2.5-mile track, Larson has four top-10 finishes, including a 10th-place result in last year’s DAYTONA 500.

WINNER AT DAYTONA: In July 2018, Larson won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. The Elk Grove, California, native led a race-high 40 laps en route to victory.

HOT START: In 2020, Larson scored three top-10 finishes through the first four races of the season prior to the schedule being paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only Kevin Harvick, who finished in the top 10 in all four races, had more.

A RETURN: The 28-year-old Larson will pilot the No. 5 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the season-opening DAYTONA 500, marking the return of the organization’s flagship car number. The No. 5 entry has 45 wins in NASCAR’s premier series with Hendrick Motorsports collecting 38 of those checkered flags. Larson will be the 10th driver to field the number for the organization and will look to be the seventh to record a Cup win behind the wheel. It was most recently fielded by Hendrick Motorsports in 2017.

ON GUARD: NationsGuard, a program that gives car dealers control of their F&I products and customer experience, will adorn the No. 5 Chevrolet during “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14. It will also appear as the primary sponsor on the car at the DAYTONA Road Course on Feb. 21 and at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 28. For more information about NationsGuard, visit NationsGuard.com.

TWO-FOR-TWO: In January, Larson collected his second consecutive Chili Bowl Nationals victory, an annual dirt track event held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He followed it with a win in a late model dirt car at All-Tech Raceway in only his second start of the new year. In 2020, Larson had one of the most successful years in the history of dirt track racing, winning 46 total events across various series.

BACKING THE 5: On Tuesday, Feb. 2, it was announced that Cincinnati Inc. and Freightliner have joined Larson and the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team as primary sponsors beginning in 2021. Read more about it here.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 1st (2020)

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

DEFENDING CHAMP: Last year proved to be one for the record book for Chase Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team. In 2020, the emerging star won a personal best five races, including the season finale at Phoenix Raceway where he out-dueled three of the best drivers in stock-car racing to become the third-youngest champion in NASCAR Cup Series history. Elliott also scored career highs in top-five finishes (15), top-10s (22) and laps led (1,247). In addition, his banner season included a thrilling victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he picked up a $1 million bonus.

WHAT OFFSEASON?: While many filled the offseason with rest and relaxation, Elliott kicked his competitive spirit into high gear. The 25-year-old driver laid down laps behind the wheel of different race cars in three different series: a late model in the Snowball Derby, midget dirt car at the Chili Bowl Nationals and sports car in the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA. He finished third in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway, seventh in the Chili Bowl F-Main, and most recently sixth in the DPi class and eighth overall in the Rolex 24. Along with Mike Conway, Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr, Elliott spent more than five hours on the track and helped rally the No. 31 Action Express Cadillac after a broken gear lost the team 22 laps with five hours left in the race.

SPEED STREAK: Elliott has seen his share of success during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. In 2016, he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener, followed in 2017 by his first career Duel qualifying race victory and a second consecutive Duel win in 2018. In addition to those victories, Elliott was in position to win the 2017 DAYTONA 500 before running out of fuel from the lead on Lap 198 of 200.

POLE WINNER: Crew chief Alan Gustafson won consecutive DAYTONA 500 pole awards in 2015 with four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, in 2016 with then-rookie Elliott, and again with Elliott in 2017. He is tied with NASCAR Hall of Famer Waddell Wilson and Elliott’s uncle, Ernie Elliott, for the most DAYTONA 500 pole wins in a row by a crew chief. Wilson earned three straight with drivers Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison and Benny Parsons from 1980-1982. Ernie Elliott accomplished the feat with Chase’s father, Bill Elliott, from 1985-1987.

ELITE COMPANY: On Valentine’s Day, Elliott could become the fifth NASCAR Cup Series champion to hoist the Harley J. Earl trophy in the following season. Dale Jarrett (2000), Gordon (1999), Cale Yarborough (1977) and Richard Petty (1973) are the only four champions who started the following season with the DAYTONA 500 victory.

WORK FROM HOME: For Daytona Speedweeks, defending NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Gustafson will make his annual return home to the “Birthplace of Speed.” He hails from Ormond Beach, Florida, just down the road from Daytona International Speedway. After graduating from Seabreeze High School, Gustafson enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to study mechanical engineering. He returns to Daytona for his 17th full-time season as a crew chief and his sixth year with Elliott.

GUSTAFSON AT DIS: In 2020, Gustafson notched his first home track points win at the inaugural DAYTONA Road Course event. In addition, he has collected two Duel qualifying race victories (2017, 2018) with Elliott. The 45-year-old crew chief has three runner-up finishes on the 2.5-mile Daytona oval: two with driver Kyle Busch (2006 and 2007) and one with Elliott last August. The 2007 margin of victory between Busch and winner Jamie McMurray was the closest ever in the summer race at DIS (0.005 seconds). Gustafson has also won the pole award at Daytona five times with three drivers (Elliott, 3; Gordon, 1; Mark Martin, 1). He is tied with Wilson and Leonard Wood for the most DAYTONA 500 pole awards for a crew chief with four.

NAPA RETURNS FOR 500: For the sixth consecutive year, NAPA AUTO PARTS will kick off the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season on the hood of Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the DAYTONA 500. Elliott has never started the “The Great American Race” without primary sponsorship from the Atlanta-based company.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM: In December, Hendrick Motorsports announced Eastman Performance Films LLC, a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN), would become a primary sponsor of 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Elliott and the No. 9 team after extending its relationship for three more years. The sponsorship, which features the LLumar® brand of window film and paint protection film, will serve as a primary sponsor at the Clash at DAYTONA and the inaugural Cup Series event at Circuit of the Americas. Click here to check out the paint scheme.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 14th (2020)

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

2020 REARVIEW: With a third full year of NASCAR Cup Series competition under his belt, William Byron is ready to keep the momentum going when the 2021 season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway. Byron opened 2020 by adding to his already impressive résumé with a win in the Duel qualifying race at Daytona last February. He followed that with his first points-paying Cup Series win during the August race on the 2.5-mile oval. That first victory at NASCAR’s highest level came at the perfect time, locking Byron into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the second consecutive season. When 2020 came to a close, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native was 14th in points with one win, four top-five finishes, 14 top-10s and 140 laps led.

THREE IS THE LUCKY NUMBER: Byron’s first trip to victory lane added his name to an impressive list of drivers who captured their first Cup Series win in their third season. Hall of Famers Bobby Labonte, Alan Kulwicki, and Rusty Wallace, along with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, all earned their first win during their third full Cup Series season.

OLD SCHOOL, NEW TWIST: While the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet has been synonymous with the iconic flames paint scheme, 2021 brings a new look for Byron’s Camaro ZL1 1LE. Keeping an old-school flair with a twist, Axalta Coating Systems unveiled its new colors for the No. 24 team in January. Utilizing a matte black base, Byron’s Chevy features bright stripes in an array of colors that will be impossible to miss on the track. Now in its 29th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta returns as a primary partner on Byron’s No. 24 car for 14 races in 2021. For a better look at Byron’s new No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, click here.

COMING FOR THE CLASH: With his first career points-paying NASCAR Cup Series win in 2020, Byron locked himself into the 2021 Clash at DAYTONA event that kicks off the new season. When the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet unloads at Daytona, it will mark the 23-year-old driver’s second start in the exhibition race. In last year’s event, Byron ran up front, leading four laps before eventually being collected in an on-track incident that ended his night early.

TWENTY-FOUR TO THE TOP: In four of the last six DAYTONA 500 races, the No. 24 Chevrolet has started from the pole position: 2015 with Jeff Gordon and in 2016 and 2017 with Elliott. Byron most recently added to that statistic by becoming the second-youngest DAYTONA 500 pole winner in 2019, which also marked the Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s first pole award in the Cup Series.

DAYTONA DUELS: Byron will make his fourth start in the Daytona Duel qualifying races next Thursday, Feb. 11. In last year’s qualifying race, Byron lined up in the fourth position and patiently remained in the top half of the field within striking distance of the lead. As the laps wound down, the driver of the No. 24 made a move with two laps to go to take over the top spot, holding on to capture his first win in a Cup Series car and securing a fourth-place starting position in the DAYTONA 500.

BACK AT THE BEACH: The last time Byron was at Daytona International Speedway he ended the day in victory lane. When he and the iconic No. 24 team return, they hope to pick up where they left off – this time with a win in the DAYTONA 500. In fact, Byron has finished first or second in two of his last three races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, and he’s led 80 laps over his six total Cup starts there – his most at any track. Byron’s success at Daytona doesn’t end there. During his 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship campaign, he qualified third in the July race and led 29 laps to score the victory, becoming the youngest driver with an Xfinity Series win at Daytona at 19 years, 7 months and 1 day.

RUDY, RUDY, RUDY: The No. 24 team has a new crew chief calling the shots for the 2021 season: Ryan “Rudy” Fugle. While 2021 will be Fugle’s first year at the Cup Series level, his voice will be a familiar one to Byron over the radio. The driver-crew chief combo previously worked together in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during Byron’s rookie year in 2016. They notched a record-breaking season with seven victories and led 21% of all laps run. The duo also scored three pole awards before narrowly missing the driver title, but they still collected the owner championship and driver rookie of the year honors. Before joining Hendrick Motorsports, Fugle spent eight seasons at Kyle Busch Motorsports, amassing 28 total truck wins as a crew chief, which tie him for second all-time in the series. The Livonia, New York, native accumulated 24 poles, 78 top-five finishes and 119 top-10s across his 168 races on top of the pit box for the organization. In those events, Fugle worked with 15 different drivers and visited victory lane with six of them – the third-most by a truck crew chief. Of those six, Byron’s seven wins are the second-most Fugle scored with one driver, behind his 10 with Kyle Busch.

AXALTA ELECTROLIGHT: On Thursday, Axalta unveiled the newest addition to the Axalta Injector at Daytona International Speedway – a newly painted No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports car that will be on display for fans to see all year long. The car on display combines Axalta’s new solventbourne basecoat, Cromax XP, with its 2021 Color of the Year, Electrolight. The refreshing green-yellow hue has been formulated with mobility-technology while utilizing the easy-to-use solventborne basecoat that delivers a high-quality finish.

BEACH BUMS: Kicking off the 2021 NASCAR season in the Sunshine State, three crew members on the No. 24 team will make their way back home. Longtime Hendrick Motorsports rear-tire changer Johnny Roberts hails from Titusville, Florida, just down the coast from Daytona Beach, where he spent much of his time surfing before making his way to North Carolina and trying out with Hendrick Motorsports in 2010. Engineer Brandon McSwain grew up approximately 100 miles from the “World Center of Racing” in Auburndale, Florida. Just a few miles down the road from where McSwain grew up, engine tuner Ben Proctor calls Lakeland, Florida, home.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
Age: 27 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 6th (2020)

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

NEW NUMBER, SAME TEAM: Alex Bowman will have a new car number and a new primary sponsor beginning in 2021. In October, Hendrick Motorsports announced the move of Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives to the storied No. 48 Chevrolet with full-season support from Ally. Bowman will continue working with his playoff-contending road crew and pit crew from the 2020 season, including veteran car chief Austin Konetski. The 2021 No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has a fun, retro feel that was designed collaboratively between Ally, Bowman, Ives and Sean Cain of Blackbeard Designs. The seafoam, grapefruit and plum colors give the car a fun, retro feel. Check it out by clicking here.

THE CLASH: On Tuesday night, the 27-year-old Bowman will make his fourth career start in the non-points Clash at DAYTONA. In 2017, the driver finished third in his first-ever Clash race, which he qualified for after capturing the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in 2016. In 2019, he started the event fifth and led 11 laps en route to a fifth-place finish. Last season, Bowman started eighth in the Clash and finished 15th after getting caught in a wreck on Lap 74. This year, the Clash will take place on the DAYTONA Road Course, where he finished 12th in the inaugural event last season.

FRONT ROW SUCCESS: In his three DAYTONA 500 qualifying efforts with Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman has sat on the front row each season. The Tucson, Arizona, native captured the pole position for the 60th running of the prestigious race in 2018 and qualified second both in 2019 and 2020. Bowman’s average start in the DAYTONA 500 for the last three years is a remarkable 1.7.

DUELING AT DAYTONA: Bowman will make his sixth start in the Duel qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 11. The driver of the Ally machine ran the event in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Last season, he started from the lead in the second Duel after qualifying on the outside pole for the DAYTONA 500. He kept his Camaro ZL1 1LE clean and finished 15th after 60 laps.

IVES’ PLATE TRACK SUCCESS: Two of Ives’ five points-paying Cup wins have come at plate tracks. In 2015, the No. 48 team crew chief visited victory lane three times with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., including at the Daytona oval and Talladega Superspeedway. Ives won a Duel at Daytona in both 2015 and 2016 with Earnhardt and has three plate-track pole awards, including two at Daytona. In addition, Ives called the shots for Regan Smith in the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series and led the driver to a win at Talladega. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer on the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. During that time, he was part of one win (2006), one pole award (2008) and one runner-up finish (2009) at Daytona International Speedway with driver Jimmie Johnson.

BUILDING ON ’20: In his third full-time season with Hendrick Motorsports in 2020, Bowman had his most successful year to date. He led 440 laps in 36 events, which marked a career best. He captured his second NASCAR Cup Series win after leading 110 laps at Auto Club Speedway, and the team recorded six top-five results and 15 top-10s. In the final 12 events of 2020, Bowman captured nine top-10 finishes, which was the most of all drivers in the series. He secured his third playoff berth and advanced to the Round of 8. The driver finished a career-best sixth in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series standings.

PRESEASON WINNING: On Jan. 26, the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew athletes representing each team competed in a preseason scrimmage in preparation for Daytona. The scrimmage was valuable practice for the over-the-wall crew and the team members who play crucial roles behind pit wall during a stop. The No. 48 pit crew is comprised of tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman and tire carrier Dustin Lineback, and fueler Jacob Conley. At the conclusion of the 2021 scrimmage, the No. 48 team earned the win with the overall best performance.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: In 2020, the former No. 88 team lost some of its valued members. On Aug. 19, aerodynamics engineer Bryce Whitson Jr. passed away after a three-year battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. When the COVID-19 pandemic paused the NASCAR season and the series participated in iRacing events, Whitson helped Bowman and Ives. On Nov. 24, just three days after getting married, tire carrier Rowdy Harrell and wife Blakley were tragically killed in a head-on collision while on their honeymoon in the Florida Keys. Harrell was a stand-out performer for Hendrick Motorsports for the last eight seasons. Before joining the organization, he won three national championships as a walk-on middle linebacker for the University of Alabama football team. Throughout 2021, the No. 48 Chevrolet will carry a special decal in remembrance of Whitson and the Harrells.

MEDIA DAY: On Monday, Feb. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, car owner Rick Hendrick and the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers will be available to members of the media via video conference as part of NASCAR’s 2021 DAYTONA 500 preview. Schedule and participation details are available at NASCARmedia.com.

CHASING PETTY: Hendrick Motorsports enters 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, in the organization’s 1,703rd race (when Hendrick Motorsports’ victory total stood at 88). Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 263 points-paying Cup Series wins and currently needs six more to break the record at NASCAR’s highest level. Owner Hendrick’s organization has won at least six races in 22 of its 37 seasons, including 2020 when the team recorded seven victories.

HIGH-WATER MARKS: Going into 2021, Hendrick Motorsports holds the NASCAR Cup Series team records for championships (13), different drivers to win a title (four), different drivers to win at least one race (19), consecutive seasons with a victory (35), runner-up finishes (240), top-five results (1,101), top-10s (1,900) and laps led (70,823). The organization is currently tied with Petty Enterprises for the most total seasons with at least one points-paying race win (36).

BE MINE: The 2021 DAYTONA 500 will take the green flag on Sunday, Feb. 14, which is the anniversary of Jeff Gordon’s 1999 victory in “The Great American Race.” The NASCAR Hall of Famer and four-time Cup Series champion led 17 laps to win from the pole position and earned his second of three career Harley J. Earl trophies. It also marked the fourth DAYTONA 500 triumph for Hendrick Motorsports.

DAYTONA HISTORY: Hendrick Motorsports has notched eight DAYTONA 500 wins, which is one shy of tying Petty Enterprises’ record of nine. The team’s victories have come with five different drivers: Gordon (1997, 1999, 2005), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014), Darrell Waltrip (1989) and Geoff Bodine (1986). It has won “The Great American Race” in a record-tying four different decades: the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

SPEEDWEEKS STREAK: In each of the last eight seasons, Hendrick Motorsports has visited victory lane in at least one event during Daytona Speedweeks in February. The team won the DAYTONA 500 in 2013 and 2014, at least one Duel qualifying race from 2015-2018, the Clash at DAYTONA in 2019, and another Duel qualifier in 2020.

POLE-STERS: Hendrick Motorsports has won the DAYTONA 500 pole position a record-setting 13 times, including five of the last six and eight of the last 13. The team has won the pole for 35% of the DAYTONA 500s in which it has competed (13 of 37) and 21% of all poles in the event’s 62-race history.

DAYTONA DATA: In addition to poles, Hendrick Motorsports enters the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500 as the event’s all-time leader in top-five finishes (28), top-10s (47) and laps led (1,295).

ADD ’EM UP: Hendrick Motorsports has 43 combined wins at the Daytona International Speedway facility. In addition to its eight DAYTONA 500 victories, the team has seven points-paying Cup Series wins in the annual summer oval event and one on the venue’s road course. It has recorded 16 victories in the DAYTONA 500 Duel qualifying races and seven in the annual Clash at DAYTONA exhibition. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports has four NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at “The World Center of Racing.”

YOUNG GUNS: With an average age of 26 years old to start the season, Hendrick Motorsports will field its youngest four-driver lineup since 2005 – and youth has proven to be a benefit in DAYTONA 500 qualifying. In fact, five of the six youngest pole winners in the history of “The Great American Race” have been Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Chase Elliott is both the youngest (2016) and third-youngest (2017) DAYTONA 500 pole sitter. Teammates William Byron (2019) and Alex Bowman (2018) rank second and fifth, respectively. The pole won by Johnson in his 2002 rookie season puts the recently retired seven-time NASCAR champion as the sixth-youngest. Hendrick Motorsports also fielded the oldest DAYTONA 500 pole winner: Mark Martin, who won it in 2010 at 51 years old.

YOUNG GUNS II: Although Hendrick Motorsports will field the youngest multi-car team in the Cup Series this season, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the statistics. At NASCAR’s top level, the organization’s four drivers – Bowman, Byron, Elliott and newcomer Kyle Larson – have won 20 combined points races, secured 14 playoff berths, earned three Cup Series rookie of the year awards and won two NASCAR All-Star Races. Elliott is the defending Cup Series champion and has been voted the series’ most popular driver three consecutive times.

CAR SHOW: With the return of the No. 5 Chevrolet and the No. 9 team coming off a championship season, Hendrick Motorsports will field all four of its title-winning car numbers in 2021. Of the organization’s record 13 NASCAR Cup Series championships, seven have come with the No. 48, four with the No. 24 and one each with the Nos. 5 and 9.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to the DAYTONA 500: “I’m excited for Daytona for a lot of reasons. It’s great to be back in a Cup car with such an amazing organization that just won a championship. I’m looking forward to getting back in the garage with a lot of friends, competitors, and just getting into battles on the racetrack.”

Larson on being back in a Cup race car for the first time since last March: “I don’t know what to think about that. I’m nervous. I’m excited. Normally when you go to a new race team you can get some sort of testing to see how the cockpit feels or if you need to work on this or work on that. So far, I sat in the car and drove it around the parking lot at Hendrick Motorsports and we made a couple of adjustments.”

Larson on working with Cliff Daniels: “I’m definitely excited to have Cliff as my crew chief. He has a totally different style compared to other crew chiefs I’ve had before. He’s driven and he’s a perfectionist.”

Larson on getting acclimated to Hendrick Motorsports: “Hendrick Motorsports seems twice as large as what I’m used to. Meeting everyone is a bit difficult right now – especially when you can only see half of their face! But it’s cool to experience the winning culture and see all the resources. There are a lot of talented people that I’m excited to work with.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his team’s goals for the year: “Our goal is to win races and contend for the championship. How do you do that? You do that by stacking the fundamental building blocks. That’s communication, the way we work through problems and issues, the balance of the car, find speed in the car, make Kyle comfortable. All those things are the foundation. We want to set a path to get that established early.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his outlook for the 2021 season: “Coming off our championship last year, the good thing for myself and the No. 9 team is that we still have improvements to make. I don’t think we were at our best in every single area throughout the entire season that we could be. I think that’s really cool to know – that we had such a successful year and we still have areas we can improve on. We’re looking forward to doing more of that in 2021.”

Elliott on what the DAYTONA 500 means to him: “Since I was a kid, the DAYTONA 500 has always been a larger-than-life event. From the history of the race to the hype around the event, it all sets the 500 apart from every other race. It’s just such a big deal for all the drivers and teams. When I was growing up, I felt like the race was something that everyone knew about, watched and supported. As a kid, that has a big impact on you and makes you appreciate it more as you grow up.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his outlook for 2021: “The No. 9 team will have the same group, and we’re excited to move on into the new season. We like to be around each other, we like to compete together, and I think stability is a big deal. Having stability and being able to continuously make progress is important. A lot of times, with someone new you have to take a step back and kind of re-train. That’s not always a terrible thing, but we like the group we have, and fortunately for us we like to be around one another, and we are going to keep pushing forward as a team.”

Gustafson on the Clash at DAYTONA and having Elliott behind the wheel during road course races: “There’s a lot of times that the fastest setup is really one of the most difficult to drive, and you have to have somebody who can manage it and handle the car. Road racing is a series of compromises – you’re turning left, you’re turning right, slow speed, fast speed, brake zones, different styles of brake zones. At some point in time the car is not going to be ideal, so you can look at the areas of the track that are ultimately going to give you the most performance, and then there are other areas where you are not going to be able to optimize the car and the driver is going to have to deal with it. Chase certainly does that with flying colors. He enables us to put the fastest, most aggressive car on the track, and he manages it really well. It’s definitely a luxury, and everybody who has been fortunate enough to work with a guy of that caliber knows that’s a key component.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on being eager for the start of the 2021 season: “I’m excited to get back to Daytona and get the season started. I’ve put in a lot of work in during the offseason preparing for this year, and I know Rudy (Fugle) and the team guys have done the same. We want to be as prepared as we possibly can be to get the season started off on the right foot. Good finishes in the first few races of the year can really change the strategy and dynamic compared to a few bad ones that put you in a hole. As a team, we’re all on the same page and all have the same goals, and that is to improve off last year, get as many wins as we can and hopefully be in contention for a championship at the end of it. I think we’re fully capable of that.”

Byron on working with Fugle again: “It’ll be great to work with Rudy again. We had a lot of success together in the truck series. Since then, I have gained a lot of on-track and off-track knowledge. Rudy’s worked hard to get adjusted this offseason, and I think all of our efforts will benefit us. We’ve always had a good working relationship and level of communication with each other. I feel like we have basically picked up where we left off and that familiarity will hopefully translate to our on-track performance.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the offseason prep with his new team: “While I’m new to Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 24 team, it really has been a pretty smooth transition getting ready for the season. I’ve done what I can to learn the processes and get up to speed, and now we’re working on improving as one unit. William has definitely put in extra time this offseason as well to take us to that next level. Every week is going to be a building block to put us in the position we want to be in. I fully believe that this team is capable of winning races early on and that’s going to be our goal.”

Fugle on the opportunities Daytona offers: “I think Daytona provides a good opportunity to get the season started off on the right foot. We have so much track time between the Clash, the Duels and practice sessions, that you really should have your car and strategy dialed in when you get to the start of the DAYTONA 500. If you get through that opening week of racing with good results, that only strengthens your team and gives you an extra boost of confidence heading into the few weeks.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on starting his first race with full-season primary sponsor Ally: “Hendrick Motorsports has seen a ton of success at superspeedways in the past, and that is a great feeling going into the first race of the year with Ally. Daytona is a place where anything can happen at any moment and you must try to stay out of trouble. This No. 48 team worked hard over the offseason to build off the momentum that we ended with last season. Every year, we bring a fast Chevrolet to Daytona, and I’m excited to finally be able to get on the track with Ally on board. It feels like it has been forever since we announced the move to the (No.) 48 with Ally’s support, so we are pumped to finally be able to go.”

Bowman on the various components of Daytona Speedweeks: “Daytona Speedweeks has so many different elements with the Clash, qualifying, Duels, and the DAYTONA 500. It’s going to be exciting and interesting to run the Clash under the lights on the DAYTONA Road Course. Last year, we battled some issues (on the road course) here and there, but we fought hard and finished inside the top 15. Our summer run on the oval ended with a top 10, and that provides some good momentum going into the Duels and the 500. We’ve qualified well at Daytona in the past, and that will determine the strategy for the Duel event.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on carrying momentum into the 2021 season: “The excitement of heading to Daytona has always been prevalent throughout each offseason. The design of the new paint schemes, uniforms, equipment redone, and improvements to the team as a whole bring anxiousness to get to the track. Add in the fact that we will be working with Ally and bearing the (No.) 48 has us wanting to continue the prestigious history. Our 2020 playoff run is the level where our team needs to continue to perform, and, with the consistency in the team we have, there’s no doubt we can pick up where we left off.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
NASCAR Media Day | Thursday, February 4, 2021

ANTHONY ALFREDO, No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang – WHAT’S IT LIKE FOR A YOUNG DRIVER LIKE YOURSELF TO MARKET YOURSELF AND YOUR BRAND? “It’s very important and that’s something I’ve put a lot of work into since I started racing, especially as I started progressing through the ranks and I was fortunate to be a part of the NASCAR Next program, where I think we first met Kasey, so that was huge for me to learn more of the business side of things, especially from NASCAR’s perspective and what they expect out of the drivers and what teams and sponsors look for, so I’ve always tried to do my best to stand out, maybe do some things that are a little bit unorthodox, in a good way, more unique. Some of the things I do like my YouTube channel, my Twitch channel I don’t do them because of that, I actually just really enjoy it and I like doing it and it just so happens to work out that I’m building my brand and being a little bit more well-rounded on other platforms. So, I think it’s worked out, but I’m gonna definitely continue to work hard on that, especially for all of our new partners this year that helped make all this come together.”

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE INTENSITY IN THE CUP SERIES? “Of course I’ve thought about it. It’s a huge step for myself and my career and to be competing against childhood heroes of mine, guys who have been racing not only in their career but in this series since before I was born or maybe one years old. I think guys like Newman have been in the series since I was one or two, so there are a lot of veterans out there and I know that they have a tremendous amount of experience in general in racing, let alone just this level, so I’m looking forward to learning from them. It’s gonna be a challenge to compete with them on a regular basis, but that’s what probably has me most psyched about this year. I’ve always been one willing to learn new things and I think competing against guys that have that much experience is just gonna make me that much better of a driver and I’m going into the year knowing there’s gonna be a learning curve. The competition aspect is obviously going to be the most competitive I’ve ever experienced because it’s the highest level of stock car racing and the premier series of our sport, but that’s what’s gonna make this whole year really cool.”

HAVE YOU SET ANY GOALS FOR 2021? “It’s gonna be exciting for the fans, probably the most exciting for them just because of the fact that there are all these new teams you mentioned and some people from outside the industry coming in as team owners or in new roles, drivers going to new teams and all this, and rookies like myself coming into the series, so it’s gonna be a really cool year to watch and from a driver perspective it’s gonna be really neat to be a part of. And I think the landscape is gonna continue to change a lot this year with all the new tracks we’re going to and, of course with the new Cup car, the NEXT Gen car coming out in 2022, so that’s probably gonna be even more exciting for everyone in the industry, including the fans because a lot just changed this year, but even more is gonna change next year and I think it’s really cool what NASCAR has been doing to innovate and help grow this sport. Hopefully, people like myself can bring some new fans to the sport, just being from a town where racing wasn’t very popular and to be racing at this level hopefully some childhood friends or kids I went to school with and stuff like that are now maybe NASCAR fans.”

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO KNOW MICHAEL MCDOWELL? “I’ve gotten to know Michael a lot recently. We’ve talked pretty much every day, at the very least texted, and he’s been a really great teammate to lean on, definitely one of the most outgoing drivers I’ve ever met and probably one of the most outgoing people in the industry, so he’s definitely lived up to what everyone else has told me about him and I’m thankful to have him as a teammate because I’m looking forward to leaning on him throughout the year and his racing experience as well as his road course experience because he has a lot of experience there and he’s very competitive and I think that’s gonna help me a lot since the road courses are arguably my weakest point going into the year just because of my lack of road course experience in general. I’ve been iRacing a little bit and just getting to know each other, working on the simulator together with Ford and our team here at Front Row Motorsports and building chemistry before the season starts.”

WILL DAVID RAGAN SERVE AS A DRIVER COACH FOR YOU? “I would say so. I met David the other day and he was super friendly. Him and Michael both are gonna be great teammates and hopefully David can race his way into the 500, so that we have three Front Row race cars competing in the race, along with many other Ford Mustangs. It’s gonna be really cool to hopefully have that group together and put ourselves in contention or in a good spot to have a successful run in the Daytona 500 as well as other races throughout the year. I think even when David is not in the car he’s gonna be a very valuable asset to Michael and I both and this whole organization, so we can lean on him for just information from his experience and much more.”

WILL THE 38 CHARTER STAY IN HOUSE? “Yes.”

WHAT SCHEDULE CHANGE EXCITES YOU THE MOST? “As far as all the new tracks go, to be completely honest I’m really excited about the Bristol Dirt Race. I know that sounds crazy because I’ve never raced on dirt, but that’s what has me so excited about it and I’m really pumped to be a part of that inaugural event, especially for the race fans because what better place to have a wild and just super cool event like a dirt race than Bristol, where the energy is just electric. I’m looking forward to being a part of that and I think one that stands out to me that I hope to perform well at as I get better on these road courses and working with Michael the Indianpolis Motor Speedway road course sticks out just because I was fortunate enough to race there in the XFINITY Series last year, so hopefully my little bit of familiarity with the track allows us to have a little bit of an advantage going into that race as well.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRT RACING SCHEDULED BEFORE BRISTOL? “Not scheduled. Concrete as of now. I’m definitely gonna try to, but at the very least I’ve been wearing out my sim seats driving simulator on iRacing just to get something going.”

HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ANY FORD SIMULATOR TIME? “I’ve actually been with Ford on the simulator weekly so far and I’m going back this afternoon once I finish up with all of our Daytona 500 media stuff, so that’s been a huge help to be in the simulator regularly and learn these Cup cars. As you mentioned, there is a big difference from everything else I’ve driven. I would say the little bit of laps I’ve been able to make so far at some of the intermediate tracks is where I could really notice a difference in the Cup car. Of course, it’s a higher downforce package and a little bit less horsepower, whereas an XFINITY car is much lower downforce even on the intermediates. But on the road course, we’re testing that low downforce package getting ready for those races this season and that’s where you really tell the horsepower and downforce ratio kind of stands out and I’m sure the same will be the case for the road course. But I’m definitely putting in a lot of laps and getting experience to be prepared.”

HAVE YOU HAD ANY AHA MOMENTS YET ABOUT NOW BEING A CUP DRIVER? “Yeah, it hits me once in a while for sure. To be completely honest, I don’t think it has set in fully yet and it probably won’t until I strap into my Speedy Cash Ford Mustang down at Daytona, but just a couple calls we’ve had with NASCAR and there’s a driver group chat for reminders of stuff and just to be in the same group chat with guys I grew up watching on TV is pretty neat.”

WHAT ABOUT MAKING THIS LEAP FELT RIGHT EVEN IF IT IS A BIG JUMP? “I think the biggest thing was, obviously I’ve heard Corey LaJoie even mention on the radio and when I was on with him how you can’t pass up the opportunity to race on Sunday and that’s definitely true and that’s not because of the excitement as a driver and you just want to compete at the Cup Series level, it’s really because of our partners looking for the most exposure possible for them. Of course, this great team at Front Row Motorsports looking for someone young like myself that can hopefully start to build a future in this sport and find a home for myself at this point in my career. But what really stuck out to me is just being able to run fulltime and to do it with the largest schedule in NASCAR, if you will, is huge for me to develop, grow and just get overall experience. So, I’m looking forward to learning and being able to compete every week. Running part-time, sometimes you have a good run and you have to wait a couple weeks and you kind of lose that momentum, and if you have a bad run and you’re off for a couple weeks you can’t go out the next week and try to rebound. So, I’m looking forward to being able to do that a lot of times this year, probably all the races combined in the Cup schedule is probably as many XFINITY and truck races put together I’ve run, which sounds a little wild to say, but, like I said, it’s a great opportunity and I have amazing people who believe in me, so I’m very thankful for that and that boosts my confidence in itself. This wasn’t an easy decision that I made by myself by any means. It goes back to Team Dillon Management, Austin Craven, all of our partners, my family, previous team owners I’ve driven for and many more.”

DO YOU VIEW BEING WITH FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS IS A TEAM WHERE YOU CAN BUILD A PROGRAM AND MAKE IT A LONG-TERM HOME FOR YOU? “Yeah, absolutely and we’ve seen the progression of the team throughout recent years. Of course, our alliance with Roush Fenway Racing and support from Ford Performance, I think there’s a great future ahead, especially when the new Cup car comes out next year. I think the NEXT Gen car has everyone in the industry pretty optimistic, especially us here at Front Row Motorsports, so I’m definitely looking forward to that. We’re gonna take it one race at a time and focus on this year ahead.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF IF YOU COULD GO BACK FIVE YEARS? “The best piece of advice is probably just take advantage of every opportunity you’ve had. I think I’ve done that as I’ve gone, but I would go back and do that all over again and that’s something I always tell young drivers. There are a lot of younger drivers that I’ve tried to help out or people that reach out on social media and they might be racing late models or even Legends cars and I just tell them I think one thing I’ve learned the last couple years is running part-time has humbled me in a way that when races can become few and far between at times you learn to make the most out of every single one, so that’s what I always tell them. If you go out there and run every lap like it’s your last, you gave it your best effort and no matter where you finish you can sleep well at night knowing you did all you could.”

WHAT’S THE NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE YOU’VE SEEN RUNNING A CUP CAR IN iRACING VERSUS THE FORD SIMULATOR? “The biggest thing so far is just those simulators are a little bit more intricate and have more features that make it a little bit more realistic, but to be completely honest my sim seats driving simulator is pretty advanced. I have D-Box technology haptics on it, so it moves all the same ways. It’s a full haptic simulator and iRacing has just continued to evolve and become more and more accurate, so it’s actually way closer than I’d ever expected. Obviously, I’d raced a Cup car before in iRacing and that was one of the things I was most excited about in the Ford sim was to see how it compared and it compares pretty well.”

HOW HAS RACING ON THE A-CLASS AND PRO INVITATIONAL WITH iRACING HELPED YOU IN GETTING READY FOR YOUR ROOKIE SEASON? “I think the Pro Invitational Series itself was unique because we got to race against the same people we race against in real life, so it’s kind of funny to see how some people approach that, or maybe they race similarly to how they would in real life, so that was kind of cool to know who you were racing around. And it was super competitive. I put a lot of hours into each event and worked hard with some guys at Lockdown Racing, like Jimmy Mullis and Zack Novak, who race in the Coke Series on iRacing, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, so that was a huge help for me to get better in iRacing, but of course from a competitive standpoint know some of the guys that I was racing against in real life.”

HOW DO YOU LIKE THE PLAYOFF FORMAT IN NASCAR? “I think it makes it really exciting for the fans especially, as well as the race teams. It’s a whole different aspect and definitely makes it, I wouldn’t say necessarily more challenging, it’s just a different challenge. They’re just two completely different formats and I think it’s made it pretty neat to see guys get eliminated from their shot at a championship as the season goes on, and it’s a season long effort because guys can try to win a race to lock themselves in and if they win early they can work on just trying to get better for when the playoffs begin, but then once the playoffs start it’s like starting from scratch and every round you’re essentially starting from scratch, just trying to make it to the end. I think it’s a pretty neat aspect and so far I think the fans have liked it and it’s definitely something cool and with the stage racing even playing a factor it’s added a whole new aspect for the drivers too.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN RIDGEFIELD, CT? “Growing up in Ridgefield was awesome. I’d love to do it all over again. I met some great people and good friends of mine that I still stay in touch with to this day even though once I got into high school and started racing I ended up doing school online and was traveling a lot. It’s a great town and it’s where I grew up. My family is not far from there. All of my family is either in Connecticut or New York, but as far as how I became a race fan in a town where it wasn’t as popular was just from my parents. They were going to races long before I was born. I just posted for my mom’s birthday the other day a picture of her at the Richard Petty Experience before I was alive, so it’s pretty neat. We’ve got a different perspective of this sport and I have my own appreciation, so to speak, when I go to the racetrack because I was a fan before I was a driver and I think it’s a pretty relatable story for a lot of people.”

WHO GAVE YOU YOUR NICKNAME? “The big thing with Fast Pasta actually started at Hickory Motor Speedway in my first year of racing. I was racing limited late models at the time for Lee Faulk Racing and I think it was Trevor Townsend was the announcer at the time and he had called me over the loudspeaker there and it ended up just sticking all the way through my career and here we are now from the regional level to the highest level of NASCAR and Fast Pasta has grown more than I ever could have imagined.”

WOULD YOU HAVE BELIEVED BEING IN THE CUP SERIES FULL-TIME IN 2021 WAS A POSSIBILITY IF SOMEONE MENTIONED IT TO YOU A YEAR AGO AT THIS TIME? “Probably not. I had no idea. I’m just so thankful. I feel very blessed and definitely wasn’t sure what was gonna happen, but I felt like I had a great year last year and I was just hoping things would come full circle because of putting the effort forward and all the people who have been by my side throughout my career. Of course, like I mentioned earlier, Team Dillon Management and Austin Craven have worked really hard for me to help me find a home and all that hard work has been paying off and I feel like this is really just the beginning now of something much larger.”

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang – WHERE DO YOU FEEL FRONT ROW FITS THIS YEAR? “I feel Front Row, for us last year we feel like we made a pretty big gain just from overall competitiveness and speed in our race cars, and with the quote-unquote development freeze that NASCAR has put into place we feel like that has really helped us a lot because in year’s past you would kind of start the year off and feel like you’re somewhat close, but then by the middle to the end of the year you just felt like you’ve lost some to the competition, where last year we felt like we were able to keep up quite a bit throughout the year. And then going into the offseason knowing that there’s not big fundamental changes not only for us but also our competitors you know that allows us to work on the details and make our race cars a little bit lighter and a little bit faster and not having to develop new clips and new parts and pieces and doing all those things that we sort of fall behind as a medium-sized organization, so I feel like we have the potential to be more competitive this year than we even were last year, but you just never know until you get to the racetrack.”

WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE AS A DRIVER? ARE YOU AT THE RIGHT INTERSECTION OR A PRIME INTERSECTION IN YOUR CAREER? “I definitely think so. You feel that way. I’m sure if you asked everybody they’d probably feel that way, but I do believe that experience is such a big part of this sport and with my background in open-wheel cars and sports cars when I was young, it was just go as hard as you can and as fast as you can and use the downforce and utilize the brakes and you could push yourself and take chances to find speed, where in our Cup cars you really have to be smooth and you have to be methodical and you can’t overwork the tire and you really have to understand the car well and understand the tracks and the tires and as the lines change and as you get into long runs, so experience is such a big part of our sport that I feel like I’m in a good spot with that. More than anything is just as I’m getting more confident and comfortable and have that experience, our race cars are getting faster at the same time, so that combination has been good for me for sure.”

DO YOU THINK THE NEXT GEN CAR WILL EVEN THINGS UP FOR MID-SIZED TEAMS? “I definitely hope so. I feel like it has the potential to do that. I think if you look just in general the top teams, I feel like, will always be the top teams. There are several of them in our sport, but even if you just take the Indy Car model of a standardized chassis and standardized body parts and stuff like that you still have your elite teams in Team Penske and Ganassi. Those teams are still at the top, but the thing that gives me hope with this NEXT Gen car is that Dale Coyne with Sebastien Bourdais at the right track on the right day hit the setup right they can win a race, where right now I don’t feel like a mid-level team can win a race even at a road course or superspeedway. So I do feel like the NEXT Gen car will level that playing field. I think your top teams will always be your top teams, but on a given day if you hit it right and everything goes your way, you should have the opportunity and the potential to win, so hopefully the NEXT Gen car will provide that.”

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE AS A MID-LEVEL TEAM TRYING TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT? “For me, it’s a lot of fun because on those good days where you sneak out a top 10 or a top five you really feel like you’ve accomplished something, and then you obviously have those ups-and-downs, on those days where you run twenty-something you can kind of brush it off and get ready for the next week. But just seeing the steady progression for us is what I think is the motivator. Last year, you always have high expectations, but when you actually go out there and perform we started to feel like, ‘Hey, we can do this. We can run 15th every week and we can beat two or three of these big teams and do it on a weekly basis.’ So that was a lot of fun and very rewarding and hopefully we can keep that going into 2021 as well.”

HOW TOUGH IS IT ADJUSTING TO ALL THE NEW TEAMMATES YOU’VE HAD THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? “I’ve had a rookie with me the last three years with Matt Tifft, John Hunter and now Anthony. I feel like it’s been different this time with Anthony. I’m not really sure why, I just think his personality, his eagerness to learn and really his greenness, just being a legit rookie with not a lot of experience it’s been fun to help him and work with him. Right before we did this I was just talking to him about some of the stuff we’ve got going on this week with simulation and just working through things he needs to think about and things that don’t pop up until you get in the race and it’s too late. So it’s nice to help guys be able to shorten that learning curve and really with him it’s been pretty easy just because he’s so eager to learn, easy to get along with and very respectful and humble, so it’s been fun.”

WHAT HAS THE LOVE’S RELATIONSHIP MEANT TO YOU? “For Front Row Love’s has been just a central partner, the backbone of the program. The 34 car and the 38 car when David Gilliland was in it has had Loves’s as a primary for over half the races since they’ve come onto the team. So just to have a core partner like that is super important for the growth of our race team and just the progression of our race team. For me personally, to come to Front Row and get to drive the Love’s car, I took that as a badge of honor. When I came to the team as a rookie and got to drive the Love’s car I really felt that pressure of carrying the Love’s brand and the banner for the race team and to grow that relationship with them and to continue to represent them, and then for them to be such a big brand. They’re an iconic American brand. They’re a family brand and we’re a mid-level team, so it’s an honor to have partner like that, that has just been the backbone of this organization. It’s great to continue that and hopefully we’ll get to continue that for another 10 years.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SCHEDULE CHANGES? “I love the changes. You mentioned the Bristol Dirt one and that’s probably my least favorite one out of all of them, but obviously with road courses I’m really looking forward to getting to Road America and to Austin to COTA and to Indianapolis and now we have the Daytona Road Course again as well. I’m excited about our schedule. It’s gonna be a lot of fun and some great opportunities for us. Bristol Dirt is definitely gonna be a tough one for me with not a lot of dirt racing background, but I’m doing my homework and putting in the time and it’s an opportunity race just like Bristol always is, but we did definitely lose a couple of good tracks that typically you wouldn’t look at and circle those as good tracks and Bristol was one of them and Indianapolis was one of them as well. The road course will be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to that, so the schedule and, for me, it’s just exciting to mix it up and to have new tracks and I feel like the road courses are great opportunities for us, so we’re definitely looking forward to this season.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME A COUPLE OF YEARS? “I think the biggest thing that you can’t always hit the reset button, but if I could go back to my rookie season I would just enjoy it a lot more. I had so much pressure that I put on myself and outward pressure as well from the team and sponsor and manufacturer, but just in particular myself. I just felt like I needed to achieve and probably expected more out of myself than was really fair for a rookie coming into the Cup Series. So, I didn’t enjoy that first year as much as I should have. Going to Daytona for the first time or going to Indianapolis and the Brickyard for the first time and experiencing that. I didn’t take in the experience because I was so consumed with the result and performance, which is a part of our sport, but I didn’t take the time to really take in how cool it is to be one of 40 and to come to these iconic racetracks and run your first Bristol Night Race and all those things. So just enjoy the journey a lot more and take it all in.”

WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM YOUR ACCIDENT AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY A FEW YEARS AGO FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE? “I think that anytime you have a big crash where the car obviously takes a lot of damage you learn from it. NASCAR has done a great job with their R&D Center and just their whole team that goes back and analyzes all the data and all the video and looks at the cars and measures everything and see what moves and see what didn’t move and see what could be stronger and what needs to be weaker so that it does move. Obviously, every year you learn a great amount and unfortunately those big crashes are sort of what helps you get to that next level, and with Ryan’s crash at the Daytona 500 last year they were able to learn a few things that went into our cars at the end of last year and then starting this year, so you’re always learning from those tough experiences and always getting safer and safer, but I feel incredibly safe driving our race cars. You know that there’s always a danger, but I just feel like our cars are incredibly safe right now.”

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN FRONT ROW CHANGE FROM YOUR FIRST DAY TO TODAY? “It’s definitely changed a tremendous amount. Probably the most important part of any race team or any organization or company or team is people. Over the last four or five years there has been some changes in personnel and we’ve been able to bring on a few key people and move people from one role to the next and that’s really helped with overall performance and just producing better race cars and faster race cars. I would say the mentality has changed quite a bit since the first day here. I think that first year it was about building a race car that’s gonna make it through the race and it’s gonna last and be competitive and the goals weren’t super high. I feel like as we’ve achieved a little bit more and more every year that the bar keeps getting raised and everybody has stepped up and last year was evidence of that. So, I feel like we’re finally in a spot where we’re able to really compete and compete at a high level, and I think everybody has bought in at the shop. It’s not just about making sure that this doesn’t fall off, but it’s about making this lighter and faster and more performance, so that whole mentality has changed throughout the entire company, which is great.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PLAYOFF FORMAT IS IN NASCAR TO DETERMINE A CHAMPION? “I can see both sides of the conversation on the playoffs and the points and the champion and all that. I do feel like there are opportunities inside the playoffs even if you have a bad race to kind of redeem yourself and get to the next round. So, I feel like it’s usually the top two or three teams that are in the final four, and you might have somebody that slides in that wouldn’t typically be there, but it’s usually only one. I feel like as far as seeing what are the best teams going head to head, I feel like we get there every year. I would say there are very few years where you look at it and you go, ‘That’s somebody that should have won the championship that didn’t make it.’ I feel like there’s opportunity. On the flip side of that, Formula One the driver points were over with four races to go and so that’s not very fun, knowing that Lewis Hamilton has already won before you even throw the green flag with three races to go isn’t very entertaining for the fans. So, I do feel like there is an element that is cool about the playoffs and getting to that final round, but I’m a little bit of a purist too to where whoever scores the most points in the year should win, so I can see both sides of the conversation. I would love to make the playoffs and be in that conversation, but from the outside, which I haven’t been in the playoffs, it is fun and entertaining to watch and see it all play out.”

DO YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE YOU COULD POINT YOUR WAY INTO THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR OR FEEL LIKE YOU STILL HAVE TO WIN A RACE? “To be completely honest with you I still feel like we would have to win. I think it would be tough to point in, but at times last year we felt the potential that we could, but it only takes one or two shifts, whether that be somebody win a race that was behind you in points or around you, or somebody score a lot of stage points to really build a big gap, so I do think it’s possible. I do feel like we left a lot of points on the table last year at some key events. Like you said, superspeedways typically are our bread and butter for points and we didn’t score that many at superspeedways, so those are strong races for us but last year we didn’t execute well, so I feel like if we execute well at those racetracks where we can run top 10, top five, there’s an outside chance that we could point our way in, but the goal and the focus is still to win a race and put ourselves in position to win a race, and throughout the year score as many points as we can. So, last year was a good step. I felt like we were close to that top 20, but to make it to the top 16 is gonna take a lot more points.”

HOW DOES THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW CAR HELP OR HURT YOU FROM THE TIMELINE OF WHEN THOSE CARS WILL BE BUILT DURING THE 2021 SEASON? WILL THE NEW CARS NOT DEVELOP THIS CAR MORE BECAUSE THEY’LL FOCUS MORE ON NEXT GEN? “I think the top teams are gonna spend everything they have to try to win races and win the championship just like they always do. I think there are elements that will help us be a little bit closer in regards to competition, probably more than anything is just what NASCAR has done with the development freeze. That helps us, I feel like, a tremendous amount, just because the teams are always making gains, but they’re not making huge gains and changing the structure of the race car and just fundamental parts and pieces. Every time you find a little bit of a gain over the last two or three years it’s been all the suspension has to be updated because it all goes together and all the shape and design and there’s a whole process to it, and with that being frozen I feel like that’s helped us a lot, but the top teams are still gonna spend a lot of money to try to win races and championships and I do feel like there might be long-term adjustments in the sport knowing the 2022 car is coming, but I don’t feel like that will give us a greater chance of pointing in or winning a race. I feel like it’s the same.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE AN UNDERDOG WHEN WE GET TO THE ROAD COURSE PORTION OF THE SEASON? “Yeah, I do. I feel like last year we had some strong road courses. I think the Daytona road course was probably our best speed-wise, probably had a top-five car and ended up finishing 10th with it, so we need to be in that top five in speed to really put ourselves in position to get a caution at the right time, strategy at the right time, get to the front and have something work out to where you can win a race. But I feel like consistently we can run in that top 10 at those road courses, pretty much all of them, and knocking on the door of a top five which puts us in the conversation, but we still need to find a little bit more to really surprise and to shock people. I think it’s gotten harder over the years I’ve just seen the Cup regulars are getting better, but also too the disparity in performance between the cars is even greater at the road courses than what it was early on. I felt like the driver early in my career made a bigger splash at those road courses than the equipment and it seems like the equipment now is getting to a point, just like at the other racetracks, where you can have an average driver and a great car and have a great finish, but not vice versa.”

HOW HAVE YOU AND DREW GOTTEN USED TO EACH OTHER WITH THIS BEING YEAR THREE? “Drew is a tremendous asset to the 34 car and to Front Row and he’s a big part of just the performance increase that we’ve seen and the gains that we’ve made, so relationship-wise Drew and I hit it off pretty good right out of the gate because we’re both driven by just performance and getting the most out of our race cars and our race weekends. That was pretty easy, but now that we’ve spent a few seasons together we definitely understand each other a lot better and he does a great job extracting what he needs out of me and vice versa. I would say the best part of Drew and I’s relationship is we can be very honest. We can have heated conversations and we can disagree and we can yell at each other and shortly get over that and figure out what we’ve got to do to be better, and I like the intensity that he has and he would probably say the same about me. With both of us being fairly intense, there are times we go at it a little bit, but I feel like we’ve done a great job together working really hard to get the right people in place on our race team and get the most out of our race cars and the weekend and he does a great job with strategy, so he’s definitely a big part of the success that we’ve had here and, for me, as a critical part moving forward.”

CHASE ELLIOTT IS IN ANOTHER LEAGUE ON ROAD COURSES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? “They definitely are a leg up on everybody. That’s pretty evident, but Chase has done a great job of executing and getting the most out of it. If you just look at the Daytona road course last year Denny Hamlin, I think had similar speed and was right there with him pressuring him and he just never made a mistake and never gave him an opportunity. It’s pretty amazing he’s as strong as he is and consistently making it happen, and probably the most impressive thing that I’ve seen is his ability to drive back through the field when they get behind. Typically, at a road course once you lose that track position and you get buried in the field it’s hard to march your way. It’s one thing to get back in the top 10. It’s really difficult to get back in the top five, but to get all the way back to the lead like he’s done two or three times from whether it be penalties or mistakes in Charlotte. He got into the tire barrier there in turn one and went all the way to the back and got to the front. Last year, strategy-wise they went back to 20th and was able to drive to the front, so I feel like his ability to get back through the field has probably been the most impressive thing. We’re all paying attention, that’s for sure, and looking at data and watching video to see if there’s anything just glaring that sticks out that he’s doing differently than everybody else. I think they’ve just had fast race cars and he’s done a good job of executing, but hopefully we can put a dent in there and close the gap and make some challenges.”

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING IN HIS DRIVING STYLE THAT WHEN YOU ADD THEM ALL UP ALLOW HIM TO DO WHAT HE’S DOING? “Yeah, absolutely. Without giving that away I’ve spent a lot of time this offseason looking at it and trying to understand it and really wrap your head around what’s making him as fast as he is and as good as he is right now at those places, so I think there are things he’s doing and I think that there’s things his team is doing that is giving them a little bit of an advantage and he’s making the most of those opportunities, and I think there are some things to learn for sure, and we’ll try to apply them that second week when we go to the Daytona road course and see if we can close the gap a little bit, but it’s been really impressive what he’s been able to do, for sure.”

SO, NO SMALL HINT OF WHAT YOU’VE SPOTTED? “Yeah, he makes up a lot of time in the brake zone and he’s very meticulous with his line, and he doesn’t deviate very much.”