NASCAR CUP SERIES
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020
KANSAS MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang, comes into Sunday’s Round of 8 opener as the third seed. He was part of a NASCAR Zoom call earlier today and discussed the playoffs, along with other topics with members of the media.

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang — TWO OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS THE DRIVER THAT WON THE FIRST RACE IN THE ROUND OF 8 WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. IS THAT A COINCIDENCE OR AN ADVANTAGE TO WIN THE FIRST RACE OF THAT ROUND? “I don’t think it’s a complete coincidence. I think it’s a big advantage to win the first race in this semi-final round of the playoffs, but with respect to that it gives you a lot of time to prepare for the final race and I think that’s never a bad thing. Whether that’s allowing your team to kind of relax a little bit and focus on one car rather than three other cars to build, or engineering. There’s a whole list of things. I do think it gives you a lot of opportunities without getting into any specifics of how we handle it at Team Penske, so, yes, it’s a very big deal, absolutely.”

DOES THE PRESSURE AMP UP MORE IN THIS ROUND? “Each round has its own challenges. I always struggle to weigh them out against each other because if I looked at the last round, the tracks were certainly less easy to predict, where this round the tracks should be a lot more straightforward, and because of that, in some ways, it’s less stressful because you feel like you can control more of your own destiny. You can never control all of it, but more of it. That said, there are some really good teams, really good performers and the other side I guess if you’re playing Devil’s advocate thinks to himself, ‘Hey, I’m really gonna have to step up and deliver in this round because nothing by chance is gonna work in my favor.’ So the rounds certainly have different feels to them, but I struggle to quantify if they feel easier or harder. I just feel like they all have their own challenges.”

ARE SIX OF YOU GOING FOR TWO SPOTS? “It feels that way. Yeah, it feels that way. Denny is not completely out of my reach. I think he’s 19 points or something in front of me. I don’t have the math right in front of me, so I think I’ve got a shot at legitimately racing him on points, but probably the others don’t. With respect to that, I think Kevin’s a pretty good ways away from everybody.”

YOU ARE 13 POINTS ABOVE THE CUT LINE. WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU? “Probably two stages. It’s like a two-stage cushion, so if I don’t score any stage points at Kansas, that’s pretty much we use up those 13 points. But I know 13 up is better than 13 down, so I’m not complaining.”

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR YOU OF KANSAS? “I think being able to run really close to the wall without hitting it. It’s gonna be so important there. You’ve got to be able to run right up against it, but you can’t hit it. We’re gonna push really hard to do that.”

DO YOU FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT WITH KANSAS? “It’s been a good track for us. Last fall was not a good race for us, but the past two spring races have been very strong. Hopefully, we can repeat those performances.”

HOW DO YOU AVOID WHAT HAPPENED LAST FALL AT KANSAS? “There’s no easy answer to that. You just hope you have enough performance and you work as hard as you can to find it. There are ebbs and flows to that and hopefully we step up when the moment comes this weekend.”

TEXAS WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT RIGHT SIDE TIRE. WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION TO HOW THAT RACE AND STRATEGY THERE CHANGES? “It’s a different tire for this weekend, too, if I remember right. Tires make a big difference. It dramatically changes the way the cars drive. The tire we started the year out on has been changed for the playoffs. You could argue that’s good or bad. It probably depends on who you are. The tire that we ran last year seemed like it was more about how you get through traffic. The tire we run this year seems to be more about how the car handles and getting that balance right. Now we’re going back to the tire, pretty much the same tire we had last year so it’s more about how you get through traffic. So there is definitely a change, but there are different strengths and weaknesses for different teams, so I can’t say that I have a great answer as to how that will fall out for us, but it makes a huge difference for sure.”

IS THERE ONE DRIVER POISED TO HAVE A BIG ROUND AND MAKE A STATEMENT BESIDE THE TOP FOUR IN THE STANDINGS? “No, I think there are three or four drivers competing for the final two spots. We’re all very similar. It’s probably gonna come down to the wire at Martinsville.”

DO YOU THINK BRAD KESELOWSKI RACING WILL COME BACK TO RUN A CUP SERIES TEAM? “I certainly never say never. If all the stars aligned, I would certainly entertain it, but, right now, I’ve got a pretty good deal and gonna try to make the most of it.”

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO AUSTIN CINDRIC RIGHT NOW? “The biggest advice I can give him is I think he’s 20 right now, maybe 21. When I was in his spot in the sport there was a part of me that thought this was gonna last forever. It doesn’t. The biggest advice I can give anyone like him is soak it up. It’s probably the one and only time in your life that you’ll have a chance to run for your first NASCAR championship and it’s a unique feeling, it’s a special feeling. It’s a little bit like going to the Senior Prom. You only get one shot at a first championship, or at least your first effort at it, and there are some things that probably aren’t gonna go your way and hopefully there are some things that do, but you only get to do it once, so enjoy the ride. As far as the technical stuff, he’s got that. He doesn’t need any help from me.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CHASE BRISCOE’S RISE THROUGH THE RANKS? “First off, Chase is the real deal in every sense of the word. If he gets in a good car, he’s gonna come to Cup and he’s gonna do really, really well. There’s been a lot of rookies that have come in in the last five or 10 years that I think a lot of people have thought that of, and I maybe didn’t necessarily think that of. I’m pretty confidence Chase is gonna make a big mark in Cup over his career.”

Richard Childress Racing at Kansas Speedway… In 87 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win with Kevin Harvick (2013), five top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C. organization also picked up a NASCAR Xfinity Series win with Harvick in 2006. Additionally, the Richard Childress Racing Xfinity Series program has earned 16 top-five, and 26 top-10 finishes in 50 starts.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live Saturday, October 17, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live Sunday, October 18, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Kansas Speedway… Dillon made his career-first start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway in 2011 and has made a total of 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts the 1.5-mile track, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October 2016. He has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning one pole award (2013) and a best finish of second (2012). In three NASCAR Truck Series races, Dillon has earned one pole award (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2014).

Delivering Performance on and Off the Racetrack… Austin Dillon races on Sunoco Green E15 fuel made with 15 percent American Ethanol. Ethanol is the most effective and least expensive source of octane available and it also burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline. All those factors mean that ethanol helps drive peak engine performance whether you’re in a racecar or on your way to the grocery store. And, ethanol helps keep our air cleaner and our environment healthier by reducing toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about why ethanol is the smart choice for your engine, your wallet and our environment at americanethanolracing.com.

17 Billion Miles on E15 … American drivers have now logged more than 17 BILLION miles on E15. That’s the equivalent of 682,703 trips around the earth, every single person on earth driving two miles on E15, or 711 trips from earth to the moon. Last week’s announcement of USDA grants for retailers across the country to invest in E15 infrastructure will only keep up the momentum. And despite the most challenging fuel market drop in 30 years, retail adoption of E15 has already increased 10% and is on track to reach 20% by the end of the year. It’s clear that drivers who choose E15 not only see the more affordable price, but also feel good about fueling up with an earth-friendly biofuel and keep coming back for more. Now that’s something to celebrate!

NASCAR Playoffs… Dillon was knocked out of contention from the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs following Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, where he finished 19th and missed the Round of Eight cutoff by 38 points. Dillon’s fourth appearance in NASCAR’s postseason was highlighted by strong performances in the Round of 16, including top-three finishes at both Darlington and Richmond.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
How is Kansas unique compared to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks?
“Kansas Speedway has done a really good job with their banking. There’s a line right up by the fence that has a little extra grip. There’s an angle up there that I don’t think many tracks have figured out yet, but Kansas got it right. You can run from top to bottom there. The bottom groove is the preferred groove at the beginning, but it becomes too tight to try and run around there in turns one and two sometimes depending on what the balance of your race car is. I’ve enjoyed that track a lot ever since they repaved it. I wish every track could do as good as a job as Kansas has with repaves.”

How will you approach this race now that you are no longer competing in the NASCAR Playoffs?
“I don’t think the mentality changes, too much. The goal remains the same, and that is to go out and win. My RCR team has been really strong on mile-and-a-half tracks this season, and I know that we have everything we need to try and get another win before the end of the season. We can take some chances and try some things now that maybe we wouldn’t have if we were still in the NASCAR Playoffs, but overall the goal is still the same.”

October is national “name your car” month. Do you ever name any of your cars or have names for them?
“When I was in the NASCAR East Series, we had a car called Midnight Rider because we worked all night on it. It ran a lot of races and was a solid car for us.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Kansas Speedway…Tyler Reddick has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, earning a best finish of ninth there in the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 last year for RCR. The finish was Reddick’s first Cup Series top-10 finish in just two series starts. Reddick also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway and has not started or finished outside the top-10 in the series. Reddick picked up the pole award in the Xfinity Series in 2017 and has a best finish of second (October 2017 and October 2019). Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts at Kansas Speedway.

About NMC Cat… As one of the longest operating Caterpillar dealerships, NMC has proudly served customers with equipment and service solutions since 1938. Our team works hard each day to build long-lasting relationships with our customers – and we strive to be the first choice for the equipment and services they need for the many industries we serve, including construction, power generation, on-highway truck and agriculture. After more than 80 years since the first NMC location opened for business, there is still a can-do spirit leading the way. There is a continuing focus to help our customers succeed and a determination to create new opportunities for today as well as for the next 80 years.

About Caterpillar… Since 1925, Caterpillar Inc. has been helping our customers build a better world – making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2019 sales and revenues of $53.8 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Services offered throughout the product life cycle, cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise set Caterpillar apart, providing exceptional value to help our customers succeed. The company principally operates through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
We return to Kansas Speedway this weekend after racing there at the end of July. Are there any takeaways from that race that you can use this weekend?
“Honestly, that race was a tough one for us where we were going through a patch of learning how to adjust on these Cup cars to get me what I need. None of the adjustments we made that weekend seemed to help, so we’ve been working hard on our game plan for this weekend when we return to Kansas Speedway with our No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet. I think we’ve made a lot of good headway over the past couple of months on making adjustments that help me. With this Sunday’s race being a day race and not bleeding into the night, I think the track will still change but not go through as big of a swing as it did during the July race. We’ll have a little more consistency during the day, which will help us. We just have to manage everything the best that we can and not lose any track position we get, since it’s so hard to get that back in these races.”

Anthony Alfredo and the No. 21 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway… Anthony Alfredo will make his first career start this weekend at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Five of Alfredo’s eight top-10 finishes have come on 1.5-mile tracks this season. He also has one career ARCA Series start at Kansas Speedway from 2018.

About Andy’s Frozen Custard… Andy’s Frozen Custard has always been fanatical about custard and has served it with pride since March 19, 1986. For more than three decades, only the freshest ingredients have been used for a frozen custard experience you can’t get anywhere else.

Andy’s number one focus is product quality. We use only the finest ingredients in our mix. The custard is always served within one hour after it is made. Our approach has been fairly simple: Hire great people, treat them right, and try to get the product in as many mouths as possible. Andy’s Frozen Custard focuses on three main things: product quality, customer service, and community involvement. Our efforts in these areas are what make us unique in the markets we serve. It is this commitment to quality that allows us to be confident in saying that Andy’s makes the best frozen treat in the entire world! Drop by your local Andy’s or visit us at eatandys.com.

Fast Start for Fast Pasta… Running a limited schedule in the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing, Alfredo has secured eight top-10 finishes. He also won an eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder Race at Dover International Speedway during NASCAR’s hiatus from on-track competition.

ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTES:
What are your expectations coming into Kansas Speedway this weekend?
“I am really looking forward to Kansas this weekend. It seems like the 1.5-mile tracks have really been where our team has been the most competitive this season. We have a lot of momentum that we are still carrying from places like Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway. Our Richard Childress Racing team has been bringing fast Chevrolet Camaros every week to the track. I believe Kansas is a place where we can grab our first top-three of the year, if not a win. Hopefully, I can adapt to the track quickly and communicate well with my crew chief, Andy Street, so my team can make good adjustments to put us in position at the end.”

This will be your first start at Kansas since you ran an ARCA race there a few years ago. What have you been doing to best prepare yourself for this weekend with limited experience?
“I’ve definitely been leaning on my RCR teammates, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick. They have both been very insightful and an open book for any of my questions all year long. I’m thankful to Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet for all the resources I’ve been able to utilize. Our team simulator has been a great tool for me to study and understand the data, so I have an idea of not just the line I need to run, but what the balance of the car is going to be for both short and long runs heading into these races.”

KANSAS SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 33 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 2:30 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, OCT. 18 (NBC/MRN/SIRIUSXM)

Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season
4th in standings
32 starts
3 wins
1 pole position
13 top-five finishes
19 top-10 finishes
810 laps led

Career
181 starts
9 wins
9 pole positions
57 top-five finishes
93 top-10 finishes
2,654 laps led

Track Career
9 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
97 laps led

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, will be available to members of the media via video conference on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 1:15 p.m. ET. Visit NASCARmedia.com for details.

KING OF THE QUEEN CITY: Chase Elliott continued his recent dominance at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday by leading 27 laps on the way to his second consecutive victory on the track’s 2.28-mile road course. Earlier this year, Elliott won the second of two NASCAR Cup Series events and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race on the track’s 1.5-mile oval layout. Additionally, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native led 38 laps and finished second in Charlotte’s annual 600-mile race in May.

ROAD-COURSE REIGN: Sunday’s win at the Charlotte roval was Elliott’s fourth consecutive road-course victory, making him and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon the only drivers in Cup Series history to accomplish four road-course wins in a row.

2020 SEASON: Through 32 races, Elliott has garnered career bests in laps led (810), top-five finishes (13), top-10s (19), stage points (273) and stage wins (eight). His three wins are tied for his most and three runner-up results are the second most for him at the 32-race mark.

NAPA IN KANSAS: On Sunday at Kansas, Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will don the blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme. The Atlanta-based company is serving as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for a total of 26 NASCAR Cup Series races this season. In February, it was announced that NAPA AUTO PARTS and Hendrick Motorsports will continue their partnership for another two seasons through 2022. Click here to read the full release.

GUSTAFSON IN THE PLAYOFFS: Sunday’s win at the Charlotte roval gives No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson his 10th NASCAR Cup Series career win in the playoffs, the third most of all crew chiefs.

FOUR TO GO: As the NASCAR Cup Series enters the Round of 8 this weekend at Kansas, Elliott currently leads playoff drivers with the most points earned (239), stage points (73) and holds the best average running position (5.66) in the six playoff races. He has also run the most laps in the top five (1,176) and in the top 10 (1,567) of all drivers. In those six playoff races, the driver of the No. 9 holds the third-most laps led (280) and is tied for the second-most top-10s (4) in the playoffs with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman.

1.5-MILE TRACKS IN 2020: In nine 1.5-mile races in 2020, Elliott won at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28 and has two runner-up finishes. He has led the fifth-most laps (262) in the Cup Series and has collected the fourth-most points (329). Elliott’s three stage wins at 1.5-mile tracks are tied for most in the series this season with Bowman and Denny Hamlin.

KANSAS STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his 10th Kansas Speedway start in the NASCAR Cup Series. He holds the third-best average finish (11.6) at the track among drivers with at least two starts. In Elliott’s nine previous starts at Kansas, he garnered one win, four top-five finishes and five top-10s. Elliott has finished inside the top five in four of the last six races at the 1.5-mile track.

WELCOME HOME: No. 9 team jackman T.J. Semke hails from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, less than 40 miles from Kansas Speedway. Before stepping on the football field at the University of Kansas in 2012, Semke was a part-time bounty hunter. The 27-year-old was a defensive lineman for the Kansas Jayhawks for three years, earning Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honors twice. Semke signed with Hendrick Motorsports in October 2016.

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William Byron
No. 24 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
12th in standings
32 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
137 laps led

Career
104 starts
1 win
5 pole positions
9 top-five finishes
29 top-10 finishes
431 laps led

Track Career
5 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
2 top-10 finishes
32 laps led

ROAD-COURSE REGULAR: Rolling off 13th Sunday afternoon at the Charlotte road course, William Byron didn’t let the wet conditions slow him down, scoring a fourth-place finish in Stage 1 and a seventh-place finish in Stage 2 after leading 27 laps – tying Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott for the most laps led in the race. However, a pit road speeding penalty in the final stage forced Byron to restart at the tail end of the field. He was able to pilot his No. 24 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE back to the front and secure a sixth-place finish.

CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY: Last Sunday’s sixth-place finish marked Byron’s 12th top-10 result of the 2020 season. In fact, the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet has five top-10 finishes in the last eight races – tied for the second most with Elliott and just behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman with six.

RACING FOR REDEMPTION: With five NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Byron’s results don’t accurately depict the success he has had at the 1.5-mile track. During his rookie season, Byron was running seventh in the May event before a late-race incident ended his day early, followed by a mechanical issue early in the October race. In last year’s May race, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native was running in second before being called for a penalty on pit road. Since then, Byron has finished fifth (October 2019) and 10th (July 2020). In fact, Byron’s 27 laps led at Kansas Speedway in the Cup Series is tied for the third most at a track in his career. His two consecutive top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track is the second-longest streak on a track for Byron behind Pocono Raceway (three) and 4 him for the third-longest top-10 streak behind Erik Jones (five) and Kurt Busch (three).

KANSAS CAN-DO ATTITUDE: While his Cup results are a bit misleading, in Byron’s first two NASCAR national series starts at Kansas Speedway – one in the Xfinity Series and one in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series – he started from the pole position in both races and finished no worse than fourth. In his debut at the 1.5-mile oval in 2016, just his fifth Truck Series start, Byron started from the top spot, led 34 laps and collected his first Truck Series win, which kickstarted the most successful season by a rookie in the history of the series.

ONE MORE TIME FOR HENDRICKCARS.COM: For the final time in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will feature HendrickCars.com for Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway. The blue and white scheme pays homage to Ricky Hendrick, son of car owner Rick Hendrick, who drove a similar scheme in both the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and in the Xfinity Series. Brian Vickers also piloted the scheme when he won the 2003 Xfinity Series championship. Hendrick Automotive Group has more than 100 dealership locations in 14 states and 27,000 cars to choose from, which can be browsed at HendrickCars.com. It also offers same-day service and maintenance from factory-certified technicians, which can be scheduled online.

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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 45 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
18th in standings
31 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
9 top-10 finishes
103 laps led

Career
682 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
231 top-five finishes
373 top-10 finishes
18,937 laps led

Track Career
28 starts
3 wins
3 pole positions
9 top-five finishes
19 top-10 finishes
601 laps led

KANSAS WINS: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has seen plenty of success over the course of his 28 starts at Kansas Speedway, accumulating a record three wins at the 1.5-mile track. The driver’s most recent win there came on May 9, 2015, when he led the final 10 laps to edge Kevin Harvick for the victory. Johnson owns 28 career Cup Series wins on 1.5-mile tracks, the most of all time. At Kansas, he also has the second-most top-five finishes (nine), the most top-10s (19) and the fourth-most laps led (601).

ABOVE AVERAGE AT KANSAS: Johnson had the second-best average finish of 11.1 at Kansas Speedway among active drivers with more than two starts and is fourth among active drivers with more than five starts.

INFIELD HONOR: This week, Kansas Speedway announced a legacy gift for Johnson in honor of his contributions to NASCAR and his passion for cycling. Academy Sports + Outdoors will donate 48 bikes and helmets to pediatric patients at the University of Kansas Health System. In addition, there will be tributes to Johnson on the infield grass and throughout the venue.

PASSING THE TORCH: Last weekend, Johnson and teammate Alex Bowman sat down with NBC Sports’ legendary broadcaster Mike Tirico to talk about Johnson passing the torch to Bowman to drive for the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team next season. Click here for the extended interview.

O MAGAZINE: Recently, Johnson penned an essay about friend and competitor Bubba Wallace for “O Magazine”. The November issue hit newsstands on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Click here to read the article.

RACE HUB TUNE IN: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Johnson will be a show-long guest on FOX Sports 1’s Race Hub on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. ET. Johnson and the Hub crew will unveil the “Sign for Jimmie” paint scheme on air.

MURAL HONOR AT CHARLOTTE: Last weekend, president and CEO of Charlotte Motor Speedway Marcus Smith unveiled a 207-square-foot historical mural featuring memorable scenes from Johnson’s victories at America’s Home for Racing. The mural, which recognizes Johnson as the winningest NASCAR Cup Series driver in Charlotte Motor Speedway history, is located on the frontstretch concourse for fans to enjoy for years to come. To learn more about the mural, click here.

TEAM JJF VISOR CAMPAIGN: A number of Johnson’s teammates and competitors will sport a specially designed Jimmie Johnson Foundation visor strip on their respective helmets this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Once raced, the signed visors will be available in an online auction the week prior to the race at Phoenix Raceway, Johnson’s final race as a full-time Cup driver, to raise funds to support K-12 public education. For more information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, click here.

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Alex Bowman
No. 88 Truck Hero/ChevyGoods.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE ​
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 27 Resides Concord, North Carolina

2020 Season
7th in standings
32 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
396 laps led

Career
185 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
14 top-five finishes
38 top-10 finishes
870 laps led

Track Career
2 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
4 top-10 finishes
76 laps led

WELCOME TO THE ROUND OF 8: For the first time in Alex Bowman’s NASCAR Cup Series career, he has secured a position in the Round of 8 in the 2020 playoffs. After capturing stage points in Sunday’s event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course and bringing home an eighth-place finish, Bowman finished eighth in the standings at the conclusion of the Round of 12.

SITTING SEVENTH: Coming off the eighth-place finish in Charlotte on Sunday, Bowman remains seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings. The Tucson, Arizona, native sits 58 markers from the leader going into Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway. Bowman has captured 262 points at 1.5-mile venues, which ranks 10th on the list of active drivers. The ChevyGoods.com driver has three stage wins on intermediate tracks and has led 226 laps total. A win on Sunday would earn Bowman a spot in the Championship 4.

CAREER YEAR: Bowman is having a career year in 2020. The 27-year-old driver has made it to the Round of 8 for the first time in his career and has four stage wins so far this season. The No. 88 team’s 12 top-10 finishes in 2020 are tied for Bowman’s most in a single season. He has led 396 laps thus far, which is nearly double from any other season. Bowman has finished inside the top 10 in six of the last eight races, which are the most top 10s among active drivers in that span.

BOWMAN STATS: The Tucson, Arizona native, will make his 11th start at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. Earlier this season, Bowman brought home an eighth-place finish at the track after rolling off sixth. The sixth-year Cup Series driver has four top-10 results at Kansas in 10 starts, which are the most top-10s on a single track for Bowman. He has led 76 laps at the venue and has finished inside the top 10 in three of the last four events. The driver made one start at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series back in 2013 and finished 11th at the end of the 200-lap event. Bowman made two starts at Kansas in the ARCA Series and brought home the win in both races. In 2012, the driver won from the pole after leading 67 laps.

IMPRESSIVE STATS: Bowman has scored the fourth-highest number of points so far in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with 209. He earned the fourth-highest amount of stage points (45) and has the fifth-best average running position (10.2) so far. Bowman has four top-10 finishes in the six playoff events and is third among drivers for the most top-10s (four) in the 2020 playoffs. He has run 1,257 laps inside the top 10 in the last six events and has spent 394 laps inside the top five. During the first 24 races of the season, Bowman’s average points per race was 26. In the last eight events, his average in points earned is 34 and his average finish went from 17.9 to 8.8.

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

CHEVYGOODS IS BACK: For Sunday’s event at Kansas Speedway, ChevyGoods.com and Truck Hero will be back on-board Bowman’s Chevrolet. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Truck Hero offers customers a full range of branded automotive accessories for vehicles with market-leading functionality, engineering, quality and design. Hendrick Motorsports announced its partnership with ChevyGoods.com earlier this season, which includes branding on Bowman’s Camaro for 26 events. Associate brands featured are Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero.

NEW MONTH, NEW DEALS: During the month of October, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on various accessories on its website. Customers can receive 10% below MSRP on Adam’s Polishes and NOCO accessories purchased online with code CHEVYGOODS. With code TRUCKHERO, customers can receive 20% below MSRP on Truck Hero accessories purchased online.

HOME-TRACK FEELS: The fueler for the No. 88 team, Jacob Conley, grew up approximately 204 miles from Kansas Speedway in Omaha, Nebraska. Conley went to Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, and graduated with a degree in sociology in 2012. While at the university, Conley played offensive tackle for the Tigers and was a starter during all four years of college.

SPEEDY ON PIT ROAD: The No. 88 pit crew ranks sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series with an average four-tire stop time of 14.13 seconds after 32 events this season. The team includes fueler Conley, tire carrier Rowdy Harrell, jackman Dustin Lineback and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco.

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Hendrick Motorsports

CONQUERING KANSAS: Coming off a winning weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval, Hendrick Motorsports will take on the 1.5-mile oval of Kansas Speedway on Sunday. The team is the track’s all-time leader in NASCAR Cup Series wins (seven), runner-up results (six), top-five finishes (35) and top-10s (63). Its average Kansas finish of 13.18 is the best of all organizations. Rick Hendrick’s drivers have led 1,278 laps there.

TEAMMATES SUPPORTING TEAMMATES: At Kansas, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers, along with other Cup Series drivers, will have a special strip across their visors to support the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. The drivers will sign their visors for an online auction that will take place the week before Johnson’s final Cup Series race at Phoenix. Proceeds from the auction will go to Johnson’s foundation, which supports K-12 public school education.

BEST SINCE ’16: Hendrick Motorsports has notched as least one top-10 finish in 14 consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races, its longest streak of the 2020 season. The last time the team reeled off more than 14 consecutive top-10s was in 2016 when it posted 15 in a row during a championship year. Hendrick Motorsports has also led laps in each of the last 10 races, which is the longest active streak of any organization.

PLAYOFF RECORD: Since the inception of the format in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports has 45 NASCAR Cup Series playoff wins – 16 more than any other team. With Chase Elliott’s victory on Sunday at the Charlotte roval, the organization has now scored at least one playoff win in a record-extending 16 different seasons, missing only 2017. A series-topping seven different drivers have won a playoff race for Hendrick Motorsports.

SEVEN AWAY: Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 261 race victories and holds the all-time records for championships (12), pole positions (226), top-five finishes (1,096), top-10s (1,891) and laps led (70,335) in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Including 2020, the organization has won at least one race in 35 consecutive seasons, the longest-ever streak. Hendrick Motorsports is seven wins away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time Cup record of 268.

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QUOTABLE /
Driver Chase Elliott on if the No. 9 team is doing anything differently this season to advance to Championship 4:
“I don’t know if we are necessarily taking a different approach. I think we’re just trying to build on what we’ve been working on over the past few years. I feel like every year we’ve been close; we just haven’t been able to get over that hump and really assert ourselves among that top group. I feel like we’ve been right there. I feel like we’re very capable of it. Just those little inconsistencies and some bad racetracks have been our biggest problems. So, we’re trying to be a little more consistent everywhere. I think it’s a goal. And eliminate bad tracks. You can’t have bad tracks at this level, and the guys who win often and win all the time and run (well) don’t have any bad tracks. It’s certainly possible and that’s just where we have to get to. The reality is that’s the only way to contend with them and I think we’re capable of doing it.”

Crew chief Alan Gustafson on what it takes to advance to Championship 4:
“Yeah, we’ve got to find a way to get through. I feel like there’s certainly been a couple times that I think we could have advanced in the last few years. Winning one of these next three is going to be what it takes, and I think we can do it. We’re going to work really hard to do it. We have great support behind us. Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports is doing a great job. Greg (Ives) and Alex (Bowman) did a great job getting through. We have two with a shot to make it through. We’d certainly like to get them both.”

Driver William Byron on the challenges of racing at Kansas:
“Kansas is one of the most dynamic tracks we go to in terms of how crucial lane choice and lane selection are. It’s a tough track to figure out. You want to be turning well but if you’re too loose it’s really hard to make good lap times because the track is so smooth. It’s tough to manage and figure out how much freer you need to be to make time but also how much rear grip you need so you can stay in the throttle. I think the Vegas races this year give us a good idea of how this weekend will go though. I think those two tracks really correlate well to each other. Vegas gives us a good idea of what we need to work on since we had a decent run there and, hopefully, we can apply some of those things.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson on Kansas:
“I’ve always loved racing at Kansas. The track shape, design and also the progressive banking in the corners. They just hit it and they gave drivers the opportunity to search for other lanes and to try to find a way by the car in front of you. It’s led to some very strong finishes for us. It really takes 10 to 15 years for a track’s surface to really come in, and if you look at the age of Kansas Speedway they are in that window. It’s quality racing and some of the best out there.”

Driver Alex Bowman on making the Round of 8:
“Making the Round of 8 was one of our team’s goals for the 2020 season. We are focused and ready to get through the Round of 8 and go for a championship in Phoenix next month. Going to Kansas this weekend is something I am looking forward to. We have had some strong results there in the past and Hendrick Motorsports’ intermediate program is one of our best. This No. 88 team is capable of putting together a race-winning Chevrolet and we believe we will have a strong car this weekend.”

Crew chief Greg Ives on being successful at Kansas:
“I feel like we are going to have a great car in Kansas. It is one of those tracks that we have had marked on our board, like ‘Hey, this is another place we can win at.’ We have the car capable to do that and we have the team capable of doing that. There are a lot of factors to consider but we are going to go out there with a fast Chevrolet and try to get that win. We have to take advantage of our strengths and we feel that Kansas is one of our strongest tracks when looking at the next three tracks. We have to be aggressive to the point of succeeding, but not over aggressive.”

In their first year together, Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Menards/Wrangler RIGGS team have scored three top-three finishes, all on 1.5-mile intermediate tracks. There have been two runner-up finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a third-place at Kentucky Speedway.

So it’s not surprising that DiBenedetto is optimistic headed into Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway, one of his favorites among the intermediate tracks due to its slick surface and multiple lanes.

Tracks like Kansas Speedway allow DiBenedetto to capitalize on one his driving strengths, which is gaining positions on restarts through aggressive tactics.

“Mile-and-a-half tracks are a strong point for us this year for sure,” DiBenedetto said. “The Menards/Wrangler RIGGS team has learned what feel I need, and we have gotten very strong at those type places.

“We also have had strong restarts which help us a lot.”

In his last appearance at Kansas, in July’s Super Start Batteries 400, DiBenedetto was able to make up numerous positions on restarts, taking advantage of the track’s multiple grooves, only to see his night ended when he was swept up in a chain-reaction wreck.

But that experience didn’t dampen his enthusiasm over Sunday’s race.

“Kansas is one of the most fun mile-and-a-halfs for all the lane choices you have there,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

DiBenedetto and the Menards/Wrangler RIGGS Mustang will start 18th in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, which is set to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBC.

Menards

A family owned company started in 1958, Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire, WI. Menards has more than 300 retail stores located throughout the Midwest in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI and WY. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader. It’s famous slogan “Save Big Money at Menards” is widely known and easy to remember. For more information, visit Menards.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Wood Brothers Racing

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