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Weekend schedule for Michigan and Road America

By
Angie Campbell
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The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 11, 2019. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images.

The Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will kick off the weekend’s events at Michigan International Speedway Friday evening while the NASCAR Cup Series participates in a doubleheader, competing both Saturday and Sunday.

Michigan will also host the ARCA Menards Series race Sunday at 1 p.m., preceding the Cup Series Consumers Energy 400.

The Xfinity Series heads to Road America Saturday for the Henry 180.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, Aug. 7

Michigan – 6 p.m.: Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Henry Ford Health System 200 (Stages 20/40/100 Laps = 200 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – 2019 Winner: Austin Hill

Saturday, Aug. 8

Road America – 12 p.m.: Xfinity Series Henry 180 (Stages 14/29/45 Laps = 182.16 Miles) NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – 2019 Winner: Christopher Bell

Michigan – 4 p.m.: Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 – (Stages 40/85/156 Laps = 312 Miles) NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – 2019 Winner: Joey Logano

Sunday, Aug. 9

Michigan – 11:30 a.m.: ARCA Final Practice – No TV

Michigan – 1 p.m.: ARCA VizCom 200 – (100 Laps, 200 Miles) – MAVTV/Trackpass/MRN – 2019 Winner: Michael Self

Michigan – 4:30 p.m.: Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 – (Stages 40/85/156 Laps = 312 Miles) NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – 2019 Winner: Kevin Harvick

Road America Henry 180 could heat up Xfinity Series title race heading into Playoffs

By
Joseph Shelton
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SPARTA, KENTUCKY - JULY 09: Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 Snap-On Ford, (R) celebrates in Victory Lane with Chase Briscoe, driver of the #98 Ford Performance Racing School Ford, after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Shady Rays 200 at Kentucky Speedway on July 09, 2020 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

A year ago it was obvious that the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship was going to be settled between three drivers from three different camps: Cole Custer in a Ford, Christopher Bell in a Toyota, and Tyler Reddick in a Chevrolet. Ultimately it was Reddick who came away with his second consecutive championship, while Custer finished second in points and Bell in third. The outcome of the championship was never in doubt regarding those three, while the rest of the Xfinity garage was just an afterthought.

In 2020, there are only two full-time Ford camps in the Xfinity garage and they also happen to be the season leaders as Chase Briscoe with Stewart-Haas Racing and Austin Cindric with Team Penske run second and first in the standings, respectively. Briscoe leads the series with five wins while Cindric has three, while the other regulars who have won have only won once or twice.

Briscoe and Cindric both have two Xfinity Series road course wins, with Briscoe winning at the Charlotte Roval in 2018 and the Indianapolis Road Course in 2020, while Cindric won back-to-back road course events in 2019 with wins at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. Both drivers have considerable space ahead of third-place Noah Gragson and look to make the title fight an exclusively Ford affair.

Briscoe has edged the competition so far in 2020 with an average finish of 6.6 in 17 events. This is helped not only by his five wins this season but by his 10 top-fives and 13 top-10s as well. His No. 98 SHR Ford has hit few snags this season, but with his lowest finish being 20th at Charlotte he’s been consistent. He’s been strongest this season on the mile-and-a-half speedways, but at Road America in 2019, he posted a solid seventh-place result, one of the four top-10s he earned on road courses in 2019.

Cindric meanwhile is an established road course ace. Along with his two road course wins in 2019 he finished second at Road America and third at the Charlotte Roval, and in July he finished fifth. Considering he has an extra season under his belt as opposed to Briscoe, looking at his 2018 statistics he scored a second at Watkins Glen and a third at the Charlotte Roval. That adds to seven road course top-fives in 10 Xfinity Series road course races.

Cindric’s average finish this season is 8.9, but that’s only due to the three crash DNFs he’s experienced so far. He’s on par with Briscoe in terms of performance in 2020, with 11 top-fives and 13 top-10s to his name heading into Road America.

Although Noah Gragson has only won twice in 2020 (Daytona, Bristol) and sits third in points, his aggressive consistency has netted him eight top-fives and 11 top-10s this season. He’s been a contender on the road courses as well, with five straight top-fives on the Xfinity road course events including a third at Indy this year. Last year’s Road America event saw him finish fourth after starting fifth, so with the speed the No. 9 JR Motorsports crew has had this season mixed with Gragson’s experience, Road America could be the place that team makes a championship charge.

Perhaps the biggest dark horse among this season’s Xfinity Series leaders is Ross Chastain from the Kaulig Racing camp. He’s winless in 2020, but he sits fourth in points heading into Road America with a series-leading 15 top-10s in 17 races. 2019 was a partial Xfinity Series schedule for Chastain, however, his last start at Road America in 2018 yielded a seventh-place finish. Considering 2020 has been a career year for the Florida watermelon farmer, there’s no reason that Chastain shouldn’t be able to continue his consistent streak at Road America.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180 at Road America will be August 8, at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Byron to surpass 150 starts across NASCAR following Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

In the midst of his battle for a postseason berth this season, William Byron is also set to achieve a significant milestone of his racing career. By competing in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway, Byron will reach and surpass 150 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series (Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series).

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and a student at Liberty University, Byron’s debut within NASCAR’s three major division series came in November 2015 at Phoenix Raceway and in the No. 9 Liberty University Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Truck Series. By then, he had achieved the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series (ARCA) East championship and was named as a full-time driver for KBM for the 2016 Truck Series season. Byron’s Truck debut at Phoenix in 2015 was cut short six laps into the event following a multi-truck wreck.

Byron started the 2016 campaign with a 13th-place result at Daytona, which was followed by a 32nd-place result at Atlanta due to an engine failure and a third-place result at Martinsville Speedway. At Kansas Speedway in May, Byron benefitted from an accident on the final lap and final corner involving leaders Johnny Sauter and Ben Rhodes to achieve his first Truck Series career win in his fifth series start. Following his first victory, Byron’s season skyrocketed with sensational results that included wins at Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Pocono Raceway and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. By then, he was a member in the postseason and deemed a title favorite. Everything, however, came to a crushing defeat at Phoenix in November when Byron’s engine blew up and the mechanical issue prevented the Charlotte native and his No. 9 Toyota team from transferring to the Championship Round with an opportunity of winning the title. Despite the misfortune, he rebounded by winning the finale at Homestead and concluding the season in fifth in the final standings. Overall, Byron concluded the season with seven victories (the most among a Truck rookie candidate), three poles, 11 top-five results, 16 top-10 results, 727 laps led and an average result of 9.2. In addition, he was named the 2016 Truck Rookie of the Year as he also recorded the owners’ title for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

In August 2016, Byron signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports that included an opportunity for him to race in the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with JR Motorsports. Driving the No. 9 Liberty University/AXALTA Chevrolet Camaro led by crew chief Dave Elenz, Byron commenced his rookie Xfinity season with a ninth-place result at Daytona. Twelve races into the season, he finished in the top 10 six times. At Michigan in June, Byron was edged by Denny Hamlin by 0.012 seconds. The following race at Iowa Speedway, Byron was not to be denied as he scored his first Xfinity triumph. He responded again the following race by achieving his second series career victory at Daytona International Speedway. Three races later, Byron recorded another win of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway following an intense battle with Paul Menard. Through 31 of 33 Xfinity races, Byron recorded three victories, two poles, 10 top-five results and 20 top-10 results as he was also a member of the Playoffs. At Phoenix in November, Byron benefitted from a late two-tire pit stop to win and clinch his spot to the Championship Round at Homestead. During the finale at Homestead, Byron made a late pass on teammate and championship rival Elliott Sadler to finish in third place and achieve his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship over Sadler, teammate Justin Allgaier and Daniel Hemric. In addition to achieving his first NASCAR Xfinity title and becoming the second rookie candidate to win the series title, Byron recorded the second championship for JR Motorsports.

The 2018 season provided a new start of Byron’s racing career as he graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series to pilot the iconic No. 24 AXALTA/Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 led by crew chief Darian Grubb. Byron started his rookie Cup season on a down note, finishing 23rd in the Daytona 500 and achieving one top-10 result through the first 18 races of the season. The end of July and beginning of August provided Byron’s highest moments of the season as he achieved back-to-back top-10 results at Pocono Raceway and at Watkins Glen International. Overall, Byron wrapped up his rookie Cup season with four top-10 results, 61 laps led and an average result of 22.1. He was also able to wrap up the 2018 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title over Bubba Wallace.

In 2019, Byron was paired with seven-time championship-winning crew chief Chad Knaus, who was formerly with seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson. The Charlotte native started a new season of racing on a high note by winning his first Cup career pole position for the 61st running of the Daytona 500. With his accomplishment, Byron became the third competitor to win the pole for the 500 driving the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He led 44 laps throughout the 500 and was in position of posting a strong result until a late wreck left him in 21st place in the final running order. Byron’s highest result for the following five races was 15th at Auto Club Speedway in March. At Texas, where he made his 100th across NASCAR’s three major division series, Byron recorded his first top-10 result of the season (sixth). For the remaining 20 regular-season races, Byron achieved three top-five results, eight top-10 results and three additional poles as he made his first appearance as a Cup postseason contender. He went on to achieve four more top-10 results and another pole before concluding the season in a career-best 11th place in the standings. Though he did not win a race, Byron notched career-high stats that included five top-five results, 13 top-10 results, five poles, 233 laps led and a best average result of 14.9. His other highlight to the season was winning the first stage of the All-Star Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May in a photo finish over Bubba Wallace, a win that transferred Byron and the No. 24 team to the All-Star Race. He finished ninth in the main event.

This season, Byron started off with early momentum by winning the second Duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway and to line up in fourth place for the Daytona 500. He, however, finished last of the 40-car field following a wreck past the one-quarter mark of the race. Through the first 20 races of this season, he has achieved six top-10 results and an average result of 17.6. He is 15 points above the top-16 cutline with six regular-season races remaining until the 2020 Cup Playoffs field is determined.

In his 149 previous starts across NASCAR’s three major division series, Byron has achieved 11 wins, 10 poles, 28 top-five results, 61 top-10 results and over 1,300 laps led.

Catch Byron’s milestone start at Michigan on August 8 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Seven Tips for Finding a Good Dealership When You’re Ready to Buy a New Car

By
SM
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If you’re in a car accident, it makes sense that you would spend plenty of time finding the right car wreck lawyer. With this reasoning, you would think that most people would spend plenty of time finding the right dealership when purchasing a car, but that’s rarely the case.

Instead, most people are more focused on the car they want. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to think carefully about the kind of car you want, but where you buy the car is just as important. You don’t want to feel bullied into a sale, you don’t want to have to deal with outrageous interest rates, and you may want to return for service later.

Instead of focusing too much on the exact make and model you want, focus on finding the right auto dealership with these tips.

Consider Your Financing Options

One of the first things you should consider is your financing options. You don’t want to settle on the perfect car at the perfect dealership only to discover that they are unable to help you finance your new vehicle. Although there are finance and insurance manager in every car dealership who can help you decide.

It’s important to consider all of your options because there are many ways to finance a car. Some dealerships offer financing options with multiple lenders, enabling you to find a low-interest loan, but other dealers may not offer as many options, which means you may get stuck with a higher interest rate than necessary.

You will also want to consider if you can get a loan directly from the bank. If you can, you can go to any dealership.

Search for Reviews and Ask for Recommendations

Once you have an idea of a few dealerships that you might want to work with, it’s time to go online and check out customer review sites. This is where you will find information about how other customers were treated when working directly with the dealership that you’re interested in.

In addition to checking out reviews online, you should also ask around. Talk to your friends, family members, and coworkers to see which dealerships they went to when purchasing their vehicles. You may discover a highly recommended dealership, and you may discover one that you want to stay away from as well.

Make Sure They Are Easy to Get Ahold Of

When you’re ready to reach out, make sure you can do it easily. There are many ways a dealership can allow customers to contact them including:

  • Phone calls
  • Emails
  • Social media messages
  • Online chat through their website

The dealership doesn’t have to offer all of these options, but they should offer a few, so getting ahold of their sales department is easy. This information should also be found online. If you’re having difficulty finding an email address or the correct phone number to call on the website, it’s a sign that you may want to move on to a different dealership.

Drive by the Lot

If you’ve never driven by the dealerships you’re interested in, now is the time to get in your existing vehicle and take a drive. You don’t necessarily have to get out of your car and wander around the lot—as that’s likely to alert the sales staff—but driving by can tell you a lot about whether you will be comfortable shopping there.

Is the building well-maintained? Are you comfortable with the side of town where it is located?

Tempted to try an out-of-state lot to save money? Make sure you consider whether you would ever want to make payments in person, or if you would ever need to return for service, as it can be very inconvenient and expensive in the long run to work with a dealership that’s far from home.

Consider Their Inventory

It really doesn’t matter how great the dealership seems to be if they don’t sell the kinds of cars you’re interested in purchasing. You do have to consider the inventory they have to offer. For example, if you are looking to buy a new Toyota Crown, you need to do your research to find the best dealership that stocks this particular vehicle. However, it is about a lot more than finding a dealership that sells the exact car you want.

Instead, focus on looking for certain safety features, and look for a dealership that offers used cars as well as new cars. You may discover you can get a great deal on a slightly different model if you buy used rather than buying the exact car you originally wanted.

Expertise and Experience

You should also consider expertise and experience. That means working with a dealership that focuses on selling and servicing certain models, and a dealership that has been in business for at least a few years.

If you work with a dealership that is used to working with your make and model, you’re more likely to get the right parts and the right service. Choosing a dealership that has been in business for a while demonstrates that they offer service that is good enough to keep them in business for years.

Discover What Makes Them Different Than Other Dealers

Car salesmen get a bad rap, and in some cases, it’s well-earned. Bad dealerships with a sales staff that use slimy sales tactics still exist in the world. You don’t want to feel pressured into a sale, and you don’t want to drive home and discover that you’ve purchased a lemon.

Do a little research to discover what makes them different than other dealers. Visit their website and read their about page or see if they have a philosophy that they have posted online.

If you’re having difficulty finding this information, don’t hesitate to call them and ask why you should choose their dealership over other dealerships in the area. They should be able to tell you immediately; if they can’t, it’s a good sign you should move on to another business.

You should consider what kind of car you want, but don’t let the dealership you work with become an afterthought. By taking the time to work with a trustworthy dealership, you can enjoy the entire car-buying experience.

Bell to reach 150 starts across NASCAR following Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

A significant milestone is in the making for Christopher Bell as the NASCAR Cup Series enters its upcoming doubleheader feature at Michigan International Speedway. By the time the Cup Series completes its two races at Michigan on back-to-back dates, Bell will achieve 150 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series (Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series).

A native of Norman, Oklahoma, who started his racing career on dirt and won the 2013 USAC National Midget Series title, Bell made his debut within NASCAR’s three major division series at Iowa Speedway in June 2015, driving the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Finishing in fifth place in his Truck debut, Bell returned for the upcoming races at Kentucky Speedway and at Eldora Speedway in KBM’s No. 54 Toyota Tundra. After finishing 17th at Kentucky, Bell achieved his first NASCAR Truck career win at Eldora after leading a race-high 106 of 154 laps and prevailing over a late battle with Bobby Pierce. He made four more Truck starts for the remainder of the 2015 season, notching one top-10 result at Texas Motor Speedway in November.

The following season, Bell was promoted as driver of the No. 4 JBL Toyota Tundra for KBM led by Jerry Baxter for the 2016 Truck Series season. In his first race in the No. 4 truck at Daytona International Speedway in February, Bell was involved in two separate incidents. He rallied from his incidents and was in position of recording a strong result until he was involved in a frightening accident on the final lap, where he barrel rolled nearly a dozen times past the start/finish line before coming to rest on all four wheels. He survived the incident and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bell was leading in the closing laps until he blew a right-front tire and smacked the outside wall in Turn 4 at full speed. Despite the accident, Bell emerged uninjured. It took until June, nine races into the season, for Bell to achieve his second Truck Series career win, first on a paved track, at Gateway. In addition to winning at Gateway, Bell racked up nine top-five results, 17 top-10 results, 197 laps led and an average result of 9.5. He qualified for the postseason and made it all the way to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he settled in third place in the final standings.

In 2017, Bell remained with KBM but was paired with Ryan “Rudy” Fugle. Following an eighth-place finish at Daytona, Bell recorded his first victory of the season at Atlanta. Through 22 of 23 Truck races, Bell achieved five victories, five poles, 14 top-five results and 20 top-10 results. The results allowed Bell to make the postseason and all the way to the Championship Round at Homestead. At Homestead, Bell finished in the runner-up spot and clinched his first NASCAR Truck Series championship over Johnny Sauter, Austin Cindric and Matt Crafton. In addition to recording his first NASCAR title, he also recorded the second championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Throughout the 2017 season, Bell also made his eight NASCAR Xfinity Series career starts between the No. 18 and No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. During the eight races, he recorded his first Xfinity career win at Kansas Speedway in October following a late dust-up with teammate Erik Jones. He also achieved three top-five results and five top-10 results.

The following season, Bell graduated to a full-time driving role in the Xfinity Series and in the No. 20 Rheem/GameStop Toyota for JGR led by crew chief Jason Ratcliff. Following the first seven races of the season, Bell recorded his first win of the season at Richmond in April following a late battle with Noah Gragson. In July, Bell made history as he notched three consecutive Xfinity wins at Kentucky Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and at Iowa Speedway. Thus, he became the first Xfinity competitor to win three consecutive races in a season since Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the last accomplishment in 1999. Qualifying for the Playoffs on the strength of his victories and consistent runs throughout the regular season, Bell achieved wins at Richmond Raceway, Dover International Speedway and at Phoenix Raceway to make the Championship Round at Homestead with an opportunity of winning his first Xfinity championship. For the finale, however, Bell suffered a flat right-rear tire in the final laps and finished 11th, thus finishing in fourth place in the final standings and missing the Rookie-of-the-Year title to the eventual champion Tyler Reddick. Nonetheless, Bell concluded the season on a positive note with seven wins, five poles, 18 top-five results, 20 top-10 results, 759 laps led and an average result of 11.1.

Bell remained in the Xfinity Series with JGR for the 2019 season. At Auto Club Speedway in March, Bell reached 100 starts between the Xfinity and Truck Series. Throughout the season, Bell was dominant as he earned victories at Atlanta, Bristol, Dover, Iowa, New Hampshire, Road America, Richmond and Texas, all while making the Playoffs and earning a spot for the Championship Round at Homestead. Though he came into the finale with momentum, he finished fifth at Homestead and concluded the season in third place in the final standings. Despite the result of not achieving his first Xfinity title, Bell recorded career-high stats that included eight wins, six poles, 20 top-five results, 21 top-10 results, 2,005 laps led and an average result of 9.1.

This season started off on a fresh note for Bell, who graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series to drive the No. 95 Toyota Camry for Leavine Family Racing led by Ratcliff. Through last weekend’s Cup race at New Hampshire, the first 20 races of his Cup career, Bell has achieved one top-five result, five top-10 results, four laps led and an average result of 20.4. He is currently ranked in 23rd in the regular-season standings and is 129 points below the top-16 cutline with six regular-season races remaining until the 2020 Cup Playoffs field is determined.

All told, Bell has recorded 23 wins, 18 poles, 68 top-five results, 92 top-10 results and over 4,100 laps led in his previous 148 starts between NASCAR’s three major division series.

Catch Bell’s milestone start at Michigan on August 9, which will occur at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Austin Dillon to surpass 250 Cup starts following Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

When Austin Dillon completes this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway, he will achieve a significant milestone of his racing career. By taking the green flag for the first Michigan race on Saturday, August 8, Dillon will reach 250 starts as a Cup competitor. He will then surpass his 250th start the following day on Sunday, August 9.

A native of Welcome, North Carolina, and the eldest grandson of NASCAR championship owner and Hall of Famer Richard Childress, Dillon made his debut in NASCAR’s premier series at Kansas Speedway in October 2011, driving the No. 98 Curb Agajanian/Reagan Centennial/Camping World/Curb Records Chevrolet. By then, he was a full-time NASCAR Truck Series competitor for Richard Childress Racing and vying for the championship in the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado. He started and finished 26th in his Cup debut.

The following season, Dillon made one Cup start at Michigan International Speedway in June. By then, he had achieved the 2011 Truck Series championship and was a rookie Xfinity Series competitor for RCR in the No. 3 Chevrolet Impala. Driving the No. 33 American Ethanol Chevrolet for RCR and led by veteran crew chief Gil Martin, Dillon started 22nd and finished 24th.

In 2013, while entered as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor, Dillon made his first Daytona 500 career start in February. Driving the No. 33 Honey Nut Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet SS for RCR, Dillon started in eighth and finished 31st. Over the course of the season, he competed in four more Cup races in RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet and in four races in Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 Chevrolet. He also made two starts in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing as an interim competitor, filling in for the injured Tony Stewart. His best Cup result throughout the 2013 season was an 11th-place run at Michigan in June. At Talladega Superspeedway in October, while driving Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet, Dillon was running in third place on the final lap and was prepared to establish a race-winning move until he was involved in an accident on the final lap, where he was launched in the air after being hit by Casey Mears before he landed on the ground on all four tires. He ended his race in 26th place.

In December 2013, a month after winning his first Xfinity Series championship, Dillon was named driver of the No. 3 Dow Chemicals/Cheerios/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet SS for the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series season led by Gil Martin. Dillon’s entrance as a rookie Cup candidate also marked the return of the No. 3 car in NASCAR’s premier series since the 2001 Daytona 500, where the sport’s icon Dale Earnhardt lost his life following an accident on the final lap and where Childress opted to retire the number following the race.

Dillon’s first run in the No. 3 Chevrolet in the Cup Series started off on a high note by winning the pole position for the 2014 Daytona 500 with a pole-winning lap at 196.019 mph. Dillon’s accomplishment marked the first time the No. 3 car started on pole for the Daytona 500 since 1996 as he also became the 40th competitor to start on pole position for the 500, fourth to do so driving the No. 3 car. He also became the fifth rookie candidate to start on pole position for the Daytona 500 and the youngest pole winner of the 500 at age 23 years, nine months and 27 days old (a record that was supplanted in 2016 by Chase Elliott). During the main event, Dillon rallied from being involved in a late multi-car wreck to finish ninth. Throughout his rookie season, Dillon achieved one top-five result, four top-10 results, 10 laps led and an average result of 17.5. He concluded the season in 20th in the final standings and fell short of the Rookie-of-the-Year title to Kyle Larson.

For the first 15 races of the 2015 season, Dillon achieved only one top-10 result and was situated in 23rd in the regular-season standings. The following race at Sonoma Raceway, veteran Richard “Slugger” Labbe replaced Gil Martin as Dillon’s crew chief. The following race at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon was involved in a harrowing accident on the final lap on the frontstretch, when he was launched into the air past the finish line and smashed into the catchfence before coming to rest on his roof and being hit by a spinning Brad Keselowski. Despite the accident that demolished the No. 3 Chevrolet, Dillon emerged with a bruised tailbone and forearm. Amazingly, he was able to finish in seventh place before the wreck. Finishing the year with Labbe, Dillon recorded a top-five result, four more top-10 results and an average result of 21.0. He concluded the season in 21st in the final standings.

Dillon started off the 2016 on a strong note, finishing ninth in the Daytona 500 before achieving two back-to-back top-10 results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Phoenix. He went on to achieve his second Cup career pole at Auto Club Speedway in March before finishing fourth at Martinsville Speedway in April. By then, with four top-10 finishes under his belt, Dillon was ranked in seventh in the regular-season standings. Dillon went on to record six additional top-10 results and enough consistent results to make his first appearance in the Playoffs. By then, he also surpassed 100 Cup career starts. Dillon would conclude the season in 14th in the final standings, but he achieved a career-high four top-five results, a career-high 13 top-10 results, two poles and a best average result of 15.9.

For the first 11 races of the 2017 Cup season, Dillon achieved only one top-five result and was situated in 22nd in the regular-season standings. For the upcoming race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Justin Alexander replaced Slugger Labbe as Dillon’s crew chief. In his first race with Alexander, Dillon survived on low fuel to achieve his elusive first Cup career win at his home track and in his 133rd series start. To August 2020, Dillon is one of 33 competitors to win across NASCAR’s three major division series. The victory marked the first since October 2000 where the No. 3 car won a Cup race and it guaranteed Dillon’s team a spot in the 2017 Playoffs. Finishing the year off with Alexander, Dillon achieved three top-five results, four top-10 results and an average result of 18.6 before concluding the season in a career-high 11th place.

The 2018 season started off on a high note for Dillon, where he dodged a late carnage and took the lead on the final lap following an incident with Aric Almirola to win the 60th running of the Daytona 500. In addition to achieving his second Cup career win and becoming the 39th driver to win NASCAR’s prestigious event, Dillon’s first Daytona 500 triumph came on the 20th anniversary where the late Dale Earnhardt won his first and only Daytona 500 in 1998. The 500 win was also the first for RCR since 2007 and in the first Cup race for the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. For the remainder of the season, Dillon achieved another top-five result and seven more top-10 results along with an average result of 17.5 before he concluded the season in 13th in the final standings.

In 2019, Dillon reunited with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr., whom he won the 2011 Truck and 2013 Xfinity titles with Dillon. Following the first seven races of the year, Dillon reached 200 Cup career starts at Texas Motor Speedway in March. Though he won three poles, he achieved six top-10 results and an average result of 19.5. Missing the 2019 Playoffs, Dillon concluded the season in 21st in the final standings.

This season, reuniting with Alexander, Dillon has achieved two top-five results, five top-10 results and an average result of 16.7 through the first 20 Cup races. He has also recorded a win, third of his career, at Texas Motor Speedway in July and is one of 10 competitors to be guaranteed a spot for the 2020 Playoffs.

Catch Dillon’s milestone start in the first Michigan International Speedway race on August 8, which will air at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Antonio Felix da Costa Claims Victory in Race No. 1 at Berlin

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of FIA Formula E

Following a five-month shutdown, the FIA ABB Formula E returned to action Wednesday at the Berlin Templehof Airport located in Berlin, Germany.

Hoping to pick up where he left off was DS Techeeta driver Antonio Felix da Costa, who qualified on pole with a time of 1.06.799. Following in his footsteps was Costa’s teammate, Jean-Eric Vergne as he qualified on the outside pole, giving DS Techeeta a front-row start.

Da Costa was able to lead the field into turn 1 and pull away ever so slightly. While the Portuguese driver checked out on the field, the action picked up behind him. In fact, two safety cars were deployed early in the going. One for Robin Frijins for crashing into the wall and a full course caution for Felipe Massa, as Massa slammed into one of the wall cushions leaving the Brazilian stuck on the track.

“I just tried to overtake and I locked everything,” Massa said about the crash. “When I brake, I lock everything in the car, I couldn’t turn and the car couldn’t stop. I went straight and I crashed (into the wall).”

As for the Robin Frijins incident, Edoardo Mortara caused the collision for Frijin’s which saw him receive major damage to his vehicle after being pushed out by the No. 20 of Mitch Evans. By doing so, Mortara received two penalty points for the incident.

Despite the two quick stoppages, da Costa continued his pace and led wire to wire in Formula E’s first race back following the coronavirus pandemic.

“With six races to go, the fight for the title is on and the pressure is rising,” da Costa said about the victory. “I do want to win it and if we keep doing things as we did today, we have a good shot at it. Hats off to the team not only for what they did today, but for the hard work they put into the build-up to this moment. I moved here because I wanted a quicker car since I want to put myself in a position to win races. We’re going to have bad days just like everyone else, but it’s how we come back from those that defines us.”

Even though da Costa was in a zip code of his own. There was plenty of action that occurred throughout the 45 minute event.

Prior to the start of the race, Formula E held a moment of silence, paying tribute to coronavirus victims and racism that is occurring all around the country currently.

With racing back in action, that also meant fan boost was back as well (giving drivers extra energy to their cars). Those receiving fan boosts were Daniel Abt, Stoffel Vandoorne, race winner Antonio Felix da Costa, Sergio Sette Camara, and Rene Rast.

As the lights went out, Nissan e.Dams driver Oliver Rowland and Panasonic Jaguar’s Mitch Evans were both posted for component changes. Both drivers served a drive-thru penalty. More news came out of Rowland’s camp, as the team requested for an inverter change. As a result, Rowland will start at the back of the grid, should the team go on to do so. The same can be said for James Calado in the Panasonic Jaguar Racing entry, with the team requesting to change inverter and the battery pack.

By lap 15, drivers were already trying to use the attack mode (which gives them four additional minutes of power to their cars) but proved tricky to do so. For instance, Sebastien Buemi in the Nissan entry tried using the attack mode, but missed the section completely and had to try again a lap later. Other drivers had the same situation, but for the most part, all were able to use the mode to their advantage.

As the race began to wind down, so didn’t Jean Eric-Vergne. Eric-Vergne began to lose power to his car and started to fall back in hopes of a podium. By falling back and the corners so tight, this created a long jam for drivers behind Eric-Vergne trying to pass him. Unfortunately for Eric-Vergne, the issue would get only worse, for when he finished the even unclassified (i.e. not finished). However, with Eric-Vergne not being able to finish, Andre Lotterer picked up momentum late in the going and made some moves to finish second, thus earning a podium finish.

Even though Lotterer had momentum late, it wouldn’t have made a difference as most cars ran out of power crossing the finish line including race winner da Costa. Still, the podium finish was Lotterer’s best since the race of the season back in Riydah.

“P2 is good starting point, but I have some mixed feelings about missing the first ATTACK MODE as it put me in a difficult position,” Lotterer said regarding his podium finish. “I had a good car and maybe without that slip, I could’ve challenged Antonio. We’ll keep working hard and hopefully, the car will be as good as it was today.”

Sam Bird also gained his best podium result since winning the season opener at Riydah.

“I am very pleased with the team and the result,” Bird said. “It’s been a bit of a rocky year for us, hopefully, today will mark a restart of the season. I am a bit disappointed for not finishing in P2, but I was low on energy in the last couple of laps. There is still some work to do on the car, but we have a good base ready for tomorrow.”

Though for some drivers, they received penalties and disqualifications from the race. The disqualification especially goes for BMW i Andretti’s Maximilian Guenther, who was disqualified by series officials for using too much power. Guenther had used over 45kWh (the maximum any race driver can use). Gunther originally finished eighth in the running order.

Meanwhile, Sergio Sette Camara was disqualified for using power over 45kWh as well. Sette Camara received the fan boost prior to the start of the race.

Daniel Abt in the NIO 333 entry was penalized during the full-course caution for speeding. Therefore, he was given a five-second time penalty.

Official Results following Race No. 1 at Berlin

  1. Antonio Felix da Costa, 30 points
  2. Andre Lotterer, 18 points
  3. Sam Bird, 15 points
  4. Nyck de Vries, 12 points
  5. Jereome D’ Ambrosio, 10 points
  6. Stoffel Vandoorne, 8 points
  7. Sebastien Buemi, 6 points
  8. Lucas di Grassi, 4 points
  9. Alexander Sims, 2 points
  10. Rene Rast, 1 points
  11. Edoardo Mortara
  12. Neel Jani
  13. Alex Lynn
  14. Mitch Evans
  15. Oliver Rowland
  16. James Calado
  17. Oliver Turvey
  18. Daniel Abt
  19. Sergio Sette Camara
  20. Maximilian Guenther, OUT, Disqualified
  21. Jean Eric-Vergne, OUT, Driver Excluded From Race
  22. Nico Mueller, OUT, Driver Excluded From Race
  23. Felipe Massa, OUT, Did Not Finish
  24. Robin Frijins, OUT, Did Not Finish

Up Next: The FIA ABB Formula E will remain in Berlin for race No. 2 Thursday at 1 p.m./EDT USA time, 6:30 p.m./local Berlin time live on Fox Sports 2.

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Michigan

By
Official Release
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MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY (2-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACES 21 AND 22 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 4 P.M. ET, SATURDAY, AUG. 8 (NBCSN/MRN/SIRIUSXM)
4:30 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, AUG. 9 (NBCSN/MRN/SIRIUSXM)

Chase Elliott
No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season
5th in standings
20 starts
1 win
1 pole position
7 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
460 laps led

Career
169 starts
7 wins
9 pole positions
51 top-five finishes
84 top-10 finishes
2,304 laps led

Track Career
8 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
7 top-10 finishes
67 laps led

TWO RACES, TWO PARTNERS: NAPA AUTO PARTS will serve as Chase Elliott’s primary sponsor for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. For Sunday’s 312-lap event at the 2-mile track, the green and black Mountain Dew colors will return to the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.

DO THE DEW: On Monday, Hendrick Motorsports showcased the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that Elliott will pilot on Sunday at Michigan via the Hendrick Motorsports Twitter account. For a look at the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevy, click here.

MICHIGAN STATS: Elliott currently holds the best average finish (7.63) of all drivers with more than two starts at Michigan. He has finished inside the top 10 in seven of his eight career NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 2-mile oval – no other driver has more top-10 results in the last eight races at the track. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has also collected three top-five finishes at Michigan, all of which were runner-up results.

RUNNER-UP FINISHERS: Elliott is in good company as one of four drivers with the most runner-up finishes at Michigan before their first win at the track. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon also earned three second-place results before capturing his first win at the Irish Hills oval (1998), and both Martin Truex Jr. and NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte have three runner-up results without a win at Michigan.

2020 PERFORMANCE: This year, Elliott has seven top-five finishes – the most he has collected through 20 races in a season – and 10 top-10s. He has the second-most stage wins (five), and his 460 laps led are a career high at this point in the year. Elliott has garnered the third-most stage points (182) and is currently fifth in the driver standings, 143 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.

TOP-10 TRACK: As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan International Speedway for a weekend doubleheader, Elliott currently holds seven top-10 finishes at the 2-mile venue, which tie his results at Pocono for the most total top-10s he has at any track.

GUSTAFSON AT MICHIGAN: In his 16th season as a crew chief, Alan Gustafson is set to call his 31st and 32nd races from atop the pit box this weekend at Michigan. In his previous 30 starts at the venue with five different drivers (Elliott, Gordon, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and Casey Mears), Gustafson has collected two wins – with Martin in June 2009 and Gordon in August 2014 when he started from the pole position. The No. 9 team crew chief has garnered five top-five finishes, 14 top-10s and 293 laps led at the track.

PIT STOP POWER: The No. 9 team owns the second-best average time for four-tire stops at 13.94 seconds through 20 races in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. The team is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer, and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: Gustafson will celebrate his 45th birthday on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The last two seasons, on Aug. 5, 2018, and Aug. 4, 2019, the crew chief celebrated his birthday by going to victory lane at Watkins Glen International. Gustafson grew up just down the road from historic Daytona International Speedway, where he got his start in racing turning wrenches on the go-karts of a childhood friend, Casey Yunick. Yunick is the grandson of legendary car builder and mechanic Smokey Yunick.

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

2020 Season
14th in standings
20 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
72 laps led

Career
92 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
23 top-10 finishes
366 laps led

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

GAINING GROUND: With only six races left in the regular season, William Byron is looking to lock himself into the playoffs for the second time in his three-year NASCAR Cup Series career. Gaining 17 points on the playoff bubble over the last three races, the driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE went from two points below the cutoff line to now 15 points above it in 16th.

CONSISTENCY COUNTS: In the last 10 races going back to Martinsville Speedway in June, Byron has eight top-15 finishes. That ranks him fourth overall among Cup Series drivers in that same span. In that stretch of races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has four top-10 finishes and paced the field for 53 laps, including a stage win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

MICHIGAN MINUTES: With six NASCAR national series starts at Michigan International Speedway under his belt, Byron will add two more to his résumé on Saturday and Sunday. Of those six races, four came at the Cup level where he has a track-best starting position of third and finish of eighth – both in the August event last season. Byron also has one Xfinity Series start at the 2-mile oval in June of 2017, where he qualified fourth and ended the race in the runner-up position. He also has one Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series start where he started third and finished fourth in the August 2016 event

AXALTA DOUBLE: Making its return to the track this weekend, Axalta’s iconic flames will be back onboard Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for both Saturday and Sunday’s race in the Michigan doubleheader. In 2020, Axalta is the 22-race majority partner of the No. 24 team. The company’s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports was recently extended, taking one of the most enduring partnerships in sports through 2027.

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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Fueling Futures Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 44 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
17th in standings
19 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
99 laps led

Career
670 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
229 top-five finishes
370 top-10 finishes
18,933 laps led

Track Career
36 starts
1 win
1 pole position
5 top-five finishes
13 top-10 finishes
700 laps led

HOME TURF: Michigan International Speedway is near and dear to the full-season primary sponsor of Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team. Ally Financial is based in Detroit, roughly 78 miles east of the track. Ally Detroit Center, formerly One Detroit Center, is a skyscraper located in the downtown area overlooking the Detroit Financial District. The 43-story tower is the tallest office building in the city and the second-tallest building in the state.

MICHIGAN OVER THE YEARS: Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Ally Fueling Futures Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, has had some highs and lows at Michigan. Over the years, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has led 700 laps at the 2-mile track located in the Irish Hills. After a few near misses, Johnson scored his first and only win at Michigan on June 15, 2014, leading 39 laps en route to the ever-elusive checkered flag. Last year, he tagged the wall while running 10th and ended up 34th.

ALLY FUELING FUTURES WITH JJF: This weekend at Michigan International Speedway, the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will feature a special paint scheme to recognize the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Ally Fueling Futures. The Fueling Futures program, a collaboration between Ally Financial and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, debuted in 2019 as a way to introduce teens and young adults to science and technology careers in motor sports. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the program will go virtual in 2020 and feature a social media content series on the Ally Racing social media channels. They will present interviews with eight different employees at Hendrick Motorsports discussing their different career paths. Ally is planning to host a virtual Fueling Futures event for students in Charlotte, North Carolina, area school systems this fall as part of this program. Additionally, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation remains committed to helping K-12 public schools across the country to address their most critical needs. To learn more about the Foundation, visit jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.

HONORING JJ: Johnson’s legacy will be honored by Michigan International Speedway this weekend. The nature trail that exists in the Graves Family Campground will permanently be renamed the “Jimmie Johnson Nature Trail.” The area is one of the main campgrounds on track property and where family camping takes place. During non-race time, Adrian College uses the trail for many of its youth-based programs. Johnson, a father of two and an avid runner and mountain biker, will take a photo this weekend with track president Rick Brenner to document the dedication.

MICHIGANDER: Brandon Harder, longtime fueler for the No. 48 Ally team, calls Michigan International Speedway his home track. Harder attended Bowling Green State University and grew up in Oak Harbor, Ohio, roughly 90 miles down the road. He has been a member of the No. 48 team since 2009 and has four championships on his racing résumé with Johnson – 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016.

BUSY IN THE PITS: The No. 48 Ally crew ranks ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series with an average four-tire stop time of 14.24 seconds. The team is coached by Jon Carvin and consists of veteran fueler Harder, tire carrier Allan Stallings, jackman Kyle Tudor, and tire changers Calvin Teague and Donnie Tasser.

AIMING HIGH: On average, Johnson and the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team are running better than they are finishing in 2020. Johnson’s average running position of 13.49 is 3.88 positions better than his average finish of 17.37.

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

2020 Season
11th in standings
20 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
387 laps led

Career
173 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
32 top-10 finishes
861 laps led

Track Career
9 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
2 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

MICHIGAN PERFORMANCE: Alex Bowman will make his 10th and 11th NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Last season, the 27-year-old driver finished 10th in both events at the facility. The Tucson, Arizona, native has four starts there in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one pole (2016), one top-five finish and three top-15s. In 2015, Bowman made one start at the 2-mile track in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and finished 11th after 100 laps. The driver of the No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE competed in the ARCA Menards Series at Michigan in 2012, starting third and leading 12 laps to finish second.

TOP-10S: Bowman is one of five drivers who had top-10 finishes in both Michigan events last season with a pair of 10th-place finishes. Four of the next five events are at venues where he has two or more consecutive top-10 results: Michigan, Dover, the Charlotte Roval, the Charlotte oval, Kansas and Bristol.

ALL IN THE NUMBERS: So far in the 2020 season, the No. 88 team has captured four stage wins, tied for the third-most among drivers. Bowman has earned 156 stage points this year, which ranks sixth on the list of drivers with the most stage points earned. The No. 88 pit crew has the seventh-best average four-tire stop this season at 14.14 seconds.

IVES HEADS HOME: Bark River, Michigan, native Greg Ives will make his 11th and 12th NASCAR Cup Series starts this weekend at his home track. In his 10 previous races calling the shots at Michigan International Speedway, the No. 88 crew chief has one top-five finish and four top-10s. Ives’ best finish of second came in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel. In 2013, he was a crew chief at JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and captured the victory in the spring event with driver Regan Smith. Ives’ drivers have led 20 laps in the Xfinity Series at the 2-mile track and have an average finish of 3.5. In addition, he was a race engineer for the No. 48 team and driver Jimmie Johnson between 2006 and 2012. During that time, the team captured six top-10 finishes and started from the second position on three occasions.

HOMETOWN TRACK: Three members of the No. 88 team have ties to the state of Michigan. Ives grew up in Bark River, which is approximately 443 miles from MIS, and earned a mechanical engineering degree from Michigan Technological University. Hauler driver Andy “Squiggs” Quillan grew up in Belding, about two hours from the 2-mile oval. Quillan has always been a NASCAR fan and attended his first race at his home track in 2001. Front-tire changer Scott Brzozowski grew up just outside Detroit in Sterling Heights. He started out as a member of the No. 24 over-the-wall crew before switching to the No. 88 team in 2015.

DOUBLE THE GOODS: The No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will hit the track this weekend at Michigan with ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes on board as the primary sponsor. The black and yellow paint scheme features Adam’s Polishes, which produces high quality products for auto detailing enthusiasts. In January, Hendrick Motorsports announced its partnership with ChevyGoods.com, which includes primary sponsorship of Bowman for 26 events. Associate brands that will be featured throughout 2020 are Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero.

BRAND NEW DEALS: During the month of August, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on all accessories, including Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero. Customers can receive 15% off all accessories on their site through the end of the month by using code CHEVYGOODS.

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Hendrick Motorsports

BOWTIES THAT BIND: Since Rick Hendrick opened the doors in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has posted 258 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins and a record 12 championships – all with Chevrolet race cars. The team has earned 49% of the Detroit-based manufacturer’s 523 Cup victories in that span (1984-present) and 33% of Chevy’s 789 all-time wins in NASCAR’s top series.

FITS LIKE A MITTEN: Michigan International Speedway has been a successful venue for Hendrick Motorsports, which holds the track records for NASCAR Cup Series pole positions, runner-up finishes, top-10s and laps led. The team has eight wins there, tied for fourth all-time, and its 52 top-five results rank second.

THE VICTORS: Hendrick Motorsports’ eight Cup Series wins at Michigan have come via five different drivers, led by Jeff Gordon’s three and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s two. Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Ricky Rudd have each scored one MIS victory for the organization.

EIGHT, NINE, WIN: This weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader at Michigan falls on a pair of winning dates for Hendrick Motorsports. On Aug. 8, 2004, Gordon and the No. 24 team won the fourth of his five career races at Indianapolis after leading a Brickyard 400-record 124 laps in the first-ever Cup race to end in overtime. Gordon went to victory lane at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 9, 1998, which was his seventh of 13 wins in a season that ended with the driver’s third of four championships.

STAT SHEET: Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 258 race victories and holds the all-time records for championships (12), pole positions (226), top-five finishes (1,082), top-10s (1,867) and laps led (69,907) 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 10 wins away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time Cup record of 268.

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QUOTABLE /
Driver Chase Elliott on doubleheader at Michigan:
“To me, shorter races just mean that track position is just going to be that much more important, especially positioning yourself for that last stint. It seems like a lot of these races over the past couple of months have really been determined by your position during that final strategy call when you pit to get to the end of the race, ultimately, and how you want to play that card. All of that starts at the beginning of the day, how you start your strategy then eventually will stretch out and sometimes dictate what you do for the last pit stop. In a short race I think all those things are really going to matter, making the right decisions and hopefully having the cautions fall your way.”

Elliott on the importance of track position:
“If you are locked in at the beginning of the final 10 (races), I think there are a lot of guys that have a shot. I think we certainly have a shot if we are on our A-game. I don’t think we have been on our A-game these past three, four or five weeks, but I think if we can get to running like we were the first half of the year or leading up to that point, I think we will be able to run with whoever. These past few weeks, I definitely think we have some work to do to put ourselves back in that position again. The good and bad thing about the playoffs is it is all recent history and what have you done lately. If you are having success and hitting on something right there in those final 10 races, it’s just all about getting hot at the right time if you have been hit or miss. The big-time goal is to just be consistent all year and win races throughout the year. In my eyes, I think if you can rack up four or five wins you are going to put yourself in a really good position to advance through the rounds. Winning in each of the rounds obviously trumps that, but I would rather be consistent all year, if you can do that. So that’s goal number one right now, but if we can’t do that and we are still hit or miss, we just want to get hot at the right time. There’s still time for us to get consistent and rack up wins before the playoffs start and that’s where our head is at currently.”

Driver William Byron on the doubleheader at Michigan:
“What’s good with two races this weekend in Michigan, and doubleheader weekends in general, is that you can make big changes and get big results on the second day of racing. I really like that about the doubleheader aspect. You don’t have to wait until we go back to the same track later in the year. You can make changes to your car and strategy overnight if you need to and try it all again the next day. It’s a great opportunity to improve before you move your mindset on to the next track.”

Byron on the speed drivers experience at Michigan:
“You definitely do feel the high speeds at Michigan. The straightaways are long and you’re right up against the wall. It’s got the shape of Daytona but Michigan is a lot flatter of a track. I think the flatness makes it feel like you’re going fast on corner entry, especially with the lateral load and being right on the edge on entry to the corner. I feel like that’s what creates the sensation of so much speed at Michigan.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson on the doubleheader weekend:
“Physically, the doubleheader won’t be too bad as a driver. The track doesn’t physically challenge us so much in the car, but from the team side and the crews, this schedule is brutal. We had a similar schedule in Pocono, so we learned a lot from that weekend and will go into Michigan more prepared than we were before.”

On the Jimmie Johnson Nature trail dedication:
“Fitness is high priority to me and to have this trail in my name means a lot. Fans for generations to come will be able to enjoy ‘Pure Michigan’ and experience the racetrack at the same time. I have always loved the area, fishing close by with my girls and cycling on Saturdays during race weekends. I am very thankful to the folks at Michigan for this thoughtful honor.”

Driver Alex Bowman on his feelings about Michigan:
“I enjoy going to Michigan each year. I feel like we have had some strong finishes at the track and we really need to have a good weekend. We finished inside the top-10 in both events last year and had some solid runs. Michigan is a fun track and I think that this No. 88 team has really figured something out there. If we could bring home the Michigan Heritage Trophy to Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet, that would be big. We are in the backyard of so many manufacturers, so being able to capture that for Chevy would definitely be special.”

Crew chief Greg Ives on the importance of winning at Michigan:
“We race to win trophies every week, but the Irish Hills of Michigan International Speedway pose the battleground for the manufacturers. Michigan was the first NASCAR track I went to as a kid and with this being my home track, I look forward to capturing the Michigan Heritage Trophy not only for the No. 88 team and Hendrick Motorsports, but also for our partner in Chevrolet.”

Love’s Travel Stops and Martin Transportation Systems Join McDowell for Michigan Doubleheader

By
Official Release
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McDowell on Michigan:

“I’m happy to have Love’s Travel Stops and one of their valuable fleet partners, Martin Transportation Systems, on board the No. 34 Ford Mustang as a co-branded primary for both races of the doubleheader weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Love’s provides the services and amenities needed by many fleets across the country at their travel stop and truck care locations, so with MTS (Martin Transportation Systems) being headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan, which is just a few hours down the road from the race track, it’s exciting to have them on board for a hometown race.

“Drew and the guys on our No. 34 team have done a great job this season of overcoming adversity during races and working to get the most out of our race cars by the time the checkered flag flies, so I’m eager to head to Michigan this weekend and bring home two solid performances for Love’s Travel Stops and MTS.”

About Love’s Travel Stops

​Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation’s industry-leading travel stop network with more than 520 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 26,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has more than 390 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

Greg Ives to reach 200 Cup starts as crew chief following Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, talks with crew chief Greg Ives during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 9, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images.

A significant milestone is in the making this weekend for Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Alex Bowman in the NASCAR Cup Series. When the Cup Series completes its upcoming doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway, Ives will achieve 200 starts in NASCAR’s premier series as a crew chief.

A native of Bark River, Michigan, Ives graduated from Michigan Technological University with an engineering degree in 2003 and joined Hendrick Motorsports as a mechanic for the No. 24 Chevrolet team driven by Jeff Gordon the following year. As a lead engineer for the No. 48 Chevrolet team driven by Jimmie Johnson and led by crew chief Chad Knaus, Ives was part of Johnson’s historic run of winning five consecutive Cup championships from 2006 to 2010.

Following the 2012 season, Ives spent the next two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a crew chief for Regan Smith in 2013 and rookie Chase Elliott in 2014. In his two-year role as crew chief, Ives achieved his first five career wins, two poles, 23 top-five results and 44 top-10 results. In addition, he achieved his first NASCAR championship in 2014 with Elliott.

In July 2014, Ives was named crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS team for the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series season following the departure of veteran Steve Letarte, who joined NBC Sports as an analyst. Nine races into his rookie season as a Cup crew chief, Ives notched his first career win with Earnhardt Jr. in May 2015 at Talladega Superspeedway, the same venue where he also achieved his first Xfinity career win in 2013 with Regan Smith. Throughout the 2015 season, the combo also won at Daytona International Speedway in July and at Phoenix Raceway in November while racking up 16 top-five results and 22 top-10 results. When the final checkered flag of the 2015 Cup season waved, they concluded the season in 12th in the final standings.

The 2016 season was an eventful season for Ives and the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. For the first 18 races, Earnhardt Jr. drove the No. 88 car to five top-five results and six top-10 results, and they were situated in 13th place in the regular-season standings. The following race, however, Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined due to suffering concussion-like symptoms. When Earnhardt Jr. opted out of racing for the remainder of the 2016 season, Ives worked with Alex Bowman and Jeff Gordon for the final 18 races. With Gordon, the No. 88 team achieved two top-10 results and seven laps led. With Bowman, the team achieved a pole position at Phoenix in November along with three top-10 results and 200 laps led.

In 2017, Ives reunited with Earnhardt Jr. with Earnhardt receiving medical clearance to return to racing. Following the first eight races of the season, where the combo only achieved one top-five result, Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from full-time NASCAR racing following the 2017 season. Three months later, Bowman was named as Earnhardt Jr.’s successor of the No. 88 Chevrolet with Ives to continue to lead the team. Throughout the 2017 season, though he was absent for two races, Ives achieved one top-five result, eight top-10 results and two poles with Earnhardt Jr. before concluding the season in 21st in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 Cup starts as a crew chief.

In 2018, following Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement and with Bowman behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro, the combo started off on a high note by winning the pole position for the Daytona 500. Throughout the season, however, Bowman and Ives achieved three top-five results and 11 top-10 results. Though they made the Playoffs, they concluded the season in 16th in the final standings.

The following season, it took until the first 16 races into the new season for Bowman to achieve his first Cup career win at Chicagoland Speedway in June. Bowman’s victory also snapped a three-year winless drought for Ives and the No. 88 team since their last victory in November 2015. Throughout the 2019 season, the two achieved seven top-five results and 12 top-10 results as they made the Playoffs again before concluding the season in 12th in the final standings, four spots higher than the previous season.

Through the first 20 races of this season, Bowman and Ives have achieved one victory at Auto Club Speedway in March. They have also achieved two top-five results and six top-10 results, and they are one of 10 teams to be guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Cup Playoffs. Heading into this weekend’s doubleheader races at Michigan, Ives’ home track, the U.P. native has achieved five career wins, four poles, 34 top-five results and 70 top-10 results in his sixth year as a Cup crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports.

Catch Greg Ives’ milestone at Michigan on August 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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