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Bowman to make 100th start with Hendrick Motorsports at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images.

When the green flag waves in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 19, Alex Bowman will reach a significant milestone in his racing career. By starting this Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at the Lone Star state, Bowman will make his 100th Cup start in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro.

When the 2015 season concluded, Bowman had competed in his first two full-time seasons in the Cup Series between BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing. His best finishes between the two seasons was 13th at Daytona in July 2014 and 16th at Talladega in May 2015. Prior to the 2016 season, however, Bowman was left without a full-time ride after Tommy Baldwin Racing decided to replace Bowman with Regan Smith for the upcoming Cup season. All the Arizona native had in his racing schedule for 2016 was a nine-race stint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports.

Through July and following his first five races with JRM, Bowman finished in the top 10 in all of his starts, which included a third-place result at Dover in May. Then, an opportunity made way for him when Dale Earnhardt Jr., two-time Daytona 500 champion and one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, experienced concussion-like symptoms and did not participate in the upcoming Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July 2016. During the race, Bowman had a strong run in his first Cup race in Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Nationwide/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS led by crew chief Greg Ives. Despite running in the top 10 the majority of the run, he cut a tire on Lap 272 of 301 and finished 26th, but he still left New Hampshire satisfied with his run while receiving the opportunity to compete alongside NASCAR’s elite. Bowman and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon would, ultimately, fill in the No. 88 Chevrolet for the remainder of the 2016 season when the concussion symptoms sidelined Earnhardt Jr. Competing in nine of the remaining 13 Cup races, Bowman recorded three top-10 results, including a career-best sixth place at Phoenix in November on a weekend where he recorded his first Cup career pole. He also competed in four more Xfinity races with JR Motorsports and earned two more top-10 results.

Based on winning the pole position at Phoenix, Bowman piloted the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet in the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona in February 2017, where he finished third after battling Kyle Busch on the final lap. While Earnhardt Jr. returned to racing full time for the 2017 season, Bowman, again, was left without a full-time ride within NASCAR’s three major division series, making only one start in the NASCAR Truck Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway with GMS Racing in February, where he finished sixth. In April, Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from racing full time in the Cup Series and was a leading advocate for Bowman to replace him. On July 20, Bowman was officially named the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide/AXALTA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports for the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season. For the remainder of the 2017 season, Bowman competed in two Xfinity Series races in the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for Chip Ganassi Racing. In October at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he notched his first Xfinity career victory after leading the final 32 laps. He finished eighth in his other start at Phoenix in November.

In his first run in the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2018, Bowman won the pole position for the 60th running of the Daytona 500 with a pole-winning speed at 195.644 mph in 46.002 seconds. Leading 13 laps, he finished 17th in the 500 after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. Finishing no higher than 13th in the first five races of the 2018 season, Bowman recorded his first top-10 result, seventh, the following race at Martinsville Speedway. Two races later, he recorded his first career top-five result, fifth, at Bristol Motor Speedway. For the remaining 18 races of the regular season, Bowman recorded seven more top-10 results, including a career-best third place at Pocono Raceway in July, to make his Playoffs. With finishes of 19th, 12th and fourth in the three races of the Round of 16 in the Playoffs, he advanced to the Round of 12. The following round, he recorded finishes of 28th, 33rd and ninth, and was eliminated from title contention. Ultimately, he concluded the season in 16th in the final standings. During his first full-time season racing for Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman recorded three top-five results, 11 top-10 results and an average result of 17.0. In May, he competed in the Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway and won the first segment to advance to his first All-Star Race, where he finished last of the 21-car field following an accident in the third stage.

Bowman started the 2019 Cup season by qualifying on the front row for the Daytona 500, starting alongside teammate and pole-sitter William Byron, and finishing fifth in the rain-shortened Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona. For the first nine races of the season, he finished no higher than 11th. By then, he surpassed 50 starts with HMS. In April at Talladega Superspeedway, Bowman notched a career-best second place behind teammate Chase Elliott. He went on to finish in the runner-up spot the following two races at Dover and at Kansas. The following week, he finished third in the Monster Energy Open, but he advanced to the All-Star Race after winning the Fan Vote, where he finished eighth. For the next four races, he finished no higher than seventh. In June at Chicagoland Speedway, Bowman prevailed in a late battle with Kyle Larson to score his first NASCAR Cup Series career win. With the victory coming in his 134th series career start, Bowman became the 18th competitor to win driving for Hendrick Motorsports and the 192nd competitor to win a Cup race. He also recorded the first victory for the No. 88 HMS Chevrolet team led by crew chief Greg Ives since November 2015 at Phoenix, an accomplishment last made by Earnhardt Jr. The win at Chicagoland guaranteed the Arizona native a spot for the 2019 Cup Playoffs. In the three races featured in the Round of 16 in the Playoffs, Bowman recorded finishes of sixth, 23rd and second to advance to the Round of 12. For the second round, however, he recorded finishes of third, 37th and 11th, and was eliminated from championship contention. He went on to finish 12th in the final standings while recording seven top-five results, 12 top-10 results and an average result of 14.4.

This season, Bowman recorded his second Cup career victory at Auto Club Speedway in March after leading a race-high 110 of the event’s 200-scheduled laps. He has also recorded two top-five results, five top-10 results and an average result of 16.9 through the first 17 Cup races of the 2020 season. He is coming off an eighth-place result in the All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, which occurred on July 15, and is ninth in the regular-season standings, trailing points leader Kevin Harvick by 177 points. He is, nonetheless, guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Playoffs by virtue of his victory at Auto Club. He is also scheduled to remain as driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Hendrick Motorsports after signing a one-year contract extension with the 12-time championship-winning team in May.

Catch Bowman’s milestone start with Hendrick Motorsports in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas on July 19, which will air at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Preview – Texas

By
Briar Starr
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FORT WORTH, TX - MARCH 29: Grant Enfinger, driver of the #98 Champion Power Equipment/Curb Records Ford, leads at the start of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Vankor 350 at Texas Motor Speedway on March 29, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

In what seemed highly unlikely this event would take place due to early cancellations this year for COVID, the Truck Series will get to race at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend after series officials found a way to reschedule to the event.

Flashing back to last week, the Truck Series race at Kentucky only completed two stages, before it got cut short due to Mother Nature. Despite that, race fans saw a first-time winner GMS Racing driver Sheldon Creed. It wasn’t the way most drivers want to end up winning, but a win is a win and the victory was the first of his career in 37 starts. Though, Creed will look to earn that victory the hard way and be able to celebrate with a burnout on the track.

However, Creed will have to hold off 35 other drivers in order to get his second win of the season.

Here are five potential drivers who could end up winning Saturday’s Vankor 250 at Texas.

  1. Kyle Busch- “The boys are back in town.” Yep, you heard that right. The All-time wins list leader is back this weekend in his own No. 51 Toyota Tundra. This season, Busch has only managed two wins out of his four starts, but if you look at the stats and races, he probably would have had four wins to his name. The Las Vegas native has a pretty good chance to add a third to win column Saturday. Busch has made 13 starts and achieved four wins, including winning last year’s race after leading 97 of the scheduled 147 laps. His other three wins came in 2013, 2010, and 2009. However, Texas can be a tricky track for Busch, as he has four DNF’s with two of those due to engine woes. But, if the No. 51 team can have a flawless race, Busch should be back in victory lane. Even so, it’s hard to bet against him.
  2. Grant Enfinger- While Enfinger doesn’t have any wins at Texas yet, he’s been close over the last few years. His best finish was third in his first outing in 2017, but really shined in last year’s event. Enfinger led 44 laps after qualifying third. The ThorSport driver also has earned a pole position in the March race as well. Overall, the Alabaman has seen four top fives and five top 10 finishes, earning him a 5.7 average finish. In addition, Enfinger has had some solid stage finishes to his credit. The team is on a three-race winless streak, but it would not be surprising if Enfinger pilots the No. 98 Ford to victory lane.
  3. Johnny Sauter- If Enfinger doesn’t win, it may very well could be his teammate Johnny Sauter. Even though his past three finishes haven’t been too kind for Sauter, he’s seen great success in 23 starts at the 1.5 mile speedway. The Wisconsin native has five wins including two consecutive victories from 2017 to 2018. In the reunited 2019 season, Sauter finished third after starting seventh and led seven laps. Not only has Sauter won two consecutive races at Texas, but the ThorSport driver also accomplished that feat twice by sweeping the two races in 2012. And with the statistics, he’s completed 99.9 percent of the laps and impressively, has no DNF’s. Sauter even won Stage 1 in the June event and Stage 1 in the 2017 June event.
  4. Tyler Ankrum- Kentucky was pretty much a forgettable race for Ankrum and the No. 26 GMS team, after trying to play pit strategy and getting caught by the weather. This weekend, Ankrum has a good chance to potentially finish inside the top 10 or five, if the opportunity presents itself. He only has two starts, but both of those finishes were sixth and third, respectively. As for the stages, in the March event, Ankrum finished seventh and 10th, while in the June event, the GMS Racing driver led nine laps en route to a top-five finish.
  5. Sheldon Creed- It may be pretty obvious picking last week’s winner, but a win can do everything in this sport. The victory can help a driver by giving him momentum or help continue his moment, and the win last week could come at a good time for Creed with the playoffs lurking in the background. At Texas, Creed only has three starts with the best finish of third in his most recent outing and led five laps. Also in last year’s event, Creed placed eighth and 10th in both stages. The Californian did manage to have a runner up finish in the first stage in the 2018 November event.

Qualifying can be kind of tricky as well, but in the majority of the races, most event winners have come from the pole position. In fact, just five drivers only have won from the pole position, with former Truck Series driver Todd Bodine last accomplishing the feat in 2007. The lowest a race winner started was 21st set by Cup Series rookie Christopher Bell in 2017.

Toyota has 19 manufacturer wins with Todd Bodine getting their first victory in 2004. Chevrolet has 17 victories with Jay Sauter being the first driver to give Chevrolet the victory in 1999. No longer a manufacturer in NASCAR, Dodge has just five victories, as Dennis Setzer won their first race in the 1999 June outing, while Ford only has three total wins. Ford won the first race here back in June of 1997, with the help of the late Kenny Irwin Jr.

As for stages, Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson, Stewart Friesen, Grant Enfinger, Justin Haley, Myatt Snider, Kyle Busch, and Ben Rhodes have all won stages since they were implemented in 2017.

The rest of the entry list for the Vankor 250 can be found here.

The Vankor 250 is scheduled to get underway shortly past 8 p.m./ET on Fox Sports 1. The race can also be heard on the Motor Racing Network.

Harvick to reach milestone start at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

When the green flag waves for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 19, Kevin Harvick will achieve a milestone start in his Cup career. By competing in Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at the Lone Star state, Harvick will become the 17th competitor to reach 700 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

Entering the 2001 season, Harvick was initially slated to compete in select Cup races for Richard Childress Racing while competing for the team on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series. Everything, however, changed in February when an accident on the final lap and final corner of the Daytona 500 claimed the life of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt. The following week, Harvick was promoted to a full-time racing schedule in the Cup level and in the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet, renumbered from 3. He made his series debut at Rockingham’s North Carolina Speedway, where he finished 14th. Two races later, Harvick edged Jeff Gordon by 0.006 seconds to score his first Cup career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his third series start. By then, Harvick became the fastest first-time Cup winner in the modern era. The win was well received from the crowd and in the NASCAR community as Harvick paid tribute to Earnhardt by performing a victory lap the opposite direction of the track while saluting three fingers to the crowd.

Harvick went on to clinch his second Cup career victory in the inaugural race at Chicagoland Speedway in July. When the 2001 season concluded, he recorded six top-five results and 16 top-10 results in 35 of the 36-race schedule, and he settled in ninth in the final standings. In addition, Harvick was named the recipient of the 2001 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year award. Ironically, Harvick would also win his first Xfinity Series championship.

In 2002, his sophomore Cup season, Harvick recorded two top-10 results in the first seven races of the season. The following week in April, Harvick was suspended for the Cup race at Martinsville Speedway for rough driving in the Truck Series at Martinsville a day earlier, where he intentionally spun Coy Gibbs during the race. Kenny Wallace drove Harvick’s No. 29 car, where he finished 32nd. Though Harvick returned the following week, his next nine finishes were outside the top 10, with a best result coming at Daytona in July, where he won his first Cup career pole and finished 11th. By then, his crew chief, Kevin Hamlin, was replaced by Gil Martin. The following race at Chicagoland, Harvick rallied from a spin to beat Jeff Gordon and claim his first victory of the 2002 season. Despite scoring his third Cup career win, Harvick achieved five top-five results and eight top-10 results throughout the 2002 season as he concluded the season in 21st in the final standings.

Harvick and the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet team rebounded in 2003 by winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the pole in August. He also achieved 11 top-five results and 18 top-10 results while leading a career-high 569 laps and settling in fifth in the final standings. He started the season working with Gil Martin, but concluded the season with Todd Berrier. By then, Harvick had surpassed 100 Cup career starts.

After going winless in 2004 and winning once in 2005, finishing 14th in the final standings in both seasons, Harvick’s first breakout year came in 2006, where he won five races at four different tracks, including Phoenix, Watkins Glen, Richmond and New Hampshire. Making his first Chase appearance, he concluded the season in fourth in the final standings while achieving a pole, 15 top-five results and 20 top-10 results along with 895 laps led. To go along with his successful 2006 campaign in the Cup Series, where he surpassed 200 series starts, Harvick also won his second Xfinity Series championship.

In 2007, sporting the Shell/Pennzoil colors on his No. 29 Chevrolet, Harvick kickstarted a new season of racing by edging Mark Martin by 0.020 seconds to win the 49th running of the Daytona 500. He went on to win his first All-Star Race at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May while cashing in one million dollars. Harvick went on to record four top-five results and 15 top-10 results throughout the 2007 Cup season, which he concluded in 10th in the final standings.

Harvick went winless the following season, but achieved seven top-five results and 19 top-10 results to conclude the season in fourth in the final standings. In 2009, Harvick won the non-point Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway in February and finished second in the rain-shortened Daytona 500 to Matt Kenseth a week later. The season, however, was mired with inconsistent runs for Harvick and the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet team as Harvick only achieved five top-five results and nine top-10 results before concluding the season in 19th in the final standings. Early in the season, Todd Berrier was replaced by Gil Martin as Harvick’s crew chief. By then, Harvick had surpassed 300 Cup career starts.

Harvick rallied the following season by winning three races at three different tracks, including Talladega, Daytona and at Michigan. With 16 top-five results, 26 top-10 results and serving as the points leader for the majority of the regular season, Harvick remained in title contention through the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he concluded the season in third in the final standings and 41 points shy of the title to Jimmie Johnson.

In 2011, Harvick welcomed Budweiser and Jimmy John’s as his new Cup primary sponsors when Shell/Pennzoil left Richard Childress Racing for Penske Racing. Harvick achieved four wins in 2011 at four different tracks, including Auto Club Speedway, Martinsville, Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 and at Richmond. He achieved nine top-five results and 19 top-10 results throughout the season before concluding the year in third in the final standings. In 2012, Harvick surpassed 400 starts in the Cup level. During the season, he achieved his lone victory at Phoenix, the penultimate race of the year, to go along with five top-five results and 14 top-10 results. He finished the season in eighth in the final standings.

In 2013, Harvick’s final year racing for Richard Childress Racing, he achieved four victories, nine top-five results and 21 top-10 results while also recording his first pole award since 2006. He remained in contention through the finale before he concluded the season in third in the final standings, 34 points shy of the title to Johnson.

The 2014 season came with a fresh start for Harvick, who moved to Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 4 Chevrolet SS while paired with crew chief Rodney Childers, but having familiar sponsors like Budweiser and Jimmy John’s supporting him. After finishing 13th in the Daytona 500 while being involved in a wreck on the final lap, Harvick led a race-high 224 laps and recorded his first victory with SHR at Phoenix the following week in March. He would record his second victory of the season at Darlington Raceway, the Southern 500, in April. The two victories throughout the regular season were enough for him to qualify for the Playoffs. In October, Harvick scored a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway to advance to the Round of 8. A week after making his 500th Cup start at Texas Motor Speedway in November, Harvick recorded a clutch win at Phoenix to advance to the Championship Round with an opportunity to win his first Cup title. During the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick benefited late on fresh tires to beat Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, and claim his first NASCAR Cup championship by winning the finale. With the title, Harvick became the 30th Cup competitor to win a championship in NASCAR’s premier series as he also recorded the second title for Stewart-Haas Racing and the first for crew chief Rodney Childers.

Between 2015 and 2016, Harvick recorded seven victories, three poles, 40 top-five results, 55 top-10 results and led a combined 3678 laps with a best points result of second in 2015 to Kyle Busch. In 2017, Harvick remained with Stewart-Haas Racing, but was racing in Fords when SHR decided to field Fords in NASCAR following a longtime partnership with Chevrolet. Throughout the season, Harvick recorded two victories at two different tracks, Sonoma and Texas. To go along with four poles, 14 top-five results and 23 top-10 results, Harvick raced his way to the Championship Round, but concluded the season in third in the final standings. By then, Harvick had surpassed 600 Cup starts.

The 2018 season was a career year for Harvick and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford team, where the driver won a career-high eight races while also achieving four poles, 23 top-five results and 29 top-10 results, stats that allowed Harvick to make the Championship Round at Homestead. Harvick, however, concluded the season in third in the final standings for the second consecutive year.

Last season, Harvick won four races at four different tracks, including New Hampshire, Michigan, Indianapolis and Texas. To go along with six poles, 15 top-five results and 26 top-10 results, Harvick made the Championship Round for the fifth time in the last six years. For the third consecutive year, Harvick concluded the season in third in the final standings.

This season, in his 20th full-time season in the Cup Series, Harvick has achieved four Cup victories, the wins coming at Darlington, Atlanta, Pocono and at Indianapolis, to tally his win total in the Cup Series to 53. He has also recorded 10 top-five results and 14 top-10 results as he leads the regular-season standings by 88 points over Brad Keselowski.

Prior to the 2020 Cup season, only 15 competitors had achieved 700 starts in NASCAR’s premier series. Harvick is set to become the second competitor to reach the 700-mark start in the Cup level. On July 5, Kurt Busch, a former teammate to Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing, made his 700th career start in his 20th full-time season of racing.

Catch Harvick’s milestone start in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas on July 19 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Texas

By
Official Release
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TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: FORT WORTH, TEXAS
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 18 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, JULY 19 (NBCSN/PRN/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
17 starts
1 win
1 pole position
7 top-five finishes
9 top-10 finishes
451 laps led

Career
166 starts
7 wins
9 pole positions
51 top-five finishes
83 top-10 finishes
2,295 laps led

Track Career
8 starts
0 win
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
44 laps led

MILLION DOLLAR THRILL: On Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott drove his No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to take the checkered flag after dominating the field during the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race. Elliott won Stages 2 and 3 before crossing the finish line first in the final stage and earning the $1 million prize.

FIRST TIMER: Elliott wasn’t the only one to secure his first career all-star win on Wednesday night. Alan Gustafson also collected his first victory in the event. Now in his 16th season as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief, the 44-year-old has accumulated 153 top-five finishes, 268 top-10s and 31 pole awards.

FATHER-SON DUO: With Elliott’s victory on Wednesday night, he and his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, joined Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the second father-son combination to win the NASCAR All-Star Race. The Elliotts have won the only two all-star events not held at Charlotte Motor Speedway – Bill Elliott won it at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1986.

LONE STAR STATS: This weekend, Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, is set to make his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway. In his previous eight races, Elliott has garnered two top-five finishes, five top-10s and an average finishing position of 11.0, currently the fifth-best average finish of all time at the track. He will roll off the grid eighth for Sunday’s 334-lap event.

NO STRANGER TO TEXAS: Elliott collected his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Texas in April 2014, becoming the second-youngest driver to win an Xfinity race. In his five starts in the Xfinity Series, Elliott accumulated three top-five finishes, five top-10s and averaged a finishing position of 5.0.

GIVING BACK: For the ninth year, NAPA will partner with the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF) to drive awareness and support for our nation’s service members who suffer from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. NAPA will also recognize heroes on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. To show appreciation for doctors, nurses and all other essential personnel working to keep our country moving forward, NAPA is helping the American Red Cross deliver its lifesaving mission due to the coronavirus outbreak. Donations will be made to the American Red Cross and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund with each purchase at a NAPA AUTO PARTS location in July.

NAPA SALUTES: Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet will showcase IFHF on the television panel this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The No. 9 car will also feature the name of U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Jasper F. Heilig, who enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 21, 1998. Heilig served 15 years in the Marines with three combat deployments. He retired in September 2013 as a master sergeant and currently works for the Semper Fi Fund as a Veteran to Veteran lead. Heilig mentors other veterans as they return to civilian life and to their communities.

TRENDING UPWARD: Through 17 races in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott is already having a career-best season. He has seven top-five finishes, the most he has collected through 17 races in a season, and his 451 laps led are also a career high at this point in the year.

SHOWING THE WAY: Elliott continues to lead all NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average running position (7.78) and stage wins (five). He has the second-most stage points (175) in the series, has led the fourth-most laps (451) and his 12 points-paying races led are tied for the second-most behind only Joey Logano (13).

1.5-MILE TRACKS IN 2020: In six 1.5-mile races in the 2020 season, Elliott won at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28, and his two runner-up finishes lead all drivers. On 1.5-milers, he has led the fourth-most laps (189) in the Cup Series, and his three top-five finishes and two stage wins are the second-most in the series this season.

POWER PERFORMANCE: Among the teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, the No. 9 pit crew ranks second in fastest average time for four-tire stops at 13.95 seconds through 17 races in 2020.

BEHIND THE 9: Crew chief Alan Gustafson is trying his hand as a host in a new Hendrick Motorsports video series called “Behind the 9” in which he interviews each member of the No. 9 crew. Fans are able to learn about where they came from and the role they serve on the team, with each bringing a unique personality and skillset. Episodes are released every Tuesday on the Hendrick Motorsports Facebook page and YouTube channel. The most recent episode features front-end mechanic Chris Haymaker.

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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
17 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
45 laps led

Career
89 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
22 top-10 finishes
339 laps led

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

TRUCKIN’ IT IN TEXAS: William Byron’s success at Texas Motor Speedway started over four years ago in his first start at the 1.5-mile oval in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Beginning the race from the sixth position, the rookie led six laps before capturing the checkered flag, becoming the youngest driver to win a Truck Series race at Texas.

TEXAS TOUGH: Texas Motor Speedway has been one of Byron’s best tracks throughout his NASCAR career. In fact, his average finish of 12.25 in his four Cup Series starts in the Lone Star State has him ranked seventh all-time for best average finish at Texas. Byron has four other starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with an average finish of 3.5 in two NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series starts and 8.0 in two Xfinity Series races. The third-year Hendrick Motorsports driver looks to continue that success when he rolls off from the 18th position for Sunday’s race.

NINE TO GO: Looking to lock himself into the playoffs for the second time in his three-year NASCAR Cup Series career, Byron is 14th in the standings with two playoff points to his name and nine races left in the regular season. While a win in one of the upcoming points-paying races would automatically secure his position in the fight for the championship, Byron is currently 30 points above the playoff cutline heading into the Texas weekend.

CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY: In the last seven races dating back to Martinsville Speedway in June, Byron has six top-15 finishes, tying him with four other Cup Series drivers for the most in that same timespan. In that stretch, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has three top-10 finishes and paced the field for 30 laps, including a stage win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

KNAUS HAS ‘NO LIMITS’: This weekend, crew chief Chad Knaus will call his 35th Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. In his 34 previous events, Knaus has won seven times at the “No Limits” track, with the most recent victory coming in April 2017. In his career as a Cup crew chief, Knaus’ seven wins at Texas Motor Speedway ranks fourth among the tracks where he has the most victories behind only Dover International Speedway (11), Martinsville Speedway (9) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (8).

AXALTA ON BOARD: After sporting Sea Glass 2.0, Axalta’s 2020 Color of the Year, in Wednesday night’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Byron will head to Texas with the familiar iconic flames back on board his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. 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.

HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: Needing to secure a position in the NASCAR All-Star Race on Wednesday night, Byron started seventh in the Open qualifier. After finishing second in Stage 1, he lined up first for Stage 2 and never looked back, leading every circuit of the 35-lap stint. His stage win locked him into the All-Star Race in the No. 24 Axalta Sea Glass 2.0 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE with an 18th-place starting position. Fighting a tight handling Axalta Chevy throughout the event, Byron raced his way to 12th by the time the checkered flag flew.

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

2020 Season
15th in standings
16 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
99 laps led

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

Track Career
33 starts
7 wins
2 pole positions
16 top-five finishes
22 top-10 finishes
1,152 laps led

‘SEVEN-TIME’ AT TEXAS: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has had his fair share of success in the Lone Star State. The seven-time Texas Motor Speedway winner has won six of the last 15 races at the track and has won four of the last 10 races there, which is twice any other driver during that span. Johnson has an average finish of 10.39 in 33 starts, which is fifth-best of all-time.

NOT HIS FIRST RODEO: In addition to the most wins in history at Texas, Johnson has the most top-five finishes (16) and is now tied with Kevin Harvick for most top-10s (22) of all current drivers. Johnson also has led the most laps there with 1,152 and has the fifth-best average finish of 9.66.

TEXAS TRIPLE: Johnson won three straight races at Texas between November 2014 and November 2015 – the longest streak ever by a driver at the track. He also has posted three-race win streaks at Phoenix Raceway, Las Vegas and Martinsville. Johnson won four-in-a-row at Charlotte Motor Speedway from May 2004 to October 2005.

GUNS A’BLAZIN’: Texas is one of four tracks on the circuit where Johnson has led more than 1,000 laps, joining Dover (3,110), Martinsville (2,932) and Charlotte (1,936). Johnson has led 1,152 at Texas. He also has more wins than anyone else at the following track venues: Dover (11), Martinsville (9), Charlotte (8) and Texas (7).

STEPPING UP THE PIT GAME: The No. 48 crew ranks seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series with an average four-tire stop time of 14.17 seconds. The team is coached by Jon Carvin and consists of veteran gasman Brandon Harder, tire carrier Allan Stallings, jackman Kyle Tudor and tire changers Calvin Teague and Donnie Tasser.

MOST ALL-TIME WINS ON 1.5-MILERS: Johnson is the NASCAR Cup Series’ all-time wins leader on 1.5-mile tracks with 28. Second on that list is Johnson’s former teammate Jeff Gordon with 17 victories.

HELMET OF HOPE WINNERS ANNOUNCED: The Jimmie Johnson Foundation recently announced the five recipients of this year’s $25,000 Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope grants. The Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program invites fans and consumers across the country to nominate not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that support K-12 public education for the opportunity to receive one of five available grant packages. This year, the nomination process was expanded to include non-profits that have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis. The final five were selected via a week-long public vote. More than 223,000 votes were cast for the 10 semi-finalists during the voting period. The five grant recipients are: DMF Youth Inc. (New York, New York); Foodbank of Siouxland (Sioux City, Iowa); National Mental Health Association of Georgia (Atlanta); TABLE Inc. (Carrboro, North Carolina) and Working in the Schools (Chicago). For more information visit www.JimmieJohnsonFoundation.org.

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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
9th in standings
17 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
381 laps led

Career
170 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
31 top-10 finishes
855 laps led

Track Career
9 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
1 top-10 finish
14 laps led

BOWMAN IN TEXAS: Alex Bowman will make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. The Tucson, Arizona, native’s best qualifying and finishing position of fifth came in the fall event last season after he led for 11 laps. Bowman also has two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2013. He qualified on the pole for both events and led a combined seven laps. The 27-year-old driver captured 14th- and 18th-place finishes in those races. He will start from the 12th position on Sunday for the 501-mile event.

1.5-MILE STATS: Bowman has led 215 laps on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length and has led the second-most laps at 1.5-mile facilities this season. Although he has led over 200 laps, his best finish in 2020 on a track this length was 12th at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The No. 88 team has won three stages on intermediate tracks this season. .

2020 AVERAGE: So far this season, the No. 88 pit crew has an average four-tire pit stop of 14.18 seconds, which is eighth-best among teams in 2020. The driver of the No. 88 machine ranks sixth on the list of drivers with the best average running position in 2020 with an average position of 11.65. Bowman has led 381 laps in 17 events this season, which is seventh on the list of drivers with the most laps led. He has won four stages in 2020 and has collected 151 stage points.

IVES’ LONE STAR STATS: Crew chief Greg Ives has called the shots for the No. 88 Chevrolet 10 times at Texas Motor Speedway. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s resumé includes four top-five finishes and five top-10s. Ives’ best finish at the track came back in 2016 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second after 334 laps. The crew chief also has four starts in the Xfinity Series at Texas, which include one win when Chase Elliott led 38 laps to bring home the victory in 2014. As a race engineer for the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports from 2006-2012, Ives was part of two wins, nine top-10 finishes and one pole award with driver Jimmie Johnson.

100 TOGETHER: Ives and Bowman have been teamed up for 99 races in four years and have captured two wins, 12 top-five results, 31 top-10s and two pole awards. The No. 88 duo ranks sixth on the list of longest active driver and crew chief pairings.

WELCOME BACK, CHEVYGOODS.COM: The black and yellow ChevyGoods.com paint scheme featuring Adam’s Polishes will be on board Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Texas Motor Speedway. Adam’s Polishes 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.

GUEST ON BOARD: The No. 88 team will have a special name on board this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway with Troy Malesky’s name featured on the passenger-side door of Bowman’s Chevrolet. Malesky is a native of Strafford, Missouri, and played college baseball at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. The 34-year-old enlisted in the United States Navy and became a member of the Navy SEALs after completing BUD’s class 285 in 2011. After serving as a SEAL for almost nine years, Malesky recently left the service to focus on being a father and husband. He is now a member of Commercial Real Estate as a broker for Makers Commercial in the greater Denver area.

GOOD DISCOUNTS: During the month of July, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on all accessories, including Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero. Customers can receive 10% off MSRP with purchases of $100-$249 (offer code “GET10”), 15% off with purchases of $250-$499 (code “GET15”), and 20% off with purchases of more than $500 (code “GET20”).

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Hendrick Motorsports

ALL-STAR RACING: Chase Elliott’s performance in Wednesday night’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway was the ninth victory for Hendrick Motorsports in the non-points event, extending the team’s all-time record. In addition, William Byron advanced into the All-Star Race after winning the second stage of the Open qualifier, which gave Hendrick Motorsports four cars in the main event for the 17th time in the last 19 seasons.

TMS SUCCESS: In Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports will be seeking a track-record 10th victory. The organization’s nine wins there are tied with Roush Fenway Racing for the most. Six of Hendrick Motorsports’ Texas wins have come in the last 15 races, which is the highest total of any team during that span.

LONE STAR STREAK: Hendrick Motorsports has placed at least one of its four cars inside the top 10 at Texas for 27 consecutive Cup Series races, the longest-ever streak at the track. The team has 71 total top-10 finishes at the Fort Worth venue, including 39 inside the top five. Its drivers have led 2,468 laps there, just 32 shy of 2,500.

CHAMPS WIN AT TEXAS: Three different drivers – all multi-time NASCAR Cup Series champions – have recorded wins for Hendrick Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway. Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson has earned seven victories there, while four-time champ Jeff Gordon and two-time title winner Terry Labonte each have one.

JUST THE STATS: Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has 12 championships, 258 race victories, 226 pole positions, 1,082 top-five finishes and 1,864 top-10s in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led 69,865 laps, which is the all-time record. 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 his All-Star Race win:
“Alan (Gustafson) and our entire UniFirst group did a great job. I’m not sure that I’ve had a better car at Bristol. That’s one of those cars that you don’t get very often. We’ve had cars like that before and haven’t won the race so when you have a car that drives that good you just really want to get the job done. It’s one of those things where if you didn’t, you’d be leaving there really kicking yourself.”

Elliott on his last few races:
“These past couple weeks have been a struggle for us. I think we learned some things at Kentucky, Indy and Pocono that we can try to apply this weekend at Texas. They are all places that have straightaways and the outright speed of your car is important nowadays with the downforce and whatnot. I think there are some tools that we learned. We’ve learned some lessons the hard way these past couple weeks and we are going to try and be better and hopefully it will show up at Texas.”

Elliott on the heat at Texas:
“Texas is a hot place. This time of year, I think everywhere is probably going to be hot. It always is. From the hydration standpoint, that’s always important. Preparing to sweat a lot is another big thing. As far as the track goes, I don’t expect the racing to look a whole lot different just because it’s hot. I think it will be really similar to what we’ve seen there in the past. The repave has been a big-time struggle for us. We just need to settle in and try to find some consistency and get going a little better. It’s such a unique place now with the ends being so different and how you want to configure your car.”

Crew chief Alan Gustafson on his Texas outlook:
“We’ve had a stretch of races that haven’t been the greatest for us, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. You just don’t get the finishes that you feel like you deserve. I think we’ve had pretty decent performance in our cars though. We learned some things from Kentucky that we can take to Texas this weekend.”

Driver William Byron on his success at Texas:
“I don’t know why I’ve always been so good at Texas Motor Speedway other than it’s one of the tracks I’ve raced at the most in my career. We always bring fast cars, which definitely helps, especially with the amount of grip the track has. I would say it’s just a bit of luck that Texas suits me. I really like that place and it seems to like me, as well. Hopefully, we will have a good run there this weekend.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson on Texas:
“Since they reconfigured the track, Texas is so weird these days. The line we run in turns one and two is the apron or even below it where we used to race. So the rhythm of the track is really awkward, and in some respects it almost races like Darlington – like an egg-shaped racetrack. You let off really early in (turns) one and two, slow the car down, chase the bottom ,and then the rest of the track with this horsepower package is like a straightway and you don’t lift again until you get into turn one. This new asphalt has really held up and not worn like we thought it might.”

Driver Alex Bowman on what makes Texas’ unique track:
“Texas is different because since they reconfigured it, it’s just really tricky down in turns one and two. In turns three and four, you’re just wide open. Turns one and two are just really flat and different. It’s not the normal 1.5-mile track shape. It started widening out there in the fall and hopefully it continues to move in that direction this year.”

Logano to reach 600 starts across NASCAR at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images.

When Joey Logano takes the green flag for the upcoming O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 19, he will reach a significant milestone of his racing career. By starting this weekend’s race at the Lone Star state, Logano will reach 600 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series, (NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series).

A native of Middletown, Connecticut, Logano’s racing career started at age six when he was racing quarter midgets. After racing in Late Models and various stock cars series throughout his early youth, he competed in the Camping World East Series, (known today as ARCA Menards Series East), in 2007. He ended up winning the series championship in a season where he won five races, including the Toyota All-Star Showdown at California’s Irwindale Speedway in October.

The 2008 season would serve as Logano’s breakthrough year, which started when he won his first ARCA Series race in his series debut at Rockingham Speedway in May. More than three weeks later, he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Dover International Speedway. Driving the No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, he finished sixth in his series debut. The following race at Nashville Superspeedway in June, Logano recorded his first career pole. During the race at Nashville, Logano led 64 laps before he was involved in a wreck shy of the halfway mark and he settled in 31st. The following race at Kentucky Speedway, Logano started on pole for a second consecutive race and this time, he led 76 laps and scored his first Xfinity career win in his third series start. With his victory, Logano became the youngest winner in the Xfinity Series at age 18 years and 21 days, (surpassing Casey Atwood’s record of 18 years, 10 months and nine days old accomplished in 1999). He competed in 16 more Xfinity races in 2008, where he recorded 12 top-10 results, a pair of runner-up results at Milwaukee and Gateway in June and two more poles at Richmond in September and at Homestead in November. By finishing 10th in the finale at Homestead, Logano also delivered Joe Gibbs Racing’s first owners’ title in the Xfinity Series. He also competed in one NASCAR Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where he finished 26th while driving for HT Motorsports.

In August 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Logano will be moving up to the NASCAR Cup Series to drive the iconic No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry in 2009, replacing Tony Stewart, who was set to form and drive for Stewart-Haas Racing. Prior to his rookie Cup season, he made his series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September 2008, driving the No. 96 Home Depot/DLP HDTV Toyota Camry for Hall of Fame Racing in a technical partnership with JGR. Finishing 32nd in his Cup debut, he qualified for two more Cup races at Kansas Speedway in September with Hall of Fame Racing and at Texas Motor Speedway in November with JGR. His finishes were 39th and 40th.

Entering the 2009 season as a Cup Rookie-of-the-Year candidate, Logano made his first Cup start in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway in February, where he finished last of the 28-car field after being involved in an early multi-car wreck. He rebounded by finishing fourth in the first Gatorade Duel at Daytona, but finished last of the 43-car field in the rain-shortened Daytona 500 after being involved in a single-car wreck near the midway point of the race. After finishing no higher than 13th in the first eight Cup races of 2009, Logano recorded his first top-10 result at Talladega Superspeedway in April. The following month at Darlington Raceway, he had a stellar performance, where he led 19 laps and finished ninth. He would record another ninth-place result in the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The previous week, he won the Fan Vote and made his All-Star Race debut, where he finished eighth. In June at New Hampshire, Logano’s home track and the same racetrack where he made his Cup debut the previous season, he rallied from a midway spin to stretch his fuel cell to the fullest and emerge with the lead over Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch when the caution fell due to rain. Shortly after, the race was declared official due to weather and Logano was awarded his first Cup win in his 20th series start. With the victory, he became the youngest Cup winner at age 19 years, one month and four days old. For the remainder of his rookie Cup season, he recorded three more top-10 results, including a fifth-place result at Charlotte in October and a third-place result at Talladega in November, and he claimed the Rookie-of-the-Year title over Scott Speed despite finishing 20th in the final standings.

Throughout the 2009 season, Logano also competed in 22 of 35 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He won five races in five different tracks that included Nashville, Kentucky, Chicagoland, Kansas and at Auto Club Speedway. He also recorded four poles, 13 top-five results and 16 top-10 results, all while driving Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry.

In 2010, Logano went winless, but he recorded his first Cup career pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in March. He recorded seven top-five results and 16 top-10 results while concluding the year in 16th in the standings, four spots better than his rookie season. He also competed in 25 of the 35-race schedule in the Xfinity Series, where he won two races and eight poles while recording 15 top-five results and 24 top-10 results. By then, Logano had surpassed 100 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

The year 2011 was one of Logano’s disappointing years, though he reached 200 division starts in NASCAR. In the Cup Series, he went winless again, but he recorded two poles, four top-five results and six top-10 results while concluding the season in 24th in the final standings with no opportunity in making the Chase and competing for the title. In the Xfinity Series, Logano recorded a single victory at Daytona International Speedway in July. He also recorded a pole, eight top-five results and 15 top-10 results in 22 starts.

The following season, Logano was paired with veteran crew chief Jason Ratcliff when longtime crew chief Greg Zipadelli left JGR for Stewart-Haas Racing. In his first 13 Cup races with Ratcliff, Logano’s only top-10 results came in the season-opening Daytona 500 in February and at Dover in June. Shortly after, Logano dominated and prevailed over a late battle with his childhood hero, Mark Martin, to notch his second NASCAR Cup career win at Pocono Raceway, first since winning the rain-shortened event at New Hampshire in 2009. With the breakthrough win, Logano became the first Cup competitor to win a race from the pole in 30 races as he also claimed his first Cup victory in a race spanning through its scheduled distance. The victory was also the first in the Cup Series for crew chief Ratcliff. Throughout the 2012 Cup season, however, he recorded two poles, two top-five results and 12 top-10 results while concluding the season in 17th in the final standings, missing the Chase in his fourth season in the series.

The 2012 Xfinity Series season was Logano’s breakout year, where he won a season-high nine races in eight different tracks, among which included Auto Club, Talladega, Darlington, Dover, Michigan, Bristol, Charlotte and Phoenix. Throughout the 33-race Xfinity schedule, he competed in 22 races and along with his nine victories, he recorded six poles, 12 top-five results and 17 top-10 results, all while serving as one of many competitors who contributed to delivering the fourth Xfinity owners’ title to Joe Gibbs Racing.

The 2013 season came with a fresh start for Logano when he was released from Joe Gibbs Racing and the Connecticut native joined forces with team owner Roger Penske to drive the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion led by crew chief Todd Gordon while paired with the reigning Cup champion Brad Keselowski. In his first Cup season with the Penske organization, Logano won at Michigan in August 2013, recorded two poles, a career-high 11 top-five results, a career-high 19 top-10 results and a career-high 323 laps led, all while making his first Chase appearance and finishing eighth in the final standings. He also competed in 15 Xfinity Series races in the No. 22 Hertz/Discount Tire Ford Mustang for the Penske organization, where he won three races and was one of four competitors who contributed to delivering the first Xfinity owners’ championship for Roger Penske by a single point. In addition, he made three NASCAR Truck Series starts in the No. 19 Reese Towpower/Draw-Tite Ford F-150 for Brad Keselowski Racing. His best result was a runner-up finish at Rockingham Speedway in April behind rookie Kyle Larson. By then, he had surpassed 300 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

The following season, Logano recorded five wins in the NASCAR Cup Series in five different tracks that included Texas, Richmond and Bristol in the regular season, and New Hampshire and Kansas in the Chase. To go along with a pole, 16 top-five results, 22 top-10 results and 993 laps led throughout the season, Logano was one of four competitors vying for the 2014 Cup title in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. During the finale, a late pit road error, where the jack dropped and the driver lost numerous spots on pit road, cost Logano and the No. 22 Penske team a shot for the title as he settled in fourth in the final standings. Throughout the 2014 season, Logano competed in 10 Xfinity races, where he went winless despite recording three poles and nine top-10 results, and serving as one of five competitors who contributed to achieving the second consecutive owners’ title for Team Penske in the Xfinity Series. He also made two Truck starts for Brad Keselowski Racing, finishing third and 18th in his two races.

In 2015, Logano won a season-high six races, including the Daytona 500, Watkins Glen International following a last-lap pass on Kevin Harvick, a victory in the Bristol Night Race for the second consecutive year and three consecutive races in the Round of 12 in the Playoffs at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega. Logano’s championship hopes, however, came to an end during the Round of 8, starting at Martinsville Speedway in November when he was deliberately wrecked out by Matt Kenseth as a result of retaliation when Logano spun Kenseth for the win at Kansas a couple weeks earlier. The following week at Texas, Logano’s blew a tire and spun while damaging his car, where he ended up in 40th. Despite finishing third the next week at Phoenix, Logano was eliminated from title contention as he concluded the season in sixth in the final standings and in a year where he recorded six poles, 22 top-five results and 28 top-10 results. He also made 11 starts in the Xfinity Series, where he won four races, and one start in the Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway in March, where he won for the first time in the series. To July 2020, Logano is one of 33 competitors to win across NASCAR’s three major division series. At the time the 2015 season concluded, Logano had also surpassed 400 starts across the three division series.

In 2016, Logano won three races, including the All-Star Race at Charlotte and the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix that enabled him to secure a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead. At Homestead, he rallied from a late restart incident, where he made contact with title contender Carl Edwards, to finish fourth in the finale, but runner up in the title battle behind Jimmie Johnson. He also made 13 starts in the Xfinity Series and won twice.

Following a dismal 2017 season, where he won a single race at Richmond that was encumbered due to a violation discovered during post-race inspection that prevented him from making the Playoffs, Logano had surpassed 500 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series. In 2018, he won three races and claimed his first Cup championship with a victory in the finale at Homestead. With the championship, Logano became the 34th competitor to win a Cup title as he also recorded the second Cup championship for Team Penske and the first for crew chief Todd Gordon.

Following a productive 2019 season, where he won two races and finished fifth in the final standings, Logano started the 2020 Cup season by making his 400th series start in the Daytona 500, his first race paired with veteran crew chief Paul Wolfe. After finishing 26th due to being involved in a late accident, Logano rebounded by winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway following a late restart. Two weeks later, Logano won for the second time of this season at Phoenix.

Through the first 17 Cup races of this season, Logano has recorded three top-five results and seven top-10 results. He is ranked fifth in the regular-season standings, trailing points leader Kevin Harvick by 111 points, but is guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Playoffs by virtue of his two recorded wins this season.

In his previous 599 division starts in NASCAR, Logano has won 25 Cup races, 30 Xfinity races and one Truck race.

Catch Logano’s milestone start in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on July 19 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance – Texas

By
Official Release
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Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Texas

Roush Fenway and the NASCAR Cup Series takes to Texas this weekend, where teams will battle for 500 miles Sunday afternoon. Jack Roush has 18 wins all-time at the 1.5-mile track, including nine in the Cup Series.

Texas Motor Speedway
O’Reilly Auto Parts 500
Sunday, July 19 | 3 p.m. ET
NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
· Ryan Newman, No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Performance Ford Mustang

NASCAR Heads West to Lone Star State

· Following a non-points event Wednesday with the annual All-Star Race, NASCAR heads west to Texas Motor Speedway for a 500-mile event Sunday afternoon.
· Texas is typically run in the spring with a March-April event, but implications from COVID-19 pushed it to later in the schedule. The return trip to TMS is set for late October during the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.
· The lineup for Sunday’s race will again be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners’ points. Newman and Buescher will both draw for a starting spot in the 13-24 group, based off owners’ points.
· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the COVID-19 hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

All-Star Recap, Texas Preview

· Buescher came up just short of advancing to the All-Star Race, finishing fourth in the All-Star Open Wednesday night in the Fastenal Ford.
· Newman went for an early spin aboard his Oscar Mayer machine, and was unable to regain track position to finish 19th.
· Wyndham Rewards returns to Newman’s Ford this weekend in Texas, their third race of the 2020 campaign.
· Buescher will carry a new look with Roush Performance on board, highlighting the ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang.

“Dream Season”

Roush Fenway won both the first NCS (Jeff Burton) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (Mark Martin) races at Texas in 1997. Burton began the afternoon from the fifth position and led 60 laps en route to the inaugural victory.

Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem

Roush Fenway has earned nine NCS victories at Texas, dating back to the inaugural event in 1997. Former drivers Burton, Martin, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth have captured the checkered flag in the Lone Star State.

J.R.’s ‘08 Sweep

Edwards swept the 2008 NCS races for Roush Fenway at Texas, leading 335 laps in the two events.

9 A.M. in Dallas

Roush Fenway has started 144 NCS races at Texas, recording a total of nine victories, 38 top-five finishes, 59 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 15.7 and has led 2,524 laps. Biffle earned Roush Fenway’s most recent victory at Texas in the April 2012 event.

North Dallas Forty

Roush Fenway has earned eight victories, 26 top-five finishes, 47 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13th at Texas in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Roush Fenway won three of the first four races at the 1.5-mile oval.

Jack Roush; Texas Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Member

Based on the strength of Roush Fenway’s numerous accomplishments at Texas, team owner Jack Roush was inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Tale of the Tape

Roush Fenway has started 295 races all-time at Texas Motor Speedway, recording 18 wins, 76 top-fives and 133 top-10s. RFR Fords have captured nine poles at the 1.5-mile track and led 3500+ laps while turning more than 108,000 miles.

Roush Fenway Texas Wins
1997 Burton Cup
1997 Martin NXS
1998 Martin Cup
1999 Martin NXS
2000 Martin NXS
2000 Biffle Truck
2002 Kenseth Cup
2005-1 Biffle Cup
2005-2 Edwards Cup
2007-1 Kenseth NXS
2008-1 Edwards Cup
2008-2 Edwards Cup
2010-2 Edwards NXS
2011-1 Edwards NXS
2011-2 Bayne NXS
2011-1 Kenseth Cup
2012-1 Biffle Cup
2012-1 Stenhouse NXS

Chase Elliott follows in his father’s footsteps to win the All-Star Race at Bristol

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

As Chase Elliott took the checkered flag to win the All-Star race at Bristol Motor Speedway, social media was instantly filled with those who were disappointed in a race that they deemed lackluster.

Was this the most exciting All-Star race we’ve ever seen? Probably not. Elliott led 60 of the 140 laps and the track’s surface made passing difficult.

After it was announced that the race was being moved from its traditional venue at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Bristol, most anticipated a wild event on the short track. For many viewers, the All-Star race did not live up to those expectations.

But, let’s be honest. Nothing is perfect. We sometimes have races so tedious that we have to make ourselves watch until the predictable end. Then we have races that have us standing on our feet and holding our breath as we anticipate a crazy finish. But generally, most races are a little of both, periods of boredom interspersed with nail-biting, up on the edge of our seats, excitement.

But NASCAR is about so much more than cars going around in circles. It’s the passion of drivers who are never satisfied with anything less than first place and the adrenalin rush of cars and competitors pushed to the limit.

There are highs and lows and everything in between but what keeps us coming back is the emotional connection between the fans and the drivers. It’s a community of people from all walks of life who come together for the love of the sport.

And don’t forget the long, storied history of NASCAR.

This was only the second time that the All-Star race was not run at Charlotte Motor Speedway since its inception in 1985. It happened once before in 1986 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Bill Elliott won that race. Like father, like son.

“To join dad in winning this event, heck, I mean, that’s not just special, that’s a lot of years and a lot of history for everything to come full circle like that,” Elliott said. “It’s pretty dang cool.”

Elliott and his father are only the second father-son duo to win the prestigious All-Star Race, joining Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Was this the most exciting All-Star race we’ve ever seen? Probably not. But who could have predicted such a historic outcome?

Chris Buescher – Texas Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Roush Performance Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 501 miles, 334 laps, Stage Lengths: 85-85-164
O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 – Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Heads West to Lone Star State

· Following a non-points event Wednesday with the annual All-Star Race, NASCAR heads west to Texas Motor Speedway for a 500-mile event Sunday afternoon.

· Texas is typically run in the spring with a March-April event, but implications from COVID-19 pushed it to later in the schedule. The return trip to TMS is set for late October during the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

· The lineup for Sunday’s race will again be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners’ points. Buescher and the No. 17 team are 22nd in points and will draw for a starting spot in the 13-24 group.

· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the COVID-19 hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Buescher Historically at Texas Motor Speedway

· Buescher makes his 10th Cup start at TMS on Sunday, a track where he has an average finish of 22.1. Dating back to 2015, Buescher’s best finish is 15th, which came in the 2018 spring race.

· Most recently, Buescher crossed the line 20th and 19th in last season’s events.

· Buescher, a native of Prosper, Texas, made five Xfinity Series starts for Jack Roush, finishing ninth in 2015 in the No. 60.

Luke Lambert at Texas Motor Speedway

· Lambert will be atop the box for his 16th Cup event at Texas. In 19 prior starts, he has an average finish of 20.4, 10 of which were with Ryan Newman.

· Lambert has one top-10 at Texas, a 10th-place run with Newman back in 2016. Most recently he finished 16th with Daniel Hemric last fall.

· Lambert also called two Xfinity races at TMS with Elliott Sadler in 2012, recording finishes of 12th and 11th.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Texas:
“I’m personally excited to get back home to Texas this weekend. We’ve been trying some new things with our 1.5-mile program the last few weeks, so we’re anxious to see what we’ve got. I’m also excited to be in a Roush Performance Mustang this weekend and debuting their new look.”

Last Time Out
Buescher finished fourth in the NASCAR All-Star Open Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, coming up just short of advancing into the All-Star Race.

Where They Rank
Buescher is 21st in driver points through 17 events, but within striking distance of the two spots ahead.

On the Car
Combining Ford’s 5.0L V8 engine with the ROUSH Phase 2 Supercharger, the ROUSH Stage 3 delivers 750 hp, 670 lb-ft of torque and a blistering 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds. Equipped in your choice of 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission, the power is yours to command. Inspired by Jack Roush’s legendary reputation for engineering excellence and top-notch performance, engineers and designers at ROUSH comb over every detail to create the ultimate driving experience. Learn more at ROUSHStage3.com.

· Power: 750 hp, 670 lb-ft torque

· 0-60 mph: 3.6s

· Lateral-g: 1.07g+

· Quarter-Mile: 11.2s

About ROUSH Performance
ROUSH Performance was founded in 1995 by motorsports legend Jack Roush, the winningest name in racing. Combining performance engineering with entrepreneurship, ROUSH began selling designs he had created for his own team to the wider world of motorsports. Based out of Plymouth Township, Michigan, ROUSH Performance, a division of Roush Enterprises, designs, engineers and manufacturers completely assembled pre-titled vehicles, aftermarket performance parts, and superchargers for the global performance enthusiast market. For more on ROUSH, please visit ROUSHperformance.com or call 800.59.ROUSH.

Almirola draws second pole of 2020 for Texas

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

For the fifth time in 10 NASCAR Cup Series races of 2020, Aric Almirola’s name has been drawn to start on the front row for a Cup race. On this occasion, Almirola will start on pole position for the second time this season. That will be case when the driver of the No. 10 Smithfield/Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday, July 19, at Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, the 18th race of the 2020 Cup season as the series will also reach its halfway point of this year’s racing season.

Almirola is already coming off an eventful week of racing, where he finished eighth at Kentucky Speedway after leading a race-high 128 laps on July 12 and won the first stage of the All-Star Open at Bristol Motor Speedway on July 15, a victory that allowed him to transfer to the All-Star Race, where he finished ninth out of a 20-car field. He is currently ranked eighth in the regular-season standings, trailing points leader/teammate Kevin Harvick by 171 points. Nonetheless, Almirola is 133 points above the top-16 cutline in his quest to qualify for this year’s 2020 Playoffs and is coming off six consecutive races of finishing in the top 10.

Joining Almirola on the front row will be Ryan Blaney, who led a race-high 72 laps in the All-Star Race and was in position to win the event before he settled in sixth. Brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch will start on the second row in front of Kevin Harvick, who is set to make his 700th NASCAR Cup Series career start. Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin will start sixth and seventh followed by Chase Elliott, winner of this year’s All-Star Race. Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. will round out the top-10 starting positions followed by Matt DiBenedetto and Alex Bowman.

Starting in positions 13-26 are Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bubba Wallace, Ryan Newman, Chris Buescher, Clint Bowyer, William Byron, rookie Cole Custer, Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Erik Jones, rookie Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece and rookie Quin Houff.

Starting in positions 27-40 are Garrett Smithley, rookie John Hunter Nemechek, Gray Gaulding, Ty Dillon, J.J. Yeley, rookie Brennan Poole, rookie Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell, Joey Gase, Corey LaJoie, Daniel Suarez, Timmy Hill, B.J. McLeod and Reed Sorenson.

Catch the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on July 19 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Ryan Newman – Texas Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 501 miles, 334 laps, Stage Lengths: 85-85-164

O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 – Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Heads West to Lone Star State

· Following a non-points event Wednesday with the annual All-Star Race, NASCAR heads west to Texas Motor Speedway for a 500-mile event Sunday afternoon.

· Texas is typically run in the spring with a March-April event, but implications from COVID-19 pushed it to later in the schedule. The return trip to TMS is set for late October during the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

· The lineup for Sunday’s race will again be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners’ points. Newman and the No. 6 team are 23rd in points and will draw for a starting spot in the 13-24 group.

· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the COVID-19 hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Newman Historically at Texas Motor Speedway

· Newman will make his 34th start at Texas on Sunday. In 33 prior events, Newman has one win with three top fives and six top-10s.

· Newman went to victory lane in just his second Cup outing at the 1.5-mile track back in 2003, leading 77 laps after starting third. Most recently, Newman tallied finishes of 11th and 15th in the 2019 events.

· He also crossed the line fifth in the 2007 fall race and fourth in the following event (spring 2008). His most recent top-10 came in the 2016 fall event where he finished 10th.

· Newman has two career Cup poles at Texas, both of which came in 2005 when he swept the pole spot that season. Overall, he has an average starting spot of 16.4 with his most recent top-10 start coming in 2017 (ninth).

· Newman also has three starts in the Xfinity Series at TMS, where he led the field to green in 2005 and recorded a top finish of 14th in 2001.

Scott Graves at Texas Motor Speedway

· Graves will be atop the box for his eighth Cup race Sunday at Texas. In seven prior starts, Graves has an average finish of 20.6 with three different drivers.

· His best result to date is the 11th-place run with Newman last spring, which was followed by the 15th-place run in the fall.

· Graves also has two top-10s and one top-five in the Xfinity Series at Texas, finishing fifth with Suarez in 2016 and ninth with Buescher in 2015.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Texas:
“Texas in the middle of summer is obviously going to be hot and challenging from that perspective. Last year we found something that worked pretty well, after running inside the top-10 for much of the spring race. We’ve been trying some different things with our 1.5-mile program and look forward to seeing what we can do this week in the Wyndham Rewards Ford.”

Last Time Out
Newman was the victim of an early spin in Wednesday night’s All-Star Race, relegating him to 19th overall after track position proved to be key in the short, 140-lap race.

Where They Rank
Newman is 26th in driver points after 14 points races in his 2020 campaign. In owners’ points, the No. 6 is 23rd.

On the Car
Wyndham Rewards returns to the No. 6 this weekend at Texas, the brand’s third event overall of 2020 as the primary, and second with Newman. Wyndham Rewards is in its third season with the team after joining the fold with Matt Kenseth in 2018, and a 10-race program in 2019 with Newman.

About Wyndham Rewards

Recently named the number one hotel rewards program by readers of USA TODAY, Wyndham Rewards® is the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 30,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Designed for the everyday traveler, members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay and may redeem points for a wide-range of rewards, including free nights at any of approximately 9,300 hotels or tens of thousands of vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally through partnership with Wyndham Destinations (NYSE: WYND) and others. Wyndham Rewards has approximately 81 million enrolled members around the globe. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com. You’ve earned this.®

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