TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Bristol Motor Speedway
April 10-12, 2026

Fresh off its first off-weekend of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series will return to action for 16-straight weeks of competition, with the stretch kicking off Sunday at “The Last Great Colosseum” of Bristol Motor Speedway.

Chevrolet is the most recent manufacturer to make a trip to victory lane at NASCAR’s highest level, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott driving the new Camaro ZL1 racecar to its first win of the season at Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago. The Tennessee tripleheader will get underway Friday evening with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – an event that will see five Cup Series regulars – Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Carson Hocevar -back behind the wheel of a Silverado RST. On Saturday, it will be the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ turn to hit the high-banked half-mile as Team Chevy looks to build onto its already stout early-season run in the second-level series.

LARSON LOOKS TO DEFEND

A trip to Bristol Motor Speedway might just be what Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team need to get back to victory lane. The Elk Grove, California, native knows his way around the high-banked half-mile – owning a combined five wins across NASCAR’s top-two divisions. His most recent victories came one year ago during the track’s spring date when the reigning champion attempted a tripleheader sweep – an effort that ended with a pair of near dominate triumphs in the Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson’s Bristol statistics include three wins, six top-fives and 1,121 laps led. Two of his victories have come in the series’ past three visits to the track, with the triumphs accompanied by a sweep of the stages and over 400 laps led in each race.

Larson will also have the opportunity to defend his crown in the track’s spring race for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with the driver returning to the seat of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for Saturday’s race. This will mark Larson’s third start with the Mardy Lindley-led team this season – a partnership that has already seen a trip to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and, most recently, a pole win and a fourth-place finish at Darlington Raceway.

VAN GISBERGEN BUILDING SHORT TRACK CONFIDENCE

Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen is carrying the confidence of a career-best short-track effort. At Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago, the Auckland, New Zealand, native put together a strong Saturday performance that led to his career-best oval qualifying effort of fifth. Van Gisbergen went on to score points in each stage en route to an 11th-place finish – marking his best result on a half-mile at NASCAR’s highest level. The Trackhouse Racing driver also kickstarted his sophomore campaign with an impressive run in the series’ preseason exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium. When precipitation overcame the quarter-mile track, it was Van Gisbergen that capitalized on the wet-weather tires to make a charge from 15th to the top position – going on to lead 15 laps and maintain a running position in the top-five for much of the second-half of the race.

RCR TEAMMATES READY FOR REDEMPTION

The circuit’s short tracks have fit right into Austin Dillon’s wheelhouse in recent seasons. In six short track events last season, the Welcome, North Carolina, native collected one victory (Richmond Raceway), along with a pair of top-10 results, one of which came in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dillon’s success at the Tennessee half-mile expands across the NASCAR national ranks, with the Richard Childress Racing driver picking up a win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2016. Dillon’s teammate, Kyle Busch, also shares a decorated history at Bristol, with the two-time champion leading the series’ active drivers in wins (eight), runner-up finishes (four), top-fives (14) and top-10s (19) at the track.

ALLGAIER AT THE TOP

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points leader, Justin Allgaier, further solidified his position at the top of the standings at Rockingham Speedway last weekend – driving his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to his fifth-straight top-five finish. The veteran driver has been a points powerhouse already this season – standing tall as the only driver to earn points in every stage thus far. With a culmination of three wins, six top-fives, seven top-10s and 120 stage points earned, Allgaier heads into the Bristol race weekend with a monstrous 126-point lead over the series’ reigning champion, Jesse Love. Allgaier’s tenure with JR Motorsports has produced a strong set of statistics at “The Last Great Colosseum”. In 16 career starts with the organization at the track, he’s earned one trip to victory lane (2023), nine top-fives and 12 top-10s.

DAY DIALING IN CONSISTENCY

Corey Day is making a statement early in his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie campaign. The Clovis, California, turned in a career day at Rockingham Speedway last weekend. In his first appearance at the North Carolina venue, Day drove his No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to his first career pole win, a sweep of the stages and a career-high 118 laps led en route to a 10th-place finish. The result marked Day’s seventh-consecutive top-10 finish of the season – a feat that also leads the series. Day was the only driver in the top-10 of the points standings to make a move up the ranks, with the rookie taking over the fifth position heading into the Bristol race weekend.

ECKES EYING OPPORTUNITY

With five races in the books, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s (MHR) Christian Eckes leads the Bowtie brigade in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings, leaving “The Rock” in the seventh position. Returning to the division full-time this season, Eckes has a new voice from atop the pit box, with the No. 91 team under the leadership of series veteran, Dave Elenz. In the pair’s first race together at Daytona International Speedway, they scored their season-best finish of third, going on to match the result at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago. Finding their rhythm early in the season, they head to a track where Eckes already has a strong notebook with the Chevrolet organization. In his three Bristol starts behind the wheel of a MHR-prepared Chevrolet, Eckes has finished no worse than fourth, including a trip to victory lane (Mar. 2024). He’s also scored third-place or higher points in every stage and accumulated 294 laps led.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Silverado RST pacing the Craftsman Truck Series.

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Kyle Busch: Eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)

Kyle Larson: Three wins (2025, 2024, ’21)

· Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in both of NASCAR’s top-two divisions at Bristol Motor Speedway, heading into the weekend with 48 Cup Series wins and 38 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins.

· With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.

· In 151 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 68 victories – a winning percentage of 45%.

· Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.

· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 882 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Food City 500

Sunday, Apr. 12, at 3 p.m. ET

FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Suburban Propane 300

Saturday, Apr. 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET

CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Tennessee Army National Guard 250

Friday, Apr. 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET

FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What do you like about Bristol?

“I love racing at Bristol which is why I always try and run more than one series there. It’s so fun to be on the track which is kind of down in a bowl with all of the fans right next to you. The atmosphere at Bristol is just so cool. Walking across the track down into the infield at the crossover gate is a neat experience. You get to feel how steep the banking is.”

A little different paint scheme this weekend?

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting back into the car after a weekend off. It was nice to have a few days to myself but I’m happy to be getting back to the track. Busch Light always does such a great job with the specialty schemes. I’m pumped to drive the Busch Light fishing car this weekend. The fans always love the specialty schemes and they’re very vocal about their thoughts which is always fun. It would look even better in victory lane at Bristol.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

What does Bristol mean to you?

“When you come to Bristol, this place is like one of the eight wonders of the world. You walk in and it’s like a gladiator dome. It’s always a privilege to come race here and be a part of the big races that they’ve had here. Got to drive up to victory lane once, and we’d like to do it again this weekend.”

What is your favorite RCR win at Bristol Motor Speedway?

“Hard to choose, but my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway was pretty special to me, personally.” 

What is your favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme?

“Oh man, it’s hard to choose a favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme. We’ve had so many patriotic paint schemes, and those ones mean a lot. I love the Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR paint scheme that we are running this year, too.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

This is your first double header with Spire Motorsports. How are you feeling about being back in a truck?

“I’m really excited to get back to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series—it’s been a few years. The last race I ran was the dirt race about five years ago, so it’s been a long time since I’ve competed on an oval. Honestly, the last time I did a true oval race was back in 2016, so this is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to.

It’s also been nearly a year since I’ve been in a truck, so I’m excited to get back behind the wheel in the No. 71 Freeway Insurance Silverado RST. The last time I worked with this team and Bono, we were able to win a race, so hopefully we can have some fun first and, with a little luck, bring home another trophy.”

Since 2014, winners at Bristol are awarded a sword, what would it mean to you to win this iconic trophy?

“It would be incredible to win the ceremonial Gladiator sword trophy—having one of my own would feel truly special. The level of detail in the design is amazing, and I’d love the opportunity to sit down with the person who created it and learn more about their process.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

The track is a little bit Dr. Jekyll, being the normal, and Mr. Hyde, being the crazy with the tire wear. Which do you prefer?

“I don’t mind the crazy. I feel like it lends itself into some unexpected results or things that may happen out of the ordinary. Guys that get flat tires because they chew up their tires quicker than others don’t benefit well from those races, so it can lend itself a little bit to guys that know what they are doing.”

What makes Bristol so special for you?

“I always love going there, it’s one of my favorite places to race. I grew up racing on the local short tracks across the country and racing in the tight confines of Bristol reminds me of my earlier days racing late models. There’s always action going from the bottom to the middle and the top of the racetrack. 500 laps at Bristol seems like a long time, but it goes by really fast. It’s a fun place to race.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

How important is Bristol to you?

“I think anyone who says they are a NASCAR fan likes Bristol. I’ve loved the place since I was a kid, and I’ve loved racing there in the truck and (now O’Reilly Auto Parts Series). When I was a kid going there, for the longest time I thought that Food City store logo with the blue square and red FC was the Bristol logo!”

What makes Bristol special to you?

“Being at Bristol is a special tradition for our family. This is like a home race for us. This is one of the ones that always means so much. Just the tradition of NASCAR, you feel it so strongly when you come here to Bristol. It’s good to have a partner in Ohio Logistics join us in Bristol this weekend. They were on our car in Mexico last year. They are going to see something really cool this weekend.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“Bristol will always kind of be good memories of our past there between the exciting finish of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts race and obviously getting the (NASCAR Cup Series) pole last year was really special and cool for Kaulig Racing. It’s tricky with the last couple years, depending on what tire they bring and whether it’s tire conservation or kind of a flat-out race. So that’s something that we don’t really know until you get there. And even through practice, sometimes you don’t realize it, so very tricky, but it’s one of those places that I still drive into and kind of get a little bit of chills and goosebumps just knowing what that place is. Probably the most physical racetrack for me. So, you know, we’ve had success there. We’re definitely searching right now, trying to figure out what we need to do to be better, so hopefully it’s a racetrack that we can kind of get some momentum back.

I think it’s good for the off week to have everybody reset and kind of go a different direction and figure out what we need to do to be better with whatever package that they bring. But overall, it’s going to be a tough race, physically and mentally, and hopefully we can go out there and have a good practice and qualifying. Track position is always critical there, especially early in the race and not going a lap down. So yeah, we’ll just go there and see what we got and give it our best.”

Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet

“Bristol is always a race I think all of us look forward to, with it being the Last Great Coliseum and being the crazy, wild place that it is with all of the banking and the huge grandstands. We will be beating and banging all night, so it is definitely a place everyone looks forward to and a place where everybody looks forward to try and win it. We are going to go out there and give HaasTooling.com and Gene the best chance that we can.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“Bristol is one of my favorite tracks of the season, so it’s always exciting to get there. Having NOS Energy Drink back on the No. 47 this weekend makes it even better. Bristol is such a fast, intense place where things happen quick, so qualifying well and staying up front is really important. Our team has been working hard in the shop, and I think we’ll have a good shot to put together a strong weekend.”

Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

“Bristol is 500 laps of chaos no matter if it’s on a sunny afternoon in April or under the lights on a Saturday night in September. To be able to walk out of Bristol with a good result is always very rewarding, because you know how hard it is to achieve.

Even though the distance at Bristol is not very long – a little more than 266 miles – 500 laps there is a long time. The mental endurance it takes run at 110 percent and be on you’re A-game from start to finish is key. You have to be laser-focused on hitting your marks, but also ready to adapt.

Bristol is not like a traditional short track where the bottom lane is dominant throughout the race. You’re going to see people racing the middle line and the high line, and the track conditions are going to play a big part in that. You need to be on the wheel and stay ahead of those changing track conditions, and really pay attention to tire wear and what you’re feeling during the course of a run.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

“Bristol is all about intensity, and it’s a place where I’ve had some good success recently with a couple of near top-10 finishes in the NextGen car. We had a few issues there last spring, but we have addressed them and feel good about those changes. We knew what needed to be fixed, and that gives me a lot of confidence going back. Spire had a ton of speed in the first Bristol race last year, so we have a strong notebook and feel like contenders. Bristol has a special energy, and I always tell fans that if they’ve never been to a race, or never been to Bristol, it’s a must. It’s one of the coolest events you can experience as both a fan and a driver. It’s a place that has been pretty good to me over the last few years, so it’s definitely a track we’ve circled to go back and capitalize on.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

You have been fast at Bristol, but the finishes don’t reflect that. How do you remain optimistic?

“We’ve been fast at Bristol ever since my first Cup race there in 2023. We have just been very successful there. I really enjoy running there, and it is one of Luke’s (Lambert) favorite tracks. He has a lot of experience there and won races at every level. We are close, we just need everything to come together.”

What about Bristol fits your driving style?

“Bristol is super-fast and I think that suits me. You carry a lot of speed around there and you have to make decisions very quickly and pick between the top and bottom lanes depending on where the lap traffic is. It is almost like running on a dirt track.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

This will be your first race at Bristol in the Cup car…

“I really appreciate the support from everyone at Roto-Rooter and it’s so cool they are the primary sponsor for both the Cup and O’Reilly Series cars this weekend. Bristol is crazy. It’s one of those tracks that sometimes you forget which end of the track that you’re on. When you’re going around there so fast time flies and the laps fly by quickly. Everything happens really fast at Bristol. Bristol is a really cool track to go to. The entire facility is one of a kind and I’m excited for my first Cup race there. We finished top-five there in the O’Reilly race last fall. We had a really good day, won a stage, and led a lot of laps but ended up getting caught up in some late race strategy that took us out of contention for the win.”

Do you have to remind yourself to breathe at Bristol?

“You do have to voluntarily remember to breathe and keep yourself cool. Drivers always talk about this is the track where your heartrate gets the highest and it’s definitely the most intense racetrack that we go to because you don’t have time to relax. It’s not like you’re going to Las Vegas where the corners are really intense but then you have 10 seconds to relax down the straightaways. Bristol is very intense in the corners and you don’t have a lot of time to relax out of them.”

How challenging is the communication between the crew chief and spotter at Bristol?

“As long as you can multi-task a little bit and listen while you’re in the middle of the corner, it’s all right. Bristol is certainly one of those tracks where you have to multi-task and listen to your spotter give you advice while you’re in the middle of the corner. That’s just kind of the way it is. I’m curious to see what it’s like to go around there for 500 laps. I haven’t gone that far before so I’m excited for that challenge.”

Did the off weekend come at a good time for you and the race team?

“It was a little early. I would have liked a couple more weeks to continue to build on what we were doing but a weekend off is always a good way to completely reset your body and your mind. It’s always good to have a week off.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Thoughts on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s such a unique place to race. It’s a really tough track for me, but I need to get better at it. I felt like I was reasonably competitive last time we ran there but just got on the wrong side of how the tires fell off. Hopefully I’ll have some progression this time around.”

Do you find that you have more confidence on certain types of oval tracks?

“On the shorter tracks, yeah I feel a bit more confident. You feel on top of the car, and I feel like I can drive it. Still on the bigger tracks, it’s always nerve-racking, I guess. Like the Vegas and Texas tracks, they are the tougher ones for me. In general, the more I go to them, the more comfortable I seem to get.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturer Championships:

Total (1949-2025): 44

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Most recent: 2025

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Driver Championships:

Total (1949-2025): 34

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)

Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2026 STATISTICS:

Wins: 1

Poles: 1

Laps Led: 365

Top-Fives: 13

Top-10s: 23

Stage Wins: 2

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 882 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 767

Laps led to date: 257,099

Top-fives to date: 4,449

Top-10s to date: 9,174

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,216

       Chevrolet: 882

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 848                                                                                  

       Ford: 748

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 208

 

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.

GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.

Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance
Food City 500

Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026
Event: Race 9 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway (0.5-mile)
#of Laps: 500
Time/TV/Radio: 3:00 PM ET on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM channel 90

FRM Points Standings:

Zane Smith (22nd)
Todd Gilliland (28th)
Noah Gragson (29th)

Noah Gragson Notes

Returning from an off weekend in the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team head to Bristol, Tennessee for 500 laps at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The Las Vegas native is a two-time winner at “The Last Great Colosseum”, capturing the checkered flag with JR Motorsports in June 2020 and September 2022 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Long John Silver’s will join the No. 4 car this weekend, partnering with Gragson for the 500-lap event. Long John Silver’s will bring its signature, fan-favorite blue and yellow “Fish Yeah” scheme to Smith’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

“It’s been a challenging start to the year, but I’m always excited to get back to the track,” said Gragson. “It was nice to recharge and get refocused, to prepare for the long stretch of races coming up. I think Bristol will be a great place for us to get back into the swing of things. I enjoy going to Bristol and feel like I’ve always run well there, back to my Truck Series days and especially in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The finishes haven’t shown it so far this year, but we’re not that far off from where we need to be and, as a team, we’re ready to find our stride. We just need to focus on being dialed in from the start of the weekend until the checkered flag falls, across all facets of what we do and as soon as we roll off the truck, and the results will start to reflect what we’re capable of.”
Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Adam Fournier

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Transporter Co-Driver: Ron Miske

Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Tafton Hensley

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Justin Fox

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Graham Stoddard

Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska

Fueler: Blake Baker

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Todd Gilliland Notes

The Bristol Motor Speedway is next on the schedule for Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 team. This will mark Gilliland’s seventh Cup Series start at the famed Tennessee short track with a best finish of 16th in 2023. He also has four starts at the track in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, earning one top-five and three top-10’s.

Love’s Travel Stops returns with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for Sunday’s race. Love’s Travel Stops rolls out a major update to the Love’s App, introducing a unified Love’s Rewards program that now benefits every customer who stops at Love’s. Whether fueling up, grabbing a snack or stocking up on Love’s-branded products, customers can now save and earn points at every turn simply by scanning the Love’s App in-store or at the pump. The new Love’s Rewards program focuses on delivering meaningful value at every stop and aims to make Love’s the first stop drivers think of on the road. Love’s Rewards App users can also save 10¢ per gallon on gas and up to 25¢ per gallon on auto diesel. Fans can download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. To explore all the new benefits of the Love’s Rewards program, visit www.loves.com/loves-rewards.

“We haven’t had the best start to the season, but after a nice break in the schedule, the team and I are refocused for the Spring / Summer stretch,” said Gilliland. “Bristol is a challenging track and it’s easy to get caught a lap down. Putting together a full race starts with the practice and qualifying session on Saturday. Qualifying has been a struggle for us, but I’m confident heading into this weekend. Hopefully, we can start up front and stay there to score some much needed points.”
Road Crew

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Specialist: Ethan Deguevara

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Kyle Moon

Hometown: Troy, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Randy Bernier

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Courtney Edmonds

Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina

Zane Smith Notes

Zane Smith and the No. 38 team will face the Bristol Motor Speedway this Sunday, marking the NASCAR Cup Series’ first visit of the 2026 season to the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”. In the track’s Fall 2025 event, Smith started 24th and finished third, even competing for the win on the final restart.

Aaron’s Rent to Own returns with Smith and the No. 38 team for this weekend’s activities, continuing the return of the iconic Aaron’s Lucky Dog scheme. The nostalgic Lucky Dog design carries a rich history in the Cup Series and has been piloted by multiple race winners and championship contenders, making it one of the most recognizable and celebrated paint schemes in the sport. Aaron’s 2025 season was highlighted by three top-12 finishes with Smith, including a seventh-place finish at EchoPark in June.

“The off weekend was a much needed one,” said Smith. “Bristol is such an iconic track, and I’ve had good runs there, so the team and I are feeling good about Sunday. We need to execute better during qualifying. If we can do that, I know we can leave the track with a result we can be proud of and carry momentum into this stretch of races.”
Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Mechanic: Austin Bloom

Hometown: Lowell, Oregon

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Bryan Whitman

Hometown: Newton, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Shawn Sellew

Hometown: Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Michael Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

ABOUT LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS

Love’s has been fueling customers’ journeys since 1964. Innovation and perseverance continue to lead the way for the family-owned and -operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City with more than 40,000 team members in North America and Europe. The company’s core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 640 locations in 42 states. Love’s continues its commitment to offer products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, four-wheel customers, RVers, alternative fuel and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities Love’s serves and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace are hallmarks of the company’s award-winning culture.

ABOUT AARON’S

Headquartered in Atlanta, The Aaron’s Company, Inc. is a leading, technology-enabled, omnichannel provider of lease-to-own and retail purchase solutions of appliances, electronics, furniture, and other home goods. Aaron’s offers a direct-to-consumer lease-to-own solution through its approximately 1,200 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Event: Food City 500
Date/Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 3 p.m. ET
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee
Layout: 0.533-Mile Oval
TV/Radio: FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

After the Easter break, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team return to action this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, aiming to carry forward the momentum built over the last two NASCAR Cup Series races.

Following a challenging stretch after a ninth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team have shown encouraging progress with their Ford Mustang Dark Horse, recording a 17th-place result at Darlington Raceway and a 10th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway.

“I feel pretty good about where we’re at,” Berry said on a teleconference Wednesday. “I think there are a lot of strong tracks for us coming up. We had a solid day at Darlington, a day that we needed, and then had a really good car at Martinsville.

“Unfortunately, we just kind of lost some track position here or there to take us out of a top five, but I certainly thought we had top-five pace and ended up 10th there, so I think there are a lot of positives.

“We had a nice off weekend and we’re ready to get back to Bristol. We had good cars there last year and hopefully we can keep the train rolling.”

Berry enters Sunday’s Food City 500 with a solid baseline at the high-banked, half-mile concrete oval. In last year’s spring race, he finished 12th, while a fire cut short his effort in the September night race.

He noted that short tracks continue to be a key area of strength for the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team.

“I feel like it’s been good,” he said. “It was a strength of ours last year. It seems like we struggled a little bit more at Phoenix than we expected, but obviously had a really good car at Martinsville.”

Despite updates to the rules package since last season, Berry is confident in the team’s preparation as he returns to race in his home state. A native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Berry will compete roughly 300 miles from home this weekend.

“I feel good about everything we’ve been doing this week to prepare for Bristol,” he said. “It’s obviously a little different aero package and horsepower, so there’s going to be some adapting for everybody to that package. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and have another solid day.”

Practice for the Food City 500 is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:40 p.m. ET, with coverage on Prime Video. Sunday’s 500-lap race is set to take the green flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET on FS1, with Stage 1 concluding at Lap 125 and Stage 2 at Lap 250.

Sunday, April 12

Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers merchandise hauler beginning at 11:10 a.m. local time in the Bristol Motor Speedway fan zone. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Ford Racing Media Zoom Call
Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Tennessee native Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing, heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend looking to continue the positive momentum gained from a 10th-place finish in Martinsville two weeks ago. Berry answered questions about Sunday’s annual Food City 500 as part of Ford Racing’s weekly media call.

JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL HEADING TO BRISTOL? “I feel pretty good about where we’re at. I think there are a lot of strong tracks for us coming up. We had a solid day at Darlington, a day that we needed, and then had a really good car at Martinsville. Unfortunately, we just kind of lost some track position here or there to take us out of a top five, but I certainly thought we had top-five pace and ended up 10th there, so I think there are a lot of positives. We had a nice off weekend and ready to get back to Bristol. We had good cars there last year and hopefully we can keep the train rolling.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STATE OF YOUR SHORT TRACK PROGRAM? “I feel like it’s been good. It was a strength of ours last year. It seems like we struggled a little bit more at Phoenix than we expected, but obviously had a really good car at Martinsville. I feel good about everything we’ve been doing this week to prepare for Bristol. It’s obviously a little different aero package and horsepower, so there’s gonna be some adapting for everybody to that package the best we can, but, ultimately, I think we finished 12th in the spring. We had a good car there and had a good car in the fall before we caught on fire, so hopefully we can keep the momentum going and have another solid day.”

NASCAR ANNOUNCED THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SHORTEN THE FINAL TWO STAGES AT TALLADEGA. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WILL AFFECT THE FUEL SAVING WE’VE SEEN AT PLACES LIKE THAT? “I definitely feel like it’s the right direction to go. I haven’t looked at it too specifically to see exactly how it all lays out, but you’re still gonna have to save fuel – long story, short. Briefly looking at it, the first stage is gonna be longer, so obviously there will still be some fuel saving early in the run to try to shorten your pit stop under green flag, if it goes to green flag. The question of where it goes from there is if you have two shorter stages – your second stage and your final stage – then as much fuel as you can save in the second stage will significantly shorten your pit stop for your final stage, which is when track position matters the most. I have a hard time believing that a majority of the field is gonna intentionally burn a lot of fuel that second stage just to try to get stage points and then come out last to start the final stage. We see how difficult it can be to maneuver through the pack, especially at Talladega. I think Daytona is a different story, but at Talladega is it seems to get locked down with two lanes and maybe three. It will definitely look different. Truthfully, I don’t think it’s gonna fix it, but it’ll be interesting to follow and, like I said, it’ll shake things up a bit and hopefully will make a better race for the fans.”

DO YOU THINK THE RACING WILL BE ANY DIFFERENT AT BRISTOL THIS WEEKEND THAT WHAT WE’VE NORMALLY SEEN? “No. I think you look back at the tire fall off races and I feel like they were popular and entertaining to watch. We had specific conditions for all of that to work out and it looks like it’s gonna be much warmer this weekend, which I feel like the track is gonna lay a lot of rubber. I know we’ve got a little different tire, but it seems like the biggest sensitivity to it is definitely the track temperature and with the warmer temperatures this weekend I feel like the track is gonna take rubber and it’s gonna look normal. I don’t know that it will be a big change.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR MILE-AND-HALF PROGRAM AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT TEXAS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS? “For our mile-and-a-half program I feel like that’s an area that we’ve been working hard at. We struggled at Vegas, unfortunately – the last two times we’ve gone back there ever since we won. I did stay and do the tire test that Monday after Vegas and felt like that went really well and we learned a lot. We got some answers to some of the questions that we had, so now it’s about applying that these next few weeks and taking what we learned at that test and hopefully making it better for all of us. I’m excited for both of those races. Texas itself is definitely very unique. Both ends of the track are so much different. One and two is a good bit less banking and kind of a more disciplined-based corner in a way. It’s easy to get high, easy to get out of line, and then three and four is just hammer down, but obviously you have that bump to navigate through off of four, so it’s definitely a very interesting place going there. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half for sure.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CARS TOUR AT THE NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS THIS WEEK? “Yeah, I’m heavily in support of it. I think it’s awesome to see them racing there. I briefly looked at the entry list and it looks like they have a great field of cars. Obviously, Dale being there is gonna bring a lot of attention to it as well, but I think the biggest thing is just hopefully people come out and watch the race and pack the stands. I feel like the tour races have been exciting enough that the product on track will be really good. Hopefully, they can see the potential of what’s out there and when you put a bunch of really good race cars on the racetrack. The biggest thing you need is you’ve got to have people in the stands and a good race. That’s really it. At this point, I really feel like that’s all they can strive to do.”

WE’VE SEEN A BIG CROWD THERE WHEN SRX WAS THERE, BUT SINCE THEN IT SEEMS THERE HAS BEEN SOME POLITICAL GRIDLOCK IN TRYING TO REVITALIZE THE FACILITY. WITH DALE SPEARHEADING THIS, DO YOU FEEL HE HAS THE POWER TO ALMOST BRING THINGS OVER THE EDGE IN TERMS OF CHANGING THE LOCAL PERCEPTION OF THE FAIRGROUNDS AND RACING? “I don’t know. I don’t know the ins and outs of the politics locally. I know that since I was a kid it’s always been a thing there. It’s just really valuable land. We’ve seen that with the apartments that they built around the place and the soccer stadium. It’s valuable land in that area and that’s what they’re up against. That would be the difference to North Wilkesboro that sat dormant for over 20 years before they decided to go in there and revitalize it. It’s easy to look at that as an apples to apples comparison, but the reality of Nashville is that it’s probably more of a comparison to Fontana. The value of the land is so high that that’s what makes the constant bickering back and forth about what it’s best used for. I love the place and grew up racing there and going there and want to see it be there forever. Like I said, hopefully putting on big shows like they should have Saturday night could only help it. As far as how it comes to Dale, I don’t know what more he can do. Obviously, bringing the tour there, racing in it himself and promoting it and doing all the work that he has, I don’t know what else he can do unless he wants to run for mayor or something.”

WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY BEFORE YOU CAME TO NASCAR AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED SINCE JOINING THE SERIES? “Obviously, as a kid growing up it was one of the favorites for sure. There are just so many iconic races there and iconic moments growing up. I remember how hard it was to get tickets there for a long time and I remember when we were finally able to get some tickets and go in 2005 or 2006 – somewhere in there. It’s such a great racetrack and great racing. Going there and experiencing it has been so cool. I remember the first time I went there I was actually with the CARS Tour. We raced there for a couple years and got to make a bunch of laps there and you realize just how tough Bristol is and how intimidating it is, how fast it is, especially in those late model cars with as sketchy as they were there. That’s probably the best way to put it. It’s been a lot of fun racing there. It’s one that I love. There’s nothing like walking down across the racetrack to go in there to go race. It’s certainly one I look forward to each and every year.”

WHEN YOUR CAR GETS UNLOADED, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO FEEL OUT OF IT? WHAT’S THE KEY ELEMENT TO RUNNING WELL AT BRISTOL? “I feel like just having the stability to carry speed into the corners. Corner speeds are obviously really fast there and you have to be secure and stable to be able to roll the speed in the corner to make the lap time. That’s the biggest thing. It’s hard to drive the car there if it’s really on edge. You just have to go slower, so I think that’s the biggest thing we’re working on and looking forward to. I think we did a pretty good job of that last year and hopefully we can do it again on Sunday.”

YOU HAD THE ISSUE WITH FIRE FROM THE RUBBER LAST YEAR. ANY CONCERNS FOR THAT THIS YEAR? “Ultimately, I don’t think I have the concern. I’m not sure they’ve changed anything to prevent the fires, truthfully. I might not be correct on that, but it was caused by the rubber buildup from the tires wearing, so I’m sure if we see another race like we saw last fall with all the marbles and the tire wear stacking up everywhere, there’s a good chance there could be some issues with the inner wheel well fires, but if that’s not the case, then I’m sure it will be fine. Outside of any changes that they’ve made to try and mitigate that, I’m not really sure there has been any.”

WILL YOU BE TRYING STUFF FROM THINGS YOU‘VE LEARNED THE FIRST SEVEN RACES AND DO YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO RUN BETTER? “I feel like Darlington was an interesting one with the new aero package. We obviously learned a lot throughout that weekend. I thought Martinsville we did a really good job. I think the big test for us, obviously, this weekend is gonna be a big deal again and this different aero package, but I felt like we did run fairly well there last year. Hopefully, we can continue that. I think the big test for us is just gonna be Kansas – probably Kansas and Texas and trying to get back to where we were this time last year on the intermediates because we certainly had a lot of speed in each one of those races. So I think that’s the biggest thing we’re trying to look for, and hopefully that tire test at Vegas, like I said, I felt like we learned a lot through that. We got significantly faster, which was important. I was much happier with how the car drove by the end, so there were a lot of positives there and now it’s up to us to apply that to the different racetracks in a race weekend scenario and make the most of it.”

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE RACING. IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE WITH THIS CHASE FORMAT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? ARE YOU RACING ANY DIFFERENTLY? “Truthfully, you could say that from the outside there have been less cautions, but I don’t know that I feel like the racing has been much different. Really, once we kind of survive the restart usually it gets single-filed out for a while and you can kind of get stuck. If you don’t have the wreck on the restart, it usually takes a while for something to happen just until the field gets bunched together again. I don’t know that the mindset is that much different. There may have been a few less cautions here or there. You take Darlington, the cars were a pretty big handful. Martinsville, it obviously got strung out a lot. I thought it was gonna be really interesting at the end of that race with how it played out with all the different strategies, but, unfortunately, we had the caution that kind of ended that. I don’t know. I don’t know that we all are racing too much different, but there’s a higher penalty for wrecking out. Ultimately, that’s what everybody wanted and wanted the consistency and those things to matter. Subconsciously, there probably is more give-and-take because there should be. Your finishes each and every week in each stage are what’s gonna determine whether you make the Chase or not and have a chance to win the championship. The low risk moves, I would think, would have to be less in this format than what they’ve been in the years before.”

IS YOUR MINDSET ANY DIFFERENT KNOWING THE FORMAT HAS CHANGED OR IS IT THE SAME? “It’s definitely a little bit different. You take last year like when we won early in the season or even in the Xfinity Series when I was there. I mean, I won and it makes the bad days feel a lot less painful than it does now because ultimately you know that at some point the points are gonna get reset and it’s gonna change the game. Points don’t matter in years before. Obviously, we’ve seen so much emphasis put on stage points and the regular season championship and everything that comes with that. The points still matter, but without a doubt they matter more now. It’s just the nature of the format. I think if you see some more give-and-take at times, that’s probably why because ultimately we’re all just trying to maximize our days the best that we can. Sometimes that’s finishing 10th. Sometimes that’s finishing 20th, but, ultimately, that’s our job each and every week is to try and get as many points and get the best finish we can.”

This Week in Motorsports: April 6 – April 12, 2026

NCS/NOAPS/NCTS: Bristol Motor Speedway – April 10-12
ARCA WEST: Tucson Speedway – April 10-11

PLANO, Texas (April 8, 2026) – It’s a busy weekend ahead for Team Toyota in stock car competition. NASCAR’s three national series head to Bristol Motor Speedway for three days of short track racing, culminating with a 500-lap Cup Series race on Sunday afternoon. The ARCA Menards Series West heads to Tucson Speedway in Tucson, Arizona, for their third race of the 2026 season.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NOAPS/NCTS

Toyota leads the way in Cup Series … Through seven races of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Toyota has captured five victories but has also dominated the series in terms of laps led. In total, Toyota Camry XSEs have led 1,051 laps, which is 57% of the laps run in the Cup Series so far this season. Toyota’s lap leaders this season include: Denny Hamlin (444), Christopher Bell (225), Tyler Reddick (189), Bubba Wallace (86), Chase Briscoe(62), John Hunter Nemechek (19), Ty Gibbs (18) and Corey Heim (8).

Hamlin reaches 650 starts with Toyota … Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be the 650th start for Hamlin in a Toyota Camry. The 45-year-old made his first start with Toyota in the 2008 Daytona 500 and has since become Toyota’s all-time Cup Series leader in wins (58) and pole positions (44). Hamlin also captured Toyota’s 200th Cup Series win last season at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway). This weekend, he looks for his fifth win at Bristol to join his 2012, 2019, 2023 and 2024 victories.

Bell seeks Bristol back-to-back … In last fall’s Bristol night race, Bell captured his fourth win of the 2025 season and the 13th of his Cup Series career. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) returns to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend in hopes of a second consecutive victory on the 0.533-mile concrete oval, and to get his first win of 2026. Bell has been consistently strong at Bristol, scoring seven top-10s in his nine career starts on the Bristol concrete surface. He also has a victory in the former Bristol dirt race during the 2023 event. Bell will also pilot the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Halmar-Friesen Racing in Friday’s Truck Series race, marking his second start of the season after finishing sixth at Darlington Raceway last month.

Gibbs looks to continue strong 2026 start … After a fourth-place result last time out at Martinsville Speedway, Ty Gibbs has recorded five consecutive top-10 finishes entering this weekend. Gibbs has earned three fourth-place finishes (Circuit of the Americas, Phoenix Raceway and Martinsville Speedway), a fifth (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) and a sixth-place finish (Darlington Raceway) in that span. Gibbs has also traditionally run well at Bristol, with four top-10s in six career starts.

Sawalich comes off first win … JGR’s William Sawalich captured his first career victory in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Rockingham Speedway in his 42nd series start. The Minnesota native led 80 laps on his way to taking the checkered flag last Saturday. Sawalich and the No. 18 GR Supra team look to keep up the momentum this weekend at Bristol. Sawalich is a former winner around the 0.533-mile short oval, with two victories in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023 and 2024.

No. 19 looks for second straight Bristol win … Brent Crews and the JGR No. 19 Toyota GR Supra team head to Bristol seeking their second straight victory on the concrete short oval after Aric Almirola captured victory there last fall. Crews will make his fifth career O’Reilly Series start this weekend. He’s also a former winner at Bristol, as he was victorious in the ARCA Menards Series race last fall, leading all 204 laps from the pole position.

Burton returns to favorable Bristol … Harrison Burton has routinely found success around Bristol Motor Speedway during his O’Reilly Series career. The Sam Hunt Racing driver has finished inside the top-10 in five of his six career starts there, coming off a seventh-place result in last year’s fall race.

Honeycutt leads full-time points … With a runner-up result in last weekend’s Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway, TRICON Garage’s Kaden Honeycutt is now the points leader of full time series drivers heading into Bristol. Honeycutt is technically tied with Heim atop the Truck Series points, with Heim running a part-time schedule in the series this season. At Bristol Motor Speedway, Honeycutt has made eight career Truck starts, with a best finish of eighth last spring.

Heim looks for three in a row … Heim is once again behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage this weekend at Bristol, looking for his third straight victory in the series after triumphs at Darlington Raceway and Rockingham Speedway. Last weekend’s victory for Heim was his 25th career Trucks victory, placing him fifth all-time, and was the 250th Truck Series win for Toyota. Heim also took over the all-time record with consecutive Truck Series races with a lap led at 29 and became the third driver in series history to win at 21st different tracks, breaking a tie for that mark. Additionally, should he win again this weekend, Heim and the No. 1 team will take home $500,000 as part of the series’ Triple Truck Challenge.

Briscoe takes on the Truck Series … Along with his full-time duties in the Cup Series with JGR this weekend in Bristol, Briscoe will also run Friday’s Truck Series race in the No. 5 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage. This will be Briscoe’s first Truck Series start since 2023 and the 30th of his career. He’s made one Truck Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway, finishing 12th in 2017.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series West

Avedisian, Lovell, DaCosta and Robinson take on Tucson … In Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series West race at Tucson Speedway, Jade Avedisian, Mia Lovell, Julian DaCosta and Will Robinson will be driving Toyota Camrys. Avedisian will take the wheel of the No. 13 Camry for Central Coast Racing, making her fifth career start in the West Series. Earlier this season at the West Series season opener at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Speedway, she started on pole and finished eighth. Lovell, DaCosta and Robinson, meanwhile, will pilot the No. 15, No. 25 and No. 70 Toyota Camrys for Nitro Motorsports this weekend. All four drivers will look to capture Toyota’s first West Series win of the 2026 season.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.