Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Ford Racing Media Zoom Call
Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is returning to one of his hometown racetracks as New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosts the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Preece is currently 17th in the point standings, 50 points below the cut line, with two races remaining in the regular season. He spoke about his situation as part of this week’s Ford Racing Media Zoom call.

RYAN PREECE, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU ARE 50 POINTS BELOW THE CUT LINE GOING INTO THE WEEKEND. HOW DO YOU VIEW YOUR SITUATION? “I think we had a great opportunity to take a big bite of it at Richmond and sometimes things don’t go your way. At Indy and Wilkesboro, we had things go our way. Richmond, I thought we had a pretty good race car that Derrick and everybody on the pit crew executed really well. They made great adjustments, but sometimes you can’t control when cautions come out during pit cycles. I did feel like going into the short tracks and New Hampshire it kind of gives me a little bit of optimism and I’m certainly excited about coming here to my home track – New England. Every time I come back home, it feels good. It feels different. I believe we can go here and hopefully qualify well and be a contender. I felt like Richmond was a good example of we had a good car, so we’ll see if we can continue down that path and control the things that we can control and do what we can there.”

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS WRITTEN THAT SAY THESE ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT RACES OF YOUR CAREER. DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY? “I mean, if you’re looking for clicks, certainly. I think for the most important races for 2026, yes. I mean, look at it. These are the final two races that can dictate whether you are in the playoffs or not. When I look at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and I look at Daytona, those are two places that I want to say I love and hopefully Daytona, for me, is gonna love me back for once. You’ve got to go. You’ve got to be 100 percent ready to execute those days. Cup races, there are so many different things that are happening during them that separate them from O’Reilly races or Truck races. Sometimes like you saw last week there were 10 pit stops. That’s 10 opportunities for something to go wrong, where if you’re racing a 30 or a 40-lap shootout race or a Whelen Modified Tour race, there’s only one pit stop. There aren’t a lot of things that are out of your control, so, for us, we need to show up having a lot of speed as well as qualifying really well – basically executing Saturday, maximize our stage points and have a great result. That’s what it’s gonna take. I did go back and look at Shane at Richmond and you know what they did? They did a Hail Mary and it worked out. It’s one of those things where sometimes the ball is in your court and it goes your way, and sometimes it doesn’t, so I’m looking forward to going to New Hampshire and do the things that we know we can do, control the things that we can control and it’s gonna be what it may. I really appreciated Brad, and I’m not trying to get long-winded here, but Brad has really been great to work with and we’re working on trying to make sure that all three RFK cars this weekend are contenders.”

YOU ARE ALSO RACING MODIFIEDS. HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THE WAY THE MODIFIED GUYS RACE AND DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE ON YOURSELF TO DO A GREAT JOB IN THAT SERIES? “Modified racing, we all get labeled for having what they call the chrome horn, which is the front bumper. Through a period of time, they’ve just been labeled as really aggressive, rough racers. Don’t get me wrong, they are – not necessarily by the front bumper, but we have these nerf bars on the right side and those nerf bars can be used to move people around, so, for me, I would say that style of racing is just different. You’ve got to race people with a level of respect that hopefully you get in return. Usually, if you don’t give that in this series, racing kind of takes care of itself. It’s tough. There’s a lot of guys that are in that series that I respect, that I enjoy racing with and certainly just because I race in the Cup Series doesn’t mean that they can’t go and beat me. It’s a very, very difficult racing series, so I’m gonna do my best here and with my father and the guys that I’ve been racing with since I was 16 to try to beat them, but it certainly is probably not gonna be very easy to do that.”

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR MODIFIED TEAM AND THOSE GUYS YOU’VE RACED WITH FOREVER? “Basically, my father and us. It used to be Preece Racing and now it’s Ryan Preece Motorsports and my father and I, that’s been our passion. We’ve raced since I was a kid and as I’ve gotten older, just kind of bought more and more equipment. It’s something that I love doing in racing with my father. It’s kind of that bonding thing. For our race team, we have a Whelen Modified Tour car and we have a Super Late Model. I don’t talk about it a lot because if I don’t have time to prepare the car or go do it, I typically don’t race it. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t want to do something and give younger kids or some people that I feel are deserving opportunities because that’s always been a pipe dream of mine to have a race team that’s traveling up in the northeast with a driver that I feel like deserves opportunities. It just hasn’t quite worked out that way, so this is an opportunity to go race with guys that have been helping me for a long time. Jay, Mike German, John the Plumber. We have nicknames for each and every one of them. Mike Herman Jr., who is the spotter for Chris Buescher, he’s spotted for me with my modifieds since I was 16 years old, so, with that, and then my father, and Mike Perry. I could drop a few names. It’s just been a group of guys and friends that we’ve been going and doing this for a quite a while.”

ANY OTHER GOOD NAMES BESIDES JOHN THE PLUMBER? “Yeah, John “The Plumber” German. There are a few. It’s all people that I’ve known forever – local, whether they live in Berlin, Connecticut or in Connecticut in general. They’re just people that enjoy racing and having some fun.”

YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS AROUND THIS WEEKEND. IS THAT A DISTRACTION? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING THAT KIND OF ATTENTION ON YOU? “I think I just like racing and, to me, being out there and racing and being in my home state I’d be really interested to have a conversation with the people that think those are distractions to what you’re trying to do because if you’ve ever strapped in a race car, your mind is pretty busy the entire time of trying to attack what you’re doing at that moment in time that you don’t have time to think about anything else. It’s kind of like I saw some of the things about Kyle Larson and what he was able to do on Saturday. As a racer like myself, I respect the hell out of it. That was so cool that Cliff and everybody on that team got behind it and made those plans for him because they knew what it meant for him – that if there was a possibility to go to Knoxville to do that. I would hope that if I was ever in some crazy situation where I was doing something that it would be the same way, so those aren’t distractions. Those are what we live for and as a race car driver, I live for getting behind the wheel of a race car, not sitting in a room analyzing what different people are gonna do because if you race enough, you can predict what people are gonna do before they even do it. So, I think it’s important to race more. No, I don’t think it’s a distraction.”

ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS NOW AS YOU VERSUS SVG FOR THAT LAST SPOT? “Yeah, I would say that is the reality. Let’s be honest. You look at Penske last year too as well, they’re short track program was extremely strong, so I knew that going into Richmond that Austin was gonna be a contender, and I felt like they executed a great day and they did what they needed to do. Now for us, going into New Hampshire, I think the goal for me is to execute our day. We’re gonna need a little bit of luck on our side for him to not have quite the great day, and then that puts us heads-up going into Daytona. With the different superspeedway package, I don’t think any of us know what to expect, so I guess part of me is kind of wishing we didn’t change much because I felt like our superspeedway stuff has been strong. At the end of the day, I guess we’re all on a level playing field when we go into that one.”

DOES NEEDING TO WORRY ABOUT OUTSIDE FACTORS TO HELP YOU WEAR ON YOU? “No. The reason I say no is because if you worry about the things you can’t control, it’s gonna eat you alive. I’ve always just worried about the things I can control and make sure I do them well.”

THE BUMPERS CHANGED AT NORTH WILKESBORO, BUT WE HAVEN’T SEEN ANY MAJOR ISSUES. HOW DOES IT STAND IN YOUR MIND? “I think if you’re a driver that doesn’t drive through the front bumper it’s not really a problem. Unless you’re in the situation of a restart where somebody misses a shift, I think that’s what the intention was, was to soften that blow because some drivers were noticing on restart check-ups or what-not, they were experiencing some really big moments. So, yeah, if you’re not just a driver that’s shipping it off into the corner to harpoon somebody, then it shouldn’t be a problem.”

YOU HAVE A 50-MINUTE PRACTICE SESSION THIS WEEK. DO YOU SEE THE BENEFIT IN THE LONGER SESSION OR THE FACT YOU’RE GETTING TWO SETS OF TIRES DURING THAT SESSION? “Beggers can’t be choosers when it comes to some of these items. All of us have been saying, ‘Give us more time.’ And with more time you need sets of tires, so I’m definitely a big fan of that change, and I feel like it’s a step in the right direction, but when I go race my modified and I can go test anywhere I want with it and go try different theories, boy, there’s nothing that makes you feel alive as a guy that’s working on race cars or driving race cars and slinging springs and shocks and bars and different thought process of rear strut angles and what makes a difference versus what doesn’t and, as a race car driver and much of where racing is right now. And I feel like Brad would be a great person to ask this question to because he’s very involved when it comes to everything, but as an old-school racer that’s been making decisions based on past experiences and what I think is right, we’re just in a world of we’re constantly evolving our simulation tools and as a race car driver there’s nothing that’s gonna beat going and testing with your team, personally, and going out there and trying these different things. Not to get long-winded on there, but, for me, I’m a big fan. Thank you to NASCAR and the driver’s committee that helped make this change. I feel like it’s gonna be a positive for everybody. I’d like to see us continue to give drivers and teams the opportunities to work on their race cars because that’s ultimately what all of this sport was based on was a bunch of guys that wanted to build race cars and make them faster.”

WILL THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THE ‘DON’T HIT THE BUTTON’ T-SHIRT GET THEIR NAMES ON YOUR MODIFIED? “It actually just walked in, so, yeah. We’ve got names on there. I have sponsors on this race car, so there was a place that we had to put them, but there were a lot of shirts. There were some NASCAR people. There were some NASCAR drivers. I guess when I post that picture people can go on and look for their name as well as some of the names that are on there, but it was great support. It was a good way to kind of, I guess, laugh about a tough situation. It’s nice seeing the Don’t Hit the Button shirts because in all reality I guess that goes for all things in life.”

HOW MANY NAMES ARE ON THERE? “I don’t know. I’d have to go back and look at the excel sheet, but it was a lot. There was enough. I don’t want to give a number and be wrong about it, but I’m sure I can take a look and give you an answer at the racetrack this weekend. Thank you to Sign Pro for getting that done because I sent him an entire excel sheet with every name that made a purchase in person to online. I sent it to him on Monday and he got it done, so Sign Pro in Connecticut, we appreciate it.”

BY THE END OF THIS WEEKEND, WHAT DO YOU FEEL THE NUMBER HAS TO BE IN TERMS OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CUT LINE TO HAVE A REALISTIC CHANCE GOING INTO DAYTONA? “There are two ways to look at this right now. One is being the driver’s points and then there’s one being the owner’s points. I’ve been in the owner’s points situation before and for these team owners that’s the one that pays at the end of the year. The driver’s points is really for the drivers, so I guess on the driver’s side of things, we’re gonna have to have a massive day and Joey has shown it’s possible. Really, with the way the point system is right now, if you win and you execute a bunch of stage points and the other guy has a bad day, let’s say he finishes 35th, just do the math – you could be above the cut line. As far as the car owner’s side and what I feel like we need to do is execute a really good day to give ourselves a chance. If we’re within 10 points going into Daytona of Shane or five, I’d feel pretty comfortable about that because, for me, what do I have to lose? I’m not points racing. I’m not trying to stay above the cut line, I’m gonna go for every stage point there is. I’m gonna try to win the race. I’m gonna be aggressive. Those guys are gonna have to be on defense. They can’t afford to wreck. They can’t afford to put their car in a certain situation, so the way you have to race has changed, where I’m all about the offensive game. If we go and win and we do our jobs, then it’ll take care of a lot of things.”

GIVEN YOU’VE BEEN IN THIS SCENARIO BEFORE, HOW MUCH OF YOUR EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR HELPS HOW YOU TRY TO MAKE THE CHASE THIS YEAR? “There’s a lot of unknowns. It’s kind of like what I was talking about earlier about the package change, not having any practice, not really knowing what it’s gonna be like to drive. Even in qualifying I want to say everything is gonna be a little different, so we’re not gonna know what it’s gonna be like until we’re in that race, but as far as the closing laps if I’m in control to win, I’m sure there’s gonna be a level of communication to let me know, ‘Hey, this is what we need to do,’ so I’m probably gonna be a little more aggressive on blocks. I felt like last year I don’t like tearing up race cars and doing things that are overly aggressive to the point that it ruins your day, but I’ve also seen that it’s rewarded in this car, or what we’re doing. By no means am I going to tear up a race car, but if I have to throw a big block, I’m gonna have to throw a big block and it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE AN ADVANTAGE ON OVALS WITH SVG? “I don’t know if that discredits Shane, and I’m sure it doesn’t because, I’ll be honest with you, Shane runs dirt sprint cars. He’s just known for V8 Supercars racing and his incredible talent when it comes to road course racing and heel-toeing. I’m really known for short track racing and the things that I grew up doing and the grind of it all to be where I am, so I still feel like, yes, when I go to New Hampshire and the feel that I look for, that there are certain things I can do pretty well, where Shane is still trying to figure out, just like there are things that Shane does phenomenally on road courses. We all have tendencies that we’re better at than others, but going into New Hampshire, I feel like being from New England, and I want to say he’s from New Zealand, right? So going to New England it’s my people, it’s a place that I’ve been racing at since I was 16 years old and I feel like there’s a lot of things in conversations that have been had to help us be better, so that’s all we can do. We can control the things we can control and not worry about the things that we can’t and, at the end of the day, I’ve been in plenty of pressure situations my entire career and it doesn’t bother me. I’m numb to it, so I’m looking forward to being here in New England doing some racing at Thunder Road tomorrow night for the Governor’s Cup in Vermont as well as racing my modified, so I’m gonna be strapped in a race car for the next four days. It’s a good deal. It’s a good day or a good week to be Ryan Preece.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
August 22-23, 2026

Chevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR will make its annual appearance in the New England region this weekend as the track famously known as “The Magic Mile” will welcome the Cup and Craftsman Truck Series for a pair of high-stake regular season races. With Chase seeding and postseason berths both on the line, Chevrolet arrives at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with several storylines still very much in motion.

The journey to the Chase has reached its final week for the Truck Series as Saturday’s Team EJP 175 will close out its regular season schedule. While already clinching a spot in the Chase with Christian Eckes, Chevrolet will enter the weekend sitting in three of the four title-contending positions that remain up for grabs. On Sunday, the Dollar Tree 301 will mark the penultimate event of the Cup Series regular season and one last chance to secure a strong points position before heading into the always unpredictable finale at Daytona International Speedway.

ELLIOTT LOCKED IN FOR SECOND TITLE BID

Leaving Richmond Raceway with an early berth into the Chase, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team can now turn their full attention to postseason seeding and building momentum toward the start of their title run. Elliott’s fifth-place finish at Richmond was his best result in 10 races, and with a solid night on all fronts, it’s a sign the No. 9 team is rounding into form at exactly the right time of the year. Elliott joins the vast majority of the field still vying for a trip to victory lane at “The Magic Mile” in NASCAR’s premier series. The Georgia native owns three top-five results at the track, with his best finish of second coming in the Next Gen car’s first outing at the New England region venue during the 2022 season.

 
LARSON, BYRON EYE MOMENTUM-BUILDING WEEKEND

Hendrick Motorsports put together a banner evening at “The Action Track” last weekend with all four drivers bringing home top-10 finishes. The four-car stable of Chevrolet-powered machines will roll into New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the goal of a momentum-building weekend. While Chase Elliott has already punched his ticket into the postseason, his fellow Chase contenders, Kyle Larson and William Byron, will look to add onto their already triple-digit cushions over the cutline

After a string of unfortunate races, Larson and the No. 5 team reminded the field of their true title potential at Richmond Raceway – turning a 30th-place starting position into a sixth-place result and a two-position gain in the points standings. Sitting at an 143-point advantage over the cutline, the reigning champion turns to a track where he’s consistently excelled throughout his career. His resume at “The Magic Mile” sees top-10s in 60 percent of his starts in NASCAR’s top division, including five podium appearances. In the Next Gen era alone, the California native has yet to finish outside the top-15, including a string of three-straight top-seven results, to earn the second-best average finish of the series’ active drivers at 7.0.

With Byron and the No. 24 team riding a comfortable 113-point cushion inside the Chase cutline, this weekend offers a low-pressure opportunity to continue their late-regular season consistency before the run for the championship title begins. With two of three-straight short-track events in the books, the North Carolina native has scored a pair of ninth-place results, as well as points-earning efforts in all but one stage. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, his best showing came in the series’ most recent visit to the venue when he led the Bowtie brigade with a third-place finish. While he’s still knocking on the door for a Cup Series win at the track, he does have one trip to victory lane at “The Magic Mile”, which came in the Truck Series during the 2016 season.

VAN GISBERGEN, CHASTAIN KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THE CUTLINE

The battle around the cutline continues on with a pair of Trackhouse Racing drivers right in the mix. Despite some short-track ringers sitting just outside of the Chase standings, Shane van Gisbergen and the Stephen Doran-led No. 97 team still managed to put together a top-15 performance and leave Richmond Raceway with a 50-point gap over the cutline. While he might be on the outside looking in,

Ross Chastain sits within 63 points of the cutline and still very much a threat to force his way into the postseason picture. A strong run at “The Magic Mile” would keep Chastain’s charge squarely on track heading into the regular season finale. The Florida native has seen consistency in his recent visits to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, earning top-10 results in four of his last five starts at the track.

 
TEAM CHEVY TRIO RACING FOR THE CHASE

Just last season, New Hampshire Motor Speedway made its long awaited return back to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule. And now, the venue holds the prestige as the home of the series’ regular season finale. While McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes has already punched his ticket into the postseason, three Chevrolet drivers will be racing with their title hopes on the line.

Sitting in the highest provisional points position is series veteran, Grant Enfinger, who will enter the finale race with a strong 65-point cushion above the cutline. The Alabama native didn’t break through into the Chase picture until his win at Lime Rock Park in July, but ever since, he’s remained above the cutline with a steady points cushion to close out the regular season. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing teammates, Daniel Hemric and Tyler Ankrum, will enter the weekend with a 35- and 20-point advantage, respectively, over the cutline, with the hopes to deliver Chevrolet four spots in the championship title run.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR national series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

Austin Dillon in the Craftsman Truck Series: one win (Sept. 2015)

William Byron in the Craftsman Truck Series: one win (Sept. 2016)

· Chevrolet leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with the manufacturer heading into the weekend with 19 victories in 54 Cup Series events.

· Chevrolet recorded six consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway from Sept. 2009 to July 2012 – a record for the longest streak of consecutive wins by a single manufacturer at the track.

· Since the debut of the Next Gen car, Hendrick Motorsports has earned at least one top-five finish in each event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including three podium appearances with Chase Elliott (second – 2022), Kyle Larson (third – 2023) and William Byron (third – 2025).

· With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

· 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 167 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 73 victories – a winning percentage of 43.7%.

· 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 887 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

Dollar Tree 301

Sunday, Aug. 23, at 3 p.m. ET

USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Team EJP 175 (Regular Season Finale)

Saturday, Aug. 22, at 1:30 p.m. ET

FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What’s the mindset for you now as you go to New Hampshire this week?

“Keep running in the top-10 like we’ve done the last two weekends. We’re moving in a positive direction and if we keep going this direction, we’ll be in a better spot. Of course, if we’d have been doing this all summer, we’d be in a lot better position for the Chase, but it’s good to see and feel the improvement. Statistically, New Hampshire has been a really good track for me the last few years. Assuming nothing strange happens, and we qualify well, I think we should have a pretty strong weekend.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

What are your thoughts leading into New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“I’m looking forward to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I think our short track program has been a little bit better this year so it should be a good race for the BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® team. The place is rough. You’ve really got to make your car work over the bumps. It’s a flat track. There are hard braking zones and deep entry into the corners. It’s a fun track to go race at.”

Does the track feel like it changes from year-to-year at all, with the harsh winters up in New England wearing on the track?

“I don’t know. I think New Hampshire has just always been New Hampshire. It’s a rough track. There’s a lot of character to it in Turns 3 and 4, and big bumps that you have to go across in Turns 1 and 2. It’s a paperclip. It’s just a slick, old racetrack. It’s really cool. It’s lost a lot of grip over the years, but it seems like the tires really adhere to it for a couple of laps.”

If you were coming to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this August as a race fan and not a driver, what are the top-three things you would want to experience and why?

“New Hampshire is beautiful, especially in the fall. The leaves are changing colors, and it’s just a beautiful time of year to experience the outdoors, and nature. The race is obviously fun. It’s like a short track and an intermediate track all at the same time. It’s a flat, weird track, and you just need to come experience it in person.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What do you like about racing at New Hampshire?

“I love racing at New Hampshire because it’s such a unique track. It’s a mile, so you have to be on top of everything, every lap. It’s short, it’s bumpy, especially in Turn 3, and you have to find that balance between being aggressive and taking care of your tires. Hopefully, we can put it all together and get the win. And if we do, I’m bringing that lobster back home to Lake Norman.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

What is it about New Hampshire Motor Speedway that makes it a special place for you to race?
“To me, I love racing at that speedway. It’s one of my favorite tracks we go to. I don’t know what it is about it; it really fits me. I’ve had some really strong runs there in the past. Every time the stands are packed and the fans are bringing the energy, it just makes us have that much more juice when the race starts. We feel it, and it’s infectious, and I think it just adds to the race. I think you get better races when you have a bigger crowd. My wife and I like exploring and going out to the lakes and trying to find some new restaurants. We’re always looking for new places. It’s one of our favorite places to go and travel to as a family just because it’s so beautiful in New Hampshire.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

What makes New Hampshire Motor Speedway a unique track on the schedule?

“It’s definitely a unique, challenging racetrack. It’s super flat, and both off of Turns 2 and 4, the corners kind of roll away from you. It’s always that type of racetrack where you’re on the fine line between being too tight and too loose. We’ve had okay speed there in the past, and I feel like as we hopefully keep making our short-track stuff a little bit better, we’ll be competitive.

It’s always easy to burn the rear tires off, but you’ve got to be kind of neutral throughout the run to have speed and track position there. It’s super tough to pass there. I think it’s one of those racetracks where, when you have a good run, it’s a lot of fun, and when you don’t, it’s just a tough day.”

Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Describe racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“New Hampshire is a very unique track with long straightaways and long, flat corners. Depending on how our zone Sweet Coffee x Cumberland Farms Chevrolet is driving, there are a lot of things that you can do as a driver to run different lanes and make speed – whether it’s running the apron or running the second or third lane. A lot of it will depend on how your car is driving though. If your car is on the tight side, you will probably try to hit the apron to de-wedge your car and cross the area differently. If your car is on the free side, you will probably stay off the apron to keep your momentum up.”

What handling characteristics do you need to make lap time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“Even though the track doesn’t look like it would have a ton of tire fall off, I’ve noticed in the O’Reilly (Auto Parts Series) car that you can burn up your rear tires there, so you do need the car to have good drive off and be able to leave the corner with throttle down. In my opinion to be fast, you need to get in the corner really hard, with what we call entry value, to drive in really deep, carry a lot of roll speed to the center, and then get the car pointed to have a straight exit. That is what’s going to produce lap time.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“We’re looking forward to getting up to New Hampshire this weekend. It’s always a challenging track, so we’ll focus on getting the balance right and putting ourselves in a good spot for Sunday. It’s great to have Pylon Aviation back on the No. 47, and we’re ready to get to work and see what we can do.”

Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

“New Hampshire is definitely one of the more unique tracks we go to on the schedule. It’s a mile, which we have plenty of on the Cup Series schedule, but nothing quite as flat, and between the cold winters and hot summers, there’s a decent amount of bumps and the pavement changes there in the corners. You need your car to turn really well through the corners, but a lot of times, you end up with a free racecar where the front end isn’t as planted as you want it to be. You lose grip and momentum, and that affects your drive off the corner. Finding the right balance is hard, and combine it with all the shifting we’re doing each lap, we’ve got a lot going on inside the racecar. I don’t think there’s another short track where we’re using our hands as much as we are at New Hampshire.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

How can you continue to improve at New Hampshire?

“Loudon has been one of our more competitive short tracks over the last three years. We had our best runs there last year and the numbers don’t show how well we ran in 2024. The team continues to build on our notes at New Hampshire. It seems like every time we go up there, we run into weather. Fortunately, the weather has played in our favor. We had a top 10 there last year, and the season before we restarted on the front row late in the race but fell back with under 10 to go. Hopefully, we can have a clean run this weekend and build our notebook as we head into the last 12 races of the season.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What are your thoughts heading into New Hampshire?

“New Hampshire is one of the places I have the least experience at on the schedule. The races have been kind of weird the last couple years. We ran wet-weather tires in 2024, and last year had a lot of attrition. The last couple weeks have been tough, but I know we can come back and continue doing what we have all year in racking up solid finishes and good points days.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Are you looking forward to the extended practice time starting this weekend at New Hampshire?

“I’m really excited about some extra practice. I certainly feel like it’s going to be a help for me and my team trying to get things figured out with myself and the car plus we get two sets of tires for practice each week. I appreciate the extra track time and hopefully it helps us as much as I think it will.”

Is your SIM work different going to a track where you’ve never run before?

“The simulator gives you pretty good references so that when you show up to the racetrack, you kind of know where you’re where you’re breaking, getting into the corner. It might move a couple feet here or there but for the most part, you have a pretty good idea when you show up where you’re going to be lifting for each and every corner. It’s honestly pretty incredible how accurately those things transfer over to the real world and when you get to the track in real life, you feel like you’ve been there before. I’m excited to see how that translates this week.”

How important is the extra time in the Truck Series this weekend as you prepare for your first Cup start at New Hampshire?

“Every lap on the racetrack is going to be very important this weekend. I’ve never raced at New Hampshire before so I’m glad I’m getting some seat time with Spire Motorsports and get some laps on the track in the truck before Cup practice starts. I really appreciate the opportunity to get extra track time plus we’ve had additional time in the SIM to prepare. It’s a challenge for sure but I’m optimistic we can have a good weekend.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

New Hampshire is another short-track, what kind of challenges does this track pose for you?

“It’s a very different track. I was going pretty decent there last year until I wasn’t. But it’s tough; long straights and short corners. It is a little bit like a road course, the way you approach the corners, trying to make them shorter and straights longer, I guess, so that theory kind of works. But I enjoy it. It’s a weird oval being so flat. It’s a pretty decent track.”

You’ve been dominant on the road courses, but some of your best oval finishes have been on the short-tracks. What is it about road courses and short-tracks that translate so well?

“I feel like you can have a little more influence on the car, like you can manipulate it with the brake or brake bias and whatever gear you’re running. You can vary your line a little more. I feel like there’s a little more as a driver you can do. But also, that just means on the big tracks, I’m not good enough of knowing what I want from the car yet or how to get the car to do what I want, whether that’s with feedback to my engineer or just in general. I feel like these tracks, you can kind of make up for a deficiency in the car, as well, with whatever tools you have, whereas on a big track, you’re kind of just stuck with what you got sometimes.”

 
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: 6

Poles: 5

Laps Led: 1,695

Top-Fives: 39

Top-10s: 82

Stage Wins: 16

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 887 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 771

Laps led to date: 258,429

Top-fives to date: 4,475

Top-10s to date: 9,233

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,221

       Chevrolet: 887

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 852                                                                               

       Ford: 752

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 217

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.

This Week in Motorsports: August 17 – 23, 2026

NCS/NCTS: New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Aug. 21-23
ARCA: Illinois State Fairgrounds – Aug. 22

PLANO, Texas (Aug. 19, 2026) – NASCAR’s Cup and Truck Series remain in action this weekend, heading to New England at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the annual visit to the one-mile short oval. This weekend’s Truck Series race in New Hampshire is the cutoff to set ‘The Chase’ field for the series’ run to the championship.

The ARCA Menards Series is also in action this weekend, heading to the Midwest and the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NCTS

Two more Camry XSE drivers lock themselves into ‘The Chase’ … With second and seventh-place finishes, respectively, last weekend at Richmond Raceway, Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell have officially locked themselves into ‘The Chase’ with two races remaining in the 2026 regular season. Briscoe and Bell now join fellow Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick in the provisional postseason field. Reddick’s 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace has yet to clinch a spot in ‘The Chase,’ but is within the provisional field, sitting 14th in the point standings and 70 points to the good entering this weekend in New Hampshire.

Team Toyota leads in top-five finishes … Toyota drivers have continued to be a mark of consistency on track this season. Five drivers have scored at least 10 top-fives this season, and all five drive Toyota Camrys. Points leader Hamlin has the most with 14, while Bell, Briscoe, Gibbs and Reddick have 10 each. No other driver has more than eight, and only two drivers have more than five.

Bell, Briscoe look to continue New Hampshire success … Bell and Briscoe have become fond of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in their young NASCAR Cup Series careers, as the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) duo looks to continue their success there this weekend. Bell has two career victories at New Hampshire in 2022 and 2024, and has finished in the top-six in four of his six career starts. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE also has two career O’Reilly Series victories at the track in two starts. For Briscoe, he has three consecutive top-10 finishes at New Hampshire, including a runner-up result to Bell in 2024. Another strong run by either or both drivers this weekend will be paramount as “The Chase” nears.

Friesen fights for Chase spot … Heading to this weekend’s Truck Series regular season finale, Stewart Friesenarrives to New Hampshire 20 points below the cutline to advance to ‘The Chase.’ The last time Friesen raced at New Hampshire was in 2017, where he finished fifth. Another such finish or better this weekend might be enough to secure him a chance to fight for the 2026 driver’s title.

Boschele, Nemechek and Bell take on New Hampshire Truck race … For this weekend’s Truck Series race in New Hampshire, Gavan Boschele (No. 1), John Hunter Nemechek (No. 5) and Bell (No. 62) will be behind the wheel of Toyota Tundra TRD Pros. Boschele makes his second career start this weekend after piloting the No. 1 for TRICON Garage at Indianapolis Raceway Park in July, where he finished eighth. Nemechek makes his third Trucks start of 2026 and first with TRICON Garage this season, after running the No. 62 at Daytona International Speedway and EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) earlier this season, finishing fifth and eighth, respectively. Nemechek has made four career Truck Series starts at New Hampshire, with top-10 finishes in three of those four. Bell returns to the No. 62 for Halmar-Friesen Racing for the sixth time this season. He has also been victorious at New Hampshire in all three national series, with his Truck Series win coming in 2017.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Toyota seeks sixth consecutive Illinois Fairgrounds win … The Illinois State Fairgrounds has been dominated over the last several years in the ARCA Menards Series by Team Toyota, with five consecutive victories for the manufacturer at the one-mile short track. Wins over the last five years include current Toyota NASCAR drivers Brent Crews (2025), William Sawalich (2024) and Corey Heim (2021). Of the drivers looking to extend the win streak this weekend will be Max Reaves in the JGR No. 18 Toyota Camry, as well as Jake Bollman and Thomas Annunziata in the No. 20 and No. 70 Toyota Camrys for Nitro Motorsports, respectively. Bollman and Annunziata are also in the middle of a fierce battle for the series championship, as Bollman leads Annunziata by just seven points with six races remaining in the 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 approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 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.

Event: Dollar Tree 301
Date/Time: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 3 p.m. ET
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, New Hampshire
Layout: 1.058-Mile Oval
TV/Radio: USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will carry the momentum of three consecutive top-10 finishes into this weekend’s Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team earned a runner-up finish one year ago.

The No. 21 team’s recent stretch includes top-10 finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway and Richmond Raceway, with the latter two coming on shorter tracks that share some characteristics with the one-mile New Hampshire oval.

Crew chief Miles Stanley told a Sirius radio audience this week that he and the team have put considerable effort into refining their setup package for tracks like Iowa, Richmond and New Hampshire.

Stanley said the foundation for the team’s recent success can be traced back to last year’s race at New Hampshire, where the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse showed speed throughout the weekend. Berry qualified third, scored points in both stages and overcame mid-race adversity to finish second.

“We had a little different package there and learned a few things,” he said, adding that the team further refined that setup during a test session at another similar track, North Wilkesboro. “Now we just need to get one spot better than we did last year.”

Stanley also credited the team’s over-the-wall pit crew for its performance in recent months, noting that the group has continued to build consistency while delivering quick stops.

“They are finding consistency and rhythm, and they got to show it off at Richmond,” he said.

And while Berry is set to depart the team at the conclusion of the season, Stanley said the group remains fully focused on finishing the year strong together.

“The team is behind Josh 100 percent still,” he said. “Nothing’s really changed.”

Practice for the Dollar Tree 301 is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:35 a.m. ET Both sessions will be televised on truTV.

Sunday’s 301-lap, 318.46-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET, with stage breaks planned for Laps 70 and 185.

USA Sports will carry the television broadcast.

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.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 19, 2026) – Coca-Cola and Spire Motorsports will partner to highlight Daniel Suárez’s longstanding association with the Coca-Cola Racing Family during the Aug. 29 NASCAR Cup Series’ Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (DIS).

The 160-lap event, held under the lights at the legendary 2.5-mile Daytona Beach tri-oval, marks the last race for NASCAR’s regular season and delivers a high-stakes 400-mile contest where drivers will compete in the regular season finale to secure a spot in “The Chase” – NASCAR’s 10–race playoff format to determine the division’s 2026 champion.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, July 7, 2019, in its first full season of competition.

“For the past 10 years, Daniel has been an outstanding ambassador for Coca-Cola both on and off the track,” said Don Rouse, Vice President, Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “From winning the Coca-Cola 600 earlier this season to the impact he’s making through Daniel’s Amigos, he continues to bring fans together and represent our brands in meaningful ways. We’re proud to see him carry the Coke Zero Sugar colors into one of NASCAR’s biggest races and look forward to cheering on the No. 7 team at Daytona.”

The race will also shine a light on Suárez’s long-standing partnership with the Coca-Cola Racing Family, which began in 2016 and has flourished into much more than a sponsorship. The relationship has allowed Suárez to connect with fans and support programs that reflect his passion for racing and communities who have supported him along the way.

One of those initiatives – Daniel’s Amigos – is an interactive engagement program Suárez launched to rally Hispanic race fans around NASCAR. From race-weekend meetups to cultural celebrations and unique fan experiences, Daniel’s Amigos gives fans from all walks of life a chance to connect with one another while sharing their passion for racing.

“Since joining the Coca-Cola Racing Family in 2016, this partnership has become a very special part of my journey,” said Suárez. “Coca-Cola has believed in me from the beginning. Having the opportunity to represent the most recognized brand in the world, especially at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, is something I never take for granted, and that support extends far beyond the racetrack. Through initiatives like Daniel’s Amigos, Coca-Cola has helped me create meaningful experiences that bring fans together, celebrate our culture, and strengthen the connection between our sport and the communities we serve.

“Daniel’s Amigos is something that comes from my heart because I wanted to create a place where fans feel connected to NASCAR, to my story, and to each other. Seeing the response from our latest Daniel’s Amigos event at K1 Speed in San Diego was amazing. The energy, the families, and the fans who came out show how impactful this program has become. I’m proud to represent my community, my fans, and Coca-Cola.”

Suárez will make his 18th career start at DIS and his 10th appearance in the Coke Zero Sugar 400. The Monterrey, Mexico, native earned a runner-up finish last August and logged one top-five and two top-10 finishes at the “World Center of Racing.”

The 2026 Coca-Cola 600 winner currently sits 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings with 12 races remaining to determine this year’s champion. He’s notched one win, two top fives, six top 10s and only finished outside the top 20 five times. Meanwhile, he’s recorded a 13.2 average start and a 15.1 average finish.

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sports, Saturday, Aug. 29, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 26th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About The Coca-Cola Company …
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and Santa Clara. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 24, 2026, when Daniel Suárez won the NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization also fields the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… In 140 NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has recorded four victories. Clint Bowyer earned the organization’s most recent win at the 1.058-mile oval in 2010 after capturing his first career Cup Series victory there in 2007. Kevin Harvick drove from the pole to Victory Lane in 2006, pacing the field for a race-high 196 laps. Robby Gordon gave RCR its first New Hampshire win in the 2001 season finale, which also marked the first Cup Series victory of his career. Overall, the Welcome, N.C.-based organization has compiled 16 top-five finishes, 43 top-10s and two pole awards at the asphalt oval.

The people who helped build RCR’s past are now helping lead its future… Chad Haney and Andy Street are great examples of what long-term commitment and talent development at Richard Childress Racing can produce. Both were part of Clint Bowyer’s No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team that bested Tony Stewart in a fuel-mileage showdown to win at New Hampshire in 2010. Nearly 16 years later, both have risen through the RCR ranks to become successful crew chiefs. Their journeys reflect RCR’s ability to develop talent and give dedicated employees opportunities to grow into leadership roles.

Supporting Our Veterans… As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Richard Childress Racing continues to honor those who have helped support our country through military service. In conjunction with Veterans Bridge Home, RCR invites veterans from the community to campus on a monthly basis for fellowship, coffee, and programing that includes guest speakers and access to organizations and resources that can help veterans and their families. All Veterans Coffee events are free to attend and open to all veterans. Media are invited to join Richard Childress Racing for our next Veterans Coffee Event at the RCR Events Center in Welcome, North Carolina on Wednesday, September 9 at 9 a.m. ET.

Watch Us on USA Network… The NASCAR Cup Series’ Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, August 23, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday’s practice and qualifying session will be broadcast on truTV live beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Austin Dillon’s 16 NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been highlighted by two top-10 finishes, including an eighth-place result in July 2015 and a ninth-place finish in 2023. In his most recent appearance at the track in September 2025, Dillon raced the No. 3 Chevrolet to a 13th-place finish after starting 28th.

Beyond The Cup Series… Dillon has earned four top-five and five top-10 finishes in six NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He is a former New Hampshire Motor Speedway winner in the NASCAR Truck Series, winning the race from the pole position in 2015.

A Milestone Win… Notably, Dillon’s 2015 NASCAR Truck Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway from the pole position marked the Truck Series’ milestone 500th race. A fitting win for Dillon, who competed fulltime in the Series in 2010 and 2011, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2010 before capturing the Series Championship in 2011.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Teams Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE, an AstraZeneca product, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about the Dillons and their family’s personal connection to the brand at BREZTRI.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

Beyond the Track… Beyond the driver’s seat, Dillon serves as the general manager of the Carolina Cowboys, a professional bull riding team in the PBR Teams league. Dillon is instrumental in all aspects of the team, from rider contracts to setting the operational budget, and has utilized various aspects of his racing background to help form the identity and structure of his bull riding team. Learn more about the team on their official YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@CarolinaCowboysPBR. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2026 “Cowboy Days” home stand September 18-20 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Meet Dillon… On Sunday, August 23 at 11:45 a.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler alongside RCR teammate Austin Hill in Fan Midway at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. For fans unable to travel to the race, visit the official RCR Team Store to purchase Austin Dillon merch: https://store.rcrracing.com.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts leading into New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“I’m looking forward to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I think our short track program has been a little bit better this year so it should be a good race for the BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® team. The place is rough. You’ve really got to make your car work over the bumps. It’s a flat track. There are hard braking zones and deep entry into the corners. It’s a fun track to go race at.”

Does the track feel like it changes from year-to-year at all, with the harsh winters up in New England wearing on the track?

“I don’t know. I think New Hampshire has just always been New Hampshire. It’s a rough track. There’s a lot of character to it in Turns 3 and 4, and big bumps that you have to go across in Turns 1 and 2. It’s a paperclip. It’s just a slick, old racetrack. It’s really cool. It’s lost a lot of grip over the years, but it seems like the tires really adhere to it for a couple of laps.”

If you were coming to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this August as a race fan and not a driver, what are the top-three things you would want to experience and why?

“New Hampshire is beautiful, especially in the fall. The leaves are changing colors, and it’s just a beautiful time of year to experience the outdoors, and nature. The race is obviously fun. It’s like a short track and an intermediate track all at the same time. It’s a flat, weird track, and you just need to come experience it in person.”