Road-Course Racing a Welcome Reprieve After Pack-Style Racing at Daytona and Atlanta

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 26, 2025) – The 200 mph freight trains of the last two pack-style races that seemed destined for derailment before the green flag even dropped are getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirrors of NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

This is especially welcome for Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Arby’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing.

Ware saw a top-five result in the season-opening Daytona 500 vanish a mile from the finish line when he was collected in a last-lap accident in the race’s final corner. Then, last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the spinning car of Daniel Suárez tagged Ware’s red-and-white Arby’s machine, sending him hard into the frontstretch wall and out of the race.

With the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix next up on the NASCAR Cup Series docket, Ware is ready to “unpack” from pack racing and embrace the twists and turns of road-course racing at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.

“I’m definitely ready to reset at COTA, and I know I’m not the only one,” Ware said.

He’s right. Ware is among a bevy of drivers who have been impacted by the pitfalls of pack racing. NASCAR Cup Series regulars Noah Gragson, Cole Custer, Brad Keselowski, Josh Berry, Ryan Preece, Ty Gibbs and A.J. Allmendinger all join Ware outside of the top-25 in points heading into COTA.

The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix serves as the first of six road-course races in 2025. For Ware, who has an eclectic road-racing background that spans sportscars and Indy cars, the opportunity to turn left and right and rip through the gears around sweeping turns, hairpins and elevation changes provides a needed change of pace.

“Road racing is where I did a lot of my growing up and learning how to race,” Ware said. “There was a lot of back and forth between stock cars and GT cars and sportscars over the years as I found my place in NASCAR. So I’m always, ‘The more the merrier,’ when it comes to road racing.”

Ware won the 2019-2020 LMP2 championship in the Asian Le Mans Series with co-driver Gustas Grinbergas. In a prelude to that title, Ware was the 2014 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Rookie of the Year. Last January at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Ware piloted a Ligier JS P320 to a podium finish in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge LMP3 class. Ware has also competed in Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup and the NTT IndyCar Series.

“There are a lot of things you can’t really learn about a road course until you’re in a car that’s really been built to attack a road course, and the current Cup car drives a lot more like a sportscar than they ever have before,” Ware said. “They’re somewhere in between a TA and a TA2 car in the Trans Am Series. Obviously, we have a lot more horsepower than a TA2 car, but not quite the downforce and maneuverability that a TA car has.”

The biggest difference, says Ware, between a typical sportscar and the current-generation NASCAR Cup Series stock car, is durability.

“The thing that causes a bit more chaos in our road races compared to the more traditional road-racing series is the fact that these cars are so durable, and they’re handling a lot better than the previous cars did. It’s led to a lot of beating and banging, and it’s really become a left-and-right-turn short-track race more than a road-course race.”

With road-course racing emulating short-track racing more and more, expect action at COTA, especially since the track is shorter than it’s ever been for the NASCAR Cup Series.

After four years of competing on COTA’s full, 3.426-mile, 20-turn layout, the NASCAR Cup Series is racing on its shorter, 2.4-mile configuration. There are still 20 turns, with the addition of another tight hairpin corner at turn six that eschews turns 7-11 of the full layout, eliminating the massive .62-mile straightaway connecting turn 11 to turn 12.

“I was actually on the sim the other day getting my feet wet with the new configuration,” Ware said. “Everyone’s baseline level of road-course proficiency is significantly higher than it was a decade ago. And when you look at COTA, you really have just one significant portion of the track cut off. We’re still racing on the same parts of the track we’ve always raced on, so there’s still a good bit of data from last year that’ll be useful. You’re not going to really change the setup of the car much just from having a short chute versus a long straightaway there on the back, because we still have some long straightaways and heavy braking zones despite what’s been eliminated.”

This means the rough-and-tumble ways of past COTA races will remain prevalent in this year’s race at COTA, and the most drama-fueled corner will continue to be turn one. That is where the 37-car field attempts to funnel itself through an ultra-tight left-hander after scaling a 133-foot hill with a 17 percent gradient.

“The aggression level of the guys you have in front of you and behind you, it’s almost similar to a speedway race,” said Ware about tackling turn one at the start and on subsequent restarts. “It’s about knowing who you can work with to try to get some track position on those restarts versus not wanting to be around someone that might approach turn one like a wrecking ball.”

Everyone’s approach will be on full display come Sunday. The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix goes green at 2:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. EST with live coverage on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver’s seat and into full-time team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with his wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that competes full-time in the elite NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

Circuit of The Americas
Sunday, March 2, 2025
2.3-Mile Road Course
3:30 PM ET
Location: Austin, Texas
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (3 of 36)
RADIO: SiriusXM logo

5 KYLE LARSON
 Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Week: 3rd (Atlanta)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: T-6th

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet

2025	Cup Career	COTA
Races	2	368	4
Wins	0	29	0
Poles	0	21	0
Top 5	1	120	1
Top 10	1	183	1
Laps Led	12	9,268	4
Stage Wins	1	63	0
Average Finish	11.5	14.1	15.5

• Kyle Larson won stage two and finished third at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, marking his third top-five finish on drafting-style tracks in his career.
• The Elk Grove, California, native scored two NASCAR Cup Series road course wins (Sonoma Raceway and the Charlotte ROVAL) in 2024, the only driver with multiple victories on serpentine tracks last season.
• In the Next Gen era, the driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet is tied for most road course wins with three.
• The 2021 Cup Series champion has six Cup road course victories during his career, one behind leader Chase Elliott among active drivers. The pair only trail Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight) all-time.
• Larson won the Circuit of The Americas Xfinity Series race last year, the first win in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports entry with the iconic livery raced by Ricky Hendrick.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
 Age: 29 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last week: 20th (Atlanta)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 10th

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet

2025	Cup Career	COTA
Races	2	324	3
Wins	0	19	1
Poles	0	12	0
Top 5	0	104	2
Top 10	0	171	2
Laps Led	2	5,528	5
Stage Wins	0	38	0
Average Finish	17.5	12.9	7.0

• Chase Elliott remains 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings two races into the season.
• The 29-year-old driver is a previous winner at Circuit of The Americas, emerging victorious in the 2021 rain-shortened Cup Series event. His average finish of 7.0 at the Texas track is fifth best.
• Elliott has seven premier series road course wins, ranking third all-time behind Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.
• His average finish of 9.14 on road courses ranks sixth all-time and leads active drivers with a minimum of four starts.
• On road courses last year, Elliott’s best finish was fourth at Sonoma Raceway. He also earned the fourth-most points (148).
• Elliott has led the second-most laps (147), has the most top-five finishes (eight) and is tied for the third-most top 10s (10) on road courses in the Next Gen car.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
 Age: 27 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Week: 27th (Atlanta)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 2nd

No. 24 RAPTOR Chevrolet

2025	Cup Career	COTA
Races	2	254	4
Wins	1	14	1
Poles	0	13	2
Top 5	1	55	2
Top 10	1	105	2
Laps Led	16	2,994	70
Stage Wins	0	23	1
Average Finish	14.0	15.2	7.3

• William Byron is the most recent winner at Circuit of The Americas, capturing the pole in last year’s event and leading 42 of 68 laps en route to the checkered flag. He was also the pole sitter in 2023 at the serpentine course.
• In four starts at COTA, Byron has an average finish of 7.25, sixth best among all drivers. It’s also his best average finish at any track in which he’s made more than one start.
• Byron is one of only two drivers to have multiple wins on road courses in the last 13 events including his 2023 win at Watkins Glen International. In the last seven road course races, Byron has five top-10 finishes.
• In the Next Gen era, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native is third best in the Cup Series with two wins, five top-five finishes and 136 laps led on road courses.
• Aside from his usual Cup Series duties this weekend, Byron will also climb behind the wheel of the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. This will be his second Xfinity start at COTA (2023) where he previously started ninth and finished second.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
 Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Week: 26th (Atlanta)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 9th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet

2025	Cup Career	COTA
Races	2	327	4
Wins	0	8	0
Poles	0	5	0
Top 5	0	40	3
Top 10	1	97	4
Laps Led	17	1,385	3
Stage Wins	0	7	0
Average Finish	16.0	19.3	4.3

• Alex Bowman heads to Circuit of The Americas ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings, 28 points behind the leader.
• Bowman has four starts and four top 10s at the Circuit of The Americas. His best finish came in a second-place run in 2022. He is one of three drivers to finish in the top 10 in all four races.
• Bowman’s average finish at the track is 4.25, his best of any stop on the Cup Series circuit.
• In 2024, the Tucson, Arizona, native won the Chicago Street Course, his first road course win in 35 starts.
• This week, Ally announced a partnership with the Unrivaled League to highlight the new Miami-based, three-on-three professional women’s basketball league of which Ally is a founding partner. The No. 48 Ally Chevrolet will feature a special paint scheme designed by artist, Sophia Change to celebrate the league at an upcoming race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• For the Best Friends Society programming, Ally and Bowman will be partnering with All Kind Animal Initiative in Abilene, Texas, as their selected shelter for this weekend. 
• Ally and HENDRICKCARS.COM are teaming up again to give fans the chance to win prizes with this year’s “Open Road Sweepstakes.” Fans can win VIP experiences at various races throughout the season and one lucky winner will hit the open road in a Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss with an Airstream camper. Fans can stop by the Ally Fan Zone to enter the sweepstakes in-person and check out the camper. Fans can also enter at ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar.

Hendrick Motorsports

2025	All-Time	COTA
Races	2	1,383	4
Wins	1*	313*	2*
Poles	0	253*	2*
Top 5	2**	1,281*	8*
Top 10	3**	2,190*	9*
Laps Led	47	82,359*	82*
Stage Wins	1	116	1

 
*Most all time
**Tied for most all time

• Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won two of the four NASCAR Cup Series events at the Circuit of The Americas with Chase Elliott winning the inaugural event in 2021 and William Byron taking the checkered flag last year.
• The organization leads stock car’s premier series in nearly all categories at COTA including wins (two), poles (two), top-five finishes (eight), top-10 finishes (nine) and laps led (82).
• Currently, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers rank in the top 10 of the NASCAR Cup Series standings with Byron in second, Kyle Larson in sixth, Alex Bowman in ninth and Elliott in 10th.
• In the last 11 road course races in the Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports has won five of them and is the only organization with more than one victory over that span.
• Hendrick Motorsports is also the defending winner of the Xfinity Series race at COTA with Larson getting to the stripe first last year. Byron will get the nod in the first event of the season for the organization’s No. 17 entry this week.

 QUOTABLE /
 
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, on the new configuration at COTA: “I have spent some time in the simulator this week on the new layout and we’ll see how that translates to real life. I think it should be better for overall entertainment. The fans are going to see us come around maybe 30 more times or whatever that number is, so it will definitely be better for them in that aspect.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, on the new configuration at COTA: “It’s kind of one of those things where it’s tough because the only thing you can do is simulator work until you can get some eyes on it. The good news is that we’ve got some practice this week to understand the reconfiguration. I do not have my head wrapped around it completely at this point. I mean, I know what it’s supposed to look like, but I think until you really get out there and feel it – for me, it’s always hard to kind of understand exactly how things are going to be. And I kind of hate guessing because I don’t want to guess wrong in that situation, so I just kind of look forward to practice, honestly, more than anything. I would have to imagine it will change the racing a little, I would think, just based off the way it’s shaped. So, hopefully it gives more opportunities to get crafty; have some more options, opportunities to pass or just be different. If it does, great. And if it doesn’t, it’ll look like it has for the last few years out there.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, on heading COTA: “I’m more than ready to get to COTA. We’ve always been fast there and last year really showed what this team is capable of. The course will be shorter this time, but that’s where the extra laps in the Xfinity car should help. After the last two weekends of drafting, I’m happy to be going to a road course that takes such technique.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, on returning to COTA: “We’ve been strong at COTA over the last four years. I think our worst finish was eighth in 2021, so I’m hoping we can keep that streak going and have a strong weekend. We need to qualify well, collect stage points and just maintain track position to be there at the end.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Circuit of The Americas
March 1-2, 2025

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will tackle their first road course circuit of the 2025 season, with the pair heading to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for a doubleheader event. This weekend will mark just the fifth appearance by both series at the Austin, Texas, road course, but the first on the circuit’s shorter configuration.

Drivers and teams in NASCAR’s top two divisions will shift from COTA’s 3.41-mile, 20-turn, full course layout to the 2.3-mile, 20-turn, circuit known as the track’s “National Course”. Despite a whole new set of challenges on the horizon, the Chevrolet camp has proven they can master the Texas circuit – heading into the race weekend with three wins in both divisions in just four races.

Team Chevy Leading the Charge at COTA:

Chevrolet drivers have found victory lane in three of the four appearances made by both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at the Austin-based circuit. In the sport’s debut at the circuit in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott made the trip even more special for the Bowtie brand, with his victory delivering the manufacturer its milestone 800th all-time win in NASCAR’s top division. Fellow Chevrolet driver, Ross Chastain, added yet another memorable trip to victory lane the following season by becoming a first-time NASCAR Cup Series winner – a triumph that also marked the first victory for Trackhouse Racing in just the organization’s second season of competition. Most recently, it was William Byron who added his name to the history books as a winner at COTA – becoming the third different Chevrolet driver to reach victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at the Texas circuit.

In the Xfinity Series, Chevrolet will look to extend its triumphant streak at the circuit to four-straight in Saturday’s 65-lap event. The manufacturer’s three-peat kicked off in 2022 with a win by Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, with the road course warrior going back-to-back with a return trip to victory lane the following season. Last season, it was Kyle Larson who made a last-lap pass to steal the checkered flag – delivering Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet entry its long-awaited first Xfinity Series victory.

 ROAD COURSE WARRIORS

With back-to-back superspeedway-style races in the books, NASCAR will turn its attention to making left- and right-hand turns for the first time this season. Road course circuits have fared well for the Bowtie brigade in recent years, with seven different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 20 wins in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events. In the Next Gen era, Chevrolet holds a winning percentage of 67 percent on road courses heading into the COTA race weekend, with Kyle Larson’s 2024 Charlotte ROVAL victory marking the manufacturer’s 10th road course triumph in the Next Gen car. Among Chevrolet’s 15 full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitors includes eight past road course winners in the division: Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and William Byron; Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez; Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch; Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger; and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell. Also earning a victory making left- and right- hand turns on a street course circuit includes Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who have collectively kept Chevrolet undefeated in the series at the Chicago Street Course.

ZILISCH SET FOR CUP SERIES DEBUT

This weekend will bring the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series debut for one of Chevrolet’s racing stars – Trackhouse Racing Development Driver Connor Zilisch. One year ago at COTA, the 18-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native made his first-ever start in the NASCAR national ranks behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports-prepared Silverado RST. Immediately taking the NASCAR scene by storm, Zilisch drove the Chevrolet entry to a pole win and a fourth-place finish at the Austin-based circuit.

Just a few months later, Zilisch made yet another impressive debut – partnering with JR Motorsports to make his first career Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch went on to take the pole and the race win, making the young talent just the seventh driver in NASCAR history to earn the victory in his first Xfinity Series start.

Zilisch will have the opportunity to make history yet again this weekend. The 18-year-old Chevrolet driver will get behind the wheel of the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet – a fourth entry under the Trackhouse Racing banner – for his first appearance in NASCAR’s top division. The last driver to win in his Cup Series debut also came from the Chevrolet camp – fellow Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen (Chicago Street Race – July 2023).

RCR STAYS UNDEFEATED IN ‘25

With two races in the books for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, it has been the pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates that have dominated the series’ statistical categories. With yet another commanding performance at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Austin Hill joins his teammate, Jesse Love, with an early ticket into the series’ playoffs and keeps Chevrolet undefeated heading into the COTA race weekend.

The pair of victories were accompanied by strong performances throughout each event. Hill has swept the stage wins in each race thus far, but an unfortunate mechanical issue took him out of contention for the win at Daytona International Speedway. The duo also paced the series in laps led in each event, with Love and Hill tallying a combined total of 86 of 126 laps led in the season-opener, as well as 159 of 163 laps led at Atlanta last weekend. In addition, Love has captured the only pole win of the season – driving his No. 2 Chevrolet to back-to-back qualifying triumphs at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.

 BYRON TAPS IN FOR HMS’ FIRST XFINITY SERIES START OF THE SEASON

Reigning DAYTONA 500 Champion, William Byron, will take over the driving duties for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet this weekend for the entry’s first appearance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. This will mark the first of 16 starts in the series for the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet team – an entry that will also feature Byron’s teammates, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, as well as development driver Corey Day, behind the wheel. The team has made two trips to victory lane since returning to the series in 2022, with the first coming one year ago at COTA with Kyle Larson.

First Truck Triumph of the Season

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Chevrolet will enter back-to-back off-weekends on a high note. The Bowtie brand earned its first trip to victory lane of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend – courtesy of Spire Motorsports and Cup Series regular Kyle Busch. The victory was accompanied by a near dominate performance by the Chevrolet camp throughout the weekend – nabbing the pole win with Connor Mosack; a stage win sweep courtesy of Jack Wood and Busch; and six different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 124 of 135 laps led.

With a second-consecutive top-10 finish, CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger also found himself at the top of the series’ points standings heading into the off-weekends. The 40-year-old Fairhope, Alabama, native has tallied podium finishes in all but one stage thus far this season, with the series’ veteran being one of just three drivers who have posted back-to-back top-10 finishes.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Circuit of The Americas:

William Byron: one win (2024)

Ross Chastain: one win (2022)

Chase Elliott: one win (2021)

· In four appearances for both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series at Circuit of The Americas, Chevrolet leads the series with three wins in each division.

· Chevrolet has earned 20 victories in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events – dating from Chase Elliott’s victory at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2019, to Kyle Larson’s victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in Oct. 2024.

· In 15 NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with 10 victories – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.

· Chevrolet has recorded 67 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses – starting with Buck Baker’s victory at Watkins Glen International in 1957.

· In 110 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 53 victories – a winning percentage of 48.2%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 867 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

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

Sunday, March 2, at 3:30 p.m. ET

(FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Focused Health 250

Saturday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m. ET

(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What are you thoughts on how they have changed the COTA track?

“It should keep the track cleaner (laughs), no dirt back there in that right-hander where we were all driving off of the track. I like it obviously and I’ve been fast there and just enjoy it. The different layout doesn’t bother me.”

You’ve been successful at COTA.. why is that?

“Phil Surgen (crew chief) gives me cars that I can be aggressive with and chase the grip, both in qualifying and the race, and be able to attack it. The track is going to be repaved in a lot areas with means it will be smooth and have a lot of grip. They continue to invest in the surface there. As it continues to get bumpy, they don’t let it go; they go ahead and fix the issues. It will be a different track from what we saw last year.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

How do you feel about heading to Circuit of the Americas with the 7 team, especially after a tough start to the season?

“I’ve always felt really comfortable at Circuit of the Americas. We haven’t had the best start to the season but I’m looking forward to getting to a road course with the No.7 team and racing it out on Sunday.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Going to COTA with a reduced track length with the short course. What do you think the changes will do there?

“I don’t know.. you know, I think you lose a couple passing zones. You lose turn 11, all the way up at the top. You lose coming down into turn 12 after the long straightaway. I don’t think going into turn six is going to be a passing zone. It’s really tight. I mean, sure – guys are going to try and throw it in there and pass there, but it’s a 90 degree corner. It’s going to be slower and sharper than the frontstretch at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, when you come down into the turn on the front straightaway. As you come back onto the back straightaway, that corner is just kind of a flowy corner, so I don’t think you’ll get much two-wide racing through there. Trying to setup something on that little short shoot you have now before turn 12 is going to be tricky to say the least because you want to be on the inside for that corner but the next two corners you’re going to want to be on the outside. So I don’t know.. I feel like we lost two and we didn’t gain any. We’ll see how that transpires and what it looks like. But being a shorter course and not having that long straightaway in turn 12, you’re going to get less separation from all those other cars around you, so it’s going to be more Martinsville-esque with cars staying closer together and probably a little bit more pushing and shoving, and I’m sure that’s what the fans will certainly enjoy.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“I love road course racing. It’s something I’ve always had a lot of confidence at, but I’m very excited this year for the opportunity to get to work with AJ (Allmendinger), probably the best in the business at road course racing, especially with Kaulig Racing. So, for me, it’s a shut mouth and open ears for the weekend and try to learn as much as I can. I can’t expect to go out and run AJ, but I can learn a lot and hopefully improve my past performances at the race track. I think it’s going to be a really fun weekend. I enjoy the discipline of road course racing, and then I love Austin, Texas, too. I’m a huge Longhorns fan, so I just love being in the city and everything it’s about.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“I always enjoy going to COTA, I feel like we’ve had a lot of speed there in the past. We’ve had some success, but we’ve always been in the mix to run inside the top five. It’ll be a challenge this weekend with the new layout, but I feel good from where our road course program has been. If we can unload, have speed, and execute, we’ll give ourselves a shot to win the race.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

COTA is a track where you see a lot of drivers struggle due to its tight turns and limited space. What goes through your mind as a driver when you prepare for these tracks that you might have struggled at in the past?

“COTA’s honestly a really fun racetrack. I would say, for me, I don’t really focus on the results as much as I do the speed that we’ve had and been able to show at some of these tracks. Especially throughout portions of that race the past few years. We’ve just had mistakes – whether it’s been the team or the driver. They took us out of contention for a few decent races there. I try to block some of that out from the past road course races over the last few seasons. Obviously, we have a whole new section of the racetrack that we have to figure out. We ran it on the sim so that helps a little bit. For the most part, we’re going to try to pick that up as fast as we can during those two practice sessions on Saturday.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

“I’m looking forward to going to COTA, obviously having a road course early on in the season is really beneficial, especially for me as I am getting up to speed with the race team, with Chevrolet, and just feeling out the differences. Now we can learn what we need to work on, so we are carrying good moment going into COTA. I am looking forward to you kicking off our first road course of the season.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Following your 29th-place run at COTA last March you improved your finishing position over the final three road course events, underscored with a third-place finish at Watkins Glen. How confident are you that the No. 77 maintain that momentum Sunday at COTA?

“I’m really excited to get to COTA and check out the new layout. Luke (Lambert) and, really, everyone at Spire did a great job last season of building up our road course program. I think we’ll all pick up where we left off, and a lot of that is the result of the work that was put in during the off season. Running the Xfinity race will give me a chance to get a couple more laps on the track and maybe find something I can share with my teammates. The other thing we’ve got going for us is two new teammates in Justin (Haley) and Michael (McDowell) that are really strong road-course racers. It’s been an exciting start to the season for us and we can definitely keep that going this weekend.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What are your thoughts entering the first Cup race of your career?

“Going into my first Cup race at COTA, it’s going to be a big challenge for me. A lot of question marks but I just want to go in and enjoy it and have fun. You only get to make your debut in the Cup Series once. I feel like it’s going to be a good experience for me to go learn and run all the laps. I think that’s what I’m honestly looking forward to the most is just running all the laps and making the most of the experience.”

How cool is it for you and Trackhouse to bring Red Bull back to the Cup Series?

“It’s awesome to have Red Bull back in the sport. It’s going to be a big race for everybody, Trackhouse, me, Red Bull. No pressure to out and perform at any level. I just want to go out and learn as much as I can and enjoy my first Cup race.”

Do you think the extra track time in the NXS car will help you in the Cup race?

“I think it’s going to be helpful to have the Xfinity car there on Saturday and race that race. The track is a little bit different than last year so those laps are going to be really important to getting up to speed and getting used to the new track updates. It’ll be helpful to have those laps but the Cup car is a lot different. At the end of the day it’s going to be different because how different the cars are.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What do you think about the course change to COTA? How might that impact things?

“I think the new course will be okay. I did like the long track, but I see why they (NASCAR) shortened it, to give more times past the fans and more action. The cut through they have done, we don’t lose any passing spots, more laps as well. I think the shorter track is probably a good thing.”

What are your impressions of COTA? Kind of comparing it to some other tracks you’ve been to around the world.

“I like the track and I think it’s pretty cool. The change they have done is really good, with the second extension or cut through. The one we did in Supercars would be terrible in these (Cup) cars, so they made a good call there. But there will probably be a bit of action, I think, with the tight left hander. It’s odd how we spend more time off the track than on it, but that’s how it is here, and it looks pretty cool when the cars are all battling.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Do you enjoy racing at COTA?

“Yes, I do love the track. It’s one of the best in the world and the crowds are awesome. They make me feel so welcome. I love going around and seeing all the fans. We have run so well over the years here but just haven’t had the finish we deserve. Maybe Sunday will change all that.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2024): 43

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

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

Most recent: 2024

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

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2024): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

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

Most recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

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

Event Victories:

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

2025 STATISTICS:

Wins: 1

Poles: 0

Laps Led: 96

Top-Fives: 4

Top-10s: 8

Stage Wins: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 867 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 753

Laps led to date: 252,807

Top-fives to date: 4,373

Top-10s to date: 9,015

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,201

       Chevrolet: 867

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 840                                                                             

       Ford: 740

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 190

 

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. Learn more at GM.com.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Media Availability
Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Austin Cindric, driver of the No 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, comes into this weekend’s race at Circuit of The Americas fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings. Cindric, who led a race-high 59 laps in the Daytona 500, is part of a Team Penske trio that has combined to lead 256 of the 467 laps that have been completed through two races. He spoke with members of the media this afternoon about the start to his season and what lies ahead in this weekend’s first road course event.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU’VE HAD EXPERIENCE DRIVING FORD PERFORMANCE SPORTS CARS, WHETHER IT BE GT4 OR GT3, AND MADE THE PODIUM AT THE ROLEX 24 THIS PAST YEAR. HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU AT A PLACE LIKE COTA THIS WEEKEND? “I think certainly having that experience doesn’t hurt. It’s a lot of similarities, but, at the same time, comparison to endurance racing there are quite a few differences as well with how the cars work and so on, but I obviously got my warm-up, if you will, at the Rolex earlier this year – a lot of hours and a lot of laps logged in the GT3 there, but I’m certainly looking forward to going back to COTA and seeing what the new layout is about and what kind of new challenges that brings up.”

HAVE YOU TALKED TO LARSON AND, IF SO, WHEN? “Yeah, Kyle and I got connected on Monday and I thought we had a good talk. Kyle took responsibility on the end of the race, which obviously ended our race and kind of talking about it doesn’t really unwreck my race car, but I think we’re on the same page as what the expectations are moving forward racing together. I think it’s important. It’s about all I can influence is talking about it, but I hope to race Kyle and I certainly have a lot of respect, but I know if I want to win in this series I’m certainly gonna have to race against him a lot more, so I certainly expect us to be at that level throughout the year, and I expect it to be better than what we had on Sunday.”

HOW DO YOU THINK THE SHORTER COURSE WILL IMPACT THE RACE AND WILL IT IMPACT AT ALL THINGS LIKE RESTARTS AND THE TYPE OF MOMENTUM YOU MIGHT HAVE WHEN YOU GO INTO TURN ONE? “The course, I would say, is largely unchanged from – otherwise we’re just cutting a few corners out really simply. I think the larger conversation for us, at least within my race team, is the introduction of yet another road course tire, which is supposed to be similar to what we raced at Watkins Glen in the playoffs, so I think there’s probably more variables and more discussions based around that and more potential strategy and certain things throughout the race that will be affected by having tire wear or not having tire wear and depending on where it falls. There have been repaved sections of the race track, but as far as the course itself, the shortcut through 6A and 6B, I think your restarts are already kind of single file by the time you get to the end of the esses, which is where 6A starts, so I don’t see a ton changing other than we’re just gonna run more laps and I feel like that stadium section is gonna take a larger percentage of the lap and potentially be a more important part of the lap.”

DID YOU GIVE JEFF ANDREWS A BUSINESS CARD TO GET THAT CONVERSATION WITH KYLE? “I did. I figured I would need to explain that today. Essentially, when the race was over, I was helping my guys load the car and as you’re standing there we’re the first hauler. I can’t say I was really in a very good head space to want to talk to anybody, but at the same time knowing that this is something I definitely wanted to discuss with Kyle it was like, ‘OK, if somebody comes up to me I’m just gonna give them my phone number and be done with it.’ Then I realized in my backpack, and I haven’t used one of these since like 2016, but I do have a stack of business cards that I brought around with me for like going to the Rolex as a teenager handing them out to team owners and team managers, so I still have all of them in my backpack, and I saw Jeff Andrews and Chad Knaus standing over by the 24 hauler, so I figured that was a good way of ensuring that I would get my conversation and that would be a lot healthier than just showing up at the racetrack. Sometimes guys will reach out to you and sometimes guys won’t. I don’t have a super close relationship with Kyle by any means, so it’s not like he’s got my number. I guess that was my way of saying, ‘Hey, we really need to talk about this,’ in a way that was gonna be not emotional for me because at the time I was pretty frustrated.”

CONNOR ZILISCH IS MAKING HIS CUP DEBUT THIS WEEKEND AND HE’S LISTED AMONG THE FAVORITES IN A COUPLE PLACES. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS MADE HIM SO ADVANCED AS A ROAD COURSE RACER AT HIS AGE AND HOW SERIOUSLY ARE YOU TAKING HIM AS A CONTENDER ON SUNDAY? “I think if you look at the field, you could probably pick out 12 guys that you think could contend for the race win, and I think Connor is certainly talented enough to have pace. I think a lot comes with having your first Cup Series race, but I think he’s done stuff in IMSA that has been super impressive to me. The 12 Hours win last year at Sebring, I think, for me, the finishing stint and all that, he’s done an exceptional job, especially at his age. He’s coming up through the ranks quite quickly, so it will be interesting to see how he gets on, but there’s no doubt that I’m sure he’ll have some pace.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU ANTICIPATE IN THIS RACE? “I think the tire management, as I touched on earlier, will be the biggest variable going into the weekend as far as the last few years we’ve been there there hasn’t been a large amount of tire fall off at race pace, so this tire that we’re bringing and I feel like is worth adding, hasn’t to the best of my knowledge been on the racetrack before, so it’s kind of new to everyone. We have a couple sets of tires for practice to be able to feel that out, so I think that could play a large role in the strategy, but I think track position is always important at road courses, especially at COTA due to how you exit turn one really sets up for the lap because the field gets very single file after the esses, just the nature of essentially a slalom course for the cars, so it’s easy to get pretty spread out and lose touch of the top few cars quite quickly, so qualifying will be exceptionally important, and I think understanding what the tire is like will be exceptionally important.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TEAM NEEDS THIS YEAR TO GET A TOP FIVE AT COTA? “I think at COTA, for us, last year was certainly a frustrating event because it felt like we had a top five car and we got in a wreck on the first lap and caved in the nose and really damaged the plumbing to the engine, so I was down probably 50-100 horsepower the rest of the race, which was exceptionally frustrating. I actually rewatched that race today and relived some of the frustration of that. It’s been one of our better road course events, but I would still say the expectation for us is probably a little bit higher than a solid top 10 at some of these tracks, so I think going with the mindset that, yeah, we definitely need to be better and the new layout and the new tire definitely provides some different challenges and some different opportunities.”

WHEN DID YOU START THINKING ABOUT SPEAKING UP MORE AND MAYBE THAT’S COMING OUT A BIT MORE NOW? “I don’t know. That’s hard to say. I felt like I could have said a lot more than I did. I like to honestly keep that behind closed doors, so maybe if you felt like I spoke up, I felt like I was holding back so that tells you how upset I was with the situation. It’s still something I’m relatively upset about and gets the blood pressure going a little bit, but that’s racing. I’m not the only one that’s been in those positions and felt like they haven’t been able to capitalize on an opportunity to win a race, or had somebody else be the cause of that. It doubles down with it being two weeks in a row and at this level race wins don’t fall out of the sky, so you’ve got to work at them and it’s hard to put yourself in that position. That’s just part of it. As far as me sharing and being open about certain things on track, I guess that was me not being very open about certain things, so that maybe tells the picture right there.”

WHAT COULD HE SAY THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE AT THAT POINT? “I’ve always viewed it, and whenever I explain to people that don’t often consume – especially whether it’s a drafting style races or just NASCAR racing in general – it’s a very social sport for a few different reasons. One, there are so many high level drivers. Two, we have so many races on the schedule and, three, we spend the majority of our time racing, instead of just driving, and I think that’s what separates NASCAR from all other forms of motorsports. So, you have all of these individual existing relationships with all the drivers that you compete against, and I think it’s important to talk because you’ve got to share perspectives and share experiences. Like I said earlier on this call, it doesn’t make anything better. It doesn’t give us points. It doesn’t do anything for my season to have that conversation, but I think the words that you can share are fantastic as along as you’re able to follow through, and I think those conversations are between drivers and are all managed differently. Like I said, I think it all comes down to what that looks like on track and how that respect is shared. If it’s not, or if it is, I feel like having a more open relationship to talk about things and work through things is the first step to getting better.”

AFTER WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH, WHAT WON’T YOU PUT UP WITH THIS WEEKEND ON A ROAD COURSE? “If you’re asking me essentially about driver ethics, I feel like I’ve always tried to be very consistent in how I race and also consistent in when I’ve screwed up, so I can’t speak for anyone else or try and understand some others decisions, but as far as I’m concerned, being consistent, whether if it’s being aggressive and not giving an inch or being smart at the right times, I try to chew most the same. As far as predicting the future, I can’t. The best way is to just be faster than everybody in a race like this.”

WILL EVERYBODY HAVE MORE OF A LEARNING CURVE AT PHOENIX THAN THE LAST COUPLE RACES THERE WITH A NEW OPTION TIRE? “You’ve certainly caught me off guard. I can’t even think that I’ve put any thought into Phoenix whatsoever. You just live week to week here, but even the option tire, I had that in the back of my head. It’s a variable for sure, and I think it changes strategy. Similar to Richmond, I don’t feel like you’re gonna change your day as far as track position, but it can certainly influence things and be a strategy play to be the first to do the right thing. It’s always interesting to see how those things play out and I think Phoenix is kind of an evolution to seeing what we can try there, but as far as our team is concerned, obviously, we have a great notebook there. As the west coast swing normally is, especially Phoenix and Vegas, they’re both two very good reads on where your program is at and things early on that you want to get to work on, so does it make it harder to feel what those things might be because you have this other new element? Perhaps, but, otherwise, it’s the same for everyone.”

VEGAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE WHERE WE KNOW WHICH TEAMS ARE GOOD AND WHICH ONES NEED TO GO TO WORK. IS THAT STILL THE CASE? “It’s a track that challenges the car in most ways. You’re dealing with handling and versatility and raw speed, so, yeah, it’s one of the first racetracks we go to that does challenge all of those things or checks most of the boxes. I think another thing that’s worth pointing out is that in the first two races and even after COTA this weekend, our pit crews have yet to actually do I would say a normal four tire pit stop – not waiting on fuel, not road course, geometries and cambers and so on. Those guys have been jumping over the wall already this year for two races and there will be a third one this weekend and haven’t actually gotten to let their hair down and see their full potential as well, so I think that’s another element to add onto that. Phoenix and Vegas are kind of gonna be the first races where we’re gonna get to see those guys give it their all and what they’ve worked on in the offseason. I think it feels that way for everybody. You kind of get into a more normal handling style of races that we have on the schedule and that’s why I feel like Vegas falls in line just with that.”

THERE’S A STRONG CASE YOU COULD BE HERE WITH TWO VICTORIES. HOW DO YOU GET PAST THESE FIRST TWO WEEKS AND STILL RUN WELL IN THE HOPES OF MAKING THE PLAYOFFS? “I think you just described racing. It’s why I love having a thirty-plus race schedule is because I can just absolutely go and dive head first into my prep work. If I’m gonna use Atlanta as the example, by the time our plane landed from a relatively short flight I was already done with all of my notes and my debriefs and had all of my thoughts documented for the team on the event. By lunch time on Monday I had a call scheduled with Kyle and by Tuesday I’m completely over at least the work that needs to be done for it, so that’s kind of how I process those things, but I think by the time I get to the racetrack it’s back to business and there’s plenty of other things to focus on, but it’s easy to say all that, but, yeah, it certainly is frustrating. Even when people say, ‘Oh, you’re still fourth in points.’ It’s like, that’s just as much of a kick in between the legs as it is losing all of those points we could have had, so it’s difficult, but that’s just the sport that we’re in. I’d rather have the big opportunities become missed opportunities than not have the opportunities at all, and my team has done an exceptional job. I’ve been able to match that effort at these races, and I see no reason why we can’t continue to do that.”

I FIGURED YOU WOULD HAVE EVERY INDY 500 DRIVER’S PHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING KYLE’S. HOW MANY DRIVER’S NUMBERS DO YOU HAVE AND IS THAT PART OF YOUR PHILOSOPHY? “Not many. I do not have many of my competitors’ phone numbers. First of which, I’m not a very social person. I don’t view getting to know people away from the racetrack, if anything it’s a competitive distraction for me. I have people that I’m friendly with. I have guys that I enjoy spending time with. I feel like I have a good relationship with my teammates on and off the racetrack, but I’d say the majority of the Cup field I’m not in contact with at all. Honestly, it doesn’t take much to realize, I mean you look at the driver intro stage and you kind of see who likes talking to each other and most of the time I’m just sitting at the front of it waiting for the race to start, so that’s kind of the only thing that really matters to me because at the end of the day I think it’s just easier for me to separate it all. If we’re just competitors and that’s the only relationship that exists, I feel like that’s a lot simpler for me.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL WITH HOMESTEAD NOT BEING A PLAYOFF RACE THIS YEAR? “Miami has certainly been a staple in the playoffs, but it’s also one of those places you go to towards the end of the year, things are winding down. If I think of the team guys, some of them bring their families or you’re trying to enjoy the area as well as just the race. For me, I don’t think I’ve been doing this long enough to really appreciate or have the nostalgia that I would say most in the industry do about going down there towards the end of the year, but, otherwise, I do think that racetrack puts on great races when it’s maybe a little cooler out, to where you’re not just completely married to the outside lane towards the end of a stint. I think night races there look really good, especially with what our car can do when put on intermediate, multi-grooved racetracks, so I think there’s potential we could see a really great race down there, and I think that’s a racetrack that is certainly capable of it.”

Zane Smith and the No. 38 TitleMax Ford Team
Atlanta Motor Speedway Competition Notes
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

Date: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Event: Race 4 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Circuit of the Americas (2.4-miles)
#of Laps: 95
Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 PM ET on FOX/PRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Zane Smith Notes

Zane Smith will make his second Circuit of the Americas NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend as the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team prepares for the newly reconfigured track. Along with the new configuration, Smith will bring a new partner on his No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse as TitleMax joins Smith for the 95-lap event.

TitleMax will partner with Smith in four races this season on the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, starting this weekend at COTA. TitleMax helps thousands of people get the funds they need with a title loan or personal loan. Offering competitive rates, while providing a superior level of customer service. For more information about TitleMax, please visit www.TitleMax.com.

After an 11th place finish at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Smith now sits 28th in Driver Championship points. Smith looks to close the gap this weekend with a win to lock himself into the Playoffs. In his three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the track, Smith has three top-10’s at COTA, including back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023.

“COTA holds a special place in my heart,” said Smith. “It’s one of the most fun tracks we visit and a place I know I can win at. The team and I have some good momentum from Atlanta, and with my previous wins at COTA, our confidence is high. The new configuration is going to be a challenge, for sure, but I’m always up for a good challenge. I think we can leave Austin with a result we all can be proud of.”

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: Steve Godfrey
Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Tyler Podlaski
Hometown: Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard
Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Ernest Mullins
Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Rick Grissom
Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Keiston France
Hometown: Amelia, Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon
Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum
Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fueler: Chris Webb
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

ABOUT TITLEMAX

As part of the Community Choice Financial Family of Brands, TitleMax is one of the nation’s largest title lending companies. TitleMax helps thousands of people get the funds they need with a title loan or personal loan. Offering competitive rates, while providing a superior level of customer service.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.