TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Daytona International Speedway
2025 NASCAR Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth
February 12-16, 2025
DEFENDING THE SWEEP
It’s NASCAR’s turn to take center stage this weekend as all three national touring series will head to Daytona International Speedway to wave the green flag on the 2025 season.
The infamous Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth features five days of on-track action at the “World Center of Racing”, capped off by the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. Chevrolet is no stranger to success in the season-opening weekend at Daytona, with the Bowtie brand earning its second sweep of the sport’s season-opener one year ago. Already poised as NASCAR’s winningest manufacturer at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway, Chevrolet has the opportunity to add onto its storied history at the track again this year, where back-to-back season-opener sweeps would mark a first-time feat by a single manufacturer in NASCAR history.
MILESTONE MEMORIES
One year ago, Chevrolet added onto its already decorated history at Daytona International Speedway with yet another milestone victory. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ season-opening event, Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez became a first-time winner in the sports’ national ranks – a victory that also delivered the Bowtie brand its 100th all-time NASCAR win at the “World Center of Racing”. Fellow Team Chevy drivers, Austin Hill and William Byron, followed suit to give Chevrolet a sweep of the season-opening weekend – making the Bowtie brand the only manufacturer in NASCAR history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend more than once.
Chevrolet’s winning ways at Daytona came early, with Bob Welborn driving his 1959 Chevrolet to the victory in NASCAR’s first appearance at the track (Feb. 1959). Over the next 66 years, the Bowtie brand has built a legacy of 102 all-time points-paying wins in the NASCAR national ranks at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway with 51 Cup Series wins and 47 Xfinity Series wins (both a series-leading feat), and four wins in the Truck Series.
SIGHTS SET ON A STREAK
A victory in the DAYTONA 500 earns the driver a spot on one of the most iconic trophies in motorsports’ history – the Harley J. Earl trophy. Atop the trophy sits a replica of Firebird 1 – the jet age inspired, turbine-powered, single seater designed by the first head of GM Design Harley Earl. Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and close friend of Earl, honored his contributions to the advancement of the automobile by naming the trophy for NASCAR’s most prestigious event after him. Chevrolet’s rich motorsports history at Daytona International Speedway makes winning the Harley J. Earl Trophy even more special to the manufacturer. Among Chevrolet’s 51 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Daytona International Speedway, 26 have come in the DAYTONA 500. Most recently, it was Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron that became the 19th different driver to earn a DAYTONA 500 victory with Chevrolet.
The 2025 season brings the opportunity for a Chevrolet three-peat in the “Great American Race”, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. preceding Byron’s DAYTONA 500 title in 2023. The Bowtie brand already owns the record for the most consecutive DAYTONA 500 victories with five-straight (2003 – 2007).
Byron and Stenhouse Jr. are two of just eight former DAYTONA 500 champions entered in this year’s event, along with fellow Chevrolet driver and 2018 winner Austin Dillon.
Chevrolet’s DAYTONA 500 Winners:
Year Driver
2024 William Byron
2023 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2018 Austin Dillon
2014 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2013 Jimmie Johnson
2010 Jamie McMurray
2007 Kevin Harvick
2006 Jimmie Johnson
2005 Jeff Gordon
2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2003 Michael Waltrip
2001 Michael Waltrip
1999 Jeff Gordon
1998 Dale Earnhardt
1997 Jeff Gordon
1995 Sterling Marlin
1994 Sterling Marlin
1993 Dale Jarrett
1991 Ernie Irvan
1990 Derrike Cope
1989 Darrell Waltrip
1986 Geoffrey Bodine
1984 Cale Yarborough
1977 Cale Yarborough
1975 Benny Parsons
1960 Junior Johnson
BUSCH ON THE BRINK OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC CROWN
The 2025 season marks Kyle Busch’s 20th full-time campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series. One of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, the 39-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver is a 63-time winner in NASCAR’s top division, including two Brickyard 400 wins (2015, 2016), and one win each in the Southern 500 (2008) and the Coca-Cola 600 (2018). The only crown jewel triumph missing from Busch’s decorated NASCAR career is the DAYTONA 500. The sport’s most prestigious event is arguably one of the hardest to conquer, with NASCAR Hall of Famer and former Richard Childress Racing driver, Dale Earnhardt Sr., sharing the same anguish until 1998 when he officially conquered the crown jewel in his 20th attempt.
Since joining the Richard Childress Racing camp in 2023, Busch has fared well on superspeedway-style circuits. In 12 events, Busch has recorded seven top-10 finishes, including a win at Talladega Superspeedway (April 2023). In his last appearance at the “World Center of Racing”, Busch came just 0.047 seconds shy of a return trip to victory lane (Aug. 2024).
ALLGAIER, CASTRONEVES AMONG DAYTONA 500 HOPEFULS
A stout list of drivers will look to either qualify or race their way into the 40-car lineup for the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. Among those hopefuls includes both a Chevrolet organization and a driver that will each be making their first-ever NASCAR Cup Series start.
Competing under the Chevrolet banner for nearly 20 years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, JR Motorsports is slated to make their first appearance in NASCAR’s top division – fielding the No. 40 Chevrolet entry for Justin Allgaier. JR Motorsports and Allgaier are carrying extra momentum as reigning title winners in the Xfinity Series – the fourth for the Chevrolet organization and the first for the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native. This would mark Allgaier’s third start in the “Great American Race”, with his two prior appearances coming in a Chevrolet entry with team owner Harry Scott Jr. Allgaier’s most recent appearance in NASCAR’s top division came just last season when he rose to action as the substitute driver for Kyle Larson in the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 – collecting a hard-fought 13th-place finish in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet entry.
Trackhouse Racing’s PROJECT 91 program will make its return to the track with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Hélio Castroneves, behind the wheel. The Chevrolet organization debuted the PROJECT 91 entry in 2022 at Watkins Glen International with former Formula 1 World Champion, Kimi Räikkönen, tapped as the driver. Most notably, it was three-time Supercars Champion and now 2025 NASCAR Cup Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender, Shane van Gisbergen, that made NASCAR history by taking the No. 91 Chevrolet to victory lane at the Chicago Street Course in his first-ever start in NASCAR’s top division. With an already decorated career in open-wheel and sportscar racing, this will mark Castroneves first-ever start in the NASCAR national ranks.
ROOKIE CLASS
The rookie class across all three NASCAR national series features a stout lineup of Team Chevy drivers this season.
· Already a winner in NASCAR’s top division, Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen will set his sights on his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series campaign. The three-time Supercars Champion took the NASCAR scene by storm when he piloted the PROJECT 91 Chevrolet entry to the victory at the Chicago Street Race in 2023 – marking the first time since 1963 that a driver won in his first career Cup Series start. The triumph ultimately led to a developmental role with Trackhouse Racing, including a partnership with Kaulig Racing to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024. The 35-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native tallied three wins and a trip to the Xfinity Series playoffs, ultimately ending the season 12th in the series’ final points standings.
· Among the eight NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie candidates this season are five rising stars from the Chevrolet camp. Christian Eckes, Daniel Dye and Nick Sanchez are each coming off strong runs in the Truck Series playoffs in 2024. Eckes has joined forces with Kaulig Racing this season, with Saturday’s season-opener marking his first-ever start in the Xfinity Series. The 24-year-old Middletown, New York, native is carrying the confidence from an exceptional season behind the wheel of a McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST – tallying four race wins and 21-straight top-10s, including 12 podium finishes. Dye and Sanchez each have a handful of Xfinity Series starts under their belts. Dye, who will join the Kaulig Racing trio of Eckes and Josh Williams, has two top-10s in 12 career Xfinity Series starts, with a career-best seventh-place finish coming with the Chevrolet organization at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last season. Filling the seat of the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet, Sanchez is also no stranger to the organization, with six of his eight career Xfinity Series starts coming with the team. The Team Chevy driver has four top-12 results in the series, with his best finish of seventh coming at Martinsville Speedway in 2022.
· Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil signed on for their first career full-time season in the NASCAR national ranks – joining the four-car lineup for the Xfinity Series’ reigning champions JR Motorsports. At just 18-years-old, Zilisch has already been tapped as one of the sports’ next stars with a resume that includes a win in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Xfinity Series – all of which were earned in his first career start in each respective event. Zilisch made four starts in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet last season – tallying three top-five finishes, including his win at Watkins Glen International. Already a familiar face to JR Motorsports, Kvapil will make the jump up from the organization’s Late Model Stocks program to the Xfinity Series to take over the No. 1 Chevrolet. The 21-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native caught attention in his first outing with JR Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway last season – earning a fourth-place finish in his first-ever Xfinity Series start. Totaling nine starts in 2024, Kvapil tallied three top-fives and four top-10s, with his best finish of second coming at Dover Motor Speedway.
· Team Chevy will have three drivers from three different organizations represented in the Truck Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ battle. Among those includes Andres Perez de Lara, who will take over the driving duties for the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The 19-year-old Mexico City, Mexico, native has made his way up to the NASCAR national ranks after a successful tenure with Rev Racing and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program – most recently becoming the first Mexico-born driver to win the ARCA national title (2024). Perez de Lara made his first career Truck Series start with Spire Motorsports at World Wide Technology Raceway last season – driving the Chevrolet entry to a ninth-place result. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing and Niece Motorsports will also have a rookie title contender in the running, with Connor Mosack behind the wheel of the No. 81 Chevrolet and Christian Rose in the No. 44 Chevrolet.
BLAZER EV SS SET TO MAKE PACING DEBUT
Chevrolet is set to make history during the 2025 Daytona Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth with the all-new Chevrolet Blazer EV SS serving as the official pace vehicle for the 67th running of the Daytona 500 – the first-ever all-electric vehicle to lead the NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag in the “Great American Race”. While it’s the pacing debut for the Blazer EV SS, this marks the 16th time Chevrolet has led NASCAR’s premier series to the green flag in the DAYTONA 500.
“Chevrolet has a long history with racing – it’s in our DNA – and the Blazer EV SS is a testament to that,” said Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. “We’re excited for customers to watch the Blazer EV SS — the quickest SS we’ve ever produced — pace such an iconic race this weekend.”
The weekend’s pace vehicle lineup will also feature the Corvette Stingray, handling the pacing duties for the Xfinity Series in Saturday’s United Rentals 300, with the Silverado RST leading the Truck Series to the green flag in Friday’s Fresh From Florida 250.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet will pace the field for the 2025 NASCAR season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway:
The 67th running of the DAYTONA 500: Chevrolet Blazer EV SS – the first-ever all-electric vehicle to lead the NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag in the “Great American Race”.
NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Chevrolet Silverado RST
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway:
William Byron – two wins (Aug. 2020 & Feb. 2024)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023)
Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)
Michael McDowell – one win (Feb. 2021)
Justin Haley – one win (July 2019)
Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008)
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a DAYTONA 500 victory:
William Byron – one Daytona 500 win (2024)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one Daytona 500 win (2023)
Michael McDowell – one Daytona 500 win (2021)
Austin Dillon – one Daytona 500 win (2018)
· In 155 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 51 wins, with 26 of those triumphs coming in the “Great American Race”.
· Chevrolet has 102 points-paying wins at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway.
· Chevrolet has captured the DAYTONA 500 pole a manufacturer-leading 31 times, including a series-best streak of 11-straight (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman – 2023).
· Chevrolet has swept the DAYTONA 500 front-row 21 times in the event’s history, including 11 of the past 14 years (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson – 2023).
· Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is the only driver in series’ history to sit on the front-row of the DAYTONA 500 for six consecutive years (2018-2023).
· All behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, Hendrick Motorsports has won a series-leading 16 DAYTONA 500 poles: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018, 2021, 2023), William Byron (2019), Kyle Larson (2022).
· Since the debut of the Next Gen Cars in 2022, Chevrolet has won 11 of the 18 superspeedway-style races in the NASCAR Cup Series – recorded by seven drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.
· In 108 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 48.1%.
· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 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
67th running of the DAYTONA 500
Sunday, February 16, 2:30 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 300
Saturday, February 15, 5 p.m. ET
CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Fresh From Florida 250
Friday, February 14, 7:30 p.m. ET
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
FOR THE FANS
· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway.
· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including:
Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Equinox ACTIV, Corvette ZR1, Trax 2RS, Traverse RS, Colorado TB, Silverado RST, Silverado 2500 ZR2 Bison, Blazer EV SS, Equinox EV RS, Silverado EV RST, Tahoe Z71.
Chevrolet Injector: Corvette, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Z06, Corvette Stingray, Trax ACTIV, Traverse RS, Tahoe Z71, Suburban High Country, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Silverado 2500 ZR2 Bison, Equinox EV, Equinox RS, Trax ACTIV, Trailblazer ACTIV, Blazer EV RS, Silverado EV RST, Tahoe RST, Traverse Z71, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Suburban Z71, Tahoe RST.
Chevrolet Experience Center: Firebird 1, Blazer EV SS, Blazer EV.R Race Car Concept, Blazer EV Race Car Foam Model.
In addition, there will be a special showing of a collection of historic race cars including: replica of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet Camaro SS that won the 2014 Daytona 500; Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS that won the 2007 Daytona 500; Darrell Waltrip’s No. 17 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that won the 1989 Daytona 500; and Herb Thomas’ No. 92 ’55 Chevrolet 150.
· Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet show car at the Chevrolet Racing Display in the Fan Midway.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:
· Thursday, February 13
Tyler Ankrum & Jack Wood: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Daniel Hemric & Connor Mosack: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
· Friday, February 14
Corey Day: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Bayley Currey, Kaden Honeycutt, Matt Mills, Christian Rose: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Rajah Caruth: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Grant Enfinger: 12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Lavar Scott: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
· Saturday, February 15
Matt DiBenedetto: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Austin Hill: 12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m.
Justin Allgaier & Sammy Smith: 12:40 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.
Jesse Love: 1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Connor Zilisch & Carson Kvapil: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Nick Sanchez: 1:45 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Christian Eckes: 2 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Josh Williams: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
· Sunday, February 16
Shane van Gisbergen: 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Ross Chastain: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Austin Dillon: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Michael McDowell: 10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Chase Elliott & William Byron: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Kyle Larson: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
AJ Allmendinger: 11:45 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
Kyle Busch: 11:55 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Thursday, February 13: 3 – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 14: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 15: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, February 16: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What is it going to be like to have Helio as a teammate?
“I met Helio at the shop when he was there for a fitting. He sat in my cockpit and really liked it, just some minor tweaks and he happens to line up with me from a physical side. I spent some more time with him at dinner and he has a great personality and it was cool to hear his racing stories. He’s always laughing. I’m looking forward to him experiencing the Daytona 500 after everything he has done in his career.”
How does it feel to be starting a new season?
“It feels good to be getting back into the routine with meetings, working out, going to the track and everything that comes with a new season. Having Shane (Van Gisbergen) as a teammate fulltime with be great. It’s another driver to get feedback from and it has allowed us to expand our resources at the shop with personnel and things like that. When the engine fires on my Busch Light Chevy at Daytona it means the season has officially started.”
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
“Kicking off the season in Daytona is truly one of the highlights of the year. I have complete confidence that the #7 team will deliver a competitive Chevrolet to Daytona, and that we will position ourselves for a chance at winning the Daytona 500! I am excited to work with my teammates, Carson and Michael, as we start the season off with Spire Motorsports!”
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What are your expectations for 2025?
“I would say in 2025, you’ve got to get out there and you’ve got to win. That’s our thing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to win in ‘24 and ended the streak of 19 seasons with a win, so getting back to victory lane is the ultimate goal. We’ve just got to get out there, score wins and get our Chevrolet where it needs to be. And that starts with being competitive each week and having shots to reach that checkered flag first.”
The importance of a spotter and communication at Daytona and a plate track, superspeedway. What is that communication like and how important is that to you?
“Communication with your spotter is the ultimate. There’s nothing else that you really use as much as your spotter on speedway racing. You can use your mirrors and look in the camera and look behind you and whatnot. But, trying to figure out a way of being able to understand the energy that’s coming rows back behind you, the only way to get that is from your spotter. When you’re in traffic and you’re three or four rows back, you’re trying to understand what the gaps are in front of you so you know how hard to push the guy in front of you to get your lane moving forward.”
What would it mean to win that race?
“Yeah, I mean, winning the Daytona 500 would be the ultimate. I’ve pretty much done everything else there is to do in our sport, you know? That’s the only thing left. I’ve won at Daytona in a summer race, but I have not won there in the Daytona 500 in February. I’m looking forward to it. One of these days, I sure hope it comes true, I want it to come true, to become a Daytona 500 champion.
It’s Groundhog Day for me. This is 21 years, it’s the start of a new season. I’m ready to go, ready to get back after it. A lot of good things have seemed to happen behind the scenes over at RCR so I’m looking forward to a strong season and getting back to victory lane.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“The Daytona 500, it’s our Super Bowl, our biggest event of the year. There’s no better feeling than being on the front stretch for pre-race and the pageantry that goes on for the 500. It’s always a blessing and kind of a pinch me moment, more during the national anthem than that I’m getting to in the race again in the Daytona 500. It’s going to be our first race with Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, so we’re going to have a lot of fun to get the season kicked off and there’s no better way to start a year than with a Daytona 500 trophy and a ring, and to lock ourselves in to the playoffs at the first race of the year. We want to come out of the gates hot and have a great start to the year.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“The Daytona 500 is obviously the biggest race we have during the year and one of the biggest races in motorsports. Especially with where I am at in my life and in my career, I really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it. The last couple years, we’ve had a great shot to win it, and I feel like we will have the speed again. To be back full-time in the Cup Series and racing for points, it’s important to go out there and have a great week. As we know with this race, anything can happen, so we’ll just try to be smart, be aggressive at the right time and make the right moves. Hopefully, just like we have done the last couple years, we’ll put ourselves in position to try to win the race.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
Back in 2023, you won the Daytona 500, a feat that not every driver can say they’ve done. Relive what it meant for you and the team to win that iconic crown-jewel race.
“For me, it was like we showed up to Daytona before 2023 and you just wondered if you would ever get that feeling of winning the race and pulling into victory lane. I’ve had friends do it and I’ve gone in there to congratulate them, but you never know if you’ll get there yourself. In 2023, I was super confident that morning. I woke up and I felt like we were going to win. It’s one of those races that’s so special to win and to prove yourself in NASCAR by winning. That Daytona 500 win meant everything to our partners and our team. It’s always nice going back now because I feel like there’s way less pressure because you already have that win. Still, I feel like we can put ourselves in more positions to win more Daytona 500s now that we’ve got one. I’m looking forward to getting back there and trying to win our second.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Talk about what it takes to pick up a second Daytona 500 and how the race has changed over the years…
“Daytona is tough. It’s hard to get to the end of a 500 mile race and with this NextGen car you have to be aggressive, you have to keep track position, which means you have to fight hard to get up there and stay up there, but it’s all calculated risk, right? You’re trying to put yourself in the best position you can, but you’re also feeling the energy in the pack and seeing where you think something’s going to come from. It’s a balance for sure of when to take that risk and when not to, when to back out and when to keep going, there’s less opportunities now to get out of the pack and recharge. So, you know, who you’re around and when you’re around other cars it is really important. Then, the fuel mileage and pit cycle stuff is super important now too. Those factors change the intensity of the race at different points, and you have to adapt to that intensity when it picks up and when it’s not, so there’s a lot of moving dynamics that have changed over the years for sure.”
You have been outspoken about wanting a win in all three series, how can you pick up your first truck win at Daytona?
“Even though I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve only done two truck series races and those were both very last minute, kind of thrown together. So, I’m looking forward to having a proper opportunity to go do it at a high level and in some great race trucks. The goal is always the same, the goal is to win. But to be a driver that has won in all three national series is a goal of mine and something that is important and I’ll have a few shots at it this year, so hopefully we can get it done and no better place to do that than Daytona, but, if not, there’s great opportunities throughout the season and looking forward to the challenge and just learning too because like I said, I don’t have a lot of time in the truck and you know, looking forward to being a part of what they have going on.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
How important is it start with the season on a positive note with a good run at Daytona?
“It’s going to be important to have a good run in Daytona. Starting off the season on a good note is obviously good for my confidence and for the WeatherTech team’s confidence as well. A lot can happen at Daytona. It would be nice to start the season off strong.”
As a rookie, do you think it will be difficult to have other drivers work with you in the draft?
“There are definitely some challenges going to a superspeedway race with not a lot of experience. Those tracks are a lot different than what I’m used to. I have only run one superspeedway race before, so it is going to take a little bit of time to get up to speed.”
How challenging will it be to stay out of trouble at Daytona?
“One of the biggest things at Daytona is making it to the end of the race. We’re going to do everything we can with my spotter and team to keep us out of trouble and keep us in the race. You have to be in the race to finish well. I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we have and starting the season off strong.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturer 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
Driver 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)
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 866 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 753
Laps led to date: 252,711
Top-fives to date: 4,369
Top-10s to date: 9,007
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,200
Chevrolet: 866
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: 189
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.
