TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Martinsville Speedway
October 24-26, 2025

The playoff pressure has peaked as all three NASCAR national touring series will head to Martinsville Speedway to determine the four drivers that will have the chance to compete for the 2025 championship titles in each division.

Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet will enter the final elimination race of the playoffs as the only manufacturer with representation in the top-four of the playoff rankings across all three series. Despite a disappointing ending to his 400th career Cup Series start, Kyle Larson still managed to maintain a 36-point advantage over the cutline as he closes in on his pursuit for a second championship title in NASCAR’s top division. In the Xfinity Series, it’s an all-Chevrolet top-four with the JR Motorsports duo, Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier, leading the way with already guaranteed spots in the Championship Four. With three positions still up for grabs in the Craftsman Truck Series Championship Four, Team Chevy’s Rajah Caruth and Tyler Ankrum currently sit in positions above the cutline as the pair looks to make their first-ever Championship Four appearance.

Larson Inches Closer to Second Title Attempt

While their streak of top-seven playoff finishes has come to an end, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team is still among a top title contender – entering the Martinsville race weekend ranked fourth in the playoff standings with a 36-point cushion over the cutline. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, the 33-year-old Elk Grove, California, native has turned one of his statistically weakest tracks into one of his strongest. Larson has earned top-six results in seven of his nine career Martinsville starts with the No. 5 team, including an active streak of six-straight. Among those results includes his first Martinsville triumph (Apr. 2023) and four podium appearances. On tracks measuring less than one-mile this season, Larson has tallied top-six results in three of the six events, including his dominate victory in the sport’s spring visit to Bristol Motor Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Martinsville History:

Hendrick Motorsports’ storied NASCAR history took off at the very site of this weekend’s event. With Geoff Bodine behind the wheel, the Chevrolet organization made its first trip to victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at Martinsville Speedway (Apr. 1984). Now over 40 years later, Hendrick Motorsports has earned the title as the series’ winningest organization with 319 all-time victories, with 29 of those triumphs coming at Martinsville. In the series’ past 10 appearances at “The Paperclip”, it has been a Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet that captured the iconic clock in half of those events, with all four of the organization’s current drivers claiming their first win at the track within that time span. The organization’s most recent Martinsville victory came alongside William Byron in April 2024, with the Charlotte, North Carolina, native leading the organization to a podium sweep with Kyle Larson (second) and Chase Elliott (third).

Byron Steady in the Season-Long Standings:

While a rocky Round of Eight for William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team has put them in an unfavorable points position, a trip to Martinsville Speedway might just be what they need to make a third-straight Championship Four appearance. It’s been a season of consistency for the 27-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native. Starting his 2025 campaign with a second-straight DAYTONA 500 title, Byron went on to score his first career regular-season championship and has yet to fall out of the top-six in the points ranking. There’s no better place to turn their playoffs around than at Martinsville Speedway, with the Team Chevy driver earning top-eight results in more than half of his career starts at the track. Byron is tied for second among the series’ active drivers with two Martinsville victories – both of which have come in the Next Gen era.

Elliott’s “Paperclip” Past:

There’s one task at hand for Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team this weekend – a trip to victory lane. Sitting in a ‘must-win’ situation to compete for his second championship title, it’s a position that Elliott has been faced with and conquered once before. In 2020, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native turned a double-digit points deficit into a season-changing victory that led him to his first Championship Four appearance and his first career title in NASCAR’s top division. The victory kickstarted an exceptional 10-race run at Martinsville Speedway – earning eight top-10 results, including an active streak of three-straight finishes in the top-four.

 
Team Chevy Takeover in the Xfinity Series Standings

With an already historic NASCAR Xfinity Series season in the making, Chevrolet enters the final elimination race of the playoffs in the best position possible – occupying all four positions above the cutline. Among those includes a pair of already guaranteed berths into the Championship Four with JR Motorsports’ Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier, with the teammates capitalizing on an already substantial points lead to solidify their title chances following the Talladega race last weekend. Since the elimination-style playoff format was introduced to the series in 2016, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer to sweep the entire Championship Four lineup – accomplished for the first time in 2017 by JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing, with the pair of organizations having the opportunity to accomplish the feat for the Bowtie brand once again this season.

Love Boosts Back-to-Back Strong Points Runs:

Sitting in the most comfortable points position heading into the Martinsville race weekend is Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love. Tapping into his Talladega prowess, the 20-year-old Menlo Park, California, native exactly doubled his points cushion to now 40-markers over the cutline as the Team Chevy driver sits just within reach of his first career Championship Four appearance. Yet another solid points day is all the No. 2 team needs to punch their ticket into the title-deciding race. With track position at a premium at Martinsville, Love’s qualifying strength at the Virginia short-track delivers just that. In his three career Martinsville starts, Love has started no worse than 11th, including back-to-back fourth-place qualifying efforts.

Hill, RCR Set for Xfinity Series Owner’s Championship Fight:

Richard Childress Racing could be in position to fight for two championship titles at Phoenix Raceway next weekend. The superspeedway ace, Austin Hill, completed the Talladega season sweep – officially locking Richard Childress Racing into the Championship Four for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Owner’s Championship. The victory marked Hill’s fourth of the season (second-most of the series) and his record-extending 10th all-time on the circuit’s drafting-style tracks. The 31-year-old Winston, Georgia, native will carry the momentum to yet another track where he’s found recent success. In the series’ spring visit to Martinsville Speedway, a last-lap pass saw the No. 21 team steal the checkered flag to deliver Richard Childress Racing its milestone 100th all-time Xfinity Series win – all of which have been earned under the Chevrolet banner.

Caruth, Ankrum Eyes First Title Opportunity

The closest title battle lies within the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with three positions in the Championship Four still up for grabs. Surviving Talladega with a pair of top-10 finishes, Team Chevy’s Rajah Caruth and Tyler Ankrum were able to maintain their positions above the playoff cutline as they move one step closer to their first Championship Four appearances.

While the trip to Talladega put Daniel Hemric and Grant Enfinger in a ‘must-win’ position, the veterans will be able to lean on their past successes at Martinsville Speedway to keep their respective teams in title contention, with the drivers being two of the three remaining playoff contenders that are past Martinsville winners. For Hemric, that feat came earlier this season when the 34-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina, native earned his first win with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.

Part Two of the 2025 ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ Campaign

Last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, the pink Corvette Stingray made its on-track debut as the NASCAR Cup Series’ official pace vehicle for the first of two races in the 2025 ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ campaign. Driving donations for the initiative, every caution lap the pink Corvette Stingray completes in the two participating races generates a donation of $500 (up to $25,000). A special addition was added to this year’s campaign with Chevrolet also pledging to donate an additional $1,500 (up to $25,000) for each Team Chevy driver that earns a top-10 finish at Talladega and Martinsville. With 28 caution laps made and one Team Chevy top-10 finisher at Talladega, the current campaign total sits at $15,500 heading into the Martinsville race weekend.

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 34 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 14

Poles: 12

Laps Led: 3,624

Top-Fives: 61

Top-10s: 136

Stage Wins: 25

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:

Wins: 25

Poles: 20

Laps Led: 3,674

Top-Fives: 106

Top-10s: 206

Stage Wins: 47

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 23 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:

Wins: 6

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 956

Top-Fives: 47

Top-10s: 106

Stage Wins: 8

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Martinsville Speedway:

NASCAR Cup Series: Specially-themed pink Corvette Stingray in support of the American Cancer Society and its ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Silverado RST
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Silverado RST

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

Kyle Busch – two wins (2016 & 2017)
William Byron – two wins (2022 & 2024)
Kyle Larson – one win (2023)
Alex Bowman – one win (2021)
Chase Elliott – one win (2020)

· In 153 NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 61 victories and 56 pole wins – both of which are series-leading records. Among those victories includes victories in three of the seven races contested in the Next Gen era at the track – earned by current playoff drivers William Byron and Kyle Larson.

· Chevrolet has earned at least half of the top-10 finishing results in 14 of the 34 points-paying races thus far this season, including a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

· In 142 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 66 victories – a winning percentage of 46.5%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 880 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

Playoffs Round of Eight: Elimination Race

Xfinity 500

Sunday, October 26, at 2 p.m. ET

(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Playoffs Round of Eight: Elimination Race

IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250

Saturday, October 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Playoffs Round of Eight: Elimination Race

Slim Jim 200

Friday, October 24, 6 p.m. ET

(FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

This weekend is another anniversary of the “Hail Melon” and it now seems people can final see the car in person?

“So many people have asked where the Hail Melon car is at and if it’s going to be on display. We installed it in the Trackhouse lobby a few months ago. We also got a piece of the wall from track and put the car up against the wall to recreate the moment. Its on display for everyone to see and take pictures with. It’s fun to have that piece of history in the lobby for everyone to see.”

Do you enjoy going to Martinsville?

“Martinsville has been pretty good to me since driving for Trackhouse. Obviously, I’ve had one of the biggest moments of my career there but we’ve been consistently strong there over the last few years. Whatever Phil Surgen does to the car it really fits my driving style there. I can remember going to race at Martinsville just a few years with a car that had parts and pieces the other teams were throwing away, so I’ve definitely come a long way and it’s so much fun to drive a fast car at Martinsville. I enjoy driving to the track instead of getting on a plane and flying. It’s a great drive, especially in the fall with all of the leaves changing and then you arrive in Martinsville and the track sits down the hill, it’s really cool.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Short track racing has been the highlight of the season for the No. 3 team. While Richmond Raceway is much different than Martinsville Speedway, do you have confidence going into that race with a shot at a good result?

“I love short tracks, and Martinsville Speedway has been solid for us over the years. We have had opportunities to run really well there. One of the first Next Gen races there, I had a shot to win and ran third or fourth. You have hard braking and it’s hard to get around that little paperclip. It’s a fun track to race at.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What is your outlook heading to Martinsville?

“Martinsville is always a challenge. The No. 7 guys have been working hard to improve our performance there, and I appreciate the effort they put in all year. I want to thank NationsGuard for their continued support and I hope we can put together a strong run this weekend.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“Martinsville is a racetrack that’s been challenging to us over the last couple years with this car. We’ve made some gains there, so I’m looking forward to getting on track to see if we’ve found more speed. I thought in the spring, we had some positive takeaways. We’re looking to build off what we learned in the spring and keep working hard to finish these last two races strong.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“Talladega didn’t turn out the way we had hoped, but we’re excited to have Jack Link’s back on the car this weekend at Martinsville.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What do you remember about your first start and your most recent start at Martinsville Speedway?

“My first start, I remember it was cold. It started snowing. I thought that I was just cold and that’s why I was shaking. I told myself that it wasn’t because of nerves. Then my last fall Martinsville start was my 500th cup start, so, it was fun to be my first and 500th start. Mostly because my career’s been fairly tough, you know. It’s hard to stay in a seat and it’s so hard to stay in this sport. So, when I made my 500th start, I felt like that was a really big accomplishment, because in the beginning, it didn’t feel like I would get to 100, let alone 500.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What makes the fall Martinsville race more intense than the spring?

“I think we will see a lot of what we saw in the spring, but turned up another notch. It is 100 laps longer, meaning 100 more laps for you to manage your temper as guys are running into you. Since it is the Championship 4 cut, you have six guys who are going to do everything possible to transfer, alongside 30 other guys who want to get a win as the season winds down. The race will be unpredictable, and no spot on the track is safe, front or back of the field, pit road, or the tricky asphalt-to-concrete transitions into the turn. We just have to run our race and focus on our strategy. We’ve improved on every track type this year, so there’s no reason we can’t survive the Martinsville chaos and finish the season out strong.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Why is Martinsville Speedway an oval that seems to come a bit more natural to you?

“It’s still difficult but there is more downshift and a bit more technique with braking, and how you can use your tools and how you get the car into the corners. I am able to influence it (the car) a little more as a driver, unlike, the big ovals. You still see the regular oval drivers that are amazing at Martinsville. It’s a tough track. I got a decent result there last year, 12th, with some strategy. It’s a crazy race, I really enjoy racing there.”

How eager are you to check off a Cup Series Oval win?

“Yes, but I have to earn it. It’s hard to say I don’t have an oval win yet, but there are a lot of drivers in the field that don’t have a Cup (series) oval win, so I’m not alone. I know I still have a lot of work to do to get better on ovals. I feel like we’ve made some big steps the last couple of months, and we’ve had some really good runs going, but obviously want to get that oval win.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

How challenging is racing at Martinsville Speedway?

“I like Martinsville a lot. It’s a tricky little track but it’s amazing. I have had great runs and very bad runs there. The track at Martinsville changes so much because of temperature and rubber buildup and it might be our most temperature-driven racetrack. You have to base your plans on history. That’s why you see the same guys running well there all the time. Martinsville is really tough because you are in traffic all day long. Guys around you and bumping and shoving and it’s easy to lose patience and do something that can ruin your day. Qualifying well there is huge because track position and pit selection are very important. It’s critical to have a good pit stall because pit road there is so challenging there.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

“I love Martinsville. It’s definitely a driver’s track and you have to hustle the car. I just like short track racing a lot. It’s one of the skills that you have to gain as a driver and a lot of guys struggle with it that are really talented. The last time we were at Martinsville we qualified on the pole and led over 100 laps and had a really good chance of winning until chaos ensued. That is just part of Martinsville and something that you have to expect, especially with it being a cutoff race. It’s tough to expect what to happen but sometimes you have to go in there with the mindset of you have to be the aggressor and force other people to make mistakes.”

 
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: 14

Poles: 12

Laps Led: 3,624

Top-Fives: 61

Top-10s: 136

Stage Wins: 25

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet Race Wins: 880 (1949 to date)

Poles Won to Date: 765

Laps Led to Date: 256,335

Top-Fives to Date: 4,430

Top-10s to Date: 9,143

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,214

       Chevrolet: 880

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 846                                                                               

       Ford: 746

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 203

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. QUOTES
OCTOBER 22, 2025

It was announced today that Team Chevy driver, Daniel Suarez, will join Spire Motorsports for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, taking over the driving duties for the organization’s No. 7 Chevrolet entry.

Press Conference Quotes:

Moderator: Moving into 2026, we continue to bolster our competition efforts with fresh talent and dedicated partnerships. Joining us today are Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson; CEO of Freeway Insurance, Cesar Soriano; and multi-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Daniel Suarez. As the first foreign-born NASCAR National Series champion, Daniel has set the standard for young drivers looking to advance through NASCAR’s international ladder system. He brings 9 years of Cup Series experience at the highest level of our sport and a devoted fan base that surpasses borders. Freeway Insurance has been a partner of Daniel since 2021. They continue to build their brand within NASCAR over the last 5 seasons and will continue to do so moving forward.

We are excited to have both Daniel and Freeway Insurance join the Spire Motorsports family for the 2026 season, and we can now officially announce that Daniel Suarez is the new driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series.

We’ll start with Jeff. Jeff, if you could just tell us about the decision to bring Daniel to Spire Motorsports for next season.

Jeff Dickerson: “Yeah, I think his resume obviously speaks for itself. He’s been a mainstay in the garage for several years. I think when it came down to it, it’s just a thing where I think we need each other. I think all of us love a good story of redemption and giving people a platform to prove doubters wrong, so I think in this case, I think Daniel wants to show everybody that this year was an outlier and we wanted to show everybody that the No. 7 car’s performance this year is an outlier, as well.”

Daniel, Freeway Insurance has been with you for several seasons. What does it mean to continue representing a brand that’s grown alongside your career?

Daniel Suarez: “It’s been a huge privilege to be able to not just represent Freeway Insurance, but also to take it to the next level and be able to connect with my community. I believe that my relationship with Freeway Insurance goes further than just a sponsorship. We have very similar goals. For me, it’s something very personal to be able to connect with my community and to give back to my community; to represent my community and to inspire my community.

Freeway Insurance, as we all know, that’s one of their goals, as well. They have a large percentage of Hispanic customers and employees, so for me, that’s a very big deal. It’s very, very personal. They’ve been a huge support of myself for a handful of years now.

We were talking about this last night. For me, it’s like a Cinderella story with how we started together in a one-specimen deal, and then it just continued to grow. And right now, here we are making this move to Spire Motorsports with Freeway Insurance as a primary sponsor. I’m sure that we’re going to continue to work together. I can’t thank Cesar Soriano and Rose enough for all the love and support, and I can’t wait to continue to write this story together.”

Cesar, we know that Daniel has a very loyal fan base, and I know Freeway’s fan base has also grown over the years. We’ve emphasized hard work and perseverance as big goals of your company and your values, and those are also values that Daniel shares with you. He’s become a role model for so many in the Latino communities, which also represents your brand, as well. How do those shared values strengthen the partnership as you move forward?

Cesar Soriano: “You know, in addition to the hard work and perseverance that you mentioned, for us, we were looking for somebody that would represent and, more importantly, take a personal approach to be our brand ambassador. And when you think about it, when you think about my own employees or teammates and our customers, it’s about living the American dream. There’s no better driver, in my personal opinion, than Daniel Suarez, who is living that dream. He demonstrates that with hard work, perseverance, loyalty, and trust, you can achieve all your goals, and he’s doing it today. Loyalty works both ways, and we’ve stayed loyal with him.”

Daniel, what made this the right fit for you personally?

Daniel Suarez: “To be quite honest with you, it was a no-brainer. If you look at the last three years, how Spire Motorsports has grown in the last three years. I mentioned this to Jeff (Dickerson). I said, Jeff, three years ago, I probably wasn’t looking at Spire Motorsports as an option. Right now, I believe that it’s the fastest growing team in NASCAR, and I want to be part of that. I know that they are not even close to being done. They are just getting started. The way that they are building the team, I can see that the foundation is strong. Everything that Jeff and the entire team at Spire Motorsports have been able to do in a very short period of time, it’s quite impressive to look at it from the outside. I was just very, very excited to see this new chapter and this opportunity.

Just like Jeff mentioned, this year, it was not the way that I wanted it to go with my team, and the same thing with the No. 7 team. I believe that we both have some things that we want to get back in place, and we are hungry to do that. I’ve been extremely, extremely anxious to get this day and to get to work because I know that it’s going to take some work. This off-season is very busy. But I just can’t wait to get to work with this group because I know that they are capable of a lot, and I can’t wait to get going.”

Why is Daniel the right fit for No. 7 team to help maximize that potential in 2026?

Jeff Dickerson: “Yeah, I mean having a veteran voice that’s got some roots in that garage. Obviously our stats prove that we’ve had a really good year, so it’s like we’re just at a different place in our journey, right? We’re not like a problem that needs to be solved anymore. We’ve got the speed, we need the execution. That’s what’s really holding us back this year.

I think that’s what Daniel sees with us. We just need kind of like a veteran steady hand that can offer his wisdom, so we’re looking to tap into that. And like you said, I don’t think six months ago either one of us thought that we would be sitting in this studio. But I think there’s a real power here in showing everybody that, I guess in some ways, both of us are better than what we showed this year.”

Jeff, when you talk about that execution part, what is it you’ve seen from Daniel that gives you that full confidence he’s going to be able to provide that steady hand you’re looking for?

Jeff Dickerson: “Yeah, he just maximizes his days, right? I don’t think he makes any really big mistakes. We’ve kind of been watching him here; trying to listen on the radio and just kind of watching how he does it. He’s going to fit in perfect. You know, I think in these situations, I don’t think we have to do anything really that much different, and I don’t want Daniel doing anything different. Daniel knows how to do this. Daniel’s won races at every level and won a championship. So we don’t need him to be anybody that he’s not. I don’t want to press him. I think obviously we’re going to build a good team around him, and then just let him do his thing and I think it will be fine.”

Ryan Sparks has been splitting his time between the crew chief role and the competition director. Has any decision been made on whether he’ll stay with Daniel, or are you going to be looking for a crew chief?

Jeff Dickerson: “I don’t know that we’ve made a decision just yet. We’ve been trying to see what’s happening in the garage, right? I’m not necessarily interested in any more dual roles. I feel like we’ve been out of balance here a little bit since we moved on from Rodney (Childers). I think the biggest thing is just getting everybody back in one place and just let us go forward.”

Daniel, what relationship do you have with Michael (McDowell), Carson (Hocevar), anyone you’re going to be working with next year?

Daniel Suarez: “Yeah, Michael and I, we became very close after we got into a fight in 2019 (laughs). I mean, it’s kind of funny, but it’s true. Before then, Michael and I were just two drivers. And after that incident, we actually became good friends. Michael called me this morning. I’ve been actually talking to him quite a bit about the system, the processes, the people. So, I believe that Michael and I are going to be able to brainstorm a lot, not just in our individual teams, but in everything as an organization, as well. I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to Carson yet, but he’s an extremely talented driver. You can see his raw speed. Although he’s very young, he’s still learning a lot of different things. I think it’s going to be exciting to have the opportunity to work with two drivers that, to me, are actually quite different.

I’m super excited for the opportunity. It’s a great opportunity for me. Honestly, right now, I feel like it’s kind of like my first year in the Cup Series. I just feel like everything is new. I have a lot of butterflies in my stomach. I’m super excited to get going.

I know that we still have a couple races left this year, and I always say that you’re as good as your last race, so I want to close my chapter strong this year. But I can’t wait to start working towards 2026.”

Daniel, when did this talk start with Spire, and how did this come about?

Daniel Suarez: “Yeah, so I was in a little bit of a tricky situation this year because I knew there was going to be a change for a while, but I couldn’t talk to anyone. So, really, conversations started once I was able to start having conversations, contractually, with people. And the very first person I tried to reach out was Jeff and Dan Towriss because, like I said, I have seen what these guys have been able to build in a very, very short period of time. These things don’t happen by coincidence or by luck. Everything planned. I believe that they are far from their full potential. I mentioned this to Jeff… I said, Jeff, I’m seeing this train going up. I want to jump in it, so make a space for me because I really want to be part of that. I can see how this organization has a good, solid foundation. Every single year, they break their own records, and I can’t wait.

I was talking to Dan Towriss, actually, last week. And he said, man, this year has been very good. But we haven’t won yet. We want to win races. And eventually, we want to be real contenders for championship. Not just make the playoffs to say that we make the playoffs and, okay, that’s it…. No, no, no. It’s to be real contenders. So, what do we have to do to be able to get there? And I believe that the foundation is right to be able to do that, and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Jeff, even before the Next Gen car, engineering became so important. Aside from, obviously, driving the cars, what is the role of drivers today?

Jeff Dickerson: “That’s a good question. I mean, you know what? They make it go. I think drivers are as important now than ever, right? Certainly, the car has to give them what they want, right? And in a lot of cases, you’re just trying to give them a feel that they can just go out and race with. But when we’re chasing the smallest margins, I’m telling you, I think drivers are way more important now than they’ve ever been. I think it’s backwards. I think on restarts, it’s a lot easier to pass them when you’re coming at the speed. I think as tight as it is, it’s really just like making no mistakes and giving good feedback. Tt’s building a chemistry with your team. It revolves all around them. I mean, who are we kidding? This is a driver-focused sport, and they make it go.”

As far as I can tell from the release, it’s a one-year deal. Why just one year to start? Is that the case?

Jeff Dickerson: “We have a path forward for multiple years, that’s for sure.”

Daniel Suarez: “Yeah, like Jeff mentioned — right now, today, we’re in the position where we want to prove to each other that we can do this together. But my goal, and I’m sure that it’s Spire Motorsports’ goal and Jeff’s goal, to make this a long-term relationship, and hopefully we can write a great chapter together; win races, fight for championships and start to hang banners in the race shop.”

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 Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Martinsville Media Availability
Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, has one pole and a pair of top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway, including a seventh-place effort this past spring. Preece took part in a Ford media call this morning to talk about this weekend and his season overall.

RYAN PREECE, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MARTINSVILLE THIS WEEKEND? “Martinsville, to be honest with you, qualifying day can make or break your race day. It’s really important and, for me, I felt like this spring I remember 100 percent that we were on a really good lap, potentially the pole, and then I just tried to get too much going into turn three like a lot of us race car drivers do when things feel really good, and just gave a lot of that up. I think this time with it being a new tire, kind of get a really good feel of what that’s gonna be in practice, but then just get your mind right for qualifying and try to put it on the pole.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE MATURED THIS YEAR AS A DRIVER? “I feel like quite a bit. There’s always something to learn. I would say that would be a lot due to the team that we have around me, but as well as Brad. Perspective is everything and you need to have an open mind as a race car driver and you need to be willing to listen to others, so I think that’s been nice. I guess to answer your question I feel like I’ve matured and focused on the things that Ryan Preece when he was a lot younger as a driver would just focus on.”

AUSTIN BEERS IS GOING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY. IF HE WINS, HE’LL BREAK YOUR RECORD FOR BEING THE YOUNGEST TO WIN THE MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP. DO YOU KNOW HIM AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? “The first thing is that records are meant to be broken, so I would be extremely happy for Austin. His father, I actually raced against his father, Eric, and I remember I was actually really young and there was an opportunity at one point that I almost drove for him. I’ve known the Beers family forever. I played video games with Austin when he was a little kid, and whenever I was gonna beat him or he was gonna beat me, he would hit the reset button. That was the big joke for the longest time, so, to answer that, I’d be extremely happy for Austin because he’s a great race car driver. He’s a great kid. He’s always upbeat and if somebody was gonna beat that record for being the youngest champion, I’d want it to be him. I’m excited for him and tomorrow night, and for him to have that opportunity and hopefully go do it.”

ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE RACE? “I, unfortunately, will not be unless something changes, but I will be following along to watch and hopefully he can close it out and win.”

ARE YOU ONE WHO GOES INTO THIS WEEKEND AS A NON-PLAYOFF DRIVER UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT’S LIKE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER PLAYOFF GUYS TO BE IN A DO-OR-DIE SITUATION? “Yeah. There’s a lot on the line for them, but does that mean I’m gonna pull over? If I’m leading the race, am I gonna pull over? I don’t think you can do that. There’s definitely a lot to it. I didn’t make the system. There’s 36, so there are 28 other drivers out there that are still trying to win or do the right things by their teams. Is it unfortunate that those guys that do-or-die have to go up against people that aren’t technically in the playoffs? It would do your team an injustice if you just kind of rode around saying, ‘Well, I’m just gonna ride eighth, ninth, tenth, second or whatever it may be.’ I think at that point, if you’re second or third and whoever it is runs you down, that’s where you just kind of use your head when it comes to some of that stuff. Every situation is different. You can make somebody’s life difficult or you can make it easy and how you choose to approach that is your decision, but, for me, my goal is to go and win. I was just down at the setup plate talking with Derrick and my engineers and the crew and looking at some stuff with them, and I’m excited about it. I feel like we have a lot of things to be excited for, so Martinsville is a race that when we go there I feel like we can win – not that I don’t at other places – but I’ve had a lot of success at Virginia short tracks, so it would be nice to bring home a grandfather clock.”

DO YOU USE IT AS EVER THINKING, ‘GOSH, IF I WAS DO-OR-DIE AT THIS TRACK AND I’M RUNNING TO BE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, HERE’S WHAT I WOULD BE THINKING.’ – “I understand what you’re asking now. At that point, if you’re not locked in yet, I think their mindset is no different than my mindset, which is I need to win. That’s all you can do. When you fall into the point game of, ‘well, I just need to finish this place or higher,’ typically that’s where you end up and you end up in a struggle and the best way to go about it is go with every intention of winning and executing.”

DOES THIS TRACK OR THIS WEEK FEEL ANYMORE IMPORTANT TO YOU? “Yeah, Martinsville is a place that I love and the reason being is that’s where I got my first modified win. That’s where I got my first Cup Series pole. That’s where I’ve won multiple times in the modifieds, so there’s a lot of great things about Martinsville for me, but it’s just that track. There are certain racetracks that drivers feel that when they go to them, they feel like they can get that extra little bit, and when it comes to Martinsville, that’s the style of racetrack that we’re always a contender to go get the pole. We’re a contender at short tracks, so, for me, I talk about qualifying is extremely important and that’s because it is. Trying to make up track position in year’s past is extremely difficult and sometimes it takes you all 400 laps to do that. We saw it earlier this spring when we stayed out for stage points. It took us all the way until the final 50 laps to get in the top 10 and it’s not easy, so with that being said, I do see with Goodyear that the new left side should promote some tire wear, should promote tire management, so that should create late-race passing depending on how long these runs go, so there are a lot of things on my mind when it comes to that. That could make the track position game, depending on how your car is and how you manage your tires, a little bit easier, but when we go to Martinsville that is circled at the beginning of the year – two times that we can go win.”

ARE THERE ANY TENDENCIES FROM THE MODIFIED CAR THAT HAVE TRANSFERRED BETTER TO THIS NEXT GEN CAR AFTER FOUR YEARS? “Oh, absolutely, and that’s why I’m actually excited that we’re heading down the route that we’re going with the tire. I’ve been saying it for four years. This is what we need to do and we’ve been doing it and, guess what? Now we’re seeing passing. We’re seeing management. We’re seeing things that a lot of these drivers, a lot of people, they’re used to 40-50 lap sprints and management isn’t really a thing. You just had hard tires that depending on how hot they got would fall off, and now you saw it at the ROVAL, you’ve seen it at Loudon, you saw it at various places that depending on how hard you abuse that tire, the bigger the price you pay. That’s very similar to what I grew up racing was, yeah, I can choose to beat this tire and make speed and do all that, but I’m gonna pay the price at lap 40 or 50 in an 80-100 lap race. So, to me, the balance, the characteristics of the way that the car is driving as well was the tire deg is getting a lot more similar to what I’m used to.”

HOW MANY TIMES DURING THE WEEK DO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN WITH YOUR CREW CHIEF ABOUT STRATEGY? “I let him tell me what the strategy is and then I make my plan on how I need to drive that race car based on what his plan is. He’s on the pit box. He sees what’s happening, the potential for cautions or if we need to short pit or what-not. That’s his decision. We’ve had those conversations and I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do to either use them up or make them live.”

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LAYOUT FOR THE SAN DIEGO COURSE AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? “Yeah, I saw it yesterday and when I saw the picture of it, it reminded me of a Fortnite map. There was a lot going on there and I’m excited to go. I think it’s a great opportunity to go out to California and San Diego. Hopefully, we can beat SVG.”

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TEST SINCE COMING TO RFK? “I did a wet weather test last October at Miami. That’s it.”

LOGANO DID THE NEW HAMPSHIRE TEST. WHEN THEY START WORKING ON THE TIRE MODEL COMING OUT OF THAT TEST HOW IS THE INFORMATION DISSEMINATED BETWEEN THE TEAMS? HOW FROM FORD GATHERS IT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE KEY PARTNERS ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION? “That’s a great question, but that’s probably a Brad question. As much as I like to be in-depth and very knowledgeable about my race cars and a lot of things that are going on, I just never had that conversation about those details because, to be honest with you, that’s way above me. That would be a Brad question. I think he could probably expand on that more. I wish I could give you more.”

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER IN THE RACE IF THE MODEL AND WHAT YOU SHOW UP WITH AT THE TRACK AREN’T IN SYNC? “I think there are a lot of things that play into that, but, from a driver’s standpoint, usually you fall off in the first run if you push those tires too hard, and that’s when you quickly figure out you need to drive differently. Based on my experiences and some of the things that I’ve learned in my day, I can adjust really quickly, but usually you’ll find out after the first set of tires that you need to change what you’re doing.”

DO YOU DISCUSS THAT WITH DERRICK? “I try not to ask him what springs and shocks and all of those things are that he’s putting in the car. As a race car driver, that’s my job – to understand how I need to take care of those tires, so I do it on my own.”

YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING ON CARS, SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD MORE INPUT? “That goes back to the maturing things of this year. Don’t get me wrong, I just spent probably 30 minutes on a Gale Force yesterday working on a race car and some shocks and springs and bump stops. Do I know how? Yeah, but it’s not my job. At RFK, they didn’t hire me to be a crew chief. They didn’t hire me to be an engineer. They hired me to be a race car driver and understanding that that’s the role that I need to keep my head focused on has really been a big part of my success this year.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE HORSEPOWER CHANGE FOR NEXT YEAR? “I think they all go hand in hand. From a percentage breakdown, I think it’s around a 10 percent change. It’s gonna make a difference, but I think the tires being softer and all the things Goodyear has been doing has made a huge change. We were at the ROVAL a couple weeks ago and you could barely hook up the tires in third gear through the oval portion, so at the end of the day, what we’re doing as a sport is allowing us race car drivers to use the tools that we’ve learned coming through the ranks. If our car isn’t the fastest car, we can find ways to maximize our days or potentially win based on those skills that we’ve learned. That’s the thing I really like about the direction we’re going in with this sport.”

THE RESTART LAST WEEK WITH 17 TO GO YOU WERE LINED UP ON THE INSIDE OF ROW FOUR. WHY DIDN’T THE BOTTOM LINE WORK AS WELL? “I don’t know. For me, I couldn’t tell you. As soon as I got out of that race car, I wished I had gone to the middle lane because I’ve always said that the middle lane is the one with the most options for me with how I choose to drive superspeedways, so I was disappointed in myself. From anything that happened from there on, all eyes were forward to Daytona.”

WHAT DOES THE FIRST PIT STALL MEAN AT MARTINSVILLE. HOW SIGNIFICANT CAN THAT BE? “I can tell you there’s somebody that’s sped off the number one pit stall, but it’s actually the number two pit stall. For me, man, I wish I could go back and do that day over because track position was massive. It was a learning moment for sure. I felt like we had a really fast car and I feel like we’re gonna have a badass car this weekend, so a lot of good things looking forward and I’d love to have that number two pit stall again one day.”

WHAT IS THE LEARNING MOMENT FROM THAT DAY? WHAT GOES INTO SAYING, ‘DON’T SPEED’? “In that moment, I asked the question, ‘Can I speed from this box?’ And I was told I couldn’t, but apparently you can, so I think moving forward when you launch out of your pit box it’s to be aware to not go over the RPM that you’re told to target, so I think that’s the biggest thing. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Don’t take yourself out of the race. I’m somebody that I feel like on restarts I can be extremely aggressive. If we lose a spot or two, it’s not the end of the world because I can make it back. If you lose 35 spots, good luck trying to make that up.”

This Week in Motorsports: October 20-26, 2025

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Martinsville Speedway – Oct. 24-26

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 22, 2025) – NASCAR reaches the penultimate weekend of the 2025 season, as it returns to Martinsville Speedway for the cutoff races of the Round of 8. All three national series arrive at ‘The Paperclip’ for one of the most chaotic weekends on the calendar to set the Championship 4 lineups.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS/NCTS

Toyota surging through NASCAR Playoffs … So far in the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs, Team Toyota has had resounding success across all three series. In total, Toyota has 12 wins in 18 Playoff races so far – five in the Cup Series, four in the Truck Series and three in the Xfinity Series.

Bell looks to join JGR teammates in Championship 4 … Reaching the Round of 8 cutoff this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, Toyota’s Cup Series Playoff roster is in an ideal position. Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammates Hamlin and Briscoe have already locked themselves into contention at the title race in Phoenix next weekend, winning the last two races at Las Vegas and Talladega. Their JGR teammate Bell comes into this weekend 37 points above the cutline, seeking to make his third career Championship 4 appearance and third in the last four seasons. Bell has found success at the Martinsville cutoff race in the past, winning in 2022 to advance to the Championship 4.

Hamlin seeks Martinsville sweep … Hamlin returns to Martinsville looking for a season sweep at the half-mile oval after taking the checkered flag back in March. The triumph was the first of Hamlin’s Cup Series-leading six wins this season, as well as the sixth of his career at the Virginia track. Another win by Hamlin would put him all alone in 10th on the all-time wins list at 61 career victories, as well as inching him closer to the ninth spot (Kyle Busch, 63 wins).

Briscoe, Wallace look to continue Martinsville successes … Other Toyota Camry XSE drivers Briscoe and Bubba Wallace have also found success at Martinsville Speedway of late, returning this weekend looking to continue their teams’ momentum. Briscoe, coming off his win at Talladega, has finished inside the top-10 in six of the last seven Martinsville races, while Wallace has four such finishes in the last six races at ‘The Paperclip.’

Jones’ last chance to reach Championship 4 … Entering this weekend’s cutoff race at Martinsville for the Xfinity Series, JGR’s Jones has one more shot to make his first career Championship 4. The driver of the No. 20 GR Supra comes into Saturday’s race 20 points below the cutline. Jones has a Martinsville win on his resume, visiting victory lane in 2022, along with five top-10s in 10 career starts.

Staropoli returns to No. 24 GR Supra … For the fourth and final time this season, Patrick Staropoli will pilot the No. 24 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) in this weekend’s Xfinity Series race. The Floridian last drove for SHR at Kansas Speedway in September and made his first career start at Martinsville in March, earning a season-best 16th-place finish.

Honeycutt looks to clinch Championship 4 berth … Heading into the Truck Series cutoff race at Martinsville, Halmar-Friesen Racing’s Kaden Honeycutt is on the verge of making his first career Championship 4. The Texas native is five points above the cutline, looking to join Toyota teammate Heim in the Championship 4 next weekend in Phoenix. Friday will be Honeycutt’s sixth career start at Martinsville, with a career-best finish of ninth in the 2024 Spring race.

Ruggiero on current surge … TRICON Garage’s Ruggiero has been on a strong run in the latter stages of the 2025 Truck Series season. The Toyota Development Driver captured his first career win from the pole position at Talladega last weekend and has three consecutive top-five finishes and four in the last seven races. He makes his second career start at Martinsville this Friday after finishing 12th in the spring.

Toyota on the verge of Truck Series Manufacturer title … Toyota can lock up the Truck Series Manufacturer’s Championship this weekend in Martinsville if the manufacturer holds a 40-point lead after Friday night’s race. Toyota, who holds a 32-point advantage heading into Martinsville, is looking to claim the coveted championship for a record 14th time and its first since 2022.

Heim continues incredible streak … After earning a runner-up finish in Talladega, Heim extended the amazing run he’s been on during the 2025 Truck Series season. The Toyota Development Driver has nine consecutive top-three finishes dating back to his victory at Lime Rock Park in June. Through 23 races, Heim has at least a top-10 result in 19 of those races with 17 of those coming in the top-five, along with his series record 10 wins.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 32 electrified options.

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