NOAH GRAGSON
Daytona Advance
No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 24
● Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps / 400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN Radio / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Noah Gragson brings his quiet consistency to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. The 25-year-old Las Vegas native has finished among the top-20 in five of the last six NASCAR Cup Series races, the most recent of which was a 12th-place drive last Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

● Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 gives Gragson the opportunity to extend another streak. In the two superspeedway races held this year – the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19 and the GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 21 – Gragson has finished ninth and third, respectively. He is one of just three drivers who have scored top-10 finishes at both Daytona and Talladega this year, with the others being William Byron (first at Daytona and seventh at Talladega) and Alex Bowman (second at Daytona and fifth at Talladega.)

● The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will mark Gragson’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. The driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing earned his best result at the high-banked, 2.5-mile oval when he finished fifth in the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400. It was Gragson’s first top-five and it came in just his 11th career Cup Series start.

● Gragson earned his second career top-five in April at Talladega, the 2.66-mile oval that is a sister track to Daytona. His third-place finish was the best of his still young NASCAR Cup Series career, as it came in just his 49th start.

● Gragson has made 12 starts at Daytona outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and two apiece in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series.

● Gragson’s first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win came at Daytona in the 2020 season opener. He started 12th and led twice for 15 laps, including the final two, to take the victory over Harrison Burton. Gragson also owns four other Xfinity Series finishes of 15th or better at Daytona, including a third-place drive in the 2022 season opener and a seventh-place finish in August 2021.

● In two career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Daytona, Gragson got a taste of Daytona’s fickle nature. He completed just one lap in the 2017 season opener before getting taken out in an accident. He then made only 79 of the race’s 200 laps in the 2018 season opener when another multi-vehicle accident ended his day.

● Seventh is Gragson’s best ARCA Menards Series result at Daytona, earned in the 2018 season opener.

● The 2024 season marks the 15th year of partnership between Rush Truck Centers and Stewart-Haas Racing, and it’s a partnership that goes well beyond a design on a racecar. All Stewart-Haas racecars are transported via tractor-trailers from Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. And those tractor-trailers are supported by the RushCare Customer Support team of parts and service experts, who also provide concierge-level service for scheduling maintenance, technical support, mobile service dispatch and roadside assistance, along with help locating the nearest Rush Truck Centers dealer, and more. Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America with 150 locations in the United States and Ontario, Canada, and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Ninth in the Daytona 500. A career-best third in April at Talladega. What are your expectations for your return to Daytona this weekend, and can you keep the momentum going at these big, drafting-style racetracks?

“I’m definitely excited to get back to a superspeedway. I had my best finish of third at Talladega this year. I really like drafting and I like superspeedways. It is somewhat of a crapshoot, but everybody’s got equal speed in their cars and you can really control your own destiny on how you choose your lanes and what lines you go with. You definitely hold a lot more weight behind the wheel on your decision-making throughout the weekend. There’s a lot of skill involved with superspeedway racing, so I’m excited for Daytona.”

What’s been the secret to your performance this year at Daytona and Talladega?

“I think just being smart and being patient. You definitely want to be aggressive and get to the front. I always want to get to the front at a superspeedway and be able to control the lines and be up in that front row leading the line or being second. But if I can’t get there, because sometimes it’s like a roadblock out there and you just can’t physically get to the front, I’ll just cruise around in the back and wait for them to wreck. It depends on what part of the race it is, but definitely starting that third stage, I want to be able to get track position. I want to have that track position at the start. And if we are in the back, I want to get up to the front as soon as I can because I know the intensity of the race ramps up as those stages and the race come to a close. Being able to get to the front early in the stage is definitely important to me as a driver. Those are the tendencies I look for.”

Describe the intensity of racing at Daytona, especially with it being the second-to-last race of the regular season where, for many, it’s the last chance to earn a playoff berth.

“The Daytona 500 is obviously a big race and people want to win that probably more than any other race, so they’re willing to make risky moves. But right before the end of the regular season, coming close to that cutoff line, guys are more likely to be more aggressive, too. It’s going to be exciting, and it’s going to be crazy under the lights. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

What’s the patience level of drivers who are racing at Daytona in August compared to the Daytona 500 in February when there’s still an entire season ahead of everyone?

“I think you can look at it two ways. When we’re starting the Daytona 500, if I wreck, I still have 35 opportunities to win a race. But for me, personally, when I go to the Daytona 500, I want to roll across the start-finish line and have a good day, start the season out with points, go into the second race of the year in a good qualifying group and in a good order. When you start toward the back, there’s a lot that’s involved with that. And I also think that’s the flipside of the Daytona race in August, as well. Do I want to be super aggressive and go for the win, and if I wreck, I wreck? Is that the mindset to have? Or is it, ‘Hey we’re going to try to be patient and methodical and get to the end of this thing because you still might have a shot?’ There are two ways to look at it. I probably look at it the same on both of them. I want to be up front and be aggressive to get up there, but if I don’t feel comfortable in the pack of cars I’m in, or if I’m in the middle of the pack, it seems like it’s easy to get swept up in the chaos. I think guys will be aggressive. I certainly try to be as aggressive as I can, but I also try to be as patient and as smart as I can be.”

Does blocking remain the necessary evil it’s seemingly always been when it comes to superspeedway racing?

“I think there’s always blocking, especially if you’re leading the line. But it’s harder to punch through the air and get to a guy’s back bumper. As the lead car, you’re almost lifting off the corner to get the guy attached behind you and have him pushing you when you get to the flat down the back straightaway. Off of turn four, you kind of lift out of the gas so he can get locked up with you so he can push you down the straight straightaways. If you get too far of a lead and the cars in second and third are hooked up, they’re coming with a massive run, so yeah, you’re blocking. But it’s not like it used to be maybe three or four years ago where you’d see those guys get massive runs and hit the leader and the leader will go to block them. The runs don’t come as fast in this NextGen car, so blocking is definitely a lot easier to stall out the momentum of the guy behind you.”

When you finish the second stage at Daytona, is there a sense of accomplishment because you’ve avoided the Big One to that point?

“You don’t really get that sense until you cross the start-finish line when the checkered flag is waving at the end of the race. You could start the third stage and be wiped out on a restart, or something else happens, like you make a bad move. There’s no sense of accomplishment until you cross the start-finish line under your own power. You want to stay out of the mess. Anything can happen on any given lap.”

On the last lap of a race at Daytona, how smart do you need to be and how lucky do you need to be, as it seems those last 2.5 miles are the most treacherous part of the race?

“You’re spending the whole race trying to see what your car’s tendencies are, where they’re better and where they’re weak. You’re trying to figure out where you’re getting big runs and where guys around you are getting runs on you. You’re setting up a plan the whole race to where, if you’re in that position to be leading the race, or running second or wherever you’re running, you’re setting up a plan and you’re gathering information throughout the whole race. So you definitely have to be very, very focused and aware of your surroundings, and be in rhythm and in sync with your spotter to be able to paint a good picture. Your spotter has to paint a good picture so you can make the right moves. They always ask, ‘What’s the best position to be in coming to the white flag? Do you want to be second or do you want to be leading?’ I’d like to be leading. I feel like I can control a lot more, but it’s a different situation every single race. You just try to learn in every single race on what’s going on, and if you get put in that situation again, you’ll be ready for it.”

No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Daytona International Speedway / The Milwaukee Mile
August 23-25, 2024

A tripleheader weekend will see NASCAR’s three national touring series split between two different venues. The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will venture south to the “World Center of Racing” of Daytona International Speedway, where Chevrolet returns as the defending winners in each division following a sweep of the sport’s season-opening weekend. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will begin its seven-race stretch to the championship this weekend, with the Milwaukee Mile Speedway set to host the series’ playoff opener.

RELIVING A MILESTONE

The season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway saw Chevrolet added yet another monumental feat towards its already successful legacy at the “World Center of Racing”. Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time in his young career, while also delivering Chevrolet its milestone 100th all-time points-paying victory in the NASCAR national ranks at Daytona.

The monumental victory was celebrated by two more trips to victory lane for the Bowtie brand that weekend, with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill taking the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ season-opener and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron claiming his first crown jewel with a victory in the Daytona 500. Chevrolet also set another record that weekend, with the Bowtie brand becoming the only manufacturer in NASCAR history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend more than once – also accomplishing the feat in 2018.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway:

Racing on the beaches of Daytona transitioned to Daytona International Speedway in 1959, with the 2.5-mile superspeedway hosting the inaugural Daytona 500. 65 years later, the track deemed the “World Center of Racing” has hosted a remarkable 154 points-paying events for NASCAR’s top division. Team Chevy’s William Byron is the series’ most recent winner at the Florida superspeedway with his Daytona 500 victory – marking Chevrolet’s 51st all-time NCS victory at the track.

NASCAR’s first summer race at Daytona also came in 1959, where the event quickly became a July Fourth tradition for many years. In 2020, the staple summer event transitioned to an August date, with this weekend’s 400-mile event marking the series’ penultimate race of its regular season. Chevrolet has collected a series-leading 22 victories in the series’ summer race at the track, with the most recent of those triumphs coming in 2022 when Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team scored a walk-off win to claim the final playoff position that season. Among the list of active drivers to have a NCS win at Daytona includes four from the Chevrolet camp – each of which have a victory in the summer race: William Byron (two wins; Aug. 2020 and Feb. 2024), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (two wins; July 2017 & Feb. 2023), Austin Dillon (two wins: Feb. 2018 and Aug. 2022) and Kyle Busch (one win; July 2008).

STACKING SUPERSPEEDWAY STATS

Throughout NASCAR’s Next Gen era, superspeedway-style racing has proven to be strong suit for the Bowtie brigade. With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez became the seventh different Team Chevy driver to park the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 in victory lane at a superspeedway-style track. The triumph marked Chevrolet’s 10th victory in 15 superspeedway-style races during NASCAR’s Next Gen era. Among those victories, Chevrolet earned no worse than four top-10 finishes in each event – including a manufacturer-leading six top-10s on three different occasions (Atlanta – March 2022; Talladega – April 2022; Atlanta – July 2023) and five top-10s twice (Atlanta – July 2022; Daytona – Feb. 2023).

CHASTAIN ENTERS PLAYOFF PICTURE WITH TWO-TO-GO

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will head to his home state narrowly inside the playoff bubble, with the Team Chevy driver sitting at a one-point advantage on the cutline over Bubba Wallace. With two races remaining to clinch a playoff berth, Chastain heads to a pair of tracks that have a strong potential to be the site of his first victory of the 2024 season.

Chastain and the No. 1 Chevrolet team proved to be a top contender in the series’ last outing at Daytona International Speedway. The 31-year-old Alva, Florida, native was sitting at the top of the scoring pylon for the final restart, but a bold move for a potential Daytona 500 race-winning pass fell short, leaving the Team Chevy driver with a 21st-place result. During his tenure at Trackhouse Racing, Chastain has earned two top-10 results at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway – each coming in the Daytona 500 (10th – Feb. 2022; ninth – Feb. 2023).

In 10 career NCS starts at Darlington Raceway, Chastain has tallied two top-five finishes, including a fifth-place result one year ago in the Sept. 2023 event. Despite still looking for his first NCS win at the “Lady in Black”, Chastain was able to notch a victory in NASCAR’s most recent appearance at the track – coming in the NCTS with Niece Motorsports (May 2024).

ALLGAIER MAKING BIG GAINS IN REGULAR SEASON RUN

A combination of pit strategy and the execution of an overtime shootout earned Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team a trip to victory lane at Michigan International Speedway last weekend. The victory marked Allgaier’s 25th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory – a record that moved the veteran to 10th on the series’ all-time win list, passing his car owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Accompanying the win was a stellar points day for the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native. Also earning points in each stage, Allgaier put together a 51-point day – cutting his deficit from the points lead to just 12 points heading into the weekend. The opportunity to takeover the points lead comes at a track that has fared well for the Team Chevy driver in recent years, with Allgaier returning as the defending winner in the series’ summer event (Aug. 2023).

 
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway:

Since the NASCAR Xfinity Series made its debut at Daytona International Speedway in 1982, Chevrolet has recorded 47 wins in 65 NXS races at the track – giving the manufacturer a stellar winning percentage of 72.3 percent. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill was the most recent driver to add to Chevrolet’s winning ways at the “World Center of Racing”, with his season-opener triumph marking the manufacturer’s sixth-straight NXS victory at the track. Dating back even further to the series’ summer event in July 2017, a victory by now NCS regular William Byron and JR Motorsports started a stretch of dominance at the track for the Bowtie brand, with the manufacturer collecting wins in 13 of the past 14 NXS races.

NCTS CHAMPIONSHIP RUN BEGINS AT MILWAUKEE

The 2024 playoffs begin for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend, with Milwaukee Mile Speedway hosting the first of three stops in the Round of 10. Six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations will vie for the championship title – marking the second consecutive season that at least half of the series’ playoff field comes from the Chevrolet camp.

Leading the Bowtie brigade into the title run is the 2024 NCTS Regular Season Champion, Christian Eckes, who will enter Milwaukee ranked second in the playoff standings. The 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has put together an already career season – collecting three wins, as well as a series-leading 10 top-fives and 15 top-10s in 16 races.

Joining Eckes in postseason competition includes Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez and Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth, who also each became first-time winners in the series this season. Joining forces with CR7 Motorsports this season, series veteran Grant Enfinger put together a strong summer stretch to race his way into the playoffs for the sixth time in his career. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Dye each pointed their way into title contention to round out the Team Chevy playoff field.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway:

One year ago, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returned to the Milwaukee Mile Speedway after a nearly 15 year hiatus. Team Chevy’s Grant Enfinger put together a dominant performance in his No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST to put Chevrolet back into victory lane at the track – a win that came just four days following the announcement of GMS Racing’s final season. The victory marked Chevrolet’s sixth win in 16 NCTS races at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· In 11 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).

· With 62 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 51.6% with 32 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 12 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

· 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)

Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008)

· In 154 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 51 wins, with 22 of those victories coming in the series’ summer event at the track.

· Nick Sanchez’s victory in the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener marked Chevrolet’s milestone 100th points-paying victory across all three NASCAR national series at Daytona International Speedway.

· Chevrolet – the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway – has recorded 102 all-time points paying victories across all three NASCAR national series at the “World Center of Racing”.

· In 96 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 50%.

· Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson and William Byron are the only two drivers with a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – each recording 11 victories since the vehicle’s competition debut in 2022.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
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 RS, Silverado 2500HD ZR2 Bison Diesel, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Equinox EV 3RS, Tahoe High Country, Traverse Z71, Blazer RS, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Stingray.

Chevrolet Injector: Silverado High Country, Tahoe RST, Blazer RS

Chevrolet Experience Center: Corvette Z51, Traverse 2RS, Silverado ZR2, Silverado EV RST, Colorado ZR2.

• Fans can also view William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro ZL1 show car at the Chevrolet Racing Display in the Fan Midway.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Friday, August 23

· Sammy Smith: 1:45 p.m.

· Justin Allgaier & Sam Mayer: 2:10 p.m.

· William Byron: 4:00 p.m.

· Parker Kligerman: 5:00 p.m.

· Brandon Jones: 5:15 p.m.

Saturday, August 24

· Austin Dillon: 3:25 p.m.

· Ross Chastain: 3:40 p.m.

· Corey LaJoie: 3:55 p.m.

· Kyle Busch: 4:10 p.m.

· Alex Bowman: 4:30 p.m.

· Kyle Larson: 5:00 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

· Friday, August 23: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

· Saturday, August 24: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 874
Toyota: 861 (-13)
Ford: 828 (-46)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 785
Toyota: 743 (-42)
Ford: 675 (-110)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 603
Toyota: 561 (-42)
Ford: 523 (-80)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona

Coke Zero Sugar 400

Saturday, August 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona

Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

Friday, August 23, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Milwaukee

LiUNA! 175

Sunday, August 25, at 4 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

With your position in points, five of the last seven Daytona races have been won by drivers who had to win to secure a playoff spot. What are the opportunities or challenges going into Daytona needing to secure a playoff position?

“A lot like the (Daytona) 500, where I’ve learned to just enjoy it for what it is. There’s just no way around it. If we leave Michigan and don’t have it secured, then it’s math. You just have to know that if you finish bad, you get less points, and if you finish good in the stages and the race, then you get more points. It’s just simple math.”

What do you think of Daytona?

“I have so many fond memories of going to the July Daytona race with my family. It’s obviously a different experience now that I go as a driver. I try and enjoy it though because we start the season there with the Daytona 500 and it’s always fun to start a new season. Then we go there in August in the playoffs and depending on where you are in points it can be stressful so I just try and enjoy it because so much is out of your control.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 CELSIUS CAMARO ZL1

Daytona has always been a track where you excel and superspeedways are a sweet spot for you. After finishing fourth in this year’s Daytona 500, you must have been looking forward to this weekend since February.

“We had a top-five performance at the Daytona 500, so I’m looking forward to returning and turning our luck around this weekend. Having Celsius on board makes it more special. Their support of my career highs and lows means the world to me.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1

How do take the positive momentum from Michigan and manage these next two races?

“That’s just it, just trying to get through these next two and keeping ourselves in position to win. Daytona is a crapshoot. You can be leading on the final lap and be in a heap before you get to the finish line. Darlington is the same way. You have to be in position there. It’s really narrow, really tough, really tight. Handling really comes into play a lot there. We just have to be on top of our game if we’re going to put ourselves in the playoffs.”

How far of a step forward was the strong run at Michigan for RCR as a whole?

“Michigan is how we expect to run and how we want to run. We want to run up front and have opportunities to excel. Good pit calls helped us to be able to do that and we made a couple good moves on the late restart that got us that. Overall, nothing can translate from Michigan to Daytona or Darlington setup-wise, vehicle dynamics, that sort of stuff. We have good momentum and we’re rolling in the right direction and just keep that going.”

A lot can happen at Daytona but recently you have ran well and shown speed there.

“Daytona has been good for us since I joined RCR. ECR has done a great job on our engines at Daytona. We were really quick there earlier this year and had a good shot to win the race. It comes down to restarts and what happens and what lane you take and how the lines accelerate out of the restart and get the momentum building. There are 36 guys that show up and walk through the gate and at least think that they have a shot to win so they’re going to go out and prove that they can. A lot of Hail Marys are thrown and sometimes a lot of wrecks happen. You’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and hope for the best.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“As the regular season winds down, there are twenty-plus guys outside the cutoff that feel like they have a shot. I feel like we have an equal shot and a chance to go there and do something pretty special. Our superspeedway program at Kaulig Racing has taken big leaps over the last couple months. Hopefully we can go down there and showcase that with our No. 31 Cirkul Chevy.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at Daytona International Speedway for a second time this year:

“Going back to Daytona (International Speedway) certainly has a competitive feel this weekend. We were so close to a win there in February with a runner-up finish in the DAYTONA 500. Obviously, a win at such a challenging superspeedway like Daytona (International Speedway) would feel like a huge accomplishment- even a strong finish would build solid momentum going into the playoffs. Our Ally Racing team is ready to get back on track.”

BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Harris on having two races left in the regular season and the team’s return to Daytona International Speedway:

“With two points-paying races left in the regular season, I’m really looking forward to seeing if we can maybe get a couple stage wins and maybe knock off another win going into the playoffs. Alex and I have had some really good runs together there (Daytona International Speedway). Obviously getting so close to winning the (DAYTONA) 500 and coming in second to a teammate in February has it very top of minds for us to try and capitalize with a win this time.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

You’ve had plenty of speed over the last several weeks and now you’re headed to Daytona where, historically, you’ve run well. You finished in the top 10 at Michigan and now you’re headed to a track where you won twice. You must feel good about this weekend.

“Michigan was a long weekend but coming home with a seventh-place finish makes it worth it. Daytona is a different beast. You never know what you are going to get out of it. I’ve won two truck races there, so it’s a place I like a lot and holds so many great memories. We have been on a huge momentum stretch ever since Nashville back in June so hoping to continue it and keep moving forward! Looking forward to an exciting weekend in Daytona.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 PREMIER SECURITY CAMARO ZL1

There’s so much unpredictability at Daytona International Speedway, you learned that earlier this year. How does that change your mindset going into the weekend?

“Anybody can win at Daytona, so we’re thinking why not us? I feel like at Daytona, anybody can achieve and be a hero, but at the same time anybody can be a zero. I think it’s going to help us that we don’t really have to be a team that is hunting for points, and we can just do our own thing and try to be there at the end. The only thing we can do to make a huge difference in our season is to win, and to do that we just need to be there at the end.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR CAMARO ZL1

Are you excited for the return of Daniel’s Amigos?

“Of course. I always look forward to Amigos. Coca-Cola and NASCAR work with the track and put on a great event. It’s a lot of fun for the guests and it’s always fun for me. Whenever we host the Amigos it makes me feel like I am at home. It’s also fun to bring people to the track for the first time. NASCAR in person is a really cool experience and I hope this gives them an opportunity to see what a fun sport we have.”

What is the key to success in Daytona?

“Saturday night at Daytona will be the same as it has been the last few years because speedway races are all about being organized and executing. Everyone is going to be fast so you are going to see the manufacturers and organizations working together. Race strategy, pit strategy and things like that. The Chevrolet camp has done a good job of working together and being as organized as possible.”

Are you concerned about the ‘Big One’ in Daytona?

“The Big One is going to happen Saturday. There might be even two or three “Big Ones.” Every time I get caught in a wreck I’m happier if we were running up front than if we were wrecked in the back of the pack. Most of the wrecks lately have been from the front to the back. If I get wrecked and I am in the top-five then I can sleep good at night. We just have to put ourselves in the position to be up front and see what happens.”

Are you worried about playoff standings?

“Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that. I plan to go out and race hard and support my Chevrolet teammates and (Trackhouse Racing teammate) Ross (Chastain.) Hopefully, we get the win and get Ross in the playoffs. It’s important we get playoff points. We got one at Richmond and we need more Saturday in Daytona. We will push hard.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

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

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

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 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)

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 11

Poles: 7

Laps Led: 1,931

Top-five finishes: 43

Top-10 finishes: 93

Stage wins: 14

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 8

· Ross Chastain: 1

· William Byron: 1

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

· Kyle Busch: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 750

Laps led to date: 251,086

Top-five finishes to date: 4,341

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,953

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,196

       Chevrolet: 862

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 833                                                           

       Ford: 733

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 188

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

PARKER RETZLAFF
Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Superspeedway
No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet Camaro

Event Overview

Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 24
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
Layout: 2.5-mile oval
Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Round 3 of 4. Beard Motorsports returns to NASCAR Cup Series competition for the third of four races this season during Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. It will be the family-owned team’s 29th start since its Cup Series debut at the 2017 Daytona 500, and its 13th overall start on the iconic, 2.5-mile Daytona oval. While five different drivers have previously wheeled the No. 62 Beard Chevrolet since its inaugural season, with a particular focus on Daytona and its sister track, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the team welcomes its sixth driver in 21-year-old Parker Retzlaff, who will be making his second career Cup Series start and first at Daytona Saturday night. Retzlaff made his Cup Series debut two weekends ago on the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway oval in the No. 66 MBM Motorsports entry, which resulted in a 35th-place finish.

● Retzlaff Superspeedway Prowess. When it comes to NASCAR’s superspeedway tracks, Retzlaff has an acumen that belies his age. While Saturday night marks his first Cup Series start on a superspeedway, he has a combined five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on the Daytona and Talladega ovals, and another three on the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway oval that has produced superspeedway-style racing since its reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. In his three Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, all resulted in finishes of seventh or better – fourth in February 2023, seventh last August, and third this past February. Best of his two Xfinity Series starts at Talladega was his seventh-place run, with two laps led, in April 2023. And best among his three Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta was this past February’s fifth-place finish. Retzlaff will also be competing in Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona in the No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport Chevrolet he’s driven fulltime the past two seasons.

● FunkAway. A new partner will adorn the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet for the first time this weekend. FunkAway, a line of odor-eliminating products, steps up to the Cup Series after partnering with Retzlaff for a majority of his 63 Xfinity Series starts since 2022. FunkAway, the Extreme Odor Eliminator, was created by FunkAway owners Dan Zbynski and Kyle Bolke, who loved to coach and play sports but hated the odors that came with it. The pair set out to find a solution that did not just cover up odors but eliminate them completely. FunkAway eliminates odors using a unique OM Complex™ that attacks odors on a molecular level, encasing and eliminating the source of bad smells.

● Family Matters. The 2024 NASCAR season is Beard Motorsports’ eighth participating in the Cup Series. Linda Beard, along with her children, Amie Beard-Deja and Mark Beard Jr., carry on the pursuit of this passion project that belonged to their late family patriarch, Mark Beard Sr. The No. 62 NASCAR Cup Series team is just one of their family-owned entities. Beard Oil Distributing is the foundation of the Beard family-owned business portfolio and is recognized as a women-owned certified organization through the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

● For the Record. Best of Beard Motorsports’ 12 previous outings on the Daytona oval was Noah Gragson’s fifth-place run in the August 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400. The team has three other top-10 runs there, topped by a pair of seventh-place finishes by Brandan Gaughan in July 2017 and the 2020 Daytona 500, respectively, and an eighth-place finish by Gaughan in the August 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400. Anthony Alfredo wheeled the No. 62 Chevrolet in its previous two races this year at Daytona and Talladega, finishing sixth in the latter event.

● Powered for Greatness. As it always has, the No. 62 Funkaway Chevrolet Camaro will be powered by an ECR-built engine. Beard Motorsports has leveraged the power of ECR Engines since making its NASCAR debut at the 2017 Daytona 500 and has made the most of the power supplied through the partnership. During its eight seasons of racing, Beard Motorsports has participated in 28 Cup Series events, scoring one top-five finish and six top-10s.

Parker Retzlaff, Driver of the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet Camaro:

Before taking the wheel for your second career Cup Series start and first in the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, you got your first taste of the NextGen car two weekends ago at Richmond. What was that experience like for you?

“I made my Cup debut in Richmond just to get some experience and to get some seat time, and to just get the shifting down and all of that, and go to Daytona so we can try to get the best finish we can and be as prepared as I can be. It was a lot of getting experience in what is a new car for me, trying to be more comfortable before we get to Daytona.”

How much more prepared do you feel you are after making the start at Richmond?

“I think it was good because we only get one lap before the race at Daytona, and that will be in qualifying, so I definitely feel more prepared. I know about the shifting and it will feel a lot more natural when I get to qualifying at Daytona rather than it being my first-ever lap in the NextGen car. I think it will make us qualify better and make me more confident before we get there, and it’ll make the overall weekend better.”

You’ll also be competing in Friday’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona. How much do you feel that will help your effort on Saturday night?

“I think any and all experience I can get will help. Learning how to make stuff happen on a superspeedway is important, it’s all a little bit different, but learning how stuff moves and what lane is moving and stuff like that is always beneficial. I think that you’re always learning something when you get in the car at these places, and I think that any experience I can get before the Cup race on Saturday will be beneficial.”

You seem to run really well at the superspeedways. What in your racing background prepared you for that?

“I don’t know what prepared me for superspeedway racing, specifically. It was actually the type of racing I was most worried about going into the Xfinity Series. I have learned that you have to be patient, but you also have to realize when you need to be aggressive to gain spots in the race. We always seem to end up at the wall in a single-file line at the end of those races, so it makes it where you have to be aggressive at times, even if it is just to pick up one spot, but you also can’t make too aggressive of a move or you could end up costing yourself spots.”

You spent some time with crew chief Darren Shaw. How has that helped you?

“We were together all of Richmond weekend and I’ve been to the shop a couple of times just hanging out with him and he is great. I think our communication will be good. We both have the same goal – we’ve talked about our goals and everything for the race, so everything so far seems really, really great with him and I’m just excited and happy to have a guy with his experience behind me.”

What does it mean to get this start in the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports?

“I have watched the 62 car. I was a big fan of Brendan (Gaughan) growing up. I used to watch him when he was driving it. I remember him racing when they started the team in 2017, and now it’s amazing that I’m getting the opportunity to drive the same car he did.”

Making your first start at a storied track like Daytona, what does that mean to you?

“Daytona hosts the biggest race of the year for NASCAR and it’s probably one of the more memorable tracks we visit. I think I’ll definitely be a little nervous on race day because it was kind of my dream as a child to race in the NASCAR Cup Series and I will be doing that at Daytona in a Cup car. So I think that it will all hit me on race day, but right now I’m just trying to be as prepared as I can and try to get the team the best finish.”

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Parker Retzlaff

Hometown: Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Travis Owens

Hometown: Nashville

Spotter: DeAndre Smith

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

President: Linda Beard

Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Chase Masterson

Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Holcomb

Jack Man: Brandon Derby

Fuel Man: James Kelley

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon

Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders

Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Tire Technician: Mike Harrold

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jason Watkins

Hometown: Ridgeway, Virginia

Interior Specialist: Nic Hill

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Transporter Driver: Roger Lankford

Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 return to the high-banks of Daytona looking for that all important win to lock themselves in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will feature the return of Long John Silver’s for Saturday night’s event.

The 2021 Daytona 500 winner, McDowell is no stranger to the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He has three Top-5s and 8 Top-10 finishes at Daytona in his career, as well as a second-place qualifying effort at this year’s Daytona 500 back in February.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with qualifying on Friday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm ET. The 160-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“We can win at Daytona, we have done it before, and we have showed good speed at the superspeedway tracks. But it’s Daytona, so you never know what is going to happen. There’s a little bit of unknown since every team not locked into the playoffs races with that urgency to win. It’s going to be intense.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We know what we need to do to win. Daytona is a great track for us, and we showed all season that we have the speed at the superspeedways to qualifying up front and stay there. I have confidence in Michael and the team that we will bring a fast race car and execute well Saturday night.”

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. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team 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.