TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Circuit of The Americas
March 1-2, 2025
The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will tackle their first road course circuit of the 2025 season, with the pair heading to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for a doubleheader event. This weekend will mark just the fifth appearance by both series at the Austin, Texas, road course, but the first on the circuit’s shorter configuration.
Drivers and teams in NASCAR’s top two divisions will shift from COTA’s 3.41-mile, 20-turn, full course layout to the 2.3-mile, 20-turn, circuit known as the track’s “National Course”. Despite a whole new set of challenges on the horizon, the Chevrolet camp has proven they can master the Texas circuit – heading into the race weekend with three wins in both divisions in just four races.
Team Chevy Leading the Charge at COTA:
Chevrolet drivers have found victory lane in three of the four appearances made by both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at the Austin-based circuit. In the sport’s debut at the circuit in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott made the trip even more special for the Bowtie brand, with his victory delivering the manufacturer its milestone 800th all-time win in NASCAR’s top division. Fellow Chevrolet driver, Ross Chastain, added yet another memorable trip to victory lane the following season by becoming a first-time NASCAR Cup Series winner – a triumph that also marked the first victory for Trackhouse Racing in just the organization’s second season of competition. Most recently, it was William Byron who added his name to the history books as a winner at COTA – becoming the third different Chevrolet driver to reach victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at the Texas circuit.
In the Xfinity Series, Chevrolet will look to extend its triumphant streak at the circuit to four-straight in Saturday’s 65-lap event. The manufacturer’s three-peat kicked off in 2022 with a win by Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, with the road course warrior going back-to-back with a return trip to victory lane the following season. Last season, it was Kyle Larson who made a last-lap pass to steal the checkered flag – delivering Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet entry its long-awaited first Xfinity Series victory.
ROAD COURSE WARRIORS
With back-to-back superspeedway-style races in the books, NASCAR will turn its attention to making left- and right-hand turns for the first time this season. Road course circuits have fared well for the Bowtie brigade in recent years, with seven different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 20 wins in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events. In the Next Gen era, Chevrolet holds a winning percentage of 67 percent on road courses heading into the COTA race weekend, with Kyle Larson’s 2024 Charlotte ROVAL victory marking the manufacturer’s 10th road course triumph in the Next Gen car. Among Chevrolet’s 15 full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitors includes eight past road course winners in the division: Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and William Byron; Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez; Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch; Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger; and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell. Also earning a victory making left- and right- hand turns on a street course circuit includes Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who have collectively kept Chevrolet undefeated in the series at the Chicago Street Course.
ZILISCH SET FOR CUP SERIES DEBUT
This weekend will bring the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series debut for one of Chevrolet’s racing stars – Trackhouse Racing Development Driver Connor Zilisch. One year ago at COTA, the 18-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native made his first-ever start in the NASCAR national ranks behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports-prepared Silverado RST. Immediately taking the NASCAR scene by storm, Zilisch drove the Chevrolet entry to a pole win and a fourth-place finish at the Austin-based circuit.
Just a few months later, Zilisch made yet another impressive debut – partnering with JR Motorsports to make his first career Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch went on to take the pole and the race win, making the young talent just the seventh driver in NASCAR history to earn the victory in his first Xfinity Series start.
Zilisch will have the opportunity to make history yet again this weekend. The 18-year-old Chevrolet driver will get behind the wheel of the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet – a fourth entry under the Trackhouse Racing banner – for his first appearance in NASCAR’s top division. The last driver to win in his Cup Series debut also came from the Chevrolet camp – fellow Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen (Chicago Street Race – July 2023).
RCR STAYS UNDEFEATED IN ‘25
With two races in the books for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, it has been the pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates that have dominated the series’ statistical categories. With yet another commanding performance at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Austin Hill joins his teammate, Jesse Love, with an early ticket into the series’ playoffs and keeps Chevrolet undefeated heading into the COTA race weekend.
The pair of victories were accompanied by strong performances throughout each event. Hill has swept the stage wins in each race thus far, but an unfortunate mechanical issue took him out of contention for the win at Daytona International Speedway. The duo also paced the series in laps led in each event, with Love and Hill tallying a combined total of 86 of 126 laps led in the season-opener, as well as 159 of 163 laps led at Atlanta last weekend. In addition, Love has captured the only pole win of the season – driving his No. 2 Chevrolet to back-to-back qualifying triumphs at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.
BYRON TAPS IN FOR HMS’ FIRST XFINITY SERIES START OF THE SEASON
Reigning DAYTONA 500 Champion, William Byron, will take over the driving duties for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet this weekend for the entry’s first appearance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. This will mark the first of 16 starts in the series for the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet team – an entry that will also feature Byron’s teammates, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, as well as development driver Corey Day, behind the wheel. The team has made two trips to victory lane since returning to the series in 2022, with the first coming one year ago at COTA with Kyle Larson.
First Truck Triumph of the Season
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Chevrolet will enter back-to-back off-weekends on a high note. The Bowtie brand earned its first trip to victory lane of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend – courtesy of Spire Motorsports and Cup Series regular Kyle Busch. The victory was accompanied by a near dominate performance by the Chevrolet camp throughout the weekend – nabbing the pole win with Connor Mosack; a stage win sweep courtesy of Jack Wood and Busch; and six different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 124 of 135 laps led.
With a second-consecutive top-10 finish, CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger also found himself at the top of the series’ points standings heading into the off-weekends. The 40-year-old Fairhope, Alabama, native has tallied podium finishes in all but one stage thus far this season, with the series’ veteran being one of just three drivers who have posted back-to-back top-10 finishes.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Circuit of The Americas:
William Byron: one win (2024)
Ross Chastain: one win (2022)
Chase Elliott: one win (2021)
· In four appearances for both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series at Circuit of The Americas, Chevrolet leads the series with three wins in each division.
· Chevrolet has earned 20 victories in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events – dating from Chase Elliott’s victory at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2019, to Kyle Larson’s victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in Oct. 2024.
· In 15 NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with 10 victories – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.
· Chevrolet has recorded 67 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses – starting with Buck Baker’s victory at Watkins Glen International in 1957.
· In 110 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 53 victories – a winning percentage of 48.2%.
· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 867 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Sunday, March 2, at 3:30 p.m. ET
(FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Focused Health 250
Saturday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m. ET
(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What are you thoughts on how they have changed the COTA track?
“It should keep the track cleaner (laughs), no dirt back there in that right-hander where we were all driving off of the track. I like it obviously and I’ve been fast there and just enjoy it. The different layout doesn’t bother me.”
You’ve been successful at COTA.. why is that?
“Phil Surgen (crew chief) gives me cars that I can be aggressive with and chase the grip, both in qualifying and the race, and be able to attack it. The track is going to be repaved in a lot areas with means it will be smooth and have a lot of grip. They continue to invest in the surface there. As it continues to get bumpy, they don’t let it go; they go ahead and fix the issues. It will be a different track from what we saw last year.”
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
How do you feel about heading to Circuit of the Americas with the 7 team, especially after a tough start to the season?
“I’ve always felt really comfortable at Circuit of the Americas. We haven’t had the best start to the season but I’m looking forward to getting to a road course with the No.7 team and racing it out on Sunday.”
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Going to COTA with a reduced track length with the short course. What do you think the changes will do there?
“I don’t know.. you know, I think you lose a couple passing zones. You lose turn 11, all the way up at the top. You lose coming down into turn 12 after the long straightaway. I don’t think going into turn six is going to be a passing zone. It’s really tight. I mean, sure – guys are going to try and throw it in there and pass there, but it’s a 90 degree corner. It’s going to be slower and sharper than the frontstretch at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, when you come down into the turn on the front straightaway. As you come back onto the back straightaway, that corner is just kind of a flowy corner, so I don’t think you’ll get much two-wide racing through there. Trying to setup something on that little short shoot you have now before turn 12 is going to be tricky to say the least because you want to be on the inside for that corner but the next two corners you’re going to want to be on the outside. So I don’t know.. I feel like we lost two and we didn’t gain any. We’ll see how that transpires and what it looks like. But being a shorter course and not having that long straightaway in turn 12, you’re going to get less separation from all those other cars around you, so it’s going to be more Martinsville-esque with cars staying closer together and probably a little bit more pushing and shoving, and I’m sure that’s what the fans will certainly enjoy.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“I love road course racing. It’s something I’ve always had a lot of confidence at, but I’m very excited this year for the opportunity to get to work with AJ (Allmendinger), probably the best in the business at road course racing, especially with Kaulig Racing. So, for me, it’s a shut mouth and open ears for the weekend and try to learn as much as I can. I can’t expect to go out and run AJ, but I can learn a lot and hopefully improve my past performances at the race track. I think it’s going to be a really fun weekend. I enjoy the discipline of road course racing, and then I love Austin, Texas, too. I’m a huge Longhorns fan, so I just love being in the city and everything it’s about.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“I always enjoy going to COTA, I feel like we’ve had a lot of speed there in the past. We’ve had some success, but we’ve always been in the mix to run inside the top five. It’ll be a challenge this weekend with the new layout, but I feel good from where our road course program has been. If we can unload, have speed, and execute, we’ll give ourselves a shot to win the race.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
COTA is a track where you see a lot of drivers struggle due to its tight turns and limited space. What goes through your mind as a driver when you prepare for these tracks that you might have struggled at in the past?
“COTA’s honestly a really fun racetrack. I would say, for me, I don’t really focus on the results as much as I do the speed that we’ve had and been able to show at some of these tracks. Especially throughout portions of that race the past few years. We’ve just had mistakes – whether it’s been the team or the driver. They took us out of contention for a few decent races there. I try to block some of that out from the past road course races over the last few seasons. Obviously, we have a whole new section of the racetrack that we have to figure out. We ran it on the sim so that helps a little bit. For the most part, we’re going to try to pick that up as fast as we can during those two practice sessions on Saturday.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
“I’m looking forward to going to COTA, obviously having a road course early on in the season is really beneficial, especially for me as I am getting up to speed with the race team, with Chevrolet, and just feeling out the differences. Now we can learn what we need to work on, so we are carrying good moment going into COTA. I am looking forward to you kicking off our first road course of the season.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Following your 29th-place run at COTA last March you improved your finishing position over the final three road course events, underscored with a third-place finish at Watkins Glen. How confident are you that the No. 77 maintain that momentum Sunday at COTA?
“I’m really excited to get to COTA and check out the new layout. Luke (Lambert) and, really, everyone at Spire did a great job last season of building up our road course program. I think we’ll all pick up where we left off, and a lot of that is the result of the work that was put in during the off season. Running the Xfinity race will give me a chance to get a couple more laps on the track and maybe find something I can share with my teammates. The other thing we’ve got going for us is two new teammates in Justin (Haley) and Michael (McDowell) that are really strong road-course racers. It’s been an exciting start to the season for us and we can definitely keep that going this weekend.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts entering the first Cup race of your career?
“Going into my first Cup race at COTA, it’s going to be a big challenge for me. A lot of question marks but I just want to go in and enjoy it and have fun. You only get to make your debut in the Cup Series once. I feel like it’s going to be a good experience for me to go learn and run all the laps. I think that’s what I’m honestly looking forward to the most is just running all the laps and making the most of the experience.”
How cool is it for you and Trackhouse to bring Red Bull back to the Cup Series?
“It’s awesome to have Red Bull back in the sport. It’s going to be a big race for everybody, Trackhouse, me, Red Bull. No pressure to out and perform at any level. I just want to go out and learn as much as I can and enjoy my first Cup race.”
Do you think the extra track time in the NXS car will help you in the Cup race?
“I think it’s going to be helpful to have the Xfinity car there on Saturday and race that race. The track is a little bit different than last year so those laps are going to be really important to getting up to speed and getting used to the new track updates. It’ll be helpful to have those laps but the Cup car is a lot different. At the end of the day it’s going to be different because how different the cars are.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What do you think about the course change to COTA? How might that impact things?
“I think the new course will be okay. I did like the long track, but I see why they (NASCAR) shortened it, to give more times past the fans and more action. The cut through they have done, we don’t lose any passing spots, more laps as well. I think the shorter track is probably a good thing.”
What are your impressions of COTA? Kind of comparing it to some other tracks you’ve been to around the world.
“I like the track and I think it’s pretty cool. The change they have done is really good, with the second extension or cut through. The one we did in Supercars would be terrible in these (Cup) cars, so they made a good call there. But there will probably be a bit of action, I think, with the tight left hander. It’s odd how we spend more time off the track than on it, but that’s how it is here, and it looks pretty cool when the cars are all battling.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Do you enjoy racing at COTA?
“Yes, I do love the track. It’s one of the best in the world and the crowds are awesome. They make me feel so welcome. I love going around and seeing all the fans. We have run so well over the years here but just haven’t had the finish we deserve. Maybe Sunday will change all that.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2024): 43
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2024
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2024): 33
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2021)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2025 STATISTICS:
Wins: 1
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 96
Top-Fives: 4
Top-10s: 8
Stage Wins: 1
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 867 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 753
Laps led to date: 252,807
Top-fives to date: 4,373
Top-10s to date: 9,015
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,201
Chevrolet: 867
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 840
Ford: 740
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 190
About General Motors
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