TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
October 3-4, 2026
Chevrolet Newsroom
Chevrolet drivers and current point leaders, Kyle Larson and Sheldon Creed, will lead the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series out west this weekend as the Chase schedule takes the sport back to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The O’Reilly Series returns from its final bye week to kick-off Saturday’s action with the Focused Health 302. Already sporting a career season, Sheldon Creed is fresh off his third trip to victory lane to take an 11-point lead into the fourth stop of the series’ postseason schedule. The reigning Cup Series champion, Larson, carries the largest points margin of the postseason thus far into Sunday’s South Point 400, looking to build onto a title run that has produced two wins in four starts.
Chevrolet’s Cup Series History at the “Diamond in the Desert”:
Chevrolet has won 13 of the 37 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway across both the spring and fall dates. Hendrick Motorsports has been the class of the field with 10 total Cup wins at the track, all earned under the Chevrolet banner, including nine in the spring race (Jeff Gordon in 2001; Jimmie Johnson three times from 2005-07 and again in 2010; Alex Bowman in 2022; William Byron in 2023; and Kyle Larson in 2021 and 2024), plus Larson’s 2023 fall triumph.
LARSON BRINGS A SIZABLE CUSHION AND A STOUT VEGAS LEDGER TO THE DESERT
Kyle Larson heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway holding a 26-point lead over Denny Hamlin after a dominant, maximum points-earning performance at Kansas, where he led 235 of 267 laps to sweep both stages and pick up his second win in four Chase races. The reigning champion enters Las Vegas as just the fourth driver in history, and the first since 2017, to open the postseason with four-straight top-five finishes – a stretch that includes wins at Gateway and Kansas, sandwiched around top-five runs at Darlington and Bristol.
Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson’s resume at Las Vegas has been nothing short of impressive. His three Cup wins at the track ranks him second among the series’ active drivers. His first win with the No. 5 team came there in March 2021. He later earned back-to-back victories in the fall 2023 and spring 2024 events, both of which came alongside a sweep of the stages and triple-digit laps led. In the Next Gen era, he owns a series-leading average finish of 7.8, including top-two finishes in five of the nine events.
BYRON, ELLIOTT SEEK A MOMENTUM-BUILDING WEEKEND
William Byron and Chase Elliott both left the Sunflower State with a sense of much needed momentum. The pair of Team Chevy Chase contenders earned top-eight results at Kansas, building a solid baseline to carry to the second of three-straight 1.5-mile tracks.
Byron is one of four current Chase drivers to have a Las Vegas victory to his name in the Next Gen era (spring 2023), a triumph that came paired with a front-row qualifying effort, a sweep of the stage wins and 176 laps led. While he’s still looking for a trip to victory lane this season, 1.5-mile tracks have been his bright spot. He has top-10 results in all six of this season’s 1.5-mile races, including a best-finish of third that came in the Las Vegas spring race.
Elliott, meanwhile, is still chasing his first Las Vegas win but has quietly built a solid resume that consists of seven top-10s in 18 career starts, including a runner-up finish to Denny Hamlin this spring that matched his career-best result at the track. Both drivers will look to turn Kansas’s recovery into a run at victory lane at a track that has historically fared well for the Hendrick Motorsports camp.
CREED’S CAREER SEASON CONTINUES
Sheldon Creed is off to a monstrous start in his campaign for his first career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship title, taking the victory in two of the three postseason races to sit at an 11-point advantage over Team Chevy veteran driver, Justin Allgaier, entering the Las Vegas race weekend. Already quickly approaching the halfway point of the postseason schedule, it’s a Team Chevy sweep of the top-seven positions of the Chase standings. JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil sits third (-37), followed by Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love (-41) in fourth, Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer (-78) in fifth, and Hendrick Motorsports’ Corey Day and JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith in the sixth and seventh positions, respectively, and both 92-points from the lead.
ALLGAIER WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REDEMPTION
While it’s been a rollarcoaster start to the Chase for Justin Allgaier, the JRM Motorsports driver has a reason to be confident that this weekend could turn his title run around. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is, statistically, one of his strongest tracks. In 24 career starts at the Nevada venue, he’s finished inside the top-15 in all but one race, including one victory (March 2025) and 14 top-fives. The Illinois native is riding the wave of 10 consecutive top-10 finishes, with his most recent outing ending with a solid fourth-place result after scoring 53 points and leading multiple portions of the race. He’s been a points-earning machine in recent seasons with a streak of six-consecutive races in which he’s scored no worse than seven points in each stage. If history continues, Saturday could take Allgaier back to the top position that he’s held for much of the season.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Kyle Larson – three wins (Mar. 2021, Oct. 2023, Mar. 2024)
William Byron – one win (Mar. 2023)
Alex Bowman – one win (Mar. 2022)
· In 37 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 13 victories. Hendrick Motorsports is the series’ winningest organization at the track with 10 wins, including Kyle Larson’s three victories that ranks him second among the series’ active drivers.
· With Kyle Larson’s win at Kansas Speedway, the reigning champion is now the fourth driver in history to earn four-straight top-five finishes to open the postseason in NASCAR’s premier series. The feat was last accomplished by Martin Truex Jr. during the 2017 season.
· With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.
· With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.
· In 173 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 75 victories – a winning percentage of 43.4%.
· Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.
· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 889 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
South Point 400
Sunday, Oct. 4, at 5:30 p.m. ET
USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Focused Health 302
Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. ET
CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What would you consider your biggest win in Las Vegas – on or off the track?
“The biggest win of my life in Las Vegas was the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory in 2018. That was my three-race tryout with Chip Ganassi Racing and being able to actually accomplish a win was huge. I don’t think my life goes the way it has career-wise if I didn’t get that win in Las Vegas. Winning was extremely important in that opportunity. It helped promote me into winning equipment for the rest of my career.”
Looking forward to this weekend at Las Vegas?
“Since being at Trackhouse, I’ve usually had a really strong car at Las Vegas. It’s been one of my best mile-and-a-half tracks over the last few years. It’s been such a fun track to drive and I’m looking forward to this weekend in the Tootsies Chevrolet. They’ve been a Trackhouse partner for a while and the car really stands out on the track.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Describe what the racing is like at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
“Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a great mile-and-a-half. The track is rough through Turns 1 and 2, and you have to be able to cut through the bumps. Restarts are wild, too. Vegas is an awesome place to go.”
Toys for Tots is back on your Chevrolet this weekend. What makes this race so significant for them?
“Toys for Tots is a great organization, and myself and everyone at RCR are so proud to be partnered with them. On October 1, all the drives start for Toys for Tots to collect toys for kids across America. I want to encourage everyone to check out your local community to get involved, or go to www.toysfortots.org and donate today. Do your job and get involved so everyone can have a great Christmas season.”
What makes Las Vegas Motor Speedway a race every fan should experience in person?
“Obviously, the atmosphere at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is pretty cool. You get the nightlife and the fun that goes on in the city, and it just naturally translates over to the track. I feel like the racing is really good. The groove has spread out over the years. The track has a lot of character. It’s a cool track for us to bring the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet.”
What’s the biggest win you’ve had on or off the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
“It’s hard to choose between my NASCAR Truck Series win and my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win there. I loved my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win in the No. 33 racing Ryan Blaney in the Penske car at the end of the race in 2015. Nice Harrison was the crew chief, and he decided to keep me out. We dominated the entire race, and when the caution came out, we stayed out but Blaney came to pit road to get tires. Nick lied to me and told me that no one got tires. All of the sudden, I’m having to race Blaney with what I’ve got. I blocked him all the way to the grass in that race and was able to win it on older tires. After the race, Nick just said ‘I told you we’d be all right,’ and I was like, ‘what do you mean?’, and he told me Blaney had tires behind me. I was glad he didn’t say anything during the race. I knew as dominant as we had been all day, that when Blaney caught me as fast as he did, that I was in a situation and there was no way we were on even tires. It was just an ‘it is what it is’ situation, and I hoped that his stuff fell off.”
Any Carolina Cowboys success in Las Vegas or big wins from your PBR team in Sin City?
“Oh yeah, The Carolina Cowboys won the championship in Las Vegas this past year, so that was cool. The year before last, the PBR Teams Series Championship and the NASCAR Cup Series race were in Las Vegas on the same weekend. I got wrecked out of the Cup race early, so I went over to T-Mobile and I got to watch the Carolina Cowboys lose the championship. And then, this year, we made it to the championship again and were able to win it. It was an awesome feeling.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Heading back to Vegas, what are your thoughts on the fall race?
“Vegas has been a really good track for me over the years and I feel like we’ve been able to find a good balance there. We’ve had some strong runs and led a lot of laps, so hopefully we can put everything together again this weekend. It’s a long race, but I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can put ourselves in position to fight for a good finish.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts on Las Vegas Speedway?
“Las Vegas gives you room to move around, which is great for a driver. When the track rubbers-up, you’ve got to be willing to search for lines that give your car grip—whether that’s right up against the wall or down low on the apron. It’s a track where line choice and communication with your crew chief really dictate your day.
The 1.5-mile tracks are all about momentum and keeping your corner speed up. You have to find a rhythm early in the run, manage your tire wear, and make sure the car stays balanced through both turns because the banking can trick you as the track changes throughout the day.”
What are your thoughts on your pink paint scheme this weekend at Las Vegas Speedway?
“What Patriot Mobile is doing is really great, and it’s for such an incredible cause. Hopefully, this keeps the fight against breast cancer top of mind for everyone. Almost all of us know someone affected by it, and I hope that one day, no family ever has to face it again.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Do you like racing at Las Vegas and what has your experience there been like?
“We’ve actually been really fast at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the past. We weren’t as fast this year, but the last couple of years, Vegas has definitely been our best mile-and-a-half racetrack. I’ve always enjoyed that place.
At Kaulig Racing, we’ve had a lot of success there on the Xfinity (NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) side and have a couple wins. On the Cup side, we’ve had chances, too. We’ve finished in the top 10 and had multiple opportunities to run up front.”
How did the first race at Las Vegas this season go, and how do changing temperatures affect the track?
“The first race this year there was a struggle because of the new body and everything. So, I do feel like we’ll be better this time. I think it’s temperature-sensitive, so if it’s hot, the track widens out. If it’s not, you can kind of run the bottom more.
Hopefully, we can unload there and be somewhat close. It’s probably been my favorite mile-and-a-half racetrack.”
Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Describe the outlook heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Throughout my career, Las Vegas has statistically been a good track for me. I’ve won races there on the Truck side, and we’ve also been able to get a win on the O’Reilly side. Anytime you go to a track where you’ve had success at in the past, it gives you a little more confidence. But in saying that, the Cup Series is such a different ball game compared to the other series, so it’s not going to be easy by any means. The track itself fits my driving style and is one of my favorite mile-and-a-half tracks. You want to paint your left side tires on the white line, and I’ve been known to be a bottom feeder or someone who likes to catfish through the corner. Hopefully, we can have a solid day in our BetMGM Chevrolet and make Kyle (Busch) proud at his home track.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
“Las Vegas is always a fun place to race, and we’re excited to have Jack Link’s back on the No. 47 this weekend. We’ve got a fresh look on the car, and hopefully we can put together a strong weekend from start to finish. Track position is always important at Vegas, so qualifying well and staying on top of the balance throughout the race will be key.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
“Vegas is one of my favorite tracks to go to on the schedule. It’s got a lot of character. Being out in the desert, it can be a little bit dusty, and you have some pretty significant bumps, especially over in the corners. You have to be very cognizant of your corner entry and the line you’re taking, because if you hit those bumps in turns one and two just the wrong way, it could end your day pretty quickly. And with the different lines you can run, you can find ways to make the car work for you even if your car isn’t exactly where you want it. If you don’t have a good handle on your car, there’s about a lane-and-a-half you can use in turns one and two. But if your car is handling well, you can take those bumps aggressively. That opens up a lot of racing opportunities from the bottom of the racetrack all the way to the wall. You have to have a lot of aero grip and a lot of downforce built into the car to make sure you can run aggressively, especially as tire degradation goes on during the run. That, and just compliance and platform control over the bumps in (turns) one and two. We race Las Vegas early in our season and then close to the end of our season, so the weather isn’t too drastic of a change for us. It’s the most consistent mile-and-a-half track we go to.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been a challenge for you in the Cup Series. What are your thoughts heading into this weekend?
“Building on our 1.5-mile program is important with Las Vegas and Charlotte coming on back-to-back weekends. We have had some speed on those types of tracks. We sat on the pole at Las Vegas last spring, and Daniel (teammate Daniel Suárez) won at Charlotte this year. We had mechanical issues in March so that kept us from finishing better. We certainly expect to see some improvement this weekend.”
You’ve also got some personal history in Las Vegas…
“Outside of the racetrack, Vegas was an important part of my career. It is where my brother and I first took the first steps in my professional racing journey. We built and raced go-karts not too far from LVMS, and I learned so much during that time. That’s an important reason I always look forward to racing in Las Vegas.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Coming off a tough week at Kansas, are you optimistic looking at the remainder of the schedule?
“I think so. There are some really good tracks coming up for us. Last week we were fast until we got caught up in that crash. It looked like a bunch of guys in the Chevrolet camp showed a lot of speed too, so I think there is a lot to look forward to.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
You made your first Las Vegas Cup start back in March. What do you remember from that race?
“We were fast at times, but we struggled to find the right balance. When we got the car driving well, it was pretty fast, especially on the longer runs. We were really good during the green flag cycles, but overall, we just couldn’t fire off the way we wanted to. I know the entire WeatherTech team has been working really hard and hopefully we will be better this weekend.”
What do you do to pass the time when you are in Las Vegas?
“Vegas is tough because I can’t do a lot. The security guards always give me a tough time because I look like a kid. I don’t do much. There’s obviously a lot of great food in Vegas, which I always look forward to. Outside of that I might see a concert at the Sphere. I make the most of it.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
How are you feeling heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend?
“We’ve had some promising moments at Las Vegas, it’s been a decent track for us, just haven’t gotten the results to show for it. Just got to keep building on what I know. It’s good to come back to this track with a notebook. We’ve worked hard to make our car a lot better there. I’m looking forward to getting there this weekend and having a 50-minute practice to continue to improve on and get ready for Sunday.”
How has your experience at the track changed your comfort level there?
“It will be my fifth race here, so it’s just that experience, you get more comfortable with daunting track like (Las) Vegas. Qualifying there is one of the craziest experiences I’ve had. It’s an exhilarating lap. I like the track though. It’s pretty epic.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturer Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 44
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2025
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, 2025
Driver Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 34
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)
Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29
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, 2025
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2026 STATISTICS:
Wins: 8
Poles: 6
Laps Led: 2,380
Top-Fives: 51
Top-10s: 103
Stage Wins: 21
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 889 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 772
Laps led to date: 259,114
Top-fives to date: 4,487
Top-10s to date: 9,254
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,223
Chevrolet: 889
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 855
Ford: 755
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 218
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.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
