TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

Homestead-Miami Speedway

 With the playoff schedule finally aligned across all three divisions, the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series will convene and head south to Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the 1.5-mile Florida venue is set to host the second race of the Round of Eight. The weekend will get underway with a doubleheader on Saturday featuring the Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series, where Chevrolet’s playoff contenders will look to join their manufacturer teammates – Grant Enfinger and AJ Allmendinger – in the Championship Four. The Cup Series will take center stage on Sunday as Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott vie for the second guaranteed spot in the title race.

Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway: 

In 25 all-time NASCAR Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet has earned seven trips to victory lane – each recorded with a different driver. Among those includes two Team Chevy playoff contenders, William Byron and Kyle Larson, who took their Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet’s to the win in back-to-back seasons (Byron – Feb. 2021; Larson – Oct. 2022). This season marks the 19th year that Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted a playoff race, with its most notable stint coming between 2004 – 2019 when the venue hosted the series’ season finale race. Over that time span, three drivers took Chevrolet to the victory and a driver’s championship including Tony Stewart (2011), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Jimmie Johnson (2016).

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chevrolet leads the way with 14 all-time triumphs at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Among those victories includes an active streak of three-straight, with JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer returning as the series’ defending winner at the track (Oct. 2023). Other recent notable wins at the south Florida oval came in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, when Tyler Reddick and Richard Childress Racing drove their Chevrolet-powered machine to back-to-back victories and championship titles.

One year ago, Carson Hocevar and Niece Motorsports put Chevrolet back in victory lane in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time in 10 years. The victory – Chevrolet’s sixth all-time at the track – also delivered the Chevrolet driver his first career appearance in the series’ Championship Four.

ALLMENDINGER, ENFINGER SET FOR TITLE FIGHT

Entering the second race of the Round of Eight, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with a driver already locked into the title-deciding race for both the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series. Most recently, it was Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger that drove his No. 16 Camaro SS to its first victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – skyrocketing from seventh in the playoff standings and a double-digit points deficit to a guaranteed ticket into Xfinity Series’ Championship Four. In similar fashion, Grant Enfinger opened the Craftsman Truck Series’ final round with a trip to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway with his first win this season, as well as the first-ever triumph in the series for team owner Codie Rohrbaugh and CR7 Motorsports.

NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO

The trend of dramatic round opening races continued at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. Chevrolet’s William Byron was one of just a handful of remaining title contenders that put together a strong day at the 1.5-mile Nevada venue – accumulating 48 points en route to his fourth-straight top-four finish. Despite still sitting fourth in the playoff standings, Byron was able to build a double-digit points cushion, with the Rudy Fugle-led team heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 27-point advantage over the elimination line.

The opportunity to drive to a season sweep at Las Vegas Motor Speedway quickly turned into an uphill battle for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. A set of issues in Stage Two soon found the team two laps down near the midway point of the race. To no surprise, the Cliff Daniels-led team progressively found their way back to the lead lap – ultimately entering the top-15 with 60 laps remaining in the race. Salvaging an 11th place result, Larson was still able to add a few points onto his already double-digit cushion, with the former series champion now ranked third in the playoff standings and 35-points above the cutline.

Among those playoff drivers with a dismal day in the Round of Eight opener included Chase Elliott, who was an innocent bystander in a wreck early in Stage Two. Falling to a 53-point deficit to the elimination line, the 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, is no stranger to capitalizing on ‘must-win’ situations. A career moment for Elliott came in 2020 when the Hendrick Motorsports driver turned a 25-point deficit into a ticket to his first appearance in the Championship Four with a victory at Martinsville Speedway – ultimately leading to his first championship title. When it comes to Homestead-Miami Speedway, consistency is key for Elliott and the No. 9 Chevrolet team. In his eight career starts at the 1.5-mile Florida venue, Elliott has earned results no worse than 15th, with his best finish of second also coming in his title-earning season.

Five of the remaining title contenders have found victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including Chevrolet’s William Byron and Kyle Larson, who took Hendrick Motorsports on back-to-back trips to victory lane in 2021-2022.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO

With already one position clinched in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Championship Four, Chevrolet moves on to Homestead-Miami Speedway with five playoff contenders left vying for an early berth into the title-deciding race. Joining fellow Chevrolet driver, AJ Allmendinger, in the top-four of the playoff rankings includes JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier. Despite a challenging start to postseason competition, the No. 7 Chevrolet team had a much-needed turnaround performance to open the Round of Eight. Allgaier tallied a 53-point day – the second-highest among the playoff drivers – en route to a podium finish. The 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native now sits second in the playoff standings and 32 points above the cutline – a cushion exactly double the next ranking driver. Just two remaining title contenders are past Homestead-Miami Speedway winners, one of which includes JR Motorsports Sam Mayer, who returns to the track as the series’ defending winner.

Mayer’s History of Walk-Off Wins

In his young career, Mayer has been no stranger to making the most out of playoff pressure. For back-to-back seasons, the 21-year-old Franklin, Wisconsin, native earned his ticket into the Round of Eight with a walk-off win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. In 2023, Mayer made his first career appearance in the Championship Four, which also came after a momentous win. As the series ventured to Homestead-Miami Speedway one year ago, Mayer entered the second race of the round ranked sixth in the standings with a double-digit deficit to the playoff cutline. The Chevrolet driver proceeded to add onto an already career season by collecting his first oval victory and his first shot at the series’ title. Returning to the track as the defending winner, Mayer and the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team have found themselves in a similar position – currently sitting seventh in the playoff standings and 23-points below the elimination line.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES PLAYOFF PICTURE: TWO-TO-GO

Sitting idle for two weeks, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to playoff competition at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 marking the penultimate race of the Round of Eight. Chevrolet’s Grant Enfinger is the only playoff driver that will head to the 1.5-mile Florida oval with a sense of relief after already earning his spot in the Championship Four with his win at Talladega Superspeedway. Regular Season Champion, Christian Eckes, has finished no worse than sixth in postseason competition thus far, with the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway ranked third in the playoff standings and 29-points above the elimination line. While on the outside looking in, a trio of Chevrolet drivers still have the opportunity to point their way into the title-deciding race with Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth in fifth (-5 points); Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in seventh (-20 points); and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top-eight (-23 points).

Eckes Seeks Redemption at Homestead

Christian Eckes returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway looking for redemption after a heartbreaking end to his championship title run last season. In 2024, the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has put together a career year – earning three trips to victory lane en route to his first career regular season championship title. Eckes has tallied top-10 results in all but one of the 20 Truck Series races this season. The Chevrolet driver is riding the momentum of nine straight top-six finishes, seven of which have been podium results. In four career starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Eckes has earned three top-eight finishes.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the tripleheader race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Baptist Health 200;
The Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300; and
The specially-themed pink ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400.

· With 84 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 50% with 42 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 17 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 10 wins).

· In 15 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat four times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

Kyle Busch – two wins (2015, 2019)
Kyle Larson – one win (2022)
William Byron – one win (2021)

· On NASCAR’s current non-drafting intermediate ovals, ranging from 1.25 to 1.5 miles in length, Chevrolet owns a winning percentage of 50 percent in the Next Gen era with 16 victories in 32 races.

· In 105 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 49.5%.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where they can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, October 26

Team Chevy Truck Series Drivers:

· Rajah Caruth: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

· Christian Eckes: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

· Grant Enfinger: 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

· Nick Sanchez: 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

· Corey Day: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Team Chevy Xfinity Series Drivers:

· AJ Allmendinger: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

· Justin Allgaier: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

· Sam Mayer: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

· Sammy Smith: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

· Brandon Jones: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

· Josh Williams: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

· Shane van Gisbergen: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Sunday, October 27

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

· Justin Haley: 10:55 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.

· Daniel Suarez: 11:10 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.

· Carson Hocevar: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

· William Byron: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, October 25: 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 26: 9 a.m. – end of Xfinity Series Race

Sunday, October 27: 10 a.m. – end of Cup Series Race

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 1208
Ford: 1160 (-48)
Toyota: 1155 (-53)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 1118
Toyota: 1064 (-54)
Ford: 964 (-154)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 745
Toyota: 703 (-42)
Ford: 670 (-75)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Round of Eight: Race Two

Straight Talk Wireless 400

Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2:30 p.m. ET

(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Round of Eight: Race Two

Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300

Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. ET

(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Round of Eight: Race Two

Baptist Health 200

Saturday, Oct. 26, at 12 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
CHEVROLET IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES: QUOTABLE QUOTES

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS / TRACKER BOATS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Homestead-Miami Speedway?

“I love racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It’s my favorite track that we race at. Homestead-Miami Speedway is a driver’s racetrack. It’s so much fun to run right up against the fence. You have to be disciplined in how you drive and save your tires. It’s an epic race. It’s always intense. We can move around in the corners to find the best line and it’s a track that’s been good to me in my career. We ran well at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year and finished fourth in 2022. The Miami atmosphere is just one of the things I love about this time of year, and I can’t wait to get on track in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on Homestead-Miami Speedway:

“I look forward to racing at Homestead-Miami – I just really love that track. We only get to go there once a year, whereas a lot of intermediates we go to twice a year. I wish we could go there twice because I just love the track. So yeah, I look forward to going there because, one, I love it, and we’re really, really fast there. And yeah, it’s just a good track for us.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 CHILI’S CATCH-A-RITA CAMARO ZL1

Across the garage, Homestead is one of the most-endeared tracks to race at. Why is that?

“Homestead is a fun place to race. The tire falloff is severe, which makes for lap time variability. The various grooves allow you to make time, no matter how your car drives. I haven’t gotten the results I’ve hoped for there, but I think we can turn that around this weekend. It is really cool to have Chili’s aboard, and I hope I can put on a show for them.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 REBEL BOURBON CAMARO ZL1

How challenging is practice at Homestead? There are so many different lines you can use to improve the balance of the car but you only have 20-minutes of track time.

“You have to go into practice at Homestead with a gameplan. There are so many different lines you can run at Homestead and we have such a short time frame that it can certainly be challenging for sure. The line that you’re going to use for the race is going to be significantly different that the line you use for qualifying so figuring out both of those with the short amount of time you have is very, very difficult.”

How different is racing in the daylight at Homestead compared with track conditions at night?

“Track conditions at Homestead in the daytime are significantly different than what the conditions will be at night. I have always been much stronger at Homestead racing at night than during the day.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on the team’s outlook following Las Vegas:

“Going into the Round of 8, our mindset was we’re going to have to win to have a shot in Phoenix, so what happened at Las Vegas doesn’t really change that. It was unfortunate because our NAPA Chevy was really, really good and I think we would have potentially had a shot at it there at the end if we hadn’t got caught up in that incident. The fact that we had speed though gives me confidence heading into Homestead this weekend. Our team is fully capable of winning. We just need to go and execute.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

Byron on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

“We’re always really good at Homestead. It’s just trying to be the best car. We’ve focused a lot on that in the Chevy simulator this week. I feel like we’re in a really good spot as a team. Hopefully we can go in there with a good baseline setup and we can work through and build off of it through the weekend to be that best car.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“We’re feeling confident heading to Homestead this weekend. I have not been there in the Next Gen car, but it’s a track I have always enjoyed. We’ve really been working on our intermediate track package, and the speed has shown.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

“With a top five at (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway), our Ally Racing No. 48 team is still pushing hard for a strong finish to the season. Homestead is a place I’ve been working hard at in the simulator to improve. I’ve had a couple better finishes for myself in that last handful of races there but certainly nowhere near where I want to be yet. Hopefully that practice will pay off and we can execute a solid race on Sunday as a team.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 WELLCARE CAMARO ZL1

How are you feeling about your first Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend?

“I’ve always looked forward to going to Homestead. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half, and even though we haven’t gotten the best results at the intermediates this year, we’re coming off a top 10 at Kansas. That definitely gives us some positive momentum heading into the weekend. I’m excited to have Wellcare on board my Chevrolet and to go 400 miles on Sunday! Still a lot to accomplish in the final three races this year.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 ZEIGLER AUTO GROUP / LOJACK CAMARO ZL1

You have had success at Homestead in the past. How does that help your confidence heading into the weekend.

“I’m excited to get back to Homestead. I’ve ran really well at Miami in the trucks and it is a fun track overall. I didn’t get to run the Cup Series race there last year, but was able to watch and learn some things. Winning a race at a track helps build your confidence. Luke (Lambert) and everybody at Spire likes this racetrack, and Luke even won the XFINITY race a couple years ago with Noah (Gragson). So yeah, we’re pretty excited.”

The high line has been the preferred line at Homestead. Do you still see that as the case, or has the Next Gen car allowed the other lines to make just as much ground?

“I don’t know if running against the fence is the end all be all. I feel like with this car, you can move around a bit more. With the old car, you had to bang it against the fence. I think the best line is probably going to be around the fence, but at the same time, it’s super easy to knock a toe link out or bend up the suspension. I’m ready to get to practice and figure out what the best lines are going to be for me and my No.77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevy.”

 
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: 15

Poles: 10

Laps Led: 3,177

Top-Five Finishes: 66

Top-10 Finishes: 133

Stage Wins: 22

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 12

· Ross Chastain: 2

· William Byron: 2

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

· Kyle Busch: 1

· Alex Bowman: 1

· AJ Allmendinger: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 866 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 753

Laps led to date: 252,332

Top-five finishes to date: 4,364

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,993

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,200

       Chevrolet: 866

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 838                                                           

       Ford: 738

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 188

 

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.

Homestead-Miami Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024
1.5-Mile Oval
2:30 PM ET
Location: Homestead, Florida
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (Race 34 of 36)
RADIO: SiriusXM logo

5 KYLE LARSON
 Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Week: 11th (Las Vegas)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 2nd (-7)

 No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Kyle Larson’s 13 top-five finishes this season are tied for the most in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has run the most laps in the top five through 33 events (4,246) in 2024 and his 10.34 average running position is also tops.
• The 2021 Cup Series champion is 35 markers ahead of the playoff elimination line entering the penultimate race in the Round of 8. He has 19 more playoff points than any other driver.
• Larson has led the most laps in four of the last eight races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He’s won six stages at the South Florida track, the most by four.
• With two victories on non-drafting, 1.5-mile tracks this year, Larson is the only multi-time winner. His six wins in 2024 are double his nearest competitor.
• The 32-year-old driver is the only competitor to have eclipsed the 1,000-laps-led barrier in 2024 with 1,615 – 616 more than any other driver. His 12 stage wins are one more than anyone else.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
 Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last week: 33rd (Las Vegas)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 8th (-68)

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Homestead
Races	32	363	10
Wins	6	29	1
Poles	5	21	—
Top 5	13	117	5
Top 10	16	180	5
Laps Led	1,615	9,171	625
Stage Wins	12	62	6
Average Finish	13.5	14.2	13.0

2024	Cup Career	Homestead
Races	33	319	8
Wins	1	19	—
Poles	—	12	—
Top 5	9	102	2
Top 10	16	168	3
Laps Led	214	5,309	31
Stage Wins	1	37	0
Average Finish	12.3	13.0	10.4

• Chase Elliott enters the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8 in the eighth position in the standings, 53 points below the elimination line.
• The 28-year-old is in his seventh appearance in the Round of 8, the third-most among active playoff drivers. He’s advanced to the Championship 4 in his three most recent postseason berths (2020-2022) and won the championship in 2020.
• Elliott has the second-best average finish (10.38) at Homestead-Miami Speedway among active Cup drivers with at least two starts. In six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2024, the driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has earned 182 points. That includes a victory at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season, the 19th of his career.
• Elliott has won at two of three remaining playoff venues. He was triumphant in the penultimate race of the 2020 season at Martinsville Speedway before capturing both the victory and the Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway the following weekend.
• Through 33 races in 2024, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has nine top-five finishes and is tied for the fourth-most top 10s with 16. He also has the third-best average running position (12).

24 WILLIAM BYRON
 Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Week: 4th (Las Vegas)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 3rd (-15)
 
No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2024	Cup Career	Homestead
Races	33	249	6
Wins	3	13	1
Poles	1	13	1
Top 5	12	53	2
Top 10	18	101	3
Laps Led	287	2,908	159
Stage Wins	2	23	1
Average Finish	13.7	15.3	14.8

• William Byron opened the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8 with crucial stage points and a fourth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week. It marked his fourth consecutive top-four finish – the longest by a driver since he did it in 2023.
• Heading into the second race of the Round of 8, Byron is fourth in the points standings, 27 points above the elimination line.
• So far in the 2024 playoffs, Byron has accumulated 67 stage points (most by a playoff driver) and 254 points total (second most).
• The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has at least one victory at each remaining venue including at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season.
• Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be Byron’s 250th start in the Cup Series. Only four drivers have collected the checkered flag in their 250th start with Chris Buescher the most recent in 2022.
• Byron has one win (2021), two top-five finishes and three top 10s at Homestead-Miami. He’s led 159 laps over his last three starts there.
• In six races at 1.5-mile tracks this season, Byron has collected the most points (238) and has an active streak of three consecutive top-10 results.
• In 2024, Byron has 12 top-five finishes and 18 top 10s – third most in both categories.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
 Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Week: 5th (Las Vegas)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 9th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
 

2024	Cup Career	Homestead
Races	33	322	8
Wins	1	8	—
Poles	1	5	—
Top 5	8	40	—
Top 10	16	95	2
Laps Led	66	1,367	—
Stage Wins	1	7	—
Average Finish	15.1	19.4	19.9

• Alex Bowman notched his fourth top five at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday, coming home fifth. With the finish, he tied his career marks for a single season in top fives (eight) and top 10s (16), both of which came in 2021.
• This Sunday will mark Bowman’s ninth career NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he has finished in the top 10 in two of his last four events.
• Bowman is in a three-way tie for the longest active top-10 streak on 1.5-mile tracks (four). He has finished ninth or better in each of the last four races at venues of this size.
• With 180 points earned on 1.5-mile tracks this season, Bowman sits with all three Hendrick Motorsports teammates (William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson) in the top 10 for the most points earned on tracks this length this season.
• For four years, Bowman and Ally have teamed up to support Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to South Florida Beagle Rescue in Miami

Hendrick Motorsports
 

2024	All-Time	Homestead
Races	33	1,378	25
Wins	11*	312*	4
Poles	7	253*	4
Top 5	42*	1,274*	20
Top 10	66*	2,178*	39
Laps Led	2,182	81,939*	1,033
Stage Wins	16	114	4**

*Most
**Tied for most

• Since the start of 2020, Hendrick Motorsports has won five of 16 races held in the state of Florida, the most of any organziation in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Over the last three events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports drivers have combined to lead 463 of 801 laps and have won four of six stages.
• This weekend, all four Hendrick Motorsports cars will sport the name of a family in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House.
• Hendrick Motorsports has gone to victory lane 60 times in playoff races, 23 more than any other team. The organization’s 11 wins in 2024 are the most by five.
• All four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews rank in the top six in terms of average time for a four-tire pit stop. The No. 24 over-the-wall squad of William Byron leads the organization and is second in the Cup Series at 10.87 seconds.

QUOTABLE /
 
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Homestead-Miami Speedway: “I look forward to racing at Homestead-Miami – I just really love that track. We only get to go there once a year, whereas a lot of intermediates we go to twice a year. I wish we could go there twice because I just love the track. So yeah, I look forward to going there because, one, I love it, and we’re really, really fast there. And yeah, it’s just a good track for us.”

Chase Elliott, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s outlook following Las Vegas: “Going into the Round of 8, our mindset was we’re going to have to win to have a shot in Phoenix, so what happened at Las Vegas doesn’t really change that. It was unfortunate because our NAPA Chevy was really, really good and I think we would have potentially had a shot at it there at the end if we hadn’t got caught up in that incident. The fact that we had speed though gives me confidence heading into Homestead this weekend. Our team is fully capable of winning. We just need to go and execute.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “We’re always really good at Homestead. It’s just trying to be the best car. We’ve focused a lot on that in the Chevy simulator this week. I feel like we’re in a really good spot as a team. Hopefully we can go in there with a good baseline setup and we can work through and build off of it through the weekend to be that best car.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “With a top five at (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway), our Ally Racing No. 48 team is still pushing hard for a strong finish to the season. Homestead is a place I’ve been working hard at in the simulator to improve. I’ve had a couple better finishes for myself in that last handful of races there but certainly nowhere near where I want to be yet. Hopefully that practice will pay off and we can execute a solid race on Sunday as a team.”

Homestead-Miami Speedway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 23, 2024) – Todd Gilliland returns to the Sunshine State as the NASCAR Cup Series makes their annual trip to the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With just three races remaining on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, Gilliland and the No. 38 team are focused on finishing strong and making a final push for the highest possible points position. Following the Cup Series second trip to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gilliland sits 23rd in the Driver’s Standings.

The NASCAR Cup Series will practice and qualify at 9:00 AM ET on Saturday, October 26th. The Straight Talk Wireless 400 is scheduled for Sunday, October 27th at 2:30 PM ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in via the Motor Racing Network or SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 gener8tor Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“Miami is a fun track. I have had some good runs there in the Truck Series, so I know I have what it takes to succeed, we just have to execute. We’re almost to the off season and it’s easy to get lazy, but there’s still some good race left for us to have good finishes.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“There is still a lot to race for with only three tracks left on the schedule. Todd (Gilliland) and I don’t want to leave anything on the table. We just have to execute and make the most of these remaining races.”

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.

RYAN PREECE
Homestead Advance
No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 27
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece and the No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing head to South Florida for the NASCAR Cup Series’ annual visit to the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval. Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 will be the sixth Cup Series start at Homestead for the native of Berlin, Connecticut, who’ll be celebrating his 34th birthday Friday. Best of his previous five outings was last October’s 13th-place finish from the 29th starting position.

● Outside the NASCAR Cup Series, Preece has posted multiple strong runs at Homestead in limited NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action. Best of his four Xfinity Series outings were his most recent two – back-to-back season finales driving Joe Gibbs Racing equipment in November 2017 and 2018. He started and finished fifth in the 2017 race, then came back the following year to finish sixth from the 12th starting position. Preece qualified on the pole for his lone Homestead Truck Series start with David Gilliland Racing in October 2022, but had to start from the back after unapproved adjustments before the race. Still, he battled to the front, led a pair of laps by the race’s midpoint, and rallied for a fourth-place finish.

● Joining Preece at Homestead and for the second weekend in a row is Bonanza, a California Cabernet Sauvignon created by Chuck Wagner of Caymus Vineyards. The wine’s name is inspired by the “bonanza” of the great state of California, where diverse vineyard land that produces delicious Cabernet can be found. Preece got to enjoy the fruits of his labor quite literally in June 2023 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Preece competed in the ARCA Menards Series West race and dominated from start to finish. He won the pole and led twice for a race-high 50 laps, including the final 32 tours around the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course to take the victory by a commanding 9.675 seconds over runner-up Sammy Smith. It was Preece’s first ARCA victory and the first ARCA win for Stewart-Haas. From his race-winning chalice in victory lane, Preece sipped on Bonanza, soaking in the moment amid TV interviews and photographs.

● Chuck Wagner and his late parents, Lorna and Charlie Sr., opened Caymus Vineyards in 1972, starting off with 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Based at its original “home ranch” in Rutherford, California – deep in the heart of Napa Valley Wine Country – Caymus Vineyards remains a hands-on family affair. In addition to their celebrated Cabernet Sauvignons, Chuck and two of his children – Charlie and Jenny – produce diverse wines from Napa Valley, other parts of California and beyond. Said Preece about partnering with Caymus Vineyards and its Bonanza brand: “Representing Caymus Vineyards and Bonanza at Sonoma allowed me to see just how hands-on the Wagner family is when it comes to their winemaking. It’s impressive, and it’s something I can really appreciate. I’m hands-on with my racecars because I want them to be the very best. They have the same mindset at Caymus. That’s why they’re a great partner for our race team.”

● Riding along with Preece this weekend at Homestead as part of the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is the Bucci Family. Their 15-year-old daughter, Olivia, came down with meningitis earlier this year and spent 85 days in the hospital. Her parents were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut. The family chose to be represented on Precce’s No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse as Preece is also a Connecticut native, hailing from Berlin.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Is there a track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule that emulates some of the characteristics of Homestead? If so, do you have an indication of how you’ll perform this weekend?

“I feel based off of Kansas and Vegas, we’ve had a really good car at tracks where typically you aren’t wide open at, and that makes me feel pretty confident, I would say, for us to have a good run at Homestead. So I think we’ve gotten our mile-and-a-half package for our car to be pretty solid in the race. And now if we could just figure out qualifying speeds so we could have some speed there, it would certainly help us.”

Drivers seem to universally praise Homestead. Do you feel the same way when it comes to racing there? And what are you able to do with a car at Homestead that you can’t do elsewhere?

“I think it’s just because you have different options. You have options to kind of move around and make speed. As a racecar driver, that’s all you really want is the ability to go where somebody else is and not feel like you have a one-lane racetrack. So Homestead just opens up a lot a lot of options to be able to run all the way against the fence or maybe even run the bottom, which I think will provide some good racing. The surface of the track is really worn, so you have to run that wall as best you can because that will be the sweet spot. The tire wear will be pretty substantial, so our team will focus on the tire strategy and taking care of our stuff. As always, we’ll want to qualify well so we can be upfront with track position just being everything.”

Your best of five NASCAR Cup Series finishes at Homestead was 13th last year. Best of your four Xfinity Series finishes was fifth and sixth for JGR in 2017 and 2018. Your lone Truck Series outing was a fourth-place finish from the pole in 2022. Success at Homestead in the NASCAR Cup Series seems to be more difficult to obtain. What makes success at the Cup level there so much more difficult, and why does prior success at a venue in another series not always translate to Cup?

“I think there are a lot of things that play into that. And I think this this NextGen car kind of levels the playing field. So, going into Homestead this year, I feel like we have a better mile-and-a half program – for us, anyway – and I feel like we can better that.”

No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Sherman Timbs

Hometown: Indianola, Mississippi

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania