TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
With the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series’ playoff fields each dwindled down to just eight remaining championship contenders, the two divisions will head west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to kickoff the final three-race stretch that will lead to the title-deciding race. Six Chevrolet drivers will have the opportunity to punch an early ticket into the Xfinity Series’ Championship Four in Saturday’s Ambetter Health 250. The weekend will be capped off by the Cup Series in Sunday’s South Point 400, where a trio of Hendrick Motorsports teammates will lead the Bowtie brigade into the third round of the title battle.
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Chevrolet has put on a commanding performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in recent years with the manufacturer owning wins in four of the five races in the Next Gen era, including an active streak of three-straight courtesy of playoff contenders William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023; March 2024). With Larson’s victory earlier this spring, Chevrolet heads into the weekend with 13 all-time Cup Series wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – just one win shy of tying the manufacturer-leading record currently held by Ford. Hendrick Motorsports is the only organization with a double-digit win count at the Nevada oval, with five different drivers earning a combined 10 all-time triumphs. Among those victories includes Chevrolet’s first trip to victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at the track, which came with NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon, in March 2001.
Next Gen Numbers: Intermediates
On the circuit’s non-drafting intermediate ovals, ranging in 1.25 to 1.5 miles in length, Chevrolet owns a winning percentage of 51.6 percent in the Next Gen era with 16 victories in 31 races. The most recent Chevrolet driver to add a tally to that win category was Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, who powered his No. 1 Camaro ZL1 to a playoff spoiler victory at Kansas Speedway just a few weeks ago. Playoff contenders Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have each found victory lane on a 1.5-mile circuit this season. Two of Larson’s now six victories came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 2024) and Kansas Speedway (May 2024), with Elliott ending his 42-race winless streak at Texas Motor Speedway (April 2024).
LOOKING BACK ON A MEMORABLE ‘FIRST’
Las Vegas Motor Speedway will forever hold a special place in Kyle Larson’s NASCAR Cup Series career, serving as the site of his first win as a Hendrick Motorsports driver. Just four races into his tenure with the Chevrolet organization (March 2021), the Elk Grove, California, native parked the No. 5 Chevrolet in victory lane – a win that ultimately set up for a record-setting season that led to his championship title. Closing out his fourth season of competition with Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has tallied 23 of his 29 career Cup Series wins behind the wheel of the organization’s Chevrolet-powered machines. The 2021 Las Vegas victory also marked the first in NASCAR’s top division for crew chief Cliff Daniels, who has gone on to lead Larson and the No. 5 Chevrolet team through the entirety of his career at Hendrick Motorsports.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS TRIO LEADS CHEVROLET TO ROUND OF EIGHT
With a win and a strong points day at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott kept their title hopes alive to join their Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Round of Eight. While the first-two postseason rounds delivered chaos and unpredictability, the next set of tracks fare quite well for the three Chevrolet drivers, with each owning a victory at least one of the three upcoming venues.
Larson Back on Top
In similar fashion to the opening round’s elimination race, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team drove to a powerhouse victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course to close out the Round of 12 and continue in the championship battle. The victory marked the 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native’s sixth victory of the season – a record that doubles the next leading competitor. With the playoff rankings reset, Larson has found his way back to the top of the points leaderboard with the former series champion holding a 33-point cushion above the cutline – more than double second-ranked Christopher Bell. Over the next three races, Larson will be vying for his third appearance in the Championship Four. The Chevrolet driver has found victory lane in each of the three tracks in the Round of Eight – owning three wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as well as one win at both Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.
Byron Looks to Build Onto Second Round Success
William Byron was the only playoff driver to have earned an early berth into the next round prior to the elimination race weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native capped off an already stellar performance in the Round of 12 with a third-straight podium finish at his home track. Similar to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Byron is heading into what is statistically the strongest set of tracks in his postseason run with triumphs at each venue (Las Vegas Motor Speedway – one win; Homestead-Miami Speedway – one win; Martinsville Speedway – two wins). The No. 24 Chevrolet team heads into the final three-race stretch to the championship ranked fourth in the standings with a four-point advantage over the cutline.
Elliott To Tap into Playoff Experience
With a top-five result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Chevrolet team comfortably pointed their way into the Round of Eight. The 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native is one of four former series champions left in title contention. The Chevrolet driver has made his way to the Championship Four in three of his previous seven playoff appearances, with his first coming in his championship-earning season. Of his 19 career NASCAR Cup Series victories, seven were recorded in the playoffs – one of which came in the Round of Eight (Martinsville Speedway – 2020).
CHEVROLET COMMANDS IN XFINITY SERIES ROUND OF EIGHT
In an eventful end to the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ playoff opening round, JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer drove his No. 1 Chevrolet to back-to-back walk-off wins to advance to the Round of Eight for the second consecutive season. Mayer is part of a monstrous lineup for the Bowtie brigade in the next round, with six drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations continuing in the run for the championship.
Allgaier Leads into Final Title Stretch
Despite a tumultuous opening round, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier salvaged a seventh-place finish at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road course to point his way into the Round of Eight. The 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native will enter the next round back on top of the playoff standings, with the No. 7 Chevrolet team holding an 18-point advantage over the elimination line. Allgaier is the only driver to compete in all nine NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, with the series’ veteran looking to make a series-leading seventh run at the title in the championship-deciding race.
Fellow Chevrolet driver, Austin Hill, will also head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway above the playoff cutline, with the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team ranked fourth in the standings with an eight-point cushion over the cutline. JR Motorsports Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith currently sit fifth (-8 points) and eighth (-19 points), respectively, with Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love in sixth (-12 points) and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger in seventh (-18 points).
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Chevrolet leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a winning percentage of 50 percent at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, heading into the weekend with 17 victories at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. The manufacturer’s winning ways at Las Vegas Motor Speedway began in the series’ debut weekend at the venue (March 1997), with Jeff Green and the No. 8 Gary Bechtel-owned Chevrolet team topping the leaderboard in both qualifying and the race. Most recently, it was current playoff contender, Austin Hill, and the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team tallied a victory at the track (March 2023).
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· With 82 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 50% with 41 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 16 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 10 wins).
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Kyle Larson – three wins (March 2021, Oct. 2023, March 2024)
William Byron – one win (March 2023)
Alex Bowman – one win (March 2022)
Kyle Busch – one win (March 2009)
· In 33 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 13 victories. Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at the track with 10, recorded among five drivers: Jeff Gordon (2001), Jimmie Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010), Kyle Larson (2021, 2023, 2024), Alex Bowman (2022), William Byron (2023).
· Chevrolet has won four of the five races in the Next Gen era at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – all recorded with Hendrick Motorsports (Larson – two wins; Byron – one win; Bowman – one win).
· Since the debut of the Next Gen vehicles in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, Chevrolet has won three of the series’ four races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – recorded by Alex Bowman (March 2022), William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023).
· On NASCAR’s current non-drafting intermediate ovals, ranging from 1.25 to 1.5 miles in length, Chevrolet owns a winning percentage of 51.6 percent in the Next Gen era with 16 victories in 31 races.
· In 104 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 50%.
· 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.
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1174
Ford: 1120 (-54)
Toyota: 1120 (-54)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 1078
Toyota: 1031 (-47)
Ford: 929 (-149)
Manufacturer Points Standings
Chevrolet: 745
Toyota: 703 (-42)
Ford: 670 (-75)
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Round of Eight: Race One
South Point 400
Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2:30 p.m. ET
(NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Round of Eight: Race One
Ambetter Health 302
Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET
(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1
You started a trend at Phoenix last year and followed it up a couple of weeks ago as a non-playoff driver winning in a playoff round. How unusual is that?
“I can only speak for us and to see the 17 car (Chris Buescher) win at Watkins Glen and those are two cars, us and the 17, that I think you can easily make the case of us being capable of being in the playoffs. We just didn’t execute over 26 races and win. I don’t think it’s a trend other than the 1 car is fast enough to win any week, whether it’s the first race of the year, the middle part or the end.”
Do you like racing at Las Vegas?
“I’ve been lucky to have some fast Trackhouse Chevrolets at Las Vegas over the last couple years. I got my first Xfinity Series win at Las Vegas so it’s a track that has a lot of meaning to me. I like racing there and I’m looking forward to getting on the track.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
Larson on Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
“Las Vegas has been one of our better tracks. On paper, all three tracks in the Round of 8 stack up pretty well for our HENDRICKCARS.COM team, but we still have to go out and execute. I would like to run well and win, but we also have a good opportunity to score stage points and hopefully create a bigger gap before Martinsville.”
JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1
You have four races remaining this season. What do you look to accomplish in advance of next year?
“The last three weeks have been a whirlwind. I am definitely glad to get a head start on getting comfortable with things as the season comes to a close. When Daytona rolls around next year, we will be able to hit the ground running. The cars have had the speed we need, we just haven’t been able to close things out. It will be a successful end of the year if we can earn a top 10 or two.”
You’re three races into your return to Spire Motorsports. How would you assess the last three weekends?
“I think we’re about where I thought we’d be. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to familiarize myself and understand the processes that (crew chief) Ryan (Sparks) has in place while getting to know the team and how those guys approach a race weekend. I know Spire Motorsports has made big strides in their intermediate track program so I’m looking forward to seeing how everything shakes out once we unload. From the driver’s seat, I think I’ve been better than my results show at Las Vegas, so hopefully we can make some noise this weekend and put a good finish on the board.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 FICO CAMARO ZL1
You ran well at the spring race in Las Vegas. How satisfying would it be to run strong again and finish well at this race?
“We did run well there in the spring so it would be really nice to back up that run this weekend. Since the summer break we have gotten faster as a group thanks to all the effort and hard work by everyone at RCR and ECR. Now we just need to put a whole race together in order to score a win.”
Do you agree that racing at the mile-and-a-half tracks has been good recently?
“I would say that there have been some good races on the mile-and-a-half race tracks this year. We have definitely seen some exciting finishes and some great battles.”
The Las Vegas Cup race has an early start time (11:30 a.m.). Would you be in favor of starting Cup races earlier in the day instead of mid-afternoon?
“I think the start times for Cup Series races should always be around the 1 p.m. local time window wherever we are.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
Elliott on what it will take to advance to the Championship 4:
“I think you can be really, really solid and probably get through, but I would like to go win and win our way in. I think we’re very capable of that. I look at (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway) next week as a great opportunity and same for Homestead(-Miami Speedway) and Martinsville (Speedway). I always say, you get to this round and you know it really is game on. I think anybody has a shot so I’m ready to get going.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1
Byron on his thoughts for the Round of Eight:
“I’m proud of the round we had the last three weeks. We executed everything like we needed to. Hopefully we can do the same this round. Ideally, we would lock ourselves into the final round in one of the first two races so we can put all our efforts into Phoenix (Raceway). If not, if we just do what we did this last round, hopefully it’s enough to advance on. I know our team is capable of it.”
DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 SOUTH POINT HOTEL & CASINO CAMARO ZL1
“I’m looking forward to going back to Las Vegas, which is like another home track for me. It’s special having South Point back on our No. 31 Chevrolet, a partner that has done so much for me in my career. We went home with a top-20 finish there in the spring, and I think with all the work we’ve been doing on our mile-and-a-half package, we have a chance to improve on that.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
Bowman on going to Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
“I think we can be really strong this weekend at the Vegas intermediate. This year we were really good at Kansas. Vegas is normally a good place for us. We had some issues there in the spring with the car but I think that was an oddly bad race for us. Other than that, we typically race pretty good there. Definitely excited about this weekend.”
ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1
How are you feeling heading out to the West Coast this weekend and racing at a track you are familiar with?
“I’m really looking forward to racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. I classify Las Vegas as my home track so it’s always special when I get to come back here and race, especially in the Cup car. Only four more races left in the season and my No. 71 Spire Motorsports team still has more to prove. I’m thankful to have Focused Health aboard this weekend. The orange chrome numbers are awesome and the car looks great!”
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1
As you are nearing the end of the season, you continue to build a significant points gap for Sunoco Rookie of the Year Honors. How do you plan to close the deal in the next few weeks?
“Our speed all season has helped get us to the position we are today. I believe we’re almost 100 points ahead so I feel pretty good. Our team has worked hard all year long to build that gap, so it’s truly been a team effort. We are going to continue to do what we have all season and it should take care of itself.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1
How do we approach the final four races?
“We want to win these races. No matter the playoff situation, we are all racers and do this because we want to win. A victory in one of these final races will make the off-season even better. We will work just as hard now to get better.”
Thoughts on the season?
“We aren’t happy but you are never happy unless you are the champion. We made it to the Round of 12 and that’s something to be proud of considering the competition in this series. We know we can do better and we will keep working until we get to the level of battling for the championship.”
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: 3,118
Top-five finishes: 63
Top-10 finishes: 129
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: 252,273
Top-five finishes to date: 4,361
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,989
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,200
Chevrolet: 866
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 837
Ford: 737
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.
