TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Bristol Motor Speedway
September 17-19, 2026

Chevrolet Newsroom

The NASCAR Chase rolls into East Tennessee for a tripleheader weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with all three national touring series facing postseason action under the lights of the famed .533-mile concrete oval. The Craftsman Truck Series will open its own Chase Thursday night in the UNOH 250 Presented by Ohio Logistics, while Friday’s Food City 300 for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race for the Cup Series will mark the third race in each of their respective postseason schedules. Kyle Larson enters the weekend having snapped a 51-race winless streak during a chaotic afternoon at World Wide Technology Raceway, closing to within just nine points from the Chase leader, Denny Hamlin. Sheldon Creed grabbed the O’Reilly Series points lead with a runner-up finish at Gateway, while the Truck Series field turns the page entirely as Team Chevy’s four title contenders will begin their championship campaigns.

LARSON, LOVE MAKE A STATEMENT IN TITLE-DEFENDING CAMPAIGNS

No two Chevrolet drivers gained more confidence at World Wide Technology Raceway than reigning champions Kyle Larson and Jesse Love. Larson entered Sunday’s race seventh in the Cup Series Chase standings, 49 points behind leader Denny Hamlin, before his victory produced a 40-point swing and vaulted him five spots to second and within striking distance of the points lead heading into a track where he’s historically been the class of the field.

Love authored a similar climb a night earlier in the O’Reilly Series, rallying late to hold off Carson Kvapil for his first win of the season – ultimately moving him from sixth to fourth in the Chase standings, cutting what had been a 48-point deficit to the lead, down to just 16. Both drivers now carry real momentum into Bristol, a track where a strong run could push them even closer to the top of their respective standings and one step closer to defending their championship titles.

 
CHEVROLET HITS SEASON-BEST SHOWING

Chevrolet’s charge at World Wide Technology Raceway was not limited to Kyle Larson’s win. Seven Chevrolet’s crossed the line inside the top-10 of the Enjoy Illinois 300 with Larson leading Alex Bowman (second), William Byron (fourth), Ross Chastain (fifth), Austin Dillon (sixth), Connor Zilisch (seventh) and Carson Hocevar (eighth) – marking the manufacturer’s strongest single-race showing of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Hendrick Motorsports alone accounted for three of those top-four finishers, including Bowman, who not only played a pivotal role in pushing his teammate to the victory, but also brought home his best finish of the season. Following in a similar fashion, Dillon’s sixth-place finish and Zilisch’s seven-place finish matched their respective season-best results. The Bowtie brigade will look to carry that kind of depth into Bristol, a track where Chevrolet’s overall numbers in the sport’s top division is already the best in the garage with 48 all-time victories.

 

BIGGEST MOVERS

Among the 16 title contenders, Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson and Carson Hocevar were the biggest movers up the standings following the second stop on the NASCAR Cup Series postseason tour. Larson heads to Bristol as the class of the Chevrolet Chase contingent and arguably the man to beat overall. His victory in Sunday’s race vaulted him from seventh to second in the standings, just in time to head to one of his statistically strongest tracks. In the sport’s top division, the reigning champion owns three wins (Sept. 2021, Sept. 2024, Apr. 2025), as well as nine top-five finishes in his last 12 starts. His last two wins came alongside an overall dominant run that included stage sweeps and more than 400 laps led in each event. In the Next Gen era, his 7.0 average finish sits strong at the top of the leaderboard among the series’ active drivers.

Carson Hocevar quietly continued his solid first Chase campaign with an eighth-place run at Gateway, boosting him up three positions to ninth in the standings and now 88 points back. The Spire Motorsports driver has shown real speed at Bristol in his short career, finishing 11th or better in four of his six starts there, including a seventh-place run with 26 laps led last fall and a 10th-place result with top-seven stage finishes in this year’s spring race.

 

PAGING A NEW POINTS LEADER

Chevrolet continues to add to an already record season in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with the manufacturer occupying the top-eight spots of the Chase standings entering the Bristol race weekend. Sheldon Creed backed up his Chase opening victory with a runner-up result at Gateway, an effort that was enough to lift the Haas Factory Team driver into the points lead for the first time this season. Despite an uncharacteristic start to the postseason for Justin Allgaier, the veteran driver still sits in the second position and just three points behind Creed. Carson Kvapil sits third, nine back, after leading a career-high 105 laps before fading late at the Illinois-based oval. Defending series champion, Jesse Love, not only drove to a breakthrough win at Gateway, but made a massive 32-point gain up the standings to now sit fourth and just 16 points off the pace.

Chevrolet’s history at Bristol in the second-tier series is just as decorated as its Cup Series resume with 39 all-time wins, including a record 16-race winning streak that ran from Aug. 1997 through April 2005. Allgaier is the only Chase contender that is a past Bristol winner having earned two trips to victory lane at the Tennessee short track in his career (Mar. 2010 and Sept. 2023).

 
GREEN FLAG FLIES FOR THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHASE

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will officially join in on the postseason action with Thursday’s UNOH 250 presented by Ohio Logistics serving as the Chase opener to start a seven-race stretch to determine the 2026 champion. The 10-truck Chase field will feature four Team Chevy drivers, led by McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes, who ranks fourth in the standings heading into the postseason. The New York native brings one of the strongest Bristol resumes in the field. In four starts behind the wheel of a McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, he’s finished no worse than fifth, including a dominant win in the track’s 2024 sprint event where he led the final 92 laps.

CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger sits seventh in the Chase field, and despite an up-and-down campaign through much of the regular season, a trip to victory lane at Lime Rock Park in July put him up into the top-10 of the points standings for the first time this season and he never looked back en route to his postseason berth. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing rounds out the manufacturer’s Chase contingent with Daniel Hemric in eighth and Tyler Ankrum in 10th.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Silverado RST pacing the Craftsman Truck Series.

· Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in both of NASCAR’s top-two divisions at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Bowtie brand heading into the weekend with 48 Cup Series wins and 39 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins.

· 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 171 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 74 victories – a winning percentage of 43.3%.

· 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 888 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 Bristol Motor Speedway, which will feature a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: Traverse, Tahoe, Silverado LD, Silverado HD, Equinox, Colorado and Corvette.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Thursday, Sept. 17: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 18: 12:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 19: 12:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET

USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Food City 300

Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET

CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

UNOH 250 Presented by Ohio Logistics

Thursday, Sept. 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET

FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

How is the Bass Pro Shops Night race different from the Food City 500 in the spring?

“Yeah, just something about being at night. The Cup cars don’t spark as much as O’Reilly cars or Trucks do, but still, just racecars at night, you can see every little bit of a brake glow and the exhaust. On the Cup cars, you can see them on both sides. So on the backstretch, you can see them on the frontstretch and vice versa. I just think that seeing those flames, the color change in the brakes, it’s so bright inside the track, but yet you can still see that color contrast in the front temperature for the night races. And in the O’Reilly and Truck Series, those vehicles spark a lot, especially on those last restarts if they put tires on, you’ll see most of the field sparking, driving as hard as they can. I love to see race cars hit the ground and spark. I think that’s cool.”

How would you explain to someone who’s never been to Bristol what they’ll see in a night race?

“It’s something you just got to see for yourself. I think in all live sports until you see that quarterback throw that Hail Mary in person, you see that running back go through a hole and score, or two guys hit and you hear those helmets crack. With us it’s the engines when we all fire off turn four. I get nervous watching. I’m actually more comfortable in the car than I am watching because I don’t understand how 36 cars can fit around that track. There’s times when we get strung out that it doesn’t look like we all fit. I don’t think you can describe it. You have to experience it for yourself.”

Do you recall your first time walking into Bristol and what your thoughts were?

“I do. Yeah, I was a kid. We went as fans, sat up in the middle of turns one and two, about three quarters of the way up and then watched the Cup race. We came over from the mountains. My parents had a cabin over in Western North Carolina. So we were a long way from Florida. We’d go to Bristol for the fall race. It’s definitely something I’ve never forgotten, the first time I sat and walked out through the grandstands to look out at the racetrack.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Bristol Motor Speedway seems to be a track that a lot of drivers really love. What do you think it’s going to take to come out of there with a good finish?

“Execution. I think we’ve got to execute to the best of our ability. I think we know where we are speed wise, we’ve got to get better, and that takes some time. But we can go out and execute like we did this past weekend at Gateway. We had qualities of our car that really were good, and then some that weren’t so good. So we took the best out of our car and were able to get a top-10 finish, we finished sixth. If we can go to Bristol and do the same with the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Patriotic Chevrolet I would be stoked.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Heading back to Bristol, what are your thoughts going into the night race?

“Bristol at night is a race I really enjoy. Last fall was a tough race, but I am excited to get back there with the No. 7 team. We’ve learned a lot since the spring race, where we had a decent finish. The fans, the lights, the atmosphere, is what is really exciting at the night race. Hopefully, this time we can put together the kind of night I know this team is capable of.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?

“I think anyone who says they are a NASCAR fan likes Bristol. I’ve loved the place since I was a kid and I’ve loved racing there in the Camping World Truck and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. I love a challenge and I am optimistic about this weekend.”

Is the Night race special?

“The night race at Bristol is one of those events every driver circles on the calendar at the beginning of the year. There’s just a different energy when you come through the tunnel for the night race—the atmosphere in the stadium under the lights is electric, and it’s easily one of the most intense, iconic races on the entire schedule.”

What is the strategy at Bristol for your team?

“Five hundred laps around Bristol at night is a total grinding match. You don’t get a second to relax or breathe out there because things happen so fast in front of you. By the end of the night, you’re worn out, but if you can be there at the end with a clean race car, you’ve really accomplished something.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Does Bristol still give you chills walking in there?

“Bristol is one of my most favorite tracks, but it’s definitely a grind. It’s grueling and probably by the time the race is over my whole body hurts. Still that place gives me chills when you walk into it. We’ve had some good runs there in the past and won a pole in the Cup Series in 2025. We’ve got a win there in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series too. So, yeah, I love that place under the lights.”

Are you looking forward to having a new sponsor at Bristol?

“It’s pretty cool to have NASCAR’s Official Partner Suburban Propane on our No. 16 Cup car at Bristol. They activate a lot in our sport and we are proud to carry their banner on our car. I’ll be signing autographs with them on race day too. It’s always good to be able to get out and see the fans especially on behalf of our partners. We hope to put on a good show for Suburban Propane and we’re looking forward to having the President and CEO (Michael Stivala) there with us.”

Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Returning to Bristol Motor Speedway for your second career Bass Pro Shops Night Race, what is the key to a good result on Saturday night?

“Bristol is a really cool place to race at, especially under the lights for the night race. We had a good car there last year and should have finished inside the top-18 or 20 if the tire curveball wasn’t thrown at the beginning of the race. No one was expecting what happened, so we got caught a couple laps down and had to manage it the best we could for the rest of the night. We were able to unlap ourselves under green and leave with a top-25 finish. We want to improve that this time around with our Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet, so qualifying will be important and we’ll have to stay on top of strategy to manage the race as it unfolds. Things happen fast and can change quickly at Bristol, so being adaptable is important.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“Bristol at night is always one of the races you look forward to, so it’s great to have Chef Boyardee back with us for it,” said Stenhouse. “We’ve had some really strong runs with them on the car this year, especially at Daytona and Talladega, and hopefully we can add another one at Bristol. It’s a place I really enjoy racing, and there’s nothing quite like being there for the night race.”

Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

“Bristol is 500 laps of chaos. To be able to walk out of Bristol with a good result is always very rewarding, because you know how hard it is to achieve.

Even though the distance at Bristol is not very long – a little more than 266 miles – 500 laps there is a long time. The mental endurance it takes to run at 110 percent and be on your A-game from start to finish is key. You have to be laser-focused on hitting your marks, but also ready to adapt.

Bristol is not like a traditional short track where the bottom lane is dominant throughout the race. You’re going to see people racing the middle line and the high line, and the track conditions are going to play a big part in that. You need to be on the wheel and stay ahead of those changing track conditions, and really pay attention to tire wear and what you’re feeling during the course of a run.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What is your outlook heading into one of the most highly anticipated races of the season?

“Bristol is such a great weekend when it comes to the night race. I didn’t come from a traditional short track racing background, my upbringing was sports cars and road courses, unlike a lot of the other drivers. So, I have always felt like if I could win at Bristol then I can finally say I have made it as a Cup Series driver, which can be a little contradicting after almost 20 years of stock car racing. It is an incredible environment. Travis (crew chief Travis Peterson) and I had some success there early in our career together. We finished 11th two times and sixth before that. Track position is critical to maximize your day. We have also seen some unpredictable tire wear in the past, so that is always a factor, but our Spire organization has started to find some success there in the last year or so and feel like we have the notebook to compete.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

You’re ninth in points and have a two solid runs to start The Chase. How do you and Luke (Lambert, Crew Chief) ) stack up at Bristol?

“I enjoy it. We run well there. I felt like we had a really good shot, and probably the best chance we’d had to win a race last fall before the caution came out late in the pit cycle. It is Luke’s favorite race, and he’s won there a couple times, so we all look forward to that one.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

How much of a benefit is it to go back to tracks for a second time?

“I’m going to a lot of these tracks for the second time and that’s beneficial to me. Just knowing that I’ve seen these tracks before and that I have notes I can lean on makes a difference. I feel like that’s a big help.”

What has been the morale of the team following a solid run this past weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway?

“It’s certainly helpful to have a weekend like St. Louis that after the year we’ve had. But honestly, my team has stayed pretty motivated and confident behind me all year long. The confidence has never wavered. It’s just been a matter of actually going out and doing it, but we know we know that we’re capable of it and we know we can’t point fingers at anybody because we all have a job to do. We can all do our jobs better. It’s hard for me to point fingers at the group and vice versa. We’ve stayed confident in each other all year long.”

What are your thoughts entering Bristol?

“I’m excited for Bristol this weekend. I feel like we’ve got some momentum after a really good day in St. Louis. We had three cars in the top 10 there until an incident took Shane out of contention late in the race. I feel like we found something there and we’re going to try and carry that over. The first Bristol race didn’t go too great for us but we’re doing a lot of different things at this point in the year and hope to see some progress with the cars. It’s my first Bristol night race so I’m excited to get to race under the lights. I won at Bristol before and it’s one of the coolest tracks to win at so that would be awesome to do. I’m excited to carry on the momentum we built at St. Louis and we’re hoping to continue that through the rest of the year.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Do you feel like this season has been your greatest improvement or do you feel like it’s consistent with what you’ve done before? Do you feel like you’ve really kind of raised your gain and feel much more confident after the work you’ve done this year?

“Yeah, I think so. I think the last third of last year, we really took some steps forward, and I think we’ve just continued on that. I feel like I’m a lot closer to Ross (Chastain) this year. You know, he’s a pretty good benchmark, I think as a teammate, and I feel like I’ve been able to match him a lot. Still some areas he’s really good at. He’s really good at not having bad days and dragging results out of cars that probably shouldn’t be up there. He’s someone I’m really trying to learn off and match closely. It’s been good to be around or just in front of him in the points this year kind of pushing each other along has been really cool. So yeah, just got to keep the improvement going. I feel like every week, I’m learning stuff and still trying new things. I still have a lot to learn.”

With not having to worry about The Chase anymore, is there still stress on performance every weekend?

“Running bad stinks. The last couple of weeks haven’t been great, so the team has been pretty stressed. We are trying to get better. We aren’t complacent about it, everyone is still pretty mad about not being in The Chase. So, yeah we are trying everything to get better and be prepared for when next season starts.”

This is your second full-time Cup season and second year coming to these tracks you might not be as comfortable with. How much of a difference do you feel when coming to these tracks for a second year?

“Yeah, hopefully it helps me get up to speed quicker. Especially with these longer practices too, you can start working on your car earlier, rather than figuring it out as a driver. More times coming to these tracks and longer practices should help set us up for the weekend.”

 
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: 7

Poles: 6

Laps Led: 2,059

Top-Fives: 48

Top-10s: 97

Stage Wins: 19

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 888 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 772

Laps led to date: 258,793

Top-fives to date: 4,484

Top-10s to date: 9,248

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,222

       Chevrolet: 888

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 854                                                                               

       Ford: 754

       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.

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Ford Racing Zoom Media Availability
Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Earlier this week, Ford announced that tickets are on sale for the Inaugural Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Daytona International Speedway. The event will include a race on the road course with the Mustang Dark Horse R and 12 Ford Racing drivers that will be divided into teams of two to represent all six branches of the military.

In addition, Zac Brown Band will be performing, along with other musical artists that will be announced at a later date. Donations will go directly to six nonprofits supporting the military and veteran community: Blue Star Families, Camp Southern Ground, Disabled American Veterans, TAPS, Team Rubicon and the Travis Manion Foundation.

Tickets for the event can be purchased via Ticketmaster and through the official website – www.fordveteransdayclassic.com.

One of the confirmed drivers for the event is Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series. He spoke about participating in the event, along with this weekend’s annual Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO COMPETE IN AN EVENT LIKE THIS THAT HONORS ALL OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS? “It’s gonna be fun to have that opportunity to race on the Daytona road course and really go up against other disciplines of motorsports. There’s gonna be a wide variety of drivers out there. We’re gonna raise some good money for a lot of good groups and organizations and just have some fun. It’s gonna be televised, which is really cool, but also for those trying to get out to the racetrack in Daytona it’s gonna be an action-packed day and I’m really looking forward to it.”

HAVE YOU EVER COMPETED IN A SPORTS CAR LIKE THESE MUSTANG DARK HORSE Rs? “I’m going in very open-minded. As we get closer I’ll probably start hearing more about the format, but I’m just gonna go and try to have as much fun as possible.”

DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE RETURN OF AN IROC STYLE RACE SERIES? “Yeah. I think it would certainly be really cool to bring that back. I know they kind of tried with SRX and trying to just get different disciplines of motorsports and different guys and gals from whatever their respective series are out on the track. It seemed like it was going OK there for a little bit. I don’t know what really happened with the SRX deal, but I think it would be great to have some type of series like that back again, where you could kind of cross collaborate and get everybody into the same vehicle.”

YOU TALKED EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY. DO YOU FEEL THAT’S CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS? “Yeah, I feel like I can show it.”

NEW HAMPSHIRE, RICHMOND AND IOWA, IT SEEMS YOU GUYS HAVE FOUND SOMETHING AT THOSE TYPE OF TRACKS. DOES THAT GIVE YOU SOME CONFIDENCE GOING INTO BRISTOL THIS WEEKEND? “I don’t know. I mean, we were OK there for a three-week span. You look at Iowa, we had a strong weekend there. You go to Richmond and we had a decent weekend, and then New Hampshire we had a top 10 and ran good. Then we go to a track like Gateway, which I would say is somewhat similar to those three tracks and we were horrible, so I don’t know. It’s kind of a flip of a coin and, for me, just seeing how the thing drives when I unload in practice.”

IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT IS TOP OF MIND AS A PRIORITY FOR YOU AS YOU MOVE INTO NEXT SEASON? “Yeah, I think just learning more about ourselves and trying to become better each and every day.”

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT NOT BEING IN THE CHASE AND HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THIS PERIOD WHERE A LOT OF ATTENTION IS ON THE DRIVERS WHO ARE? “Unfortunately, it’s been pretty quiet for the last four years. Back when we were winning a lot and had good success I fed off that energy and I enjoyed that, so I don’t know if the Chase this year is gonna be much different than any other time. It just seems like when you run good, you get recognized and we just have to start running better.”

FEEDING OFF THE ENERGY IS INTERESTING. IF YOU DON’T HAVE THAT ENERGY, DOES IT MAKE IT HARDER? “Yeah. In the lower ranks when you’re in the best stuff, you know you have an opportunity the next weekend. If this weekend goes bad, you always have next weekend and you know your cars are gonna be really, really fast, whereas here, it’s just tough. There’s a lot of great competitors and we’re just trying to make the most of what we’ve got.”

YOU HAVE TWO WINS IN THE O’REILLY SERIES, SO DOES ANY OF THAT TRANSLATE OVER JUST AS FAR AS LIKING BRISTOL AND YOU’RE GOOD THERE? “I’d like to think I’m good at Bristol, but in the Cup Series I have a best finish of 12th. I can win in other stuff there, but just can’t run good in a Cup car there for, I think, obvious reasons.”

HOW DO YOU LOOK AT BRISTOL IN GENERAL? “I look forward to going there. I look forward to the electric atmosphere of Bristol Motor Speedway. I look forward to just how unique that racetrack is with the high banks of the corners. It’s a tight little track with it being a half mile, but with it being the Last Great Colisseum it’s definitely a lot of fun to walk in there and just see 360 degrees of grandstands. I mean, you almost get lost when you go around the racetrack trying to remember what side of the track you’re on. As I’ve gotten more experience there, I definitely know where I’m at, but my first time there I was like, ‘Man, am I in one and two or am I in turns three and four?’ It’s pretty intimidating the first time you go there, so I’m super excited to get there this weekend. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is always a great time as far as just the energy with the crowd. The Fan Zone is always pumping out there, so we get to do our own walk out songs, which is super cool as well, so I’m looking forward to all of that.”

WHAT IS YOUR SONG TO WALK OUT TO? “It’s the Mockingbird & the Crow by Hardy and it goes, ‘You’re too loud. You’re too proud. It won’t work. Well, tell that to 25,000 rednecks with my dumb face on their t-shirt.’”

WHAT KEEPS YOU FRESH AND MOTIVATED TO KEEP GOING, EVEN WHEN YOU’RE HAVING STRUGGLES? “Just knowing that I can do it and believing in myself, and just trying to be the best piece of the puzzle for our team and staying locked in and not just checking boxes, but just trying to be the best piece of the puzzle. It’s competition. That definitely motivates me as well.”

GRANT HUTCHENS IS A NEW CREW CHIEF. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK HE’S PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING YOU OUT AND PREPARING EACH WEEK? “We’ve had a lot of conversations this year and we’re just trying to get better every week.”

WHAT KIND OF RACE DO YOU THINK WE’LL SEE THIS WEEKEND? “I’ve been wrong the last five times we’ve been there. The first time I said, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be a normal race,’ and then we had tires shredding. Then we went back and the thing went green when I thought we were gonna have a tire shredder race. Either way, when I think it’s gonna be a tire shredder race, it goes green. And whenever I think it’s gonna go green, it’s a tire shredder race, so it’s a flip of a coin right now.”

WHAT RACETRACK COMING UP DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE GONNA BE IN THE BEST EQUIPMENT AND GIVES YOU THE BEST CHANCE TO GET A GOOD FINISH? “Yeah, the road course race at Daytona with the Ford Mustang Dark Horse Rs that we’re racing for veterans out in Daytona on the Wednesday after Homestead. But Homestead should be a good one for us, too.”

DID YOU ASK TO BE PART OF THE VETERANS DAY CLASSIC OR DID FORD JUST PICK YOU? “Yeah, Ford picked me to do it. The spaces are obviously limited, so I’m very grateful that I was one of 12 guys and one of three or four NASCAR drivers who are able to do it, so it’s pretty cool to be part of that group.”

HOW COOL DO YOU THINK THAT EVENT WILL BE. DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL PAY ATTENTION TO IT AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT REALLY WORKS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? “Absolutely. It’s the first time Ford is doing this, so I try to go into it open-minded. I’m sure we’ll keep figuring out different avenues and what is going to make it even better in the coming years, but I’m definitely lucky to be a part of it. I haven’t really been able to do anything else like this with any other manufacturers and teams I’ve been with in the past, so it’s been really cool working with Ford, the Ford family, and the Ford Racing group because they’re always looking to do some pretty wild things and you never know what you’re getting into with Ford Racing. They’ve got some crazy ideas and some fun ones as well.”

Front Row Motorsports
Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance

Event Details:

Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Track Size / Surface: 0.533-miles / Concrete
Track Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Race Date: September 19, 2026
Race Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Race Information: 500 Laps (Stages – 125 / 250 / 500) – 266.5 Miles
Television: USA
Radio: SiriusXM / PRN

Event Notes:

• 29th points-paying event of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. 31st on-track event overall this season for the series.
• Second NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this season.
• Third race of The Chase, the NASCAR Cup Series postseason.

No. 4 Team Details

Driver: Noah Gragson

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Primary Sponsor: Rush Truck Centers / Cummins

Standings: 32nd

Recent Season Results:

World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 33rd
Darlington Raceway (September 6) – 32nd
Daytona International Speedway (August 29) – 26th

Driver and Team Event Notes

Saturday’s race will be Noah Gragson’s sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway. Gragson’s best finish at the track occurred in the 2024 ‘Night Race’ while driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, starting 16th and finishing 12th.

The 0.533-mile track was one of Gragson’s best tracks in his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts career, having amassed two wins, two top-five finishes, and four top-10 finishes in six starts.

Rush Truck Centers / Cummins Event Notes

Rush Truck Centers, the premier solutions provider for the commercial vehicle industry, will again join Gragson and company for the 500-lap race. This weekend will be Rush Truck Centers’ 10th primary sponsorship race of the season.

Rush Truck Centers will celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the company featured on Noah Gragson’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the NASCAR Cup Series race.

Taking place September 13–19, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week recognizes the millions of professional truck drivers who work tirelessly to keep America’s supply chains moving. Rush Truck Centers is proud to honor the drivers who play an essential role in keeping our country moving every day.

The #ThankATrucker campaign will be highlighted throughout the Bristol weekend, giving Rush Truck Centers and Front Row Motorsports an opportunity to recognize the trucking community and thank professional drivers for the work they do on and off the road.

Through their longstanding business-to-business partnership, Cummins, Inc. will also join Rush Truck Centers on the No. 4 entry for the event in Tennessee. From buses that transport kids to and from school to the trucks that carry essentials, to construction, mining equipment, trains and ships, and critical backup power for places like data centers and hospitals, Cummins powers the future through innovations that make people’s lives better. Learn more at cummins.com.

With a commitment to keeping customers up and running, Rush Truck Centers proudly serves Tennessee, with locations in Nashville, Smyrna and Memphis.

For the haul to Bristol Motor Speedway, and each week during the NASCAR Cup Series season, the Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse race cars are transported to the track behind the power of Peterbilt Model 579 tractors, provided and serviced exclusively by the team at Rush Truck Centers. To find the Rush Truck Centers location nearest to you, visit rushtruckcenters.com.

No. 34 Team Details

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Primary Sponsor: Love’s Travel Stops / Peak

Standings: 22nd

Recent Season Results:

World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 24th
Darlington Raceway (September 6) – 16th
Daytona International Speedway (August 29) – 19th

Driver and Team Event Notes

Todd Gilliland will make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway. His best result at the track occurred this season, in April, when he started 35th and finished sixth.

In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Gilliland has one top-five and three top-10’s in four starts at the track.

Love’s Travel Stops / Peak Event Notes

This will be Love’s Travel Stops 15th race of the 2026 season with Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford team.

Love’s Travel Stops returns with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for Saturday’s race. Love’s Travel Stops rolls out a major update to the Love’s App, introducing a unified Love’s Rewards program that now benefits every customer who stops at Love’s. Whether fueling up, grabbing a snack, or stocking up on Love’s-branded products, customers can now save and earn points at every turn simply by scanning the Love’s App in-store or at the pump. The new Love’s Rewards program focuses on delivering meaningful value at every stop and aims to make Love’s the first stop drivers think of on the road. Love’s Rewards App users can also save 10¢ per gallon on gas and up to 25¢ per gallon on auto diesel. Fans can download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. To explore all the new benefits of the Love’s Rewards program, visit www.loves.com/loves-rewards.

Gilliland and the No. 34 team will also have PEAK Performance on their Ford Mustang Dark Horse, to promote PEAK’s exclusive line of PEAK products available at over 600 Love’s Travel Stops across the country. PEAK is a leader in automotive and heavy-duty products ranging from PEAK Global Antifreeze, Final Charge, PEAK Windshield Wash, and BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid. All products can be found at Love’s Travel Stops.

No. 38 Team Details

Driver: Zane Smith

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Primary Sponsor: Aaron’s Rent to Own

Standings: 25th

Recent Season Results:

World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 36th
Darlington Raceway (September 6) – 25th
Daytona International Speedway (August 29) – 32nd

Driver and Team Event Notes

Zane Smith will make his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway. His best finish at the track occurred in the 2025 event, when he started 24th and finished third, even leading five laps.

In five NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the track, Smith has two top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes.

Aaron’s Rent to Own Event Notes

This will be Aaron’s Rent to Own 14th primary sponsorship race of the season.

Aaron’s Rent to Own will bring back their classic blue and green Lucky Dog scheme for the 500-lap race.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

This Week in Motorsports: September 14-20, 2026

NCS/NOAPS/NCTS/ARCA: Bristol Motor Speedway – Sept. 17-19

PLANO, Texas (Sept. 16, 2026) – TOYOTA RACING heads to Bristol for the iconic Bristol night race, part of a weekend full of racing with four events in three days.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NOAPS/NCTS

Joe Gibbs Racing looks to add to recent Bristol success … Joe Gibbs Racing continues to have stellar performances at Bristol Motor Speedway. Christopher Bell is the reigning winner, while Ty Gibbs scored his first NASCAR Cup Series race win at the track in the spring. With Denny Hamlin’s wins in the 2023 Bristol Night Race and the 2024 Spring event, Joe Gibbs Racing has won four of the last six races at the Last Great Coliseum.

Gibbs running Kyle Busch tribute … Gibbs will honor the legacy of Kyle Busch this weekend with a tribute scheme on his Toyota Camry, which is very similar to Busch’s title winning car. Busch won a combined 22 times at Bristol across NASCAR’s three national series, including eight times in the NASCAR Cup Series. He swept the summer tripleheader weekend twice (2010, 2017) and remains the only driver to win all three national-series races in a single weekend. Busch is also the all-time race winner for Toyota – claiming over 200 wins across NASCAR’s top-three series. He also remains the only multi-time Cup champion for Toyota, as he claimed the title in 2015 and 2019.

Toyota still near the top of the points … Hamlin held onto the points lead with his ninth-place finish at Gateway on Sunday afternoon. Hamlin leads six Toyota drivers in the top-10 positions, which includes Bell in third, fifth-place Tyler Reddick, Gibbs (sixth), Chase Briscoe (eighth) and Bubba Wallace (10th).

Jones, Gray continue in Championship fight … JGR’s Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray both are continuing to battle for the title. Gray led Toyota with a fourth-place finish at Gateway – his second straight top-10 to start the Chase, while Jones battled back from damage to finish 15th. Gray remains Toyota’s top driver in points as the Georgia-native is in ninth overall.

Crews looks for first NASCAR victory … Brent Crews was impressive at Bristol in the spring. In just his fifth series start, Crews battled for the lead late before finishing third – his first NASCAR O’Reilly Series top-five finish. Despite missing four races to start the season due to NASCAR’s age restrictions, Crews is seventh-best in top-10 finishes with 14, including a seventh-place finish at Gateway last Saturday.

Sawalich double duty … William Sawalich will compete in both the NASCAR O’Reilly Series and NASCAR Truck Series races this weekend at Bristol. On Thursday, Sawalich makes his Halmar-Friesen Racing debut in the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, before competing in his normal ride – the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra in the O’Reilly Series on Friday. Sawalich won the pole and finished seventh at Bristol earlier this year.

Honeycutt, Ruggiero start championship push … Toyota Development Drivers Kaden Honeycutt and Gio Ruggiero begin their championship runs this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Honeycutt, who is in the post-season for the second consecutive year, is the second seed on the strength of two wins, including a dominating performance at Richmond Raceway last month. Ruggiero, the reigning Truck Series Rookie of the Year, starts the Chase in fifth, as he looks for his first victory of the season.

TRICON No. 1 team battles for the owner’s crown … Nick Leitz will kick off TRICON’s other championship chance – the owner’s title for the No. 1 team. Leitz, who set many career-bests at his last start at Richmond Raceway, will run the first two races for the team. Corey Heim, who has two wins in the No. 1 Tundra, Brent Crews and Gavan Boschele complete the lineup for the balance of the season.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Reaves looks for first ARCA East title… Max Reaves added another dominating performance this past Saturday – winning the pole and leading every lap at Salem Speedway to claim his sixth ARCA platform victory in 2026. Now Reaves turns to Bristol, where he looks to claim the ARCA East title. He comes into the race in second place – just two points out of the lead. The title would be the fourth ARCA East title for Joe Gibbs Racing and the 10th for Toyota.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Spire Motorsports Reveals Special Livery for No. 71 THE ANNIKA Chevrolet ZL1

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 16, 2026) – As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the 2026 season finale, World Golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sörenstam and her namesake LPGA Tour event, The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican (The ANNIKA), is teaming up with Gainbridge℠, driver Michael McDowell and Spire Motorsports to unveil a unique livery for McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the Nov. 8 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.

The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, Tampa Bay’s signature LPGA Tour event, takes place the following week, Nov. 9-15 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla.

McDowell, a two-time Cup Series race winner, will race the No. 71 The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 when NASCAR’S premier division returns to the popular mile-and-a-half South Florida oval for Championship Weekend for the first time since 2019.

Meanwhile, the decklid of McDowell’s No. 71 Chevy will feature a dynamic look, including a roster showcasing many of the players on the LPGA Tour’s “Race to the CME Globe” rankings who are currently eligible to compete at the ANNIKA, a season-long points competition in which LPGA Members accumulate points in every Official LPGA Tournament to gain entry into the season-end CME Group Tour Championship. McDowell will also sport a The ANNIKA-themed driver suit featuring a golf-inspired caddie bib and golf pants on race day.

After the checkered flag waves and the 2026 NASCAR season officially comes to a close, the father-of-five will head to Florida’s Gulf Coast for The ANNIKA to share time with the LPGA Tour players and participate as a celebrity caddie in the Wednesday Pro-Am at Pelican Golf Club on Nov. 11.

“I’m definitely not the best golfer in the world so it’s easy for me to appreciate the talented players on the LPGA Tour,” said McDowell. “I’m really looking forward to visiting Pelican Golf Club to be part of the festivities and seeing the event in person. I know how important this tournament is to our partners at Group 1001 and Gainbridge, so this is a great opportunity for Spire Motorsports to play an important supporting role.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting Michael at The ANNIKA at Pelican Golf Club in November and watching the No. 71 ANNIKA Chevrolet hopefully take the checkered flag at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race,” said Sörenstam. “Thank you to our incredible partners at Gainbridge and Group 1001 for this unique partnership – shining a spotlight and elevating women’s sports.”

The ANNIKA is sponsored by Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company and features a $3.25 million purse, one of the largest on the LPGA Tour, outside of the major championships. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the ANNIKA Foundation.

With eight races before the close of the 2026 Cup Series campaign, McDowell sits 20th in points while claiming three top-five and six top-10 finishes on the year.

The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race from Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, Nov. 8 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The 36th and final race of the 2026 season will be broadcast live in the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio Channel 90.

About The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican…
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is the LPGA’s annual tournament in the Tampa Bay region and features the world’s best female golfers competing over four rounds for a share of the $3.25 million purse, one of the largest on the LPGA Tour. The tournament is contested at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., a Donald Ross original design and a Beau Welling redesign. The sole namesake event on the LPGA Tour, Annika Sörenstam serves as tournament host with proceeds benefiting the ANNIKA Foundation. The championship is operated by Outlyr, a global sports, event management and lifestyle marketing agency. For more information on The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, visit www.TheAnnika.com.

About the LPGA…
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course. Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.

About the LPGA Tour…
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts 33 annual events across 13 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $132 million and reaching television audiences in more than 170 countries.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 24, 2026, when Daniel Suárez won the NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.  

In 2026, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization also fields the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.