5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 1st

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

MICHIGAN MAN: Kyle Larson earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Michigan International Speedway in 2016, a win that was part of a streak of three consecutive triumphs in the Irish Hills (the last three wins for Chevrolet at this track). In his 15 starts at Michigan, Larson has three victories, seven top-five finishes, nine top 10s, has led 222 laps and completed 2,770 of 2,876 laps run.

WIN-DIANAPOLIS: In July, Larson earned Hendrick Motorsports’ record-extending 11th Brickyard 400 victory, his first on the famed oval and his series-high fourth win of 2024. With 27 career victories, Larson now ranks 32nd on the Cup Series wins list. The crown-jewel win at Indianapolis marked his 11th victory in the Next-Gen car, tying him with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the most.

FOLLOW THE LEADER: With three races remaining in the regular season, Larson leads the Cup standings by five points. The Elk Grove, California, native, tops the series with four wins, five poles and 28 playoff points. He is tied for second with nine top-five finishes and is in second alone with 780 laps led. That total is the second highest through 23 races in Larson’s career, behind only his 2021 championship season in which he paced the field for 1,468 laps in the first 23 events.

UP FRONT IN THE GREAT LAKE STATE: The driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet has a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes at Michigan. In that span, he has an average finish of 4.5 while pacing the field for 72 laps.

WELL DEFENDED: Last weekend at the Knoxville Nationals, Larson led all 50 laps to capture his third victory in the famed sprint car event. It marked the second consecutive year he led wire-to-wire at Knoxville Raceway.

AWAY BUT ALWAYS AVAILABLE: In 2024, the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team recognizes “home” events by wearing white firesuits and “away” with blue. Its home races come at tracks with nearby Hendrick Automotive Group car dealerships. This weekend, the No. 5 team races “away” in the Irish Hills market. However, it’s easy to pick up a new set of keys from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 94 dealerships nationwide. Customers can also shop from the convenience of home by selecting the category, make, model and vehicle packages important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IS HIRING: Join the more than 10,000 people nationwide who work at Hendrick Automotive Group. The company is hiring technicians and other positions at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 3rd

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

SEASON UPDATE: With three races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Chase Elliott heads to Michigan International Speedway third in points, only six markers behind the leader, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. The 28-year-old has one win (Texas Motor Speedway), seven top-five finishes and 12 top 10s. Elliott’s 10.43 average finish leads the field and is the second-best mark through 23 races in his career behind only the 2022 season in which he won the regular season championship. He also has the third-best average running position (10.98) and the fourth-most laps spent inside the top 10 (3,410).

HISTORY MADE: With his ninth-place finish last weekend at Richmond Raceway, Elliott is the first driver in Cup Series history to complete all but one lap through 23 races in a season. The previous record was all but two laps, a mark set by Kevin Harvick (2020), Greg Biffle (2012) and Matt Kenseth (2003). The only race this season in which Elliott didn’t finish on the lead lap was at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring, though he still finished eighth.

IRISH HILLS READY: Elliott holds the best average finish (10.15) among active drivers with more than three starts at Michigan and the third-best all-time behind Carl Edwards (9.4) and Cale Yarborough (9.61). He has placed inside the top 10 in 10 of his 13 career Cup Series starts at the 2-mile oval – tied for his third-most top 10s on active tracks behind Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway (11 each). The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has also led 144 laps and collected three top-five finishes at the Irish Hills track – all of which were runner-up results.

STOUT GROUP: Elliott is in good company as one of five drivers with three or more runner-up finishes at Michigan before earning a win. Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon earned three second-place results before visiting victory lane at the 2-mile oval in 1998. Elliott joins Brad Keselowski and NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte with three runner-up results without a win at Michigan. Martin Truex Jr. has four.

700 STARTS FOR AG: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson is set to make his 700th start in his 20th season as a Cup Series crew chief. The 49-year-old is the longest tenured crew chief in the history of Hendrick Motorsports. He has earned 39 premier series victories – tied for the second-most among active crew chiefs – 201 top-five finishes and 349 top 10s with over 11,000 laps led. In addition to Elliott, Gustafson has worked full seasons with NASCAR Hall of Famers Gordon and Mark Martin as well as Kyle Busch and Casey Mears. The Ormond Beach, Florida, native captured the 2020 Cup Series championship with Elliott.

GREAT GUSTAFSON: Gustafson will call his 36th Cup Series race at Michigan on Sunday. In 35 prior starts with five drivers, Gustafson has collected two wins (Martin in 2009 and Gordon in 2014), five top-five finishes and 17 top 10s, with 370 laps led. Gordon started from the pole in 2014 and his qualifying lap stands as the fastest qualifying speed that did not occur at a superspeedway.

FASTEST FIVE: With 23 races complete, the No. 9 pit crew holds the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (10.687 seconds). The over-the-wall squad laid down the fastest four-tire pit stop (9.076 seconds) of the season at Texas in April, according to data from Racing Insights. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).

GET UP AND GO: NAPA Auto Parts is back on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend. The Atlanta-based company has been the primary partner for Elliott for all but three of his Cup starts on the 2-mile oval, including all three of his runner-up finishes. Get a look at all the angles of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 7th

No. 24 RAPTOR Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

24 IN ‘24: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season started off with three wins in the first eight races including the DAYTONA 500. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has seven top-five finishes (tied for fourth) and 12 top 10s (tied for third). Byron ranks 10th in laps spent in the top five with 1,406 and eighth with 2,894 laps in the top 10. With three races remaining in the regular season, Byron is seventh in the Cup Series points with 16 playoff points.

MICHIGAN MINUTES: Byron will make his 12th NASCAR national series start at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Of those 11 races, nine came in a Cup car with a best starting position of third in 2019 and a best finish of second in 2021. The 26-year-old has one Xfinity Series start at the 2-mile D-shaped oval, qualifying fourth and coming home second in 2017. He also made a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series appearance in 2016, starting third and finishing fourth with crew chief Rudy Fugle on the box.

OH SO CLOSE: Sunday will mark Fugle’s fourth Cup Series event at Michigan. The Livonia, New York, native has a track-best finish of second coming with Byron in 2021. Fugle has seven Truck Series starts at Michigan with has six top-five showings including three runner ups. His only finish outside the top four came in a 15th-place result in 2019. Fugle’s drivers have an average starting position of 5.4 and an average finish of 4.6 at Michigan in the Truck Series.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 23 races, the No. 24 crew ranks fourth for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.892 seconds). The squad, consisting of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler) had the fastest four-tire stop during last week’s race at Richmond at 9.442 seconds.

RAPTOR® TOUGH: Byron will sport his Raptor paint scheme that will run the majority of the season on the No. 24 Chevy. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating that is designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of items, including truck beds, lawnmowers, outdoor furniture and more. With 16 pre-mixed colors available, it’s easy to personalize anything you want to protect. RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores and online retailers.

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 10th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

THREE TO GO: With three races remaining in NASCAR’s regular season, Alex Bowman’s eighth career NASCAR Cup Series win at the Chicago Street Course locked the No. 48 Ally Racing driver into the postseason. Following the completion of 23 points-paying races this season, Bowman has six top-five finishes and 17 lead-lap finishes. His 12 top 10s are tied for third most and are already more than he recorded in 2023. Following competition at Richmond Raceway, Bowman continues to defend the 10th spot in the point standings, 164 markers behind leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.

MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY: This Sunday, the Tucson, Arizona, native will make his 15th start at Michigan International Speedway. In 14 previous starts, Bowman has three top 10s, and 19 laps led. He has also completed 93.5% of the laps run in those events. Bowman’s best Michigan finish came in a ninth-place showing in 2022.

BIKING AT WATKINS GLEN: On Aug. 14, Bowman made a special trip to Watkins Glen International Speedway for “Bike at the Glen.” He joined fans and took a lap around the 2.45-mile historic New York road course on a bicycle. He also spoke to fans and guests about his racing career, making healthy choices, and his passion for helping rescue animals. Read more about the event here.

BOOKS WITH DETROIT GIRL SCOUTS: On Friday, Aug. 16, Bowman will visit the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan headquarters. The No. 48 team’s primary sponsor Ally, a digital bank, is an advocate for financial literacy, especially when it comes to youth. Ally volunteers read to thousands of kids each year. Bowman will read with children for a third time this year, picking up “Emma and the Cosmophone” to share with a group of Daisy and Brownie scouts. Bowman will then lead a round of “Jeopardy!” to encourage active learning and boost the scouts’ financial fundamentals. Previous readings this year included a visit to Clara Love Elementary School near Texas Motor Speedway and University Meadows Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ALEX IN THE FAN ZONE: On Sunday, fans can visit Bowman in the fan zone at the Ally Activation footprint. At 11:05 a.m., the driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro will participate in a Q&A. While in Ally’s space, fans can play games to win “Bowman Bucks” for prizes and enter to win the “Win Your Wheels” sweepstakes sponsored by Ally and HENDRICKCARS.COM.

ANYONE CAN WIN WITH ALLY: To celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary, Ally and HENDRICKCARS.COM are giving away a special edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE to one lucky fan through the “Win Your Wheels” sweepstakes. Only 40 of these Chevrolets will be manufactured and the other 39 will be sold exclusively through select Hendrick Automotive Group Chevrolet dealerships. Enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar. The promotion ends Sept. 20, 2024.

MAKE A FURRY FRIEND IN MICHIGAN: Over four years, Bowman and Ally have donated over $650,000 to Best Friends shelters and their vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates $4,800 to help homeless pets at a shelter local to the track. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, a shelter in north Michigan serving pets and the people who love them since 1951.

ALLY RACING PIT CREW: The Ally Racing pit crew joins Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 team and No. 24 team pit crews in the top 10 for the best average four-tire stop this year (11.031). The 14-time championship winning organization’s No. 48 crew is composed of jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Brandon Grier, front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth, and gasman Jacob Conley.

FIRST LAP: This Sunday, Ally Financial, the Official Consumer Bank of NASCAR, will invite a group of first-time racegoers to Michigan. In conjunction with Ally Racing’s First Lap program – a unique experience where Ally partners with local community groups to invite new, diverse fans into racing – Ally welcomes their Diverse Abilities Employee Resource Group (ERG) to the track. This group consists of over 1,600 members nationally who are committed to raising awareness and acceptance for persons with disabilities or other physical/mental differences within the workplace. In the U.S., around 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability – including 12% who have difficulty with walking or climbing stairs, 6% who have difficulty with hearing and nearly 13% with cognition difficulties. There are also more than 40 million American adults who have an anxiety disorder, and nearly 53 million people serving as a caregiver.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2024	All-Time	Michigan
Races	23	1,368	77
Wins	9*	310*	8
Poles	6*	252*	11*
Top 5	29*	1,261*	55
Top 10	48*	2,160*	111*
Laps Led	1,214	80,971*	2,697*
Stage Wins	10	108	1

*Most **Most (tie)

MICH-AGAIN: On Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports will seek its ninth Michigan International Speedway win and the team’s first at the track since 2014. Five drivers have won NASCAR Cup Series races for car owner Rick Hendrick at the 2-mile venue: Jeff Gordon (three wins), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Ricky Rudd. Gordon recorded Hendrick Motorsports’ most recent win there on Aug. 17, 2014, nearly 10 years ago to the day.

THE HALL CALLED: The NASCAR Hall of Fame has launched “Hendrick Motorsports: 40 Years,” an exhibit presented by NAPA Auto Parts that showcases the history of the 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions. The exhibit brings the organization’s storied history to life by providing an in-depth look at the race team and the people who built it. Milestones from its earliest days to the current 2024 season are showcased through the artifacts and photographs, many of which have never been seen by the public. Six cars, six 80-inch video monitors, descriptive graphic panels, more than 75 individual artifacts, and 160 photographs comprise the exhibit, which will be on display through May 2025. Click here to learn more.

LEADER OF THE PACK: A Hendrick Motorsports driver has led the Cup Series regular season standings following 17 of 22 races thus far in 2024. The organization has also seen its drivers ranked 1-2 eight times this year. Hendrick Motorsports is the only team with four drivers inside the top 10 in regular season points.

THE LAST 35: Over the last 35 Cup Series events, Hendrick Motorsports has not gone more than three races without a win. In that span, the team has logged 13 victories (most by five), 42 top-five finishes (most by three) and 73 top 10s (most by 10). At least one Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished inside the top 10 in 34 of the 35 races.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Michigan International Speedway: “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Michigan and I’ve had a lot of success there, including my first Cup win. We have three races left in the regular season and we’re working hard to win the regular season championship and get those 15 extra points that go along with it. I would love to get another victory at Michigan — for the HENDRICKCARS.COM team and for Chevrolet in their backyard.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on outlook at Michigan International Speedway: “We’re looking forward to going back to Michigan – an intermediate track with a lot of speed. It’s a great track to showcase all the good things of Hendrick Motorsports. We’ve got great Hendrick horsepower and our cars are competitive. Kyle is always great here and, again, we’re just looking forward to getting back to a big, fast place. Strategy, how you call the race and the very last green-flag pit cycle are always very important.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what it would mean to win at Michigan International Speedway: “I’ve never done it, but I have to imagine it’d be pretty cool, with it being a home race for Team Chevy and with Michigan being what it is. I think that would be a huge deal and I’d love to check that box for them. And I know every driver does for every manufacturer, whoever you’re driving for. It would be a really cool thing, and I’d love to add that to the list of accomplishments.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the keys to performing well at Michigan: “The biggest thing about Michigan is you have to have stability. You have to be able to really carry a lot of pace with this car into the corner and really have comfort to do that. And if you can do that, you can kind of load the car and the exit is important. The old car was a little bit opposite. You wanted to get this real big arc and this huge drive off and this big run down the back straightaway. It seems this car has transitioned to where we carry a lot of throttle down into the corner. That was always the irony about Michigan. If you can use a lot of throttle you burn a lot of gas and that’s why I think that races traditionally come out to a fuel mileage race or can be, because the guys who are really good are just in the gas a lot so burn a lot of fuel, use a lot of throttle. That always comes into play.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of winning at Michigan International Speedway: “This is always a big race for us being in Chevrolet’s backyard. Everyone wants to be able to bring the win home for them at Michigan. It’s about bragging rights for the manufacturers and we want to be the ones that help them do that. We’ve had decent success there before but I think we have a good setup to bring there this time around. I’m excited to get there and see what we can do, especially to build momentum before we get started in the playoffs.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on why he enjoys racing at Michigan International Speedway: “Michigan is one of my favorite race tracks. It’s a track where sometimes the fastest car doesn’t always win and you can have some different strategy plays that can happen. Overall though it’s a really wide race track with multiple grooves. You usually want to be good on the bottom and then move to the middle-to-high lane which becomes the fastest as your tires wear out. It means you really need to bring your A-game, and what better place to do it the Detroit area where the manufacturers are located.”
​

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Michigan International Speedway: “It will be nice to get back to Michigan International Speedway. We were super-fast there last year before the No. 48 crashed, so looking forward to getting back there and hopefully we are even stronger there than we were last year.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on competition at Michigan International Speedway: “We return to the track this weekend looking to build some momentum. We had a rough weekend in Richmond, so we look to come back better in Michigan. We ran a pretty good pace last year. Unfortunately, we were having to call the race to either win or not. We currently sit in a pretty tight points battle remaining in the top 10 for (the) regular season. We want to collect as many playoff points as possible and hopefully go for another shot to win on Sunday.”

This Week in Motorsports: August 12 – 18, 2024

· NCS/NXS: Michigan International Speedway – Aug. 17-18
· NHRA: Brainerd International Raceway – Aug. 16-18
· ARCA: Michigan International Speedway – Aug. 16 Illinois State Fairgrounds – Aug. 18

PLANO, Texas (Aug. 14, 2024) – NASCAR is back in the Midwest and Michigan International Speedway where the Cup and Xfinity Series take battle as both regular seasons continue to wind down. The ARCA Menards Series holds two races this weekend, one at Michigan on Friday and the other at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back in action at Brainerd International Raceway with two races remaining before the Countdown to the Championship.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Reddick, Hamlin make up ground on points lead … The fight for the all-important regular season championship is heating up with just three races remaining before the Cup Series Playoffs. After their top-five finishes at Richmond Sunday night, Tyler Reddick (second) and Denny Hamlin (fourth) both made up ground to the points lead heading to Michigan this weekend. Reddick is now just five points behind the championship lead, while Hamlin sits just 21 points back. Christopher Bell jumped a few spots to sixth in the points standings after a Stage 1 win Sunday night and is joined by Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Ty Gibbs (11th) inside the provisional playoff field. Bubba Wallace also continued his strong run of late with a fourth-place finish at Richmond and is now inside the playoff field, sitting three points above the cutline.

Reddick continues his top-10 streak … With his strong third-place run at Richmond, Reddick now has six consecutive top-10 finishes and nine in the last 10 races as he’s methodically carved his way up the points standings to second position, which is a career-best. In total, he has 16 on the season, the most in the Cup Series. Another such finish this weekend in Michigan may propel the California-native to the points lead depending on how the race shakes out.

Hamlin seeks another strong Michigan run … Like most tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, they bode well for Hamlin and the No. 11 Camry XSE team, and Michigan is no different. The 43-year-old has six consecutive top-10s at Michigan International Speedway and 11 in the last 16 races heading into the weekend. Like Reddick, another such finish or better would be monumental as Hamlin looks to cement himself as the regular season champion in a few weeks’ time.

Smith, Creed still well within Xfinity Playoffs … As the Xfinity Series returns for the first time since the Olympic break, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed are both well within the Playoff field with six races remaining in the regular season. Smith is already locked in the Playoffs with his two wins earlier this season and sits fourth in the points standings, while Creed sits in eighth position, 69 points above the cutline.

Earnhardt back in No. 26 GR Supra … For the first time since Talladega Superspeedway, Jeffrey Earnhardt is back behind the wheel of the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. Earnhardt has made two starts so far this season in the No. 26, including an eighth-place finish at Atlanta back in February. Saturday will be Earnhardt’s 171st career Xfinity Series start and his sixth at Michigan International Speedway.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Breaking barriers … Across the two ARCA Menards Series races this weekend, Venturini Motorsports will be making NASCAR history with four female drivers piloting their Toyota Camrys, the first time four women drivers have raced for the same team in the same race. Toni Breidinger and Amber Balcaen will partake in both races with their full-time duties, while Isabella Robusto and Taylor Reimer will challenge the Illinois State Fairgrounds race on Sunday. For Reimer, this will be her second career ARCA Menards Series start, making her debut at the fairgrounds last year and finishing eighth. She’s also coming off a late model race win at Hickory Motor Speedway last weekend. Robusto makes her third ARCA Menards Series start on Sunday, looking for her third top-10 finish of the season also.

Sawalich looks to continue winning ways … In his eight ARCA Menards Series starts this season, William Sawalich has five victories, including three-in-a-row heading to the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday. The Minnesotan has also finished inside the top-five in all but one race so far this season. He makes his second start at the fairgrounds this weekend where he finished fifth a season ago.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Kalitta makes history at Brainerd … This weekend marks a monumental occurrence for Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Motorsports and the NHRA as the defending Top Fuel world champion makes his 600th career start, the first time anyone has reached that number in Top Fuel history. Kalitta seeks to make the milestone weekend another triumphant one, going for his fourth win of the season and to extend his category points lead, which currently stands at 125 over teammate, Shawn Langdon, with just two races before the Countdown to the Championship.

Brown, Capps seek Brainerd repeats … Antron Brown and Ron Capps roll into Brainerd International Raceway with hopes of repeat victories in Top Fuel and Funny Car this weekend. Both former world champions currently sit fifth in their respective points standings, and a win by either or both would be enormous as they look to build momentum heading into the U.S. Nationals and the Countdown to the Championship.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Michigan International Speedway
August 17-18, 2024

 Chevrolet’s drivers and teams in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will head to the Irish Hills of southeastern Michigan this weekend for NASCAR’s annual appearance at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). After sitting idle for nearly a month, the NXS will return to regular season competition in Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 to kick off the doubleheader weekend. The NCS will cap off the weekend with the FireKeepers Casino 400, where Chevrolet will be vying to bring the prestigious Michigan Heritage Trophy back to Detroit.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway:

Located just outside of Detroit – the home of General Motorsports’ headquarters – Michigan International Speedway has over 55 years of experience hosting NASCAR’s top division, with Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 marking the series’ 107th appearance at the track. Chevrolet’s first NCS victory at MIS came courtesy of Cale Yarborough in June 1977, and the manufacturer has since collected 26 all-time NCS triumphs at the track. Among the list of Chevrolet’s past winners at MIS includes Kyle Larson, who has tallied three wins at the venue throughout his storied career – a record that leads the series’ active drivers.

Battling for the Michigan Heritage Trophy:

An additional award will be up for grabs at the conclusion of Sunday’s 400-mile event: the prestigious Michigan Heritage Trophy. Unique to Michigan International Speedway, the award was introduced to the series in 2013 to recognize and honor the winning manufacturer of each NASCAR Cup Series race. Since its debut, Chevrolet has brought the Michigan Heritage Trophy back to Detroit six times. Jimmie Johnson delivered the Bowtie brand its first trophy in June 2014, with Jeff Gordon (Aug. 2014) and Kurt Busch (June 2015) giving the manufacturer three-straight victories. The honors returned to Chevrolet when Kyle Larson drove the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to the win – his first in NASCAR’s top division – in Aug. 2016. The Elk Grove, California, native went on to make it three-in-a-row with a sweep of the victories in 2017.

LOOKING BACK ON LARSON’S ‘FIRST’

For Kyle Larson, a trip to ‘Motor City’ in Aug. 2016 ended with the Chevrolet driver becoming a first-time winner in NASCAR’s top division. The victory came in the Elk Grove, California, native’s 99th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet for car owner Chip Ganassi, Larson led 42 laps en route to the victory over his now Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. To date, Larson is one of only two drivers in series’ history to claim their first career NCS win at Michigan International Speedway – joining the likes of NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett. Returning to the two-mile oval to sweep both NCS races the following season, Larson is one of just 10 drivers to record consecutive wins at MIS.

In addition to his three trips to victory lane, Larson has tallied seven top-fives and nine top-10s in his 15 career NCS starts at MIS. Consistency has been key for the former series champion at MIS over recent seasons – collecting results no worse than seventh in his last four starts at the track.

HOCEVAR HEADS HOME WITH ROOKIE STANDINGS LEAD

Chevrolet’s Carson Hocevar is on the horizon of his first career NASCAR Cup Series start at his home track of Michigan International Speedway this weekend. The 21-year-old Portage, Michigan, native has just one start in the NASCAR national ranks at his home track, which came in a Spire Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season.

Hocevar enters the Michigan race weekend with an extra boost of confidence after a strong performance at Richmond Raceway – netting an eighth-place result to match his career-best finish in NASCAR’s top division. The result was enough to move Hocevar to the top of the series’ rookie points standings, with the Chevrolet driver now sitting at a two-point advantage over fellow ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender Josh Berry.

ALLGAIER LOOKING TO CLOSE IN ON REGULAR SEASON TITLE

With a trio of off-weekends in the rearview mirror, the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to action this weekend with Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 – marking the six-race countdown to the end of the series’ regular season. Heading into the Michigan race weekend, eight drivers have already claimed a win and a playoff berth, with five coming from the Chevrolet camp: Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen; Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill and Jesse Love; and JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer.

Earning his 12th top-10 finish of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Allgaier was able to maintain the second position in the series’ regular season points standings with a 56-point deficit to reigning champion Cole Custer. The two-mile Michigan oval has proven to be a strong track for the No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team, with Allgaier tallying three top-fives and seven top-10s in 12 career NXS starts at the track.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Michigan International Speedway:

The NASCAR Xfinity Series turned its first laps at Michigan International Speedway in Aug. 1992 – an event that saw Todd Bodine power Chevrolet to the inaugural victory. Since then, the Bowtie brand has reeled off victories in 17 of the series’ 31 appearances at the track – earning a winning percentage of 54.8%. Among those victories includes three-in-a-row by Richard Childress Racing (Austin Dillon – June 2018; Tyler Reddick – June 2019), and most recently, AJ Allmendinger and Kaulig Racing in Aug. 2021.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Michigan International Speedway. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250, and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400.

· With 60 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 51.7% with 31 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

· In 106 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Michigan International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 26 victories and 27 poles.

· Since the Michigan Heritage Trophy was introduced to the series in 2013, Chevrolet has taken the honor six times, with the last three courtesy of Kyle Larson’s three-peat (Aug. 2016, 2017 sweep).

· NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at Michigan International Speedway:

Kyle Larson – three wins (2016, 2017 sweep)

Kyle Busch – one win (2011)

· In 95 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 50.5%.

· Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson and William Byron are the only two drivers with a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – each recording 11 victories since the vehicle’s competition debut in 2022.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 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 Michigan International Speedway.
• Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: Traverse Z71,Tahoe Z71, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Silverado 2500 LTZ Diesel, Colorado Trailboss, Equinox EV RS, Corvette Z06, Equinox, Trax, Silverado EV.
• Fans can also view William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro ZL1 show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Friday, August 16

• Andres Perez: 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Lavar Scott: 4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
• Connor Zilisch: 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 17

• AJ Allmendinger: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Jeremy Clements: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Shane van Gisbergen: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Sunday, August 18

• Zane Smith: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Daniel Suarez: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
• Ross Chastain: 11:25 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
• William Byron: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Kyle Busch: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

• Friday, August 16: 12 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, August 17: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Sunday, August 18: 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 839
Toyota: 821 (-18)
Ford: 796 (-43)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 745
Toyota: 708 (-37)
Ford: 644 (-101)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 603
Toyota: 561 (-42)
Ford: 523 (-80)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

FireKeepers Casino 400

Sunday, August 18, at 2:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Cabo Wabo 250

Saturday, August 17, at 3:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Peach Camaro ZL1

What can we expect at the Michigan race?

“There are some unknowns going into Michigan because we only go there once a year. I’ve been there virtually this week with the simulator and we see a lot of speed. This is our third trip there with this car and last year we led some laps there early and were in the mix so we hope that we take more steps forward. We’ve had two at-bats at Michigan with this version of the car and we hope to continue to make our cars faster.”

What is the racing like at Michigan?

“We are always evolving. A lot will depend on the weather. The cooler the temperatures, the more on throttle time we will have and high speeds. We basically want to end the race almost out of fuel and tires about as old as you can stand and still compete for the win. When you lose grip at Michigan there’s no catching it. There’s no sliding – it’s either all grip and going fast or sliding somewhere you don’t want to be.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Garner Trucking Camaro ZL1

You brought home a solid finish in last season’s trip to Michigan. How do you look to build on that this time around?

“Last year we finished 15th and had some speed in our No. 7 Chevy. I’ve had a lot of solid runs there in the past, so I’m looking forward to getting out there. Thanks to Sherri (Garner) and everyone at Garner Trucking for hopping on board this weekend. Hopefully we can bring home a good finish for them.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lucas Oil Camaro ZL1

Is there any track on the schedule that you can compare to Michigan International Speedway? Auto Club Speedway was similar.

“Fontana was the closest just because it was a two-mile racetrack. It was special to win the last Cup race there in our Lucas Oil Camaro, but the asphalt, grip level, and banking level is entirely different between Michigan and Fontana. Kansas has really aged well and has progressive banking from the bottom to the top so you can run all over the racetrack. You can run to the top, right up against the wall for the majority of the day at Kansas. Michigan is not quite there yet. I’m not really sure anywhere compares entirely to Michigan.”

How big of a factor is the draft at Michigan?

“Over the last couple of years with this new Next Gen car, the draft at Michigan has become less effective in my opinion. These cars don’t quite suck up on the straightaways the way the old cars could.”

Is it refreshing to race at a place like Michigan where you can move around the track and find a line that works?

“Michigan over the years has been pretty lane dominant, but with the addition of the traction compound through the corners, it has led itself to widening out and allowing you to try different grooves. It still isn’t as wide as it once was back in 2013 when you could race along the wall, but it’s getting better and going in that direction.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

“I’m looking forward to running both races at Michigan this year. On the Cup side of it last year, I had a lot of fun driving the car. It’s a lot of speed, a lot of on throttle time and if you get the car right, you’re running wide open. It’s a race track you definitely have to get you courage up for. We had good speed last year, so I’m looking forward to that. On the Xfinity side of it, winning in 2021 will always be a great memory. This year will be a little different with the aero package. It will be new with learning what we have to do to race the racetrack but it’s a fun place, I always enjoy going there and I think we can have a couple of good runs.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Poppy Bank Camaro ZL1

“Michigan is a place that we all look forward to going to. It’s a track where you get to truly feel the speed, grip, and all the things that make NASCAR racing what it is. This will be my first trip there in this car, so I’m really excited to get on track. It’s always a battle of manufacturers and bragging rights, so hopefully all of us on team Chevy can do our part.”

Zane Smith, No. 71 Focused Health Camaro ZL1

Michigan is the site of your first NASCAR national series victory. How special is the venue to you and your career?

“It’s going to be awesome to get back to Michigan this weekend. I haven’t been back there since my first Truck Series win in 2020. That track is a special place to me, and it holds a lot of great memories that I will always remember. I’m really excited to race there in the Cup car and see what my No. 71 Focused Health Spire Motorsports team can accomplish. Looking forward to Sunday’s race.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Premier Security / Zeigler.com Camaro ZL1

Sunday will mark your first NCS race at your hometown track. What are your expectations and what are you looking to accomplish?

“Michigan is a place that has been calling my name for a while. I love the thrill of racing there. Last year, I only got a few competitive laps in the Xfinity race before a wreck, but I have been having a blast in the simulator getting ready for this weekend. We’ve put a ton of effort into this race, especially with setup. Hailing from Michigan, and with Ziegler Auto Group and Premier Security involved, there’s a lot of hometown pride. We know anyone can win on the right day, so we’re giving it our all. Our cars are strong, and if we can get the perfect setup and opportunity, nothing can hold us back.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Infinite Cool Underwear Camaro ZL1

What do you think of NASCAR offering option tires?

“Richmond was a fun race! If NASCAR and the fans didn’t like the option tires, I don’t know what they would like because they were amazing. The strategy played a huge role in what everyone was doing; what we were doing and everyone’s different agenda. It was fun.”

Momentum going to Michigan:

“We had a really good run in Richmond. We were fast in practice on Saturday and again on Sunday. My guys did a good job with the strategy on Sunday. It was good to be leading laps. That’s two top-10s in a row. We need to be hitting our stride right now because we have three races remaining before the playoffs begin.”

What are your thoughts on Michigan?

“I like Michigan. It’s a very fast track and I feel like we have had great cars there lately. We have big expectations on Sunday. We came close to winning the second stage last year and in 2022. There is a lot of racing left in 2024.”

 
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: 11

Poles: 7

Laps Led: 1,801

Top-five finishes: 41

Top-10 finishes: 88

Stage wins: 13

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 8

· Ross Chastain: 1

· William Byron: 1

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 750

Laps led to date: 250,956

Top-five finishes to date: 4,339

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,948

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,196

       Chevrolet: 862

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 833                                                           

       Ford: 733

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 187

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.