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Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Darlington

DARLINGS OF S.C. ONCE AGAIN: After going winless at Darlington Raceway in 14 straight events, Hendrick Motorsports swept both races in 2023 with William Byron winning in the spring and Kyle Larson claiming the Southern 500. That brought the organization’s win total at the “Lady in Black” up to 16 with 12 of those coming in the Southern 500. Both of those marks lead all Cup Series teams.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Six Hendrick Motorsports drivers have gone to victory lane in the Southern 500, tied for the most all time. Leading that charge is NASCAR Hall of Famer and current vice chairman Jeff Gordon with six victories. Jimmie Johnson claimed two wins in the event for Hendrick Motorsports with Larson, Mark Martin, Terry Labonte and Tim Richmond each winning once.

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WHITE FLAG: Entering the final race of the regular season, Kyle Larson is second in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings and trails points leader Tyler Reddick by 17 markers. Larson has scored 17 or more points than Reddick in four races this season. The 2021 Cup champion tops the series with four wins, five poles, 28 playoff points and is second with 826 laps led.

TOP FIVE FOR NO. 5: The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet has run a series high 3,153 laps in the top five this season. Larson is tied for second with nine top-five finishes.

FIRST SEPTEMBER REIGN: The Elk Grove, California, native led 55 laps last September at Darlington Raceway in capturing his first Southern 500 victory, marking the 500th NASCAR national series triumph for the Hendrick Motorsports engine department. The win was also Larson’s first at NASCAR’s highest level at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval. The 2014 rookie of the year also scored a victory at Darlington in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2023.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATS: In 13 Cup starts at Darlington, Larson has six top-three finishes. His 785 laps led at the track “Too Tough to Tame” are his third-most at any track on the schedule. Additionally, Larson’s average finish (11.31) is third-best among active drivers with more than two starts at the historic track.

FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew holds the 10th-fastest average four-tire pit stop time in 2024 at 11.12 seconds. Larson’s pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).

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” at Darlington. However, its 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.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.

No. 9 NAPA Gold Filters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

FIERCE FINALE: Heading into the regular season finale at Darlington Raceway, Chase Elliott is within striking distance of capturing the regular season championship. He sits third in points, 18 markers behind the current leader Tyler Reddick and one point behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Fifteen playoff points will be awarded to the regular season champion, 10 for the second-place finisher and eight for third. In three races this season, Elliott has scored 19 or more points than Reddick.

WHAT A RIDE: Prior to last weekend’s race at Daytona International Speedway, Elliott had gone a career-best 37 NASCAR Cup Series races without a DNF, dating back to last year’s event at Michigan International Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was caught up in a multi-car incident during stage two at Daytona, ending his night. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native was the first Cup Series driver to complete all but one lap through 24 races in a season. The previous record was all but two laps, which occurred three times.

#DI9: So far in 2024, Elliott has earned one win (Texas Motor Speedway), seven top-five finishes and 12 top 10s with 213 laps led. Elliott’s 11.64 average finish is second best in the Cup Series. He also has the third-best average running position (11.30), the fourth-most laps spent inside the top 10 (3,584) and is tied for the fourth-most top-10 results among full-time premier series drivers.

DARLINGTON DATA: Sunday marks Elliott’s 16th start at Darlington in the Cup Series. In 15 previous races at the 1.366-mile oval, he has collected four top-five finishes, seven top 10s and led 151 laps. In last year’s Southern 500, the 28-year-old driver posted an eighth-place finish. His best overall Cup finish at the South Carolina venue was a third-place showing in May of 2023.

SIMILAR TRACK PERFORMANCE: In 62 Cup starts on tracks measuring 1 to 1.37 miles in length (Darlington, Dover Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and WWT Raceway), Elliott has four wins. His first came at Dover in 2018 and was followed by his championship-winning performance at Phoenix in 2020. His two most recent victories on a track of this length came in 2022 at Dover and Nashville. Accompanying the quartet of triumphs are 23 top-five finishes, 30 top 10s and 1,287 laps led. This season in six races on this variation of track, Elliott’s best finish is fifth (at Dover).

DOUBLE DUTY IN DARLINGTON: Before Elliott takes the green flag for the Southern 500 on Sunday, he will strap into the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon. Elliott will be reunited with his former Xfinity Series crew chief Greg Ives. The duo won the Xfinity Series championship in 2014 during Elliott’s rookie season. The six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner has made three Darlington Xfinity Series starts, earning a win in 2014. In his most recent start in the No. 17 in May of this year, Elliott claimed a victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

FASTEST FIVE: The No. 9 pit crew continues to hold the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (10.736 seconds) in the Cup Series. 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).

AG IN SC: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson is set to call his 26th Darlington race in his 20th season as a Cup Series crew chief. In 25 previous starts with five drivers (Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Elliott and NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin), Gustafson has accumulated one win (2009 with Martin), six top-five finishes, 11 top 10s and 222 laps led.

GOING GOLD: Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will have a different look this weekend at Darlington. Primary partner NAPA Auto Parts is trading in its iconic blue and yellow for a black and gold livery, highlighting its line of NAPA Gold™ oil filters. Since 1966, NAPA Gold Oil Filters have earned the trust of generations of drivers and car enthusiasts. Each one is built to offer better strength, performance benefits and is specifically designed to remove contaminants to keep engines running at peak performance.

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

24 IN ‘24: William Byron has three wins (tied for the second-most) in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season including the DAYTONA 500. Following Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has eight top-five finishes (tied for the fourth-most) and has 13 top 10s (third). Byron has spent 1,505 laps running in the top five (10th-most) and 3,114 laps running in the top 10 (eighth-most). Byron is fifth in the 2024 Cup Series points standings with 16 playoff points.
SIMILAR IN SIZE: This Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway will mark Byron’s 49th start on tracks 1 to 1.37 miles in length (Dover Motor Speedway, Darlington, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and WWT Raceway). In 48 starts, the 26-year-old driver has collected two pole awards, two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 20 top 10s and has led 537 laps.
DARLINGTON DEETS: Byron is looking to continue his success at the 1.366-mile track in his 13th Cup Series start. Byron took home the victory last spring at Darlington after starting fourth and leading seven laps, his first at the track. In his last eight Darlington starts, Byron has only finished outside the top 10 twice. In five Next-Gen races at Darlington, he leads the field in laps run in the top five (1,041) and top 10 (1,367) with top-10 showings in each of those events. He is tied for the longest active top-10 streak at Darlington.
THE FUGLE FILES: Crew chief Rudy Fugle will make his eighth Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday. Fugle and the No. 24 team have collected one win, three top-five finishes, five top 10s and have led 86 laps. Prior to his Cup Series career, Fugle had three starts at Darlington – two in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 25, races in the 2024 season, the No. 24 pit crew ranks fourth for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.962 seconds). The squad consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE OF MIND: Walker hails from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and has ties to South Carolina as well, having played football at Clemson University. The former offensive tackle earned a scholarship to Clemson in 2007 after being named an All-American at East Wilkes High School. Walker recorded 3,131 snaps with 49 starts at tackle through four seasons at Clemson and was named team captain in 2011. Clemson won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship that year. The football standout was recruited by Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 and earned a position as the fueler for the former No. 5 (now No. 24) team in 2015.
LIBERTY U. IS BACK: Byron will sport Liberty University on board his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for this weekend’s race at Darlington Raceway. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will surely stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron, starting in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since its founding in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offer more than 600 degree programs, from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

DAYTONA DEBRIEF: Last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Alex Bowman qualified 21st and fought through an on-track accident, repairs, cautions and chaos to secure a 16th-place finish. It marked the fifth time Bowman led the Hendrick Motorsports stable this season. He ranks 12th in the driver points standings, 175 markers behind the leader, 28 back of 10th place.

ONE TO GO: Only one regular-season race remains until the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bowman’s eighth Cup Series win came at the Chicago Street Course and has the No. 48 Ally Racing team locked-in to the postseason. It will mark Bowman’s seventh appearance in the playoffs. Following the completion of 25 points-paying races this season, Bowman has six top-five finishes (most in a season since 2021) and 12 top 10s (in a tie for third most, more than all of 2023).

DARLINGTON RACEWAY: NASCAR returns to Darlington Raceway this weekend, also known as the “Lady in Black.” Bowman finished eighth in the May race at the 1.366-mile track. In 13 starts at Darlington, Bowman has one top five, four top 10s and has led 42 circuits.

TEAMMATES IN THE FAN ZONE: Starting at 3:05 p.m. Sunday at Darlington, fans can visit Bowman and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson in the fan zone at the Ally activation stage. Both drivers will participate in a Q&A surrounding the “Win Your Wheels” sweepstakes fueled by Ally and HendrickCars.com, which will end on Sept. 20. To celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary, the pair teamed up to give away a special edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE to one lucky fan. Only 40 will be manufactured and the other 39 will be sold exclusively through select Hendrick Automotive Group Chevrolet dealerships. Enter to win here.

HUMBLE PIG ANIMAL SANCTUARY: Over the last four years, Bowman and Ally have donated over $650,000 to Best Friends shelters and its vast network of partners. This weekend, the pair will donate $4,800 to the Humble Pig Animal Sanctuary. This unique Best Friend’s partner is located on 90 acres in Darlington, South Carolina, and is a non-profit animal rescue. It is home to dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, goats, turtles and pigs. The sanctuary aims to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home animals in dire need. If adoption is unsuccessful for any reason, these animals have a familiar home to return to at the Humble Pig.

ALLY RACING PIT CREW: The Ally Racing pit crew ranks seventh in the fastest average four-tire stop this season (11.067 seconds). The No. 48’s over-the-wall, five-man 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.

EVERYBODY’S INVITED: All four Hendrick Motorsports teams are locked into the playoffs. It’s the sixth time since 2004 that’s happened and third time in the last four years (2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2024).

THE LAST 37: Over the last 37 Cup Series events, Hendrick Motorsports has not gone more than three races without a win, needing a victory on Sunday for that streak to continue. In that span, the team has logged 13 victories (most), 43 top-five finishes and 74 top 10s. At least one Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished inside the top 10 in 35 of the 37 races.

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Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on drafting-style tracks: “I love racing at Darlington and it was cool to get that first (Cup) win there last year in the Southern 500. We’re 17 points down but we’re going to race hard for stage points and hopefully be able to battle for the regular season championship at the end of the race.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Daytona: “Darlington and the Southern 500 is such a great race. This week I had fun just studying the history of the race way back to the beginning in 1950. It’s a tough track with a lot of tire fall off and it takes the entire team to have a good Southern 500. From the driver having to battle the track more so than the competition, although the competition will be tough, as well. You have to be disciplined on the track while running up against the wall. Strategy will be involved, pit stops will be important and you have to have a fast car.”

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Darlington Raceway, points battle: “I love racing at Darlington and it was cool to get that first (Cup) win there last year in the Southern 500. We’re 17 points down but we’re going to race hard for stage points and hopefully be able to battle for the regular season championship at the end of the race.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the Southern 500: “Darlington and the Southern 500 is such a great race. This week I had fun just studying the history of the race way back to the beginning in 1950. It’s a tough track with a lot of tire fall off and it takes the entire team to have a good Southern 500. From the driver having to battle the track more so than the competition, although the competition will be tough, as well. You have to be disciplined on the track while running up against the wall. Strategy will be involved, pit stops will be important and you have to have a fast car.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the final race of the regular season: “I’m just excited about Darlington. Honestly, with everything that happened in Daytona, we’re not in a great spot on the regular season thing. We’re going to have to have a really, really good weekend to get back in the hunt to at least win it. But certainly, some good points on the line for us if we can have a good day. So, thinking about that some. But truthfully, I just really admire the Southern 500 and have always really loved that race. I think it’s one of the coolest races on our schedule. And from a driver’s standpoint, Darlington is just such a hard racetrack to drive. The gratification that I think you would get from winning at a place like that, I would have to imagine would be really cool. So more than anything, outside of the points and all that, I’d really just like to go and try to add my name to that list. And if we’re doing that, then the point situation is certainly going to pretty much fix itself.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Darlington Raceway: “It’s different that Darlington isn’t in the playoffs but it is a nice opportunity for us to get some more points and improve our position in the standings. We’re generally really good here so I’m excited for what we can do.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on why he enjoys Darlington Raceway: “Darlington is a tough track but once you have it figured it out it can be a lot of fun. We have a really good notebook for both the spring and summer races there. This one though would mean a bit more seeing as the Southern 500 is a crown jewel race. We’ve already won a couple big ones this year, so why not try add another.”
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Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Darlington Raceway: “Darlington has always been one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit. It’s a very unique, tactical and demanding track for the driver. Being the last race remaining before the playoffs, our team would like to secure some additional playoff points and build strong momentum before Atlanta (Motor Speedway). Looking forward to kicking off the last month of the ‘Win Your Wheels’ sweepstakes at the Ally Activation stage in the fan zone on race day as well.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the final points-paying race before the playoffs: “If we could win and have the opportunity to carry some bonus points into the playoffs that would be our number one priority. But really, we just need to put together a full race and bring home a decent finish. We’ve had really good race cars the past month or so and not a ton of great finishes to show for it. Some of it due to circumstances out of our control but hopefully we can put together a good race and carry some good momentum into Atlanta (Motor Speedway).”

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