Xfinity Series | The MotorSportsNews.Net(work)

NASCAR Xfinity Series News & Notes – Talladega Superspeedway

by MikeJune 18, 2020June 18, 2020

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Unhinged 300
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Saturday, June 20
The Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300.58 miles (113 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 25),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 113)
2019 Winner: Tyler Reddick (more…)

NASCAR Xfinity Series News & Notes – Charlotte Motor Speedway

by MikeMay 22, 2020May 22, 2020

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Alsco 300
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Monday, May 25
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
2019 Race Winner: Brad Keselowski (more…)

RCR Event Preview – Charlotte Motor Speedway

by MikeMay 22, 2020May 22, 2020

Richard Childress Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Richard Childress has earned a total of 17 race wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including eight points-paying victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, four non-points-paying All-Star race wins and five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins. The organization’s most recent victories came in 2019 when Tyler Reddick won the Alsco 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race during his championship run, and in 2017 when Austin Dillon captured the Coca-Cola 600 over Memorial Day weekend to earn his career-first Cup Series victory.

COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection.

Catch the Action … The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 24, beginning at 6 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Monday, May 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Cup Series Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Wednesday, May 27, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Austin Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon earned his career-first win in the NASCAR Cup Series with a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 in May 2017. A native of North Carolina, Dillon has competed in 10 NASCAR Cup Series races at his hometown track, earning two top-10 finishes. He is a two-time winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Dillon grew up watching races at Charlotte Motor Speedway from his grandfather’s condo, which overlooks the racetrack.

Honoring Our Heroes With Coca-Cola … Every Memorial Day, Coca-Cola is proud to support America’s frontline heroes and their families, especially the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. The No. 3 Coca-Cola Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 features a poignant quote from President James Garfield’s speech in Arlington Cemetery on the first-ever Memorial Day in 1868. This quote speaks to the courage and dedication all servicemen and service women have as they protect us each and every day.

“We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.”- James A. Garfield

With this car design, Coca-Cola is not only paying tribute to the long-standing traditions of Memorial Day, but also shining a spotlight on the true meaning of the holiday by honoring all the military men and women who died in service for their country and the families they left behind.

The design of the car represents the strength and courage of America’s military heroes. From the red, white and blue color scheme, to the five stars around the car representing the branches of the military, to the bottle wrapped in a ribbon, to the future-President Garfield’s speech at the first Memorial Day remembrance at Arlington Cemetery, we wanted to pay homage with symbols of reverence for those service members who sacrificed their lives for our great nation.

To support frontline heroes across the nation, The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with the USO and the American Red Cross by donating $500,000 to support frontline heroes battling COVID-19. While we can’t be together to celebrate Memorial Day, together we can honor America’s frontline heroes. For more information, visit https://www.coca-colacompany.com/news/coca-cola-returns-to-airwaves-to-support-nations-heroes

Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

E-Z-GO …E-Z-GO is an iconic, world-renowned brand in golf cars and personal transportation vehicles. Products sold under the E-Z-GO brand include RXV® and TXT® fleet golf cars, Freedom® RXV and Freedom TXT personal golf cars, E-Z-GO Express™ personal utility vehicles, and the 2Five® street-legal low-speed vehicle. Known for innovation in electric-vehicle technology, E-Z-GO’s newest offerings include the ELiTE series of lithium-ion powered golf cars and PTVs, and the company’s exclusive 72-volt AC electric powertrain found in its latest Express series vehicles. Founded in 1954 in Augusta, Ga., E-Z-GO became part of Textron Inc. in 1960, and today operates as part of the company’s Textron Specialized Vehicles division.

Austin Dillon Teams up with GM BuyPower Card to Help Local Community … Through his collaboration with the GM BuyPower Card, Austin Dillon is coming to the aid of his local community with a contribution to Pit Stops for Hope. Pit Stops for Hope is a charitable collaboration within the racing community focused on addressing educational and nutritional needs among the youth. Funds from the contribution will provide meals and educational materials to families struggling with various hardships associated with COVID-19 in the Piedmont-Triad and Charlotte areas. To learn more about Pit Stops for Hope or to make a contribution, visit www.pitstopsforhope.org.

600 Miles of Remembrance … Dillon and the No. 3 team will participate in 600 Miles of Remembrance on Memorial Day Weekend. Dillon’s name will be replaced on his race car windshield header with the name of a fallen military service member for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 3 team will feature Chief Special Warfare Operator Navy SEAL Eric F. Shellenberger.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

Big weekend for you going to your hometown track with a special paint scheme …

“It is really cool to have a brand like Coca-Cola behind you at the Coke 600. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. This is special to me. It’s in my backyard. I have a lot of friends and family watching this race. A couple years back, winning the Coca-Cola 600, there was nothing like it. Being tied with Coca-Cola from the beginning of my Cup Series career and getting to represent Coca-Cola in a full paint out with a patriotic scheme, it’s special. We have an awesome looking car for the 600 that spotlights the true meaning of the holiday.”

How hard is it to chase track conditions in the Coca-Cola 600? It’s the longest race of the season …
“It is difficult. It’s a long day, and you’ve really got to stay up-to-date with your car and be ahead of the adjustments. Anything can happen in 600 miles, so you are always in the race. That is the good part of it. Stage racing is fun and interesting there also.”

What does it mean to you to be able to race at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

“I’ve been so fortunate to be able to have come here since I was a little kid and watch races right inside turn one from my grandfather’s condo. I’ve seen so many laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway and have seen a lot of guys from RCR run well at the track. I watched Jimmie Johnson dominate for years. It’s been a good track for me and I always enjoy coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway. This year, it’s even more special to have the opportunity to race and I have to commend NASCAR for all of the steps they’ve taken to put protocols into place that get us back racing safely.”

Tyler Reddick at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway during this Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Reddick and his crew chief, Randall Burnett, found success at the 1.5-mile speedway last year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and won the June race there together. The two-time Xfinity Series champion has two additional series starts and one additional top-10 finish at the track. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts at Charlotte, both resulting in top-five finishes.

NASCAR Salutes … During this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600, Reddick and his No. 8 team will be honoring fallen Army SGT Norman L. Tollett by carrying his name across Reddick’s windshield as part of NASCAR’s salute to our nation’s military during Memorial Day weekend. Tollett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC, and died April 28, 2007, in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat patrol operations.

About Alsco … Alsco is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business, founded in 1889, that was recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the linen and uniform rental industry. Celebrating over 130 years of business, Alsco provides linen and workwear rental services to customers that include restaurants, healthcare, automotive industry and industrial facilities. With over 180 locations and more than 20,000 employees, Alsco provides world-class service to over 355,000 customers in 14 countries. Learn more at alsco.com.

Alsco and RCR Salute … Alsco and RCR have come together to design a paint scheme to help honor and salute our nation’s fallen soldiers. Reddick’s No. 8 Alsco Chevrolet will have a special patriotic paint scheme for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 that highlights fallen soldier, Norman L. Tollett, and his chosen branch of the military, the Army. The scheme highlights the Army’s desert digital camo pattern and includes the crests of each division of the army Tollett was in.

About Okuma … America Corporation Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world leader in CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. The company is the industry’s only single-source provider, with the CNC machine, drive, motors, encoders, and spindle all manufactured by Okuma. The company also designs their own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool’s functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store, the industry’s only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in THINC, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools, today and into the future. For more information, visit https://www.okuma.com/ or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:

This will be your first experience racing in the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s longest races. How are you preparing for that?

“I’m looking forward to my first attempt at the Coca-Cola 600 and the challenges it will bring. I’ve never experienced a race that long before, so it’s going to be a big learning experience for me, especially with how the track will change over the course of the race. Charlotte Motor Speedway is a temperature-sensitive track, so we need to be ready since the way the track is at the start of the night likely won’t be the same at the end of the night. We’ll need to be able to adjust our car for that. I’m excited to be part of the show. It’s an honor to be carrying SGT Norman L. Tollett’s name across my windshield for the race, and I hope we can make his family and friends proud.”

You then turn around and race Charlotte again on Wednesday night. How have these mid-week races gone for you?

“It has been really interesting and fun to have these mid-week races. They keep us on our toes, even though it’s the same track being raced so close together. Both Darlington and Charlotte are tracks affected by temperature and day versus night conditions, so it almost comes off as two different places. For this week, we should be able to pull some additional notes from the Coke 600 for Wednesday’s race since we will have a big portion of that race ran in the nighttime, as long as the temperature is close to the same on both nights.”

This Week’s No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway … This weekend will mark Myatt Snider’s return to the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Snider will be making his debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2018.

About TaxSlayer … TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million state and federal e-filed tax returns in 2019 and processed $12 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

Tax Day … The IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline for 2020. Tax Day is now July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and applies to all taxpayers. For up-to-date information and advice, check out TaxSlayer.com/blog.

Save Now … When you file with TaxSlayer, the savings are around every turn. All the deductions, all the credits, and all the money you deserve comes back to you in your refund. Start for free at TaxSlayer.com.

Did You Know … Myatt Snider cut his teeth racing Legend cars in the Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:

This will be the first time you have raced an Xfinity Series car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Being from Charlotte, how special will it be racing at your home track, especially for an iconic team like Richard Childress Racing?

“It will be such an honor to compete under the Richard Childress banner at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend. The Charlotte race has always been a marquee event to me. I love having a short commute to the racetrack and having my family close by. It will be a very exciting weekend all around. I’m super excited to have a strong performance for both TaxSlayer and Richard Childress Racing at my home track. It’s time to slay it.”

Austin Dillon Teams Up with GM BuyPower Card® to Support Local Community

by MikeMay 21, 2020

Pit Stops for Hope contribution will provide educational and nutritional assistance within the Piedmont-Triad and Charlotte areas of North Carolina

WELCOME, NC (May 21, 2020) – Through his collaboration with the GM BuyPower Card®, NASCAR star Austin Dillon is coming to the aid of his local community in advance of the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway through a contribution to Pit Stops for Hope.

“Pit Stops for Hope is an organization close to my heart since it started over 10 years ago, but as I prepare for fatherhood, the mission to support children in poverty has become even more meaningful to me,” said Dillon. “So many families across the country are in need right now, and I hope this contribution will offer some much-needed assistance to the city we call home.”

Pit Stops for Hope, a charitable collaboration within the racing community focused on addressing educational and nutritional needs among the youth, will use the funds from the contribution within the Piedmont-Triad and Charlotte areas of North Carolina to provide meals and educational materials.

“There has always been poverty within our communities, but the needs are growing exponentially as families struggle with various hardships associated with COVID-19,” said Ray Wright, founder of Pit Stops for Hope. “Chances are good that just a few short miles from your own home, there are children who will go to bed hungry tonight because they did not receive a nutritious meal in school. This generous contribution will help answer an immediate need around food insecurity and will also provide educational resources for students and teachers as they adjust to home learning environments.”

Dillon grew up around General Motors and Chevrolet vehicles, and officially began his long-standing collaboration when he started racing professionally. In 2019, he teamed up with the GM BuyPower Card from Capital One to show race fans how they can use the credit card on everyday purchases and redeem Earnings toward the purchase or lease of a new GM vehicle, or toward statement credits on qualified purchases for vehicle care and certain GM extras.

“My relationship with GM and Capital One goes beyond their products or services. At the heart, it’s based on our aligned values and focus on celebrating the journey of life,” said Dillon. “We came together to recognize a need in my community and discuss simple ways to help those in need, and I’m proud to work with them and Pit Stops for Hope to help families in the Carolinas.”

To learn more about Pit Stops for Hope or to make a contribution, visit www.pitstopsforhope.org. Catch Austin Dillon in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. ET live on FOX.

About Richard Childress Racing:

Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2020 Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Dow/Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road/E-Z-GO/American Ethanol/Symbicort/RigUp Chevrolet), along with Rookie of the Year contender and two-time Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet). Its Xfinity Series program includes Anthony Alfredo, Myatt Snider (TaxSlayer Chevrolet) and Kaz Grala in select races during the year.

About Pit Stops for Hope:

Pit Stops for Hope is a collaboration of the racing community united together for the betterment of America’s youth. We believe positive change will come to our community by investing in our children. Pit Stops for Hope plans to invest in our youth by primarily assisting food banks and academic instructors. Food and education work hand and hand in producing success. Our mission is to replace poverty with hope in our community!

About General Motors

General Motors Co.(NYSE:GM) has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

About Capital One

At Capital One we’re on a mission for our customers – bringing them great products, rewards, service, and access to unique and unforgettable experiences they are passionate about. Capital One is a diversified bank that offers products and services to individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. We use technology, innovation and interaction to provide consumers with products and services to meet their needs. Learn more at capitalone.com.

NASCAR Classic Full Race: Chase Elliott beats big names for first Xfinity Series win

by MikeMarch 30, 2020March 30, 2020

NASCAR Classic Full Race: Chase Elliott beats big names for first Xfinity Series win

Chase Elliott announced his arrival in a big way back in 2014, beating out a field that included Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and more for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.

Transcript: Conversation with NASCAR President Steve Phelps

by MikeMarch 18, 2020March 18, 2020

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone, to today’s media teleconference here with NASCAR president Steve Phelps. We appreciate you all making the time. We also realize that you have a number of questions for Steve here today. We’re going to try to get through as many questions as we have for this teleconference. We’re planning to set aside 20 minutes, a lot of activity going on here as you might imagine. (more…)

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Atlanta – 9 24 48 88

by MikeMarch 12, 2020March 12, 2020

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)

LOCATION: HAMPTON, GEORGIA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE FIVE OF 36)
TUNE IN: 2 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, MARCH 15 (FOX/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season

3rd in standings
4 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
1 top-five finish
2 top-10 finishes
186 laps led

Career

153 starts
6 wins
9 pole positions
45 top-five finishes
76 top-10 finishes
2,030 laps led

Track Career

4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
3 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

Dawsonville, Georgia, native Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, will be available to members of the media on Friday, March 13, at 1 p.m. local time in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center.

LEADING THE FIELD: Through the first four races of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott has led more laps (186) than any other driver and 27 laps more than Kevin Harvick, who has the second most.

GEORGIA ON HIS MIND: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, joining his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who won five races at the track.

ATLANTA BASED: In addition to NAPA AUTO PARTS, Elliott’s primary sponsor this weekend at Atlanta, fellow No. 9 team primary partner Hooters also is headquartered in Atlanta. Hooters, a casual dining establishment with a deep history in NASCAR, will make its season debut next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

ELLIOTT AT ATLANTA: The 24-year-old driver has made starts at Atlanta in each of NASCAR’s top-three series – four in the Cup Series, two in the Xfinity Series and one in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Last season was the only time he finished outside the top 10 in the Cup Series (19th). Elliott currently holds a 10.5-average finish at Atlanta, the best among active drivers at the 1.5-mile track. He also has finished in the top five in all of his Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series starts at Atlanta.

DOUBLE DUTY: In addition to his full-time duty piloting the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the Cup Series, Elliott will compete in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race, driving the No. 24 Hooters Chevrolet for GMS Racing on Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He also will drive the No. 24 Chevy in the upcoming Kansas Truck race on May 30.

HEADING HOME: Elliott hails from Dawsonville, Georgia, just 84 miles north of the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Last month, Elliott spent a little extra time around his hometown to promote this weekend’s race. He visited students at Dawson County Middle School, helped unveil Atlanta’s 60th anniversary pace car at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and finished the day off with media and signing autographs for fans in attendance.

FIRST FOUR: Four races are in the books as the Cup Series heads back east this weekend. In just four events, Elliott has collected one pole award, one top-five finish and two top 10s. The driver of the No. 9 also has earned more stage points (50) than any other driver this season. He ranks third in the point standings, a big improvement of being ranked 13th after four races last season.

DESI9N TO DRIVE: As part of the Chase Elliott Foundation’s fourth annual “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, patient-designed racing shoes will be worn by Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron, Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson during the NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Elliott’s shoes were designed by 8-year-old Brooke Winokur and features a colorful outer space design with Mars, stars and astronauts. They will be signed and put on the auction block starting March 13 at the NASCAR Foundation online auction site to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s summer camps.

CHECK OUT THOSE HATS: For the second time this month, the No. 9 team will wear special, limited-edition NAPA hats at the track. The hats are part of NAPA AUTO PARTS’ March in-store promotion. During the month of March, when customers spend $25 in store, they will receive the No. 9 NAPA Racing-Chase Elliott hat while supplies last.

William Byron
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season

19th in standings
4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
1 lap led

Career

76 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
18 top-10 finishes
295 laps led

Track Career

2 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

FINAL STOP, PHOENIX: Qualifying 17th at Phoenix Raceway for the final race of the West Coast swing, William Byron methodically worked his way through the field, ultimately finding himself battling inside the top-five running order with under 100 laps to go. However, right-side damage on a restart forced Byron down pit road for repairs, lining him up outside the top 15 when the field went back green. As the race came to a close, multiple restarts aided in the 22-year-old driver’s march back to the front and he crossed the finish line in 10th.

LIBERTY U RETURNS: After making its 2020 NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Clash during Daytona Speedweeks, Liberty University will be back on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With a long history with Byron dating back in 2014 in the late model ranks, Liberty University is in the midst of its sixth season sponsoring the 22-year-old driver. Liberty has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in business communication, Byron now is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program.

THE ATL ARCHIVE: With two previous Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron has a track-best finish of 17th from last spring’s race. Byron has two other NASCAR starts at the 1.5-mile track, including one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he finished seventh, the third-highest of the Xfinity Series regulars. He also has one start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series, where he was running second before losing an engine, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish.

KNAUS HOT AT HOTLANTA: Calling the shots for 28 NASCAR Cup races at the weathered track, crew chief Chad Knaus has snagged the checkered flag five times at Atlanta Motor Speedway, most recently in back-to-back wins from 2015 and 2016. Out of the 28 races as crew chief, Knaus’ car has left the 1.5-mile oval with 14 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. In fact, Knaus has a knack for intermediate tracks in general, collecting 34 wins across his Cup Series crew chief career.

DESI9N TO DRIVE: This year, Byron will take part in the Chase Elliott Foundation’s “DESI9N TO DRIVE” shoe program. Benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s summer camp program, Byron and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates selected racing shoe designs created by patients at the hospital. Byron will sport 9-year-old Julia Hope Sears’ design on his racing shoes that encompasses the theme of “Dream Big.” With a variety of colors present, Sears’ design also includes stars throughout and the phrase “lights, camera, action.” Not only will Sears get to meet the Hendrick Motorsports drivers before Sunday’s race, she will see her design transfer from paper to real life when Byron wears her racing shoe design during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After the event, the race-worn shoes will be signed by Byron and auctioned off online by the Chase Elliott Foundation.

Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 44 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season

5th in standings
4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
2 top-10 finishes
13 laps led

Career

655 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
228 top-five finishes
366 top-10 finishes
18,847 laps led

Track Career

28 starts
5 wins
0 pole positions
14 top-five finishes
16 top-10 finishes
586 laps led

DEDICATION: This weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson will receive an honor only the two other seven-time NASCAR champions, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, have received at the track – a grandstand named after him. The dedication will take place on Friday, March 13 at the base of Stair Tower 8.

DUTY CALLS: Before the green flag drops on this year’s race in Hampton, Georgia, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and five-time Atlanta Motor Speedway winner will be the grand marshal of the race. Johnson will give the command and recite the “most famous words in motorsports” for drivers to start their engines from the cockpit of his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet.

PERFORMANCE: Johnson has the third-best average finish of all active drivers at Atlanta with 12.0 over his 28 starts. He is the proud owner of five wins at Atlanta and, of the last nine races at the 1.5-mile track, Hendrick Motorsports has won four of them – with Johnson’s victories coming in the 2015 and 2016 events.

1.5-MILE WIN PERCENTAGE: Johnson has the most all-time wins on a 1.5-mile racetrack with 28 victories overall. The next-best record is 17 wins by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, followed by competitor Kevin Harvick with 16 from an active driver standpoint. In 190 starts on 1.5-mile tracks, Johnson has won 14.7% of those races, which is second of all time. Johnson trails former driver Fred Lorenzen, who won 21.1% of his races with 38 starts and eight wins on this type of track.

BEST SHOES EVER: To support teammate Chase Elliott’s “DESI9N TO DRIVE” initiative, Johnson will don unique Alpine Stars racing shoes this weekend – designed by 5-year old Evelyn O’Dell. She created Johnson’s shoes with one thing in mind – her sister, Ellie. The design features a predominantly green and orange scheme, with five hearts for Ellie’s five heart surgeries, and two butterflies – one for each sister. Evelyn’s hope is that her sister will be able to dream big and be happy. Each shoe will be signed by the respective drivers and will be auctioned off online for nine days (March 13–22) with proceeds going to the Chase Elliott Foundation to benefit the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta summer camp program. Participating corporate partners of the program are “matching” the highest-winning auction bid for his racing shoes.

NOT DONE YET: There are some huge milestones on the horizon for Johnson. The next time he crosses the finish line first, he will have scored his 84th points-paying Cup Series win to tie Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth of all time. Johnson currently is 10 wins behind former teammate Jeff Gordon, who has 93 victories and is third on the list. Johnson has the most wins of all active drivers with 83.

GOING HOME: Jackman Kyle Tudor, who hails from Augusta, Georgia, calls Atlanta Motor Speedway his home track. Tudor played football at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, as a linebacker and has been on the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team for four seasons.

Alex Bowman
No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 26 Resides Concord, North Carolina

2020 Season

4th in standings
4 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
1 top-10 finish
113 laps led

Career

157 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
11 top-five finishes
27 top-10 finishes
587 laps led

Track Career

4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

AXALTA ON BOARD: This weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the second event of the 2020 season in which the Axalta colors will adorn Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. The leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings and Hendrick Motorsports announced an extension last month that will take their partnership through the 2027 season. Read more here.

ATL BOUND: The driver of the No. 88 machine has four previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bowman’s best finish of 15th came in last year’s event at the 1.5-mile facility. He has one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013, where he qualified 18th. In 2017, Bowman ran in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, where he finished sixth after qualifying fifth.

1.5-MILE STATS: In 2019, Bowman had 11 starts on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length. The 26-year-old driver had an average start of 13.7 and an average finish of 9.3 on these tracks last season. Bowman captured three top-five finishes and six top 10s at intermediate tracks, including the win at Chicagoland Speedway. In the last nine events on tracks of this length, Bowman’s average finish of 7.9 is the second best of all drivers and his six top-10 finishes over the last nine are tied for the second most. Earlier this year, the team finished 13th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after battling inside the top 10 for most of the event.

NEW KICKS: During this weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bowman will be sporting some new shoes. The Chase Elliott Foundation is supporting the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta through the “DESI9N TO DRIVE” shoe program. The shoes, designed by 14-year-old Justin Mingo, will be autographed by Bowman and auctioned off by the Chase Elliott Foundation for nine days (March 13–22). Proceeds will go to the foundation to benefit Children’s summer camp program. Visit the auction page here.

IVES IN ATLANTA: Crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the sixth time on Sunday with the No. 88 team at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Michigan native has two top-five finishes at the track, which includes a runner-up finish with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2016. Ives has two career starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the 1.5-mile facility. In 2014, Ives’ driver sat on the pole for the 195-lap event and led 36 laps en route to a fifth-place finish. From 2006-12, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of two wins and one pole award.

Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT ATLANTA: The organization has 14 wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the most among all teams. Hendrick Motorsports also has 59 top-five finishes, 90 top-10s and a total of 3,031 laps led. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are tied for fifth with the most wins at the Hampton, Georgia, track, along with Bill Elliott and Bobby Allison.

WINS IN THE PEACH STATE: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick’s first Atlanta Motor Speedway win in the Cup Series came on March 19, 1989, with driver Darrell Waltrip. The organization has posted Atlanta victories with six different drivers: Gordon (five wins), Johnson (five wins), Waltrip, Ken Schrader (1991), Jerry Nadeau (2000) and Kasey Kahne (2014).

2020 IN A NUTSHELL: Three of Hendrick Motorsports’ four drivers are in the top five in the points standing after four races this season. Chase Elliott is in third place, followed by Alex Bowman in fourth and Jimmie Johnson in fifth. Elliott leads all drivers with the most stage wins (three), while Bowman is one of three drivers this season to have a win under his belt.

LUCKY MARCH: Bowman’s victory in Fontana, California, pushes Hendrick Motorsports to the all-time leader in wins during the month of March with 23, which ranks fourth on the organization’s winningnest month list. The team has 35 total wins in June, 33 in September and 32 in October. The 88 team’s win on March 1 also makes the first of the month Hendrick Motorsports’ most winningnest date with 13.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 257 race victories, 226 pole positions, 1,074 top-five finishes and 1,854 top-10 finishes in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 68,000 laps since 1984. With Bowman’s win at Auto Club Speedway this season, the organization extended its streak to 35 consecutive seasons with at least one win, the longest streak all-time.

QUOTABLE /

Chase Elliott’s expectations and improvements going to his home track:
“We started off there and I thought 2016 went really good. That was kind of my first 1.5-mile with the No. 24 team at the time and I thought things went really good. In 2017, we went back and were even better. I thought we had a real chance that day. And then in ’18 and ’19 (we) have been dismal. So, hopefully this weekend is better and you never want to run bad at your home track. So, hopefully we can turn that around. It’s been, I feel like, it’s been a rough go the past two years. So, yeah, hopefully we can improve and be back like we were in 2017.”

William Byron on his feelings about Atlanta Motor Speedway being repaved:
“Oh yeah. I mean I don’t think Atlanta is a bumpy track, but it’s just really worn out and slick. The rubber doesn’t really build up there, it just stays slick all the time. It’s a very interesting track because of it. We only go there once year, like Auto Club, so you have to go in with a different mindset this weekend and learn what you can.”

Jimmie Johnson on the challenges at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
“For a 1.5 mile track, Atlanta has the most banking and the asphalt is so old. For qualifying, it’s truly one of the most gnarliest tracks we go to — the bumps, speed and commitment level is off the charts. I’ve often climbed out of the car and been shaking like a leaf — it’s intense. Winning there as much as we have has been so special, one of my greatest races was the battle with Carl Edwards where he edged me at the start finish line. It’s a great track, I’m looking forward to it.”

Alex Bowman’s thoughts on going into Atlanta with Hendrick Motorsports’ strong intermediate program:
“We should be good. Atlanta is a lot of fun. I’m excited about the new Camaro ZL1 1LE and what we’ve seen with it so far. I think we can be really strong there. It’s another place where you can move around a lot. Tire management is really key. You can move to the top and pass a lot of cars and five laps later, you’re going backwards. So, managing that is a lot of fun. It should be a good race for us.”

TRENDING /

Look what made its way back to the shop from@ACSupdates!
@TeamHendrick via Twitter
3/10/20, 12:40 p.m. ET

Follow Hendrick Motorsports on
FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE PINTEREST

NASCAR Cup Series News & Notes – Atlanta Motor Speedway

by MikeMarch 12, 2020March 12, 2020

Next Race: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, March 15
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 500.5 miles (325 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 105),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 210), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 325)
2019 Race Winner: Brad Keselowski (more…)