TEAM CHEVY NASCAR RACE ADVANCE: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will make their first and only trip to the New England region this weekend, where New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be the next host of a doubleheader weekend for NASCAR’s top two series. Nicknamed “The Magic Mile”, the 1.058-mile venue first welcomed the NASCAR national ranks in 1990 for the inaugural NXS event, with the track earning a date on the NCS schedule for the first time in 1993. Chevrolet has tallied a combined 28 victories across NASCAR’s top two series, including a series-best 19 triumphs in NASCAR’s premier series.
 

Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

Sunday’s USA Today 301 will mark the NASCAR Cup Series’ 53rd appearance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and just the third event in the series’ Next Gen era. Chevrolet heads to “The Magic Mile” with a series-leading 19 NCS victories at the track. Career Chevrolet driver, Jeff Gordon, took the Bowtie brand on its first trip to victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July 1995, with the NASCAR Hall of Famer going on to score a pair of victories in back-to-back seasons (Sept. 1997 and Aug. 1998) to be credited with the manufacturer’s first three victories at the track. Among those victories includes a record-setting string of six consecutive trips to victory lane, starting with Mark Martin’s win in Sept. 2009 through Kasey Kahne’s win in July 2012 – both of which were recorded behind the wheel of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Chevrolet will eye its 10th NASCAR Xfinity Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Saturday’s Sci Aps 200. The Bowtie brand’s nine all-time NXS wins at the track have each come with a different driver, with Ricky Craven piloting his self-owned Chevrolet to the manufacturer’s first NXS triumph at the 1.058-mile venue in Oct. 1991. Most recently, it was JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier that took Chevrolet back to victory lane for the first time in 15 years by picking up the win in series’ July 2022 appearance.

CHASING CONSISTENCY

Consistency is serving Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team well this season. The 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native is coming off a strong third-place finish at Iowa Speedway – his seventh top-five finish in the last 11 NASCAR Cup Series races. The result was enough to push Elliott to the top of the driver’s points standings, with the Team Chevy driver becoming the seventh different points leader thus far this season.

The 2020 champion already earned a playoff position with his return to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway. In 17 points-paying NCS races, Elliott has recorded finishes no worse than 19th to earn a series-best average finish of 9.1 heading into the New Hampshire race weekend – an average more than three positions ahead of second-place, and fellow Team Chevy driver, Ross Chastain (12.5 average finish).

REGULAR-SEASON RECAP

The NASCAR Cup Series has officially hit a single-digit countdown to the end of its regular-season, with just nine races remaining for drivers to solidify a spot in the title hunt.

With 17 NCS points-paying races complete:

· Four different drivers have powered Chevrolet to a combined eight victories in NASCAR’s top division this season to lead its manufacturer competitors.

· Among those triumphs, the Bowtie brand has earned a victory on every race track configuration that the series competes at this season including: two wins at superspeedway/drafting-style ovals (Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway), three wins at intermediate-style ovals (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway), two road course wins (Circuit of The Americas and Sonoma Raceway) and one short-track win (Martinsville Speedway).

· Looking to capture its fourth consecutive, and 43rd all-time, NACAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship, Chevrolet has sat atop the manufacturer points standings after all but one race this season – heading into the New Hampshire race weekend with a 10-point advantage over second-place Toyota.

· Three Team Chevy drivers have earned the series-best average finish, with Chase Elliott topping the leaderboard with an average finish of 9.1 – the only driver to have a single-digit average. Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron currently tie for second with an average finish of 12.5.

· In addition to its series-leading eight NASCAR Cup Series victories this season, Chevrolet also leads its manufacturer competitors in top-five finishes (33) and top-10 finishes (66).

MAYER MAKES IT FIVE-STRAIGHT

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ return to Iowa Speedway, JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer battled through an overtime finish to collect his second win of the 2024 season. The 20-year-old Franklin, Wisconsin, native already earned a post-season spot with his victory at Texas Motor Speedway, but this trip to victory lane makes Mayer just the series’ fourth repeat winner this season.

The young Team Chevy driver extended the Bowtie brand’s win streak in the series to five-straight heading into the New Hampshire race weekend. Chevrolet’s string of consecutive victories dates back to Justin Allgaier’s victory at Darlington Raceway in May. Since then, Chase Elliott and the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS team picked up the victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen posting back-to-back road course wins at Portland International Raceway and Sonoma Raceway earlier this month.

Bowman Tapped for First NXS Start of 2024

The part-time Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Xfinity Series entry is slated for its next start of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend – this time with Alex Bowman behind the wheel. The 31-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native made just one start in the series last season – driving the No. 17 Camaro SS to a ninth-place finish at Watkins Glen International. Bowman has 55 career NXS starts on his resume – tallying one win (Charlotte Motor Speedway – Oct. 2017), seven top-fives and 17 top-10s.

This weekend will mark the sixth NXS start for the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS team. Among those starts includes two trips to victory lane – recorded by Kyle Larson at Circuit of The Americas and Chase Elliott at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· With 45 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 57.8% with 26 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – eight wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 10 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – eight wins).

· NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

Kyle Busch – three wins (2017, 2015, 2006)

· In 52 NASCAR Cup Series races held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 19 victories and 18 poles – both of which are series-best feats.

· In 89 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 45 victories – a winning percentage of 50.6%.

· With his victory at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Larson is the second driver to hit a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era with 10 triumphs. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron leads the series’ all-time win record in the Next Gen era with 11 victories.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 859 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
 

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 617
Toyota: 607 (-10)
Ford: 588 (-29)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 570
Toyota: 526 (-44)
Ford: 469 (-101)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 458
Toyota: 425 (-33)
Ford: 384 (-74)

TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

USA Today 301

Sunday, June 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET

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

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Sci Aps 200

Saturday, June 22, at 3:30 p.m. ET

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

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1

Can you talk about New Hampshire?

“New Hampshire is one of the more challenging tracks for me. We only go there once a year and it’s also my crew chief’s (Phil Surgen) home track. Qualifying is important every week but it’s really important at New Hampshire because of the quick pace and it’s so easy to go down a lap quickly. Looks like we have some rain in the forecast this weekend which will be another challenge.”

There’s past champions and multi-time winners all fighting for a playoff spot with you, how difficult is it going to be to maintain a spot in the playoffs even though you’re well above the cut line?

“I’m fighting for a playoff spot with my heroes. It’s pretty wild to look at the list. I try to keep a broad view of what’s on the horizon so in those high risk moments on track that I’m a little better equipped. The names I’m up against are past champions and heroes. I’m focused on each race and so is my team. We’ve had some fast cars this year its just that we’ve had things happen out of our control.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“I’ve always enjoyed New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This place reminds me of a giant paperclip. Despite being flat, it’s rough. Corner entry is fun there. It’s different. It’s a different type of feel than what we have anywhere else. It is important to have a car that allows you to get into the corner deep if you want to be fast at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The corner is flat, and there is not much banking to hold you. If your car is stable on entry, it helps the rest of the corner so you can be aggressive and make passes. Entry speed is also an important factor. I feel like the car will have to get into the corner and rotate in the center and drive off. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, everything that matters at short tracks matters there.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Schluter Systems Camaro ZL1

Given your family’s history in the northeast, and some past success at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, this has to be a weekend you’ve been looking forward to.

“Loudon is one of my favorite races of the year. It’s pretty much a home race for my family since my grandfather and dad have Northeastern roots. I’ve had success there in the past and generally run well so we’re working hard this week to bring the right setup to the Magic Mile. We’ve have had a couple solid weeks so we’ll keep that ball rolling all the way into the break in the next couple weeks.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 FICO Camaro ZL1

What makes New Hampshire so challenging?

“New Hampshire is a really tricky racetrack. It’s super flat and has bumpy characteristics to it as well. The asphalt has really gotten old over the years. It feels like racing over highway cracks, but those are all characteristics of a good racetrack. It’s just really challenging and very tough to pass. Everybody says it’s multigroove. You could run three different grooves there, but there’s really only one that’s fast and that’s the middle one. It makes for a challenging Sunday.”

Why has New Hampshire been so tough for you in the last few years?

“Unfortunately, for me, the last couple of years at New Hampshire have been a huge struggle. This new Next Gen car and I have just not gone well together at New Hampshire. It’s been easy for me to get in trouble because of the nature of the car, the way it rides, the bumps, and the different topography of the track at each end to make grip. It’s definitely a challenge of moving your line around in the corners to improve the balance of the car because this new car doesn’t like different angles and transitions very well.”

You’ve won four poles at New Hampshire. Why do you qualify so well there?

“I feel like qualifying at New Hampshire is important just because of track position because it’s so hard to pass, making sure you’re in good position at the start of the race just to keep your day simple. I’ve always kind of put an emphasis on qualifying to make sure we do well.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Poppy Bank Camaro ZL1

“I’m eager to race at New Hampshire for the first time in the Next Gen car; it’s a type of track I really enjoy. Our short track package has been a challenge for us, but I’m looking forward to getting the Poppy Bank Chevy on track.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Bowman on his goals for the weekend and running double-duty at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

“New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) has proved to be a decently challenging track for me. I was able to get a top 10 there (New Hampshire Motor Speedway) back in 2021- but it’s certainly a place I’d like to improve at. I’m excited about the opportunity to run in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevy during this weekend’s Xfinity Series race. Hopefully those extra laps on Friday and Saturday will help me gain some additional insight on the track before Sunday’s Cup (Series) race. Our Ally Racing team is still working diligently to try and put the No. 48 back in victory lane!”

Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Harris on Alex Bowman racing in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend:

“Anytime we (Hendrick Motorsports) run that Xfinity car, I think we have the opportunity to put that thing (No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro) in victory lane. The team has already been able to do that a couple times this year. The interesting choice of that place for Alex (Bowman) is that New Hampshire is not one of his best tracks. He’s had a couple decent runs there- but overall, it’s not statistically his best. But- he chose it because he wants to get better there. I think it will be good for him to get some laps in the Xfinity car, especially with the short practices, any lap time you get around those place is great. He’ll be able to see the evolution of the track on Saturday in the Xfinity car so when we go rolling into Sunday I think he’ll have a pretty good idea of how we need to approach it.”

Zane Smith, No. 71 Focused Health Camaro ZL1

This weekend will be the first time you’ll race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. How do you feel going into this weekend?

“New Hampshire is one I’ve had circled on the calendar for a while. It’s crazy I’ve never raced there. I always wanted to, but never had the opportunity until now. Timing and other opportunities – it just never aligned. It’s a beautiful racetrack and the fans are awesome. I know my 71 Spire Motorsports team will bring a fast Focused Health Chevy and I’m excited to see how I stack up.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Delaware Life Camaro ZL1

You mentioned feeling good about New Hampshire despite it being a new track for you. Can you elaborate on what specifically makes you feel confident heading into this weekend?

“Last year was full of new tracks when I raced nine cup races, and it’s been nice to go back to some tracks this year, but yeah, Loudon is completely new to me. We’ve spent extra time in the SIM and I honestly feel like learning a new car is a lot more difficult than learning a new track, so I feel good about Loudon this week.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Choice Privileges Camaro ZL1

What are your thoughts on becoming an American citizen?

“I feel very good about this, honestly. It is one of those things that really hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t think I have thought about how big of a deal it really is. It’s very special. To finally get to this milestone has taken a lot of work, a lot of time, money and help. I don’t think 95 percent of the people in the country understand the process and what it takes to get this done. It’s been a great journey and nice to have the opportunity to get it done and say that I am now an American citizen. I am very excited to make this official.”

Why now?

“I have been living in America for more than 10 years, I am getting married next month, maybe in a couple of years we will start a family. This was just the right thing to do. I am very proud to be from Mexico, but I also see the United States as my full time family home.”

GM PR