Team Chevy NASCAR Race Advance: Bristol Motor Speedway - Speedway Digest

NASCAR will make the trek to east Tennessee for three-straight nights of racing under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be making their second appearance of the season at “The Last Great Colosseum”, with the return visit marking the second race for the Truck Series’ Round of 10 and the first playoff elimination race for NASCAR’s top division. For the NASCAR Xfinity Series, their only date at the Tennessee high-banked half-mile this year will conclude the series’ 26-race regular season.

Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Chevrolet’s winning ways at Bristol Motor Speedway span across all three NASCAR national series, with the Bowtie brand heading into the weekend with a series-best 46 NASCAR Cup Series wins and 37 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, as well as 11 wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race will mark the series’ 125th appearance on Bristol’s concrete configuration. Over more than 60 years of competition at the Tennessee half-mile, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 all-time Cup Series victories. The Bowtie brand’s most recent Bristol triumph in NASCAR’s top division came with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson in his championship-earning season (Sept. 2021). The 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native is one of just six active Bristol winners, with fellow Team Chevy driver, Kyle Busch, topping the list with eight career victories at the track. From the playoff perspective, only two of the series’ current title contenders have tallied a triumph in the track’s playoff race, with Larson’s 2021 night race victory earning him a spot on that elite list.

One year ago, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier took Chevrolet on its third-straight trip to victory lane at Bristol – marking the manufacturer’s 37th all-time Xfinity Series victory at the Tennessee half-mile. In addition to leading the series in overall wins, Chevrolet also holds the record for the longest win streak by a manufacturer at Bristol, with the Bowtie brand collecting 16 consecutive victories between Aug. 1997- April 2005.

In the Truck Series, Chevrolet heads back to Bristol as the series’ most recent winner at the track, courtesy of Christian Eckes’ victory in the series’ spring event. The win marked Chevrolet’s 11th triumph in 27 Truck Series races Bristol, tying Toyota’s series-leading win record at the track. Eckes is one of just three full-time competitors in the series that have reached victory lane at Bristol, joining Toyota’s Corey Heim and Ford’s Ty Majeski.

PLAYOFF PICTURE AHEAD OF FIRST ELIMINATION

The first two races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs have lived up to the expectation as arguably the biggest wildcard round of the postseason stretch. Despite a race plagued with problems throughout the playoff field, Chevrolet left Watkins Glen International sitting in the most comfortable position among its manufacturer competitors, with all five of its playoff contenders holding a double-digit points cushion above the cutline.

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

4th in Playoff Standings (+41 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 7

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 20

Average Finish: 15.1

Stage Wins: 0

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman climbed up the standings for the second week in a row, with the Team Chevy driver putting together a 31-point day in upstate New York to find himself fourth in the playoff standings with a 41-point advantage over the elimination line. The 31-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native entered postseason competition as the 12th seeded driver, but quickly became one of the biggest movers in the standings after a pair of strong points days in the first two races.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

5th in Playoff Standings (+36 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 3

Top-10s: 7

Laps Led: 152

Average Finish: 17.5

Stage Wins: 1

Despite getting stuck in the gravel during Stage Two at Watkins Glen, Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team rebounded with a 13th place finish and a 31-point day. The 32-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, native ultimately jumped four positions in the playoff rankings, entering Bristol fifth in the standings and 36-markers above the cutline.

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

7th in Playoff Standings (+30 points)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 7

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 213

Average Finish: 11.8

Stage Wins: 1

Chase Elliott currently holds the seventh position in the playoff standings and a 30-point cushion. Elliott heads to Bristol with a string of three-consecutive top-10 results at the track, including a runner-up finish in the 2022 night race.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

9th in Playoff Standings (+26 points)

Victories: 4

Top-Fives: 10

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 1,089

Average Finish: 14.4

Stage Wins: 10

Despite proving to be a tough round for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, Kyle Larson enters the first elimination race ninth in the playoff standings with a 26-point cushion. Larson has fared well at Bristol in recent years. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, the former series champion has finished no worse than fifth in four Cup Series races on the track’s concrete surface, including a win in the 2021 night race.

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

10th in Playoff Standings (+25 points)

Victories: 3

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 14

Laps Led: 261

Average Finish: 15.1

Stage Wins: 1

While enduring a late-race incident at Watkins Glen, William Byron still finds himself 10th in the playoff standings with a 25-point advantage over the cutline. The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team has posted top-seven results in three of the series’ five races on tracks measuring less than one-mile this season, including a trip to victory lane (Martinsville Speedway – April 2024).

BOWTIE BUILDING MANUFACTURER POINTS LEAD

Despite falling just one spot short from the win at Watkins Glen, Chevrolet was still able to build onto its points lead in the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer points standings to a now 26-point advantage. With Shane van Gisbergen and Kaulig Racing’s runner-up finish in upstate New York, all six of Chevrolet’s full-time organizations have contributed points to the manufacturer championship title battle with still eight races remaining in the season.

For three consecutive years, and 42 times overall, Chevrolet has won the prestigious manufacturer championship title in NASCAR’s top division. With the Bowtie brand also leading the manufacturer standings in the Xfinity and Truck Series, Chevrolet is eyeing its second consecutive, and sixth all-time, title sweep across the NASCAR national ranks.

NEXT GEN NUMBERS

The NASCAR Cup Series’ trip to Watkins Glen International commemorated a monumental milestone for the Next Gen era, with Sunday’s event marking the 100th points-paying race for the Next Gen car. From crown jewel victories to back-to-back manufacturer championships, the Next Gen era has only further added to Chevrolet’s legacy as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR Cup Series history.

In the Next Gen era’s 100 points-paying race history:

Leading in Wins: In 100 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 48%. In its debut season (2022), the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 owned over half of the points-paying race wins, with nine drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations scoring a combined 19 victories. The manufacturer followed-up that effort with an 18-race win season in 2023. Thus far this season, six different drivers have contributed to a manufacturer-leading 11 victories.

Back-to-Back Manufacturer Championships: Chevrolet has swept the manufacturer championship titles in the Next Gen era, with the 2023 title marking the Bowtie brand’s series-leading 42nd all-time manufacturer championship title in NASCAR’s premier series. In its most recent title-earning season (2023), each Chevrolet organization that competed full-time that season contributed points that ultimately led to the championship.

First-Time Winners: The Next Gen era has produced seven first-time NASCAR Cup Series winners, with four of those drivers earning their milestone triumph behind the wheel of the Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Among that list includes: Ross Chastain (2022 at Circuit of The Americas), Daniel Suarez (2022 at Sonoma Raceway), Tyler Reddick (2022 at Road America), and Shane van Gisbergen (2023 at the Chicago Street Course).

Crown Jewel Victories: Four different drivers have earned a crown jewel victory with Chevrolet in the Next Gen era including: Erik Jones with Petty-GMS in the 2022 Southern 500; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with JTG Daugherty Racing in the 2023 Daytona 500; Kyle Larson with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2023 Southern 500 and the 2024 Brickyard 400; and William Byron with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2024 Daytona 500.

Double-Digits Records: The Next Gen era has produced 28 different winners, with Team Chevy’s William Byron and Kyle Larson standing as the only drivers with a double-digit win record with the Next Gen Car – each collecting 11 points-paying victories, to date, since the beginning of the 2022 season.

WHITE FLAG FOR THE REGULAR SEASON

For the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 300 laps around the high-banked half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway will determine the final four drivers that will complete the series’ 12-driver playoff field. Heading into the regular season finale, five drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations have already claimed a playoff berth by virtue of a win, including JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer; Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill and Jesse Love; and Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. Three of the four open playoff spots are occupied by Team Chevy drivers with a strong points cushion over the cutline, with AJ Allmendinger in ninth (+159 points), Parker Kligerman in 11th (+85 points) and Sammy Smith in 12th (+43 points).

Also up for grabs at the conclusion of Friday night’s event is the 2024 Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship title. The series’ most recent Bristol winner, Justin Allgaier, continues to hold the top position in the points standings with a 43-point lead over reigning champion Cole Custer. Since the regular season championship title was introduced to the series in 2018, Chevrolet has claimed the honors five times, with Allgaier delivering the manufacturer its first title in the award’s debut season.

Dale Jr. Set for NASCAR Return:

Two-time champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is slated for his first and only Xfinity Series start of the season in Friday’s Food City 300. The 49-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina, native will take over the driving duties of the No. 88 Camaro SS – JR Motorsports’ part-time entry that made a trip to victory lane last weekend courtesy of Connor Zilisch. In 2023, the 24-time Xfinity Series winner made one of his two starts of the season at “The Last Great Colosseum” – leading 47 laps before a mechanical issue late in the race took the driver out of contention. This weekend will mark Earnhardt Jr.’s 147th career Xfinity Series start, with each of those coming behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine.

ECKES EYES BRISTOL SWEEP

Following a three-week break, playoff competition resumes for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Thursday’s UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol Motor Speedway – race two of three in the Round of 10. The series’ regular season champion and current points leader, Christian Eckes, is the most recent driver to reach victory lane at the Tennessee venue – earning his first of now three wins of the season in the March event. Looking for a Bristol sweep and an automatic ticket into the next round, the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native is riding the momentum of six-straight podium finishes. In addition, the championship frontrunner has powered his No. 19 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Silverado RST to top-10 results in 16 of the series’ 17 events this season.

With a non-playoff driver winning the Round of 10 opener at the Milwaukee Mile, all eight tickets into the next round remain up for grabs heading into the Bristol race weekend. Five of Team Chevy’s six playoff contenders occupy positions above the elimination line, with Eckes (+60 points) leading Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in fourth (+34 points); McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum in sixth (+13 points) and Daniel Dye in seventh (+9 points); and CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger in eighth (+two points). While on the outside looking in, Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth sits 10th in the playoff standings, but just four-markers below the cutline.

Zilisch, Day Highlight Thursday’s Entry List:

Among the entry list for Thursday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway includes two of the sports’ rising stars: Connor Zilisch and Corey Day.

Fresh off a career weekend at Watkins Glen International, Connor Zilisch will climb back into the seat of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST for his third start of the season. The 18-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native took the NASCAR world by storm earlier this season during his Truck Series debut at Circuit of The Americas – claiming the pole and a fourth-place result. Zilisch’s Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International started in similar fashion, with the young Team Chevy driver topping the practice and qualifying leaderboard. Despite a mid-race penalty, Zilisch rallied back to lead a race-high 45 laps en route to the victory – becoming the second youngest winner in series’ history.

Rising sprint car sensation, Corey Day, will make his first career start in the NASCAR national ranks in Thursday’s Truck Series race – behind the wheel of the No. 81 HendrickCars.com Silverado RST for McAnally Hilgemann Racing. This will mark Day’s first of four starts with the Chevrolet organization this season, with the driver returning to the seat at Kansas Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. While new to the NASCAR world, the 18-year-old Clovis, California, native is already a household name in winged sprint car competition. He has earned seven wins in the High Limit Racing Series this season – a series owned by fellow Team Chevy driver Kyle Larson.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field for the tripleheader race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Thursday’s UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics; the Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Food City 300; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

· In 12 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).

· With 71 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 47.9% with 34 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 14 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Kyle Busch: series-leading eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)

Kyle Larson – one win (2021)

· In 124 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 victories – a winning percentage of 37.1 percent.

· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in the playoffs each season.

· Heading into the first elimination race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with all of its playoff drivers above the cutline – each holding a double-digit points cushion.

· In 100 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories.

· 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.

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