RACE #14 – CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
On a day famously known as “the greatest day in motorsports”, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will take over Charlotte Motor Speedway for one of the sports’ crown jewel events: the 63rd Annual Coca-Cola 600. Located in the epicenter of NASCAR, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the host to the traditional Memorial Day weekend event, marking the longest race on the series’ schedule with drivers enduring 400-laps/600-miles around the 1.5-mile North Carolina oval.
Previously known as the “World 600”, the inaugural 600-mile race that took place in June 1960 was won by Chevrolet, when Joe Lee Johnson drove his Chevrolet Impala to victory lane. Since then, Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading 25 wins in the marquee race, including the most recent by Kyle Larson in the 2021 event. In the 123 NCS points races held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chevrolet – the winningest brand in the NASCAR Cup Series – tops all manufacturers in victories with 47. While Charlotte Motor Speedway played an intricate role in testing throughout the development of the Next Gen car, the Coca-Cola 600 will mark the competition debut of the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 at the North Carolina venue.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) are also on tap for on-track action at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, making it just the second time in the track’s history to hold a NASCAR tripleheader on Memorial Day weekend.
CAMARO SS DOMINATES AT TEXAS
Returning from the off weekend, the Camaro SS made its way back to a familiar place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series: victory lane. In only his second NXS start of the season, Tyler Reddick drove the Camaro SS to its fourth-consecutive NXS victory of the 2022 season at Texas Motor Speedway. The triumph not only marked Reddick’s first NXS victory since winning the 2019 NXS driver championship title, but the first ever win for the Big Machine Racing team.
Chevrolet proved its dominance at the Texas venue, with six different drivers contributing to 165 laps led in the 167-lap race; a laps led percentage of 98.8. The Camaro SS also swept the top-five finishing positions, with Reddick leading NASCAR Cup Series regular, William Byron, who piloted the JR Motorsports No. 88 Camaro SS to a runner-up finish; JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer and Justin Allgaier in third and fourth, respectively; and NXS rookie Austin Hill rounding out the Team Chevy top-five.
Now sitting at a manufacturer-leading seven wins thus far this season, Chevrolet continues to lead in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver and manufacturer points standings heading into Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Already locked into the NXS Playoff field by virtue of a win, AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the driver standings by 44-points. The Kaulig Racing driver scored his 12th top-10 finish of the season at Texas, making him the only driver in the series to finish in the top-10 of every race this season. Allmendinger leads a strong presence by the bowtie brand in the driver standings, with four of the top-five and seven of the top-10 of the standings occupied by Chevrolet drivers.
Chevrolet, who has won the past five-consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series Manufacturer Championships, extended its points lead in the NXS manufacturer standings to 52-points over its competitors. While leading the series in wins, the bowtie brand has also recorded 42 top-five’s, 81 top-10’s, 1,238 laps led, five pole wins and 17 stage wins heading into the Charlotte race weekend.
2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner, Austin Dillon, will be pulling double duty this weekend, making his first appearance of the season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Piloting the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Camaro ZL1, Dillon will have big shoes to fill as he looks to make it back-to-back wins for the team following his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Tyler Reddick’s, victory in the Chevrolet-powered machine last weekend. Dillon is no stranger to success in the series, recording one championship title (2013), nine wins, 65 top-five’s and 106 top-10’s in his 150-career NXS starts.
NCWTS TO KICK-OFF TRIPLEHEADER
The highly anticipated Memorial Day race weekend gets underway with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on Friday night. The 200-mile race is the 10th race on the series’ 23-race schedule; and the fourth of an eight-race consecutive run for the series. Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar led Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish at Texas, marking the driver’s third top-five finish on the season. Hocevar looks to return to the Charlotte oval to finish one spot better than his 2021 result, where he drove his Silverado to a runner-up finish; a team-best finish in the series at the track.
Ross Chastain is another Chevrolet driver scheduled to do the double this weekend, returning to the seat of the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Silverado RST for his fourth NCWTS start of 2022. The 29-year-old Florida native has previously made five NCWTS starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with his best finish of ninth recorded in the 2013 spring event. Heading into his 99th all-time start in the series, Chastain has three wins, 17 top-five’s and 42 top-10’s under his belt.
SANCHEZ RETURNS TO NXS AT CHARLOTTE
Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend, piloting the No. 99 B.J. McLeod Motorsports (BJMM) Chevrolet Camaro SS. Sanchez, who competes full-time with Rev Racing in the NASCAR ARCA Menard Series, made his NXS debut at Phoenix earlier this season with BJMM, where he recorded a 26th-place finish. The team recently expanded their partnership with Sanchez, adding six additional NXS starts to his schedule, kicking off at Charlotte.
The 20-year-old Florida native will be doing double duty during the Charlotte race weekend, also piloting the No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150. Sanchez is looking to make it three-in-a-row for Rev Racing following his wins in the series’ previous two races (Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway).
LOOKING BACK AT A MILESTONE
The 2021 Coca-Cola 600 was more than just a win for Chevrolet team Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle Larson, who swept all three stage wins and led a race-high 327 laps en route to the crown jewel win, gave Hendrick Motorsports its 269th all-time NASCAR Cup Series win. The feat topped Petty Enterprises’ NCS win record, giving Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports the title as the winningest team in NCS history, one of stock car racing’s greatest achievements. Now, one year later, Hendrick Motorsports has extended that lead, sitting at 285 all-time wins in NASCAR’s premier series heading into the Charlotte race weekend.
STARTING THE SECOND HALF UP FRONT
The prestigious Memorial Day weekend event marks the start of the second half of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, with 13 races left for drivers to battle for a Playoff berth. Chevrolet – the defending NCS Driver and Manufacturer Champions – continues to sit atop of both the NCS driver and manufacturer points standings.
For the ninth-consecutive week, Chevrolet’s Chase Elliott continues to pace the field from the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, now with a 52-point lead over second-place. Elliott, who claimed a Playoff spot following his win at Dover Motor Speedway, is tied with the most top-10 finishes through 13 races with nine; and leads the field in an average finish of 10.77. Fellow Chevrolet drivers joining Elliott in the top-10 of the driver standings includes William Byron (4th), Ross Chastain (5th), Alex Bowman (8th) and Kyle Larson (9th); all have which recorded wins already this season.
Chevrolet also continues to lead in the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer points standings with a 35-point lead over its manufacturer competitors. In 13 races, Chevrolet continues to pace all manufacturers in race wins (7), laps led (1,884), top-five’s (36), top-10’s (63) and stage wins (12).
BOWTIE BULLETS
· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway include:
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 (2021)
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 (2020)
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 (2017)
·With 13 NASCAR Cup Series races complete in the 2022 season, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS wins (7), top-five’s (36), top-10’s (63), laps led (1,884) and stage wins (12). Chevrolet’s NCS wins, top-five’s and laps led count for more than double its manufacturer competitors.
· Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading 47 wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including back-to-back Coca-Cola 600 victories (2021 and 2020). The bowtie brand has also recorded 213 top-five’s, 425 top-10’s and 14,598 laps led at the 1.5-mile North Carolina oval.
· Chevrolet leads all manufacturers in pole wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway with 35. Chevrolet driver, William Byron, holds the title of the youngest pole winner at Charlotte following his Coca-Cola 600 pole win in 2019 (21 years, 4 months, 27 days).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway with 21 victories among nine different drivers. Pacing that group is Career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson who also leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at the 1.5-mile North Carolina oval with eight victories.
· At the conclusion of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Kyle Larson became just the fifth driver in NCS history to win both the Coca-Cola 600 and the NCS Championship in the same season; and the first driver to accomplish that feat since Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon in 1998. Other drivers on that elite list include: Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt (twice) and Jeff Gordon (twice).
· William Byron leads all drivers with 569 laps led this season in points-paying events. That is a career-high most laps led by the Chevrolet driver after 13 events in a single season. Byron has also led laps in 10 of the 13 events this season, tying him for the second-most with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.
· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 12 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins:
Tyler Reddick 2 – (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman 1 – (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain 2 – (Las Vegas), (Darlington)
William Byron 3 – (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)
Daniel Suarez 1 – (COTA)
Chase Elliott 2 – (Martinsvillex2)
Kyle Larson 1 – (Bristol)
· 10 drivers in NASCAR history recorded their first-career NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Of that list of active drivers includes Chevrolet’s Austin Dillon, who drove the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to his first win in NASCAR’s premier series in the 2017 Coca-Cola 600.
· The only two NCS drivers with multiple wins this season come from the Chevrolet camp. Ross Chastain and William Byron have captured two wins each: (Chastain – COTA, Talladega), (Byron – Atlanta, Martinsville).
· Chevrolet drivers lead the driver points standing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chase Elliott remains in the top position in the NCS standings with a 52-point advantage over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the NXS standings by 44-points. Chevrolet also remains atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings.
· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships; 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships; and 821 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.
TUNE IN
FOX will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at 6 p.m. ET Sunday, May 29. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 28. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 27. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 ADVENT HEALTH CAMARO ZL1
DO YOU HAVE ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU IN THE MILITARY?
“I grew up with a buddy named Joe Edwards that went into the Marines. He’s out now and is raising his family in Fort Myers. I remember when he decided to go in. That thought never crossed my mind. I guess I was never exposed to that in a way, or called like he was. He married his high school sweetheart and they went and traveled from base to base and he worked on helicopters. I’m still really close with him. He’s running his own business back home. I don’t know how to say thank you, I don’t feel thank you is enough.”
HOW SPECIAL IS IT TO RACE ON MEMORIAL DAY?
“I think the best thing about sports, is it sports. It’s not real life – it is if you make a living here and it supports a lot of families, but to race on Memorial Day and put a name on the windshield, I never quite feel fulfilled enough and that we’re doing enough.
We give their families just a few hours to watch auto racing and enjoy it. If it takes them away from their everyday life and the real world, that’s great that we can do that for them.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER OFF ROAD CAMARO ZL1
YOU’VE HAD THREE TOP-10 FINISHES IN THE COCA-COLA 600 IN THE LAST THREE RACES THERE. IS CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY A TRACK THAT YOUR TEAM IS CIRCLING THIS YEAR AS ONE FOR YOUR POTENTIALLY BEST RACES WHERE YOU CAN GET A WIN? WHAT HAS MADE THE NO. 3 TEAM SO STRONG THERE?
“I don’t know what it is about Charlotte Motor Speedway. I’ve always had success there. I enjoy the track. I understand what it takes to be fast there in a race car and I have a feel for it. Obviously, I won my first Cup race at Charlotte, so I definitely circle it every year as a place where we go and compete well at. Last year, we were really fast. One of our pit crew members went down leading into that race, so we kind of struggled on pit road that week. I’m really excited about it and taking the Next Gen car there. We did get one test there this off season when it was really cold outside. I’m always excited to go to Charlotte. It’s a good place for me.”
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BENEFIT OF KEEPING SOMETHING LIKE THE COCA-COLA 600 AS A CROWN JEWEL EVENT ON THE NASCAR SCHEDULE? DO YOU THINK THEY SHOULD TAKE IT OFF THE SCHEDULE AT SOME POINT?
“I hope they never take the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend off the schedule. To me, it’s an iconic weekend – being Memorial Day weekend and seeing all the different military branches; the men and women that protect our country out there. I always get excited for that race – the national anthem, the show that goes on before and really paying homage to all of those that have fought for this country. To me, I hope it doesn’t change. It is a crown jewel. Being 600-miles, your preparation changes a little bit because you know you’re going to be in the race car for such a long period of time. I think it’s a very special race and I hope it never goes away.”
I THINK THERE IS A FEELING THAT RCR IS STRONG THIS YEAR AT THIS POINT OF THE SEASON. BUT LOOKING AT WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THIS YEAR AT THIS TIME, THE STATS ARE FAIRLY SIMILAR. HOW MUCH AS CHANGED? ARE YOU GUYS REALLY THAT MUCH STRONGER?
“We were pretty strong last year and we kind of got overlooked because we didn’t make the Playoffs. We were a consistent team all of last year. This year, I do feel like we’ve had way more opportunities to win races. I think the disappointing part is that we’ve had bigger catastrophes at the race track, like getting wrecked at Phoenix Raceway and finishing 21st in that race, getting wrecked at Atlanta Motor Speedway coming to a stage end for a possibility of top-three points there, and blowing up at Daytona International Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
We didn’t have those types of bad days at this point last year. We had a couple more average days, but we’ve also had some bigger days with two second-place finishes at Auto Club Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway. We’ve definitely had more opportunities to win than last year. My teammate, Tyler Reddick, has two or three second-place finishes, as well. If you look at the total of it, we’ve done a good job and should be in victory lane at this point. That’s the disappointing part – I feel like we’ve had some really close calls and not been able to capitalize. That’s why you see us where we’re at in points. I feel confident that we can go to victory lane this year and I think it will happen.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
LARSON ON THE WIN IN THIS RACE LAST YEAR:
“That was so cool to get Mr. (Rick) Hendrick that historic win. It wasn’t spoken about, but I think every team wanted to deliver that win for him and we were fortunate enough to be the ones who did. Hopefully, we can have the same type of performance this weekend. Track position will be important, so a good qualifying session on Saturday helps a lot for Sunday.”
LARSON ON FAN FEST AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
“This will be my first one as a Hendrick Motorsports driver. It’s great they are opening up campus again to the fans and it’ll be great to see them all out there this weekend.”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
DANIELS ON IF THERE WILL BE BIG SWINGS FROM DAYTIME TO NIGHTTIME RACING IN THE 600:
“I don’t really know. Yes, there will be some swings from daytime to nighttime, but the biggest swings with this Next Gen car may be due to track position. Your car tends to get ‘free’ when running up front because of all the air on the car. Back in traffic, when there is not much air on the car, you tend to get tight. It’s a different balance requirement depending on where you are in traffic. There will be some changes based on daytime to nighttime racing, but the bigger swings or adjustments may be when you are out front versus running in traffic.”
COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 THE USO & COCA-COLA CAMARO ZL1
THIS WEEKEND BEING MEMORIAL DAY, HOW COOL IS IT FOR YOU TO HAVE USO ON YOUR CAR?
“Man, super cool. It’s something I’ve been working with Coke on with some different things through Enascar, as well as the podcast. To tie Coca-Cola and their support with the USO, obviously the Coke 600 – there are so many different things that are coming together this week; a lot of obligations on my part that I’m happy to be a part of. Meeting a lot of service members, feeding men and women on Sunday before the race; and just the amount of support that’s coming for having USO on the car for 600 Miles of Remembrance is pretty cool. It’s been a lot of work behind the scenes trying to put all of this together, so to carry USO and this patriotic paint scheme on Memorial Day weekend is something I take pretty seriously.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA CAMARO ZL1
ELLIOTT ON HONORING U.S. ARMY FIRST LIEUTENANT NOAH HARRIS:
“Racing on Memorial Day weekend has always been something that’s meant a lot to me. While I didn’t know Noah (Harris) firsthand, after reading his story and his commitment to his country, obviously it speaks for itself, but he was just a standup individual. He was devoted to his country from a very young age, and I think for that we’re always grateful. He was a standup young man who gave his life serving our country and protecting us here at home. It’s an honor to be carrying his name on my NAPA Chevy this weekend.”
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA CAMARO ZL1
GUSTAFSON ON PREPARING FOR THE LONGEST RACE OF THE YEAR:
“There’s not as much for us to prepare for with this new car than in years past. You’ve just got to make sure you’re taking care of your car because it is such a long race. You’ve got to make good decisions, be around at the end and not get crashed. The field typically thins itself out with people making mistakes or having issues. We’ll see how it goes. Racing on Memorial Day weekend is always something I enjoy, so I’m looking forward to it.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1
BYRON ON WHAT RACING AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY MEANS TO HIM:
“Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway is always special for me. I grew up watching races here as a fan, I raced Legend cars on the quarter-mile and have raced there in every series of NASCAR for the most part. It’s a hometown race for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports as well. You always want to run good when the shop is literally across the street. Winning the 600 would already mean so much given the history of this race, but it would carry even more meaning for myself. We ran well in last year’s 600, the biggest difference will be with the Next Gen car. I think we have some good notes on mile-and-a-half tracks so far this year, and with how long the race is, it gives us time to adjust throughout the race if we need to.”
RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1
FUGLE ON WHAT HE EXPECTS FOR THE RACE AT CHARLOTTE:
“Even though we have raced at two mile-and-a-half track in a row now, I think we can take the most away from the race at Kansas (Speedway). We had a fast car that weekend and I think with how the race played out, we could have had a shot to be there in the end, or at least finish top five. About the only thing we can apply from last weekend’s race at Texas (Motor Speedway) is that they applied the resin in the upper lanes. That will affect the handling of the car throughout a run, especially going from day to night like we will during the 600. It’s a long race though and you want to make sure you keep up with how the track changes so you don’t fall behind early on.”
ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1
JONES ON RACING AT CHARLOTTE:
“Charlotte has been a pretty good track for me in the past. With this weekend being one of our longest races of the year, it’s important to prepare for not only the race, but the endurance of the day. Dave and the team have been working hard all season and bringing great cars to the track and I know this weekend will be no different. This is a special weekend as we honor Lt Col Kenneth Stonebraker on our FOCUSfactor Chevy and recognize all the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We’ve also got the Erik Jones Foundation and some of our partners canvasing the track property handing out sunscreen samples and helping educate race fans on the importance of sun protection. With May being Melanoma Awareness month, this was important for me and to be a part of helping spread the message for fans to protect themselves and get checked. There’s a lot going on this weekend with many great causes. Should be a good weekend all around.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ON THE NEW CAR AND EQUIPMENT WITH THE 600 BEING CONSIDERED ONE OF NASCAR’S ENDURANCE RACES?
“I’m not too worried about the endurance. As for the parts and pieces wise, these cars have been pretty good. The issues we’ve had have been somewhat self-inflicted by the teams. You know, when the parts and pieces are left alone for the most part, they are happy and haven’t seen issues. I don’t think we will have any issues for the race.”
RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER / REESE’S CAMARO ZL1
“We’ve been good the last few races at Charlotte (Motor Speedway). We’ve finished inside the top-five twice, had a few top-10s and been capable of winning. We know a lot of things have changed, but the test we had in the off season went good for us. The No. 47 Kroger Camaro has been running well lately and we know there’s a lot to accomplish. We’re ready for Charlotte and looking forward to having Reese’s on the sides of our Camaro.’”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1
BOWMAN ON WHAT IT MEANS TO CARRY THE NAME OF U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST MATTHEW E. BAYLIS FOR THE RACE ON MEMORIAL DAY:
“It is an honor to be able to have Spc. Baylis on the No. 48 Ally Chevy this weekend. Hearing about the bravery he had to join the Army after the events on 9/11 and then to serve our country and give the ultimate sacrifice, it is my privilege to be able to have him ride along this weekend. Hopefully, we can get him into victory lane and have his family join us in remembering him for the hero he was.”
GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1
IVES ON RACING AT CHARLOTTE THIS WEEKEND:
“With the race being 600 miles, you have to plan your stops as strategically as you can. We expect a lot of tire wear with fall off so that will play into more of a tire strategy, but we also need to be prepared for a fuel mileage race to break out as past races have been won that way. All in all, we are confident we have learned a lot this year about the new car on 1.5-mile tracks and will be ready to go compete like we do every weekend.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COMMSCOPE CAMARO ZL1
WHAT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN SUCH A LONG RACE AS THE COCA-COLA 600?
“As a driver, your goal is to be as fresh at the end of the race as you are at the beginning. That’s important. It isn’t about making it to the end of the race. It’s about being at your best at the end and taking advantage of other drivers who are tired.”
DO YOU TAKE MOMENTUM FROM THE OPEN VICTORY AND THE FIFTH-PLACE FINISH IN THE ALL-STAR RACE IN TEXAS?
“Of course. Whenever you win it is fun and builds confidence, but knowing we have a similar track this weekend in Charlotte makes you wish the race were sooner than Sunday.”
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR SUNDAY?
“As a human being you try and perform at 100 percent the entire time, but when you’re running a marathon you’re not going to be as strong in the last 30 minutes. That’s normal. Fatigue is setting in, your muscles are tired, you’re running out of fluid, and you’re hungry. Racing is the same way, especially in the Coca-Cola 600. We start running out of energy and you’re mind gets tired after four hours of racing. But I look to this race as a marathon and you have to be on top of your game for the last part of this race. So I always try to keep that in my mind when I’m in the car. This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
WHAT HURTS THE MOST AFTER THE RACE?
“It’s a combination of things. Your neck is tired, your lower back is tired, legs are tired and you’re just fatigued. You definitely feel it the next morning after a 600-mile race. You feel like you worked out a lot the day before, and you did inside the car. Two-and-a-half of these 600-mile races and I could be home in Monterrey, Mexico. It’s crazy to think of it that way.”
IS IT IMPORTANT TO STAY IN SHAPE?
“Working out is a lifestyle for me. I like to feel well and it helps me in the racecar, but it also helps me mentally. You lose a lot of weight in the racecar, and you have to be strong not only at the start of the race, but also at the end of the race. At the end of the day, you don’t win a race at the beginning when everyone is fresh, you win the race at the end when everyone is tired, and I feel like being in shape gives me that advantage at the end.”
GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST
“I look forward to racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend with my No. 23 Champion Power Equipment team. It is always nice to race at home, so I generally have this race circled on my calendar. Charles won here a couple years ago as a crew chief with GMS Racing, so I’m hoping we can duplicate that success this weekend.”
JACK WOOD, NO. 24 CHANNELADVISOR / AUTO PARTS 4LESS SILVERADO RST
“Personally, I really like racing at Charlotte because I feel that the layout really suits my driving style. This track is home to our NASCAR industry as a whole, and it’s great to run in front of the hometown fans. Last year, I was fortunate to run in two races at the speedway with my GMS Racing team, and I think that having that experience will be a big help this weekend. We were able to contend up front during the ARCA race and ran top-15 in the truck, so I have some solid confidence heading into this week.”
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