CHEVROLET NCS AT MARTINSVILLE 2: Larson, Byron Set to Represent Chevrolet in NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four

After a hard-fought race, William Byron and the No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1 team took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway in the 13th position – clinching the team’s spot in the series’ Championship Four.

·       In his fifth consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, this season will mark William Byron’s first career berth into the series’ Championship Four.

·       Already clinching a spot into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four with his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson will join his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate William Byron in the championship-deciding race at Phoenix Raceway.

·       Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to have two drivers represented in the Championship Four across all three NASCAR national series:

o  NASCAR Cup Series: Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and William Byron

o  NASCAR Xfinity Series: JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer and Justin Allgaier

o  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger

·       Chevrolet clinched three manufacturer championship titles before entering the season finale race weekend at Phoenix Raceway – claiming its 42nd NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship; its 25th Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series; and its 11th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Manufacturer Championship.

·       This marks Chevrolet’s fifth time sweeping the manufacturer championship titles across all three NASCAR national series – also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2005, 1998 and 1996.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20 RESULTS:

POS.   DRIVER

6th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1

13th    William Byron, No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1

14th    Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1

17th    Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1

19th    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Reese’s Camaro ZL1

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season will conclude at Phoenix Raceway with the series’ Championship Race on Sunday, November 5, at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES:

STAGE ONE:

·       At the green flag in the Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet clinched the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship. This marks the third consecutive year, and 42nd time overall, that Chevrolet has won the prestigious title in NASCAR’s premier series.

·       Already clinching this season’s manufacturer championship titles in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, this marks Chevrolet’s fifth time sweeping the manufacturer championship titles across all three NASCAR national series – also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2005, 1998 and 1996.

·       Martinsville Speedway’s most recent NASCAR Cup Series winner, Kyle Larson, led Chevrolet to the green flag in the 500-lap event from the fifth position. Larson settled his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 into the fifth position during the race’s opening laps but fell to the eighth position by the 50-lap maker as the driver progressively found a rhythm around the .526-mile South Virginia short-track.

·       Rolling off in the 16th position, Team Chevy playoff driver William Byron gained a couple of positions at the start – going on to settle into the 14th position as the field clicked-off laps in the long green flag opening run. At the midway point of Stage One, Byron reported that the handling conditions of his No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1 was a “little tight” and he was struggling to roll the center.

·       Still sitting in the eighth position 100-laps into the race, Larson was progressively closing the gap to the frontrunners when the first caution flew. On horizon of the first round of pit stops, crew chief Cliff Daniels went to work on adjustments to help the center-turn and rear-air for the drive of Larson’s Camaro ZL1. Hitting pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment, Larson lined up in the ninth position for the restart with 19 laps to go in the stage.

·       On the restart, the lead pack quickly fell into single-file conditions with the Hendrick Motorsports’ trio of Larson, Byron and Chase Elliott leading the Bowtie brand to the end of Stage One in the 11th through 13th positions, respectively. 

STAGE TWO:

·       Among the varying pit strategies under the stage break, crew chief Fugle called Byron down pit road for a pair of right-side tires and a chassis adjustment on the No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1. Opting for the low lane at the choose cone, Byron took the 18th position for the start of Stage Two.

·       At the green flag for the start of the stage, a mid-pack stack up forced Byron to lift after being put in a three-wide situation – ultimately losing a handful of positions. The Team Chevy driver hovered between the 21st – 22nd positions as the race neared the halfway point of the stage.

·       Sitting in the 22nd position when the second caution flag flew, Fugle called Byron down pit road for four tires, fuel and a major chassis and air pressure adjustment. Despite the longer stop for adjustments, Byron maintained his track position and lined up in the 22nd position for the restart with 35 laps to go in the stage.

·       Picking up a couple more positions, Byron reported that the changes made in the last pit stop gave him “a little more security”, but he was still struggling with rear-tire chatter as he settled with a 20th-place finish in Stage Two. 

FINAL STAGE:

·       Following a 17th-place finish in Stage Two, crew chief Daniels opted with a pit strategy for track position – calling for Larson to stay out during the stage break to take the sixth position for the start of the final stage.

·       Aggressive racing quickly ensued at the drop of the green flag for the final stage, leading to the third caution of the race at lap 272. Still sitting in the sixth position, Larson reported that his biggest struggle was being too tight in the center. Not pitting under caution, Larson remained in the sixth position for the restart.

·       Under caution with just under 200 circuits remaining, the leaders opted to forgo pit road while ninth place running Larson was the first car to hit pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Meanwhile, teammate Byron reported that the last stop resulted in a “really powerful adjustment” – giving the Team Chevy playoff contender the ability to progressively work his way up the field to the 16th position leading up to the caution. Indicating the importance of track position, Fugle called for the No. 24 Chevrolet team to not pit under the caution – taking the 15th position for the restart.

·       Running in the 19th position at the time of the race’s seventh caution period, the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 team led by crew chief Alan Gustafson decided to stay out in favor of track position to take over the race lead under caution. Elliott quickly opened his lead up to nearly a one-second margin as the Team Chevy driver approached lap traffic with 100 laps to go.

·       Reporting that he was battling wear on his right-rear tire, Elliott fell to the third position before coming to pit road for a necessary fuel stop – ultimately taking the checkered-flag in the 17th position.

·       Running in the 16th position in the closing laps, Byron picked up three positions before crossing the start-finish line in the 13th position to solidify his spot in the Championship Four.