No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
 
IT’S BRISTOL BABY: In 15 starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson has one win (September of 2021), five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. The 0.533-mile track is home to the second-most laps led (870) by Larson in the NASCAR Cup Series and that total is the fifth-highest among active drivers at Bristol. In his three starts with Hendrick Motorsports on the high-banked concrete oval, the Elk Grove, California, native has posted one win, a runner-up finish and a fifth-place result. Since the beginning of 2018, Larson has four top-two finishes in seven starts at Bristol. At this track, he has run the second-most laps in the top five (660) in the Next Gen car (since 2022).

LEADER OF THE PACK: Larson’s 205 laps led, two stage wins and seven playoff points accumulated through four races in 2024 are the best in the Cup Series. He is tied for first with three career stage wins at the Tennessee track.

SHORT-TRACK ACE: In the last seven Cup Series starts on short tracks, the 2021 Cup Series champion’s 5.14 average finish and two second-place finishes are best in class. During that span, Larson is tied for the most wins (two), pole positions (one), top-five finishes (five) and top-10s (six). The two wins came last season at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. He was also victorious in last year’s All-Star Race on the short track of North Wilkesboro Speedway.

DOMINANT PERFORMANCE(S): At Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this month, the race marked the fifth time Larson has won for Hendrick Motorsports when leading more than 65% of the laps in an event. Based on the percentage of laps led, Larson has five of the eight most dominating wins in the Cup Series since the start of 2021.

TOP OF THE BOARD: Since joining Hendrick Motorsports at the beginning of 2021, the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet has visited victory lane a series-leading 18 times in points-paying events. Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron ranks second in that statistical category with 10. Larson also has two victories in the non-points All-Star Race within this timeframe.

CLIFF’S NOTES: No. 5 crew chief Cliff Daniels and Larson have teamed up for 17 wins since Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 – the third-best total among active driver and crew chief pairings. Daniels and Larson have accomplished those wins in 104 races while the best active combination has posted 19 victories in 177 starts. 

YOUR CAR NEEDS: Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend. From the convenience of HendrickCars.com, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.
No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 
SEASON UPDATE: Through four races in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott has consistently remained inside the top 10 in the points standings. The six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner sits ninth in points, just 28 markers behind the leader. Elliott and the No. 9 team have the sixth-best average running position this season (12.52) and the eighth-best average finish (15.00). They are also one of only four teams – along with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron – to finish all four races on the lead lap.

LAST YEAR’S BATTLE: In the Cup Series’ most recent visit to Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Elliott qualified seventh and held the eighth-best average running position (10.34) in the field throughout the 500-lap race. The 28-year-old driver finished 10th in stage two before taking the checkered flag in seventh to score his seventh top-10 result at the track. 

BRISTOL DEETS: Elliott will make his 14th Bristol Cup Series start on the track’s concrete surface. The 2020 premier series champion has four top-five finishes, seven top-10s and 439 laps led at “The Last Great Colosseum” – his third-most at active tracks on the Cup Series circuit, behind Martinsville Speedway (1,040) and Phoenix Raceway (546). Elliott has finished inside the top seven in four of the last six races on concrete at the 0.533-mile track, with a best effort of second coming in the fall of 2022. He also has an active streak of two consecutive top-10 finishes there, tied with two other drivers for the fourth most. In addition, Elliott has three stage wins at Bristol – tied with his teammate Kyle Larson and two others for the most among active drivers.

NO POINTS ABOUT IT: While Elliott has yet to win a points-paying race at Bristol, he and the No. 9 team captured the All-Star Race victory at this venue in 2020. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native won stages two and three before crossing the finish line first in the final stage to earn the $1 million prize. The event was the only All-Star Race held at this short track and on a Wednesday. Elliott was the third-youngest all-star winner at 24 years, five months and 17 days. 

SHORT TRACK STATE OF MIND: The Bristol race marks Elliott’s 46th short-track start in the Cup Series. In his previous 45 races, he garnered one win (Martinsville in November of 2020), 14 top-five finishes, 23 top-10s, two poles and 1,574 laps led. In the Next Gen era (since 2022) on short tracks, he has the fourth-best average finish (9.78) and has scored the seventh-most points (311). Across the last eight short-track races, Elliott has six finishes inside the top 10.

AG IN TENNESSEE: Crew chief Alan Gustafson is set to call his 35th Bristol Cup Series race on Sunday. In his previous 34 starts with five different drivers – Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin, team vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Elliott – the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has one win (2007 with Busch), 10 top-five finishes, 18 top-10s and 1,039 laps led. In addition, he and Elliott captured the All-Star Race victory when it was held there in 2020, leading 60 of 140 laps. 

FOUR TIRES FAST: Last weekend at Phoenix, the No. 9 pit crew was a force to be reckoned with. With an average four-tire stop of 10.318 seconds, the No. 9 crew ranked third on pit road in that statistical category at the 1-mile track. They gained six spots on pit road, which was tied for the third-most in the race with their teammates on the No. 48 pit crew. The five-person team is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman). 
 
GET UP AND GO: This weekend at Bristol, the blue and yellow colors of NAPA Auto Parts return to the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This marks the seventh Cup Series race the Atlanta-based company has served as the primary partner for the 2020 Cup Series championship-winning team on the concrete oval. Get a look at all the angles of the 2024 scheme here.
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
 
24 IN ’24: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is off to a strong start with a win in the prestigious DAYTONA 500 and two top-10 finishes. Through the four races this year, Byron has an average finish of 11.50 – fifth-best among drivers. The Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of only four drivers – including Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott – to finish on the lead lap of all four races this season. He sits fourth in the 2024 Cup Series points standings, just 17 points behind the leader. Byron has 11 career Cup Series wins, with 10 coming since the start of 2021 – second to teammate Kyle Larson (18). 

NEXT GEN DUO: Since the Next Gen Cup Series car was introduced in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle have a series-leading nine wins. The duo leads teammates Larson (eight wins) and crew chief Cliff Daniels (seven wins).

SHORT-TRACK SUCCESS: Byron’s short-track success ramped up once the Next Gen car was introduced. Since the start of 2022, Byron has scored the fourth-most points (331) on short tracks and is tied for the sixth-best average finish (11.50). He also has one short-track win in the Next Gen car (Martinsville Speedway in April of 2022). 

BRISTOL BULLETS: Byron will start his 10th Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. In his nine previous starts at the 0.533-mile track, he has four top-10 finishes in the last five races. With three top-10 finishes in a row, the driver of the No. 24 Chevy is tied for the longest active top-10 streak at Bristol with two others, including his teammate Larson. In fact, in last fall’s Bristol race, Byron held an average running position of 7.33 – fifth-best in the field – before finishing ninth. 

FUGLE FILES: Sunday’s race will mark crew chief Fugle’s fourth Cup Series start on the pavement at “The Last Great Colosseum.” Fugle and the No. 24 team have collected two top-five finishes (consecutive third-place finishes in ’21 and ’22) and three top-10s in those three previous starts at the sport’s highest level. He has nine additional national series starts, with seven in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Fugle has one Truck Series win at the half-mile track coming in the spring of 2013 and his drivers have collected three top-five finishes and six top-10s.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: The No. 24 pit crew has continued their success from last season. Their season-best four-tire pit stop of 9.909 seconds came this past weekend at Phoenix Raceway and they were one of only two teams to post two four-tire pit stops under 10 seconds at the 1-mile track. The crew was credited with five spots gained on pit road – tied for fifth in Sunday’s field. The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler). 

LIBERTY U IS BACK: For Sunday’s race at Bristol, Byron will sport Liberty University on board his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the No. 24 Liberty University Chevy will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University 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 strategic communication, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here. 
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 

FAMILIAR TERRITORY: Last weekend, the No. 48 Ally Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 ran at Alex Bowman’s home track, Phoenix Raceway. This weekend, the Ally Racing team returns to their 2024 primary scheme at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 0.533-mile Tennessee short track sported a dirt surface the past three spring races but returns to a concrete layout.

BRISTOL BACKGROUND: Bowman has 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol’s traditional track. In those starts, he has two top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes, with a pair of fifth-place runs as his top results. The 30-year-old driver has also completed 91.8% of his 6,514 laps attempted. 

CONSISTENT ON CONCRETE: Last fall at “The Last Great Colosseum,” Bowman ranked ninth (11.23) in average running position and finished the race in 13th. In that race, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers ranked amongst the top nine in average running position.

SUCCESS AT SHORT TRACKS: Two of the Tucson, Arizona, native’s seven Cup Series wins with Hendrick Motorsports have come at short tracks. Bowman drove the No. 48 Ally Chevy to victory lane at Richmond Raceway in April of 2021 and Martinsville Speedway in October of 2021. 

SPEEDY SERVICE: The No. 48 Ally Racing pit crew delivered the fastest four-tire stop among all four Hendrick Motorsports teams at Phoenix. During the stage break before the final segment of the race, the team busted out a pit stop of 9.777 seconds on lap 190. In the race, they gained six spots on pit road, tied for the third-most with their teammates on the No. 9 pit crew. The five-person crew is composed of Andrew Bridgeforth (rear-tire changer), Jacob Conley (fueler), Brandon Grier (tire carrier), Allen Holman (jackman) and Donnie Tasser (front-tire changer).

WIN A SPECIAL EDITION CHEVY: Ally and Hendrick Automotive Group have teamed together to celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary by giving away a 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro through the Ally “Win Your Wheels fueled by HendrickCars.com” sweepstakes. NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports and No. 48 fans can enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar. The sweepstakes will end on Sept. 20, 2024.

OLD FRIENDS WITH BEST FRIENDS: Bowman and Ally are supporting Best Friends Animal Society and their vast network of partners for the fourth consecutive year. Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the pair has been committed to a combined weekly donation of $4,800 to a Best Friends network partner local to each weekend’s race. The beneficiary for Bristol is Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary located in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on the outskirts of Nashville. Senior dogs, especially those with medical problems or disabilities, face a much greater chance of euthanasia at shelters than younger dogs because it is difficult to find adopters for them due to their shorter life expectancy. Most of these wonderful senior dogs are able to live happily with a good quality of life if given a chance.