Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Nashville

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

KEEP ON: With the NASCAR Cup Series now 18 races into the regular season, Chase Elliott is tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson for the points lead. His 9.61 average finish – a career best for the driver at the 18-race mark – leads the series, and his average starting position of 11.33 ranks fourth. Elliott’s seven top-five finishes are tied for second-most on the year, and his nine top-10s are tied for fifth-most.

SUCCESS: Elliott has finished all 18 points-paying races inside the top 20, making him the first driver to do it since Ricky Rudd in 1991. His father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, also accomplished it in 1988. Chase Elliott’s lowest result this season is 19th, which matches Bill’s worst finish through 18 events in 1988. Elliott has completed all but one lap this season, which is the best mark since Kurt Busch finished every lap through the first 18 races of 2016. The 28-year-old driver’s only performance not on the lead lap occurred at Bristol Motor Speedway where he still drove to an eighth-place finish.

GUITAR TOWN: Elliott is a previous Cup Series winner at Nashville Superspeedway. In June 2022, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native led the final 39 laps at the 1.33-mile oval to earn his second win of the season. It started a string of five consecutive top-two finishes, which included three victories (Nashville, Pocono Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway). Across his first three starts at Nashville, the 2020 Cup Series champion has led 56 laps, spent the second-most laps inside the top 10 (779) and captured two top-five results, including the 2022 victory. Elliott also has a triumph at another Music City venue, winning the All-American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2013 when he was just 17 years old.

EVERY MILE A MEMORY: In 61 Cup starts on tracks measuring 1 to 1.37 miles in length, Elliott has four wins. His first came at Dover Motor Speedway in 2018 and was followed by his championship-clinching performance at Phoenix Raceway in 2020. His two most recent victories on a track of this length came in 2022 at Dover and Nashville. Accompanying the quartet of triumphs are 23 top-five finishes, 30 top-10s and 1,287 laps led across his starts on this track type. In five races on this variation of track in 2024, Elliott’s best finish is fifth (at Dover) and top start is first (at New Hampshire Motor Speedway).

CONCRETE DREAMS: On concrete tracks in NASCAR’s premier series, Elliott has three wins (Nashville in 2022 and Dover in 2018 and 2022) with two coming in the Next Gen race car – the second-best mark in the Cup Series.

FAST AS YOU: The No. 9 crew ranks first in average four-tire pit stop time (10.604 seconds) through the first 18 races of 2024. In April at Texas, the squad knocked out the fastest four-tire stop of any team this season with a time of 9.076 seconds. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group has remained the same since 2018 and 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).

LOTTA BOOT LEFT TO FILL: Veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson is in his 20th season atop the pit box in the Cup Series, all with Hendrick Motorsports. On tracks measuring 1 to 1.37 miles in length, he has 11 wins with four different drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Kyle Busch and Elliott. His most recent victory on this track type came with Elliott at Nashville in 2022, and his first was with Busch in 2005 at Phoenix. In 138 Cup races on this track variation, the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has 47 top-five finishes and 72 top-10s with more than 2,500 laps led.

IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW: NAPA Auto Parts is on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. The Atlanta-based company was also the primary sponsor for Elliott and No. 9 team’s win at the Tennessee track in 2022. In fact, the longtime Hendrick Motorsports partner’s livery has adorned Elliott’s Chevrolet in 13 of his 19 career Cup Series victories.

No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

RECORD YEAR: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season started off hot with three wins (currently tied for the most) including his first career DAYTONA 500. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has six top-five finishes (tied for fifth) and is tied for the second-most top-10s (10) so far. He has the best average starting position (9.28) and the sixth-best average finish (13.22). After 18 races, he is seventh in the 2024 Cup Series standings with 16 playoff points.

I WALK THE LINE: Sunday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway will mark Byron’s 49th start on tracks 1 to 1.37 miles in length. In his previous 48 starts, the 26-year-old driver has collected two pole awards, two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s and 537 laps led.

THE NASHVILLE SCENE: With three Cup Series starts at Nashville, Byron’s best showing came in 2021 when he qualified fourth and raced to a third-place finish. He has one other start at the 1.33-mile oval, also coming in 2021, in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, where he qualified 10th and was running up front before suffering a mechanical issue just past halfway.

STAND BY YOUR MAN: Crew chief Rudy Fugle also has three Cup Series starts under his belt at Nashville, all with Byron and the No. 24 team, with a best finish of third in 2021. The Livonia, New York, native has three other starts at Nashville, including two in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2010 when he recorded one top-10 finish and two top-15s. He earned a 16th-place result in Truck Series in 2011.

BOOT SCOOTIN BOOGIE: After 18 races in 2024, the No. 24 pit crew continues its success from last year. The five-person team ranks second for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.764 seconds). The No. 24 over-the-wall crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).

I RUN TO YOU: On Wednesday, Valvoline Global, a worldwide leader in automotive and industrial solutions creating future-ready products and best-in-class services for partners around the globe, announced it has expanded and extended its strategic partnership with 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports through 2029. The brand will increase its presence on Byron’s No. 24 from three primary sponsorship races annually to eight in 2024 and six in the 2025-2029 seasons. This weekend’s race at Nashville Superspeedway will be Valvoline’s third appearance as the primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in 2024. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. For more on the Valvoline extension news, click here.

North Carolina Moonshine and Motorsports Trail

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 12th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

FAST CAR: Going into Sunday’s event at Nashville Superspeedway, Alex Bowman ranks 12th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, 144 markers behind the leader. With eight races to go in the regular season and six playoff spots left undecided, he ranks 14th in the playoff standings, 59 points above the cut line. In 2024, the 31-year-old driver has secured four top-five finishes and 10 top-10s, with nine in the last 14 races. It is his most top-10 finishes through 18 races in a season.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: This weekend NASCAR takes on Nashville Superspeedway, the largest concrete-only track on the Cup Series schedule. Bowman has won on a concrete surface before, going to victory lane at Dover Motor Speedway in 2021. On Sunday, he will make his fourth Cup start at the 1.33-mile oval in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. For the third year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. designed the team’s scheme for the Ally 400 (2021, 2022 and 2024). This year’s special scheme pays tribute to the city’s culture with bright colors, stars, musical notes, vinyl records, guitar picks and more. Check out all angles of the new look here.

ALLY 400: After hosting several NASCAR Xfinity Series and Truck Series races, Nashville Superspeedway sat dormant for 10 years until 2021. Ally helped bring racing back to the Music City four years ago with the inaugural Ally 400. Nashville acts as an intersection for motor sports, culture and music, and Ally invites fans to visit the track this weekend for the first-hand experience. The Ally fan zone space will feature a roll-a-ball, victory wheel, an No. 48 Ally show car, a Hendrick Motorsports 40th anniversary street car, “Bowman bucks” and more. Luke Combs will serve as the honorary pace car driver, and new Ally Financial CEO Michael Rhodes will wave the green flag for Sunday’s race.

48TH START FOR BOWMAN AND HARRIS: Sunday will mark the 48th Cup Series race together for the driver and crew chief of the No. 48 team. Bowman has been the full-time driver for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet since Jimmie Johnson retired in 2021. He was paired with Greg Ives until he retired as a full-time crew chief in 2022. At the start of the 2023 season, Blake Harris was hired to lead the Ally Racing team. Now in their second season together, the duo has earned one pole position, seven top-five finishes, 18 top-10s and led 87 laps.

TEAMMATES IN THE FAN ZONE: On Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson will join Bowman in the Nashville fan zone at 11:30 a.m. local time for a joint appearance. Ally and Hendrick Automotive Group have teamed up to celebrate Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary by giving away a 40th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE through the Ally “Win Your Wheels fueled by HendrickCars.com” sweepstakes. Fans can enter to win at Ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar. The sweepstakes will end Sept. 20, 2024.

THE RIDE: Check out views from the driver’s seat of Bowman’s No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend. Fans can ride along for Sunday’s 399-mile competition by tuning into NASCAR’s in-car camera on-board. Visit nascar.com/drive to experience the behind-the-scenes perspective.

NASHVILLE HUMANE ASSOCIATION: Since 2024, Bowman and Ally have teamed up to support Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates a total of $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to the Nashville Humane Association. If you’re in town for the race, check out the animals available for adoption at the shelter located 40 miles west of the track. Not ready to adopt? Visit their website for further details on how to help save a life by donating, volunteering or fostering. Learn more about the new Best Friends “Bring Love Home” campaign here.

REBUILDING IN THE COMMUNITY: Ahead of the race weekend, the No. 48 team made a trip to the outskirts of Nashville to volunteer with Rebuilding Together, a local non-profit that restores, rebuilds and provides critical repairs at homes of low-income residents. Bowman, his Ally Racing crew and retired NFL player Bernard Pollard visited Trinity Community Commons to assist with improving garden areas and building tables, benches and shade structures. Racing is the team’s passion, but giving back to communities where they race helps them “do it right.”

FUELING THE PIT CREW: The Ally Racing pit crew ranks 10th on pit road for the best average four-tire stop this year (10.986). The five-man No. 48 crew is composed of jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Brandon Grier, front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth and gasman Jacob Conley.

THE NASHVILLE SCENE: Hendrick Motorsports has won two of the three races held at Nashville Superspeedway since it was added to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2021. It also leads all organizations in top-five finishes (six) and top-10s (seven) at the 1.33-mile tri-oval.

CELEBRATING 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The team holds the all-time NASCAR Cup Series records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), wins (308), pole positions (251) and laps led (80,932). This season, it leads all Cup organizations with seven points-paying victories through 17 races.

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on previous results at Nashville Superspeedway: “Nashville (Superspeedway) has been a good track for us. We got the win in the inaugural event and have backed it up with a couple more top fives. We’re heading into the weekend with the hope the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet will be up front in contention for another victory there.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on previous results with two different types of race cars: “Nashville is definitely a fun and unique track. We enjoy going there, but it’s been a bit of a struggle in the Next Gen era. We’ve been able to pull off a few good finishes with making good adjustments to the car during the last couple of races. We haven’t unloaded quite as fast as we would have liked, so we have done a lot of work to hopefully be quicker off the truck this weekend.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Nashville: “I look forward to going to Nashville Superspeedway. It’s obviously a really cool town and market to be in, and the track’s been really racy the last couple of years. There are a lot of different lines to choose from and, overall, it’s been super solid.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Nashville: “I’m looking forward to going to Nashville. I feel like overall it’s been a good track for us. There’s a lot of lanes and good opportunities for passing. I’m optimistic about the weekend. The team has really good chemistry right now and we all work well together. We all just want to go and perform our jobs at a high level. I think we have an opportunity to go there and get some good stage points and hopefully be there at the end with a shot at the win.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how the temperature will play a factor this weekend: “I think a big factor this weekend will be managing the heat. The first time we raced at Nashville (Superspeedway) with the Next Gen, it was a lightning delayed night race, and then last year was a scheduled night race. Now we’re going there during the day where it’s been super hot. You’re going to have a low grip situation in the car, and it’s going to be hot in the car and for the guys working on it. It’s just an added element when most of our notes are from racing there at night, and we should be done well before that this time if we don’t get any weather.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how Nashville Superspeedway compares to other intermediate tracks: “I think now that we’ve raced at Iowa (Speedway), that’s going to compare a lot to racing at Nashville (Superspeedway). You’ll probably use the brakes more there, but you’ll still have a bit of grip to work with. The track is fairly flat, though. From an aerial view it looks like it has a lot of banking, but it’s pretty flat compared to Las Vegas (Motor Speedway) or Charlotte (Motor Speedway). You don’t have as much banking to hold onto you entering or exiting the corner. You have a tighter turn radius, so it’s harder to turn in the center. It really does have a lot of the characteristics of Iowa, so that’s a positive after we just ran there a couple weeks ago.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway: “I’m excited to get there. It’s been a rough place for us the past couple of years, but I feel like the places we have historically struggled at we are getting better at. Like New Hampshire (Motor Speedway), we’ve fought hard for a long time and last weekend we had a pretty good run going there compared to the past couple of years before our issue. I think Nashville can be really good, and I always look forward to all that Ally has going on at and around the track for this race specifically.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his 48th start with Alex Bowman and expectations for the weekend at Nashville Superspeedway: “If it’s our 48th start this weekend at Nashville (Superspeedway), then we definitely need to add a win to the column together. The Ally 400 is a big race for our team with Ally as the primary partner on our No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro. I think we’ve got a lot to build on this year from similar intermediate tracks so far. It’s going to be hot and slick out there. We’re looking forward to getting out on track in the Music City.”

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Nashville

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