TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
MAY 26, 2019
BOWTIE BULLETS:
LEADING THE WAY:
Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 24 victories in the 59 Coca-Cola 600s at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including five this decade. GM brands Buick and Pontiac have added four wins. Darrell Waltrip has the most victories of all drivers with five – all in a Chevrolet. Overall, the Coca-Cola 600 will be the 120th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at the track that is celebrating its 60th anniversary season.
FIRST-TIMERS:
Four Chevrolet drivers have registered their first MENCS victory in the Coca-Cola 600, most recently Austin Dillon in 2017. Others include Casey Mears in 2007, Bobby Labonte in 1995 and Jeff Gordon in 1994. Also, David Pearson won the 1961 race in a Pontiac. Gordon is a three-time winner of the 400-lap race – all in a Chevrolet.
MARINE LIFE:
As part of Mission 600, Chevrolet drivers Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace visited U.S. military installations in the past week. Larson, who on May 18 became the second driver in MENCS history to win the Monster Energy Open and All-Star Race, traded his firesuit camouflage fatigues at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. Wallace took the second seat in a Strike Eagle Fighter at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. “You can’t thank them enough for what they do for us as Americans,” Larson said.
HONORING FAMILY:
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will have a military-themed paint scheme on the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 in tribute to Army Sgt. Richard Donlan, who died in combat during the Vietnam War. “Having grandparents who served, I have so much respect and am thankful for our military, both past and present, and for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Johnson said.
TUNE-IN:
FOX will telecast the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway live at 6 p.m. ET Sunday, May 26. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* Coca-Cola 600 wins by current Team Chevy drivers:
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, leads active drivers with four wins, including three in a row (2003-05, and 2014).
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Coke Zero Sugar Camaro ZL1, won in 2017.
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Gearwrench Camaro ZL1, won in 2010.
* A Chevrolet driver has sat on the pole 19 times for the Coca-Cola 600.
* Team Chevy drivers have recorded 145 top-five and 257 top-10 finishes in the Coca-Cola 600.
* Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships.
* Team Chevy drivers have scored 781 wins and 705 poles in MENCS competition.
FOR THE FANS:
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Fans can check out great a great assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: Camaro ZL1, 2500HD High Country, Traverse Redline, Colorado ZR2, 1500 Trailboss, Blazer Premier
At the Chevrolet Display, fans can view the Shock Camaro SS SEMA Concept, No. 9 Mountain Dew/NAPA Camaro ZL1 Showcar
Also on display is LT1 Connect & Cruise Crate Engine, NASCAR R07 Race Engine. Fans can also see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet Performance at their local Chevrolet dealer
Other activities at the Team Chevy Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids
TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:
Sunday, May 26th
2:00 p.m. – Austin Dillon
3:15 p.m. – Bubba Wallace & Richard Petty
2:30 p.m. – Ty Dillon
2:45 p.m. – Alex Bowman
3:00 p.m. – Chase Elliott
Chevrolet Display Hours of operation: Thurs. May 23rd – 3:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Sat. May 25th – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sun. May 26th – 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 GEARWRENCH CAMARO ZL1 – 8th IN STANDINGS
“I love Memorial Day weekend. Motorsports takes center stage with Monaco, Indianapolis and Charlotte. It just seems like a lot of great attention gets geared-up towards racing this weekend. With it being a very patriotic weekend, it’s a time to say thank you and reflect for all of those that have sacrificed for our country. With it being the 600, I love the tradition of the extra 100 miles and the toll that it puts on the cars, teams and driver. It is genuinely a cool event and one of the marquee races in NASCAR. I’ve been fortunate enough to win it once before want to try and win it again. We’ve got a good GEARWRENCH Chevy that were bringing to the track this weekend. It’s helpful now that we are going to hit some of these tracks a second time with the team and that way we can jump ahead of some of the performance that we have already produced this year.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1 – 12th IN STANDINGS
“This weekend’s Nationwide paint scheme is very special. Having JT on board and being able to honor the American Soldiers and K-9 that lost their lives in 2011 is extremely special and humbling. Everything that Nationwide does with these special patriotic schemes is amazing. Memorial Day weekend is a perfect time to honor these heroes and our whole team is very honored to carry JT’s name on board our Camaro ZL1.
“Thank you to the fans who voted for myself and the No. 88 team to get into the All-Star race last weekend. We definitely struggled in parts of the Open and All-Star race but was happy to get a top-10 out of it. Just can’t thank the fans enough.
“Driving 600-miles on Sunday will be tough in this heat, but I don’t think it is the most physically demanding. I have said it before, but I think Dover is the most physically challenging event that we have. Sunday will be long and hot, but this 88 team can get it done. We have momentum from the past three races on our side and I know the guys back at the shop have been working endless hours on these cars. Hopefully we unload pretty decent on Thursday and can get a good starting spot that night for Sunday’s race.”
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY PATRIOT CAMARO ZL1 – 16th IN STANDINGS
“I would rather win the 600 than the All-Star race. That event means so much to so many, and I have had the honor of winning it four times in my career. I’d like for nothing more than to take Sgt. Donlan to Victory Lane. I’m looking forward to the Indy 500 as well – I haven’t been able to see one of those races since the early 90’s, so the schedule worked out perfectly to take advantage of this opportunity. The 600 is a long race- you have to set up your car with some flexibility to go from day to night. Everyone’s working hard and has one common goal – to get this No. 48 car back to victory lane.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 CAMARO ZL1 – 18th IN STANDINGS
BIG WEEKEND FOR YOU GOING TO YOUR HOMETOWN TRACK WITH A SPECIAL PAINT SCHEME
“It is really cool to have a brand like Coca-Cola behind you at the Coke 600. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. This is special to me. It’s in my backyard. I have a lot of friends and family coming to this race. A couple years back, winning the Coca-Cola 600, there was nothing like it. Being tied with Coca-Cola from the beginning of my Cup Series career and getting to represent Coca-Cola in a full paint out with Coke Zero Sugar, it’s special. We have an awesome looking car for the 600.”
HOW HARD IS IT TO CHASE TRACK CONDITIONS IN THE COCA-COLA 600? IT’S THE LONGEST RACE OF THE SEASON
“It is difficult. It’s a long day and you’ve really got to stay up-to-date with your car and be ahead of the adjustments. Anything can happen in 600 miles, so you are always in the race. That is the good part of it. Stage racing is fun and interesting there also.”
COMPETITION-WISE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WHERE YOUR TEAM AND RCR IS?
“It’s nice to show speed each week, but we have to figure out how to race better each week. The positive thing is that we haven’t had speed in the past, so now we have some speed and we have to figure out how to race with that speed. We do that and we can do some great things. The consistency is what frustrates me. I want to be able to run the top-10 each and every weekend. We haven’t been able to find that consistency. At Kansas Speedway we were close. We were running ninth to 12th most of the race, but we were just a step behind. Making smart decisions is key with these new package switches, trying not to be one extreme or the other. We need to have consistent cars so we can find the balance each week.”
TALK ABOUT THE SENSE OF PRIDE YOU HAVE HEADING INTO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE PATRIOTIC ACTIVITIES PLANNED AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
“For me, meeting different military members from all different branches really instills a sense of pride for our U.S. Military. It means so much to be able to stand and hold your hand over your heart for the flag during the National Anthem at the racetrack. That’s the most impactful moment of the entire weekend for me. The only reason I’m allowed to do what I do on the weekends is because of the country that we live in and the people that have lost their lives defending our freedom. I’m proud to stand with my hand right over my heart in front of the flag every time. It’s important to me and my family and I’ve always felt like that was right. We are running this race with Chad Michael Wilkinson’s name on our windshield header as part of NASCAR’s 600 Miles of Remembrance program. Chad was a Navy SEAL, and his family and some of his SEAL Team will be in attendance at the race. It is always nice to have the opportunity to give back as we are running those 600 miles of remembrance to a family that has given so much to this country.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO RACE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY?
“I’ve been so fortunate to be able to have come here since I was a little kid and watch races right inside turn one from my grandfather’s condo. I’ve seen so many laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway and have seen a lot of guys from RCR run well at the track. I watched Jimmie Johnson dominate for years. It’s been a good track for me and I always enjoy coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY PATRIOTIC CAMARO ZL1 – 19th IN STANDINGS
“I’ve only started the 600 once and unfortunately wasn’t able to finish the full 600 miles due to an incident. Even still, I think it’s a true test of your fitness level and mental capacity as a driver, not just for the heat but the endurance it takes. Team-wise there was a stretch for few years that it was easier to make it 600 miles, but now with the performance as critical as it is, I think the cars are pushed more and the engines are pushed more making it harder to go the full distance. I think this race really is a test of everything you have as the sport just gets more and more competitive.”