Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Michigan–Bowtie Bullets

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
CONSUMERS ENERGY 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN
AUGUST 11, 2019

BOWTIE BULLETS:
THE CHASE IS ON:
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, dominated the 90-lap Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International for the second consecutive year. In the calendar year from The Glen win on August 5, 2018, to his August 4 victory on the 2.45-mile road course, Elliott has five victories. Elliott added victories at Dover and Kansas in ’18 and won at Talladega earlier this season. At the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway, Elliott leads active drivers with an average finish of 7.4 (seven races).

CHEVROLET IS POLE LEADER:
At The Glen, Elliott produced the 11th Chevrolet pole in the 22 MENCS races this season, which leads all manufacturers. Elliott, Austin Dillon and William Byron all have three pole starts for the Bowtie brigade.

TAKING IT STAGE BY STAGE:
Team Chevy drivers have notched 14 stage victories. Elliott won both stages at Watkins Glen International to boost his season total to four. He has also 17 top-five finishes in the stages and is fourth in bonus points with 163. Kyle Larson has three stage wins and 124 points.

TIED FOR RACE WINS:
Kyle Larson, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1, and Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, are tied with Joey Logano for the lead among active drivers with three victories at Michigan International Speedway. Larson earned his first MENCS win in August 2016 at the track and swept the 2017 races. His June win came from the pole. Busch won in June 2015, August 2007 and June 2003. Busch was runner-up in the race at MIS two months ago.

STARTING ANOTHER 100:
Chevrolet has 26 victories in the 100 MENCS races at Michigan International Speedway, which opened in October 1968. GM brands Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac have combined for an additional 10 wins.

THE GREAT RACE FOR CHARITY:
In support of The Great Race for Charity, Team Chevy will feature decals on their Camaro ZL1 race cars showcasing the nonprofit organization Operation Homefront logo in the MENCS FireKeepers 400.

A $5 donation on behalf of MIS will be made to Operation Homefront for every ticket package that is sold. Another $5 donation will be made back to the nonprofit organization of the manufacturer who sells the most tickets for both 2019 races at MIS. The winning charity will be presented with a check during pre-race ceremonies at the Consumers Energy 400 on Aug. 11.

Operation Homefront has provided military families with critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and other family support programs and services for over 15 years.

Fans can purchase tickets to support their favorite manufacturer and charity at www.mispeedway.com or by calling 888-905-7223.

TUNE-IN:
NBCSN will telecast the 203-lap Consumers Energy 400 live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, August 11. The NBC Sports Gold app will stream the race and live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

BY THE NUMBERS:
* Victories by current Chevrolet drivers at Michigan International Speedway:
Kyle Larson, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1, earned first MENCS win on August 28, 2016, and swept the June and August 2017 races.
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1, won in June 2015, August 2007 and June 2003.
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, won in June 2014.
* William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1, leads all drivers with 6,075 total laps run this season.
* Johnson maintains a streak of 33 consecutive races running at the finish.
* Chevrolet needs two top-five finishes to reach 4,000 dating to 1949. Team Chevy has recorded 29 top fives this season.
* Busch is seventh in the MENCS standings. Elliott is eighth. Both have qualified for the playoffs.
* Busch is tied among active drivers with 37 starts at MIS.
* Johnson is the leader among active drivers in laps led with 700 in 35 starts.
* Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships.

Chevrolet will be pacing the field at Michigan International Speedway, with a T1 Silverado leading both the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in the Corrigan Oil 200 and the NASCAR Monster Energy Series in the Consumers Energy 400.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 – 7th IN STANDINGS
“This is definitely one we’ve got circled on the calendar, especially with how well we did in the first race. We finished second. Coming back now, we’re in the manufacturer’s backyard. With Chevrolet, I would call it a hot streak right now. We have to deliver. It’s going to be fun to run our No. 1 Chevy up front with all the success we had in the June race leading up to the next race after that at Bristol. That’s another one we have circled. These next two are big time for the No.1 Chevrolet.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 – 11th IN STANDINGS
GOING TO MICHIGAN NEXT WEEK WITH THE NEW AERO PACKAGE, DO YOU HAVE A GAME PLAN FOR NEXT WEEK?
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to Michigan. We raced really well there earlier this year. We were running in the top 5. The last green-white-checkered we were stuck on the bottom and couldn’t really go anywhere. But, it’s a fun place. I think the aero package obviously changed it quite a bit. It’ll be interesting to see how everybody has learned each and every week we take that package to the racetrack. I am ready to see what it’s like going back there versus the first time and see if guys have figured out new stuff or changed their approach. I thought our car drove really well there last time. We were a little down on single car speed, but it turned into a good race for us. So, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 – 12th IN STANDINGS
“I don’t really know what to expect fully when we go back to Michigan a second time this year but I’m optimistic about it. Earlier this year was more of a learning process with the new package and what to expect at such a high-speed track. This time I think we have a better idea of where we need to be when we show up and what we can expect throughout the race. In general, we’ve learned a lot as a team as the season has gone on though, which puts us in an even better position when we start going back to some of these places for the second time. I’m excited to get to Michigan and see how the weekend goes for us because of it.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1 – 14th IN STANDINGS
“Michigan is always a fun place to come race, and definitely a special place for our team. It would be great to lock ourselves into the playoffs with a win this weekend like we did in 2016, but if we can’t do that we’ll be looking for as many points as we can score on Sunday. Our Camaro was fast when we’re at Michigan a couple months ago, but we had some tires issues that forced us off our strategy late in the race. Our cars, and our team, have been strong the last few weeks, so I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend. This is always a fun time of the year for me, with running Knoxville and then Michigan, and it’s neat to do it with McDonald’s on both my cars this year.”

CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 KROGER FAST START CAMARO ZL1 – 21st IN STANDINGS
“I’m definitely ready for the high banking and high speeds of Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Michigan is a track very similar to Auto Club Speedway, and I feel like these bigger tracks really fit my driving style. The track is definitely getting racier every time we go there. In the first race of the season at Michigan, we were running in the top 10 and I unfortunately stalled leaving the pit box on the final caution, and we lost track position with not enough time to get it back. However, it was still a really solid day for us, and I know we can bring that again this weekend in our Fast Start Camaro ZL1. Each weekend we are continuing to improve, and we have some really good tracks for us coming up that I know we can capitalize on those opportunities.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 CHEVROLET ACCESSORIES CAMARO ZL1 – 22nd IN STANDINGS
WHAT WAS THE TAKEAWAY FROM THIS NEW PACKAGE FROM THE RACE IN JUNE?
“We had another great race car at the Michigan race (in June). Same deal as Pocono, I had great opportunities to run inside the top-10 or top-5. I think we had a top-5 race car and won a Stage. I tried to make a move on the outside. It wasn’t too risky, but I made it three-wide and got a little too high. The traction compound would be where I lost it and got hit by the 24, he kind of finished me off there. I thought I had it saved and he got into my left rear. The traction compound being there will definitely help the race. I’m super excited about Michigan. We have that circled as one of those places we can capitalize on.”

TY DILLON, NO. 13 K&L READY MIX CAMARO ZL1 – 24th IN STANDINGS
“I thought the June race in Michigan went well. I think there are definitely ways that we can more efficiently utilize the PJ1 for an even better product for the fans with this package. Our Germain Racing team came out with a decent finish, and we feel like we learned some things for our intermediate track, and larger, programs that we can build off of to be more competitive and unload with more speed this weekend.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 – 28th IN STANDINGS
“With Watkins Glen International in the rearview, I feel really optimistic that we are moving forward as a team this back half of the season. While our finishes haven’t reflected the runs we have had, we are really progressing and hitting on a couple of things in our Kroger Camaro ZL1, and I’m looking forward to getting back to some of these tracks for a second time this season. Tristan (Smith, crew chief) is making really good calls on the box and we’re working together really well as a team, we just need to put a whole race together.”