CONCORD, NC (Feb. 11, 2026) — Terry Easum has committed himself to the grind and the learning curve of racing with the American Sprint Car Series for the third time in his career in 2026.

The 33-year-old native of Broken Arrow, OK, will hit the road with fiancée and crew chief Kacee Frazier and the pit area’s favorite four-legged friend Stagger this season, following the national 360 Sprint Car schedule in pursuit of more laps and improving his skills in the seat.

Easum’s second season behind the wheel of the Premier Self-Storage, Don Ott Racing Engines-powered Maxim Chassis No. 88 on the national circuit last year added one podium, three top-fives and five top-10 finishes to his stat book. Though those were new personal bests with the Series, he’s still searching for more consistent results at the end of the night.

“[I’m looking] to just getting in the top 10 and top five more,” Easum said. “I think we’re capable of it. I don’t know what happens from time-to-time, we just don’t get there by the end of the night. We need to improve on that, for sure, and I need to improve myself as a driver.

“It’s definitely been a lot. But we’ll keep going at it until we get it figured out.”

Read Also — POWER COUPLE: Terry Easum, Kacee Frazier Talk Self-Run ASCS Team

Easum ventured out to Florida to race Volusia Speedway Park for the first time two weeks ago, snagging a spot in the main event on Monday night. Though his result in the end wasn’t as high as he was aiming for, he knows that just qualifying for a Feature against the stacked field that comes to race Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals every year is an accomplishment for he and his small, self-funded operation.

“It was a whole new ballgame down there; definitely one of the fastest places we go to,” Easum said. “We thought early in the night we were a little better. We timed in well Thursday night, and then I just screwed up on the start of the Heat Race. It seemed like later in the night it was pretty tough for us to do a lot.

“It definitely was a fun place. I look forward to going back to it. There’re not many half miles that are racey and fun.”

Easum resumes competition in the next American Sprint Car Series events — Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1 — at Central Arizona Raceway in the inaugural Sonoran Clash. Tickets for both weekends of the event will be sold at the track on race day.

Terry Easum Aiming for New Heights in Third American Sprint Car Series Season

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 11, 2026) — Terry Easum has committed himself to the grind and the learning curve of racing with the American Sprint Car Series for the third time in his career in 2026.

The 33-year-old native of Broken Arrow, OK, will hit the road with fiancée and crew chief Kacee Frazier and the pit area’s favorite four-legged friend Stagger this season, following the national 360 Sprint Car schedule in pursuit of more laps and improving his skills in the seat.

Easum’s second season behind the wheel of the Premier Self-Storage, Don Ott Racing Engines-powered Maxim Chassis No. 88 on the national circuit last year added one podium, three top-fives and five top-10 finishes to his stat book. Though those were new personal bests with the Series, he’s still searching for more consistent results at the end of the night.

“[I’m looking] to just getting in the top 10 and top five more,” Easum said. “I think we’re capable of it. I don’t know what happens from time-to-time, we just don’t get there by the end of the night. We need to improve on that, for sure, and I need to improve myself as a driver.

“It’s definitely been a lot. But we’ll keep going at it until we get it figured out.”

Read Also — POWER COUPLE: Terry Easum, Kacee Frazier Talk Self-Run ASCS Team

Easum ventured out to Florida to race Volusia Speedway Park for the first time two weeks ago, snagging a spot in the main event on Monday night. Though his result in the end wasn’t as high as he was aiming for, he knows that just qualifying for a Feature against the stacked field that comes to race Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals every year is an accomplishment for he and his small, self-funded operation.

“It was a whole new ballgame down there; definitely one of the fastest places we go to,” Easum said. “We thought early in the night we were a little better. We timed in well Thursday night, and then I just screwed up on the start of the Heat Race. It seemed like later in the night it was pretty tough for us to do a lot.

“It definitely was a fun place. I look forward to going back to it. There’re not many half miles that are racey and fun.”

Easum resumes competition in the next American Sprint Car Series events — Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1 — at Central Arizona Raceway in the inaugural Sonoran Clash. Tickets for both weekends of the event will be sold at the track on race day.

Where can you watch every American Sprint Car Series event? Live on DIRTVision.

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

What has it been like working with (Jim) Pohlman (new crew chief)?“Working with Jim has been good. He’s a very determined guy. He wants to make a difference and be the difference maker here at RCR and the 8 car and having us have a better chance of being able to reach Victory Lane each and every week. It’s all about being able to extract the most out of the people, whether it’s everybody at the shop or whether it’s your team at the racetrack, the pit crew, all those guys. I feel like he’s got everybody really looking up to him and believing in him and his way. That’s been good.” Some drivers what to run up front, some want to be further back. What is the strategy? Where do you want to run during the race? Where do you want to be at the end of the Daytona 500?“I don’t know. Two years ago, when we were here, Austin Dillon and myself got the lead. We were in the control of the race. We were running first and second when we came off of Turn 4. I saw the white flag in the flag man’s hand, and unfortunately, a caution came out as we got to the front side of pit rod entry. And after that, we weren’t able to hold the lead on the restarts, but I led mile marker 500. That’s just the way it goes… you just never know how it’s exactly gonna end. So, to be out front, you feel like that’s the safest spot to be, but sometimes you see guys spun out of the lead and they’re not the ones to win. There are guys that win coming out of Turn 2 and they’re in 7th place or they’re in 11th place, It just depends, you never know.” How long into the season will it take before you can assess and gauge the new Chevy body?“I think we’re going to see some speedway prowess of how good it is. When we get to Atlanta, same thing. And then we get to some short track stuff, and we’ll see how the downforce on it is.  Obviously, you look at over the years, the brands that have come out with new bodies have been pretty competitive. Although, you look and you see Kyle Larson won the championship last year with the oldest body out there. Now, we’ve got a fresh one, and a new one, and maybe the advantages on Team Chevy.”  How do you feel about this year with the challenges you’ve had? Challenges can make you stronger and probably the best thing for you… “Challenges can be tough, it’s just the nature of how well you handle those challenges. You can obviously beat yourself down and get low. It’s all about trying to build yourself up and keeping yourself at the top level that you can be to go out there and achieve success. It hasn’t been the greatest the last few years. We’ve had some close calls and sometimes where maybe we could have won a race. We certainly haven’t been dominant forces of being up front leading laps and having those chances be at the regular each and every week. If you only have two opportunities to win races through the year versus having 20 opportunities to win races through the year, you’ve got a bigger opportunity, a bigger window, to get those wins having the 20 chances.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

What’s the best part of this week as a driver?“I mean, obviously the best part is the race on Sunday, but you have to get there. So there is a lot of things that you have to do to be able to get there. I’m just trying to enjoy every single day, to be honest. I’m just trying to be present and enjoy it. And right no,  I’m sitting here with you guys. I’m just trying to be in a good mood, in a happy phase. I’m trying to enjoy it. So it’s all good. I’m happy and I know that I’m going to have a great shot to win probably one of the biggest races of my life.”  No Mic… “Yeah, so every team has a different culture, a different structure. Every team owner is different. Every team president is a little different. So, you know, getting to know everyone is important and also understand what are the strengths and weaknesses of each place and how can you make them better, right? Because that’s what is the goal at the end of the day as a driver, right? It’s not just about going fast, but how can you be the best possible leader out there? So yeah, that’s something that is already very important. I believe that Spire Motorsports has a great structure; great leaders, very, very good people in place. It’s been a lot of fun to work with this group for the last couple of months.”  On the importance of having a good run at the Clash: “It definitely helps. You know, it was like a good warm up. You know, the highlight of my night, it wasn’t the result. It was to see the smiles on every single member of my team. That’s priceless to me; to be able to see them happy and excited and looking forward to battle. That’s what it’s all about. You know, you want them to be fired up. You want them to want this. This is not easy, man. Every single person and team right now is super excited for the first of the year. But as you start getting throughout the season, people start getting tired and things like that. So it’s very important to see that excitement in your group, and for me, that was the highlight. I want to continue to work very hard with this group and to continue to bring those kind of memories.”   On building together as a new team: “I mean, it only takes time. I believe that we’re in a very good spot for being a new team, but it takes time to clean up a few things here and there. To be quite honest, we are starting way more ahead than what I thought we were going to start, so that’s promising. We worked very hard in November and in January to be able to try to be in a good spot. But you know how it is… you aim for this and sometimes you end up here, or you aim here and sometimes you end up here. It’s very rare that you aim here with a new everything and then you actually hit close to that, and we actually did. So I was very, very pleased with that. The team did a great job. We have a lot of new guys. I have a very young group. You know, my car chief is younger than me, but he’s very experienced. So it’s a very, very young, talented group and I’m super excited for that. I feel very blessed to have this kind of group with me.”  Where do you like to be at the end of a superspeedway race? “Well, every circumstance is a little bit different. I would love to be in the front; controlling the gap, controlling the race in the middle. I would say the middle is normally the best place, at least that’s what I think. And controlling the race. I feel like it’s much easier to be up front, controlling that gap, because the further back you are, the more intensity and the more Hail Mary’s people are going to be throwing. So if you are up front, there are higher chances of a crash or something happening that most likely you can avoid if you are up front.  But you never know what is going to happen. William Barron won the Daytona 500 last year being probably in the most dangerous spot on the outside third row and somehow he made it through that crash, so you never know.”   Do you feel like there’s pressure coming into this season? “I mean, honestly, no different than any other year. I mean, there is always pressure, but this is what we do. Even Kyle Larson (reigning champion) has pressure. Everyone has pressure. Everyone wants to win. Everyone has to perform. So yeah, it’s no different than any other year. I mean, you just have to look forward to the next thing and do it the best possible way. And whatever that is, trying to do it better the next race and better and better and trying to continue to improve.”  On being teammates with Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell: “I like them both a lot. They’re completely different. They’re completely different guys. Michael is a super experienced guy; very organized, very structured kind of guy. A lot like myself, probably even more than me. And Carson is the opposite. You know, he’s a very, very young guy. He does a lot of things on the fly. Very, very talented. I think I actually feel like I’m helping the team a lot because I’m that middle man guy. I’m very experienced. I’ve been doing this already for a while, but I’m still young and I feel like I can connect with both extremely well. So it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

What’s the best part of this week as a driver?“I mean, obviously the best part is the race on Sunday, but you have to get there. So there is a lot of things that you have to do to be able to get there. I’m just trying to enjoy every single day, to be honest. I’m just trying to be present and enjoy it. And right no,  I’m sitting here with you guys. I’m just trying to be in a good mood, in a happy phase. I’m trying to enjoy it. So it’s all good. I’m happy and I know that I’m going to have a great shot to win probably one of the biggest races of my life.”  No Mic… “Yeah, so every team has a different culture, a different structure. Every team owner is different. Every team president is a little different. So, you know, getting to know everyone is important and also understand what are the strengths and weaknesses of each place and how can you make them better, right? Because that’s what is the goal at the end of the day as a driver, right? It’s not just about going fast, but how can you be the best possible leader out there? So yeah, that’s something that is already very important. I believe that Spire Motorsports has a great structure; great leaders, very, very good people in place. It’s been a lot of fun to work with this group for the last couple of months.”  On the importance of having a good run at the Clash: “It definitely helps. You know, it was like a good warm up. You know, the highlight of my night, it wasn’t the result. It was to see the smiles on every single member of my team. That’s priceless to me; to be able to see them happy and excited and looking forward to battle. That’s what it’s all about. You know, you want them to be fired up. You want them to want this. This is not easy, man. Every single person and team right now is super excited for the first of the year. But as you start getting throughout the season, people start getting tired and things like that. So it’s very important to see that excitement in your group, and for me, that was the highlight. I want to continue to work very hard with this group and to continue to bring those kind of memories.”   On building together as a new team: “I mean, it only takes time. I believe that we’re in a very good spot for being a new team, but it takes time to clean up a few things here and there. To be quite honest, we are starting way more ahead than what I thought we were going to start, so that’s promising. We worked very hard in November and in January to be able to try to be in a good spot. But you know how it is… you aim for this and sometimes you end up here, or you aim here and sometimes you end up here. It’s very rare that you aim here with a new everything and then you actually hit close to that, and we actually did. So I was very, very pleased with that. The team did a great job. We have a lot of new guys. I have a very young group. You know, my car chief is younger than me, but he’s very experienced. So it’s a very, very young, talented group and I’m super excited for that. I feel very blessed to have this kind of group with me.”  Where do you like to be at the end of a superspeedway race? “Well, every circumstance is a little bit different. I would love to be in the front; controlling the gap, controlling the race in the middle. I would say the middle is normally the best place, at least that’s what I think. And controlling the race. I feel like it’s much easier to be up front, controlling that gap, because the further back you are, the more intensity and the more Hail Mary’s people are going to be throwing. So if you are up front, there are higher chances of a crash or something happening that most likely you can avoid if you are up front.  But you never know what is going to happen. William Barron won the Daytona 500 last year being probably in the most dangerous spot on the outside third row and somehow he made it through that crash, so you never know.”   Do you feel like there’s pressure coming into this season? “I mean, honestly, no different than any other year. I mean, there is always pressure, but this is what we do. Even Kyle Larson (reigning champion) has pressure. Everyone has pressure. Everyone wants to win. Everyone has to perform. So yeah, it’s no different than any other year. I mean, you just have to look forward to the next thing and do it the best possible way. And whatever that is, trying to do it better the next race and better and better and trying to continue to improve.”  On being teammates with Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell: “I like them both a lot. They’re completely different. They’re completely different guys. Michael is a super experienced guy; very organized, very structured kind of guy. A lot like myself, probably even more than me. And Carson is the opposite. You know, he’s a very, very young guy. He does a lot of things on the fly. Very, very talented. I think I actually feel like I’m helping the team a lot because I’m that middle man guy. I’m very experienced. I’ve been doing this already for a while, but I’m still young and I feel like I can connect with both extremely well. So it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

What is your outlook for 2026? “I think everybody’s outlook is positive. We all worked hard in the off-season. Everybody did a good job of refining the processes and procedures, hopefully making our race cars faster, right? Now we get to see. Now we get to the racetrack and we get to see that hard work pay off and let the results prove where we’re at and where we’re not at.  But as you know, coming to Daytona, it’s a fresh start, a clean slate. There’s endless opportunities in front of us. There’s the unknown of what could happen and what the potential is. It’s fun and exciting. Now it’s time to go to work.” Maybe not the exact season you wanted in your first year. You showed signs of greatness. What did you learn most of all in 2025 that you can apply? “That the speed’s there. We’re close on the speed. We need to work on execution and getting everything just right. Probably the biggest area that we have to work on on the 71 group is from Saturdays to Sundays. Qualifying well, having good speed, then maybe missing it a little bit on Sunday on balance. We’d eventually find it and have an okay day, but we’ve had those dips in the race that would really set us back.  Just working through some of the details on how to be better overnight and how to build on the racetracks we had success last year, how to revisit the ones that were a struggle, come up with a new approach.  But yeah, I feel good about it. I mean, I feel like we had good speed, and we had not consistently race-winning speed, but at times we had race-winning speed. If we can bring that to the racetrack more consistently, then we’ll get it, we’ll eventually get it.” How important are the poles to you, to have that speed the day before? “Yeah, superspeedway poles are different, for sure. I think having the speed helps for the race. It’s not a tradeoff. At some places it might be a little bit of a tradeoff.  I don’t feel like you’re giving anything up to have that speed tonight for Sunday. So it’s important for the team. It’s important for all of us to bring the fastest cars we can to give ourselves the best shot at winning.  I think the 71 group has prided themselves in details, being that contender, knowing what it takes to do that. It took us a little while last year before we got our first superspeedway pole. But that gives us confidence coming into tonight that we have a shot at it.  Who knows. We got a brand-new Chevy body, new season. Everybody makes gains, everybody finds more. It’s whether or not you found more than the others. So we’ll find out tonight.” You’re one of a handful of drivers that’s doing more than the race this weekend. When you do that, is there any tradeoff as far as tension or preparation being taken away from the Cup race? “I only did a handful last year. In the beginning of my career, I did a lot of Xfinity and Cup, O’Reilly, then it was Nationwide. I don’t know what it was before that. But then it was different because the cars were very similar from Saturday to Sunday. There was a benefit to it.  For the most part, you’re running the same tire on Saturday to Sunday. The cars were fairly similar. Now it’s not. Now it’s such a big jump that they’re very different. You still get into a rhythm visually, pit road references, just overall you get into your own driver rhythm. I feel like there’s for sure a tradeoff. I don’t feel like it’s a one-to-one where the time and the commitment and what you’re doing doesn’t take away. It’s whether or not you get enough added to it to balance it out, right? I think a lot of times, especially with road courses, it balances out because you find the rhythm and visual references. Even though your brake markers might be different and your shift points might be different, it helps you as a driver to get into rhythm.  For me, doing the Truck race is always about trying to win a Truck race and win in all three series. The Truck Series is the box that hasn’t been checked. I don’t have a ton of opportunities to do it, so I have to make the ones count. I take that Truck race Friday night very seriously. I’ve been preparing for it. I put the same amount of preparation into that as I would the Cup race. I have the capacity right now, too, because you’re not going week to week. I’ve had four weeks to prepare for one race. I feel like this is the time to do it. I have the time to do it right now.” On having Daniel Suarez as a teammate: “I think he brings experience. He brings a level of intensity. Also, too, he brings knowledge. He brings knowledge coming from good, successful teams, having good teammates over the years from Gibbs, SHR to Trackhouse. He’s been around good organizations and good groups. He’s done it a long time at a high level.  Anyone that has that experience I feel will bring a lot to the table.”   What have you learned about yourself in especially the last couple years? “Yeah, I feel like for me, it’s about knowing your value, knowing your purpose, and not allowing too many influences of that, right? I always say it like this: you can’t allow your value to be determined by other people’s perception of who you are or what you’re doing.  Like being a NASCAR driver is awesome, but it’s what you do, it’s what I do, it’s not who I am, right? So being able to not separate that but live in both. I can do my job to the best of my ability. I give it everything that I have. Sometimes the results on Sundays are good, sometimes they’re not. I don’t allow that to determine my value as who I am as a father, as a husband, as a friend, as a teammate. I take what I do seriously, but I try not to take myself too seriously. You know what I mean? I always remind myself and I remind others that you’re not that big of a deal. I mean that in a humble way. When you win, you’re not that big of a deal. When you lose, you’re not that big of a deal. As soon as you start thinking that you’re a big deal is when life gets heavy and you start feeling that weight and that pressure and you put more on yourself than we’re really designed to handle. I try to, like I said, do my job well. I try to treat people well in the process. I don’t let the results determine who I am and what my values are.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

How much have you thought about what Sunday could be if you were to win again?  “Yeah, I mean, I’ve been asked about that quite a bit today. I mean, not much, to be honest. I think some here and there.   Obviously that’s the goal. I think, yeah, I get reminders of the previous races, whether I see just the videos or whatnot. Yeah, it’s great career-defining moments that we’ve had. It’s awesome. It’s special. But I don’t really think ahead too much. I just think about kind of what it’s going to take in these next couple days leading up to it.”   Why do you feel like you’re so good at this type of racetrack? “Yeah, I don’t know. My goal is to be good at all the styles of racing. I don’t put an emphasis more on this than others. If anything, kind of less in some ways because I feel like, you know, some of it is out of your control. But I do feel like I have a good instinct for making good decisions on the track. I have a great spotter in Branden that guides me well and a really good team with a well-prepared car that handles well and does all the things I want it to do. I think it’s just a combination of all those things and kind of just having a good overall feel for it.”   Is it more excitement? What do you feel third year in a row? “I feel really excited. I’m ready to get racing again. I feel like I had a great off-season, but I found myself in the off-season… just feeling like I actually wanted to get back in the car. I wanted to experience those emotions again. I kind of missed that.   There’s a lot of aspects I didn’t miss, but the aspect of racing and being in the car with my guys and everything, that I really missed as the off-season went on.   Yeah, I think that’s just kind of what I’m looking forward to. I guess I’m looking forward to Thursday night; just getting in the Duel and dicing it up. I had a lot of fun at the Clash. Yeah, I’m just excited about that.” Every race win is different. How did last year’s victory compare to the year prior? “Well, I mean, it was very unpredictable. I didn’t really feel like I had a shot to win or even be in the mix until we took the white flag. Then off of turn two, I felt like, man, there’s a possibility that something develops where I can maybe push Cole to the win, push him out, then have a run at the line or something like that. I knew we were in the right lane down the backstretch.   When it all unfolded with the wreck, I was just hoping that I would have a lane to get past that. Just worked out that I felt like I was in the right lane coming off of two and middle of the backstretch. Then, it was just about obviously missing the big crash there and having enough momentum to make a move if I needed to.”  What’s the best part of this week for you? “That’s a good question. The best part to me is probably the Duel tomorrow night. When you get in that race, you get the juices flowing again; you feel those feelings again. That is almost more intense than the 500 in some ways.   I feel like those first couple laps of the Duel, you’re getting your bearings and there’s a lot happening quickly.   Yeah, I look forward to that more than anything. I look forward to Saturday afternoon, kind of getting a chance to take a breath and think about Sunday. So I’d say those two moments.  But yeah, for me, the Duel is really fun, and I enjoy that.”   The final green flag stop in stage three where you know from there, it’s no more sitting back and waiting, how do you set yourself up mentally for that? “I think the moment can’t be too big. Obviously, the most important part of the race is kind of that sequence. But you can’t feel too rushed or can’t feel too intense, personally. I think, yeah, I mean, you just hope that all your details are right there. You hope that your execution of the pit stop, execution of the fuel saving, whatever that may be, all of that is good. You hope that you’ve done enough work with your team to have that confidence and that calmness in those moments.”   Do you have a certain place you like to be in the race? “ Yeah, I think the middle groove could be a good place to be. Just have to see how the draft kind of works this week and understand it better.   But yeah, I think being in that top-four is probably where I would like to be. I would like to be a pusher or being pushed. I think having control of the race is great, if it’s a restart. I think sometimes having control too soon can be kind of a death wish, as well, because guys are just going to have opportunities to make passes on you.   I don’t know if that answers it, but kind of in that mix, I guess.”  If you’re a pusher, you’re also controlling, aren’t you? “Yeah, you are. I think in some ways with this package, you have more control as the guy pushing. You feel calmer so you can make a little better decision, maybe. Sometimes that move never materializes, where you have a chance to make a decision. It definitely varies.”  Does it surprise you that nobody has won three Daytona 500’s?“It does surprise me in that I feel like there’s been some drafting packages that were honestly easier to win three in a row than this one currently. I’m a little surprised that there wasn’t a run by somebody like a Dale Jr. or something. He and his team had a pretty good hold on what it took to be competitive and he made great decisions. It just shows how hard this race is and how much pressure there is.   It’s not like going to Martinsville and just having it figured out; having a rhythm, leading a bunch of laps and winning. It’s definitely a very circumstantial… split-second race. I think that’s probably what makes it entertaining, too.”   Do you anticipate racing this week will be different, more people going with you when you go because you’re a 500 winner, or maybe the opposite happening where he’s won enough? “I think it will be the opposite, for sure. I won’t have a lot of friends. I could see it being that way.  Yeah, I think it does depend on how you draft. If you know what you’re doing and you make good decisions, then guys typically work with you.   I do think coming down to the end, it could be tough for me to have those allies and those friends to make a move. Just got to be smart about it and probably not overthink it too much. Just react to what I feel and what I see.”   Why do you think you’ve been so good here? What makes a great racer at this racetrack?  “I mean, I don’t know. It just feels like I’ve been, at this track in particular, able to have some things go my way and also make good decisions in those moments that I had opportunities. It’s a mix of that… like being in the right place, and then having those chances to make good decisions.   I feel like for a while, it was a joke. I couldn’t finish a race here. My first six years, I couldn’t finish the race, but I was always in the mix. I don’t know. I think it’s kind of finally tipped the other way.   Yeah, I wish I could have, honestly, some of that success at Talladega. I think that’s been a place that I haven’t really had as much success. It just feels like this place, it requires a little bit different formula than it does there.”   When it comes to drafting, how does the new Chevy body factor into that? “Yeah, selfishly, I think if I could be in the second Duel, it would be great to get a visual for what that looks like; how they’re doing it in the first Duel, then execute that or try it myself in the second.   Yeah, I think it’s an unknown, for sure. It looks a lot better on paper. It looks like it’s going to be an advantage, possibly, or something we haven’t had in the past. Hopefully that’s the case.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

First feel in the car, did anything stand out or was it just making sure everything is connected and ready to go? “Yeah, I think we were a little more aggressively in qualifying trim than I was probably prepared for. But, yeah, excited to see where we stack up tonight.”  Some people had conversations last year that this race didn’t have the prestige that it once did. Curious where you stand on that. Does it still feel prestigious to you and if not, what needs to happen to get it back to how this race was once viewed? “Yeah, I think for me the prestige is still there.  It’s still the Daytona 500 and the pageantry is still there.  Driving the race car part when you are rolling around all day and saving fuel, that is the bummer to me, and I wish we could fix that. I am not smart enough to fix it and I wish, and I think we all wish, the speedway racing was a little different than it is. But, you are still at the Daytona 500 and that is not going to change just because the style of racing is different. To me at least.  So, yeah, doesn’t mean it any less to me for sure.  I am still trying to win one and hopefully we can get it done.”  NASCAR says you are no longer allowed to put your hand outside the window net. Does that matter or do you think that it ever mattered when you did do it?“Yeah, I mean, its kind of been different year to year. Sometimes you have a car that drives very easily, and you can do it easily and other times you have got your hands full and you can’t do it. You always have an engineer telling you that you need to do it, exactly what position to put your hand in and all that. But I am glad that I can just keep two hands on the steering wheel for this one.”  It seems like it would be more nerve-wracking doing it at Atlanta than at maybe Daytona and Talladega?“Yeah, for sure.  Atlanta typically is a little sketchier to qualify at. The difference is that Daytona 500 qualifying is like you are much more in qualifying trim than you are at Atlanta or Talladega or even the second Daytona race. For the guys going for the pole, this is sometimes the more sketchier one. Here or Atlanta.”  This year how much nicer is it going to be to have a points system that rewards consistency and your team’s consistency as opposed to the last time you were here and trying to hang onto a playoff spot? “Yeah, I think this system suits us better than the previous system. So, I am thankful for that, but for me it’s really just trying to go out and win races. The end of last season was a bummer, so we are just trying to turn things around and get pointed in the right direction and get the season started off on a high note. But I definitely think we can excel in this system.”  Does the new system change your approach and preparation in racing here and then going to Atlanta or are you just like superspeedways are superspeedways?“I really don’t think it changes much in these two races, but I would say it will change for the second Daytona, right? With it not being a cut-off race.  That will be different, but the rest of it is just business as usual. So, just going to work and trying to score the most points possible, execute at a high level and try and win the race.”  Looking down the road at Chicago, I am pretty sure you are the only one to be able to win at both the oval and the street course. Are you excited to get back to the oval this year?“Yeah, it’s a super-tricky racetrack and maybe wasn’t quite as tricky with the old car, but with the characteristics of the Next Gen car, its going to be a tough place to get a hold of. Looking forward to the challenge and obviously great memories of the last time we were there. It seems like it was forever ago.  So, just will be special to go back there and excited for it.”  What do you visualize after that final green flag stop for fuel in stage three.  I mean how do you get your mindset for what is probably the most chaotic laps of the season?“Yeah, just really dependent on the situation. If you are in front of the group you are with, you are just trying to make the right moves and guide that group the right way and back up to speed and kind of go from there.  If you are in the middle, you are just kind of following along, and if you are in the back, you are just trying to control the runs from behind the best you can. So, it’s just very situational.  I feel like we have kind of been in all of those situations in the past.  But yeah, track position is just so difficult to gain here at Daytona and Talladega now. It’s interesting in how the race plays out and just trying to save fuel and make that last pit stop as short as possible. You really put a lot of emphasis on your green in and out and go from there.”  How does going into a contract year weigh on a driver?“I mean it’s the same stuff. If you look at the internet, every year has been a contract year for me. So, it doesn’t really feel any different to me. Yeah, just excited to get to work.”  You gave your teammate Chase Elliott a huge shove into the final corner at Atlanta that ended up getting him the win.  Is a move like that even feasible at Daytona? “Yeah, its pretty different. I don’t feel like we build those big runs at a track like this like we do at Atlanta. Atlanta, you have that little more slow down in the corners, so that changes it up a little bit. But I feel like Atlanta races like the speedways did with the old car. Like a little more 2019, 2020 speedway racing than what we have seen with the Next Gen. Whereas at these tracks you are just stuck in line and the runs are pretty small. So, yeah, glad that one worked out and hopefully I get it back.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

First feel in the car, did anything stand out or was it just making sure everything is connected and ready to go? “Yeah, I think we were a little more aggressively in qualifying trim than I was probably prepared for. But, yeah, excited to see where we stack up tonight.”  Some people had conversations last year that this race didn’t have the prestige that it once did. Curious where you stand on that. Does it still feel prestigious to you and if not, what needs to happen to get it back to how this race was once viewed? “Yeah, I think for me the prestige is still there.  It’s still the Daytona 500 and the pageantry is still there.  Driving the race car part when you are rolling around all day and saving fuel, that is the bummer to me, and I wish we could fix that. I am not smart enough to fix it and I wish, and I think we all wish, the speedway racing was a little different than it is. But, you are still at the Daytona 500 and that is not going to change just because the style of racing is different. To me at least.  So, yeah, doesn’t mean it any less to me for sure.  I am still trying to win one and hopefully we can get it done.”  NASCAR says you are no longer allowed to put your hand outside the window net. Does that matter or do you think that it ever mattered when you did do it?“Yeah, I mean, its kind of been different year to year. Sometimes you have a car that drives very easily, and you can do it easily and other times you have got your hands full and you can’t do it. You always have an engineer telling you that you need to do it, exactly what position to put your hand in and all that. But I am glad that I can just keep two hands on the steering wheel for this one.”  It seems like it would be more nerve-wracking doing it at Atlanta than at maybe Daytona and Talladega?“Yeah, for sure.  Atlanta typically is a little sketchier to qualify at. The difference is that Daytona 500 qualifying is like you are much more in qualifying trim than you are at Atlanta or Talladega or even the second Daytona race. For the guys going for the pole, this is sometimes the more sketchier one. Here or Atlanta.”  This year how much nicer is it going to be to have a points system that rewards consistency and your team’s consistency as opposed to the last time you were here and trying to hang onto a playoff spot? “Yeah, I think this system suits us better than the previous system. So, I am thankful for that, but for me it’s really just trying to go out and win races. The end of last season was a bummer, so we are just trying to turn things around and get pointed in the right direction and get the season started off on a high note. But I definitely think we can excel in this system.”  Does the new system change your approach and preparation in racing here and then going to Atlanta or are you just like superspeedways are superspeedways?“I really don’t think it changes much in these two races, but I would say it will change for the second Daytona, right? With it not being a cut-off race.  That will be different, but the rest of it is just business as usual. So, just going to work and trying to score the most points possible, execute at a high level and try and win the race.”  Looking down the road at Chicago, I am pretty sure you are the only one to be able to win at both the oval and the street course. Are you excited to get back to the oval this year?“Yeah, it’s a super-tricky racetrack and maybe wasn’t quite as tricky with the old car, but with the characteristics of the Next Gen car, its going to be a tough place to get a hold of. Looking forward to the challenge and obviously great memories of the last time we were there. It seems like it was forever ago.  So, just will be special to go back there and excited for it.”  What do you visualize after that final green flag stop for fuel in stage three.  I mean how do you get your mindset for what is probably the most chaotic laps of the season?“Yeah, just really dependent on the situation. If you are in front of the group you are with, you are just trying to make the right moves and guide that group the right way and back up to speed and kind of go from there.  If you are in the middle, you are just kind of following along, and if you are in the back, you are just trying to control the runs from behind the best you can. So, it’s just very situational.  I feel like we have kind of been in all of those situations in the past.  But yeah, track position is just so difficult to gain here at Daytona and Talladega now. It’s interesting in how the race plays out and just trying to save fuel and make that last pit stop as short as possible. You really put a lot of emphasis on your green in and out and go from there.”  How does going into a contract year weigh on a driver?“I mean it’s the same stuff. If you look at the internet, every year has been a contract year for me. So, it doesn’t really feel any different to me. Yeah, just excited to get to work.”  You gave your teammate Chase Elliott a huge shove into the final corner at Atlanta that ended up getting him the win.  Is a move like that even feasible at Daytona? “Yeah, its pretty different. I don’t feel like we build those big runs at a track like this like we do at Atlanta. Atlanta, you have that little more slow down in the corners, so that changes it up a little bit. But I feel like Atlanta races like the speedways did with the old car. Like a little more 2019, 2020 speedway racing than what we have seen with the Next Gen. Whereas at these tracks you are just stuck in line and the runs are pretty small. So, yeah, glad that one worked out and hopefully I get it back.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

This is your 13th Daytona 500 start this year, and I am wondering if there has come a point, or will there come a point of urgency to get this one done before you start to become the guy on the graphic with X starts and looking for his first?“No, I don’t really care about all that. Yeah, it’s a tough race to win and a lot of circumstances go into it and honestly in the past, up until the last few years, I just didn’t think that I was good enough to win. But now I feel like I could see it happening and not be complete luck.  So that gets me excited, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. So, obviously we all would love to win this race in our careers, but if it doesn’t happen it’s not going to make my career feel any less to me.”  How does the intensity pick up after that last green flag stop?“Yeah, it always picks up after any green flag stop, in either of the stages, or in the race. But yeah, at the end of the race it probably picks up more, but it just depends. Sometimes we don’t get to a green flag stop, and we get a pit stop and then it’s a long, little run when we are all good on fuel and its crazy. So, you just have to be ready for anything, and you just hope you have positioned yourself well.”  Regarding the new format, people think you need to work more on consistency. Do you think that is a fair point or is that a bit of a misconception about you?“I wouldn’t say it’s a misconception, but you can look at the number of DNFs I have had in my career. But I feel like that is something that I have tried to work on and I feel like it’s something that we got a lot better at last year.  We didn’t win in the final 20-something races of the year, had the most points in the playoffs, and won the championship without winning a race. So, I think we are definitely consistent. It’s not boom or bust every week like you said, but I feel like everybody is pretty inconsistent in the Next Gen era.”  Kyle, do you have a favorite memory of Greg Biffle?“For me it’s just that I don’t really remember getting to compete a whole lot with him, but he was always extremely nice to me outside the car and just so down to earth and just very normal. He would just stop and come and talk me, or just going to Millbridge as fans, or anywhere that I would see him out and about. On the lake, at the grocery store, or wherever.  We lived near each other, so I felt like we ran into each other a lot.  Our youngest went to the same pre-school together, so I would bump into him there as well. Like I said, he was always really nice and complimentary of me which was cool because I have always respected him as a competitor and obviously as a person. Sad to see his passing, and his family and wife, the pilots and everybody on board. So that was definitely a sad day and a sad day for the sport.”  Can you talk about the NASCAR promo featuring you and your wife?“Yeah, it was just fun to get to do something with a family member of mine. And then I even got to do a Roto Rooter commercial the next week with my kids and both of those were really cool. Katelyn really surprised me because she really enjoyed it and she was really into it. She did a great job with her performance, so it was fun and cool the way it turned out. You don’t really know how it’s going to turn out when you are doing it, but they pieced it together really good and I think it was a great way to promote the sport and promote the event.”  I know this time of year everyone asks you about superspeedways and drafting, but last year you scored the second most points (at superspeedways).  How rewarding is it to see that come to fruition?“Yeah, last year was rewarding because I feel like the last four years our team is one of the best performing teams, but we just haven’t got the finishes to go along with it. I think most of the competitors would agree that we are usually up in the front eight positions.  So last year was rewarding because we performed very similar to how we have, we just missed most of the wrecks. So that was good and now all the media members think I have finally figured out superspeedways. But it could quickly change and we could get wrapped up in a wreck again and its back to I suck. But as always, we are just going to try and do what we can to be up in the front and be in the safest position to go and chase the win.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Connor Zilisch, driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Connor Zilisch, driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

I know you’re a rookie, but you’re not a rookie to racing. There’s no road course in the chase now. What are your feelings on that? Were you looking forward to something like that, or are you like, eh, it is what it is?“Yeah, I don’t really stress too much about… it is what it is. You know, the writing was on the wall that it was going to happen. It would be nice to have a road course, but I think there’s definitely better options to go to than the (Charlotte) Roval. I think there’s a lot of really great tracks in the United States and around the world that would be really cool to go to.  I think a lot of the drivers want at least one in the Chase. I think I’m not alone saying that, but I think there’s better options than the Roval, just racing-wise. It’s a decent track, but the oval is definitely a better race.”  What’s some of the best advice you’ve been given coming into the season overall?“Yeah, I mean, run all the laps is the biggest thing. I think if you make it to the end of this one, you can have a solid day. But, you know, there’s no crazy advice I’ve been given for this race in particular. It’s certainly different now with fuel saving and just being a unique race, but I’m excited for it. I think my biggest piece of advice that people have given me is just enjoy the experience.”  No Mic… “Yeah, I’m so excited. I think the biggest thing for me coming into this weekend is just try and make the most of the weekend, obviously, and do everything I can on the track. But more importantly, just enjoy the experience and have fun no matter what happens. There’s a lot of things that can happen out of your control here. And I think for me, I’m just most excited to enjoy it all, whether it’s media day today. Usually I dread these things, but I came in with a positive mindset today that I’m going to have fun and I’m going to enjoy it, and I think that goes for the entire weekend.”   What about the full circle moment of getting back here four years later?“Yeah, it’s really full circle for me. I think looking back at it, I first came to this race as a fan in 2022. I sat in the grandstands. I didn’t even know enough people to get a pit pass. I think it just shows how quickly life can change. You know, you never know what’s going to happen. It’s just crazy how things in life can happen. You just have to give it your all every day; don’t give up. I think it shows that anything’s possible.”   Do you come in here happy that people have such high expectations for you, or do you almost feel like I want to calm it down? How do you kind of approach it because you are somebody that people do have these high expectations?“Yeah, I appreciate the excitement. You know, I think it’s really cool that there’s a lot of people excited to watch how I’m going to do this season, whether it’s fans or media. I do think it sometimes gets a little outlandish… a lot of people maybe expecting a lot of me in my first year. I don’t think people realize how big of a jump it is from Saturday to Sunday. But I try not to pay too much attention to it. I know what my personal goals are throughout the year. I know what I want to accomplish and my long-term goals. I find it cool most mostly.”   How do you explain your ability to succeed in every step, so far?“I think it’s just adaptability. Growing up, I raced so many different kinds of cars and got to do so many different races.  I just experienced a lot at a young age, and I was forced to challenge myself. I learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and I think that’s kind of why I never feel like I’m going into a new thing. I never get stressed. I always say, man, I’ve been in these shoes before and I’m going to go out and figure it out.”  What kind of race do you expect to see on Sunday? What are you looking forward to the most? “I think just driver introductions and walking across the stage. And then obviously the race. I mean, the race is going to be really cool. Just the whole experience. I think there’s nothing I can really pinpoint and say, man, that’s going to be my favorite part. I think I’m just going to try and enjoy the entire day. But it’s going to be really cool to walk across the stage and hear my name introduced and get to race in the Daytona 500.”  You’ve never raced in front of that many people before, have you, though? “I don’t think so. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever raced in a crowd this big, no.”  When you got here in 2022, did you watch the race as a fan, or were you in that driver analytical mindset?“That was before I even had raced in oval, so that was very much so just coming as a fan and enjoying the spectacle of it. And, you know, I’d never been to the race. I was actually coaching a kid in Orlando in a go-kart and working, and his family said, hey, you want to go to the Daytona 500? And I thought, man, what a cool opportunity that would be. I traded my pay for a ticket to the race and a place to stay that night, and I got to go to the race for the first time and enjoy that experience. I definitely wasn’t in the driver mindset or I didn’t have the skill at that time to be able to critique what was going on on the track (laughs).”  After Phoenix, how long did you hang on to those thoughts of what you should have, could have, would have to win that championship?“Yeah, I got past it pretty quick. It was probably a week or so, less than a week. I quickly realized I have a lot more to be excited about than I do to sit there and get upset about the fact that I didn’t win a championship. So, yeah, it’s just the fact. If I didn’t have anything going for me and that was my make-or-break moment, it would have been different. But I have a lot to look forward to and a lot to work on moving forward, and that needs to be my focus.”   You have one shot this year at becoming the youngest Daytona 500 winner in history. I’m wondering, have you looked to Trevor Bayne’s win, either in studying it or even maybe talking to him to see how he executed that at such a younger age?“I mean, I don’t think age is the thing that I would need to talk to Trevor Bayne about. I feel like it’s really cool he won at 20 years old and won it at a young age. But no, I haven’t talked to him about his experience in the Daytona 500 or watched it back recently. You know, I do most of my studying on my own and there wouldn’t be a lot to look at from the cars back then to compare to today’s cars.”   What would make you smile at the end of the race Sunday night? “I think if I could just make it to the end — I think a top-10, I’d be happy about. You know, I’m not saying if I finished 11th, I’d be mad. But I think I have low expectations for myself. I don’t expect to go out and win my first race. It’d be really cool to do that. Obviously, we show up to the track every week with the goal to win, but I don’t expect myself to. So I think, you know, making it to the end — as long as I can say I did everything I could and I made the right moves, I think that’s what I’d be satisfied with.”  No Mic…  “Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of it just comes from respecting the guys and treating them the way you want to be treated. If they see you as a bratty kid, I think that’s when they won’t respect you and what you say. I try and treat everyone with respect, and I try not to act like a 19-year-old. I think that’s the biggest thing. I might be a young kid, but I just try to be more professional and mature, and I think that’s a lot of why people trust and believe in me and respect what I say. But, you know, I don’t think – there’s a lot of kids that, you know, have that respect. There’s a lot of people coming up through the sport that are really good and young. I think that’s just kind of the way the sport’s trending is kids are getting into cars when they’re 12 years old, and I think that’s going to become the new normal.”   When you’re getting compared to guys like Jeff Gordon, what’s your reaction to that? “(Laughs) Yeah, it’s hard to comprehend, I would say. I think it’s – I don’t know why yet, right? I’ve run, obviously, a lot of races in the lower levels. But, you know, to be compared to Jeff Gordon, I feel like you’ve got to do something at this level and I’ve yet to do that. I haven’t had the opportunity to do that. That starts this year, and I’m hoping to make a name for myself. It’s certainly going to take time to get to the level of a guy like him.”   What constitutes a successful rookie season for you?“I think the biggest thing for me is that if I can look back and say I got better each week and ended the year multiple steps ahead of where I start today, I think that’s what success looks like to me.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

What does 2026 look like for you guys?“To be determined. It’s definitely an upgrade package. It’s very intentional about that with Chevy. But pushing at the super speedways, we’ll learn tomorrow night. The rest of the tracks are more about the balance of the car, if the downforce changes front to back and how it goes over the car, how the air goes over. They’ve done all their testing, but until the drivers get on track and give some feedback… I’m sure there’ll be things we’ll have to offset to try to help the balance.” How close have you gotten with your new crew chief? And it’s kind of cool that it’s two Floridians, you know, working together. That doesn’t happen very often in the sport. How do you bond?“I’ve known Brandon McSwain for more than a decade. We met in 2014 at Shigeaki Hattori’s team. It was his first job out of college. He’s worked for Bruce Cook as an engineer, and we hit it off. We’ve stayed friends. We’ve lived about a mile from each other for the last five years probably, and I was at his wedding when he married his better half, Jackie and they’ve raised two awesome kids now. So definitely something that we didn’t have to go to dinner to learn each other’s names. I know his family. His wife’s uncle is actually a watermelon seed salesman. So it’s pretty crazy that we’ve been connected more than in more than one way. Now we’re finally getting to work together again after meeting in a race shop a long time ago.” Do you think that helps having that familiarity when you’re going to be making calls with 20 laps to go in the Daytona 500?“That’s why he was my guy. I tossed his name in the hat at Trackhouse. They were interviewing several great candidates. All would have been great crew chiefs. Some are currently, and some will be one day. My vote was Brandon. I had the relationship with him and feel like I understand his voice. I’m a people person, and I feel like I understand what he’s saying long before I have to kind of think about it.” How do you feel about your chances at the front row tonight? I don’t know. It’s more of maybe a question for McSwain. I don’t think that Trackhouse has shown in the past that we’re front-row capable. Chevy has, but not us. The lap in practice wasn’t indicative of single-car speed. Everybody had dirty laps. I was out there by myself, then the 2 car drafted up behind me and then my old amigo Daniel (Suarez) blended in front of me, and we got a big tow. So that wasn’t by ourselves. Nobody was really by themselves.” At what point in the line do you start to feel maybe a sense of urgency to win this race, get that done before you start becoming one of the guys where you’re this statistic of how many attempts?“I don’t have that feeling. I don’t know if it’ll ever show up in my mind. I’m happy to be here, happy to be competing. I know that I could be backward in the grass at 200 miles an hour and if I can get tires on it, I’ll still have a shot. So I’m ready for whatever comes my way.” What’s unique about Connor (Zilisch)?“I don’t know how his family raised him, but they did a really good job. It’s probably something that we need to study because he turned out to be a great kid… mature beyond his years. It’s not fair how mature he is. There’s definitely still signs that he’s his age but the speed on track together with the composure off track is cool to see. And we’ve already had some good times together this year.” Are you bummed that we’re not going to have road courses in Chase?“I don’t care. Whatever the schedule is. If we had 17 road courses in the season or one, I don’t really know that I have an opinion. I just want to know the schedule. Selfishly I’m excited about Charlotte and having another crack at it. I remember the days when you had the All-Star 600 and the fall race there. I’m ready to race wherever they tell us to go. I’ll go anywhere NASCAR says.” Shane said that he spent some time in a Chevy simulator on the course at San Diego. Have you had that similar experience, and what do you think that race is going to produce?“No, I definitely let Shane do the grunt work on that. That track is in its infancy of understanding what it’ll actually be on race weekend. So Shane’s helping I think everybody understand what it needs to be and where to place curbs and walls and things. I’ll wait till further down the road.” You can’t run the feeder series for that weekend. How important is it going to be to watch those other races?“Oh yeah, we’ll be watching. We’ll see once we get there if there is a good spot to watch outside, or if we need to be inside with a TV and a bunch of cameras to watch. But yeah, those practice sessions will be important. There is no extra time with the other series.” How much did the last 10 weeks of the season change now that there are no more playoff rounds and it’s just one straight postseason.“I didn’t plan on it last year, but I don’t plan on backing across any finish lines. From there it’s just a whole body of work over 10 races versus three rounds of three. We know the rules right now just like we knew them last year, and we all go try to win it.” You’re comfortable with your new crew chief and you said he was your pick. You’ve got to be confident about that but is there any uncertainty or nervousness going into it just with the success you’ve had with Phil (Surgen)?“I thought I was going to end my Cup career with Phil Surgen. And it just came time for him and his family to be home more, and I understand that. This is a grind. He came to us with plenty of time and explained what he wanted to do. He created his own job, really, at the top of Trackhouse up with Darian Grubb in the leadership group over the competition side. He can help Brandon, he can help Randall (Burnett) now and Stephen (Doran) on our three cars. So he was my vote. It wasn’t like I slammed my fist on the table and said I got to have him. I just said I think this is the guy, and I made my case.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Shane van Gisbergen, driver of the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

How exactly do you prepare for a season? What kind of training stuff do you do? “Not much, just as much preparation as I can. So going through all our notes from last year and then setup stuff and just trying to keep evolving really. I think we did evolve a lot in the second half of the year. So yeah, just trying to be as prepared as we can each week.” Do you come in much more optimistic about your oval prospects this year than you did a year ago?“I don’t know. I don’t really think like that. I feel like it’s just a work in progress. I feel like I’m just getting better and better. So hopefully it keeps getting better. I still feel like I learn a lot every weekend. When that stops, that’s when it gets harder, I guess.” Can you make gains on ovals on the sim, or does that all have to come at the racetrack?“It’s all on the racetrack. You can do some sim stuff, but I don’t feel it really helps me.” I think your best oval finish was Kansas. Any particular reason you did better there than other places?“I guess it was later in the year. We were just getting better and better. I think we had some races where we had better speed than that, but I didn’t get it right or we got crashed out or something. I felt like we were getting toward the top-10 more often than not at the end, which was really cool.” NASCAR has sort of taken away the good stuff for you with the ‘win-and-you’re-in’ and took one (road course) race away at Charlotte. Do you feel like you got to work harder?“Yeah, but I didn’t join this series to do road courses, but obviously it’s a bonus. I’d love more road courses and not less, but that is what it is. Thankfully, we’re getting better at the ovals so that’s good.” Do you enjoy racing at the big tracks like Daytona and Talladega? “Yes and no. When it’s fuel saving, it’s pretty boring. But when it’s flat-out racing and you’re jockeying for position and pushing a lot, it’s pretty full-on. When it’s actual racing it’s really cool.” How do you feel about the points format overall? “I think it’s good. I think if you’re a front-running guy consistently, I think it’s really good and more of a pure racing championship. Then I think it still keeps the balance of excitement or closing everyone up for those last 10 races. So yeah, I think it’s pretty cool. I feel like you lose the desperation a bit of people winning races to try and turn their season around. But if I was a top guy every week, I’d be all for this.” What’s Conor Zillich shown you so far just in terms of his approach?“I got to know him the last couple of years. He’s a brilliant young guy. He’s been pretty focused and done a lot of racing over the offseason as well. It’s gonna be interesting to see how he goes and how he fits in after a few rounds. Looking forward to working together. Hopefully we like similar setups and we can make the cars better all together.” You talked about the setup and all that different stuff heading into the season. How different is it when you have that year in the Cup Series under your belt?“You just learn what you want and need from a car. My driving style was very different to most, I guess. The way I make the car work or want it to work is very different to others. We noticed a lot of trends which took a while to get everyone to adjust to. I adjusted a bit but now we’re sort of coming my way a bit, which has kind of helped me. It’s interesting. The cars are set up so different to what I’m used to, and I’m still trying to understand what I need or want from the car.” What’s your biggest focus this weekend? Your concentration on it? What are you trying not to do or to do?“Just score as many points as possible. That’s the way we’re going to get into The Chase. So it’s my mindset straight away … just accumulate as many points as we can every week. That’s the focus now.” When you think about racing a road course versus Daytona, how is your focus different? Do you focus differently here? And how much harder is it than say on a road course, even though you are really good at road courses?“It’s just different here like with the qualifying and stuff. You don’t really have an influence on it. You just drive as fast as you can, close to the line as you can. But the preparation is very different. On road courses I’m more involved in setup with what I want. On the ovals I’m just kind of learning and trying to build a notebook. In these races it’s about trying to understand the flow of the race, how to work with people. It’s a completely different style of racing. That’s for sure.” Is the drafting hard for you now? Or do you feel like you kind of got that down?“No, I’m still learning and trying to make friends, I guess. People leave you for no reason, or you do something wrong and lose the trust of people. It takes a while to understand how to put your car in the right place.”  Now that we’re in The Chase format, do you start to view races like this one as opportunities to gain stage points and have a good points day, maybe more than last year?“Yeah, like I said earlier, that’s our goal – to just accumulate points now. You have to try and achieve as many points as you can every weekend. It probably changes the way you take risks if you’re probably going to be like us, a guy trying to point our way in. I probably will approach it a bit different, I think.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESDAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYDAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESFEBRUARY 11, 2026

Shane van Gisbergen, driver of the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

How exactly do you prepare for a season? What kind of training stuff do you do? “Not much, just as much preparation as I can. So going through all our notes from last year and then setup stuff and just trying to keep evolving really. I think we did evolve a lot in the second half of the year. So yeah, just trying to be as prepared as we can each week.” Do you come in much more optimistic about your oval prospects this year than you did a year ago?“I don’t know. I don’t really think like that. I feel like it’s just a work in progress. I feel like I’m just getting better and better. So hopefully it keeps getting better. I still feel like I learn a lot every weekend. When that stops, that’s when it gets harder, I guess.” Can you make gains on ovals on the sim, or does that all have to come at the racetrack?“It’s all on the racetrack. You can do some sim stuff, but I don’t feel it really helps me.” I think your best oval finish was Kansas. Any particular reason you did better there than other places?“I guess it was later in the year. We were just getting better and better. I think we had some races where we had better speed than that, but I didn’t get it right or we got crashed out or something. I felt like we were getting toward the top-10 more often than not at the end, which was really cool.” NASCAR has sort of taken away the good stuff for you with the ‘win-and-you’re-in’ and took one (road course) race away at Charlotte. Do you feel like you got to work harder?“Yeah, but I didn’t join this series to do road courses, but obviously it’s a bonus. I’d love more road courses and not less, but that is what it is. Thankfully, we’re getting better at the ovals so that’s good.” Do you enjoy racing at the big tracks like Daytona and Talladega? “Yes and no. When it’s fuel saving, it’s pretty boring. But when it’s flat-out racing and you’re jockeying for position and pushing a lot, it’s pretty full-on. When it’s actual racing it’s really cool.” How do you feel about the points format overall? “I think it’s good. I think if you’re a front-running guy consistently, I think it’s really good and more of a pure racing championship. Then I think it still keeps the balance of excitement or closing everyone up for those last 10 races. So yeah, I think it’s pretty cool. I feel like you lose the desperation a bit of people winning races to try and turn their season around. But if I was a top guy every week, I’d be all for this.” What’s Conor Zillich shown you so far just in terms of his approach?“I got to know him the last couple of years. He’s a brilliant young guy. He’s been pretty focused and done a lot of racing over the offseason as well. It’s gonna be interesting to see how he goes and how he fits in after a few rounds. Looking forward to working together. Hopefully we like similar setups and we can make the cars better all together.” You talked about the setup and all that different stuff heading into the season. How different is it when you have that year in the Cup Series under your belt?“You just learn what you want and need from a car. My driving style was very different to most, I guess. The way I make the car work or want it to work is very different to others. We noticed a lot of trends which took a while to get everyone to adjust to. I adjusted a bit but now we’re sort of coming my way a bit, which has kind of helped me. It’s interesting. The cars are set up so different to what I’m used to, and I’m still trying to understand what I need or want from the car.” What’s your biggest focus this weekend? Your concentration on it? What are you trying not to do or to do?“Just score as many points as possible. That’s the way we’re going to get into The Chase. So it’s my mindset straight away … just accumulate as many points as we can every week. That’s the focus now.” When you think about racing a road course versus Daytona, how is your focus different? Do you focus differently here? And how much harder is it than say on a road course, even though you are really good at road courses?“It’s just different here like with the qualifying and stuff. You don’t really have an influence on it. You just drive as fast as you can, close to the line as you can. But the preparation is very different. On road courses I’m more involved in setup with what I want. On the ovals I’m just kind of learning and trying to build a notebook. In these races it’s about trying to understand the flow of the race, how to work with people. It’s a completely different style of racing. That’s for sure.” Is the drafting hard for you now? Or do you feel like you kind of got that down?“No, I’m still learning and trying to make friends, I guess. People leave you for no reason, or you do something wrong and lose the trust of people. It takes a while to understand how to put your car in the right place.”  Now that we’re in The Chase format, do you start to view races like this one as opportunities to gain stage points and have a good points day, maybe more than last year?“Yeah, like I said earlier, that’s our goal – to just accumulate points now. You have to try and achieve as many points as you can every weekend. It probably changes the way you take risks if you’re probably going to be like us, a guy trying to point our way in. I probably will approach it a bit different, I think.”

BARBERVILLE, FL – It doesn’t matter what car he’s driving – when Hudson O’Neal rolls onto the track at Volusia Speedway Park, he’s going to be in contention.

Three weeks after wheeling the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 to Victory Lane in the Friday portion of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, O’Neal returned to Volusia in February in his primary ride, the SSI Motorsports No. 71. Following a sixth-place run on Monday, the “New Deal” led all 25 laps of Tuesday’s DIRTcar Late Model Feature to become the second winner of the week at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

“It’s so awesome to be able to get back in the 71 car, to come down to a fresh start to Speedweeks and be able to get us a win on the second night is pretty awesome,” O’Neal said. “We knew that it was going to be a little bit of a tire game. We were lucky to be able to get out to the lead there early. It started to lane up down in [Turns] 1 and 2 especially, and we were just lucky to have good track position.”

The Martinsville, IN driver became the first repeat winner of 2026 at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” in the fifth Super Late Model race hosted at the track this year. Not only is O’Neal now a five-time Volusia winner dating back to his first triumph in 2023, he has now won at the track with three different teams in Rocket1 Racing, Rumley and SSI.

When combined with his pair of victories in January at the Wild West Shootout, O’Neal’s four wins in 2026 have him tied with Monday winner Brandon Overton as the winningest Late Model driver in the nation in the young 2026 season.

O’Neal sits second in the Big Gator standings with two nights in the books, 15 points shy of Cody Overton, who finished runner-up for the second night in a row. Ryan Gustin filled the last spot on the podium in third, while Brandon Sheppard and Tim McCreadie rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The DIRTcar Late Model portion of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals concludes on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with three split-field, $5,000-to-win Features. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch live? Stream every night of DIRTcar Nationals on DIRTVision.

O’Neal Leads Wire-to-Wire for Tuesday Victory at Volusia

BARBERVILLE, FL – It doesn’t matter what car he’s driving – when Hudson O’Neal rolls onto the track at Volusia Speedway Park, he’s going to be in contention.

Three weeks after wheeling the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 to Victory Lane in the Friday portion of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, O’Neal returned to Volusia in February in his primary ride, the SSI Motorsports No. 71. Following a sixth-place run on Monday, the “New Deal” led all 25 laps of Tuesday’s DIRTcar Late Model Feature to become the second winner of the week at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

“It’s so awesome to be able to get back in the 71 car, to come down to a fresh start to Speedweeks and be able to get us a win on the second night is pretty awesome,” O’Neal said. “We knew that it was going to be a little bit of a tire game. We were lucky to be able to get out to the lead there early. It started to lane up down in [Turns] 1 and 2 especially, and we were just lucky to have good track position.”

The Martinsville, IN driver became the first repeat winner of 2026 at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” in the fifth Super Late Model race hosted at the track this year. Not only is O’Neal now a five-time Volusia winner dating back to his first triumph in 2023, he has now won at the track with three different teams in Rocket1 Racing, Rumley and SSI.

When combined with his pair of victories in January at the Wild West Shootout, O’Neal’s four wins in 2026 have him tied with Monday winner Brandon Overton as the winningest Late Model driver in the nation in the young 2026 season.

O’Neal sits second in the Big Gator standings with two nights in the books, 15 points shy of Cody Overton, who finished runner-up for the second night in a row. Ryan Gustin filled the last spot on the podium in third, while Brandon Sheppard and Tim McCreadie rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The DIRTcar Late Model portion of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals concludes on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with three split-field, $5,000-to-win Features. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch live? Stream every night of DIRTcar Nationals on DIRTVision.

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 71-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 2. 97-Cody Overton[5]; 3. 19R-Ryan Gustin[3]; 4. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[7]; 5. 9M-Tim McCreadie[9]; 6. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 7. 9-Nick Hoffman[6]; 8. 99-Devin Moran[12]; 9. 44-Chris Madden[11]; 10. 32-Bobby Pierce[17]; 11. 58V-Daulton Wilson[8]; 12. 40B-Kyle Bronson[10]; 13. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[2]; 14. 22*-Drake Troutman[19]; 15. 93-Carson Ferguson[14]; 16. 1-Tyler Erb[21]; 17. 76-Brandon Overton[18]; 18. 16-Tyler Bruening[22]; 19. 111-Max Blair[24]; 20. 24-Tyler Wyant[13]; 21. 1Z-Logan Zarin[23]; 22. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[15]; 23. 13-Dallon Murty[20]; 24. 74X-Ethan Dotson[16]

Swanson puts on a clinic for second Volusia checkered flag while Seavey hauls in another Big Gator

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 10, 2025) – Jake Swanson had no plans of waiting long for his first USAC National Sprint Car win of 2026.

Last year, the Anaheim, CA native brought his own team out on the road for the first time as the Daming Swanson Motorsports No. 5T competed full-time with USAC. With a few previous campaigns under his belt, Swanson was no stranger to the tour before last year’s venture, but he battled through some bumps as he shaped his organization.

It wasn’t until the 47th of 49 races that Swanson made a visit to Victory Lane in 2025 when he topped a trip to Amarillo, TX’s Route 66 Motor Speedway. This year, it took Swanson only two nights to come out on top.

The 32-year-old absolutely dominated Tuesday’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Feature at Volusia Speedway Park. He took the lead on the sixth circuit and never looked back. Swanson’s lead ballooned as large as over seven seconds as he sliced through traffic. He simply checked out on his way to a validating victory as he continues to grow his team into a true contender.

“I’ve put my life into this race team, this program, building this stuff,” an emotional Swanson said. “There’s a lot of good people I’m doing it with. I’m confident. I know I can do it. I know I can build a race car that can do it. I’m just glad that it’s paying off. It’s finally here. I’m doing what I set out to do, and I couldn’t be happier to do it with the group I’m doing it with.”

Swanson’s efforts earned him a stout $12,000 payday. It marked his second win at the “World Fastest Half Mile” to go along with a 2023 triumph.

Behind Swanson, the runner-up spot belonged to Logan Seavey. That coupled with Monday’s win was enough to earn Seavey the DIRTcar Nationals title with USAC. The Sutter, CA driver also captured the 2024 Big Gator, making him the first driver to earn two of the trophies with USAC. Seavey has finished first or second in five of his six Volusia starts since teaming with Abacus Racing.

“Overall, it was a great few days here at Volusia,” Seavey said. “I love coming here. It’s a place that’s treated me well.”

Kevin Thomas Jr. completed the podium while Justin Grant and Briggs Danner rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals continue Wednesday, Feb. 11 when the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds come to town to race alongside the DIRTcar Late Models. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 Volusia Speedway Park schedule, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every Volusia Speedway Park race? Live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

Jake Swanson Dominates Tuesday’s USAC Feature, Logan Seavey Snags Second Big Gator

Swanson puts on a clinic for second Volusia checkered flag while Seavey hauls in another Big Gator

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 10, 2025) – Jake Swanson had no plans of waiting long for his first USAC National Sprint Car win of 2026.

Last year, the Anaheim, CA native brought his own team out on the road for the first time as the Daming Swanson Motorsports No. 5T competed full-time with USAC. With a few previous campaigns under his belt, Swanson was no stranger to the tour before last year’s venture, but he battled through some bumps as he shaped his organization.

It wasn’t until the 47th of 49 races that Swanson made a visit to Victory Lane in 2025 when he topped a trip to Amarillo, TX’s Route 66 Motor Speedway. This year, it took Swanson only two nights to come out on top.

The 32-year-old absolutely dominated Tuesday’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Feature at Volusia Speedway Park. He took the lead on the sixth circuit and never looked back. Swanson’s lead ballooned as large as over seven seconds as he sliced through traffic. He simply checked out on his way to a validating victory as he continues to grow his team into a true contender.

“I’ve put my life into this race team, this program, building this stuff,” an emotional Swanson said. “There’s a lot of good people I’m doing it with. I’m confident. I know I can do it. I know I can build a race car that can do it. I’m just glad that it’s paying off. It’s finally here. I’m doing what I set out to do, and I couldn’t be happier to do it with the group I’m doing it with.”

Swanson’s efforts earned him a stout $12,000 payday. It marked his second win at the “World Fastest Half Mile” to go along with a 2023 triumph.

Behind Swanson, the runner-up spot belonged to Logan Seavey. That coupled with Monday’s win was enough to earn Seavey the DIRTcar Nationals title with USAC. The Sutter, CA driver also captured the 2024 Big Gator, making him the first driver to earn two of the trophies with USAC. Seavey has finished first or second in five of his six Volusia starts since teaming with Abacus Racing.

“Overall, it was a great few days here at Volusia,” Seavey said. “I love coming here. It’s a place that’s treated me well.”

Kevin Thomas Jr. completed the podium while Justin Grant and Briggs Danner rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals continue Wednesday, Feb. 11 when the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds come to town to race alongside the DIRTcar Late Models. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 Volusia Speedway Park schedule, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every Volusia Speedway Park race? Live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Race Feature (30 Laps): 1. 5T-Jake Swanson[3]; 2. 57-Logan Seavey[4]; 3. 3R-Kevin Thomas Jr[6]; 4. 4-Justin Grant[7]; 5. 39-Briggs Danner[2]; 6. 20-Brady Bacon[18]; 7. 30-CJ Leary[1]; 8. 92-Chase Stockon[10]; 9. 12-Robert Ballou[14]; 10. 3P-Kyle Cummins[13]; 11. 19AZ-Mitchel Moles[9]; 12. 6T-Trey Osborne[5]; 13. 19-Hayden Reinbold[15]; 14. 14-Jadon Rogers[11]; 15. 13-Chase Howard[22]; 16. 84-Tom Harris[23]; 17. 16-Harley Burns[12]; 18. 63-Cale Coons[20]; 19. 5G-Gunnar Setser[21]; 20. 41-Ricky Lewis[8]; 21. 6-Logan Calderwood[19]; 22. 21K-Kobe Simpson[24]; 23. 2B-Chelby Hinton[16]; 24. 98-Saban Bibent[17]

Teenage Oklahoma native is boosted with confidence following top-10 run at Volusia

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2026) — On the heels of a best-career performance in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park, Ryder Laplante has made his commitment to a second season following the American Sprint Car Series schedule.

The 19-year-old from Calera, OK, opened the 2026 season by qualifying for all three main events during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. A mechanical issue forced a DNS on Thursday before posting a 17th-place finish on Friday and a 16th-to-eighth charge in the finale on Monday.

The performance marked a vast improvement from his Volusia debut the year before, where Laplante qualified for only one of the three Features run over the weekend.

“We thought it was awesome,” Laplante said. “Compared to last year where we only made one A-Main. This year, we made all three. Especially the performance we put in on Monday, going up against those big teams like that. At one point, I was up to fifth before a caution.

“For our little team to go out there and race side-by-side with the best in the world was pretty awesome.”

In 2025, Laplante built a solid base of 360 Sprint Car laps on which he’s looking to build in 2026. He said his rookie season taught him a lot and filled a few pages of his notebook at several new tracks, but this year will be all about staying competitive regularly as he aims to improve his position at season’s end.

“Just get some consistency,” Laplante said. “Last year, we were really up-and-down. Hopefully have better luck too; that was our main issue. I’d really love to get a top three in points. I know that’s gonna be really hard, but it’s doable. That’s my main goal.”

Looking forward, Laplante turns his attention to the rest of the national 360 Sprint Car schedule, which will take him to 21 other tracks across 11 states through the month of October. The grind continues in less than two weeks’ time at Central Arizona Raceway in back-to-back weekends of racing — Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1 — in the inaugural Sonoran Clash.

Ryder Laplante Commits to Second American Sprint Car Series Campaign

Teenage Oklahoma native is boosted with confidence following top-10 run at Volusia

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2026) — On the heels of a best-career performance in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park, Ryder Laplante has made his commitment to a second season following the American Sprint Car Series schedule.

The 19-year-old from Calera, OK, opened the 2026 season by qualifying for all three main events during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. A mechanical issue forced a DNS on Thursday before posting a 17th-place finish on Friday and a 16th-to-eighth charge in the finale on Monday.

The performance marked a vast improvement from his Volusia debut the year before, where Laplante qualified for only one of the three Features run over the weekend.

“We thought it was awesome,” Laplante said. “Compared to last year where we only made one A-Main. This year, we made all three. Especially the performance we put in on Monday, going up against those big teams like that. At one point, I was up to fifth before a caution.

“For our little team to go out there and race side-by-side with the best in the world was pretty awesome.”

In 2025, Laplante built a solid base of 360 Sprint Car laps on which he’s looking to build in 2026. He said his rookie season taught him a lot and filled a few pages of his notebook at several new tracks, but this year will be all about staying competitive regularly as he aims to improve his position at season’s end.

“Just get some consistency,” Laplante said. “Last year, we were really up-and-down. Hopefully have better luck too; that was our main issue. I’d really love to get a top three in points. I know that’s gonna be really hard, but it’s doable. That’s my main goal.”

Looking forward, Laplante turns his attention to the rest of the national 360 Sprint Car schedule, which will take him to 21 other tracks across 11 states through the month of October. The grind continues in less than two weeks’ time at Central Arizona Raceway in back-to-back weekends of racing — Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1 — in the inaugural Sonoran Clash.

Tickets for the inaugural Sonoran Clash at Central Arizona Raceway will be sold at the track on race day. Can’t be at the track? Stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2026) – Being in the top three on the white flag lap at every World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision and Super DIRTcar Series will come with a benefit this year.

Behrent’s Performance Warehouse is bringing the One-to-Go Championship to both series in 2026, awarding points to drivers who are in the top three on the white flag lap of every Heat Race, Last Chance Showdown, and Feature – three points to the leader, two points for second, and one point for third.

At the end of the season, the top three in points of the One-to-Go Championship will be rewarded with a Behrent’s gift card – $1,000 to the champion, $500 to the runner-up, and $250 to the third-place finisher.

“We’re excited to continue and expand our partnership with World Racing Group, the World of Outlaws, and Super DIRTcar Series,” said Jeff Behrent, vice president of Behrent’s Performance Warehouse. “The One-to-Go Championship is a unique program that gives drivers and fans another fun battle to follow throughout the year and provides an extra incentive to be leading when it counts… one lap to go.”

The One-to-Go Championship kicks off for the Super DIRTcar Series during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14, and continues for the World of Outlaws Late Models at Volusia this week, Feb. 12-14 – with points already collected during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

To learn more about Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, visit behrents.com.

Click the links to see the full World of Outlaws Late Models Series schedule and Super DIRTcar Series schedule.

Behrent’s Performance Bringing One-to-Go Championship to World of Outlaws Late Models

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2026) – Being in the top three on the white flag lap at every World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision and Super DIRTcar Series will come with a benefit this year.

Behrent’s Performance Warehouse is bringing the One-to-Go Championship to both series in 2026, awarding points to drivers who are in the top three on the white flag lap of every Heat Race, Last Chance Showdown, and Feature – three points to the leader, two points for second, and one point for third.

At the end of the season, the top three in points of the One-to-Go Championship will be rewarded with a Behrent’s gift card – $1,000 to the champion, $500 to the runner-up, and $250 to the third-place finisher.

“We’re excited to continue and expand our partnership with World Racing Group, the World of Outlaws, and Super DIRTcar Series,” said Jeff Behrent, vice president of Behrent’s Performance Warehouse. “The One-to-Go Championship is a unique program that gives drivers and fans another fun battle to follow throughout the year and provides an extra incentive to be leading when it counts… one lap to go.”

The One-to-Go Championship kicks off for the Super DIRTcar Series during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14, and continues for the World of Outlaws Late Models at Volusia this week, Feb. 12-14 – with points already collected during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

To learn more about Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, visit behrents.com.

Click the links to see the full World of Outlaws Late Models Series schedule and Super DIRTcar Series schedule.

Where can you watch the World of Outlaws Late Models and Super DIRTcar Series all year? Live on DIRTVision.

Event: DAYTONA 500Date/Time: Sunday, February 15, 2026, 2:30 p.m. ETLocation: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FloridaLayout: 2.5-Mile OvalTV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioNASCAR racing has produced its share of dramatic moments, but few can compare to the finish of the 1976 DAYTONA 500.That race delivered a late-race showdown between the sport’s two most accomplished drivers, each competing for one of NASCAR’s dominant teams. When the dust settled, David Pearson emerged victorious in the Wood Brothers Mercury over Richard Petty in his Petty Enterprises Dodge, even as both drivers wrecked coming to the finish line in a moment that has become etched into NASCAR history.This year, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will pay tribute to that iconic victory with a paint scheme honoring Pearson’s win with the Wood Brothers. Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 will be contested 50 years to the day from the 1976 race, a milestone tied to what many still consider one of the greatest finishes the sport has ever seen.Pearson’s win came down to instinct and experience. As the two leaders tangled in the closing moments, Pearson had the presence of mind to clutch the engine, allowing his battered car to continue rolling forward. He limped across the finish line to secure one of the Wood Brothers’ five DAYTONA 500 trophies. Of the NASCAR-record 63 races in which Pearson and Petty finished first and second to each other, the 1976 DAYTONA 500 remains the most remembered. Pearson won 33 of those head-to-head battles.Pearson’s son Ricky was 20 years old at the time and watched the race from the Wood Brothers pit area. His view of the track was obstructed, and unlike today, there were no televisions in the pits to follow the action. Still, the final lap left an impression that has lasted a lifetime.“We saw some smoke, and from the way the crowd was reacting we knew something was happening,” Pearson said. “We saw Richard come into sight, then when Daddy got moving the hollering got even louder.”After taking the checkered flag, David Pearson completed his lap and drove down pit road, stopping near Petty’s pit stall.“Richard stuck his head in the window, but I never knew what he said,” Ricky Pearson said. “We all climbed on the car and went to victory lane. Then when it was all over we got in the plane and flew home.”Pearson said his father never really discussed what the win meant, but from Ricky’s perspective, few moments carried more weight.“I was there as the child of the greatest driver who ever lived,” he said. “It was very emotional, right at the top as far as emotions.“Hearing the reaction of the fans and all that went on make it a day I’ll never forget.”That history is not lost on Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team. Still, once the green flag drops Feb. 15, their focus will turn to the present as they pursue a sixth Harley J. Earl Trophy for the Wood Brothers.“Obviously, they’ve had a great history there, and it’s a race that we all as drivers put pressure on ourselves to go out and perform well and hopefully compete for the win,” Berry said. “It’s the biggest race of the year, and obviously being a part of the Wood Brothers and Team Penske, their cars have always been really strong at those races and being able to capitalize on that is something that’s obviously really important to us.“So hopefully we can go do that and avoid all the trouble to be there at the end and give ourselves a shot at it.”Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, led by crew chief Miles Stanley, begin their second season together with much of the group intact from 2025, a continuity Berry believes will help build momentum.“I think it helps put us in a better spot,” Berry said. “Obviously, the last couple of years in the Cup Series have been with two different organizations, and now going back to this and having the same group, the same crew chief, the same engineers, really the same everybody, so it just kind of builds more fluidity.“It doesn’t feel like you’re starting over and learning each other as much. It’s made the offseason maybe go a little bit longer, maybe a little bit more refreshing because you’re not doing as much random things that you have to check off in the offseason.“I’m excited for it. I feel like Miles and I have had a really good relationship, and now Miles is going into his second year as a crew chief as well, so I know he’s only going to keep getting better.“I feel like we’re poised to have a really strong year.”Thursday, February 12Eddie and Len Wood will participate in a Q&A session at the Ford Display in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone at 3:30 p.m. Eddie and Len Wood will participate in the SiriusXM Live Show in the Daytona International Speedway Infield Fan Zone at 5:30 p.m.Friday, February 13Josh Berry will make an appearance at the Ford Display in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone at 3:15 p.m. for a Q&A session. Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers Racing merchandise unit beginning at 3:30 p.m. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis. Josh BerryAge: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)Hometown: Hendersonville, TennesseeCrew Chief: Miles StanleyIG: @joshberry88X: @joshberry

Vance & Hines exhaust on Brandon Robinson’s (No. 44) Harley-Davidson XG750R. [Photo: Kristen Lassen for AMA Pro Racing]Download high-resolution photo from AMA Pro’s Digital Asset Management system BROWNSBURG, IN (February 10, 2026) — Vance & Hines Motorsports is proud to announce its 2026 Progressive American Flat Track Contingency Program, offering nearly $20,000 in payouts across both KICKER AFT Singles and Mission AFT SuperTwins classes.  This comprehensive program rewards top performance while reinforcing Vance & Hines Motorsports’ commitment to the sport and its riders.  PROGRAM DETAILS (16 RACES):  KICKER AFT Singles: $550 Per-Event Payout(Using One Qualifying Product / PowerPak OR VHM Exhaust)  1st $150  2nd $100  3rd $75  4th $50  5th $25  Championship Bonus $1,000  KICKER AFT Singles Double-Up BONUS (* Paid in addition to the single-product payout noted above) (Using Both Qualifying Products / PowerPak AND VHM Exhaust) 1st +$50 2nd +$50 3rd +$50 Championship Bonus +$1,000  Mission AFT SuperTwins: $400 Per-Event Payout(Using One Qualifying Product / VHM Exhaust) 1st $150 2nd $100 3rd $75 4th $50 5th $25 Championship Bonus $1,500

Vance & Hines Motorsports Announces 2026 Progressive AFT Contingency ProgramVance & Hines exhaust on Brandon Robinson’s (No. 44) Harley-Davidson XG750R. [Photo: Kristen Lassen for AMA Pro Racing]Download high-resolution photo from AMA Pro’s Digital Asset Management system BROWNSBURG, IN (February 10, 2026) — Vance & Hines Motorsports is proud to announce its 2026 Progressive American Flat Track Contingency Program, offering nearly $20,000 in payouts across both KICKER AFT Singles and Mission AFT SuperTwins classes.  This comprehensive program rewards top performance while reinforcing Vance & Hines Motorsports’ commitment to the sport and its riders.  PROGRAM DETAILS (16 RACES):  KICKER AFT Singles: $550 Per-Event Payout(Using One Qualifying Product / PowerPak OR VHM Exhaust)  1st $150  2nd $100  3rd $75  4th $50  5th $25  Championship Bonus $1,000  KICKER AFT Singles Double-Up BONUS (* Paid in addition to the single-product payout noted above) (Using Both Qualifying Products / PowerPak AND VHM Exhaust) 1st +$50 2nd +$50 3rd +$50 Championship Bonus +$1,000  Mission AFT SuperTwins: $400 Per-Event Payout(Using One Qualifying Product / VHM Exhaust) 1st $150 2nd $100 3rd $75 4th $50 5th $25 Championship Bonus $1,500

Vance & Hines exhaust on Dan Bromley’s (No. 62) Suzuki GSX-8S. [Photo: Tim Lester for AMA Pro Racing]

SHELL INTRODUCES “RACE DAY REWARDS” PROGRAM FOR 

2026 RACE SEASON

Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members will save 22¢ per gallon when filling up on every race day this season

HOUSTON, Texas (February 10) – Today, Shell announced a new and rewarding program for fans and all consumers tied to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series race season. Starting with this Sunday’s race in Daytona, Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members can save 22¢ per gallon on all grades of Shell gasoline when opting in to the offer and filling up on race day. 

Fans and consumers who are not Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members can simply download the Shell App to join Fuel Rewards and opt in to the offer to redeem the season-long benefit that runs the entire 10-month season from February to November*. Then, on every Cup Series scheduled race day, when fans and consumers go to their desired participating Shell station to fill up, the price will roll back 22¢ per gallon on all grades of Shell gasoline – including Shell V-Power^®  NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline. 

“We are so thrilled to be bringing this offer not only to motor racing fans, who are some of the most loyal fans in all of sports, but also to consumers as an introduction to the sport,” said Zoë Baldwin, General Manager of Mobility Marketing North America for Shell. “The Race Day Rewards program is unique in that it rewards all fans and general consumers alike, is simple to opt in to, and provides 37 opportunities to save at the pump all season long.”

Consumers can join the Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® program via this link or via the Shell app:www.fuelrewards.com/racedayrewards. 

Download the Shell App:

‎Shell: Fuel, Charge & More App – App Store

Shell: Fuel, Charge & More – Apps on Google Play

For questions regarding the Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® program, please email support@fuelrewards.com. 

SHELL INTRODUCES “RACE DAY REWARDS” PROGRAM FOR 

2026 RACE SEASON

Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members will save 22¢ per gallon when filling up on every race day this season

HOUSTON, Texas (February 10) – Today, Shell announced a new and rewarding program for fans and all consumers tied to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series race season. Starting with this Sunday’s race in Daytona, Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members can save 22¢ per gallon on all grades of Shell gasoline when opting in to the offer and filling up on race day. 

Fans and consumers who are not Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® members can simply download the Shell App to join Fuel Rewards and opt in to the offer to redeem the season-long benefit that runs the entire 10-month season from February to November*. Then, on every Cup Series scheduled race day, when fans and consumers go to their desired participating Shell station to fill up, the price will roll back 22¢ per gallon on all grades of Shell gasoline – including Shell V-Power^®  NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline. 

“We are so thrilled to be bringing this offer not only to motor racing fans, who are some of the most loyal fans in all of sports, but also to consumers as an introduction to the sport,” said Zoë Baldwin, General Manager of Mobility Marketing North America for Shell. “The Race Day Rewards program is unique in that it rewards all fans and general consumers alike, is simple to opt in to, and provides 37 opportunities to save at the pump all season long.”

Consumers can join the Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® program via this link or via the Shell app:www.fuelrewards.com/racedayrewards. 

Download the Shell App:

‎Shell: Fuel, Charge & More App – App Store

Shell: Fuel, Charge & More – Apps on Google Play

For questions regarding the Shell ^® Fuel Rewards^® program, please email support@fuelrewards.com. 

“I believe that Shell provides many of the highest quality fuels and lubricants in the business,” said Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Darkhorse for Team Penske. “Now, with this amazing program, everyone has 37 opportunities, all season, to save 22 cents off per gallon on the scheduled race day!  Sundays, and sometimes Saturdays, are special to me because I get to do what I love, but now fans can feel good about heading to the pump on race day!”

BARBERVILLE, FL – The 2026 dirt Late Model season may only be a few weeks old, but Brandon Overton has already matched his win total from the entirety of 2025.

He got the ball rolling with a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory at Needmore Speedway on Jan. 30. The Evans, GA native then went to his home track of Screven Motor Speedway for the Southern All Stars-sanctioned Winter Freeze and swept the weekend. But winning in regional action in your home state is one thing – beating the best in the business at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals is another.

Nevertheless, Overton remained in top form on Monday night at Volusia Speedway Park, dominating the first DIRTcar Late Model Feature of the week. It was the Evans, GA driver’s first national-level triumph in over nine months and his fifth DIRTcar Nationals win in the past six years.

“I’m so glad I won, because I’m so sick and tired of hearing this s**t about how I don’t race against nobody,” Overton said. “There’s no slouches anymore. If you race a Super Late Model, no matter where we go in the country, there is somebody there that’s fast. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. The only bad thing about winning is losing. You get a little taste and you want to win, and when you lose, damn it sucks.”

Overton’s Heat Race win put him on the pole of the main event, and after fending off a challenge from Cade Dillard in the opening laps, he went to work on building a gap. After Dillard slotted into second, he came under attack from Nick Hoffman, who took away the runner-up spot prior to the first caution of the race 13 laps in for a flat tire on Chris Madden’s machine.

Hoffman tried to make a move on the restart, but he couldn’t clear the No. 76 and instead lost second to Cody Overton. Another yellow for a slowing No. 97 of Dillard reracked the field once more, but Brandon Overton pulled away once more and drove home to the checkers. Behind him, the younger Overton came out on top of a battle with Devin Moran to secure the Overton 1-2, signifying a much-needed turnaround from his last trip to Volusia for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals when a pair of blown engines nearly ruined his season before it began.

“I gambled on the tires, I put a three on. [Brandon] said he was putting a two on, so I said I’m going to be different, maybe I can beat him that way,” Cody Overton said. “I’m just glad nothing fell off, nothing’s broke, still looking for a transmission. Shoutout to [Brandon’s] guys, soon as I got done with my Heat, they were actually at my trailer, trying to help me figure out what I need to do for tomorrow. I don’t mind running second to him, I guess.”

Moran finished third for the final spot on the podium, while Max Blair and Hoffman completed the top five.

UP NEXT: The chase for the Big Gator trophy continues on Tuesday, Feb. 10, with another $7,000-to-win DIRTcar Late Model Feature at Volusia Speedway Park. To get your tickets in advance, click here.

Want to watch live? Stream every lap of DIRTcar Nationals on DIRTVision.

Brandon Overton Earns Fourth-Straight Late Model Win in DIRTcar Nationals Opener

BARBERVILLE, FL – The 2026 dirt Late Model season may only be a few weeks old, but Brandon Overton has already matched his win total from the entirety of 2025.

He got the ball rolling with a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory at Needmore Speedway on Jan. 30. The Evans, GA native then went to his home track of Screven Motor Speedway for the Southern All Stars-sanctioned Winter Freeze and swept the weekend. But winning in regional action in your home state is one thing – beating the best in the business at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals is another.

Nevertheless, Overton remained in top form on Monday night at Volusia Speedway Park, dominating the first DIRTcar Late Model Feature of the week. It was the Evans, GA driver’s first national-level triumph in over nine months and his fifth DIRTcar Nationals win in the past six years.

“I’m so glad I won, because I’m so sick and tired of hearing this s**t about how I don’t race against nobody,” Overton said. “There’s no slouches anymore. If you race a Super Late Model, no matter where we go in the country, there is somebody there that’s fast. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. The only bad thing about winning is losing. You get a little taste and you want to win, and when you lose, damn it sucks.”

Overton’s Heat Race win put him on the pole of the main event, and after fending off a challenge from Cade Dillard in the opening laps, he went to work on building a gap. After Dillard slotted into second, he came under attack from Nick Hoffman, who took away the runner-up spot prior to the first caution of the race 13 laps in for a flat tire on Chris Madden’s machine.

Hoffman tried to make a move on the restart, but he couldn’t clear the No. 76 and instead lost second to Cody Overton. Another yellow for a slowing No. 97 of Dillard reracked the field once more, but Brandon Overton pulled away once more and drove home to the checkers. Behind him, the younger Overton came out on top of a battle with Devin Moran to secure the Overton 1-2, signifying a much-needed turnaround from his last trip to Volusia for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals when a pair of blown engines nearly ruined his season before it began.

“I gambled on the tires, I put a three on. [Brandon] said he was putting a two on, so I said I’m going to be different, maybe I can beat him that way,” Cody Overton said. “I’m just glad nothing fell off, nothing’s broke, still looking for a transmission. Shoutout to [Brandon’s] guys, soon as I got done with my Heat, they were actually at my trailer, trying to help me figure out what I need to do for tomorrow. I don’t mind running second to him, I guess.”

Moran finished third for the final spot on the podium, while Max Blair and Hoffman completed the top five.

UP NEXT: The chase for the Big Gator trophy continues on Tuesday, Feb. 10, with another $7,000-to-win DIRTcar Late Model Feature at Volusia Speedway Park. To get your tickets in advance, click here.

Want to watch live? Stream every lap of DIRTcar Nationals on DIRTVision.

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 97-Cody Overton[3]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[12]; 4. 111-Max Blair[7]; 5. 9-Nick Hoffman[4]; 6. 71-Hudson O’Neal[17]; 7. 32-Bobby Pierce[9]; 8. 16-Tyler Bruening[8]; 9. 1-Tyler Erb[5]; 10. 9M-Tim McCreadie[18]; 11. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[10]; 12. 19R-Ryan Gustin[13]; 13. 22*-Drake Troutman[6]; 14. 5-Mark Whitener[19]; 15. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[16]; 16. 44-Chris Madden[11]; 17. 14-Trey Mills[22]; 18. 18-Chase Junghans[21]; 19. 388-Jackson Hise[23]; 20. 58V-Daulton Wilson[24]; 21. 16S-Sam Seawright[20]; 22. 13-Dallon Murty[14]; 23. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[15]; 24. 97D-Cade Dillard[2]

Two of the best in the sport swap the lead on the final lap as Seavey comes out on top

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 9, 2026) – Sprint Cars at Volusia Speedway Park continue to deliver.

The American Sprint Car Series got the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals party started with a trio of fantastic Features on the final weekend of January. Then the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series backed that up the following week with three great races of their own.

Monday fired off week three and brought the USAC National Sprint Cars to Barberville, FL to start their 2026 campaign, and they didn’t miss a beat. Brady Bacon and Logan Seavey gave the fans an absolute barnburner that came down to the last lap.

The two former champions threw everything they had at each other. Bacon led early after taking the top spot on the opening lap from outside the front row. Bacon sped away, but a patient Seavey began to cut into the “Macho Man’s” advantage as lapped cars became a factor. The gap vanished in traffic, and Seavey pulled the trigger on the 20th circuit to wrestle away the lead.

Bacon built one last run at the Sutter, CA native as they came to the white flag. The two entered Turn 1, and Bacon fired a slider that cleared but Seavey didn’t flinch. He turned down the hill to get a run down the back straightaway and snatch the spot right back and hold on through the final set of corners.

“What a racetrack again for Volusia. This place has been lights out all year,” Seavey said. “I just kind of stalked him, and then he kind of slowly slid across the track with a lapped car. I knew I had to get down and cut across. I kind of squeezed in there. I’m not sure how close it was, but I kind of jammed it in there. Then I started struggling those last four or five laps to get down the front stretch and couldn’t get off (Turn) 4 as good as I wanted to. I could just kind of hear and feel that he was close. Then I kind of did the same thing and slowly slid across (Turns) 3 and 4, and he blew back by me coming to the white. I felt OK about getting slid in (Turns) 1 and 2 because I was already turning down off of (Turn) 2. There was just enough grip on the bottom and a lapped car in his way, so it was just kind of set up perfect for me there.”

The win gave the 2024 USAC Sprint Car champion his fourth little gator in the last five tries at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” with all of them coming aboard the Abacus Racing No. 57. It also sets him up in prime position to become the first two-time Big Gator winner with USAC with the Series set to decide their DIRTcar Nationals title on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Brady Bacon and Justin Grant completed the podium.

Chase Stockon wheeled from 17th to ninth to earn Hard Charger honors.

UP NEXT: The USAC National Sprint Cars and DIRTcar Late Models both battle at Volusia Speedway Park again on Tuesday, Feb. 10. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 Volusia Speedway Park schedule, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every Volusia Speedway Park race? Live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

C-V STRIKES FIRST: Logan Seavey Bests Brady Bacon in USAC Season Opener

Two of the best in the sport swap the lead on the final lap as Seavey comes out on top

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 9, 2026) – Sprint Cars at Volusia Speedway Park continue to deliver.

The American Sprint Car Series got the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals party started with a trio of fantastic Features on the final weekend of January. Then the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series backed that up the following week with three great races of their own.

Monday fired off week three and brought the USAC National Sprint Cars to Barberville, FL to start their 2026 campaign, and they didn’t miss a beat. Brady Bacon and Logan Seavey gave the fans an absolute barnburner that came down to the last lap.

The two former champions threw everything they had at each other. Bacon led early after taking the top spot on the opening lap from outside the front row. Bacon sped away, but a patient Seavey began to cut into the “Macho Man’s” advantage as lapped cars became a factor. The gap vanished in traffic, and Seavey pulled the trigger on the 20th circuit to wrestle away the lead.

Bacon built one last run at the Sutter, CA native as they came to the white flag. The two entered Turn 1, and Bacon fired a slider that cleared but Seavey didn’t flinch. He turned down the hill to get a run down the back straightaway and snatch the spot right back and hold on through the final set of corners.

“What a racetrack again for Volusia. This place has been lights out all year,” Seavey said. “I just kind of stalked him, and then he kind of slowly slid across the track with a lapped car. I knew I had to get down and cut across. I kind of squeezed in there. I’m not sure how close it was, but I kind of jammed it in there. Then I started struggling those last four or five laps to get down the front stretch and couldn’t get off (Turn) 4 as good as I wanted to. I could just kind of hear and feel that he was close. Then I kind of did the same thing and slowly slid across (Turns) 3 and 4, and he blew back by me coming to the white. I felt OK about getting slid in (Turns) 1 and 2 because I was already turning down off of (Turn) 2. There was just enough grip on the bottom and a lapped car in his way, so it was just kind of set up perfect for me there.”

The win gave the 2024 USAC Sprint Car champion his fourth little gator in the last five tries at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” with all of them coming aboard the Abacus Racing No. 57. It also sets him up in prime position to become the first two-time Big Gator winner with USAC with the Series set to decide their DIRTcar Nationals title on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Brady Bacon and Justin Grant completed the podium.

Chase Stockon wheeled from 17th to ninth to earn Hard Charger honors.

UP NEXT: The USAC National Sprint Cars and DIRTcar Late Models both battle at Volusia Speedway Park again on Tuesday, Feb. 10. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 Volusia Speedway Park schedule, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every Volusia Speedway Park race? Live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Race Feature (25 Laps): 1. 57-Logan Seavey[1]; 2. 20-Brady Bacon[2]; 3. 4-Justin Grant[3]; 4. 30-CJ Leary[4]; 5. 39-Briggs Danner[8]; 6. 5T-Jake Swanson[6]; 7. 3R-Kevin Thomas Jr[7]; 8. 92-Chase Stockon[17]; 9. 19AZ-Mitchel Moles[11]; 10. 63-Cale Coons[10]; 11. 3P-Kyle Cummins[9]; 12. 5G-Gunnar Setser[12]; 13. 19-Hayden Reinbold[13]; 14. 6T-Trey Osborne[5]; 15. 14-Jadon Rogers[21]; 16. 41-Ricky Lewis[19]; 17. 12-Robert Ballou[18]; 18. 2B-Chelby Hinton[20]; 19. 98-Saban Bibent[24]; 20. 6-Logan Calderwood[14]; 21. 21K-Kobe Simpson[15]; 22. 97UK-Ryan Harrison[16]; 23. 16-Harley Burns[22]; 24. 84-Tom Harris[23]

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Daytona International Speedway February 11-15, 2026

NASCAR will step onto its biggest stage at the “World Center of Racing”, Daytona International Speedway, this week to officially wave the green flag on the 2026 season.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

The infamous Daytona Speedweek will once again feature five days of on-track action for NASCAR’s three national touring series – kicking off Wednesday evening under the lights with the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) qualifying session as 21 Team Chevy drivers compete for the coveted pole position of the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500, followed by Thursday’s pair of Duels to complete the lineup for Sunday’s crown jewel event.  Friday marks the first of three days of points-paying racing action at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway, starting with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) season opener – a race that will also feature a handful of Team Chevy NCS regulars including past DAYTONA 500 champions, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell, and one of the sport’s rising stars, Carson Hocevar. Chevrolet will then begin its journey towards a title-defending season in NASCAR’s top-two divisions with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) taking its turn on Saturday and NASCAR’s premier series culminating the weekend with the “Great American Race” where Team Chevy will have its sights set on a fourth-straight Harley J. Earl trophy.

Decorated Daytona HistoryWith a nickname of the “World Center of Racing”, the prestige of Daytona International Speedway speaks for itself. Chevrolet’s legacy at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway dates back to NASCAR’s first-ever appearance at the track (Feb. 1959) with a trip to victory lane courtesy of Bob Welborn. Now, over 67 years later, the Bowtie brand has accumulated 105 all-time NASCAR wins at Daytona International Speedway with 52 NCS wins, 48 NOAPS wins and four NCTS wins – a combined record that continues to raise the bar for its manufacturer competitors at the sport’s iconic venue.

Chevrolet has already set the mark for the most consecutive DAYTONA 500 victories with five-straight (2003-2007), but the manufacturer is closing in on that record with an active streak of three victories in the crown jewel event. The three-peat kicked off with Hyak Motorsports’ Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s title in 2023, then followed by Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron making back-to-back trips to victory lane to bring the Bowtie brand to 27 all-time wins in the “Great American Race”.

Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to sweep wins across all three series in NASCAR’s season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway more than once (2018, 2024). In the NOAPS, Richard Childress Racing has earned the past four victories in the season-opening event – most recently by the series’ reigning champion, Jesse Love, to kickstart a sophomore campaign that turned into a title-earning season. Chevrolet’s most recent trip to victory lane at Daytona International Speedway in the NCTS came in Feb. 2024 when Nick Sanchez and the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet team earned the Bowtie brand its milestone 100th all-time points-paying NASCAR win at the “World Center of Racing”.

BYRON ON THE BRINK OF HISTORYA trip to Daytona International Speedway in Aug. 2020 made a lasting mark in William Byron’s racing career with the Charlotte, North Carolina, native becoming a first-time winner in NASCAR’s top division. Fast forward to today, the 28-year-old Team Chevy driver will return to the “World Center of Racing” with the opportunity to make history as the first driver in NASCAR history to earn three-straight DAYTONA 500 titles.  One year ago, Byron found himself in the ninth position on the final lap and what would seem like an unfavorable position for a shot at another DAYTONA 500 victory. But in true Daytona fashion, a last-lap wreck ensued, allowing Byron to navigate his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet through the chaos to the top of the leaderboard to take home the Harley J. Earl trophy for the second-straight season – further etching his name into the record books as just the fifth driver in history to win consecutive DAYTONA 500 titles.

JRM, ALLGAIER READY TO RUN IT BACK After making a monstrous splash in their NCS debut one year ago, JR Motorsports is back for their second attempt at securing a starting position for the DAYTONA 500 – fielding the No. 40 Chevrolet with Team Chevy veteran driver Justin Allgaier. In the organization’s one and only start at NASCAR’s highest level, the 39-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native not only raced his way into the “Great American Race”, but took the checkered flag in NASCAR’s biggest race with a ninth-place finish. JR Motorsports’ return to the series comes after a record season in the NOAPS that saw the organization earn its milestone 100th all-time victory (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and 17 wins. Allgaier, JR Motorsports’ winningest driver, powered his No. 7 Chevrolet to three wins in 2025 to earn the ninth position on the series’ all-time wins list.

BUILDING OFF A RECORD SEASON One year ago at the “World Center of Racing”, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love took Chevrolet to victory lane to kickstart what culminated into a record-breaking season for the Bowtie brand in the NOAPS. Chevrolet made 26 trips to victory lane throughout the series’ 33-race schedule, making it the winningest season by a single manufacturer in series history. Throughout the already monumental season, two of Chevrolet’s long-time team partners, Richard Childress Racing and JR Motorsports, earned their milestone 100th all-time win; Connor Zilisch turned in a history-making rookie campaign with 10 wins; Chevrolet swept the Championship Four for the second time in history; and Love became a first-time champion in the NASCAR national ranks. With the bar already set high, Chevrolet is setting up to have yet another strong campaign in the division with a stout driver lineup that includes both veterans and some of the sport’s rising stars.

Climbing the RanksA pair of Rev Racing graduates have inked their first full-time contracts in the NOAPS this season. Two-time NCTS Most Popular Driver, Rajah Caruth, is slated to step up into the NOAPS for his rookie campaign – competing in a unique split schedule between the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet and the No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet. The 23-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native is coming off his third full-time season in the NCTS – a stint that saw the Team Chevy driver make the playoffs for back-to-back seasons. Caruth has made a handful of NOAPS starts throughout his young career with a pair of best finishes of 12th – both coming at Martinsville Speedway.

Following suit is Lavar Scott, who is set to compete in his first full-time season in the NASCAR national ranks – piloting the No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet for the NOAPS ‘Rookie of the Year’ honors. The 22-year-old Carney’s Point, New Jersey, native has spent the past two seasons competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series with Rev Racing – both of which saw the Team Chevy driver finish in the runner-up position in the championship standings. Scott has just a pair of NOAPS starts under his belt – each coming behind the wheel of his now full-time ride with Alpha Prime Racing.

Dirt-racing phenom, Corey Day, is stepping up into the big leagues for his first full-time season in NASCAR – taking over the driving duties of the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for his rookie campaign. The transition to full-time competition comes after the 19-year-old Clovis, California, native made select starts in both the NOAPS and NCTS over the past two seasons. In just 11 NOAPS appearances, Day has already earned two top-10 finishes, with his career-best finish of fourth coming at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Oct. 2025.

MILESTONE IN THE MAKING Back with yet another strong full-time roster, Chevrolet is gearing up to make a run at a milestone-making season in the NCTS. The Bowtie brand will head to Daytona International Speedway just six wins away from hitting its milestone 300th all-time win in the division. Chevrolet’s success came right out of the gate in the series’ debut season in 1995 – earning the win in the series’ first-ever race (Phoenix Raceway); tallied wins in 16 of the 20 races; and swept the driver and manufacturer titles.

Eckes Back for Redemption After a one-year stint in the NOAPS, Christian Eckes will return to familiar territory at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing as the pairing has their sights set on their first NCTS championship. In their sophomore campaign together in 2024, the 25-year-old Middletown, New York, native proved to be a title contender all season long – earning an impressive 21-straight top-10s, including 12 podium finishes.

Doing the Daytona DoubleA trio of Team Chevy NCS regulars will also hit the high banks of Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of a Silverado RST this weekend, including Spire Motorsports teammates, Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Prior to making the jump into NASCAR’s premier series, Carson Hocevar spent three full-time seasons in the NCTS with Niece Motorsports. The 23-year-old Portage, Michigan, native is a five-time winner in the division, with his most recent coming just last season at Kansas Speedway in a Spire Motorsports entry. Hocevar’s start in Friday’s season-opener will mark his first of eight appearances behind the wheel of the No. 77 Silverado RST this season as the driver will play a pivotal role in the team’s run at the owner’s championship title. Earning his first career NCS win on the sport’s biggest stage, the 2021 DAYTONA 500 champion, Michael McDowell, will complete the two-truck lineup for Spire Motorsports – marking just his fifth career start in the division.  While a veteran of the sport, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is on the horizon of a ‘first’ this weekend as the 38-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi, native is set to make his first career NCTS start. There’s no better place for Stenhouse Jr. to make his series’ debut than the “World Center of Racing”. The Team Chevy driver is a two-time Daytona winner at NASCAR’s highest level, including the 2023 DAYTONA 500.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        One of the most iconic trophies in motorsports’ history, the Harley J. Earl trophy features a replica of the Firebird 1 – the jet age inspired, turbine-powered, single seater designed by the first head of GM Design Harley Earl. Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and close friend of Earl, honored his contributions to the advancement of the automobile by naming the trophy for NASCAR’s most prestigious event after him. ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway: William Byron – three wins (Aug. 2020, Feb. 2024 & Feb. 2025)Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023) Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)Michael McDowell – one win (Feb. 2021)Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008) ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a DAYTONA 500 victory: William Byron – two wins (2024-2025)Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one win (2023)Michael McDowell – one win (2021)Austin Dillon – one win (2018) ·        In 157 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 52 wins, with 27 of those triumphs coming in the “Great American Race”.  ·        Chevrolet has earned 105 points-paying wins at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at the “World Center of Racing”.  ·        Chevrolet has captured the DAYTONA 500 pole a manufacturer-leading 31 times, including a series-best streak of 11-straight (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman – 2023).  ·        Chevrolet has swept the DAYTONA 500 front-row 21 times in the event’s history, including 11 of the past 15 years (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson – 2023).  ·        In 144 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 67 victories – a winning percentage of 46.5%. ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.  ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 881 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:·        Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway. ·        Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including: Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Traverse Z71, Colorado Trail Boss, Bolt, Tahoe Z71, Silverado EV, Equinox ACTIV, Trailblazer, Silverado ZR2, and the 250th Anniversary Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500 and Corvette.  Chevrolet Injector: Corvette Stingray Pace Car, Silverado ZR2, Corvette Stingray, Corvette Z06, Equinox EV, Traverse Z71, 250th anniversary Colorado, Suburban HC, Trax ACTIV, Corvette E-Ray, Blazer EV SS, Tahoe Z71, 250th anniversary Silverado EV, Silverado HD ZR2, Silverado EV, Tahoe Z71, Traverse Z71, Colorado ZR2.  Chevrolet Experience Center: Firebird 1, Corvette Z06, Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Chevrolet INDYCAR show car, Corvette Stingray Pace Car.  ·        Fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet show car at the Fan Midway Display and the 2026 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Cup car at the Chevrolet Experience Center.  Team Chevy Driver/Special Guest Appearances at the Display:Thursday, February 12Justin Allgaier: 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday, February 13Christian Eckes & Tyler Ankrum: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Grant Enfinger: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.Daniel Hemric & Kris Wright: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Dawson Sutton: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.Travis Pastrana: 1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Andres Perez de Lara & Landen Lewis: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Toni Breidinger: 4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, February 14Carson Kvapil & Rajah Caruth: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.Cole Custer: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.Sam Mayer & Sheldon Creed: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.Austin Hill: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Sammy Smith: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Jesse Love: 1:40 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Corey Day: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Sunday, February 15Austin Dillon: 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Carson Hocevar: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.Michael McDowell: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Kyle Larson & Chase Elliott: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Connor Zilisch & Shane van Gisbergen: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. William Byron & Alex Bowman: 11:05 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.Kyle Busch: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Dustin Lynch: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Thursday, February 12: 3 – 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 13: 11 a.m. – 7:45 p.m. Saturday, February 14: 8 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. Sunday, February 15: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series68th running of the DAYTONA 500Sunday, February 15, 2:30 p.m. ETFOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesUnited Rentals 300Saturday, February 14, 5 p.m. ET CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250Friday, February 13, 7:30 p.m. ET FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat would it mean to you to be able to get that crown jewel of the Daytona 500?“Yeah, it’d be beyond words that I can really put out right now. And I can usually ramble about anything, but I don’t know what that would feel like. I mean, until I do it, and what I’ve learned through winning a couple of races now in the Cup Series is that first one was worth it. It was worth all of the sacrifice. If I never raced again, it was an accomplishment that I never thought I would get to, but that I had worked a long time to achieve. To win the Daytona 500 and the Harley J. Earl trophy, and having learned about the history, knowing what the France family has built over several generations, coming from the beach and building a superspeedway a couple miles from the coast it would be incredible. All of the greats that have competed at Daytona. Some of them have won, a lot of them have lost, and they’ve all lost a lot more than they’ve won. So I don’t know what it’ll feel like, but I’m excited to find out one day, and I’ll work a long time to try to make that happen.” For somebody that’s never been behind the wheel of a Cup car, the superspeedways are such a different animal than any other racetrack. What is the mentality that you have to have to battle for multiple hours at 200 miles per hour, inches away from each other, knowing that there is going to be a big crash and you just have to do your best to not be there when it happens?“Daytona and superspeedways, are the easiest tracks to drive by myself. Qualifying is not challenging. I hold it wide open. I can hold it wide open until I run out of gas. They can come put gas in my car and I can go back out and do it again on the same tires and be fine. You put all the competitors out there and it is challenging. The draft that we have, the car that qualifies on the pole could be in last on the first lap, just the way the draft works. If they go to the very top, they’ll get passed by everybody. So it definitely is challenging when everybody’s out there. And then, like you said, trying to navigate the wrecks. I’ve finished 40th in this race twice. I don’t want to do that again.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletHow excited are you to get to Daytona and to try and win another Daytona 500?“I can’t wait to get to Daytona. Daytona always presents different opportunities, and the most important one is the opportunity to become a Daytona 500 Champion. I’d love to become a two-time champion of the race. It’s so much fun driving through the tunnel and knowing the history behind the track as you arrive, and to know you have an opportunity to put your name on the Harley J. Earl Trophy.” You’re the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion. Talk about Daytona International Speedway. RCR is always a force there. Talk about your chemistry with your teammate, Kyle Busch, at Daytona.“I remember our first race together in the No. 3 and the No. 8. We won the Daytona 500, but we didn’t win the Daytona 501 or 502 or whatever the race ended up being once it went into overtime. We were first coming to the white flag, so that would have been an epic start to Kyle’s career at RCR if we could have won the Daytona 500 for RCR. Still, he won three races that year. We’ve done a good job at RCR having fast racecars at Daytona International Speedway. I guess we’re pretty good at drafting, and that’s what you can attribute our success to. I’m looking forward to the new style body on our Chevrolets. I think that could be even better for us this year. I think the Fords have had an advantage at speedway racing for a while. Now, I’m hoping that when we show up to Daytona, we’re able to push harder and lead with a bit more ease. Nothing is easy in this sport. When it comes to competition, everybody is constantly getting better and figuring things out, so we’ve just got to do a good job of what we’ve done in the past, and I think that’s just putting ourselves in good positions. When we put ourselves in good positions, along with that ECR horsepower, it tends to show up.” How has this generation of car impacted speedway racing?“I think the biggest impact has been the fuel tank. Trying to work around fuel mileage has been a struggle, but our boss has made it pretty clear to us he does not like that type of racing and wants us to be towards the front or working our way towards the front, not saving fuel. That can be a challenge when the bossman is saying something and the engineers are communicating another way to do it. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned about speedway racing is that you’ve got to pick a direction that you’re going to go so that it doesn’t confuse the driver and go to work on that. I wish we could either change the number of laps, or we just raced all out the whole time. That’s one thing that makes it a struggle at Daytona and Talladega.” As we head into 2026, what would make it a good year for you?“I want to win multiple races. I’ve won races throughout my career, but I’ve never won two in the same year. I think that would put us into the Chase, and then from there try to go as far as possible. It would be a huge year if both the No. 3 and No. 8 teams won multiple races this year and made the postseason. That’s a championship year for an organization in my mind.” What excites you the most about the No. 3 team heading into 2026?“I think the continuity on our team. We have the same group of guys coming back together and going out there to fight every race. Also, the new Chevrolet body that we will be racing this year. I can’t wait to get out there in it and see how it performs. I think it’s going to be better, consistently, then the car we had last year.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat would it take to be a Daytona 500 winner? And what would it mean to you?“I wouldn’t know what it takes to be a Daytona 500 winner; I have never done it before. I’ve been oh so close, so many times. I’ve finished second, third, fourth, whatever, you name it, I have probably finished there. I remember in 2023, I think it was, myself and Austin Dillon, teammates at RCR, we were 1-2 coming down to the final laps, and of course coming out of turn four, I can see the flagman with the white flag in his hand. And as I get closer to the start finish line to take the white flag, he switches hands and throws the yellow as someone behind us spun out. Had to go into overtime, and I just wasn’t able to make it happen through overtime. But I have been right there. I have led the Daytona 500; it just turned into the Daytona 515 or whatever. It would be huge. I’ve been trying for so long to win that race, it’s the one race I haven’t checked off the box. I’ve been oh so close, many, many times. I’ve finished second, third, fourth. I’ve about accomplished every single finishing position in that race and so it would be nice to check off the number one spot.” Do you think it’s finally time to win the Daytona 500, one that you’ve been missing?“Yeah, I would hope so. I would like to think that in my 21st year now of trying for the Daytona 500, we can bring it home and make it happen so we can stop talking about it. It’s a tough race to win, it’s not like what it used to be, it’s less about fast cars and having all of that stuff that you need to have like we saw in the ‘80s and the ‘90s and the early 2000s, you know now its everybody on top everybody, fuel milage race, chess match where can you be, where can you put yourself and make the right moves at the right times. And so being able to do all that and then miss the wreck you know, there seems to always be a wreck on the final lap or the final two laps or whatever it might be and restarts that happen towards the end of the race. I think William Byron won it the last two years and both years there was a wreck on the backstretch and he was running 7th and 11th coming off of turn 2 and he ends up winning. So, do you want to be leading or do you want to be 2nd, hell do you want to be 11th? I don’t know.” What would make a Daytona 500 win emotional for you?“I don’t know. I remember winning at Las Vegas, my home track in 2009, and it just being such a big moment for me being my home track. Wanting to win there so hard, it felt really, really cool to do that. So I can’t imagine what a Daytona 500 win would feel like. Maybe being old nowadays and having a family, you might see a tear. Who knows.” How hungry are you for a Daytona 500 win, or are you treating it like any other race so it’s not so much of a mountain to climb?“If you were eating, and you haven’t eaten in 22 years, you would be pretty hungry. So that is certainly a race I want to chow down on, and win and check the box for. It’s been a long time, and we’ve been oh so close there a few times, more so since being at RCR I’ve had some really good chances at winning that race. But it’s been fun, and I’m looking forward to getting back there with our Chevrolet and doing it again.” Do you still get hyped for the Daytona 500 having been there 20+ times?“For me, it’s any other race. You try to treat it as any other race. You don’t want to get yourself too hyped up for any reason and put yourself in a bad spot, or overtry or get over zealous or anxious or whatever. For me, you try to have the mental state of it’s any other race and don’t worry about it, but I can’t say the same for all the other drivers. They may not feel the same way, and they get all amped up, and that’s why you see so many crashes and so many things happen there towards the end of the race where everyone is pushing so hard to win that race because it’s a legacy, it’s a career defining moment and everybody wants to have that. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the year, and it’s so unique. I know we all say that a lot, but there’s so much that builds up to it with all the hard work the team puts in during the off-season. Driving into Daytona International Speedway still gives me chills. All the pre-race ceremonies and standing by the car—to this day—it’s emotional. It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be part of the Daytona 500. We know we’ll always have fast cars at the superspeedways, and we know we’ll be competitive. The race is tough, and there’s a lot of luck that plays into it, but if we do the right things, we know we’ll have a shot at winning. It’s just special to be part of it all—the Duels, qualifying, practice, everything. It’s a massive build-up to Sunday. It’s one of the biggest events in the world when it comes to motorsports, and I’m very fortunate to still be a part of it. We’re happy CELSIUS is back. It’s been an honor to see how CELSIUS has grown over the years. It’s cool for me because I’ve been able to see their growth firsthand. I remember walking into the Kaulig Racing shop back in 2019 and just seeing CELSIUS coolers. To be quite honest, I’d never seen it before. Now, they’re not just a North American product, but a global product. They went from supplying us with product to being on the race car. We’ve been very lucky to win with them on the car and be able to celebrate together. More than anything, they are great people, and to be able to keep building that partnership is pretty special. I have a lot of fun with them. Hopefully, for many years to come, we can keep growing the brand and being a part of it on and off the racetrack. It’s been great, and I would love to go to Daytona, put on a show, and celebrate with them again in Victory Lane.” Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“I am definitely excited about Daytona, and honestly all of the superspeedways were really strong points races for our team last year and we had some really good runs, close to a few wins! It’s exciting to get our first race at Daytona underway, and with it being a Crown Jewel race, everyone wants to try and get the Harley J. Earl trophy in their trophy case.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Daytona is always special, and kicking off the season at the Daytona 500 never gets old. Having Chef Boyardee on board makes it even better — it’s a brand everyone knows, and it fits the energy and excitement of this race. Superspeedway racing is all about patience, teamwork, and putting yourself in position at the end, and our team has been working hard to do exactly that. We’re ready to go after it and hopefully get the win.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet“There’s a lot of excitement around Daytona; we’ve had a lot of good runs there the last couple of years. Being a Crown Jewel event, the one that kicks off our season, it’s a big deal. At the same time, it is just another race and having a solid run would be a great way to kick off the season. We have a lot of new faces on the 48 team, most of them have worked together in the past and I’m excited to get to work with everyone.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing ChevroletYou’ve had the Clash, but Daytona is where the season begins. Talk about what’s going through your mind when you first drive through that tunnel when you get into Daytona on Tuesday afternoon?“It’s just fun. The atmosphere down there, getting to go down to typically sunny and warm Florida for the most part, even in February. It’s nice to be down there in shorts and a T-shirt when you unload from the plane, just to get to go into that infield tunnel to see the vast expanse of what feels like a mini city in the infield between all the RVs, the camping, the makeshift bars that are getting set up by all the race fans coming in for the weekend. So it’s always fun. There’s always just an air of optimism and hopefulness for the season going into Daytona. And again, going to the track where we know that we have a shot to run up front and make some magic happen is always exciting.” Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports ChevroletYou’re back at Daytona for your third consecutive Speedweek with Beard Motorsports, and you’ll be looking to make your sixth Cup Series start with the team. What’s your mindset and that of the team as you head to track this week?“We are as focused as ever on making the Daytona 500 this year. Honestly, I have a lot of confidence because, back in 2024, not only did we time our way into race in qualifying, we were the fastest open car overall. Everybody at Beard Motorsports has been putting in the effort they always do and, honestly, missing the Daytona 500 last year was obviously a huge disappointment, but I think it motivated us to excel at the two Talladega races we did, where we led a lot of laps, making our rocket ship a lot faster and giving us something to build on as we go back to Daytona this year.” There’s a new Chevrolet body introduced for this season. Knowing that Daytona and the other superspeedway races are all about aerodynamics, do you have an idea what it will be like, where it can be an improvement, based on your experience in the simulator?“I think the Chevrolet body is going to be better everywhere. It seems like we’re still honing in the details and correlations since it obviously hasn’t been on the real track a whole bunch. We’ve have limited data to go off of from the few tests they’ve had to correlate and ultimately make it better. But I think as we progress through the year, it’ll just get more and more realistic. On paper, it should certainly be a lot better everywhere. I’m really looking forward to seeing that for myself.”  Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletIt’s been five years since your first win at Daytona. How can you pick up your second win in the Daytona 500?“Five years is a long time. There’s nothing cooler than winning the Daytona 500, except for maybe winning it twice. I don’t know, but that’s the goal. The goal is to have a shot, put ourselves in position to be there on the last lap, but nothing has really changed. Everybody goes down to Daytona with the same goal: it is not to score points, and it’s not to run good. It’s to try to win the Daytona 500. I felt like we had great speed last year on superspeedway tracks. We sat on the pole at Talladega in the fall, and we are going to bring the same car back for Daytona. So, hopeful with this new Chevy body, we can put it on the front row for the Daytona 500 and make for an exciting weekend.” You’ve been vocal about your goal to win in all three series. What do you need to do to make that happen on Friday? “The truck race is going to be fun. I was super nervous going into last year, not racing a truck on a superspeedway, and I had not been in a truck for over 10 years. I feel much more confident now, just knowing the shift points, getting through the gears, how the trucks race, and how they draft. We weren’t able to get where we wanted to last year, but we were in that front pack when we all crashed.  I am excited to have Tibbetts Lumber on the truck for the first time. They helped me with a home project, building a new shop onto my house last year, so I am excited to have them on the truck and continue to work with them. Daytona is just another opportunity to try to win in all 3 series, which is a goal of mine, but it’s tough to win in any series; any 3 of the national series is tough, but my goal is to check that box for a win in all three series.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletDescribe your change in your mindset between last year’s Daytona 500 and Atlanta the very next week.“Well we had a fuel pump issue in the 500 last year, and never really got to race. So when we got to Atlanta, I didn’t want to ride around for another 267 laps just to have something go wrong. So we went full offense at the rest of the superspeedways, and didn’t finish outside the top 10 in any of them. I think it’s worked out pretty well so far, and we are prepped and ready for the Daytona 500.” Talk about the Spectrum partnership and how it is a full-circle moment for you and your family.“I think my dad is somehow even more excited for it than I am! He feels he is a part of it. He did a trade deal with the with Charter to get the coin and jewelry store some commercials, and in turn they got to be on my quarter midget and eventually my Late Model. With Spectrum, it is almost like him putting his own logo on the car for the Daytona 500. I just think the coolest thing is seeing how excited he is and to get to be there to watch it.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Last year was your first DAYTONA 500, what did you take away from the experience?“I enjoyed it last year. The race buildup is epic, like how much everyone is in to it, seeing the stands full, it’s an amazing racetrack. The race didn’t go very well for us last year; we got crashed early and limped around the rest of the race. So, hopefullywe can have a bit of a better result this year. As an event, it’s different to open the season with the biggest race of the year but it’s a pretty cool way to start as well! I’m looking forward to it.” What is it like racing on a big stage like the DAYTONA 500?“I’ve done a few big races, like a Bathurst 1000 and Le Man 24, I’ve been lucky enough to do those races. You get that vibe and buzz on the pre-race grid; all the drivers and teams are nervous but then the crowd is super excited. It’s a real mixof energy, it’s so cool to soak in these moments and to have the privilege of being a part of something so big like the DAYTONA 500. There is nothing like it.” How much confidence does last year give you heading into the 2026 season?“It gives me a bit – just got to keep building. I felt like we ended last year really strongly, we had a really good upward trajectory on the ovals – our road courses were really strong. We just have to keep that momentum going. We have great continuity onthe team, everyone on the 97 team are the same guys from the 88 team last year, I think we are in a really good spot to keep building up.” Are you still enjoying the challenge of NASCAR?“It’s been so fun! It’s been good to have a fresh challenge, but also every week is something different, still learning something new. It’s been a lot of fun and a good change for me. The group of guys and girls I have on my car are really fun people to goto the racetrack with every weekend. I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this season. I’m excited!” Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat is your mindset heading into Daytona International Speedway? “I’m in a really good spot mentally for this season. The No. 21 team has spent a lot of time together preparing and figuring out what we need to be a little bit better. We have some good ideas on things to touch up on. It doesn’t need a full rebuild, it doesn’t need to be anything special. It’s simply being a little better in certain areas and if we do that, this team can win the championship this year. I have all the confidence in Chad (Haney, crew chief) and my entire group of guys. I think 2026 will be a good one for us. We know RCR can win championships – that was proven again last year with Jesse (Love) and the No. 2 team – and it would be special to bring Richard (Childress) and all the men and women in Welcome a title two years in a row.” How will the new Chase format change the overall outlook for the 2026 season?“This year is going to be different that’s for sure. You will have to be consistent each and every week. You can’t have a bad week and run 20th or worse. The goal has to be a top-five finish each race. Wins still matter, with the points increasing, but it’s a different mindset than win and you’re in. You still want to go win races and earn stage points; those will add up and matter. I think you can go run second, third, fourth, or fifth during the Chase and have a shot at winning the championship. You need to get the best position for any given day and maximize what the car has to offer. If it’s a third, take your third-place finish and move on to the next week. It’s better than ending up on the hook and finishing 30th or worse. I could be wrong saying this, but I think this format and the way that you have to be consistent each week fits into the No. 21 team’s wheelhouse. I feel really strong about our chances going into this season.” Your record at Daytona International Speedway speaks for itself. What does it mean to have the target on your back when you go to one of the biggest races of the year?“I actually have a lot of fun with it. Everyone talks about pressure and questions if the pressure is going to get to you. But for me, I just go into Daytona weekends with the same mindset that I always do. We try to run up front, do our thing, stay out of wrecks, and hope that it’s enough at the end. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet has been fortunate year after year in the season openers, so hopefully we can do it again this year. Everyone at RCR and ECR Engines works extremely hard to bring fast racecars and strong motors to every race, but especially at drafting tracks. Our cars are always fast and up front in qualifying which lets the rest of the competition know that you have a car capable of winning. Once the race starts and drafting begins though, anyone in the field can win at a place like Daytona. Where the No. 2 and No. 21 teams shine is making the moves at the right time.” Talk about your relationship with spotter, Derek Kneeland.“My spotter, Derek Kneeland, and I have built a great relationship over the years. This will be our fifth season working together. I know when he keys up on the radio, I need to move left, right, or there is a run coming. I know it a split-second sooner than he starts speaking, so I start moving immediately. Every second, every hundred of a second matters, especially when you are talking about a place like Daytona or Talladega. That’s one of the reasons why we are so good, because we are one step ahead of the competition. I trust him fully and don’t second guess anything he says. Not sure I could have won 10 races at drafting tracks without him.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 881 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 766Laps led to date: 256,734Top-fives to date: 4,436Top-10s to date: 9,151                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,215           Chevrolet: 881           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 847                                                                                          Ford: 747           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 203

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEDaytona International SpeedwayFebruary 11-15, 2026

NASCAR will step onto its biggest stage at the “World Center of Racing”, Daytona International Speedway, this week to officially wave the green flag on the 2026 season.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

The infamous Daytona Speedweek will once again feature five days of on-track action for NASCAR’s three national touring series – kicking off Wednesday evening under the lights with the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) qualifying session as 21 Team Chevy drivers compete for the coveted pole position of the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500, followed by Thursday’s pair of Duels to complete the lineup for Sunday’s crown jewel event.  Friday marks the first of three days of points-paying racing action at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway, starting with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) season opener – a race that will also feature a handful of Team Chevy NCS regulars including past DAYTONA 500 champions, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell, and one of the sport’s rising stars, Carson Hocevar. Chevrolet will then begin its journey towards a title-defending season in NASCAR’s top-two divisions with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) taking its turn on Saturday and NASCAR’s premier series culminating the weekend with the “Great American Race” where Team Chevy will have its sights set on a fourth-straight Harley J. Earl trophy.

Decorated Daytona HistoryWith a nickname of the “World Center of Racing”, the prestige of Daytona International Speedway speaks for itself. Chevrolet’s legacy at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway dates back to NASCAR’s first-ever appearance at the track (Feb. 1959) with a trip to victory lane courtesy of Bob Welborn. Now, over 67 years later, the Bowtie brand has accumulated 105 all-time NASCAR wins at Daytona International Speedway with 52 NCS wins, 48 NOAPS wins and four NCTS wins – a combined record that continues to raise the bar for its manufacturer competitors at the sport’s iconic venue.

Chevrolet has already set the mark for the most consecutive DAYTONA 500 victories with five-straight (2003-2007), but the manufacturer is closing in on that record with an active streak of three victories in the crown jewel event. The three-peat kicked off with Hyak Motorsports’ Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s title in 2023, then followed by Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron making back-to-back trips to victory lane to bring the Bowtie brand to 27 all-time wins in the “Great American Race”.

Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to sweep wins across all three series in NASCAR’s season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway more than once (2018, 2024). In the NOAPS, Richard Childress Racing has earned the past four victories in the season-opening event – most recently by the series’ reigning champion, Jesse Love, to kickstart a sophomore campaign that turned into a title-earning season. Chevrolet’s most recent trip to victory lane at Daytona International Speedway in the NCTS came in Feb. 2024 when Nick Sanchez and the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet team earned the Bowtie brand its milestone 100th all-time points-paying NASCAR win at the “World Center of Racing”.

BYRON ON THE BRINK OF HISTORYA trip to Daytona International Speedway in Aug. 2020 made a lasting mark in William Byron’s racing career with the Charlotte, North Carolina, native becoming a first-time winner in NASCAR’s top division. Fast forward to today, the 28-year-old Team Chevy driver will return to the “World Center of Racing” with the opportunity to make history as the first driver in NASCAR history to earn three-straight DAYTONA 500 titles.  One year ago, Byron found himself in the ninth position on the final lap and what would seem like an unfavorable position for a shot at another DAYTONA 500 victory. But in true Daytona fashion, a last-lap wreck ensued, allowing Byron to navigate his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet through the chaos to the top of the leaderboard to take home the Harley J. Earl trophy for the second-straight season – further etching his name into the record books as just the fifth driver in history to win consecutive DAYTONA 500 titles.

JRM, ALLGAIER READY TO RUN IT BACK After making a monstrous splash in their NCS debut one year ago, JR Motorsports is back for their second attempt at securing a starting position for the DAYTONA 500 – fielding the No. 40 Chevrolet with Team Chevy veteran driver Justin Allgaier. In the organization’s one and only start at NASCAR’s highest level, the 39-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native not only raced his way into the “Great American Race”, but took the checkered flag in NASCAR’s biggest race with a ninth-place finish. JR Motorsports’ return to the series comes after a record season in the NOAPS that saw the organization earn its milestone 100th all-time victory (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and 17 wins. Allgaier, JR Motorsports’ winningest driver, powered his No. 7 Chevrolet to three wins in 2025 to earn the ninth position on the series’ all-time wins list.

BUILDING OFF A RECORD SEASON One year ago at the “World Center of Racing”, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love took Chevrolet to victory lane to kickstart what culminated into a record-breaking season for the Bowtie brand in the NOAPS. Chevrolet made 26 trips to victory lane throughout the series’ 33-race schedule, making it the winningest season by a single manufacturer in series history. Throughout the already monumental season, two of Chevrolet’s long-time team partners, Richard Childress Racing and JR Motorsports, earned their milestone 100th all-time win; Connor Zilisch turned in a history-making rookie campaign with 10 wins; Chevrolet swept the Championship Four for the second time in history; and Love became a first-time champion in the NASCAR national ranks. With the bar already set high, Chevrolet is setting up to have yet another strong campaign in the division with a stout driver lineup that includes both veterans and some of the sport’s rising stars.

Climbing the RanksA pair of Rev Racing graduates have inked their first full-time contracts in the NOAPS this season. Two-time NCTS Most Popular Driver, Rajah Caruth, is slated to step up into the NOAPS for his rookie campaign – competing in a unique split schedule between the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet and the No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet. The 23-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native is coming off his third full-time season in the NCTS – a stint that saw the Team Chevy driver make the playoffs for back-to-back seasons. Caruth has made a handful of NOAPS starts throughout his young career with a pair of best finishes of 12th – both coming at Martinsville Speedway.

Following suit is Lavar Scott, who is set to compete in his first full-time season in the NASCAR national ranks – piloting the No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet for the NOAPS ‘Rookie of the Year’ honors. The 22-year-old Carney’s Point, New Jersey, native has spent the past two seasons competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series with Rev Racing – both of which saw the Team Chevy driver finish in the runner-up position in the championship standings. Scott has just a pair of NOAPS starts under his belt – each coming behind the wheel of his now full-time ride with Alpha Prime Racing.

Dirt-racing phenom, Corey Day, is stepping up into the big leagues for his first full-time season in NASCAR – taking over the driving duties of the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for his rookie campaign. The transition to full-time competition comes after the 19-year-old Clovis, California, native made select starts in both the NOAPS and NCTS over the past two seasons. In just 11 NOAPS appearances, Day has already earned two top-10 finishes, with his career-best finish of fourth coming at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Oct. 2025.

MILESTONE IN THE MAKING Back with yet another strong full-time roster, Chevrolet is gearing up to make a run at a milestone-making season in the NCTS. The Bowtie brand will head to Daytona International Speedway just six wins away from hitting its milestone 300th all-time win in the division. Chevrolet’s success came right out of the gate in the series’ debut season in 1995 – earning the win in the series’ first-ever race (Phoenix Raceway); tallied wins in 16 of the 20 races; and swept the driver and manufacturer titles.

Eckes Back for Redemption After a one-year stint in the NOAPS, Christian Eckes will return to familiar territory at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing as the pairing has their sights set on their first NCTS championship. In their sophomore campaign together in 2024, the 25-year-old Middletown, New York, native proved to be a title contender all season long – earning an impressive 21-straight top-10s, including 12 podium finishes.

Doing the Daytona DoubleA trio of Team Chevy NCS regulars will also hit the high banks of Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of a Silverado RST this weekend, including Spire Motorsports teammates, Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Prior to making the jump into NASCAR’s premier series, Carson Hocevar spent three full-time seasons in the NCTS with Niece Motorsports. The 23-year-old Portage, Michigan, native is a five-time winner in the division, with his most recent coming just last season at Kansas Speedway in a Spire Motorsports entry. Hocevar’s start in Friday’s season-opener will mark his first of eight appearances behind the wheel of the No. 77 Silverado RST this season as the driver will play a pivotal role in the team’s run at the owner’s championship title. Earning his first career NCS win on the sport’s biggest stage, the 2021 DAYTONA 500 champion, Michael McDowell, will complete the two-truck lineup for Spire Motorsports – marking just his fifth career start in the division.  While a veteran of the sport, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is on the horizon of a ‘first’ this weekend as the 38-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi, native is set to make his first career NCTS start. There’s no better place for Stenhouse Jr. to make his series’ debut than the “World Center of Racing”. The Team Chevy driver is a two-time Daytona winner at NASCAR’s highest level, including the 2023 DAYTONA 500.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        One of the most iconic trophies in motorsports’ history, the Harley J. Earl trophy features a replica of the Firebird 1 – the jet age inspired, turbine-powered, single seater designed by the first head of GM Design Harley Earl. Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and close friend of Earl, honored his contributions to the advancement of the automobile by naming the trophy for NASCAR’s most prestigious event after him. ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway: William Byron – three wins (Aug. 2020, Feb. 2024 & Feb. 2025)Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023) Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)Michael McDowell – one win (Feb. 2021)Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008) ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a DAYTONA 500 victory: William Byron – two wins (2024-2025)Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one win (2023)Michael McDowell – one win (2021)Austin Dillon – one win (2018) ·        In 157 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 52 wins, with 27 of those triumphs coming in the “Great American Race”.  ·        Chevrolet has earned 105 points-paying wins at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at the “World Center of Racing”.  ·        Chevrolet has captured the DAYTONA 500 pole a manufacturer-leading 31 times, including a series-best streak of 11-straight (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman – 2023).  ·        Chevrolet has swept the DAYTONA 500 front-row 21 times in the event’s history, including 11 of the past 15 years (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson – 2023).  ·        In 144 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 67 victories – a winning percentage of 46.5%. ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.  ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 881 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:·        Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway. ·        Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including: Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Traverse Z71, Colorado Trail Boss, Bolt, Tahoe Z71, Silverado EV, Equinox ACTIV, Trailblazer, Silverado ZR2, and the 250th Anniversary Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500 and Corvette.  Chevrolet Injector: Corvette Stingray Pace Car, Silverado ZR2, Corvette Stingray, Corvette Z06, Equinox EV, Traverse Z71, 250th anniversary Colorado, Suburban HC, Trax ACTIV, Corvette E-Ray, Blazer EV SS, Tahoe Z71, 250th anniversary Silverado EV, Silverado HD ZR2, Silverado EV, Tahoe Z71, Traverse Z71, Colorado ZR2.  Chevrolet Experience Center: Firebird 1, Corvette Z06, Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Chevrolet INDYCAR show car, Corvette Stingray Pace Car.  ·        Fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet show car at the Fan Midway Display and the 2026 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Cup car at the Chevrolet Experience Center.  Team Chevy Driver/Special Guest Appearances at the Display:Thursday, February 12Justin Allgaier: 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday, February 13Christian Eckes & Tyler Ankrum: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Grant Enfinger: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.Daniel Hemric & Kris Wright: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Dawson Sutton: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.Travis Pastrana: 1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Andres Perez de Lara & Landen Lewis: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Toni Breidinger: 4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, February 14Carson Kvapil & Rajah Caruth: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.Cole Custer: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.Sam Mayer & Sheldon Creed: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.Austin Hill: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Sammy Smith: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Jesse Love: 1:40 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Corey Day: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Sunday, February 15Austin Dillon: 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Carson Hocevar: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.Michael McDowell: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Kyle Larson & Chase Elliott: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Connor Zilisch & Shane van Gisbergen: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. William Byron & Alex Bowman: 11:05 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.Kyle Busch: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Dustin Lynch: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Thursday, February 12: 3 – 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 13: 11 a.m. – 7:45 p.m. Saturday, February 14: 8 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. Sunday, February 15: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series68th running of the DAYTONA 500Sunday, February 15, 2:30 p.m. ETFOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesUnited Rentals 300Saturday, February 14, 5 p.m. ET CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250Friday, February 13, 7:30 p.m. ET FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat would it mean to you to be able to get that crown jewel of the Daytona 500?“Yeah, it’d be beyond words that I can really put out right now. And I can usually ramble about anything, but I don’t know what that would feel like. I mean, until I do it, and what I’ve learned through winning a couple of races now in the Cup Series is that first one was worth it. It was worth all of the sacrifice. If I never raced again, it was an accomplishment that I never thought I would get to, but that I had worked a long time to achieve. To win the Daytona 500 and the Harley J. Earl trophy, and having learned about the history, knowing what the France family has built over several generations, coming from the beach and building a superspeedway a couple miles from the coast it would be incredible. All of the greats that have competed at Daytona. Some of them have won, a lot of them have lost, and they’ve all lost a lot more than they’ve won. So I don’t know what it’ll feel like, but I’m excited to find out one day, and I’ll work a long time to try to make that happen.” For somebody that’s never been behind the wheel of a Cup car, the superspeedways are such a different animal than any other racetrack. What is the mentality that you have to have to battle for multiple hours at 200 miles per hour, inches away from each other, knowing that there is going to be a big crash and you just have to do your best to not be there when it happens?“Daytona and superspeedways, are the easiest tracks to drive by myself. Qualifying is not challenging. I hold it wide open. I can hold it wide open until I run out of gas. They can come put gas in my car and I can go back out and do it again on the same tires and be fine. You put all the competitors out there and it is challenging. The draft that we have, the car that qualifies on the pole could be in last on the first lap, just the way the draft works. If they go to the very top, they’ll get passed by everybody. So it definitely is challenging when everybody’s out there. And then, like you said, trying to navigate the wrecks. I’ve finished 40th in this race twice. I don’t want to do that again.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletHow excited are you to get to Daytona and to try and win another Daytona 500?“I can’t wait to get to Daytona. Daytona always presents different opportunities, and the most important one is the opportunity to become a Daytona 500 Champion. I’d love to become a two-time champion of the race. It’s so much fun driving through the tunnel and knowing the history behind the track as you arrive, and to know you have an opportunity to put your name on the Harley J. Earl Trophy.” You’re the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion. Talk about Daytona International Speedway. RCR is always a force there. Talk about your chemistry with your teammate, Kyle Busch, at Daytona.“I remember our first race together in the No. 3 and the No. 8. We won the Daytona 500, but we didn’t win the Daytona 501 or 502 or whatever the race ended up being once it went into overtime. We were first coming to the white flag, so that would have been an epic start to Kyle’s career at RCR if we could have won the Daytona 500 for RCR. Still, he won three races that year. We’ve done a good job at RCR having fast racecars at Daytona International Speedway. I guess we’re pretty good at drafting, and that’s what you can attribute our success to. I’m looking forward to the new style body on our Chevrolets. I think that could be even better for us this year. I think the Fords have had an advantage at speedway racing for a while. Now, I’m hoping that when we show up to Daytona, we’re able to push harder and lead with a bit more ease. Nothing is easy in this sport. When it comes to competition, everybody is constantly getting better and figuring things out, so we’ve just got to do a good job of what we’ve done in the past, and I think that’s just putting ourselves in good positions. When we put ourselves in good positions, along with that ECR horsepower, it tends to show up.” How has this generation of car impacted speedway racing?“I think the biggest impact has been the fuel tank. Trying to work around fuel mileage has been a struggle, but our boss has made it pretty clear to us he does not like that type of racing and wants us to be towards the front or working our way towards the front, not saving fuel. That can be a challenge when the bossman is saying something and the engineers are communicating another way to do it. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned about speedway racing is that you’ve got to pick a direction that you’re going to go so that it doesn’t confuse the driver and go to work on that. I wish we could either change the number of laps, or we just raced all out the whole time. That’s one thing that makes it a struggle at Daytona and Talladega.” As we head into 2026, what would make it a good year for you?“I want to win multiple races. I’ve won races throughout my career, but I’ve never won two in the same year. I think that would put us into the Chase, and then from there try to go as far as possible. It would be a huge year if both the No. 3 and No. 8 teams won multiple races this year and made the postseason. That’s a championship year for an organization in my mind.” What excites you the most about the No. 3 team heading into 2026?“I think the continuity on our team. We have the same group of guys coming back together and going out there to fight every race. Also, the new Chevrolet body that we will be racing this year. I can’t wait to get out there in it and see how it performs. I think it’s going to be better, consistently, then the car we had last year.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat would it take to be a Daytona 500 winner? And what would it mean to you?“I wouldn’t know what it takes to be a Daytona 500 winner; I have never done it before. I’ve been oh so close, so many times. I’ve finished second, third, fourth, whatever, you name it, I have probably finished there. I remember in 2023, I think it was, myself and Austin Dillon, teammates at RCR, we were 1-2 coming down to the final laps, and of course coming out of turn four, I can see the flagman with the white flag in his hand. And as I get closer to the start finish line to take the white flag, he switches hands and throws the yellow as someone behind us spun out. Had to go into overtime, and I just wasn’t able to make it happen through overtime. But I have been right there. I have led the Daytona 500; it just turned into the Daytona 515 or whatever. It would be huge. I’ve been trying for so long to win that race, it’s the one race I haven’t checked off the box. I’ve been oh so close, many, many times. I’ve finished second, third, fourth. I’ve about accomplished every single finishing position in that race and so it would be nice to check off the number one spot.” Do you think it’s finally time to win the Daytona 500, one that you’ve been missing?“Yeah, I would hope so. I would like to think that in my 21st year now of trying for the Daytona 500, we can bring it home and make it happen so we can stop talking about it. It’s a tough race to win, it’s not like what it used to be, it’s less about fast cars and having all of that stuff that you need to have like we saw in the ‘80s and the ‘90s and the early 2000s, you know now its everybody on top everybody, fuel milage race, chess match where can you be, where can you put yourself and make the right moves at the right times. And so being able to do all that and then miss the wreck you know, there seems to always be a wreck on the final lap or the final two laps or whatever it might be and restarts that happen towards the end of the race. I think William Byron won it the last two years and both years there was a wreck on the backstretch and he was running 7th and 11th coming off of turn 2 and he ends up winning. So, do you want to be leading or do you want to be 2nd, hell do you want to be 11th? I don’t know.” What would make a Daytona 500 win emotional for you?“I don’t know. I remember winning at Las Vegas, my home track in 2009, and it just being such a big moment for me being my home track. Wanting to win there so hard, it felt really, really cool to do that. So I can’t imagine what a Daytona 500 win would feel like. Maybe being old nowadays and having a family, you might see a tear. Who knows.” How hungry are you for a Daytona 500 win, or are you treating it like any other race so it’s not so much of a mountain to climb?“If you were eating, and you haven’t eaten in 22 years, you would be pretty hungry. So that is certainly a race I want to chow down on, and win and check the box for. It’s been a long time, and we’ve been oh so close there a few times, more so since being at RCR I’ve had some really good chances at winning that race. But it’s been fun, and I’m looking forward to getting back there with our Chevrolet and doing it again.” Do you still get hyped for the Daytona 500 having been there 20+ times?“For me, it’s any other race. You try to treat it as any other race. You don’t want to get yourself too hyped up for any reason and put yourself in a bad spot, or overtry or get over zealous or anxious or whatever. For me, you try to have the mental state of it’s any other race and don’t worry about it, but I can’t say the same for all the other drivers. They may not feel the same way, and they get all amped up, and that’s why you see so many crashes and so many things happen there towards the end of the race where everyone is pushing so hard to win that race because it’s a legacy, it’s a career defining moment and everybody wants to have that. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the year, and it’s so unique. I know we all say that a lot, but there’s so much that builds up to it with all the hard work the team puts in during the off-season. Driving into Daytona International Speedway still gives me chills. All the pre-race ceremonies and standing by the car—to this day—it’s emotional. It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be part of the Daytona 500. We know we’ll always have fast cars at the superspeedways, and we know we’ll be competitive. The race is tough, and there’s a lot of luck that plays into it, but if we do the right things, we know we’ll have a shot at winning. It’s just special to be part of it all—the Duels, qualifying, practice, everything. It’s a massive build-up to Sunday. It’s one of the biggest events in the world when it comes to motorsports, and I’m very fortunate to still be a part of it. We’re happy CELSIUS is back. It’s been an honor to see how CELSIUS has grown over the years. It’s cool for me because I’ve been able to see their growth firsthand. I remember walking into the Kaulig Racing shop back in 2019 and just seeing CELSIUS coolers. To be quite honest, I’d never seen it before. Now, they’re not just a North American product, but a global product. They went from supplying us with product to being on the race car. We’ve been very lucky to win with them on the car and be able to celebrate together. More than anything, they are great people, and to be able to keep building that partnership is pretty special. I have a lot of fun with them. Hopefully, for many years to come, we can keep growing the brand and being a part of it on and off the racetrack. It’s been great, and I would love to go to Daytona, put on a show, and celebrate with them again in Victory Lane.” Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“I am definitely excited about Daytona, and honestly all of the superspeedways were really strong points races for our team last year and we had some really good runs, close to a few wins! It’s exciting to get our first race at Daytona underway, and with it being a Crown Jewel race, everyone wants to try and get the Harley J. Earl trophy in their trophy case.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Daytona is always special, and kicking off the season at the Daytona 500 never gets old. Having Chef Boyardee on board makes it even better — it’s a brand everyone knows, and it fits the energy and excitement of this race. Superspeedway racing is all about patience, teamwork, and putting yourself in position at the end, and our team has been working hard to do exactly that. We’re ready to go after it and hopefully get the win.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet“There’s a lot of excitement around Daytona; we’ve had a lot of good runs there the last couple of years. Being a Crown Jewel event, the one that kicks off our season, it’s a big deal. At the same time, it is just another race and having a solid run would be a great way to kick off the season. We have a lot of new faces on the 48 team, most of them have worked together in the past and I’m excited to get to work with everyone.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing ChevroletYou’ve had the Clash, but Daytona is where the season begins. Talk about what’s going through your mind when you first drive through that tunnel when you get into Daytona on Tuesday afternoon?“It’s just fun. The atmosphere down there, getting to go down to typically sunny and warm Florida for the most part, even in February. It’s nice to be down there in shorts and a T-shirt when you unload from the plane, just to get to go into that infield tunnel to see the vast expanse of what feels like a mini city in the infield between all the RVs, the camping, the makeshift bars that are getting set up by all the race fans coming in for the weekend. So it’s always fun. There’s always just an air of optimism and hopefulness for the season going into Daytona. And again, going to the track where we know that we have a shot to run up front and make some magic happen is always exciting.” Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports ChevroletYou’re back at Daytona for your third consecutive Speedweek with Beard Motorsports, and you’ll be looking to make your sixth Cup Series start with the team. What’s your mindset and that of the team as you head to track this week?“We are as focused as ever on making the Daytona 500 this year. Honestly, I have a lot of confidence because, back in 2024, not only did we time our way into race in qualifying, we were the fastest open car overall. Everybody at Beard Motorsports has been putting in the effort they always do and, honestly, missing the Daytona 500 last year was obviously a huge disappointment, but I think it motivated us to excel at the two Talladega races we did, where we led a lot of laps, making our rocket ship a lot faster and giving us something to build on as we go back to Daytona this year.” There’s a new Chevrolet body introduced for this season. Knowing that Daytona and the other superspeedway races are all about aerodynamics, do you have an idea what it will be like, where it can be an improvement, based on your experience in the simulator?“I think the Chevrolet body is going to be better everywhere. It seems like we’re still honing in the details and correlations since it obviously hasn’t been on the real track a whole bunch. We’ve have limited data to go off of from the few tests they’ve had to correlate and ultimately make it better. But I think as we progress through the year, it’ll just get more and more realistic. On paper, it should certainly be a lot better everywhere. I’m really looking forward to seeing that for myself.”  Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletIt’s been five years since your first win at Daytona. How can you pick up your second win in the Daytona 500?“Five years is a long time. There’s nothing cooler than winning the Daytona 500, except for maybe winning it twice. I don’t know, but that’s the goal. The goal is to have a shot, put ourselves in position to be there on the last lap, but nothing has really changed. Everybody goes down to Daytona with the same goal: it is not to score points, and it’s not to run good. It’s to try to win the Daytona 500. I felt like we had great speed last year on superspeedway tracks. We sat on the pole at Talladega in the fall, and we are going to bring the same car back for Daytona. So, hopeful with this new Chevy body, we can put it on the front row for the Daytona 500 and make for an exciting weekend.” You’ve been vocal about your goal to win in all three series. What do you need to do to make that happen on Friday? “The truck race is going to be fun. I was super nervous going into last year, not racing a truck on a superspeedway, and I had not been in a truck for over 10 years. I feel much more confident now, just knowing the shift points, getting through the gears, how the trucks race, and how they draft. We weren’t able to get where we wanted to last year, but we were in that front pack when we all crashed.  I am excited to have Tibbetts Lumber on the truck for the first time. They helped me with a home project, building a new shop onto my house last year, so I am excited to have them on the truck and continue to work with them. Daytona is just another opportunity to try to win in all 3 series, which is a goal of mine, but it’s tough to win in any series; any 3 of the national series is tough, but my goal is to check that box for a win in all three series.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletDescribe your change in your mindset between last year’s Daytona 500 and Atlanta the very next week.“Well we had a fuel pump issue in the 500 last year, and never really got to race. So when we got to Atlanta, I didn’t want to ride around for another 267 laps just to have something go wrong. So we went full offense at the rest of the superspeedways, and didn’t finish outside the top 10 in any of them. I think it’s worked out pretty well so far, and we are prepped and ready for the Daytona 500.” Talk about the Spectrum partnership and how it is a full-circle moment for you and your family.“I think my dad is somehow even more excited for it than I am! He feels he is a part of it. He did a trade deal with the with Charter to get the coin and jewelry store some commercials, and in turn they got to be on my quarter midget and eventually my Late Model. With Spectrum, it is almost like him putting his own logo on the car for the Daytona 500. I just think the coolest thing is seeing how excited he is and to get to be there to watch it.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Last year was your first DAYTONA 500, what did you take away from the experience?“I enjoyed it last year. The race buildup is epic, like how much everyone is in to it, seeing the stands full, it’s an amazing racetrack. The race didn’t go very well for us last year; we got crashed early and limped around the rest of the race. So, hopefullywe can have a bit of a better result this year. As an event, it’s different to open the season with the biggest race of the year but it’s a pretty cool way to start as well! I’m looking forward to it.” What is it like racing on a big stage like the DAYTONA 500?“I’ve done a few big races, like a Bathurst 1000 and Le Man 24, I’ve been lucky enough to do those races. You get that vibe and buzz on the pre-race grid; all the drivers and teams are nervous but then the crowd is super excited. It’s a real mixof energy, it’s so cool to soak in these moments and to have the privilege of being a part of something so big like the DAYTONA 500. There is nothing like it.” How much confidence does last year give you heading into the 2026 season?“It gives me a bit – just got to keep building. I felt like we ended last year really strongly, we had a really good upward trajectory on the ovals – our road courses were really strong. We just have to keep that momentum going. We have great continuity onthe team, everyone on the 97 team are the same guys from the 88 team last year, I think we are in a really good spot to keep building up.” Are you still enjoying the challenge of NASCAR?“It’s been so fun! It’s been good to have a fresh challenge, but also every week is something different, still learning something new. It’s been a lot of fun and a good change for me. The group of guys and girls I have on my car are really fun people to goto the racetrack with every weekend. I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this season. I’m excited!” Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat is your mindset heading into Daytona International Speedway? “I’m in a really good spot mentally for this season. The No. 21 team has spent a lot of time together preparing and figuring out what we need to be a little bit better. We have some good ideas on things to touch up on. It doesn’t need a full rebuild, it doesn’t need to be anything special. It’s simply being a little better in certain areas and if we do that, this team can win the championship this year. I have all the confidence in Chad (Haney, crew chief) and my entire group of guys. I think 2026 will be a good one for us. We know RCR can win championships – that was proven again last year with Jesse (Love) and the No. 2 team – and it would be special to bring Richard (Childress) and all the men and women in Welcome a title two years in a row.” How will the new Chase format change the overall outlook for the 2026 season?“This year is going to be different that’s for sure. You will have to be consistent each and every week. You can’t have a bad week and run 20th or worse. The goal has to be a top-five finish each race. Wins still matter, with the points increasing, but it’s a different mindset than win and you’re in. You still want to go win races and earn stage points; those will add up and matter. I think you can go run second, third, fourth, or fifth during the Chase and have a shot at winning the championship. You need to get the best position for any given day and maximize what the car has to offer. If it’s a third, take your third-place finish and move on to the next week. It’s better than ending up on the hook and finishing 30th or worse. I could be wrong saying this, but I think this format and the way that you have to be consistent each week fits into the No. 21 team’s wheelhouse. I feel really strong about our chances going into this season.” Your record at Daytona International Speedway speaks for itself. What does it mean to have the target on your back when you go to one of the biggest races of the year?“I actually have a lot of fun with it. Everyone talks about pressure and questions if the pressure is going to get to you. But for me, I just go into Daytona weekends with the same mindset that I always do. We try to run up front, do our thing, stay out of wrecks, and hope that it’s enough at the end. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet has been fortunate year after year in the season openers, so hopefully we can do it again this year. Everyone at RCR and ECR Engines works extremely hard to bring fast racecars and strong motors to every race, but especially at drafting tracks. Our cars are always fast and up front in qualifying which lets the rest of the competition know that you have a car capable of winning. Once the race starts and drafting begins though, anyone in the field can win at a place like Daytona. Where the No. 2 and No. 21 teams shine is making the moves at the right time.” Talk about your relationship with spotter, Derek Kneeland.“My spotter, Derek Kneeland, and I have built a great relationship over the years. This will be our fifth season working together. I know when he keys up on the radio, I need to move left, right, or there is a run coming. I know it a split-second sooner than he starts speaking, so I start moving immediately. Every second, every hundred of a second matters, especially when you are talking about a place like Daytona or Talladega. That’s one of the reasons why we are so good, because we are one step ahead of the competition. I trust him fully and don’t second guess anything he says. Not sure I could have won 10 races at drafting tracks without him.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 881 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 766Laps led to date: 256,734Top-fives to date: 4,436Top-10s to date: 9,151                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,215           Chevrolet: 881           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 847                                                                                          Ford: 747           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 203