39-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 400
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
SEPTEMBER 10, 2016
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THE CHASE IS ON AND CHEVY IS COMING STRONG
· Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer at Richmond with 37 wins
· Team Chevy has comprised 50% or more of the Chase field 10 out of the past 12 seasons and looks to do it again in 2016
· A Chevy driver or team has won one out of the last three races at RIR
DETROIT – (September 6, 2016) – Twelve years ago NASCAR instituted a new way of determining a champion called the ‘Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’. Since then, Richmond International Raceway has been the site of triumph and heartbreak as drivers’ and teams’ championship hopes are realized or dashed. It all comes down to 400 intense laps around the 0.75-mile Virginia track.
This season four Team Chevy drivers are on the cusp of making it into the 16 driver Chase field. Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon have a small points cushion and can all but see their dreams of making their first career Chase appearances come true, but any small mistake or error could open the door for another team or driver. Jamie McMurray currently holds the 16th and final Chase position, but Ryan Newman is only a few markers away from making his eighth Chase field. A win by any driver not already locked into the Chase standings places them in contention for this year’s championship playoff. Anything can happen, but Team Chevy is aptly poised to clinch the final few Chase spots not already secured.
No matter what happens on Saturday night, Team Chevy is well positioned to earn their 31st NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver’s title by making up 50 percent of the Chase field for the 11th consecutive season. Former champions Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart lead the all-star Chevy Chase group and will be paired with first time Chaser Kyle Larson and three more to be determined at Richmond. All drivers will vie to hoist the hardware in Homestead and bring home another championship to the Chevrolet camp.
Team Chevy drivers and teams should feel confident heading into Richmond because the brand is the most successful manufacturer at the Virginia track. Chevrolet has earned 37 victories in the 120 races that have been completed at the fairgrounds. The Chevrolet Racing group has been working hard to find the right balance with the current rules package for short-track racing. The last time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was on a track less than 1-mile in length it was Chevrolet’s Kevin Harvick who took the victory. Recently, the Bowtie Brand has been building momentum as the Chase approaches, and hopes to take that recent confidence, knowledge, and expertise into battle as they fight for the year-end driver and manufacturer championship trophies.
Who will be in and who will be out? All the heart stopping action from Richmond begins Saturday night under the lights on September 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the 400-lap/300-mile contest will be available on NBCSN, MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.